Chapter 638

The sun had not yet fallen, and pearls emitting soft light had already been set in the Qiong Garden, hidden under leaves or in the hearts of flowers. At a glance, one wouldn't know where these soft, moist lights came from, but at a second glance, it would be like seeing many hidden stars.

The palace maids covered them one by one with thin gauze, making the light color more scattered and softer, dyeing the spring grass and fragrant flowers in clear and fresh colors.

No matter how cold and severe the winter day was, a warm breeze always blew in the Qiongju Garden. The formation technique 【Parting Snow to Seek Spring】 could not draw Mystic Qi in the Great Ming Palace, so the formation masters who created it replaced it with a version composed of minerals and spiritual materials. This set of formation techniques was buried underground, releasing energy stably and gently. This low-temperature burning could last for more than twenty years.

The eunuchs and palace maids also changed into thin clothes and light skirts for spring. When preparing, people came and went here, but when it was close to starting, they all retreated. Eleven small tables were placed at appropriate intervals on the jade stone ground under the pavilion, which was scrubbed like a mirror. The attendants all stood in the shadows of the trees, and two small paths for serving food had already been prepared.

Spring nights should not be spent indoors; one must have flower shadows as a mat and the bright moon as a quilt, only then would it not be a waste of the season.

Today looked like it would be a sunny day with a moon. Li Chen was the first to arrive at the scene. He was still wearing the same black clothes from the sword power gambling test at the Zhu Que Gate, with a sword hanging at his waist, a round figure, a fair and firm face, and a pair of black, bright, and clean eyes.

He sat down on a stone stool in the pavilion, flipping through a book that had some years to it in his hand, while occasionally looking up and gazing at the path ahead.

"It's been nearly a month since we parted. If there's no matter, Ninth Brother really doesn't come to the palace." Li Yujin walked up from the pavilion steps behind and stretched, "How is it, are you still practicing sword recently?"

"Third Brother." Li Chen turned his head, stood up, and saluted.

Li Yujin waved his hand, placed the pot of wine he was carrying on the table, and also sat down.

He was steaming with heat, still wearing hunting clothes and hard boots, his long hair tied behind his back with an iron ring, and a few strands of loose hair hung down from his forehead. Except in front of the Sage, this imperial prince rarely dressed elegantly and neatly.

Children often resemble their mothers; it was hard to tell that Li Yujin and Li Chen were brothers from their looks. He was handsome and tough, his skin was darker, and he often disappeared into the forbidden garden in the back mountain for days on end; he was the type of person who was often on horseback.

"Practicing sword."

"I brought you something." Li Yujin pointed his finger at Li Chen, smiled, took out a thin little booklet from his chest, and threw it on the table, "Take a look."

Li Chen flipped it over to look; it was "Sword Records of Huoziyuan," and when he opened it, it was all handwritten in original ink.

"... This, where did Third Brother get it?"

Li Yujin smiled: "I heard before that Ming Qitian wanted to see this little booklet when she came to the capital, but unfortunately she didn't find it. A few days ago, I happened to chat about it with a friend, and he said it was with him. I thought you would definitely want it, so I spent some silver to buy it."

"... Many thanks, Third Brother." Li Chen couldn't help but flip through two pages before putting it away, smiled shyly, "I won't make up for the silver; I'll give a return gift when Third Brother's birthday comes."

"I don't even remember my own birthday." Li Yujin waved his hand, looked at him for a moment, and said, "Mother often says that when Consort Xian was alive, she was best with her. If Ninth Brother has time when entering the palace in the future, you might as well go and chat with her more."

Li Chen was stunned for a moment and nodded.

At this time, Li Yujin looked outside the pavilion: "Hmm, little Bijun and Consort Yuan have also come."

A plain and dignified woman was holding a little girl with a bun, without bringing any attendants. She looked at the two people who stood up in the pavilion and saluted first while holding the girl: "The two Highnesses have arrived so early."

"Hello Third Brother, hello Ninth Brother."

Li Yujin went down and touched her little head, while Li Chen stood in the pavilion and returned a salute respectfully.

Li Wuyan and her mother arrived subsequently. Her mother was not among the four consorts, and her title was Xiuyi, so there were more salutes. Li Chen returned the salute as well, while Li Yujin smiled: "Li Wuyan, what are you looking around for?"

Li Wuyan raised her head, touched her chin, and thought for a while: "I don't know."

Then she let go of her mother's hand, ran over, and sat down beside Li Bijun. The two little girls with bun hairstyles started talking in low voices.

Li Zhi arrived quietly alone. The sword test at the Zhu Que Gate didn't seem to leave any traces on him; he was still in plain clothes and straw shoes. As the adopted son who was number one in Qilin Blood, he took his seat in the first place as usual.

He didn't greet anyone. Li Yujin turned his head to look and called out "Fourth Brother." Li Zhi nodded in response, and the others saluted respectfully, and Li Zhi also stood up to return a salute.

Li Chen held the booklet and looked at the path ahead again. This time he saw the figure he was waiting for; a girl figure with exquisite clothes walked in reservedly, with two palace maids behind her.

Probably no one at the scene spent as much thought on their appearance as she did. Li Cannan stopped in the middle of the field, saluted the brothers and consorts present one by one with a crisp voice, and then sat down properly to the side.

A beautiful demeanor, a good-looking face, a pair of moist and spirited peach blossom eyes; probably no one at the entire banquet was more dazzling than her.

Li Chen quietly leaned over to her side from behind. At this time, the little fatty's firm face relaxed, and he put his legs on the stone stool, revealing a very natural smile: "Sister Nan, I found a sword recently; guess what it's called."

"What is it?"

"《Lu Bo》" Li Chen smiled.

"What kind of sword is that?" Li Cannan tilted her head toward him, her eyes still looking around.

"Lu Bo, three waters for Lu, three waters for Bo." Li Chen reminded, "Have you forgotten that storybook you borrowed for me to read when we were young? The one called 《Xia Qing Ji》."

Li Cannan turned her head back, stunned for a moment. She was especially prone to forgetting things, but she did indeed gradually recall it at this time: "Ah, it's the one mentioned in that."

"Right!" Li Chen was very happy, "I didn't even think there was really this sword in the world. I entrusted Cui Zhaoye to contact that sword cultivator and bought it from his hands."

Li Cannan didn't actually practice sword, but she still seemed very interested at this time: "Show it to me."

Li Chen had long been prepared, handed the booklet he had brought early on to her, flipped it open, and pointed with his finger: "This sword is very simple; if you practice it, you can learn it in three to five months."

"I've never learned sword."

"It doesn't matter, it's very easy to learn."

Li Cannan avoided this topic and looked at him: "Li Chen, I heard you went to the Phantom Tower before the New Year."

"..." Li Chen crossed his legs, "Because that match said there was a little sword immortal He Jiu, I went to try the sword... Cui Zhaoye was also there."

Li Cannan rolled her eyes slightly: "Where can't you try the sword? Stop going to those improper places."

"That's different. Where else can you compete with the little sword immortal of Yu Fengnian?" Li Chen retorted, "This 《Lu Bo》 is for you; I copied a copy for myself over there."

"Alright, but I didn't bring you anything."

"I didn't like what you brought me before either. Just keep an eye out for interesting sword scriptures for me when you see them," Li Chen said.

Li Cannan looked around to make sure no one was paying attention and patted his head.

"Eh, let me ask you, has Young Master Yongji come?"

"Didn't see him." Li Chen paused for a moment, "Are you really going to marry to the north?"

"... Mm, yeah."

"What's so good about the north?"

"... What's bad about it? The Prince of Yan's mansion controls the military and politics of the northern border, and its power is even greater than the five surnames. Being the only Princess of Yan, isn't that being under one person and above ten thousand?" Li Cannan lifted her head slightly, "Isn't it better than being at the very bottom in the palace?"

"That's all what you think yourself."

"Whether I think so or not makes no difference; the Ming Ming Niangniang said I am to be the Princess of Yan."

Li Chen didn't speak. After a while, he said: "Then I'll chat with Yongji later and let him treat you better in the future."

"Many thanks, Ninth Brother."

"You're welcome, Bajie."

Li Cannan patted his head again.

Li Youlong and Yongji arrived together.

Yongji was in black as usual, only the details were dressed very elegantly and luxuriously. And on such a spring night, Li Youlong was more like a pale and cold orchid. This slender girl had a very faint expression on her face, only nodded slightly to those around her, and then took her seat in her own place. Yongji, however, didn't take his seat beside her, but came to the side of the pavilion where Li Yujin was leaning.

"When I just arrived outside the garden, the palace maid said the Ming Ming Niangniang's carriage had left the Penglai Palace." Yongji said, "You came back from hunting all sweaty, and you didn't even wash before coming."

"It dried as soon as the wind blew; where is the stink?" Li Yujin said, "Look at the good wine I brought; I'll share it with everyone in a while."

"Have you brothers and sisters not seen each other for a long time either?"

"We ate together during the New Year, but with the Father Emperor there, we didn't say anything." Li Yujin thought for a while, "The last time we gathered in one place like this was the Mid-Autumn Festival last year."

"Then you should thank me."

"..." Li Yujin was silent for a moment and tilted his head.

After a long while, he looked ahead: "What do you plan to do?"

"No special plans," Yongji leaned on the railing, "Marriage, naturally listen to Her Highness the Ming Ming Niangniang."

The arrival of the Fifth Prince and the Seventh Prince linked the somewhat separated banquet field. Everyone gradually chatted into a group. When more people sat down, the gaps seemed smaller, and the venue looked more and more like a large table surrounded.

But not long after, the atmosphere of gentle chatting and laughing stopped. At the entrance of the Qiongju Garden, a dress as red as fire crossed the stone threshold.

Behind her followed a young man carrying a sword and a fishing rod.

Everyone was more or less quiet for a moment, and then stood up to salute one after another. Li Xizhou didn't have any words, only nodded slightly, and didn't even walk forward again, sitting down in the corner of the banquet.

Pei Ye also shared many lingering gazes.

Probably for the first time, accepting so many gazes toward the woman in front of him in such a close scene, the imperial princes', the consorts', the palace maids', the eunuchs'... Pei Ye found it very difficult to sort out that feeling for a moment.

Isolation? Probably there was; no one came forward to speak or greet. Li Xizhou just gathered her skirt and sat at the end, pouring herself a cup of wine regardless of the fact that the banquet hadn't started yet.

But probably more of it was fear.

A kind of look toward danger or inauspiciousness, of course, all hidden very well, and a considerable number of faces hadn't expected her to appear here.

"The scenery of Qiongju Garden is very good; you can see many flowers that are not outside." Li Xizhou didn't seem to notice at all, poured half a cup of wine, and handed it to the young man behind, "Xunfang Garden is too big, big and overgrown; this place is much more exquisite."

Pei Ye took it, was silent for a moment, leaned over and chanted in a low voice: "Indeed, the night dew contains the scent of flowers, and the spring pool ripples with the moon's glow."

"..." Li Xizhou turned her head to look at him, "The moon hasn't come out yet."

"Oh, do you have to have a moon to chant?"

"Otherwise, what does 'moon's glow' mean?"

"I don't know; it was when I was in Xunfang Garden, Cui Zhaoye taught me, and she said I could chant it."

The two spoke in very low voices. Pei Ye wasn't afraid of losing face either. He straightened his back and scanned the field, seeing Li Wuyan.

The little girl had already seen him when she saluted just now. At this time, she was smiling and shaking her head at him. The older one beside her, whom Pei Ye hadn't seen, but looked quieter, was also opening her curious eyes and looking at him.

Pei Ye walked over, saluted the two consorts respectfully, and handed the small fishing rod to Li Wuyan: "Here, I brought it for you."

Li Wuyan took it happily, turned her head and smiled at Li Bijun: "Look, I said I could fish."

Li Bijun seemed very interested, but was obviously a bit shy. She looked up at Pei Ye and then turned back to look at her mother.

"Do you want to fish too?" Consort Yuan pulled her into her arms and said warmly.

"Mm." Li Bijun said softly.

"Alright, when we go back, I'll have Eunuch Qi make one for you too. When the ice melts, you can fish in our pond." Consort Yuan said with a smile, then turned to them, "You all go first. When Bijun has a fishing rod in the future, you can play together again."

"It doesn't matter!" Li Wuyan said crisply, "Sister Bijun can fish with me; we, we can fish one each."

"What should you say?" Consort Yuan looked at the girl in her arms with a smile.

"Tha, thank you, Wuyan sister, I won't go, let's play together again in the future." Li Bijun said.

Consort Yuan touched her head gently: "So good—you all go."

Li Wuyan still wanted to say something, but Pei Ye had already pulled her and said: "When do you plan to go?"

"Now!"

"Now won't do." Pei Ye looked at her mother, who was silent and had a worried gaze, smiled, "I don't have time to accompany you fishing tonight. Go after you've eaten your fill in a while. You know someone has to watch, right?"

"I know."

Pei Ye squatted on the ground, also rubbed her head with a smile, and when he got up and turned around, a round figure a few steps away was standing with both sleeves gathered in front, looking at him with something to say.