Chapter 70

After a quiet night, the next morning arrived, and Feng Jueyu, who had slept soundly, got up early. He tidied himself, combed his hair, and adjusted his hat and sash, ready to go out.

Today, he had a big event: to visit No. 1 Wencheng Street, the Zhang residence, to celebrate the birthday of Old Zhang...

Calculating the time, he figured that the morning had mostly passed, and if he were to visit, he should leave a bit earlier...

Feng Jueyu, having dressed neatly, tucked the handwritten copy of the "Wang You Qing Le Ji" into his chest. He then looked at his exceptionally handsome face in the bronze mirror, feeling satisfied, before descending the stairs and entering the courtyard.

The previous night, Shangguan Ruomeng's condition had not worsened, and the young lady, with her foundation in mystic arts, had recovered quite well. Feng Jueyu hadn't heard Xing'er go downstairs to the kitchen to boil water and prepare medicine in the middle of the night, so he assumed she was mostly recovered.

Feng Jueyu walked down the stairs, thinking about stopping by Shangguan Ruomeng's room to say goodbye before leaving. Just as he stepped out the door, the bustling scene in the courtyard made him pause in surprise.

There were no fewer than twenty servants and attendants bustling about in the courtyard, most of them carrying exquisite brocade boxes. In the center of the courtyard, there were at least five or six enormous redwood chests, their contents unknown, each requiring two burly men to carry from the front gate to the courtyard...

Several maidservants were also placing brocade boxes on the ground, stacking them about as high as a person. Silk, fine tea, good wine, and various rare items were piled together, creating a dazzling and endless array...

On the stone steps of the courtyard, Shangguan Ruomeng stood in the spring breeze, wearing a cloak that resembled red ink, directing the servants along with Xing'er, who was dressed in a floral dress.

Today, Shangguan Ruomeng's face still had a slight pallor, but her attire was unusually formal: she wore a golden silk brocade robe, a green willow cloud-patterned shawl over her shoulders, a morning cloud and incense bun hairstyle, a delicate jade hairpin, and a pair of embroidered shoes with silver moon patterns. Her appearance was dignified, elegant, noble, and graceful, highlighting her beauty as a young girl while also showcasing her maturity and stability from years of business experience. This outfit was clearly well-thought-out, not only appropriate but also enhancing her气质.

What was she dressed so formally for so early in the morning? Feng Jueyu wondered.

Looking at the pile of gifts in the courtyard, he guessed that this young lady was about to visit someone to give gifts...

"Ruomeng, good morning!" Feng Jueyu said as he walked over, taking measured steps. The two servants turned at the sound of his voice, and upon seeing Feng Jueyu, they exchanged glances, recalling the joke from the previous night.

Xing'er covered her mouth and giggled, but was silenced by a glare from Shangguan Ruomeng, who then said, "Son-in-law, good morning," and ran off.

Shangguan Ruomeng's cheeks flushed red, and she bowed slightly, saying, "Big Brother Feng, good morning."

Feng Jueyu stepped forward and asked, "Ruomeng, are you feeling better? Why aren't you resting in your room?"

After the events of the previous day, the distance between them had narrowed, and Feng Jueyu's presence by her side did not cause Shangguan Ruomeng any discomfort.

Instead, she recalled Feng Jueyu's considerate smile from the previous night, and a trace of sweetness lingered in her heart. She said, "Thank you for your concern, Big Brother Feng. I'm much better now."

"It's still early spring, and the winter chill hasn't fully gone. You should be more careful and dress warmly. Have you added more clothes?"

"I have."

The two chatted back and forth, and Feng Jueyu asked, "Ruomeng, what are you doing?" He pointed to the pile of gifts in the courtyard.

Shangguan Ruomeng smiled and said, "Big Brother Feng, you might not know, but today is the birthday of Scholar Zhang Changling, the Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion. I've prepared some modest gifts to wish him a happy birthday."

"Oh, who? Zhang Changling? I think I've heard of him," Feng Jueyu said.

Shangguan Ruomeng covered her mouth and laughed, reminding him, "Big Brother Feng, don't you remember? He was the organizer of the Spring Talent Gathering a while back..."

Feng Jueyu thought for a moment and then realized, "Oh, him. Since he's the Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion and a high-ranking official, I guess there will be many people attending."

Shangguan Ruomeng said, "Indeed, there will be many. Scholar Zhang is not only a high-ranking official and the Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion, but also the president of the Tian Nan Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, his wife is the current Empress's elder sister..."

"Wow," Feng Jueyu was taken aback. He thought, "This Old Zhang is quite a figure, with so many titles, and even the Empress's brother-in-law. That's impressive."

Seeing Feng Jueyu's surprised expression, Shangguan Ruomeng wanted to laugh but held back. She said, "Big Brother Feng, if you have nothing to do today, why don't you accompany me? Grandfather will be there, as well as Father and Uncle. Many important figures from Tian Nan will be present. I can introduce you, how about that?"

Shangguan Ruomeng knew that although Feng Jueyu had been with the Shangguan family for many years, he had rarely interacted with high-ranking officials. Now that she had decided to accept him, and after the incident with the Gold and Silver Guild, she had thought carefully and decided to formally introduce him to some influential people in Tian Nan to avoid any future conflicts due to lack of recognition.

She truly wanted to introduce Feng Jueyu to the elite of Tian Nan...

However, Feng Jueyu had other plans for the day. After hearing Shangguan Ruomeng, he was in a dilemma. He also wanted to meet the important figures of Tian Nan, not for any other reason, but to become familiar with them and avoid offending or misunderstanding them in the future.

However, he had promised to celebrate Old Zhang's birthday today. If he didn't go, how could he face him in the future?

"This..." Feng Jueyu hesitated, "Ruomeng, to be honest, I also have a friend to meet today. It just so happens that both events are today. How about this: I'll meet my friend first, and you can tell me the address. I'll try to get there as soon as possible."

Shangguan Ruomeng nodded and said, "Alright, Scholar Zhang's birthday celebration starts at noon. Big Brother Feng, don't be late. Here is the invitation for Scholar Zhang's birthday. Take it with you, and when you arrive at his residence, you can find us."

She handed him a red invitation, which Feng Jueyu took without looking at it, said goodbye to Shangguan Ruomeng, and left the Shangguan residence.

...

Walking out of the gate and onto the main street, Feng Jueyu slowly made his way to Wencheng Street, thinking to himself, "What a day, everyone is celebrating birthdays. And they all have the same surname, Zhang. How interesting, huh..."

Just as he was thinking, Feng Jueyu suddenly paused, realizing something. Could it be that both are celebrating their birthdays today and both are surnamed Zhang?

Thinking about it, Feng Jueyu quickly took out the invitation and opened it. The red invitation bore the name Zhang Changling, and the address at the bottom was No. 1 Wencheng Street.

"Damn," Feng Jueyu was stunned. "Old Zhang is the Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion and the Empress's brother-in-law? And a high-ranking official? Oh, man, this is bad... If Shangguan Lingyun finds out I already knew Old Zhang, he'll ask a lot of questions. This is going to be troublesome..."

What should he do?

Feng Jueyu paced around, anxious. He knew he couldn't attend the birthday celebration. If he did, it would only bring more trouble.

What should he do? Got it...

Suddenly, an idea came to him. "I'll just deliver the gift and leave quickly. If Shangguan Ruomeng asks, I'll say I had diarrhea from drinking leftover tea. That's a good enough reason. I can't go anyway..."

Thinking this, he calculated that the Shangguan family's entourage was likely about to set off. Feng Jueyu quickly ran towards Zhang Changling's residence.

Without much delay, Feng Jueyu arrived at the gate of No. 1 Wencheng Street, the Zhang residence. Upon reaching his destination, he was even more stunned...

In the distance, the wide street was crowded with people, and the gate of the Zhang residence was bustling like a market. Luxurious carriages, each pulled by four high horses, were parked side by side outside the Zhang residence and across the street.

Countless people carrying various sizes of brocade boxes, chests, and hand carts had blocked the wide street, forming a long queue that stretched from the gate of the Zhang residence to the end of the street and even turned a corner.

In a nearby alley, various types of palanquins were lined up neatly, each with four or even eight attendants standing in front.

At the gate of the Zhang residence, the courtyard was bustling with activity. Two rows of servants stood to welcome and guide the guests entering the residence. On the left side of the gate, an elderly steward was frantically recording the names of the guests and the gifts they brought, shouting out the information as he wrote.

"Minister An Guo, accompanied by Miss An, has arrived, bringing a jade cypress tree and several pieces of Yunyang crystal..."

"Marquis Mu Hongtu has arrived, bringing a purple inkstone and three jade carvings of longevity, prosperity, and health..."

...

The names and gifts of the guests were announced by the elderly steward, and the crowd occasionally erupted in exclamations of amazement. The sounds of people greeting each other and the chatter of the servants and attendants added to the chaos.

The long queue at the gate of the Zhang residence stretched to the end of the street, and Feng Jueyu, standing on tiptoe, almost lost his temper. "Old Zhang is too corrupt. His birthday is like a market fair. People have to queue to give gifts. What kind of event is this? If I wait to deliver the chess manual, it will be dark by the time I get there. No, I need to think of a way..."

As he thought, Feng Jueyu couldn't wait any longer. If he waited, the Shangguan family's entourage would arrive, and he wouldn't be able to leave. With this in mind, he pushed his way through the crowd...

To the readers:

PS: Thank you, Xuan Jun, for the support. I've been returning late recently, and the updates have been delayed. I apologize for the inconvenience. I hope you can forgive me.