Chapter 640: Flower Appreciation Festival

The day before the Flower Appreciation Meeting, Ningguo also sought out Da Wang, saying that if she were to put on the Eldest Princess's identity, she would feel embarrassed to scrutinize the various young gentlemen, so she would dress up as a palace maid.

Unable to resist, she decided to give in first, then properly choose someone pleasing to the eye to shut the Imperial Consort up.

Da Wang's eyes lit up immediately; hearing this made the boring banquet interesting, but that guy still had to resist a bit. "The Imperial Consort probably wouldn't agree, right?"

"If I sit beside her, under everyone's gaze, I wouldn't feel comfortable scrutinizing closely; can I just get a good look from the corner of my eye?"

Da Wang deeply agreed, "Then if we're discovered……"

"It's my sister's pot."

"Then the Imperial Consort's Flower Appreciation Meeting—Ningguo the Eldest Princess can't not show up, right?"

Upon hearing this, Ningguo knew her brother had no objection; she immediately became enthusiastic, grabbed Da Wang and explained Zhu Ti's makeup technique to him, which could make the little apricot beside her look eighty percent like her.

"What else is there to say? The brother and sister hit it off immediately."

This year's winter in Youzhou was unusually warm, the wind not as fierce as in previous years, and the Flower Appreciation Meeting that day looked like a rare nice weather.

In the garden of Ziwei Palace there were also winter-blooming flowers; the plum blossoms came in several colors, and Da Wang, for this flower-appreciation theme, 'spent lavishly' over thirty ingots at the Phoenix Market to buy several pots of unknown flowers in full bloom.

He had Zhu Ti turn around and bring it back, making the Flower Appreciation Meeting truly live up to its name.

Today, the aristocratic officials and gentry of Youzhou City, whose families had some reputation, all received invitations. No matter what, being able to go to Ziwei Palace to see things is also good.

As Da Wang's 'internally selected' contender, Xie Tu changed clothes early in the morning and, together with Xie Shu, escorted the family's sisters out the door; the younger generation didn't know about this, and they were excitedly acting as if they'd gone on an early spring outing.

They set out early, but there was a long line at the palace gate; after each person's identity was checked, it was no longer early. The eunuch led them to the banquet venue, where they were free to move about. Xie Tu, having been there many times, sent the sisters off to find fun companions, and he also brought Xie Shu and Liang Ben together to meet up.

"We few, since Xie Tu is familiar with this place, might as well have him show us around!"

Xie Tu led them along the lakeside corridor, trying to find the koi in the lake; soon the three Lu brothers arrived, also bringing a few acquaintances from Fanyang, and the lakeside instantly became lively.

At the window of the third floor of Lanxia Pavilion, it was crowded and bustling; though there were only three or four people, there were also two huge beasts. Now people and beasts alike were squeezed together at the south-facing window, with the one in the middle still holding a telescope.

"... Tsk… the newcomer from the Lu family isn't bad-looking either, and he's wearing a flashy rust-red robe."

"What does Internally Selected No. 1 wear? Is it noticeable?"

"Beige, like a jade tree in the wind～"

"\"Um… can I borrow that to look? \" Zhou Huang felt his neck straining, couldn't tell who was who, and boldly wanted to borrow a telescope. They have one at the Directorate of Armaments, but its grade is far inferior to the one Da Wang holds."

Wei Shen squeezed in nearby, dissatisfied, "It should be my turn next~"

Zhou Huang wasn't afraid of him either, "Now… he's my brother, I should be ahead of you~"

Da Wang lifted his face from behind the telescope, his face completely changed; at a glance he looked five or six parts like Zhou Huang. "Don't argue, I, the young master, haven't finished looking yet…… Oh oh, another group of young ladies has arrived; looking at them and how familiar they are with Lu Xing, they seem to be daughters of the Lu clan…… Let me check which one is Lu Liu Niang; elder sister and Imperial Consort, have a good look and I'll tell the elder cousin." Da Wang gave a live commentary.

Upon hearing this, Wei Shen felt embarrassed to squeeze in; although it was just an inclination, and possibly a future sister-in-law, at his age squeezing here to peek seemed odd. He withdrew, not wanting to look, and began to push outward; Wei Heng, hearing this, became interested and started pushing forward hard. "Let me see, so I can tell my older brother~"

The bear and mythical beast that were just filling the space inside, seeing how eager they were, also began to squeeze in earnest. "What on earth are you looking at?!"

"Could there be something tasty down below?"

Even if the south-facing window were huge, for those two beasts it's still extremely cramped; as they crowd forward, people are squeezed by them and scream in misery~

"Young master~ dangerous~"

"Young master, don't stick your body out!"

The whole third floor was in chaos; Zhao Bao and Tong Chen couldn't get a hand in, anxiously turning about, unable to persuade anyone. Only the two women dressed as palace maids remained calm as before, and only they had the leisure to drink tea.

"Fifth younger sister, even Weini and Xiao Jin care more about the future Prince Consort's attire than you do~" The dragged-along Changchun Eldest Princess teased her younger sister.

"Fourth older sister, just watch; if they keep squeezing like that, one or two will surely fall and cause a commotion throughout the courtyard. By then we'll have to run fast, lest people see us and think we're with them—how embarrassing!" Ningguo shouted.

Although she was still a bit shy, her brother had a talent for turning any situation into comedy; shyness? That atmosphere had already flown away.

Changchun held back laughter.

Embarrassing gang: ……

Da Wang gave a strategic cough, then handed the telescope to Wei Ni who had just squeezed in. "No more playing, initiate Plan One."

"Those two palace maids, come over and lead the way!"