Chapter 106: Hello Chang’an
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**Chapter 106: Master-Disciple Feast**
Yuxie's startled question brought a maid rushing in from outside.
As the maid lifted the green bamboo curtain, the strong smell intensified, and wisps of smoke floated into the room.
Yuxie asked anxiously again, “What are you burning?”
“Please calm down, Lady Yuxie. We just burned some mugwort in front of the door,” the maid explained soothingly.
Yuxie tightly clutched the thin blanket beside her. “Mugwort… why suddenly burn this?”
“It’s customary to burn mugwort on the Dragon Boat Festival for warding off illness and evil spirits,” the maid replied gently. “I noticed you’ve been troubled lately, so I thought it might help.”
“Dragon Boat Festival…” Yuxie suddenly stared blankly out the window. “Is today the Dragon Boat Festival?”
Seeing her calm down a bit, the maid nodded with a smile. “Indeed, it is.”
“Every year during the Dragon Boat Festival… if His Highness is in the capital, he would have someone burn mugwort…” Yuxie’s voice gradually faded to a whisper. “And he would send me to Shuiyun Building to fetch calamus wine… Only the calamus wine brewed by Shuiyun Building is His Highness’s favorite.”
The maid sighed inwardly, realizing that Yuxie was reminiscing about old memories, half dream and half reality.
This Lady Yuxie had served Princess Chongyue for many years— the Emperor had commanded them to take care of this mentally unstable Yuxie, both to honor the late princess's old servant and to prevent her from speaking carelessly in her madness, which could tarnish the late princess's reputation.
So it was both a matter of placement and surveillance.
However, Lady Yuxie had proven to be worry-free. Though her mind was unclear and she occasionally acted out of control, she had never left the Princess’s residence for twelve whole years, not once.
Her deep yearning for her old master was apparent, and they respected her for it.
“Shuiyun Building, calamus wine…” Yuxie sat on the couch, muttering to herself intermittently.
The maid did not know that the Shuiyun Building she mentioned was actually the former name of Dengtai Tower, nor did she pay much attention to Yuxie’s fragmented words, which blurred the lines between truth and illusion. Seeing that Yuxie had calmed down, she felt relieved and went out to prepare breakfast.
Yuxie gazed blankly out the window, inhaling the scent of mugwort, and an uncontrollable shiver coursed through her fingertips, spreading throughout her body.
During festive times, thoughts of loved ones often arose, making it easier to remember old friends and old stories. Those memories she wanted to forget surged in her mind, catalyzed by the aroma of mugwort.
Shuiyun Building wasn’t just about calamus wine!
The familiar emblem, engraved deep within her bones, flashed before her eyes again.
But that emblem should have disappeared along with His Highness!
Suddenly overwhelmed by intense unease, Yuxie jumped down from the couch and hurried out of the bedroom, recklessly trying to extinguish the burning mugwort.
“Lady Yuxie!”
The maid rushed over to grab her.
Another maid quickly moved to remove the mugwort from the area.
Yuxie screamed and struggled, her eyes slipping back into a state of chaotic madness.
...
Outside the Dengtai Tower today, in accordance with tradition, fresh mugwort and calamus were placed at the entrance.
Cui Lang was dressed in a newly tailored lotus-pink brocade robe, his hair neatly tied back, jade adorning his waist, and a folding fan in hand, exuding a vibrant aura.
He stood outside the restaurant, beaming with joy as he awaited the arrival of guests.
“Sir, you look so happy that anyone who didn’t know would think today is your wedding day, and you’re waiting here to welcome guests as the groom…” the maid beside him remarked softly.
Cui Lang waved the fan a couple of times, proud, “I won the Imperial academy’s Dragon Boat Festival Polo match; isn’t that just as celebratory as being a groom!”
Then he couldn’t help but sigh, “Unfortunately, my surname is Cui, so being a groom doesn’t hold much value. Back and forth, I can only marry a few families’ daughters; getting married isn’t necessarily a joyful event.”
“Don’t say such things…” the maid cautioned.
Cui Lang let out a “tch” sound. “What’s there to be afraid of? My father isn’t here today!”
Mentioning this, he looked eagerly ahead. “I wonder if my elder brother will come.”
Just then, he suddenly tucked away his fan and waved at a young man who had just dismounted. “Hu Yi, over here!”
The Hu family youth saw him, handed his horse to a servant, and strode over with a smile.
Soon, other classmates that Cui Lang had invited arrived one after another, including three of the four students from the Xuan team who had been defeated by them that day.
Cui Lang was still not satisfied with three out of four. “Why is there still one missing?”
Could it be that the sincerity and charm of the illustrious Cui family’s sixth son were not enough to sway them?
“Brother Qi will also come to Dengtai Tower, but he…” one person started to explain, when suddenly a commotion of surprised voices erupted.
“Vice Minister Wei?”
“It’s Vice Minister Wei!”
Cui Lang was taken aback.
He hadn’t even invited Vice Minister Wei!
Seeing the refined young gentleman smiling and nodding at him, Cui Lang quickly raised his hand to return the greeting—though the vice minister had come uninvited, he was still the Deputy Minister of the Eastern Court, and he should be treated warmly!
Before long, an ordinary-looking soft sedan chair came to a stop. The bearers lifted the curtain, and a middle-aged man in a blue robe stepped out.
“Minister Yao is here too!”
The students beside Cui Lang all bowed.
Cui Lang stared wide-eyed for a moment, then hurriedly bowed as well—Yao Yi had actually come to support him! Could it be that he was impressed by Cui Lang's performance on the polo field that day?
“Quick… Head Master Qiao is here!”
The noise grew even louder as Head Master Qiao approached, dressed in a brand new robe, his beard clearly well-groomed, making him look particularly spirited. Cui Lang’s lips trembled in disbelief—was Head Master Qiao actually here to congratulate him?
His victory in the Polo match had indeed brought him glory; it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he had become the pride of Imperial academy… but he hadn’t expected it to earn him the honor of a personal visit from the Head Master!
What’s more, not only did Head Master Qiao come himself, but he had also brought along his’s wife and Miss Qiao… what incredible sincerity!
Cui Lang felt a jolt of excitement, his scalp tingling as his gaze instinctively lingered on Qiao Yumian, when suddenly the sound of hoofbeats caught his attention.
The newcomer was Chang Kuo.
Today he was also dressed in a new robe, and even the horse he rode seemed freshly groomed, its coat shining clean.
Watching Chang Kuo dismount and walk toward him, Cui Lang was completely stunned.
His personal charm was even more powerful than he had imagined!
Could it be that his grandfather recognized this quality in him… and that was why his grandfather had enrolled him in Imperial academy?
Cui Lang felt as if a great revelation had dawned upon him—previously, he had underestimated just how remarkable he was!
“Head Master, General Chang, Minister Yao, Vice Minister Wei…” he momentarily struggled to keep up, feeling both honored and surprised as he invited them inside, “Please, come in and let’s talk!”
As the group exchanged laughter and pleasantries while walking toward him, they all nodded as they passed.
Cui Lang straightened his back and followed them into the restaurant.
As Chang Kuo and the others chatted, they made their way to the second floor.
Cui Lang voiced a confused “Eh?”—the celebration banquet he organized was in the hall on the first floor!
Just as he was about to call out, he heard a classmate beside him exclaim in surprise, “I only knew that the Chang family’s lady was hosting a master-apprentice banquet here today, but I didn’t expect that even Minister Yao and Vice Minister Wei would be here…”
Cui Lang was taken aback. “Huh?”
“It seems this master-apprentice banquet is really going to be quite the event. I heard that many of the well-known classmates in Imperial academy received invitations from Lady Chang… Qi Ge received one too!”
Cui Lang finally found his voice. “Lady Chang? Master-apprentice banquet?! When did this happen?”
How had he not heard a single hint of it?
Oh, right…
Because his father was quite disapproving of him studying at Imperial academy, always finding fault and causing trouble, he had spent the past three days acting submissively at home to ensure today’s celebration banquet would go smoothly, exhausting himself to the point of despair. He truly had been oblivious to everything outside, not stepping out of the door even once!
After hearing his classmates chatter excitedly about the master-apprentice banquet, Cui Lang finally understood and sighed deeply as he looked upstairs.
Ah, he had thought it was all a dream just now, but now it finally felt real.
After accepting the fact that “he had charm, but it was within reason,” he curiously asked the waiter how many tables had been set for the banquet upstairs.
The waiter smiled and replied, “Both the second and third floors have been reserved. Today, our little establishment will only host you and the Chang family’s master-apprentice banquet, with no other guests allowed.”
Cui Lang was stunned, staring blankly at the direction of the second and third floors.
Dengtai Tower was not an ordinary restaurant; as business had prospered, it had been expanded multiple times, with each floor accommodating over a hundred diners. The Chang family had actually reserved two entire floors?!
Putting aside whether this was extravagant—after all, the Cui family was not outdone in terms of wealth—Cui Lang, as a legitimate heir of the Cui family, wouldn’t be shocked by such extravagance.
What truly astonished Cui Lang was—how many people had Lady Chang invited to this master-apprentice banquet?
Typically, master-apprentice banquets were private affairs, often set with a single table and inviting a prominent person as a witness. For those with more importance, if there were more fellow apprentices, it was reasonable to set up a few more tables.
But Lady Chang was the only legitimate student of Head Master Qiao!
Similar looks of bewilderment appeared on the faces of the other students.
A student from a poor background raised his head in astonishment to look upstairs. “I… I don’t think I could afford this many tables for my own banquet even if I died.”
“Wake up,” reminded a familiar classmate. “Even if you did hold a banquet upon your passing, you likely wouldn’t have enough money to rent out Dengtai Tower!”
The student nodded in agreement. “Thanks… for bringing me back to reality.”
Hu Yi’s shocked expression lingered. “How many invitations do you think Lady Chang must have sent out?”
“Counting the ones the Head Master sent, there are about thirty,” a clear voice replied calmly.
Cui Lang and the others turned to see Chang Suining walking into the restaurant, accompanied by Chang Sui'an and several female attendants.
“Lady Chang has arrived!”
As the students murmured among themselves, Cui Lang stepped forward to greet her. “Lady Chang, the scale of this master-apprentice banquet truly astonishes us!”
Chang Suining smiled back at him. “It just happens to coincide with young master Cui’s celebration banquet. You don’t mind, do you?”
Cui Lang jolted and quickly shook his head. “How could I dare mind!”
Not only was it a matter of not minding, but as long as Lady Chang didn’t think he was in the way, everything would be fine!
Thinking about the consequences if he were to become a hindrance, Cui Lang almost clutched his head in despair.
After regaining his composure, feeling somewhat sheepish, he forced a laugh to ease the awkwardness and said, “Of course, I don’t mind. Having them together makes it even livelier… Besides, without Lady Chang’s help, how could I hold this celebration banquet today?”
Chang Suining nodded. “As long as young master Cui doesn’t mind, that’s good.”
“But… Lady Chang just mentioned sending out around thirty invitations. I guess five, six, or seven tables would be enough to accommodate the guests, so what will the rest be for?” Cui Lang curiously asked.
“I haven’t figured that out yet,” Chang Suining replied. “If they’re not needed, I’ll leave them empty, just to keep things quiet and spacious.”
Cui Lang was taken aback.
The other students were equally dumbfounded, with some who secretly wrote stories to supplement their family income already picturing the headline in their minds—Astonishing! The daughter of the general’s residence spends lavishly to reserve two floors of Dengtai Tower, the purpose only for this!
“After you all finish here, you can try going upstairs to sit for a while,” Chang Suining said before heading upstairs with Chang Sui'an .
Cui Lang snapped back to reality and hurriedly instructed, “Let’s finish up early… and then all head upstairs to join Lady Chang and add to the numbers!”
Otherwise, leaving so many empty seats would look so desolate and embarrassing!
Hu Yi quickly nodded. He and Cui Lang shared the same feelings after the Polo match, both developing a sense of gratitude and admiration for Chang Suining.
One student, a bit confused, said, “But didn’t Lady Chang just say… that we ‘can try to sit up there’? What does ‘try’ mean?”
Those who wrote stories were quite good at catching the key points.
“Well, it just means we’ve been invited,” Cui Lang said, waving to the waiter. “Bring out the dishes!”
The students exclaimed, “?!”
They had just finished breakfast, so there was no need to rush things!
The waiter in the restaurant was also taken aback, but given the restaurant’s size, he had seen all sorts of things: “Please don’t rush, dear customer; the kitchen is just preparing the dishes at this hour…”
Unlike tea houses or breakfast stalls, this restaurant only served lunch and dinner.
Cui Lang had no choice but to abandon the idea.
A voice beside him reminded quietly, “Young master, not everyone has arrived yet, and the eldest young master hasn’t come either. Why are you in such a hurry?”
Cui Lang suddenly realized, “Oh right, we still need to wait for my elder brother.”
A complex expression crossed the face of the voice's owner—was it possible that in Cui Lang’s mind, Lady Chang actually held more weight than his elder brother?
At that moment, Hu Yi exclaimed, “Zhi Yuan has arrived!”
Xi Zhiyuan walked in with his attendant and smiled as he greeted his classmates.
After ascending to the second floor, Xi’er quietly asked Chang Suining, “Miss, isn’t it almost time?”
Chang Suining nodded, her tone as usual. “Yes, go ahead.”
Xi’er turned to the swordsman attendant, who nodded in understanding and quickly went downstairs.
“Does Lady Chang have any other matters to attend to?” Wei Shuyi inquired curiously.
Chang Suining looked at him and countered with a question, “I wonder if Vice Minister Wei has prepared a congratulatory gift?”
“Would I come empty-handed?” Wei Shuyi chuckled. “My mother will arrive a little later; she asked me to let Lady Chang know not to take offense.”
“Of course not.”
Chang Suining walked towards Head Master Qiao and Chang Kuo, who were waving at her with smiles.
Wei Shuyi turned with a smile, glancing thoughtfully towards the direction the swordsman had gone downstairs.
At the same moment, just across a long street from Dengtai Tower, the atmosphere was entirely different in Xuanzhe Mansion, where Cui Jing was seated in his study, handling official business.
Cui Yuanxiang occasionally glanced at the dripping water clock on the windowsill.
Good night!
(Here’s a book recommendation for everyone: it’s a historical novel, and it’s already quite substantial. If you’re interested, check out *The 80s Rough Man, His Warehouse Connects to Modern Times* by Nian Nian Shu.
**Synopsis:** A bullied child bride accidentally discovers a portal to the modern world and learns of her tragic fate, prompting her to change her circumstances.)
(The chapter ends here.)
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