Chapter 52

Every year, there is a ceremony like this to worship the heavens and the earth. The process is usually extremely complex. The Altar of Earth is huge, capable of accommodating a large number of people. Starting from the morning, everyone welcomes the gods, and it almost takes a whole day until the final farewell ceremony with offerings to the gods under the stars.

According to convention, after the ceremony, the Emperor would host a banquet at the Imperial North Palace, and most of the accompanying civil and military officials would attend.

As the feast began, the sky was already filled with stars, and the palace lanterns were shining brightly.

Inside the spacious Lianfang Hall, officials mingled and raised their cups.

Sang Yao did not attend.

She simply had a simple dinner in her room.

But because she didn’t have much of an appetite, she only took a few bites before putting down her chopsticks. She didn’t plan to go out and just waited to leave with everyone else tomorrow.

She was never one to enjoy crowded events, and this time she was purely here to make up the numbers, so even if she didn’t come, no one would bother her.

Except for her father. Before the banquet began, Sang Yin sent several messages through servants, insisting that she attend.

Sang Yao pretended not to hear.

From last night to tonight, Ming Rong had not returned. It was said that she had been transferred to a side room next to the Crown Prince’s palace, which made Sang Yao quite pleased.

Since the start of this journey, she had been quite comfortable during this time. After about half an hour, the door was knocked again.

Sang Yao didn’t know why, but since she had eaten that mouthful of food, she had been feeling a bit stuffy in her chest. She hadn’t paid much attention to it and opened the door, only to find the same young eunuch who had come to urge her to the banquet.

Behind him was a dark corridor with scattered flowers and leaves. He bowed and said, “Miss Sang—”

Sang Yao interrupted him, “Young eunuch, the banquet is almost over. It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to go now.”

“You don’t need to listen to my father and come to urge me again.”

The young eunuch smiled and shook his head, saying, “Miss Sang, this time I’m not here to urge you to the banquet.”

He continued, “Master Sang said there was something to discuss with you, so he asked me to bring you over first, and he will follow soon.”

Sang Yao frowned slightly, thinking that her father was really annoying today.

Why didn’t he find her to talk to him a few days ago, but insisted on doing it today? She said, “Do you want me to go to my father’s room?”

The young eunuch shook his head, “Master Sang’s residence is crowded with men, so he asked me to take you to Fangyuan. There happens to be an empty room there.”

Because she didn’t feel well at the moment, Sang Yao didn’t want to go out. She thought about letting her father come here, but then she remembered that the young eunuch had come several times to deliver the message, so she finally agreed.

Sang Yao’s residence was remote, and the young eunuch didn’t mention palace lanterns.

He walked in front, reminding Sang Yao to watch her step from time to time.

Passing by Lianfang Hall, the sound of silk and bamboo music drifted over.

Sang Yao looked up and saw that Lianfang Hall was the largest palace in the Imperial North Palace, capable of accommodating hundreds of people without any problem.

Inside, the lights were brilliant, contrasting sharply with the darkness and silence outside the hall.

The young eunuch stopped, his figure hidden in the dark night, and Sang Yao couldn’t see him clearly.

She could only hear him say, “Miss Sang, do you want to go in?”

“If you go to Lord Yan’s feast now, you probably won’t need to go to Fangyuan.” He paused, then continued, “But it seems that the feast is already half over. If you enter through the main gate now, I’m afraid…”

Sang Yao shook her head and said, “Just take me to Fangyuan.”

The young eunuch responded with an “Okay, please follow me.”

At this moment, inside Lianfang Hall, the Emperor had returned to his sleeping quarters after drinking two cups with the officials.

Lu Li leaned close to Xie Yun and glanced at the several maidens sitting nearby.

He whispered, “Tell me secretly, which girl is it? I promise not to tell Miaoyi when I go back.”

Xie Yun held the wine cup, lowered her head, and took a sip of wine, pretending not to hear.

“Or just tell me her surname.”

Xie Yun still didn’t seem to want to respond to him.

Xie Huanzhi couldn’t help but feel annoyed by his attitude. He didn’t know how his son became such a bastard, ignoring people like that.

With a thud, Xie Huanzhi put down his wine cup and left.

Jing Lian stood behind Xie Yun, glanced at Sang Sheng over there, and then said to Xie Yun, “Master, when I passed by just now, I heard that Master Sang had sent someone to urge Miss Sang to come over several times.”

“I saw that young eunuch come twice.”

He thought to himself, with the current relationship between these two, telling him this was also within his duty.

But Xie Yun just made a nonchalant sound and said, “Haven’t you noticed that you’ve been talking more nonsense lately?”

Jing Lian closed his mouth and didn’t want to talk to him anymore.

Just at this moment, Chen Ke and Lu Li walked over together, with Yang Wenchuan supporting Chen Ke’s arm.

Chen Ke was old, and his face was a little red at the moment, showing signs of being unable to hold his liquor.

He greeted Xie Yun and said, “Xu Bai, I’m going back first.”

Lu Li also smiled and said, “Xu Bai, let’s go too. It’s boring to stay here.”

Not many people left the table. Looking around the entire Lianfang Hall, there were not many people leaving.

Xie Yun looked at Lu Li, furrowing her brows and said, “Weren’t you with Rong Yan just now?”

Lu Li exclaimed, “Xu Bai, are you spying on me? Rong Yan said he had something to do and went back first.”

Lu Li continued, “What’s wrong?”

“By the way, why did you ask Ming Rong to move next to me last time?”

Ming Rong was still at the table, and there were people around her talking to her, but she looked cold and refused to show any expression on her face.

It was perfectly normal for Rong Yan to leave, which didn’t prove anything. Everything at the table was as usual.

Just a bit strange.

He had been too busy yesterday to think about it until now.

Unlike the Qiyang Temple, where there were many palace rooms, the number of palace rooms in the palace was extremely large.

This time, the Ministry of Frugality had not changed the residence register to save trouble.

Even if Ming Rong was not the designated Crown Princess, she was still a member of the Ming family, the same clan as the Empress.

She could easily refuse to live in the same place as Sang Yao, which was not difficult. Moreover, she had a private relationship with Rong Yan, so living with others would easily arouse suspicion.

And Xie Yun was not sure if Sang Yao had seen Rong Yan and recognized him without his knowledge.

With that idiot’s poor acting skills, he would probably reveal himself on the spot.

Xie Yun looked at Jing Lian and said in a deep voice, “When did you hear Sang Yin send someone to urge Sang Yao to come over?”

Xie Yun’s tone sounded somewhat cold, and Jing Lian didn’t dare to delay, quickly saying, “Back to Master, it was about half an hour ago.”

Yang Wenchuan, standing next to Chen Ke, suddenly spoke up, “Master Xie, is there something wrong with Yao Yao?”

Chen Ke looked at the several people who were communicating without hindrance and felt like an outsider.

He sincerely asked, “Who is Sang Yao?”

He said to Yang Wenchuan, “How do you know her? Is she from Jiangnan?”

Yang Wenchuan didn’t explain much, just said, “She’s an old friend mine.”

Lu Li smiled and said, “Chen Ke, you’ve seen her?”

Last time, at the tea house.”

Chen Ke looked puzzled.

Lu Li strongly hinted, “It’s about that close opposite-sex friend you mentioned.”

Yang Wenchuan’s lips tightened, but he didn’t say a word.

Xie Yun also didn’t answer Yang Wenchuan’s words.

He stood up and said directly to Lu Li, “You go back and ask Rong Yan to come see me immediately.”

He then instructed Jing Lian, “Find someone to see if Sang Yao is still in the room. If she’s not, investigate the eunuch first. Keep this matter quiet.”

After Xie Yun finished speaking,

he strode away from the Lian Fang Hall.

Yang Wenchuan hesitated for a moment, supporting Chen Ke, and finally bowed to Chen Ke, “Teacher, I have an urgent matter to attend to here. Please go back first.” He beckoned a young eunuch over, saying, “Escort the teacher back.”

With that, he quickly left the Lian Fang Hall as well.

Only Lu Li and Chen Ke remained standing in place, looking at each other.

Chen Ke didn’t understand and asked, “What’s wrong with them?”

Lu Li rubbed his chin and said, “There may be something wrong with Miss Sang.”

After a pause, he added, “They are both in a hurry.”

He put his hand down and then hurriedly said, “Master Chen, I also have something to attend to, I have to go.”

★

Sang Yao originally thought that the place she lived in was remote enough, but she didn’t expect this little eunuch to lead her to even more remote places.

Even the stone lamps on the road were much fewer, and she rarely encountered palace maids and eunuchs.

The surroundings were all grass and trees, extremely quiet.