Chapter 192: Mid-Autumn Festival
Chapter 192: Mid-Autumn Festival
The night was still young when Huang Jun returned to the Underground Slave Market. With a cloud of dark mist, he appeared on the very top of the high tower of the Auction House that outlooked at the entire market below.
Barely moments later, another figure materialized there, dressed in all black with a hood hiding his face. If Huang Jun carried a dark and evil aura around him, then this new person had an even more evil aura surrounding him.
"My Lord," Huang Jun greeted the cloaked man with a respectful bow.
"Why did you went to Magistrate Chen’s manor?" The cloaked man asked directly without wasting any time.
"My men informed me about Young Miss Chen’s involvement in our last two attempts that failed. I just wanted to have a look at her to find out more about her. Please forgive me if I was rash in my decision." Huang Jun was quick to ask for forgiveness as he could sense the Lord wasn’t too happy to know about his visit to Magistrate Chen’s Manor.
"You don’t have to worry about her. She’s just a mere mortal. Focus your attention on your side of the task. I don’t want to hear about one more failed attempt. Remember, if you all failed next time as well, the consequences will be dire." The warning was clear in the cloaked man’s voice.
"Understood, My Lord." Huang Jun didn’t dare to meddle further in Young Miss Chen’s matter and just accepted the order. He watched as the cloaked man teleported away from there the very next moment without another single word.
Knowing just how much work was still left to be completed for their next mission, he too didn’t waste any time and returned to his study to execute his part of the task.
* * *
While those belonging to the evil side of the world were busy planning for their next attempt at creating chaos and restlessness in the Mortal Realm, the mortals were living in peace for the time being while enjoying the arrival of the beautiful season of autumn.
The lives of those living in the Chen Manor were also passing peacefully and in harmony. Everyone was busy working hard, especially Xiang Ling who was devoting most of her time in decorating the Inn and preparing it for its grand opening.
The architecture of the Inn was already one of its kind but the true beauty of the place came to life when Xiang Ling added several spiritual trees, gardens, ponds, vines, flowers, lanterns, and rare treasures all around the Inn. The greenhouse was also blooming with veggies that were ready to be cooked. The farmhouse was also ready and filled with animals. The stable was ready with seven carriages and around twenty horses belonging to the Inn.
After months of dedicated training; the chefs, maids, musicians, dancers, servants, and the higher staff of the Inn were ready to enter the business world.
Since it had been over three months since the construction work started, and way too many people passed by the site on daily basis, the anticipation of the Inn’s official opening was quite high. Everyone was waiting to see whether the services of the Inn would be able to match its beautiful exterior and the hype it had garnered.
It was rumored that the Inn would be opening up soon, yet, no official date had been announced to the public. Amid all this anticipation, a very joyful day arrived and everyone got busied in celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Chen Manor was filled with excitement and buzz as everyone around the manor was busy preparing for the festival. After breakfast, the first task was to thoroughly clean the entire manor. Once that was done, the servants divided themselves to start the preparations of the festival.
Xiang Ling joined Fu Xiao and the kitchen staff to prepare mooncakes. Wei Guang and Zuan Hu also helped them as they all talked and laughed a lot while preparing the pastries whose round shapes and sweet flavor symbolized completeness and sweetness.
Since the festival was meant to celebrate the harvest, Xiang Ling and Zuan Hu prepared a lot of delicacies for everyone to enjoy along with the moon cakes and the wine.
During afternoon, Xiang Ling found herself making lanterns with Zhe Yuan. Realizing how much fun this activity was, Wei Guang, Li Xian, and Zhang Xuan also joined them. Not long after, Xiao Yujin also came running while requesting to join Xiang Ling in making the lanterns.
While everyone was filled with joy and working together happily, Xiang Ling was able to feel the emptiness that she was able to see despite all the buzz. It was a festival of reunion where family members came together to appreciate the moon and enjoyed great food. However, except for her first brother’s family, the rest of her family members were still missing.
But that was not the only sad part. While she was surrounded by four of her husbands throughout the day who kept her occupied with their charms, she was still able to feel the absence of the other two. Ever since that night when she pushed away Dao Ming and drew a clear line between them, those two men had become even more distant from her.
These days she was barely able to get even mere glimpses of them around the manor. They rarely joined her during meal times and they always returned home late at night. It was like they had finally stopped acting as her husbands just like she told him, and it hurt her way more than she wanted to accept.
But even without Xin Cheng and Dao Ming, the entire manor celebrated the festival in happiness. They all enjoyed the dinner, ate mooncakes and drank Osmanthus wine, appreciated and worshipped the full moon, and finally hung lanterns on trees and around the courtyards.
It was only after they were done celebrating the festival as a family, did Xiang Ling dragged her husbands out of the manor to enjoy the remaining hours of the festival among the general public.