HOT NOVEL UPDATES

Joy of Life - Volume 2 - Chapter 128




Hint: To Play after pausing the player, use this button

Chapter 128
The eastern skies were already dyed red . From behind the still-sleeping clouds, the sun slowly crept up, casting its light upon the biggest building complex in the capital . The palace walls, which were even redder than the dusk, observed the crowd in the public square silently and terrifyingly . Fan Xian was among that crowd . He gazed up at the walls and gazed down at the gates, which reminded him of the mouth of a monster . He couldn't help but feel a bit nervous .


Like every other person in this world, Fan Xian viewed His Majesty with absolute awe . But awe did not equal complete obedience, neither did it represent a total lack of rebelliousness . On that, Fan Xian was different from others . The palace gatekeeper nodded a bit pridefully after checking everyone, and only then was Fan Xian allowed to walk in .
Today was full of formalities . The order came yesterday from the palace summoning the eighth-ranked functionary . Fan Xian was busy all night and was able to determine how many people would be present . Naturally, Fan Jian would not be there . There was a lack of women at Fan Manor, so the distant relatives in the capital from the great Fan clan all volunteered to accompany Fan Xian .
Fan Xian had never seen such a scene before, so Fan Jian denied the relatives their wishes . It was ultimately decided that the one to follow Fan Xian into the palace would be Lady Liu, Fan Ruoruo, and two old nannies . Those two nannies were from Fan Xian's grandmother’s time in Danzhou . They knew well all the palace rules . The fact that Lady Liu agreed to come seemed to have been unexpected for Fan Xian . However, she had been keeping in touch with a few esteemed ones from the palace since she was young, so she was more than just a guest . With her by his side, Fan Xian’s trip to the palace would likely be much smoother .
Light yet chaotic footsteps echoed through the tunnel . It was a long tunnel; even the sun at dusk could only illuminate half its length while the other half stayed exceptionally dark . A gust of cold wind blew in, forcing the people to close their eyes . It was merely September, but this wind gave them a taste of late autumn .
Fan Xian inconspicuously touched his belt and felt the few pills, which were smaller than soybeans . Feeling assured, he knew the security would be extremely tight, which was why before leaving the manor he hid his crossbow and dagger in his room . But what Wu Zhu told him had been carved into his memory . Even if the palace was the safest place in the world, Fan Xian still made sure he had some means to protect his own life .
Humans are strange animals . And when together, they form a strange herd . Walking beneath the quiet palace walls, their steps began to synchronize, rising at the same time, and falling at the same time . The young eunuch leading the way was no exception . The rhythm was like someone plucking a ukulele .


Fan Xian suddenly felt quite unpleasant and forced himself to break free from the synchronized footsteps . He pulled his sister’s sleeve and said quietly, "I’m a bit nervous . "
Fan Ruoruo smiled, trying to offer some encouragement . But that young eunuch turned around, displeased, and frowned at them . Lady Liu said gently, "The palace isn’t like other places . Watch what you say . "
The eunuch wasn’t all that good-looking, and his frown only made him look worse . Hearing Lady Liu, he momentarily became full of himself . Where is this place? This is the royal palace, of course . Fan Xian forced a smile . Unexpectedly, Lady Liu continued, "But you don’t need to be so nervous . I’ve been visiting this palace since I was little . Back then it was Eunuch Hong who led the way . Now that job is left to such youngsters . Oh, how time flies . "
Hearing this, the young eunuch dared not act self-important anymore . He turned and quickened his pace . He thought he was only leading some commoners, not regular visitors .
The palace was massive . After exiting the tunnel, a large square greeted them . The morning sun was directly above Taijin Palace . Its yellow roof tiles glistened, and the roof was supported by great pillars . Its long stone steps resembled a white path leading to the Milky Way . The whole scene invoked extreme solemnness .
Fan Xian squinted at the buildings in front of him . Suddenly, he started to wonder if he had arrived in the Forbidden City . Perhaps because of that absurd thought, his nervousness died down ever so slightly . Afterwards, Fan Xian finally returned to his normal demeanor; the same he assumed when he first entered Fan Manor . With a bright smile, he looked around at the various palace girls and eunuchs . He occasionally looked up at the roof of some unknown building, wondering who lived there .
The young eunuch leading the way saw it all and shook his head . Lady Liu smiled faintly, as if it couldn't be helped . This young master was the fearless type after all .


The reason for today’s visit was simple: a talented young man of such reputation was about to marry Chen’er . The ladies of the palace wanted to see what he looked like .
While the reason was simple, the process was beyond complex . The party from Fan Manor got up early to clean and dress themselves . Then they got to the palace just as the palace gates opened . After that, they waited in a room in the corner, waiting to be summoned by one of the ladies . They could wait, but those ladies from the palace weren’t the type of people who would do the same .
And so, Fan Xian sat in the room by the corner, drinking high-class tea from the palace . Because he woke up so early, he felt drowsy . Lady Liu looked at him, and then stood up with a smile on her face . She said to the eunuch who had been leading the way, "Eunuch Hou, it’s been some time . " As she said it, she handed him a silver tael .
Watching this secretly, Fan Xian smiled . Such a method was sure to be the result of his father’s influence; paving one's way with money .
That Eunuch Hou, however, made an uneasy expression . He said politely, "Madam Fan, you might as well slap me in the face . You grew up together with those masters in the palace . How can someone like me receive charity from you?" Lady Liu couldn’t help but laugh, "It’s merely a gift . What are you afraid of?"
Eunuch Hou chuckled, showing his wrinkles . He said quietly, "Those masters knew you are coming today, so they never had the intention to make you wait . Rest assured . It’s only still too early . They're most likely getting washed up now . Please, have a seat . "
Fan Xian’s ears twitched as he heard the words "Madam Fan" . It looked like the palace found out about the matter Lady Liu becoming Count Sinan's proper wife . Upon hearing that those in the palace were still getting ready for the morning, he smiled bitterly . He thought they were much too early .
It was wise of Count Sinan to let Lady Liu accompany Fan Xian . Long before the morning court began, the three members of the Fan family already entered the back palace . The two nannies waited outside . At least they had fine tea and water . They were used to these kinds of palace customs, so they knew how to stay occupied .
. . .
They first visited Yi Guipin . She was the birth mother of the current third prince, and she was a talented woman, which was how she came to receive the title of Guipin . Fan Xian was very well-behaved . He saluted her . He heard a gentle voice: "You may rise . "
This Yi Guipin possessed a plain demeanor, but there was something more, something different from Fan Xian’s expectations of her being graceful beyond words . Even more unexpectedly, Lady Liu began to tear up as she looked at Yi Guipin . After exchanging greetings, they both cast away formalities and held hands together without saying anything . Fan Xian looked at his sister confusedly, but Ruoruo’s expression was calm and unsurprised .
Only after listening to them talk for a bit did Fan Xian learn that this Yi Guipin was Lady Liu’s younger cousin!
Fan Xian was greatly shaken as he now realized how deep the Liu bloodline flowed . It was fortunate that he decided to try to appease her after coming to the capital, and that she had been rather kind to him . Had there been any serious conflict, who knows which side would end up dead!
"You never visit me . " Yi Guipin wiped away her tears . "It’s been four years; how could you leave me alone in the palace? Last time I went through all that trouble to get permission for you to come in, and you refused . I was so depressed . "
A look of sadness flashed across Lady Liu’s face . She stayed silent for a while before saying quietly, "It's my fault . It’s all my fault . "
She wasn’t looking at Fan Xian at all, but Fan Xian noticed her slightly thin shoulders . Upon hearing "four years", he quickly thought back to the assassination attempt in Danzhou . According to what his father said, Lady Liu was only a scapegoat . The real culprits were the two women considered to be the "noblest" in the palace . Lady Liu hadn't been to the palace for four years . Could it be because of them?
"I’ll visit often from now on . " Lady Liu smiled warmly as she held Yi Guipin's hand . "I came today, didn’t I?"
Yi Guipin laughed and said lightly, "If it weren’t for your household’s young master marrying the dearest girl in the palace, how could I possibly hope to see you?" She then turned towards Fan Xian and asked gently, "So, you are Fan Xian?"
Fan Xian quickly stood up and gave his friendliest smile . He greeted her, saying, "Aunt Liu, I have come to pay my respects . "
That sentence was very inappropriate! The eunuchs and palace girls were all stunned . Even Lady Liu was taken aback, thinking "I’m not your mother . " But Fan Xian continued to shamelessly build up this relationship, which happened to suit the tastes of Yi Guipin, who was tired of the formalities in the palace . Yi Guipin looked at Fan Xian with a bright smile . "I knew you were such a good child . "



Share This :


COMMENTS

No Comments Yet

Post a new comment

Register or Login