On the third day of the third month, the Shangsi Festival, fragrant aromas already filled the Manor at first light. The local serving women had followed instructions and prepared rice and Pickled Vegetable and Meat Soup ahead of time. Everyone promptly got up, ate their fill, used the latrines as instructed, then listened to a few final directions from the stewards. After that, the hundred-strong Qianxi Music Troupe set off in ox-drawn freight carts, passing through the Orchid Pavilion to make preparations beside Mirror Lake.
Once they arrived, Liu Acheng left the site in Lu Song's hands and personally took Liu Dage over to the Way of the Celestial Masters.
Sure enough, the people of the Way of the Celestial Masters had taken no interest whatsoever in the matter. Even when Liu Acheng arrived, they still had not eaten. Only upon seeing the man who actually paid them did Master Xu yawn and tell them to hurry up, eat, and go along with him. Meanwhile, he himself rode off to Shanyin.
By the time Liu Acheng patiently ushered the Way of the Celestial Masters' hundred and sixty people out onto the road, the morning sun was already shining brightly. When they finally reached Mirror Lake, it was well into the morning.
Honestly, a little dawdling from the Way of the Celestial Masters was nothing. When it came to getting everyone there on time, the real concern was those sixty-odd eminent gentlemen in the city, each a distinguished name in his own right.
Let us not forget that, on their last inspection visit, they had dragged things out until noon.
But there was no point growing anxious. These were not people he could hurry along, and Xi Chao and Gao Rou were already over there. Going himself would accomplish nothing.
Thus,