Chapter 24          Falling into the Water (1/2)

“Chronicle of the Rites of the Book of the Han Dynasty: The seventh day is the beginning of the four seasons of heaven and earth, and the beginning of human life.”

On the seventh day of the seventh month was the Double Seven Festival which was also a public holiday for the courtiers.

It was midsummer and all kinds of grass was tender. The summer breeze was not dry in the morning. There were maids and servants collecting dew in the flower garden, medicine garden, and forest garden of the Princess of Zhaoren Mansion.

Ji Nanfeng came from the Medicine King Valley. Because of his habit in the valley, he collected the dew this morning on the Double Seven Festival and used it to make pills with pine and cypress.

The significance of the Double Seven Festival was not just the beautiful feelings. For Ji Nanfeng, today was a very suitable day for prescribing medicine.

Feng Yuyao went out of the city at sishi* and went to the Princess of Zhaoren Mansion in Xishan to find Qin Yan.

(sishi* – 9 am – 11 am)

It was already noon when she reached the mansion and ran into Ji Nanfeng who was directing everyone to move boxes of clothes and volumes of books to the open space in the mansion.

This was the custom of the Double Seven Festival. It was necessary to take advantage of the scorching sun to dry the books and clothes to clear off the filth of insects. It was said that things that had been exposed to the sun on this day would not be eaten by insects for a year.

When Feng Yuyao found Qin Yan, Qin Yan was looking at flowers under the porch.

“Where did you find Mister Ji? He makes a harmonious and orderly home.” Feng Yuyao joked.

“Indeed.”

Not knowing if it was Feng Yuyao’s illusion, she could hear a little regret in Qin Yan’s tone.

Feng Yuyao invited Qin Yan to go boating on the Qianshui Lake in the south of the capital, but Qin Yan was not interested.

It happened that Fang Su, the mistress of the Duke of Zhenguo Mansion, sent someone to invite Qin Yan, saying that Qin Yan would practice threading needles with her aunt during the day and would set up an incense table in the mansion to offer sacrifices to the Weaver Maid to seek for marriage tonight.

Hearing the word “threading needles”, Qin Yan and Shen Ying both trembled unconsciously.

“Please tell my aunt that I have made an appointment with Princess of Jingyi to visit around the lake today. Please apologize to my aunt for me.” Qin Yan had never been good at rejecting her aunt, Fang Su, directly. At this moment, she was extremely grateful for Feng Yuyao’s arrival.

When the people from the Duke of Zhenguo Mansion left, Feng Yuyao leaned forward on the railing of the porch and laughed out of breath, “Yanyan, so you do have a time when you are afraid. Is the threading needless? Hahaha…”

——

In the same western suburbs, Princess of Changle Feng Yunchao went to Taizi Mansion in Xishan early in the morning to invite Taizi Feng Zhan to tour the lake, but Feng Zhan politely declined on the grounds of official duties.

Feng Yunchao spent a few hours in the Taizi Mansion. In the end, Feng Zhan agreed to go boating with her on Qianshui Lake in the evening on the ground that Taizi was too busy to show up even on her birthday and since today was a holiday, Imperial Brother Taizi had to go with her.

——

Today, in the West and East Cities of the capital, there were Double Seven Festival Temple Fairs, crowded with people from everywhere, which were extremely lively.

There were many young men and women out on the street, and the women were all well-dressed. Many girls were wearing brightly colored wreaths on their heads, and brightly colored flowers dotted their foreheads, with all the flowers in full bloom.

A pair of men and women at the temple fair was very eye-catching. The man was dressed in a dark brocade robe with indigo silver thread, with a tall figure and handsome appearance. The woman beside him was petite with a pretty face, and the most touching thing was the woman’s sweet smile.

“This velvet flower is so beautiful. Brother Changyuan, which one is more beautiful, this one or the one on my head?” A Yan smiled beautifully, and her hand, whose nails were dyed bright red with impatiens juice, picked up the velvet flower in the shape of jasmine and held it up beside the white orchid silk flower on her temples for comparison.

From Xie Changyuan’s point of view, the color and style of the two flowers were similar, and there was not much difference. They both match the bright yellow cotton dress on A Yan today.

“It’s good.” Xie Changyuan replied.

A Yan was accustomed to Xie Changyuan’s concise words. Brother Changyuan had never spoken sweetly, but A Yan was already satisfied that he could take some time out of his busy schedule to accompany her.

——

Second Prince Feng Xian learned from the spies in the palace yesterday that Feng Yuyao invited Qin Yan to visit the lake today. So, he sent someone to charter the most exquisite and luxurious decorated boat in Qianshui Lake.

To successfully invite Qin Yan, Feng Xian also went to invite Princess of Changle Feng Yunchao, whose identity was higher than that of Feng Yuyao and Qin Yan, yesterday.

Feng Yunchao also struggled to find an opportunity to make Imperial Brother Taizi less disgusted, and to allow Yanxi and Imperial Brother Taizi to get along more, so she readily agreed to Second Imperial Brother’s proposal.

However, Feng Yunchao continue to ask again, could she bring Imperial Brother Taizi?

Feng Xian…! He wanted to say no, but he dared not…

——

Today, many people in Qianshui Lake were having a feast on the boat.

On the rippling lake surface, there were many wild geese and mandarin ducks made of oil paper floating, which added a little romance to the air.

Second Prince Feng Xian really waited for Taizi and Feng Yunchao by the lakeshore. At this time, Feng Xian caught a glimpse of the brother and sister of the Grand Scholar Mansion, An Wenjing, and An Yanxi, who were walking leisurely in the distance. Feng Xian also heard the rumors that An Yanxi seemed to be the potential crown princess. He was overjoyed and without spending much effort, he sent someone to invite the An family’s brother and sister.

On the second floor of the boat, Taizi sat in the first place, and Second Prince Feng Xian and Feng Yunchao sat opposite each other. Oddly enough, the Second Prince left two seats.

The Second Prince seemed to be waiting for someone. The boat had not moved for a long time, and Taizi Feng Zhan was a little impatient. Just as he was about to speak, Feng Xian got up again and went out.

The people who were sent to keep an eye on saw Shizi Xie of Marquis of Yongding Mansion’s carriage, and there seemed to be Shizi Xie’s fiancée, Miss A Yan, in the carriage.

Feng Xian thought to himself that Heaven really wanted to help him. He was destined to take one step further with Qin Yan today.

Xie Changyuan was supposed to go to Shuyu Shop next to Qianshui Lake to have a small dinner with He Xiao but was stopped by the Second Prince’s people who came to invite him. He couldn’t refuse, so he took A Yan on board the decorated boat.

Qin Yan and Feng Yuyao hadn’t arrived for a long time, and Feng Xian couldn’t keep Taizi waiting for a long time, so he ordered the boat to take off. The boat traveled around the lake, with the musicians playing the zither and the flute. The evening breeze was gentle, and the scenery was just right.

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