"I'm craving the lamb bone porridge that Qionghua makes for you; it smells so good."
"Why didn't you say you wanted to eat it sooner? He always cooks a big pot of it, and I can't finish it all. Every time, a lot of it is wasted."
I frowned and snorted dismissively, "Who cares about what he cooks? He treats his pot like it's his most precious possession just because someone glances at it a couple of times. Seeing him like that, even if you're hungry or craving food, you won't have an appetite."
He laughed and flicked my nose. "You're quite picky."
"Aren't you going? You're not hungry, but I am!"
Only after he said that did he get up, put on a gauze robe, and leave the room.
Later, he personally brought up hot water, washed me, and helped me change. After dawdling for a long time, I finally managed to get rid of him. If I hadn't been careful and kept a close eye on him, he might have pounced on me in the luxurious bedchamber again, and we'd be entangled in our passionate lovemaking right now.
Chapter 106
It's the third day of the eighth lunar month now, twelve days before the Mid-Autumn Festival, but the Moon Altar on Phoenix Mountain is no longer as quiet as it used to be.
"Who is coming?"
"Who else could put on such a grand display? The dragon and phoenix painting is a perfect example of the Xiao family's rule that only members of their family can use it."
"Your eyesight is so good you can see the mountaintop?"
"There's no need for me to bother looking; my little master has already reported everything."
"Now I finally understand why He Xiuqi fought so hard to protect Bai Xiaosheng. How could he find out what was going on inside the palace?"
"That's right, otherwise..."
"How have you been lately, elder brother?"
Gemini Ann was interrupted before he could finish speaking, and the voice sounded to him like a death knell from hell.
His expression of seeing a ghost in broad daylight was truly comical. Unfortunately, the lychee he had just put in his mouth got stuck in his throat from the shock, turning his pale face red.
"Hmm, to know that the Dragon and Phoenix Rainbow Painting was unaware of the Twins' danger at Bieyun Manor, your little master is truly remarkable."
I clapped my hands, made some sarcastic remarks, and continued peeling my lychees, eating and watching the show.
"My elder brother's charm is truly irresistible. Even after losing several thousand taels of silver, Zhao Hequan is still relentless. You may know how to live a carefree life, but you've ruined a lot of my peace and quiet."
He spat out the lychee pit with all his might, coughed violently, and when he calmed down, his clean forehead was covered with fine cold sweat.
“Wei’er, our parents died young…” He turned his head, wrinkled his nose, and tears streamed down his face.
The person whose sleeve he grabbed lowered their head, looking down at him with disdain, without even raising an eyebrow.
"I raised you with great difficulty, I deserve all the credit and hard work..."
"Lian'er".
Just as I was watching Gemini An's tearful lament, I heard someone calling me from outside the pavilion.
"Come here, I'll show you something fun."
The man stood tall and elegant on the steps, wearing a royal blue satin robe embroidered with chrysanthemums. His skin was as white as jade, his eyes were clear and bright, and his long hair was tied up with a gold snake hairpin, revealing his slender and fair neck.
The fragrance of laurel blossoms drifted into the yard on the warm breeze. I forced a smile, ran over, and hugged his lean waist tightly, rubbing my hands against his clothes.
Before she could even rub against him, a long, strong hand grabbed her away. "Don't keep using my clothes as handkerchiefs."
"Oh." She replied while vigorously wiping her hand, which he hadn't grabbed, on his sleeve.
He looked down at me, then suddenly smiled brightly. My scalp tingled, and I tried to run away, but as soon as I turned around, someone grabbed me by the back of my collar, spun me around, and dragged me out of the yard.
"What could be more fun than dealing with the Gemini crisis and bringing peace to the Geminis?"
"have."
Inside the New Goose Pavilion, an eagle has appeared on the gold-lacquered and carved white marble railing. Despite it being the height of summer, a fierce and murderous aura, as if carrying the wind and frost, is emanating from it. Speaking of which, why does that sidelong glance look so familiar?
Doesn't it look familiar?
"I feel like I've seen this somewhere before."
"Indeed, you should have met him."
I was startled by the tone of his voice, but when I looked back at him, I couldn't see anything wrong with his expression.
"It lingered outside the city for several days, and it took Xiao Jinse a lot of effort to catch it... Oh, by the way, you must recognize this treasure sandbag, right?"
When I saw the palm-sized, bluish-purple sachet in his hand, I widened my eyes. "Isn't this my older brother's?"
"When we caught it, it was hanging around its neck, so I think it was looking for you."
He spoke softly, his eyes fixed on the cylinder on the eagle's foot, his gaze unfathomable.
It was only then that I realized something was wrong; this person was trying to manipulate me into doing what he wanted!
“I’m afraid this thing will attack me. You know I was pecked by a parrot when I was a kid, and I feel like killing any bird I see.”
"I know, I can get your things for you."
After speaking, he walked over. With each step, the eagle shifted slightly to the side along the railing, making a crisp sound as it tugged on the metal axle at the other end of the silk rope. When the man stopped in front of the eagle, he casually untied the red rope from its leg, pinched the ring on the cylinder with his fingertips, and walked back to give it to me. Looking at the eagle, its eyes had lost the imposing look I had when I entered. It stood frozen at the top of the railing, as if stunned, not daring to move. I could see its trembling feathers were almost entirely filled with terror.
"Should I open it for you or will you look at it yourself?"
I hate his current attitude. "I'll see for myself!"
He snatched the cylinder, still feeling indignant. He unfastened the clasp, revealing a section of silk gauze. Unfolding it, he saw a map drawn on the white silk gauze.
"Mid-Autumn Festival, a day for family reunion. The moon rises in the sky on the fifteenth, and you should go out the north gate at the second watch. Carry a beautiful picture in your heart, and you may meet a good person. Be careful in everything you do."
The person standing behind me read out a line of small print below the picture. I shuddered, and the white veil fell to the ground, as if I were guilty. Actually, I was just scared by him.
"Didn't you say you weren't going to watch it?"
"When did I say that, and when did you hear it? Besides, by laying it all out like this, you're just making it obvious to everyone."
I also hated his indifferent expression. "What does this mean? What kind of nonsense is this?"
No one bothered to pick up the silk gauze on the ground. He glanced at it sideways and said, "The map of the imperial city."
"...Who's so stupid? You intercepted the eagle's message! This is a frame-up, a way to frame me. Someone is trying to harm me."
“If you hadn’t said that, I might have thought so too.”
My throat tightened, and I felt choked up. "After hearing what you said, even if I didn't have that thought before, I now want to betray you."
He paused for a moment, then his eyes softened, and he reached out to hug me.
"It was my fault. How about this, why don't you go for a walk around the North Gate that day and see who that red-faced person is?"
"Don't try to test me in a roundabout way, or I'm really leaving."
Perhaps he had spoken too harshly, for his face turned pale, and his fingertips slowly grew cold.
"Don't let me hear you say that a second time."
"You started this, I told you to trust me, not to die." Annoying as she was, this person was undeniably comfortable to hug.
He chuckled and pinched my cheek. "Okay, I'll have time on the fifteenth. I'll take you out to play?"
"Okay, come with me to buy crabs in the morning, and we'll make mooncakes, do the fire dragon dance, and release lanterns in the evening..."
He smiled and agreed to each one, and his fingertips were finally no longer cold.
Chapter 107
According to past practice, the royal family would worship the moon at Chaotian Mountain every Mid-Autumn Festival, but this year they moved to Phoenix Mountain, which was truly puzzling. Although Phoenix Mountain was not explicitly under the jurisdiction of the imperial city, everyone knew and tacitly agreed that going to Phoenix Mountain to worship the heavens and the moon required the approval of the Heavenly Emperor and the Nine Dukes. Now, the Xiao family had gone up the mountain openly, and Nangong Ling had not uttered a word, seemingly agreeing to go with them.
This humble stance drew considerable resentment from the outer city's inhabitants. While no one directly petitioned the authorities, private complaints consistently found their way in through various channels, indicating that discontent also existed among some within the inner city. Originally, the imperial city was an independent entity, situated on the border of the Xiling Kingdom. Further north lay the Lianshan Seven Kingdoms and then the Tianzu Kingdom. Even though war had once raged and smoke filled the air, it would never have affected the imperial city. Therefore, generation after generation, the city's inhabitants had developed a deep-seated pride, and they would not tolerate others easily trampling upon them.
"I heard that the suggestion to come to Phoenix Mountain to worship the moon was made by the Empress Dowager."
Every day, right on time, it's Gemini An's chat time!
"Xiaoman, my eyes hurt. Can you sew this flower for me?"
"Madam, at least finish embroidering the lace on the sleeves..."
"She often gives up halfway through. Sewing clothes for Nangong Ling was just a whim. I told you she wouldn't last an hour."
"Go away! If you don't speak, no one will think you're mute."
"Go ahead and act all fierce, making everyone point the finger at you. Enough already. With his current status and ability, who would dare to disrespect him?"
"Of course I know."
"Then what are you still worried about?"
What should I do if my waist has gotten bigger and I can't fit into my clothes anymore?
"He surely wouldn't be unwilling to pay for a few pieces of clothing."
"Do you think everyone is as stingy as you?" I rolled my eyes at him. "The problem is that these summer clothes were all made at the beginning of last month."
"...Even a pig couldn't run that fast. What have you been eating?"
"I eat everything, my appetite has been especially good lately." Speaking of food, I remembered the peach shortbread from the fruit shop in the outer city; the smell alone makes my mouth water. "Hey, come with me to the outer city, I want to eat peach shortbread."
"Who could eat this in this sweltering heat!"
"I showed you, I didn't ask you to eat. Now I'm leaving!"
After exiting the Gate of Immortality, the twins looked around for a while and then mysteriously approached to ask.