It was October in the late autumn when there was more frost and dew.
The wind in the early morning felt a little cool as it blew the branches of the flowers, making them shake and fall down to the ground as if the winding path had been covered with scattered broken gold.
The royal Autumn Hunting Convention of Udan used to start off on the seventh day of the Shengtu Festival, which happened at the closest place to the royal palace ― the royal paddock on the west of the Eagle Eye Mountain.
Every year, the officers in the paddock would let out all kinds of living beasts in the cages before King Solo's arrival, so that the King and his officers could kill the beasts to their hearts' content.
Then, they would regard the amount of the hunted animals as the gist of the fortune of their development in the next year.
Before nine in the morning, flags of five colors had been set up in the paddock. The baldachin was set so
"Uncle―"Lu Qiange and Huanan Jiyan rushed all the way to finally catch up with Leng Qingtang and his wife at the riverbank of Eagle Eye Mountain."Uncle, Tulia is just a savage. Please don't take his words seriously."Lu Qiange held his rein to stop the couple from going away as he hastily explained before his horse stopped. His glittering purple eyes fixed on Lu Qiange's face, dying for Lu's forgiveness and understanding.The horse puffed heavily as the sad man rotated two rounds."You may find a little offensive that my Father directly asked you to serve our country, but he just appreciates your talent so much that his words become too blunt. Hope you don't mind.""It's alright. You don't have to worry about me. I just thought that it was getting dark and everybody got tired, so I just wanted to go home early to have a rest."Leng Qingtang's features were cool and calm. One couldn't
Gu Yunxi woke up early and carried her big dark-green sack filled with necessities, and then she went out on horse with Leng Qingtang.The way to the border of western tribes from Ping Mount wasn't short. When they reached the business street, it was noon.Gu Yunxi secretly got happy as it was the perfect timing.The business street they were at was the largest concentration of trade on the border of Central Plains and the western tribes. It covered wide and took the main street as the central axis, extending for thousands of miles around, among which were thousands of lanes radiating in all directions. And the lanes were full of shops and stores. People from the Central Plains and the western tribes, as well as camel and horse teams always gathered here to sell all kinds of hard-to-get goods.Walking half a day from here to the east, one would arrive at Baishui Gate.Gu Yunxi and Leng Qingtang got off their hor
"What else do you want, manager?"Gu Yunxi smiled as she saw the light in Manager Jiao's eyes as if he had wanted to say something but stopped. After exchanging a quick look with Leng Qingtang, she got clear about the following business negotiation.Manager Jiao bowed again as his features got squeezed together on his face so much that nobody could recognize him,"Well, please wait up. I've ordered the servants to prepare selected fragrant tea for you two in the private room. I've got a huge good deal to discuss with you."Gu Yunxi and Leng Qingtang were both observant as they had experienced big scenes.Seeing the manager's hospitality, Gu Yunxi didn't reject as she smilingly swiveled to Leng Qingtang, saying,"Darling, anyway, we've sold out all our goods. I don't think we could get through the border controls today. So, why not go to enjoy the selected tea with the manager?"Seeing a
The night was long and quiet.At this moment, the streets of the capital of Da Yi were horrifyingly quiet with the whirlwind occasionally whistling. The low hissing was more like hidden unknown monsters opening their bloodbaths, making a poignant whimper.It was in the Royal Prison of the Eastern Depot―The bleak moonlight illuminated the courtyard ridges, leaving a few cold white touches of frost.Two cowhide lanterns at the gate were blown by the wind as if two ghosts had been silently watching all the evils of this human purgatory.The bitter wails continued to come out of one side of the cell, which was sometimes high and sometimes faint, forcing people to chill.As another round of torture ended, the guard in the purple eighth-ranked official suit stepped back a dozen steps. Without an expression, he looked directly at the front strong-built man with a steel-toothed iron comb in his hand.
It was dark and cold at night.The cold wind blew in, and the red embroidered curtain fluttered lightly.Gu Yunxi suddenly woke up from her dream, with wet sweat. Facing the night, she was emotional."Darling, what happened...?"Hearing the noise, Leng Qingtang rubbed his sleeping eyes and sat up with clothes. Raising the curtain, he saw the window in the bedroom was open.Getting up and closing the window, he helped Gu Yunxi with hot tea. Then he held her in his chest."What's wrong? do you have a nightmare?"He looked at her with gentle eyes and comforted her in a low voice.Gu Yunxi quietly raised her eyes and looked at Leng Qingtang pathetically.Suddenly, she clasped tightly around his neck and buried in his chest. She murmured,"Darling... Darling..."As she was so dependent on him, Leng Qingtang suddenly showed tender affection
It was in October when maples turned red. In the tree, the mature persimmons were like round lanterns, swaying in the mist and rain.At night, there were plenty of figures and shadows in Qinming Hall. Besides, some mutters could be heard from the slightly opened window lattice."Really? Is she in the western tribes?"Huanan Xin said in a high voice, from which people could slightly feel his delight.Eunuch Superintendent Liang Zhen bowed obediently, as his shadow was dropped on the windows."Your Majesty, there are many small countries in the western tribes. Hence, it always spends some time to make investigations and search for her.""Why investigating? Tell Yue Xilou, searching Udan first. If Yunxi is indeed in the western tribes, she must be hidden by Prime Princess Huanan Qiang."Sounds of the watch drums occurred from the outside. Liang Zhen heard and reminded,"Your Majesty,
It was in Dongzhou Restaurant.The fragrant smell from the two white porcelains with ice cracks quickly fulfilled the whole kitchen.Being tempted by the smell, Manager Jiao leaned forward and stared at the two gourmet meals. In his eyes, some desire and appreciation appeared.He deeply swallowed saliva, staring and ceaselessly praising,"Great! Great! The two meals were not the same as the hot pot. Of course, they were not the same as the hot pot."One cook beside Manager Jiao looked amazed, rubbing his jaw with two fingers and saying in a skeptical voice,"I have been a chef for decades but never seen this kind of unusual way of cooking. So, you casually put some materials in, add a scoop of flavor, and pluck them. Then a meal can be made?"Another cook also nodded,"Yeah, I had been working in Songhe Restaurant of the Central Plains for three years. And I have made over
The wind of early winter blew into the courtyard with a chill, brushed the face of Leng Qingtang, and made his scalp numb.He smiled at the girl outside the door and replied,"Hua'er has just come. Now he and Yunxi go to the business street on the border to buy spices."Huanan Jiyan showed a sharp color in her eyes, and her exquisite face was like a frozen river. She didn’t change her expression for a while.When she calmed down her anger, the girl turned around and left. Behind her was Leng Qingtang's confused voice."What's the matter? You'd better come in and wait for him. They'll be back soon."Huanan Jiyan suddenly stopped. Her head lowered slightly, and her voice was depressed,"Zhu didn't tell me when he came out."His smile suddenly froze. Leng Qingtang didn't know how to answer her for a moment.He felt a slight sense of foreboding.At the