Chapter 331: The Royal Palace, the Queen, and the Princess's Banquet

Outside the window, the moonlight is like water.

The streets, which had been noisy for most of the night, finally gradually returned to tranquility at this moment.

In a certain boudoir in Lin'an City.

Red candles burn, curtains sway, and the faint fragrance of a young girl permeates the entire room.

"Creak... creak..."

In the corner, a small, elegant bed rocks and sways, creaking under the tossing and turning.

The lotus-patterned bodice hanging on the bedpost also sways along with it.

The sound of girls' playful laughter drifts out from under the quilt.

When Luo Zijun arrived at Junzi Residence, three Young Maids were playing around on the bed in the room.

"Xiaohuan, who are you helping?"

"Hee hee, naturally I'm helping Sister Zhiyuan!"

"Traitor! Ungrateful! Who was it that just saved you?"

"You didn't save me at all! It was you who secretly pinched me just now, don't think I don't know, hmph!"

"It was Zhiyuan who pinched you, I wouldn't pinch your chest!"

"How do you know where I was pinched? Hmph, it was you!"

"Ah..."

The few of them wrestled and played under the quilt, laughing and shouting, until a smooth, bare body suddenly fell off the bed; with a cry of surprise, she climbed back up.

Luo Zijun listened outside the window for a while, intending to go in and join them, but then remembered he had to enter the palace tomorrow to discuss state affairs with the Queen, so he had to give up.

Returning to his room, he felt no sleepiness at all.

He took out the Copper Mirror and sent another message to the Fairy, but still received no reply.

【Fairy, I will set off on the second day of the lunar new year to find you in the Kingdom of Ten Thousand Demons.】

He put away the Copper Mirror and, after letting his mind wander for a long time, finally fell asleep.

The next day.

Just as the sky brightened, Xiaohuan came to wake him up.

Today is the first day of the lunar new year.

Although Bai Daxiaojie had left, he still had to go and pay his New Year respects and offer tea to Bai Ming and his wife.

In the hearts of the Bai Family, he was still the son-in-law of the Bai Family, still one of their own, and in his heart, he naturally considered himself a member of the Bai Family as well.

Since Bai Daxiaojie was his Fairy, he naturally would not leave again.

Just as he knelt in the main hall to offer tea, his sister-in-law Bai Qingtong also entered and said with a smile, "Brother-in-law, are you up so early today?"

Chu Meixiang hurriedly said, "Qingtong, come and kneel with Zijun to offer tea to your father and me."

The implication was self-evident.

Bai Qingtong's face turned red instantly, and she refused, "I won't kneel."

Since her brother-in-law was willing to go find her sister and bring her back, and seemed to regret his actions, he was still her brother-in-law; at the very least, before her sister returned, she would not harbor any other thoughts.

"You girl..."

Chu Meixiang glared at her but dared not say anything more.

After Luo Zijun finished offering tea and stood up, he received two large red envelopes, which contained thick stacks of banknotes.

After exchanging blessings, just as Luo Zijun was about to leave, Bai Ming spoke up, "Zijun, you still need to go to Su Guo Fu to pay your New Year respects, right? Let Qingtong go with you; you aren't very familiar with the place, and there are some elders you don't know, many of whom are relatives we don't see often."

This time, Bai Qingtong did not refuse, saying, "I'm afraid there are some people even I don't know."

Chu Meixiang smiled, "You naturally know your second uncle and aunt; as for those younger sisters of yours, they just returned from here, you should go quickly."

Thus, Luo Zijun and his sister-in-law, accompanied by maids and nannies, arrived at Su Guo Fu.

Luo Zijun had originally wanted to go to his sister and brother-in-law's place first, but thinking that he was now a member of the Bai Family, since he had arrived at Su Guo Fu, he naturally had to pay his respects to the master of the house first, so he had to go to the main hall.

The main hall was already crowded with many people—aunts, cousins, young people, children, and elders of the Bai Family were all there.

When everyone saw him arrive, they were naturally very enthusiastic, offering all sorts of praise and flattery.

After all, everyone knew that the reason the Bai Family remained standing after the collapse of the other three great families was entirely due to his contributions.

It was said that he was still summoned into the palace by the Queen every other day to discuss state affairs throughout the night; the extent of his favor was evident.

"Cailing, Caihe, this is your eldest brother-in-law. Aren't you two most fond of reading the poems and books he writes? Why don't you go and pay your respects?"

"Zhandong, if you have anything you don't understand in your studies, you can ask your eldest brother-in-law for advice. Your eldest brother-in-law is truly remarkable; he is the number one scholar in our Lin'an City."

"Zijun, come, come, let Fifth Aunt take a look. Tsk tsk, look at this appearance—a man of talent and refined demeanor. No wonder the Queen has taken a liking to you."

"Look at what you're saying, the Queen has taken a liking to Zijun's talent and ability. Of course, Zijun's appearance is indeed that of a dragon among men, hahaha."

Everyone offered various forms of intimate flattery, trying to build rapport and pull strings.

Luo Zijun patiently dealt with them one by one, maintaining the proper etiquette.

Seeing that the time was about right, Bai Qingtong forcibly led him to break through the encirclement, leaving the main hall to go pay New Year respects to Li Zhengshan and his wife.

Behind them came some whispers.

"Is Qingtong already with Zijun?"

"You're talking nonsense, they've long since slept together. The elders have all agreed; didn't you see them paying respects together? They probably got up from the same bed this morning."

"Zijun marrying into our Bai Family is not a loss at all. Meixue and Qingtong, those two sisters, are the most beautiful and capable pair in our Bai Family. I never expected that both of them would end up with him..."

"He also relies on his own abilities."

"Second Aunt, why don't we go ask the eldest master later if Zijun wants to take a concubine? My Cailing and Caihe have been studying since they were young, and their looks aren't bad either. They turn fourteen this March..."

Along the way, Bai Qingtong couldn't help but tease him again.

"Brother-in-law, just now in that room, so many beautiful young sisters were looking at you with such admiration. Those girls looked at you with both shyness and joy; is Brother-in-law feeling very proud inside?"

"The gazes of Third Sister and Fifth Sister are truly covetous; their families have seven or eight unmarried Young Ladies, after all."

"By the way, brother-in-law, Yiyi and the others were saying last night that they also want to go live in Daguanyuan."

"Mother said, it's fine now, all the Young Ladies of our Bai Family are about to be swept up by brother-in-law in one go."