Red Mansion and Crimson Pearl

Chapter 488 Ugly Hour

I thought that since it was late at night and Daiyu had a small appetite, she would probably just have a bowl of noodles and a plate of snacks.

Unexpectedly, when Mrs. Liu heard that Daiyu had returned home, she wiped her tears and immediately started cooking, and set a full table of food for her.

Daiyu didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and looked to Miaoyu for help: "It's the middle of the night, how can I finish eating so much?"

Miaoyu clasped her hands together and said, "Amitabha, monks do not eat after noon. Don't look at me."

Sister Liu, who was standing on the ground, had tears in her eyes: “The girl entered the palace, she said nice things, served the Queen Mother, and ate all the delicacies in the world with her.

"But that's the palace. How can the food not be prepared according to the tastes of the nobles? How can you eat whatever you like?

"Although my cooking skills are limited, at least I can make you something you like to eat!

“I remember this table.

"But if the young lady changes her taste after entering the palace and dislikes me, then I dare not say anything."

She even started to act like a spoiled brat.

Daiyu didn't know whether to laugh or cry, so she picked up a bite or two of all the dishes on the table and put them in front of herself. She ate them one by one and praised them.

Only then did Sister Liu feel satisfied. She waved her hand with great pride and said, "Young lady, go talk to Miao-gu and have tea. I'll take these out right now, and Young lady Qing can also fill her stomach!"

Qingwen, whose eyes had long been green and who had been drooling for a long time, nodded like a chick pecking at rice. Two more maids came in and together they moved the dining table out.

Miaoyu looked at Sister Liu's proud back and chuckled, with a hint of envy and melancholy in her memories:

“Your cook is really good and loyal.

"I had a wet nurse who was also a good cook and treated me very well...

"But later, when I started practicing, my father dismissed her...

"When she left, she cried while hugging a pair of pillows that were my favorite when I was a child...

"My father coaxed me, saying that he had given her a lot of money to settle down. Later, I secretly went to look for her, and her neighbors said that she was driven out by her husband..."

As Miaoyu spoke, she became a little dazed.

Daiyu held her hand across the table and whispered, "Are you really going back to Suzhou? Panxiang Temple?"

"I have to go back first. The sisters in the temple are all thinking about me..." Miaoyu answered casually. Fang was stunned again and looked at Daiyu intently, "What?!"

Daiyu nodded slightly, her voice becoming even softer: "Just two or three days."

Miaoyu's tears welled up in her eyes. She held Daiyu's hands tightly with both hands, put her forehead against them as if she was kowtowing, and cried bitterly!

Daiyu sighed softly, and reached out her other hand to support Miaoyu's increasingly thin and trembling shoulders and patted them.

After sleeping for more than an hour, Daiyu took Qingwen and Qingwen took the large food box that Sister Liu had prepared for them overnight, and they quietly returned to the Daming Palace when the palace gates opened.

Today is Lantern Festival.

Although the Supreme Lord and the Emperor were not in the capital, all forms of congratulations were kept simple, but the most basic sacrifices and rewards still had to be carried out as usual.

Because Empress Wan was "ill" and Kou Zhaorong was in charge of the affairs of the six palaces and was very busy, she handed over the job of offering sacrifices on her behalf to Concubine Yang Lifei.

This guy is the one who is afraid of not having the opportunity to do evil, and the Fourth Prince has been brought up to be unwilling to lag behind in everything.

Early in the morning, before the hour of Chou, Yang Lifei's Baojing Palace sent people to Shoukang Palace to knock on the door and "grant" Princess Zhaoqing to attend the sacrifice.

Lin Daiyu, who was taking a nap, lay motionless in the quilt, too lazy to even make a sound.

Xiao Hong went out and replied: "The Lantern Festival is a big event. Our ancestors have set laws and regulations. Our princess does not have the job of accompanying the sacrifice granted by His Majesty, so we dare not overstep our authority.

"Our princess appreciates Concubine Yang Life's kindness."

The palace maid was unhappy and was about to say something else when Xiao Hong added:

"The auspicious time for the grand sacrifice was determined with great difficulty by the Imperial Astronomical Observatory. Sister, why don't you go back and inform Concubine Li?

"If we are late, our princess can't afford it!"

The palace maid left in anger.

While beating the dog and scolding the chicken, Concubine Yang Lifei quickly packed up and went out because Xiaohong reminded her of this "auspicious time".

Only those "of the fifth rank and above in Beijing" who had been notified by Prince Duncheng were allowed to participate in the "Shangyuan Ceremony". As for the banquets given by foreign tribes in previous years, it was notified that lunch would be held in the Linding Hall.

The Ministry of Rites was used to doing this. They had already ordered the Liyuan lantern opera last year. Everything was ready now, and it made no difference whether the emperor was in Beijing or not.

The only thing that everyone could not agree on was which prince should be invited to perform the bestowal.

It was not until the last moment, that is, on this day, that Prince Duncheng made a hasty decision: "He is the oldest prince in the capital!"

Concubine Yang Life, who had heard about this, discovered that while she was offering sacrifices to heaven on behalf of the empress, it was not her own son, the Fourth Prince, who was giving a banquet on behalf of the emperor. She immediately became furious.

It was the aunt in charge who advised: "Who can remember the complicated procedures for something that is decided at the last minute?

"I might end up embarrassing myself in front of the court officials and foreign envoys!

"It's just right that our Fourth Prince doesn't have to be their puppet!

"——The young master is still growing, Madam, please don't wake him up. He can still sleep a little longer!"

Concubine Yang Lifei then gave up and went back to show off her talent.

The Third Prince was sleeping soundly in the middle of the night when he was dug out of his warm bed by Concubine Dou. He drank only two sips of warm water and went to the side hall of Hanyuan Hall on an empty stomach in the cold wind to listen to the officials from the Ministry of Rites explain the procedures.

The angry Third Prince took note of the long-winded words and asked them bluntly, "Who made the decision to grant me the gift?"

The Ministry of Rites replied with the title of Prince Dun.

The Third Prince sneered and asked them, "What's the matter? Is Minister Wan sick with the Empress? Is he also confined to his own house?!

"This is the first time that Uncle Dun has been in charge of something like this, and you from the Ministry of Rites are just sitting there and watching?

"If I make a fool of myself at the banquet today, then the Celestial Empire will be embarrassed.

“It’s fine if the court officials ridicule me, but when my father comes back tomorrow, I can scold me in front of them and that will be enough.

"But what about the foreign tribes? The nine borders are in turmoil, and the nine provincial inspections are locked up in the Dali Temple. There is no leader! The imperial court is looked down upon, who will benefit?!

"If this incident becomes the trigger and causes chaos in the future, do you think my father would not dare to remove all your heads?!"

Several officials in the Ministry of Rites were so frustrated by the scolding that they quickly sent someone to ask Wan Fu to come over and explain in person.

Wan Fu had already arrived at the main hall of Hanyuan Palace and was carefully checking all the equipment and personnel. When he heard the Third Prince's questioning, he smiled and said:

"I've heard that the Third Prince is precocious, but today I got to see a little bit of him. His reputation is well-deserved!"

He turned his face and said to everyone seriously: "However, the Third Prince has a point -

"The Lantern Festival is the face of the court! Regardless of whether His Majesty and the Supreme Lord are in the capital, the ceremonial banquet must not be neglected or sloppy!

"Unless the evidence is conclusive and those who have been detained in various prisons, or the important officials of the royal family who are temporarily confined in the palace, they should still come to the court!"

What a coincidence.

He arrived early, and Prince Dong, Prince Dun and Cao Feng had just gathered in Xuanzheng Hall to discuss today's affairs for the last time.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Wan Fu sent people out of the palace to convey the "words from Hanyuan Palace"!