Chapter 520 - 284: The Second of the Second Month, A Grand Occasion
Chapter 520: Chapter 284: The Second of the Second Month, A Grand Occasion
After New Year’s Day came the Lantern Festival.
In Taiping City, at the Lu Mansion.
Inside one of the rooms, Lu Yuan was diligently cultivating alongside his wife, Su Liyan, and their daughter, Lu Ruyan.
Lu Yuan’s goal in training his daughter, Lu Ruyan, was to teach her how to suppress the turbulent energy within her body and how to use basic Techniques.
For a member of the Half-demon Race to begin cultivating Techniques at such a young age, guided by such powerful parents, Lu Ruyan was likely the first of her kind in history!
She truly had a head start in life!
Lu Yuan, already in the Celestial Monarch Realm, had a Secret Manual titled *Celestial Master* laid out before him. He had reached a sublime state of cultivation, completely engrossed and unable to pull himself away.
Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps disturbed Lu Yuan’s cultivation. A servant from the mansion had come to report.
"Master, someone from the Imperial Capital is here!"
Lu Yuan rose, opened the door, and asked, "Who is it?"
’Who would be coming from the Imperial Capital during the New Year’s festivities?’
’This probably isn’t good news!’
The servant lowered his head and said, "It’s a eunuch and several Jinyi Guards, Master."
"Very well. Escort them to the front hall. I will be there shortly," Lu Yuan replied.
In the front hall of the Lu Mansion, a group of Jinyi Guards stood around an old eunuch dressed in magnificent robes.
Lu Yuan hurried out to greet them, bowing respectfully to the old eunuch—it was the same one from before.
The old eunuch cleared his throat, unfurled the bright yellow Scroll in his hand, and recited in a high, pinched voice:
"By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor proclaims: We miss you dearly. We specially summon Our beloved subject to the Imperial Capital to join Us for a grand occasion. By Imperial decree!"
’What a simple decree.’
Although Lu Yuan was filled with doubt, he quickly knelt and proclaimed, "Your subject accepts the decree! Long live His Majesty the Emperor! Long may he reign!"
The eunuch rolled up the edict and handed it to Lu Yuan. Only then did a faint smile grace his features, causing a few wrinkles to appear on his otherwise smooth face.
The old eunuch said, "Prince Consort, this is an urgent summons from His Majesty the Emperor. You must prepare with haste and not delay. This one has other decrees to deliver, so there is no need to see me out."
Cradling the edict, Lu Yuan did not press him to stay. "Take care, then."
The old eunuch flicked his Duster, then turned and departed with the Jinyi Guards in tow.
Lu Yuan remained standing in place, watching the old eunuch’s receding figure. A golden light began to glow from the fingertips of his right hand—it was his Divination Calculation Skill.
Lu Yuan murmured, "So that’s what this is about. I’d better prepare thoroughly."
...
Meanwhile, Gu Gaoxu had been staying in the Imperial City for half a month. All was calm and peaceful, with no incidents to speak of.
In the Imperial City, one of the residences on Prince’s Mansion’s Mansion Street was Prince Yan’s Mansion, its perimeter guarded by a troop of soldiers.
Gu Gaoxu had been living there all this time, enjoying a rather carefree and leisurely existence.
The Court had more or less completed its investigation into the incident involving Gu Gaoxu.
Soon, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Justice, and the Inspectorate would jointly submit a memorial to present the truth of the matter to His Majesty the Emperor.
Until then, Emperor Gu Yuanzhang had not punished anyone.
In the lavishly decorated grand hall of the mansion, Gu Gaoxu was slouched lazily in a Grandmaster’s chair, his feet propped up on another chair and jiggling nonstop.
On a table beside him sat a plate of melon seeds and a radio playing a pleasant melody.
Having littered the floor with melon seed shells, Gu Gaoxu bobbed his head to the music, looking as content as could be.
He never expected that King Yan, Gu Di, and the Crown Prince, Gu Gaochi, had already arrived in the Imperial City. They had entered Prince’s Mansion’s Mansion Street and would appear before him at any moment.
Gu Gaoxu’s eyes were half-closed as he soaked in the cozy atmosphere.
Suddenly, a commotion erupted from the Mansion Gate.
Before Gu Gaoxu could react, King Yan, Gu Di, strode into the hall, followed by Crown Prince Gu Gaochi.
Crown Prince of Yan, Gu Gaochi, had taken Lu Yuan’s Elixir; he was much slimmer now, and his limp was gone.
Gu Gaoxu glanced over, then shot bolt upright, his face a mask of astonishment. He hastily tried to scrape the scattered melon seed shells aside with his foot.
"Father!"
Gu Gaoxu scrambled to his feet, hurried over to Gu Di, and bowed. "Father! Brother! What are you doing here?"
Gu Gaochi, hiding behind King Yan, Gu Di, frantically waved his hands, terrified that his younger brother would say the wrong thing and anger their father.
Gu Gaoxu had truly caused a great deal of trouble recently.
Just mobilizing the Three Yanshan Guards to rescue Gu Gaoxu had forced King Yan, Gu Di, to spend a great deal of time and energy negotiating with countless officials along the route.
King Yan, Gu Di, wore a grave expression as he looked his still-living son up and down. His eyes swept over the floor before he said in a heavy voice, "You’ve certainly been making yourself comfortable!"
Gu Gaoxu’s heart clenched. He quickly used His Majesty the Emperor as an excuse, "Father, it’s not that I don’t want to return, it’s just..."
Gu Di waved a hand, cutting him off. "Enough. You must have endured many hardships out there."
"Father, I endured untold hardships."
Gu Gaoxu quickly turned off the radio and brought a chair over for King Yan. "Father, please, have a seat."
King Yan, Gu Di, sat down without another word.
Gu Gaoxu nudged Gu Gaochi and whispered, "Brother, I’m not trying to blame you, but why didn’t you give me a heads-up you were coming?"
’Wait, that’s not right!’ he thought. ’This is the Imperial City. You can’t just come here without being summoned!’
Realization dawning, Gu Gaoxu hurriedly asked Gu Gaochi, "Brother, how did you get here?"
"Younger Brother, have you forgotten? The second day of the second month is just a few days away!" Gu Gaochi whispered.
The second day of the second month, the day of the Dragon Head-Raising Festival, was approaching. Everyone in the Divine Ling Empire, from the highest to the lowest, considered it a day of great importance.
Every year, His Majesty the Emperor would issue an edict summoning the Princes from every region to the Imperial City for a grand celebration on that day.
As was the custom, the Princes from the various regions were permitted to arrive in the Imperial City in the days leading up to the festival.
This gave the visiting Princes a chance to reunite with family members who lived in the Imperial Capital, or for brothers to find a tavern and catch up over drinks.