CHAPTER 1137: CHAPTER 1116: LINING UP

The courtyard only had two palace servants, and their sole responsibility was to greet guests at the entrance, continuously ushering people in.

But since no one knew each other, they simply nodded politely.

Bai Shan looked around and noticed that there weren’t even any tables or chairs to sit on, which he found quite odd, and whispered, "Is this how the palace always treats guests?"

Manbao was also very curious because she had always been taken directly to Lizheng Dian when entering the palace and had never been a guest anywhere else.

Manbao pointed to the railing nearby and said, "Let’s go sit there."

The four of them found a rather secluded spot by the railing that still offered a good view and sat down.

More and more people started entering the courtyard, both men and women, but mostly young men and women along with some ladies. Adult men, however, were nowhere to be seen.

The people in the courtyard greeted each other if they were acquainted, and then formed groups. Manbao asked Yin Huo, "Do you know them?"

Yin Huo shook his head, "I’ve met few people but heard of many; although I haven’t actually seen them, so I don’t know many."

The three of them then simply sat honestly, watching out of sheer boredom.

Time slowly ticked by, and still, no one came to invite them to the banquet. The guards at the entrance also forbade them from walking around.

The four of them grew a bit hungry from waiting and started to eat the snacks they had brought in their pouches.

In just half a day, they had eaten all the snacks in their pouches.

Yin Huo’s pouch also contained a good amount of snacks, prepared for him by Old Madam Yin.

Bai Shan, holding the last piece of snack, exclaimed, "Now I finally understand why our teacher prepared so much food for us."

Bai Erlang was also hesitant, "Should we continue eating?"

"Let’s eat," Manbao had already finished her share and so encouraged the other two, "Sooner or later, it’s all for filling the stomach."

Yin Huo then suggested, "Better to save it, in case the feast starts late and we’re really hungry."

Bai Shan had already taken a bite and said, "Never mind, let’s just eat."

Seeing him eat, Bai Erlang also took a bite, nodding as he ate, "That’s right, keeping it will just take up space."

Yin Huo then just looked down at the two pieces of snacks in his pouch.

Seeing this, Manbao immediately said, "Save yours, we’ll eat it when we really can’t bear the hunger anymore."

Bai Shan and Bai Er agreed wholeheartedly, nodding, "Two pieces, just enough for half a piece each."

Yin Huo: ...

As they were quietly conversing, a palace servant came in and announced, "Ladies, misses, and young masters, please follow us to Wude Hall."

Only then did the four stand up, dust off their hands, and followed the crowd towards Wude Hall.

Wude Hall was enormous, and when they arrived, there wasn’t a single guest inside yet, so they had to wait in the garden of Wude Hall.

Guests led by palace servants then arrived from various directions, each taking their place according to their hierarchical status.

It seemed that all the guests had almost entered when a group of Old Madams, no longer young, were led by palace servants from another place. They passed by everyone and directly entered the main hall.

The four could not help but turn their heads to look, and amongst the group of elderly ladies, they recognized familiar faces such as Old Madam Su, Old Madam Yin, and the grandmother of Liu Huan.

They walked past them, and Manbao couldn’t help but raise her hand, laughing and waving to them.

The old madams from the Su and Liu families politely nodded to Manbao, but Old Madam Yin looked over all four of them. Seeing that her grandson’s complexion was fine, she smiled and nodded at them before following the palace attendants inside.

It was then that Manbao and the others realized that the sisters of Liu Huan and Yin Huo hadn’t followed them; clearly, they had been separated.

Just as they were thinking this, among a group of youngsters standing diagonally across from them, one waved vigorously at them.

The four of them looked carefully and finally realized it was Liu Huan, who had changed into a different set of clothes. He stood amidst the group of youngsters, winking and gesturing at them to come over.

However, Manbao and the others glanced at the palace attendants stationed everywhere and turned their heads away, ignoring him.

Liu Huan then seemed somewhat gloomy, and Feng Zongping, who was not far behind him, couldn’t help but let out a snort of laughter.

Liu Huan then turned and glared at him fiercely.

Feng Zongping chuckled and asked, "Didn’t you say you all entered together? How come you ended up walking with us and not with them?"

Liu Huan felt gloomy and said, "I walked with my grandmother, who knew they didn’t keep up?"

Yi Ziyang laughed and said, "They entered with a different invitation, of course, they couldn’t walk the same way as your family. But it’s really strange, why wouldn’t Old Madam Yin take them along too?"

Yin Li is highly favored by the emperor, so the Yin Family is still quite influential in the imperial palace. If Old Madam Yin was willing to make the effort, she could have taken them along.

Feng Zongping glanced at the four individuals on the opposite side, noticing that Yin Huo and Bai Shan looked as interested as the others, their complexions still fine, and he laughed, "Perhaps she wanted to let Young Master Yin gain some experience."

Yi Ziyang commented, "What’s there to gain experience in entering the palace?"

Liu Huan agreed, "Exactly."

Feng Zongping laughed, "For people like us, of course, there’s nothing to experience, but I remember that Yin Huo, due to being frail from childhood, hasn’t entered the palace before, right?"

That was indeed the case.

Yi Ziyang pondered for a moment, then nodded his head.

While they were discussing this, a palace maid stood on the steps, scanning around until she finally located Manbao and quickly approached her with a smile, whispering, "Doctor Zhou Junior, our princess invites you to come inside."

Manbao looked carefully and recognized her as the servant girl from Mingda’s side, then pointed to Bai Shan and the other two, saying with a smile, "They are my Junior Brothers and good friends."

The palace maid then smiled, "Please come over together, the princess is already seated in the inner hall."

The four of them left with the palace maid, and the group including Feng Zongping, watching from the opposite side, looked on enviously as they walked away.

From their experience, the other side is where the male court officials entered the hall, and it would take a while after their mothers went in before it was their turn.

They looked up at the big sun in the sky, feeling a touch of melancholy in their hearts.

Manbao and the others followed the palace maid inside. The grand hall was vast, divided by screens, and the floor was laid out with numerous seats and small tables, with the old madams who had been ushered in earlier already seated in their respective spots.

The palace maid led them around a huge screen, directly to the rear hall of Wude Hall, into a room where there was a buzz of talking and laughter.

The palace maid led Manbao and company to the doorway, then entered to announce them. Before Manbao had even finished hearing her say the words, there came the sound of hurried footsteps from within, and Princess Changyu came running out. She grasped Manbao’s arm and pulled her inside, laughing, "You arrived just in time, there are some things you bought for us that we don’t recognize, come and help us take a look."

Bai Shan lifted his eyelids, glanced at them, and followed suit.

Inside the room were both girls and boys, all crowding around two wicker trunks, feasting on the excitement.

Manbao exclaimed in surprise, "It got to you so quickly?"

Princess Changyu responded, "Of course, I instructed the guards early this morning that as soon as your delivery came in, to bring it straight to us."