The Qixi Festival

Su Youqing's situation was connected to a case handled by the Prison Administration, so naturally Su Luoqian could not have heard anything about it from Lu Jingsi.

Still, perhaps afraid she would worry too much, Su Liangzhuo sent a household servant to tell Su Luoqian what little they knew.

When Su Luoqian put that together with how Lu Jingsi had practically turned night into day investigating the case lately, she roughly pieced together what had happened.

An examiner in charge of the autumn provincial examination in Yujing had suddenly died a few days earlier. Before his death, he had visited the Literati's Elegant Pavilion in the eastern market.

Su Youqing had been the last person to see him there.

A little investigation was all it took for Lu Jingsi to find out exactly who Su Youqing was.

The case was urgent, so on the very night he learned Su Youqing's identity, he led his men to the Su residence.

Su Youqing was woken in the middle of the night, and before he could gather his thoughts, Lu Jingsi's oppressive presence frightened him fully awake.

Just a few questions left him trembling all over like a sieve.

Ever since learning that the examiner had died for no apparent reason, Su Youqing had not dared return to the Literati's Elegant Pavilion. After Lu Jingsi gave him such a fright, he was beside himself.

For days on end, he had no appetite for food or drink and could not take in a word of his books.

Su Liangzhuo and Cui Anlan worried that if this continued, it might affect his performance in the coming autumn examination.

At this point in the Su Family servant's account, Su Luoqian curved her lips and gave a soft laugh.

Su Youqing knew the examiner's death was suspicious, yet he had not taken the initiative to explain everything to the Prison Administration or the Capital Prefecture.

If he were an ordinary citizen, that would be one thing.

But he aspired to earn scholarly honors and enter officialdom.

It was hard to imagine what sort of official someone as timid as a mouse, who could be frightened out of his appetite by Lu Jingsi, would become if he really did pass the examination with high marks.

Su Luoqian sat down at the table and had Zelan grind ink.

She picked up her brush and wrote a letter to Su Liangzhuo and Cui Anlan, then sent the servant back with it.

In the blink of an eye, the Qixi Festival arrived.

According to protocol, Su Luoqian was to accompany Lu Jingsi into the palace at midday for an imperial family banquet.

Inside the palace hall, the emperor and empress sat upright in the seats of honor, both dressed in splendid robes.

Several small tables were arranged along either side below them.

The hall's pillars and beams were carved and painted, with golden dragons coiling around the pillars, making it all the more majestic and magnificent.

The first prince, who had not appeared in public for a long time, was also at the banquet, as was Consort Shu, who had brought Zhou Jingmi with her.

Today, the little princess wore a properly fitted little palace dress, looking sweet and lovely. Her dark eyes, clear as if washed with water, darted around, and her occasional childish remarks made the emperor and empress chuckle.

Su Luoqian sat down at a table beside Lu Jingsi and raised her eyes to the little princess.

The emperor asked her what she had learned recently while studying with Pei Mu under Grand Tutor Yan Bai.

Zhou Jingmi made a proper bow, tilted her head in thought, and managed to recite the few lines of poetry she remembered.

At the end, afraid her imperial father would scold her for not learning well enough, she hurriedly admitted her fault before he could speak.

The emperor had few children. The crown prince was his third son, the first prince had no interest in affairs of state, and the second prince had died young.

Zhou Jingmi was his only daughter, and since she was still young, the emperor was much more indulgent with her.

He chuckled cheerfully, offered her a few pointers, and then told her to rise and return to her seat.

Only then did Su Luoqian understand.

It seemed that, on that day in the imperial garden, the empress had not reported to the emperor that Consort Shu was raising Zhou Jingmi as a boy.

But she had not let Consort Shu continue having her way, either. Su Luoqian did not know what reason the empress had given for the arrangement.

In any case, Zhou Jingmi now studied under Grand Tutor Yan alongside Pei Mu every day.

In Su Luoqian's view, this was actually the best outcome.

She was so lost in thought that it took a quiet reminder from Lu Jingsi beside her to bring her back to her senses.

She hurriedly raised her cup with the others to toast the emperor and empress.

The crown prince and crown princess were seated across from Su Luoqian and Lu Jingsi, and as they raised their cups, her eyes met Qin Shuning's.

Qin Shuning winked at her mischievously, a radiant smile spreading across her lips.

With the festival being celebrated today, the atmosphere at the banquet was harmonious and cheerful.

During the feast, the conversation turned to the folk customs of the Qixi Festival. An idea occurred to the emperor, and he granted them special permission: "Yujing City must be very lively today. You may go out together to enjoy the lanterns and amuse yourselves."

Zhou Jingmi was the youngest person present. The moment she heard she could leave the palace to have fun, her eyes lit up, and she was about to thank her imperial father.

Unexpectedly, Consort Shu, seated beside her, suddenly said, "Your Majesty is benevolent, granting everyone permission to join the people in their festivities. But Mi'er is too young, and taking her out of the palace would be inconvenient. Let us not disturb the crown prince, the first prince and Prince Cheng'an's enjoyment."

At those words, Zhou Jingmi's eyes, which had been bright with excitement, suddenly dimmed.

She had not even had time to thank her imperial father for letting her leave the palace.

The emperor, however, clearly did not agree with Consort Shu.

He waved a hand and said, "I know you have always been strict with Mi'er, but it is the Qixi Festival today. There is no harm in letting her relax."

"Besides, once outside the palace, Mi'er will have her brothers and sisters-in-law to look after her, and failing that, there are the guards. There is no reason she cannot take this opportunity to enjoy herself."

"Thank you, Imperial Father."

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhou Jingmi cleverly and quickly kowtowed.

With the emperor himself having spoken, Consort Shu could hardly say anything more.

After the palace banquet, they drank tea and admired the flowers.

It was not until halfway through the shen hour that the group left the palace.

The first prince had never liked making friends. He was especially fond of weapons, and his favorite pastime was studying drawings of all sorts of strange and unusual weapons.

So, as soon as they left the palace gates, he bid the others farewell and went elsewhere.

Zhou Jingmi stood beside Qin Shuning, looking up at her crown princess sister-in-law and then at her fourth sister-in-law.

Finally, she gave Zhou Xuheng a proper bow. "Crown Prince Brother, may Mi'er ride in the same carriage as Crown Princess Sister-in-law and Fourth Sister-in-law?"

Both her sisters-in-law were so pretty and smelled nice, too. She liked being with them.

Hearing this, Lu Jingsi glanced at the little princess.

His eyes were habitually cold and sharp, and that glance frightened Zhou Jingmi into ducking behind Su Luoqian.

Seeing this, Su Luoqian tugged at the man's sleeve, quietly signaling him not to be so serious.

We're out to have fun today, not investigate a case. Don't look at the little princess as if you were interrogating a criminal.

Lu Jingsi noticed her little gesture and paused before finally looking away.

Beside them, Qin Shuning spoke with a smile before Zhou Xuheng could answer. "Of course. If Mi'er wants to ride with her sisters-in-law, there's no problem at all."

And so Zhou Jingmi happily took one sister-in-law by each hand and walked toward her carriage.

Lu Jingsi and Zhou Xuheng exchanged a glance, then helplessly climbed into their respective carriages.

The three tall, lavishly decorated carriages set off from outside the palace gates and made their way to Anning Ward in the eastern market.

Anning Ward was one of the liveliest and most prosperous places in Yujing City.

With the festival today, the streets were even more crowded, pedestrians weaving like threads through a loom. Vendors' stalls lined both sides, creating a flourishing yet orderly scene.

Many women walked together, some stopping to admire lanterns, others looking at trinkets at the stalls. The scene was bustling with life.

For the Qixi Festival, embroidery workshops had organized contests, and women were competing in embroidery at a number of pavilions.

Soldiers from the Patrol Battalion were also patrolling the streets, maintaining order.