Food Fairy Lord

Chapter 577: New Year (Part )

Although he was still following the old path, Pei Ye took a step and couldn't help but look back and laugh: "My feet were facing forward when I came here, and backward when I came back, so we can't step together."

Xu Chuo laughed: "Then you walk backwards, so that others can't understand why we can only go in but not out."

"I have true energy so I can walk backwards. How can you see behind you when you walk backwards?"

"I don't have to lie down. I have small feet, so I can just stand on tiptoe."

"...Aren't those two people facing each other?"

Pei Ye thought about the rather stupid picture in his mind, shook his head, and walked forward.

Xu Chuo was a little disappointed, but she also knew that this kind of game was just right for her, but it was indeed too childish for a seventeen-year-old boy. She could only hug the stove, sigh, and continue to follow him.

"Sister Sisi and I used to play like this." He added with a hint of reluctance.

"Tell me, what should we do next?" The serious young master Pei was thinking about business. "I probably can't help with the affairs in the court, but I saw that man's son Yong Ji in the Illusion Tower that night. The Taiping Cao Gang and the merman were clearly their conspiracy, but he was just a guest in the Illusion Tower. What exactly is the plan of the Prince of Yan's Mansion? Do you have any new clues?"

"If Li Du is a roadblock, you can step on it after pushing it down; the Prince of Yan's Mansion is the swordsman hiding behind the stone, a dangerous enemy who is truly skilled in fighting." Xu Chuo said, "They are very good at hiding themselves, and they only stare at what they want unswervingly - to be honest, now that they have taken root in the court and removed some of the curtains opened by Li Du, I gradually see more of their shadows."

"Did you find anything?"

"Of course there is, but this matter... involves too much history. You know very little, and I can't explain it to you right away." Xu Chuo said, "But I am going to throw you into this matter."

“A sense of history?”

"The past of Shenjing, the past of saints, and even thousands of years ago... In front of these many things, I am actually just an ignorant child, and I don't know more than you." The serious voice of the woman behind her, the furnace temperature was a little low, she put her hands in her sleeves, "I have to tell you, Pei Ye, this matter is not as under my control as Shenjing. I will try my best to plan, but I know very little, and the decision I make may not be right. It is not so glorious, most of the time you are out of people's sight, even out of Shenjing... I'm not being polite, if you don't want to participate in this matter, it's also appropriate, after all, your future is always more precious than others."

"Oh, that's normal. Why wouldn't I want to participate? The days in Shenjing where I am under everyone's attention every time I draw my sword are special to me."

"After all, you are now the most popular martial artist in Shenjing. If you ask Young Master Pei to do something, you have to make it clear." Xu Chuo said with a smile, "But I think you should like it, because most of this matter is out of the court and into the cold and rainy rivers and lakes, which is always more comfortable and free... Some old friends are not as famous as you in Shenjing, but have been in the wind and rain there for a long time. The day before yesterday, they sent me a letter asking me when I would give him some help."

"Who?"

"Did not say."

"..."

"You will know anyway. I am not in a hurry to transfer you out of the capital." Xu Chuo said with a smile, "He is busy in the Jianghu, and there must be a needle and thread in the capital. The errand I mentioned is actually to get you into the palace."

"……what?"

"Didn't you ask me before which successor I was on?" Xu Chuo said, "Now I tell you with all my heart that the one who stood behind us, rescued you from prison, dispatched the imperial guards, manipulated the court, and served as the support of the Tang Dynasty scholars and the old army, was none other than the eldest daughter of the current saint - Her Majesty Jinyang Li Xizhou."

"..."

"She uses the new in the court and the old in the army. She relies on the southern sects headed by Xianrentai and Longjun Dongting in the martial arts world. She is the opposite of Li Zhi." Xu Chuo said, "She is also very beautiful. People say she is the most beautiful woman in the Tang Dynasty. If you make great contributions now, I will give you a chance to enter the palace to see her, to serve her by her side, and to help her solve some problems in the palace."

"Never heard of it." Pei Ye said concisely.

In fact, he didn't have any feelings towards this "boss" who suddenly appeared. He had always been helping Xu Chuo and trusted this woman. As for the source of her power, Pei Ye was curious, but he might not be willing to serve her.

"When we actually meet, you must not be so disrespectful." Xu Chuo said seriously, "Her Highness Jinyang is the backer of Yuanzhao and Di Jiu. You must be even more respectful to Her Highness as you respect these two adults. People say that she is the one who is most like the saint of the current emperor, that is, she is indifferent and ruthless, and can see through people's hearts - don't talk nonsense like you did with me."

Pei Ye did take this into consideration. It was not like he had no experience in meeting people of high positions. He was very polite. Moreover, he had just learned etiquette a long time ago the previous month. But now he suddenly thought of another thing. His face was hesitant and cloudy for a while, as if he wanted to ask something, but found it difficult to open his mouth.

"Did you hear that?" Xu Chuo urged in a low voice from behind.

"I know, but..." Pei Ye hesitated for a while, then turned back and frowned, "This, the palace... can it let men in?"

"..." Xu Chuo was slightly stunned as she looked at his serious face.

"I read it in a storybook, but it seems to be true... People say that outsiders are not allowed to enter the palace. Either you are a royal relative, or you have to be... a eunuch." The young man pursed his lips and looked at her with a stubborn look on his face.

Xu Chuo was silent for a while, lowered his head, and pushed him forward twice: "You go first."

Pei Ye turned around, walked two steps along the footprints with a frown, and behind him was the woman's trying to speak in a calm voice.

"Don't worry," Xu Chuo paused, tensed for a moment, and said calmly, "I won't cut you off."

"...I know, I'm just asking." Pei Ye said calmly, "By the way, there is one more thing. After I enter the palace, can I see the emperor?"

"It depends on how you go around. If you like to go to the Purple Palace, you will definitely see him once."

"The emperor shouldn't owe anyone anything, right?" Pei Ye tilted his head to confirm.

Xu Chuo was slightly startled: "What?"

"He broke my sword that day, and you later said that the teacup lid was for imperial use." Pei Ye said, "But it's been several days, and he still hasn't offered to compensate me."

"...Go ask him for it yourself, and don't ask me such stupid questions again."

"What nonsense! That sword is... a gift from someone. It's very important."

Xu Chuo did not answer.

The two of them walked on the snowy forest back to the carriage. As the sun rose higher in the afternoon, more people came to Leyouyuan. The tourists had smiles on their faces and their clothes were a different color from usual. They looked clean and new, with more bright colors.

The stalls on both sides of the street were set up one after another with the warming sunshine, mostly hung with vermilion paintings, spring couplets swaying in the wind, and various sweets and gadgets that made the children jump and stare.

"After all that, tomorrow is New Year's Eve." Xu Chuo sighed and smiled, "I've been busy for a long time, but there's no end to the things in the world. Let's celebrate the New Year first."

"So you mean after the New Year?" "Yes, I will transfer you after the New Year." Xu Chuo smiled, "It's all about the Renwu year."

She lifted the curtain and got into the car, and the heater in her arms had just burned out.

"Let's spend the holiday in the old house this year. Call some friends who are also detained in Beijing, and we can spend the holiday together."

Pei Ye lingered at the car door for a while, then looked back at the many stalls on the street, somewhat hesitant.

In the car, Xu Chuo lowered his eyes: "What are you doing?"

"Aren't we going to buy some New Year's goods?" Pei Ye rubbed his hands, his eyes sparkling.

This is the first New Year he has celebrated since he saw the world and became rich.

There are too many new things.

……

……

On the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month, spring is approaching and the palace is decorated with lights and colors.

Lanterns are hung on the red walls and green tiles, and the palace maids tie colorful silks under the eaves and pile the clean snow into cute little people. At this time of year, the palace distributes subsidies and even sends palace maids back home in batches to visit their families. The faces of the nobles are mostly warm and friendly. It is the best time of the year.

However, today in the Purple Palace, the atmosphere was more solemn than at any other time of the year. The palace maids, who had changed into colorful clothes, knelt on the ground in silence. They had been ordered by the Queen to clean the palace earlier, and now they were kneeling here like sculptures.

"The backbone of two dynasties, the uncle of the country..." Li Hanfei, dressed in red, did not even change into court clothes. He knelt beside the Panlong Pillar, still smelling of alcohol, his eyes were red and numb, his lips were purple, and his voice was trembling, "Just like that, the thieves cut off my head in the street..."

In the hall, Yang Juhu, Zhang Mengqiu, and the patrol officers all knelt down, but there was no saint in the hall.

The empress of the current dynasty was sitting with her head tilted to one side, wearing a gorgeous phoenix robe, with her lips pursed like a sword, her expression indifferent and dazed, staring quietly at the floor in the hall. The hall was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

"…The Saint went to the ancestral mausoleum to offer sacrifices this morning and will be back later. I have sent someone to report this." Li Huang said softly, "Wait a moment as to what should be done."

"Huang'er!" Li Hanfei slammed the pillar, coughed painfully in his throat, and looked up with red eyes, "How kind was my uncle to you and me when we were young! Now you and I are far away in the capital, and our blood relatives are few and far between. I am the Li of Xilong, how can I not repay the thief a hundred times for the pain and humiliation my uncle has suffered! You should plead your case to him, so that..."

"Minister Li!" Li Huang raised his eyes to look at him and said in a hoarse voice, "You are disrespectful in front of the palace and you should be punished."

"..." Li Hanfei leaned against the pillar silently, lowering his head.

Li Huang looked at the ground quietly. Today was the end of the year. Her elaborately woven clothes flowed on both sides. She sat in the hall like a phoenix, not knowing what she was waiting for.

There was silence in the hall.

Just after the morning sun rose, golden light filled the hall and the ceremonial guards lined up in front of the hall. The figure walked in under the canopy, but it was obvious that he had not just returned to the palace. Instead, he had first changed out of his majestic crown and robes in the back hall, bathed and changed his clothes before coming to this hall.

Li Hanfei stood up from in front of the Panlong Pillar, staring at the figure with red eyes, speechless. Li Huang, the leader, stood up and knelt to greet him. The Emperor of Tang motioned for him to be excused and said in a calm voice, "The Queen is here too."

Li Huang still performed the entire kneeling greeting etiquette correctly today. When he stood up, the Emperor of Tang had already sat down in front of the desk.

"I already know the matter. I saw Di Jiu's memorial on the way and received the message from the palace." The Tang Emperor said calmly, "There is no circuitousness in the matter. The case is vicious, so the Jingzhao Prefecture, the Dali Temple, and the Ministry of Justice will be sent to investigate. Since it involves the Jianghu, the Immortal Terrace will be dispatched to assist, and the Imperial Censor Ji Zheng will be the supervisor. Li Gu assisted the country for ten years and was a meritorious minister. I am very sad. If the criminal is caught, he will be torn apart by a chariot."

Li Hanfei's body was chilled by the cold wind outside the hall. His lips trembled, not knowing what to say. Perhaps he never had the courage to speak in front of this saint. He raised his eyes to the gorgeous figure next to him, as if hoping that she could say something.

This case needs to be investigated, who can find evidence?

But is it still necessary to investigate who the culprit is?
However, there was no sound. After waiting for a while, it seemed to end with this sentence. This was the highest-level murder investigation team in the Tang Dynasty, and it was the best response that an emperor should give.

Li Hanfei walked out of the hall stiffly. He had not paid attention to his clothes when he came. The cold wind made him shiver.

There is no doubt that there will be a personal eulogy from the saint at his uncle's funeral, but he certainly won't shed a tear...even if this is the saint who has been with him for ten years without any disobedience.

Just like today when he said "I am very sad" with such a calm expression, he still took a bath and changed his clothes before making such an announcement.

He stood high enough and didn't care much about many things; since the case was really not complicated, he didn't put much energy into it.

Li Hanfei has only been in Shenjing for three years and in this position for two years. He has seen this indifferent face many times, but it was not until today that he understood the meaning of the four words his uncle said.

...a ruthless king.

The palace became quiet and the maids continued to clean the beams. They had to pretend that nothing had happened, as they had to be deaf and dumb most of the time when doing things in the palace.

Li Huang lowered her head and brewed a pot of tea. The Emperor of Tang was already reading the last memorial of the year at his desk. His red pen was rustling as he reviewed it, his calm black eyes skimming over the lines of text. These memorials came from all over the world. The territory of the Tang Dynasty was vast, with storms in the South China Sea and military movements in the North.

"Which wine would you like to drink this year, Your Majesty?" Li Huang said softly, suppressing his slightly hoarse voice, "Same as last year's peach wine?"

Emperor Tang did not answer. He first reviewed the memorial in his hand and said, "That day you said the new wine in Zhaixing Tower..."

"It's [New Snow]."

"Well, I tried some today. It's pretty good. Buy some more." The Tang Emperor didn't drink much on weekdays. He would just taste it occasionally, but at the end of the year he would always toast with the palace ladies or entertain envoys and guests.

"Okay." Li Huang smiled warmly, "Also, there will be a delegation from the Southern Kingdom tomorrow. Which crown and robes will Your Majesty wear?"

"Let the queen choose." The man didn't care much and didn't say anything extra.

"As your majesty commands."

(End of this chapter)