Opening a Tavern in the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 113 Bringing birthday gifts and pushing cakes to the palace

On the morning of the third day, the sun shone on the door of the mansion.

Cheng Yaojin was dressed in a gorgeous court robe embroidered with exquisite patterns. The gold thread sparkled in the sun, highlighting his noble status.

Wearing an official hat and looking dignified, he stood at the doorway and asked loudly, "Have you all brought the birthday gifts? I've prepared a Hetian jade Buddha statue. It's a soft and smooth texture, and the carving is exquisite. It will surely please the Emperor."

The little girl next to her was wearing a silk dress embroidered with delicate flowers, a colorful ribbon tied around her waist, and her hair was decorated with two buns and small pearls and jade.

She jumped up and down and replied, "Yes, I brought it, Daddy. My gift is so beautiful!"

Hua Da Jiao was wearing a rich and elegant dark red robe with gorgeous cloud patterns embroidered with gold thread. She wore gold jewelry on her head, looking elegant and luxurious.

She smiled and said, "Okay, let's go now." After that, she took the little girl's hand and walked out the door with a confident and calm step.

Cheng Chumo was dressed early in the morning. He looked neat and energetic in a blue brocade robe, and the headband on his head fluttered gently with his movements.

He hurried to Yu Yu's house, his steps brisk, thinking about the exquisite nine-layer birthday peach cake in his heart.

When he arrived at Yuyu's house, he didn't even bother to knock properly. He just banged on the door and shouted at the top of his voice: "Yuyu, Li Hao, I'm Cheng Chumo. I heard that the cake is going to be pushed to the palace today. I can't wait to see it. Hurry up and open the door!"

The door creaked open and Yuyu stuck her head out. She was wearing a more delicate pink dress today with fine patterns embroidered on the hem. She had a beautiful bun on her head and a small pearl flower on her head, which made her look playful and cute.

She smiled and said, "Brother Cheng, you're here early. We're still getting ready."

Li Hao also walked out of the house. He was wearing a white suit, with an upright posture and a black belt around his waist. He exuded a sense of efficiency.

He joked, "Cheng Chumo, you're such an impatient person! I'm afraid you didn't sleep well last night, and you're just thinking about our cake."

Cheng Chumo chuckled, scratched his head, and said, "Of course not. How could I not be curious about such a rare birthday gift? I just wanted to come and take a look early and lend a hand. I can't let anything go wrong."

As he said that, he strode into the yard, his eyes staring straight in the direction of the cart with the cake, his face full of impatience.

Xiaoyu stood in the middle of the yard. She looked simple and generous in a light blue long dress. The hem of her skirt swayed gently in the breeze. A jade hairpin was inserted in the simple bun on her head, adding a touch of gentleness to her temperament.

She looked around at everyone, then at the nine-layer peach cake that was placed steadily on the cart. She said seriously, "Alright, once it's ready, let's push it to the palace. Everyone, please be careful along the way. We absolutely cannot afford to make any mistakes with this cake. After all, it's a birthday gift we carefully prepared for the Emperor."

After saying that, she walked forward and carefully checked the cart to confirm that the cake was placed securely. Then she nodded slightly, indicating that they could set off.

Cheng Chumo quickly responded, "Don't worry, I'm here to make sure everything goes smoothly. I'll definitely deliver the cake to the Emperor intact."

As he spoke, he walked to the front of the cart, gripped the handlebars with both hands, and made as if to push the cart, his face full of eagerness to try.

Li Hao also echoed, "Yeah, we just need to be careful. This cake carries our love, so we can't let anything go wrong. Let's go now."

Yuyu followed closely beside the cart, staring at the cake without blinking, as if she was afraid it would disappear in the next second, and kept muttering to herself, "Cake, cake, you must make it to the palace safely."

At this moment, the streets of Chang'an City became bustling with activity.

The other ministers also carefully packed their birthday gifts at home and prepared to go to the palace.

Lord Zhang was dressed in a crimson robe with elegant cloud patterns embroidered with gold thread, and a black gauze hat with accessories that gleamed in the sunlight.

He held an exquisite sandalwood box in his hands, which contained the rare antiques he had been looking for for a long time. He walked out of the house with a solemn expression, and did not forget to instruct the servants to close the door carefully, and then walked steadily towards the palace.

Lord Fang was wearing a navy blue brocade court robe with neat and elegant patterns, and the jade belt tied around his waist showed his status.

He carefully carried a gift box containing a set of precious four treasures of the study. He had put a lot of effort into putting those four treasures together, and each one was a masterpiece.

As he walked, he was still thinking about how to properly present this birthday gift to the emperor when he met him later. His steps were steady but also a little anxious.

And there was Lord Li, who looked elegant and refined in his moon-white robe. In his hand was a carefully framed calligraphy and painting by a famous artist. When the calligraphy and painting were unfolded, the charm of the brush and ink was fully revealed, which would surely make the emperor admire it endlessly.

He had a gentle expression and walked at a leisurely pace, greeting his colleagues who were also attending the banquet and walking to the palace together.

For a moment, the streets were filled with ministers dressed in luxurious clothes and carrying precious birthday gifts.

Li Hao steadily pushed the cart loaded with a nine-layer birthday peach cake along the street leading to the palace. Looking at the people coming and going around him, he couldn't help but sigh, "So many people!"

The white suit he was wearing made him stand out in the crowd. Beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, but he did not bother to wipe them off. He just focused on controlling the direction of the cart, fearing that he would accidentally bump into the cake.

Yuyu was skipping and jumping beside her, her pink dress fluttering gently with her steps.

The pearl flower on her head trembled. Hearing Li Hao's words, she smiled and replied, "Of course. Today is the birthday of the retired emperor. Princes, nobles, ministers, and other important figures are all there. Everyone wants to celebrate the retired emperor's birthday and share in the joy. It would be strange if there weren't many people."

Cheng Chumo followed behind, arms folded across his chest, the hem of his blue brocade robe gently lifted by the wind. He echoed, "That's right, who wouldn't want to join in on such a lively occasion? We've got to work harder and not get delayed by the crowds. We have to get this one-of-a-kind cake to the palace before the auspicious time."

Xiaoyu walked a little behind, frowned slightly, and reminded everyone: "Be more careful when there are more people, especially the cake. You must protect it well and don't let anything go wrong." After saying that, her eyes were fixed on the cart.