CHAPTER 1138: CHAPTER 1117: ENTERING THE BANQUET

But actually, they were still delayed for a while. Since they had to go and wish the Empress Dowager a happy birthday early in the morning, it was only when they returned to the palace that they saw the items presented by the palace servants.

They were short on time and really curious, and since their siblings who also lived in the palace came to find them, they brought the box here.

Princess Changyu pulled Manbao into the room. Since everyone had already met at the Empress’s place, there was no need for formalities, just a wave of the hand as a greeting.

However, this was the first palace visit for Bai Shan and the other two, which made everyone naturally curious.

Manbao introduced them, "This is my Second Junior Brother, this is my Third Junior Brother, and this is my friend Yin Huo."

Then she introduced the various princes and princesses, focusing mainly on Mingda and Princess Changyu, who she got along with best.

The princes and princesses briefly glanced over Bai Shan and Bai Erlang, mainly focusing on Yin Huo.

Although they had never met Yin Huo, they had heard of his great reputation. Princess Changyu unabashedly sized him up and asked, "Isn’t it said that Young Master Yin is in poor health? He seems quite well now."

Yin Huo then bowed and replied, "Thanks to the skillful treatment of Doctor Zhou Junior, my health has improved a lot."

Princess Changyu nodded and said, "Indeed, Doctor Zhou Junior’s medical skills are excellent. My mother also looks much better these days."

Seated in the middle, Mingda strongly agreed and, gesturing to Manbao, whispered, "Manbao, come here quick and see what these are."

Manbao approached and picked one up, saying, "Isn’t this a centipede?"

She stretched out the bamboo centipede, extending its joints, and laughed, "Look, it’s segmented like this. This is called a centipede, it can be used as a blockage and can also be used as a medicinal ingredient."

Seeing the sisters having fun, the Fifth Prince and the Sixth Prince, who were about their age, stepped back in unison and couldn’t help but shield their eyes with their sleeves, "You actually like playing with bugs."

Princess Changyu then brought the bamboo centipede close to their faces to show them, laughing joyfully as she teased them, "What cowards, even scared of fake ones."

The Fifth Prince and the Sixth Prince, feeling they were different from the girls, hurried out of the room, but didn’t go far and stood at the doorway shouting at Manbao, "Can’t you bring some nice things to the palace?"

Manbao answered, "I think this is quite nice."

"Nice? Speaking of, do you have a big, beautifully carved wooden sword?" the Fifth Prince asked, "Can you buy a bigger, better one for me?"

Manbao shook her head directly, "No."

Bai Shan and Bai Erlang then looked at her.

The Sixth Prince, noticing their expressions, immediately pointed at Manbao and said, "See, you’re deceiving us."

Bai Shan lightly coughed and said, "She really didn’t deceive you. There are no wooden swords that good on the streets, after all, they cost around ten coins, how good can they be made?"

"But you can have them custom-made," Bai Shan said, "though it’s quite troublesome."

The Fifth Prince immediately replied, "Trouble? What are we afraid of trouble for? How do we customize?"

Bai Shan asked, "What style do you want?"

Their family had a servant skilled in carpentry who accompanied them to the capital, and he often made things for them. Toys, too, especially wooden swords—they had played with those before they went to study in Yizhou City.

Now, the toys they played with were all leftovers from their play.

Seeing Princess Changyu had returned to the table and was ignoring them, the Fifth Prince and Sixth Prince peeked their heads in, silently slipping a leg in, and seeing she still didn’t react, immediately cheerfully pulled Bai Shan aside, "Come, let’s talk over there."

Since it was going to be custom-made, the scabbard, blade, and hilt of the sword had to be to their liking. Bai Shan taught them how to design their own sword.

Initially, the Fifth Prince and Sixth Prince just wanted a sword, but when Bai Shan took a brush and swiftly drew a particularly beautiful wooden sword on paper, they were somewhat stunned.

"Can cloud patterns be carved on it?"

Bai Shan nodded: "Of course, you can."

Fifth Prince’s eyes darted around and he asked, "Can I engrave a taotie on it?"

Bai Shan hesitated for a moment and asked, "It’s possible, but why engrave a taotie on the sword?"

Fifth Prince replied confidently, "Because I like it!"

Bai Erlang imagined the appearance of the hilt and couldn’t help but chuckle, asking, "Can you even hold the sword if it has a taotie on it?"

"Then I won’t engrave it on the hilt, I’ll engrave it on the blade."

Bai Shan handed him a pen, "Can you draw? Let’s see your drawing."

Fifth Prince stared at the pen handed over to him and asked, "Why do I have to draw?"

"My family’s carpenter said that he can make anything that I can draw, so you need to draw it first."

Fifth Prince then took the pen with a troubled face, "I can’t draw, how about asking Third Brother to help?"

Sixth Prince said, "Third Brother wouldn’t draw such things. He’s busy now, you should go to the Eastern Palace and let the young retainers of our elder brother help you draw."

Fifth Prince nodded, "That makes sense."

Princess Changyu ran over and said, "It’s just a sword, isn’t it just a few strokes? No need to especially run to the Eastern Palace. When you see Third Brother later, just ask him to help draw it."

Fifth Prince looked at her, "You’re suggesting?"

Princess Changyu replied, "If I’m suggesting, then I’m suggesting."

Fifth Prince and Sixth Prince became cheerful.

Mingda watched and softly said, "But after drawing the blade, the hilt and the scabbard also need to be drawn. You all definitely have many requests. Today is the Empress Dowager’s birthday, Third Brother likely won’t have time. We should just note it down for now, and when we have free time later, we’ll go ask the aides of our elder brother to help draw."

Fifth Prince and Sixth Prince thought that Mingda also made a lot of sense, and immediately started discussing their scabbard design.

Princess Changyu then stopped minding the matter and turned back to rummage through other toys in the box.

Manbao and Bai Shan, separated by many people, made fleeting eye contact in the air and then dispersed.

Mingda held Manbao’s little hand and said, "I’ll be sitting at the lowest seat later, would it be okay if you sit with me?"

She glanced at Bai Shan and Bai Erlang, smiling, "Let your Junior Brothers join as well."

Manbao naturally nodded in agreement happily.

When the time came, palace attendants came to invite the princes and princesses to take their seats.

Their seats were separate from and slightly above those of the officials’ family members.

Being the youngest and despite being a legitimate daughter, Mingda insisted on sitting in the lowest seat, and no one objected.

Princess Changyu saw that, simply chose the seat above hers, letting Manbao sit between them, while Bai Shan and his two companions followed to sit behind.

The steward in charge of the palace banquet saw this, glanced at them, and immediately added low tables and seating mats for them, then quietly asked his subordinate, "Who are those three young men following behind the little princess?"

After a while, his subordinate came back and reported, "One is Young Master Yin from the Yin Family, the other two are Junior Brothers of Doctor Zhou Junior, brought by invitations from the Empress Dowager."

The steward nodded slightly and quietly said, "Let them be well looked after, they need not be too constrained, just avoid any big mistakes."

This was an indication of preferential treatment. The palace staff acknowledged and committed it to memory.