CHAPTER 1136: CHAPTER 1115: ENTERING THE PALACE

The carriage stopped in front of the Yin Family’s residence, where not only the Yin Family’s carriages were waiting, but also the Liu Family’s carriages were nearby.

As soon as their carriage arrived, Liu Huan jumped down from his own carriage, dressed up and ran towards their carriage without caring for the calls from behind.

Yin Huo also gave a slight bow to his grandmother. Old Madam Yin smiled and said, "Go on, have a good time with your friends."

Yin Huo stepped out of the carriage with the help of the servant, and also boarded the Bai Family’s carriage.

Five people and two chests and one box were crammed into one carriage, making it quite crowded. Then voices of dispute could be heard from inside.

Liu Huan: "Why are you placing the chest like this? I can’t even stretch out my legs. Bai Er, make some room quickly."

Bai Er said, "There wasn’t a place reserved for you in the first place. You have your own carriage, why must you sit in ours? This spot belongs to Yin Huo."

Bai Shan let out an "aiya" and exclaimed, "Yin Huo, you stepped on me!"

Yin Huo apologized calmly, "I’m really sorry, I didn’t see before, it was Manbao who pulled me."

Manbao: "I was trying to make you avoid Liu Huan..."

The Liu Family and Yin Family: ...

Old Madam Yin lifted the curtain and smiled toward a carriage not far away, "Older sister, shall we proceed? I see that these kids are getting restless."

The curtain of that carriage was also lifted a little, and Old Madam Liu showed her face, nodding with a smile, "Older sister, you may go ahead."

Old Madam Yin naturally declined, and after a brief exchange of insistences, it was the Liu Family who went ahead first. Then Old Madam Yin turned to the steward beside her.

The steward stepped forward and instructed Daji, "My family’s Old Madam said that your carriage should go first. Our family’s carriage will follow from behind, just to keep an eye on the young master."

Daji, not being foolish, understood that Old Madam Yin intended to protect their carriage on the journey. He bowed and, after seeing the Liu Family’s carriage pass by, spurred their carriage to follow.

Liu Old Madam naturally could not be kept in the dark about the noise behind her. After chuckling, she turned to the nurse sitting across from her and said, "The Yin Family has gone to great lengths to bring up this grandson."

The nurse responded with a smile, "Although he is only a doctor and does have the reputation of being a miraculous physician, treating him as such an honored guest is perhaps a bit excessive."

Liu Old Madam smiled and said, "Let them be, after all, they are not walking in front of our Liu Family."

"Do we need to call the young master back?"

"Forget it," Liu Old Madam shook her head, "That child is too mischievous. Let him stay with his friends if he wishes. We’re only outside the imperial palace gates, once inside, it will be out of their hands."

Indeed, once inside, they won’t have a say. Upon arriving at the palace entrance, everyone entered the palace according to their social rank. Those queued for entry had to step aside to let others with higher status go first if they showed up.

Some, having arrived at the crack of dawn, might find themselves the last to enter the palace doors.

Old Madam Yin glanced at the five children huddled together, noticed Liu Huan being called over by Old Madam Liu, and then turned to the steward beside her, "Go invite Doctor Zhou Junior and the others over, let’s enter the palace together."

"Yes."

Bai Shan and Bai Erlang each carried a wicker chest, while Manbao held a box containing gifts for the longevity celebration. The three, along with Yin Huo, followed Old Madam Yin into the imperial palace.

The guard in charge of checking was usually stationed at the palace entrance. He recognized Zhou Man and knew that her status would usually require her to be at the end of the line, but he merely lifted his eyelids to glance over before checking their invitations, chests, and box, then let them through.

There were no issues at the palace gate, but it was different once inside.

The palace attendant who was to guide them gave them a look and then smilingly led Old Madam Yin down another path, while Manbao and the others were to wait elsewhere.

Yin Huo stopped and said to Old Madam Yin, "Grandmother, please go ahead, I will accompany Bai Shan and the others and wait."

Old Madam Yin gave him a look, took out a purse from her sleeve, and handed it to him, "There are some pearls inside. If you get tired or hungry, let a palace attendant take you to find me."

Yin Huo took the purse and obediently agreed.

Old Madam Yin gave Manbao a nod and left with her three granddaughters.

Zhou Man was a doctor, and it was good for her to be with Yin Huo.

After waiting awhile, a young palace maid finally managed to come to lead them down another path.

This was a completely unfamiliar route, at least Manbao had never walked it.

The four walked together, looking around curiously, and Yin Huo began to breathe heavily from the brisk pace.

Bai Shan supported him and said, "We could walk slower, right?"

Manbao pointed to the red silk hanging from the trees on either side, "We should be able to, see this red silk, it’s only hung on the paths we’ve passed."

Bai Erlang sighed while looking at the red silk on the trees, "How much money must have been spent on this trail of red silk?"

The little palace maid, leading the way and noticing they had fallen behind, turned back to find them and said irritably, "Young Master, you really have a lot to say. This is the display of filial piety from the Prince of Yizhou to the Empress Dowager."

Manbao, having been in the palace for many days and a bit clumsily, took out a small purse from her pocket and handed it to her, whispering, "Little sister, my friend here is a bit frail, could we possibly walk a bit slower?"

The little palace maid, apparently not used to taking money, looked around nervously then quickly stuffed the purse into her sleeve and coughed lightly, "Then let’s walk a bit slower."

Once they slowed down, Yin Huo no longer gasped for air, and the trio started to chat with the little palace maid.

Manbao’s mouth was as if it was smeared with honey, "Little sister, you are really pretty, how old are you?"

The little palace maid smiled coyly, "I’m fourteen this year. You’re quite sweet-talking. How come only you siblings entered the palace? Where’s your family?"

Manbao replied, "Our elders are not in the capital; we entered with invitations."

Bai Shan then asked, "Is it true, as we heard from little sister, that all the red silk in the palace was arranged by the Prince of Yizhou for the Empress Dowager?"

"That’s right," the little palace maid laughed, "The Empress Dowager likes red. In order to be festive and to surprise the Empress Dowager, the Prince of Yizhou had us set it up as soon as it got dark yesterday. The palace staff worked through half the night just to get all the red silk and red lanterns up along the way. It’s very festive indeed."

Manbao exclaimed, "No wonder the Empress Dowager favors the Prince of Yizhou."

"Indeed, the Prince is famously filial."

But no matter how filial, he’s still a bad man!

The three thought silently in their hearts.

And moreover...

Looking at the red silk hanging along the way, they thought secretively: who knows how much money was spent on this, and how much of it came from the hard-earned wages of the people of Yizhou, or the wider Jiannan region.

Thinking of the breach at the Jianwei Dyke, and the lingering issue of refugees in Yizhou City, Bai Shan pursed his lips and couldn’t help but tense his whole face.

The little palace maid led them to a courtyard then said, "There’s still some time before the banquet, you may wait here."