Chapter 1083

Pan Yu's eyes widened, then he said with unmistakable envy: "Big brother has such luck."

Pan Hong nodded in deep agreement, then glanced at his second son and sneered: "Hurry up, then. Forget it—you're a blockhead. Should I find someone among my colleagues for you?"

"No, when you arranged Big Brother's match, you already checked everyone. Now you go again—won't it still be the same people?"

Pan Hong: "Your brother is your brother. You are you."

"That won't do. If Big Brother doesn't like them, I definitely won't like them either."

Pan Hong rubbed his forehead: "Fine. Wait until your second uncle comes to Jingcheng—he'll help you find someone back home."

Pan Yu opened his mouth, wanting to say, "How can one marry while the realm remains unpeaceful?" But remembering his big brother was away and only he was left, he knew his father would strike without restraint—he swallowed the words back.

The next day was Pan Yun's birthday; coincidentally, Pan Tao arrived in the city with his son Pan Bai in the morning, just in time for the imperial banquet.

The banquet began at dusk, but after noon, invited guests began entering the palace one by one.

Officials of rank four and above in the capital could enter the palace, each allowed to bring two family members; the list had been submitted a month earlier.

Famous temples and Daoist monasteries across the land also sent Daoist priests and monks; additionally, Zhang Liuzhen, the Celestial Master of the Tian Shi Fu, personally led a delegation to Jingcheng. It was said the imperial court planned a Heaven Sacrifice this Mid-Autumn, and though the State Master could preside over the ceremony, tradition dictated that the responsibility belonged to the Celestial Master of the Tian Shi Fu.

If the Emperor didn't speak, he still had to come to Jingcheng.

Since he'd have to come sooner or later, better to arrive early and witness the grand imperial banquet.

With many monks, Daoists, and foreign envoys flooding Jingcheng, the imperial guards patrolling the city had increased, and gate sentries had doubled in number; every person entering or leaving was thoroughly inspected, especially young men.

At the western gate of Jingcheng, Master Xuanmiao and Tao Ji were stopped; because Master Xuanmiao carried a sword, they were questioned in great detail: What was their purpose? Where were they from? How long would they stay in Jingcheng? Where were they planning to go? Did they know anyone in the capital?

They were questioned on everything.

Just as Master Xuanmiao was about to answer, two others being questioned bragged: "We are Daoist priests of Qianyuan Monastery on Mount Mao in Changzhou Prefecture, old acquaintances of the State Master, here specifically to attend his birthday banquet…"

The soldiers, upon hearing this, became slightly more respectful, studied the two men, and asked: "May we see your invitation?"

"Invitation? Do I need an invitation to see the State Master? Don't you know that years ago, when the State Master broke the law on the Changzhou canal and burned a painted pleasure boat, it was us who sheltered her so she wouldn't be punished? All we need to do is report our names at the Dao Lu Si, and we're treated as honored guests—hey, hey, what are you doing?"

The soldiers' respectful expressions vanished the moment they heard there was no invitation; one waved his hand, and several men stepped forward, grabbed the two Daoists, and dragged them away.

"Hey, hey, we're telling the truth, we're not lying! We're not just Daoist priests of Qianyuan Monastery on Mount Mao—we're also employed by the Daoji Office of Changzhou Prefecture! It was us who covered up the State Master and her disciple's violations—"

By the end, their voices were hoarse.

Master Xuanmiao exchanged a glance with Tao Ji—they'd only received a message from their senior brother, and had no invitation either.

"Stop staring, stop staring—we're asking you two: why are you entering the city?"

Tao Ji pulled Master Xuanmiao behind him, smiling respectfully: "To visit relatives."

"Visit relatives? What's your name? Where do you live? What do you do?"

Tao Ji said: "Qingyuan, Left Zhengyi of the Dao Lu Si…"

Tao Ji calmly gave his address, adding that if needed, he could even recite their birth dates and hours.

This made the soldiers glance at him twice, then ask: "Are you Daoists too?"

Tao Ji and Master Xuanmiao had just returned from committing an offense; to evade pursuit, they'd deliberately changed out of their Daoist robes, and before entering the city, they'd removed their disguises.

Otherwise, the soldiers would have seen two men with full beards.

But that didn't match their household registration or travel permits, so they'd removed them.

Tao Ji nodded with a smile.

The soldier flipped through their travel permits and asked: "Do you have Dao Dips?"

Tao Ji produced their Dao Dips.

To his surprise, the soldier scrutinized them even more closely: "Daoists from Sanqing Monastery on Mount Sanqing? That's where the State Master came from. If you have Dao Dips, why do you need travel permits?"

Master Xuanmiao thought him overly tedious: "Who says having a Dao Dip means you can't get a travel permit?"

Tao Ji quickly patted her hand to calm her, then said to the soldier: "If you doubt our identities, you may verify them with Qingyuan, Left Zhengyi of the Dao Lu Si."

"So you're truly the State Master's fellow disciples?"

"Yes, but we've been traveling outside and never received an invitation to the State Master's birthday banquet. We simply can't produce one."

The soldier thought for a moment, didn't let them in immediately, but didn't detain them either; he pointed to a small house inside the city: "Please wait a while longer—we'll verify and let you know."

The gate soldiers treated the two with relative courtesy, mainly because their Dao Dips didn't look fake.

Qingyuan was at the palace gate receiving high-ranking monks and Daoists from all over, when suddenly someone called him out to identify someone—he was bewildered.

By the time he reached the gate, Master Xuanmiao and Tao Ji were already eating a bowl of noodles and a bowl of dumplings at a stall beside the gate.

Qingyuan paused silently, then forced a smile and stepped forward: "Why didn't you send word ahead to the State Master before coming to Jingcheng?"

Tao Ji kindly said: "Master Qingyuan, if you don't want to smile, you don't have to."

Qingyuan's smile dropped with a clang; his face turned grim: "You still say things that annoy people."

Master Xuanmiao dropped a handful of copper coins, stood up, and asked the soldiers: "Can we go now?"

The soldiers looked to Qingyuan.

Qingyuan gave a slight nod: "These two are indeed the State Master's senior brother and sister."

The gate soldiers immediately became flustered and hurried to apologize.

Master Xuanmiao and Tao Ji didn't care.

Tao Ji even soothed them gently: "You're just doing your duty—no offense taken."

He paused, then added: "But the noodles and dumplings at this stall by the gate are terrible. Is he connected?"

The soldiers looked back at him sympathetically—everything was understood without words.

Tao Ji sighed and said to the old man coming to collect payment: "Master, even if you have connections, you should still make your food taste good. Otherwise, no matter how prime your location, you'll eventually lose customers…"

Qingyuan saw the stall owner's furious expression and quickly grabbed Tao Ji's arm, pulling him away: "Hurry, hurry…"

After walking a dozen steps, Tao Ji broke free: "Master Qingyuan, you're extremely rude—you tore my clothes."

"You're the rude one, saying in public that his noodles are bad."

"They are bad. Truth and realism must be upheld. If you don't say it, and I don't say it, he'll remain lost in his fantasy that his business is great and his food delicious. His skill will never improve. One day, when his connections vanish, what will he live on? Or suppose one day even his connections can't protect his terrible cooking—what then?"

Qingyuan: "... You really do worry too much."