Seeing that Zong Luo’s expression showed that it was nothing serious, Zong Ruichen finally relaxed.
He nodded vigorously, “Third Brother, it’s okay, I’m not afraid.”
“In the future, I am going to be the one who follows Third Brother into battle, how could I possibly be scared by a nightmare! Besides, I woke up before the last of those thirty strokes, so it actually didn’t hurt much at all. But it’s strange to say, I never saw Third Brother in the dream, maybe I’ve forgotten something else.” Zong Ruichen scratched his head, “Yes, such a nightmare, it’s a good thing that Third Brother didn’t appear.”
Zong Luo smiled.
However, his heart was far from as peaceful and relaxed as he appeared on the surface.
Because Zong Luo knew. The nightmare that Zong Ruichen had just casually recounted had actually happened in the previous life.
In this life, because he had stirred the butterfly’s wings with his death escape, it led to a series of events being postponed.
Originally, when he was at the border, he received a secret letter from Imperial Censor Xue, which said that the Eighth Prince, in order to protect him, had incurred the hatred of Zong Hongjiu. Later, after Ye Linghan exposed him, somehow it was brought to the emperor’s attention, and in the end, the Eighth Prince couldn’t survive the thirty strokes and was beaten to death in front of the palace.
When recounting the story, Xiao Ba kept choosing the better parts to tell, deliberately making his tone cheerful, just to avoid worrying him too much. However, the reality was always more thrilling and shocking than the story told. (TL: Xiao Ba=Little Eight)
“Third Highness, Eighth Highness.”
As they approached the hall, the palace attendants immediately came to greet them, leading them to a position near the head of the table, and arranged for them to be seated properly.
In such an occasion, Ye Linghan, who was still officially the Crown Prince of the Wei Country, had a rather prominent seat.
However, he did not take his own seat, but instead stepped back and stood behind Zong Luo.
Pei Qianxue, who had just entered, saw this and frowned subtly.
However, this slight expression disappeared when his gaze fell on Zong Luo.
Pei Qianxue’s lips curved into a slight smile. “Jin Yu, I’ve been entangled in various matters recently and haven’t had the chance to congratulate you. I heard that you have gradually been recovering your memory?”
Recently, a sudden snow storm struck the northern part of the Great Yuan, causing disaster to the people, and Pei Qianxue was busy with disaster relief, hardly touching the ground with his feet. After the Qing Si festival, he also hadn’t seen Zong Luo for a while.
Of course, if it weren’t for his recent busyness, Zong Luo thought, with Pei Qianxue’s keenness, it would be impossible not to have noticed any clues by now.
But it’s also fast.
Thus Zong Luo avoided the important and took the light, “There is such a matter.”
(t/n: Avoid the important and take the light-avoid the heavy responsibilities and only choose the light ones to bear, it also means to avoid the main issues and only talk about the unimportant aspects)
After chatting with Pei Qianxue for a while, the other princes also arrived one after another.
Zong Luo noticed that Zong Chengsi and Zong Hongjiu arrived in the hall almost one after the other, with a familiar figure following behind one of them.
After all, the words of Zong Ruichen earlier still concerned Zong Luo. He made up his mind that once he could move freely, he would find Gongsun You, who had easily won the favor of Zong Chengsi, and ask him.
Then, Zong Yuanwu and Zong Yongliu also took their seats in turn, the former stiffening upon seeing him, looking somewhat guilty. The latter still had the same troublemaking demeanor, thinking that Zong Luo across from him couldn’t see, and his gaze was brazenly sizing up this Third Imperial Brother who had survived great adversity.
The white-clothed prince sat there, his eyes bound with white silk, his expression calm, seemingly oblivious to the various scrutinizing, measuring, or curious gazes cast upon him.
His very presence in the seat of the princes was a self-evident refutation of the rumors.
After about the time it took for an incense stick to burn, all the ministers and guests had taken their seats, and from a distance, the announcement came.
“His Majesty arrives!”
In an instant, everyone rose from their seats, turned to face the head of the hall, and respectfully bowed. “We greet Your Majesty, may Your Majesty’s fortune be as vast as the East Sea and your lifespan as enduring as the Southern Mountains, long live, long live, long live!”
Emperor Yuan, dressed in the twelve-chapter Gun Mian, strode forward.
(t/n: twelve-chapter Gun Mian-robe embroidered with dragons and crown worn by emperor in sacrificial ceremonies, or ceremonial robes with twelve patterns or ornaments.)
Wearing the traditional imperial attire of the Great Yuan, the base color interwoven with black and red, and with lines rolling along the edges. The Mian Diao adorned with gold and jade, further accentuating his sharp aura, made it difficult for anyone to look directly at him.
(t/n: Mian Diao or Mian Qi-ceremonious hat of the emperor and high officials with jade tassels)
After taking his seat on the dragon throne, he raised his hand slightly. “Ministers, don’t stand on ceremony, serve the tea.”
The palace attendants waiting on the side immediately knelt and stepped forward to brew tea for the cups placed on the table.
With the emperor bestowing tea, everyone naturally had to express their gratitude again.
After these tedious rituals were completed, the entertainment program by the music troupe followed.
The ethereal sound of the chime bells echoed in the great hall, and the witch dance adapted by the Great Yuan served both as a prayer and a blessing, as well as being aesthetically pleasing. Regardless of the type of banquet, from the emperor to the common people, everyone was willing to use the witch music and dance to seek good fortune.
While witch music was played and danced, Zong Luo felt his father’s gaze lightly drift down from the head of the hall, circling around him, seemingly furrowing his brows, then retracting his gaze.
In the end, he didn’t know what he said to Yuan Jia next to him.
Zong Luo watched Yuan Jia approach him with wide eyes: “???”
His scalp tightened, and he subconsciously began to flip through his memories, recalling if he had done anything wrong recently that had been caught.
In fact, not only him, but almost everyone in the hall noticed this little interlude at the head of the hall.
Originally, the princes’ seats were at the very top, enjoying the attention of all. It was once again the interaction between the emperor and the Third Prince, and now hardly anyone was paying attention to the beautiful and graceful witch dance in front of them, all pricking up their ears.
