Chapter 87: Chapter 87: Shut Your Mouth

Bai Feichen looked at him with a mocking smile and said, “If it really were Xiao Jin making such an agreement with someone, would the Village Chief truly twist the person’s head off?”

Xia Wanqing was left speechless.

At Haotian Village, the principles of Jianghu took precedence, and promises were upheld. If Xia Wenjin had truly made a pact with someone, even if he felt unwilling, he probably would have to accept it.

But a knot of frustration remained in his heart. He asked, “Who is the other party?”

Recalling, Bai Feichen said, “It’s a young man, eighteen or nineteen, with quite a bit of courage!”

“But… Wenjin is a girl, and it’s improper for males and females to interact closely; if word got out, what then? That silver, we can offer double… no, ten times; how could we let Wenjin spend a year with that boy? Just the two of them!”

Bai Feichen consoled him, saying, “Don’t worry, she’s been dressing as a boy all along. That youth doesn’t know her true identity. Besides, though it’s her first time down the mountain, Wenjin is clever enough. It’s rare for anyone to take advantage of her!”

How could Xia Wanqing not be anxious? In another six months, Wenjin would be sixteen.

The prime age comes only once, and without the purple energy from the east, Wenjin won’t survive past sixteen!

The purple energy from the east, as things currently stand, is none other than Huangfu Yuxuan. She can only marry Huangfu Yuxuan, and it must be within this half-year. Xia Wanqing said, “No, it looks like I’ll have to personally go down the mountain and fetch that girl back for the wedding!”

Bai Feichen, perplexed, said, “Why rush, Village Chief? Hasn’t Young Master Xuan already gone down the mountain? Who knows when he plans to return? What’s the use of fetching Wenjin back early?”

“Regardless, she must be brought back first!”

The Capital City.

In a blink of an eye, three days had passed.

The investiture ceremony for the new Crown Prince was held in the East Splendor Hall.

The assembly was full of civil and military officials.

The grand event of the Crown Prince’s investiture is a major affair in the palace. The Ministry of Rites had everything meticulously prepared over several days.

The entire hall brimmed with solemnity and grandeur.

Originally the Crown Prince, Prince Liang, had been punished by the Emperor to stay behind closed doors in reflection and didn’t attend, but Prince Liang’s two sons, Huangfu Hongyi and Huangfu Yuxuan, were present.

The Imperial Uncles in the Capital and their descendants naturally attended as well.

However, when the current Emperor ascended the throne, only two younger brothers were still alive. Over the years, the Eleventh Imperial Uncle died of illness. Thus, today, only the Ninth Imperial Uncle King Kang, along with Prince Kang, Huangfu Rong, and his second son, Huangfu Jinxuan, along with the Commandery Prince, Huangfu Hong, the son of the Eleventh Imperial Uncle, were present.

At the side stood Huangfu Yuxuan, dressed in formal court attire, with gold-threaded embroidered bamboo on his brocade clothes, which made him both understated and aloof.

Huangfu Hongyi’s gaze roamed around as he mumbled, “So this is what the investiture ceremony is like, back in Father’s day…”

“Shut your mouth!” Huangfu Yuxuan snapped softly. This fool, doesn’t he know when to be quiet? Mentioning Father at this moment, does he have a death wish?

Startled by Huangfu Yuxuan’s gloomy demeanor, Huangfu Hongyi looked around at the scene in the hall and wisely closed his mouth.

During the formal ceremony, Prince Zhuang, Huangfu Hanyu, wearing a Crown Prince robe embroidered with a four-clawed golden dragon, a jade crown, and a gold belt, exhibited a calm demeanor, his deep gaze barely concealing a hint of joy.

The seventy-year-old Duke Jiang Xin served as Chief Envoy, with Grandmaster Bao Changyuan, Imperial Tutor Zhao Yuecheng, and Minister of Rites Duan Mingyu as Vice Envoys. They placed the investiture booklet, treasure, and the imperial staff on a yellow satin-covered table before the palace.

Prince Zhuang, Huangfu Hanyu, knelt before the table to receive the booklet from the Duke, then took the treasure from Grandmaster Bao, and performed the three kneeling and nine bowing ceremony before the imperial staff, thanking the Emperor for his grace.

The envoys bowed before the Crown Prince in salute.

Afterward, the Crown Prince led the ministers in reporting back to the Emperor; then, the Emperor personally led the Crown Prince and ministers in sacrifices to Heaven, the Imperial Ancestral Temple, and the Harvest Temple. And thus the celebration concluded.

After the ministers congratulated the Crown Prince, they each departed.

Only the Director of the Astronomical Observatory remained standing afar, gazing at the Crown Prince with a somewhat regretful expression.

Even amidst the satisfaction and joy of fulfilling a great ambition, the newly appointed Crown Prince didn’t overlook the Director’s gaze.

Seeing the Crown Prince look over, Gongyang Puyu approached him, offering a Taoist salute: “Director Gongyang Puyu of the Astronomical Observatory congratulates the Crown Prince!”

The Crown Prince said, “Be at ease, Director!”

“Thank you, Your Highness! This humble Taoist takes his leave!”

Seeing Gongyang Puyu leave without any dawdling after turning around, the Crown Prince recalled that previous gaze and inquired, “Director, was that look earlier one of pity? What might make the Director feel regret? Don’t hesitate to speak!”

Stopping in his tracks, Gongyang Puyu saluted with clasped hands and replied, “Matters of divine will cannot be spoken of. Your Highness, do not make it difficult for this humble Taoist!”

The Crown Prince’s face darkened slightly, his voice taking on an edge of coldness, “Supposing I wish to hear, then?”

This was the commanding aura of a ruler’s decisive authority, clearly intending to use his position to pressure. As the Crown Prince, even though he had just been invested, he couldn’t be outshone by a mere Astronomical Bureau Director!

After a pause, Gongyang Puyu took out a bamboo token from his robe and presented it with both hands, speaking earnestly, “This humble Taoist lacks the skill to speak recklessly. Upon returning, I will perform another calculation. Should Your Highness be interested in the results, you might visit the Astronomical Bureau later on!”

The Crown Prince accepted the bamboo token.

Without lingering, Gongyang Puyu strode away.

Watching Gongyang Puyu’s retreating figure, the Crown Prince’s expression was inscrutable.

For a stately Crown Prince, Gongyang Puyu expected him to personally go to the Astronomical Bureau for answers?

Over these years, though he resided in his fiefdom in Qingzhou, he never relaxed his attention over matters in the Capital.

Twenty years ago, he heard of a stargazing method in the world that could reveal past events and foresee future circumstances, observing the stars to understand the changing political climate, predicting dynastic shifts through star readings.

Unfortunately, the stargazing method had been handed down through generations, and only fragments remained today.

He had been having people look for it and only learned half a year ago that the Astronomical Bureau Director had obtained a fragment of the stargazing method method.

This was also why Prince Zhuang, upon arriving in the Capital, immediately sought to present himself favorably to Gongyang Puyu.

The informants he had in the Capital kept an eye on Gongyang Puyu, knowing that the Emperor knew nothing of this matter. Currently, Gongyang Puyu was merely an unimportant Fourth Rank Director, which presented an opportunity for Zhuang to win him over.

That night, within the residence of the Astronomical Bureau, in a particular hall bright with light, a large circular disc was placed prominently on the floor. It was engraved with numerous scales, with a central sphere that turned slowly, the entire disc covered with some obscure and arcane records.

On a nearby wall, there was also a similar large wheel, more intricate and elaborate, with a larger central sphere.

The material from which the sphere was made remained unknown, but it was lustrous and transparent, emanating a dazzling aura.

Seated cross-legged before it, Gongyang Puyu was deep in calculation, bearing a solemn expression, occasionally glancing at the movement of both discs, sometimes closing his eyes, muttering soundlessly at a rapid pace, a faint sweat visible upon his brow.

Through a side door of the Astronomical Bureau, a disciple led a guest inside.

The guest wore a long, loose robe with a brimmed hat that obscured half of the face. Although the visitor’s identity was unknown, the Director had instructed that a guest holding a bamboo token should be led here at night.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep