There were only four fish in all at the little pavilion in the middle of the lake.
Li Ping'an caught them all in a single night. It really was rather dull.
Unlike the quiet of the lakeside pavilion.
The entire imperial palace in Capital City was bustling.
Today was a special day: the eldest princess's birthday.
Normally, the eldest princess's birthday should have been organized by the Imperial Household Department, and the ceremonies should not have been too grand.
This year, however, was very different. The Ministry of Rites was handling it personally.
All civil and military officials in the capital received documents from the Ministry of Rites requiring them to wear python robes and rank-badge robes befitting their status.
Moreover, for three days before and after the eldest princess's birthday, the common people were forbidden to slaughter livestock.
County and prefectural offices were also prohibited from imposing punishments in criminal cases.
The Ministry of Rites made the following arrangements:
Enter the palace during the hour of the tiger and pay respects to His Majesty.
Then receive congratulations from the imperial clan and the civil and military officials.
And even envoys from foreign vassal states.
Then enter the Ancestral Temple.
Afterward, return to the inner palace to receive congratulations from her brothers and sisters.
Birthday gifts from officials stationed elsewhere also entered the palace in batches.
Rare treasures were beyond counting.
Some people even sent as many as nine times nine-eighty-one gifts.
All of this was treatment reserved for an emperor.
And now, with the emperor's tacit consent.
The Ministry of Rites had arranged everything for the eldest princess.
Everyone understood that the emperor was paving the way for the princess to succeed him.
Inside and outside the palace, the atmosphere was bustling and festive.
When night fell.
Forty-eight ceremonial