Chapter 8

It normally takes two to three hours to arrive inside the temple compound by foot, but it took them half a day for all the people in the procession to step inside.

Zi Li stood at the end of the line, very far from the platform where the empire’s important tradition takes place. But as expected, the scale was magnificent and grandiose. The center of the temple is an open space, and in the middle are bronze cauldrons four to five meters tall. On the cauldrons are white smokes spiraling up into the air and was surprisingly resistant to being dispersed by the wind. On the contrary, it looks as if it was accumulating into the air and forming a cloud that spreads wider and wider, overshadowing the cauldrons below. From afar, it looks like a huge swaying, dome-shaped, ancient tree.

Zi Li gasped in awe at the scene. He can’t help but admire the capabilities of the people of these era to come up with an illusion that looks like it came from fairytales. He can’t deny, that upon seeing that tree shape sillhouette from the cloudlike smoke, his heart inexplicably races and he had the sudden impulse to kneel down in worship.

As a matter of fact, when he regained his senses, he only then noticed that all the officials around him did just that, except him who was remaining standing like a sore thumb. He hurriedly kneel down so the others didn’t see his cluelessness earlier. Zi Li can’t resist being curious so he raises his head and peeked at where the emperor was. The distance was quite far so even if he wasn’t nearsighted, he could only see a slender figure clad in yellow robe standing before the bronze cauldron. Afterwards, a monk in red robe climbed the stairs of the platform leading to the cauldron and was carrying something that seems to be an offering.

After certain actions, that figure clad in yellow robe was accompanied by the one wearing red down the flight of stairs. Once the people that was kneeling stood up, Zi Li did as well. He was looking around him with a blank expression not knowing what to do next, when suddenly, a monk came over and instructed: “May I request that the distinguished officials to follow me to the side hall for incense burning.”

Zi Li had no choice but to follow behind that monk along with the other officials towards the designated hall. While he was at loss on what to do in front of the altar, two junior monks walked side by side and stood in front of the incense altar. They lit the incenses there and proceeded to distribute them.

The head monk then stated while raising an incense in his hand: “I implore that all of you distinguished officials to instill your hopes and wishes to the incense!”

Although Zi Li had went to a temple before, and burned an incense as well, but he wasn’t sure that the practice here was the same as the one he knows. He could only stand at the back and follow their actions of bowing half of their upper body and cupping their hands.

When the head monk saw that they all had presented their incenses, junior monks came in. One junior made each of them hold a golden flower while another junior mumbled a prayer incantation and then sprinkles a water on top of their heads.

His heart felt a pang of guilt as Zi Li secretely pocketed that golden lotus flower which seemed to be made of pure gold.

“The ritual has now concluded. May I request that the distinguished officials head to the main hall for the celebration.”

Once they arrive at the main hall, he discovered that there is already a congregation of officials there. Because Zi Li’s position is amongst the low-tiered officials, he and the others can only stand outside the hall.

He doesn’t know how it went inside, but Zi Li was forced to remain standing outside for hours and could only switch foot to lean on and raises the other when it started to get sore. He didn’t see the others making a slight movements, so he didn’t dare to make big movements aside from sneakily switching the feet to stand on. When he could no longer bear the pain and was about to take a sit, the head eunuch finally came out and announces that the ceremony had concluded and everyone is dismissed. Seeing that the night had already fell, he can’t refrain from swearing at the emperor in his mind for making them stand outside for so long without notice!

Later on, the officials went to their respective rooms corresponding to their positions in the court.

Zi Li depressingly stood in front of a small single room located at the farthest isolated corner of the courtyard.

Why do all of them have extravagant rooms while I was forced into a cheap one?!

As he opened the door, what he saw was just as he imagined. The inside of the room was crude, with only a small Kang bed stove and a table with chairs.

“We weren’t expecting the third prince of Bei Ling to be attending this year, and all the available rooms had been  occupied already. It’ll be difficult to find a vacant room in a short notice so the third prince of Bei Ling will have to make do with this. Pardon the incovenience!” The junior monk that took Zi Li to the room saw that he was getting disgruntled, so he explained what was instructed for him by his senior to tell.

Zi Li was only unhappy for a mere moment, for he soon realize that this is a golden opportunity to escape. And what’s more, his chances right now is really favorable! He’s outside the palace, and he’s out of the emperor’s sight. No one is watching him as well.

Zi Li claps in excitement, causing the junior monk to jump in fright.

“Very well. His highness is very pleased with your arrangement. Go now and pass your boss my gratitude.” He clasp the young monk’s hand while stating his sincere words.

“Eh?” The junior monk looks at him with baffled expression. The monk can’t help but be puzzled: No one from my experience had ever been glad from having a firewood shed as their room!

After making the junior monk leave, Zi Li immediately surveyed the surrounding terrain.

“Heavens is really helping me today!”

“The outside perimeter is an unguarded grove. As long as I could pass through the woods, I’ll be able to run away from the guards and arrive at the main road. Once I made it, I will quickly leave the city walls with my stuff!”

“Hold on…. I freaking forgot my stuff!” Zi Li’s eyes widened in disbelief as he gasped in astonishment, “Ahh!—-My money! My belongings! I didn’t bring them with me! What do I do? What do I do? I won’t have a single cent with me if I escape!” He was pulling his air in annoyance.

“Yo-your highness?” A voice suddenly rang on the other side of the door.

“What?!” Zi Li opened the door with irritated look on his face. He saw eunuch Ling standing outside the door along the junior monk who took him in this room earlier.

“Oh my, your highness. I have been looking for you!” Eunuch Lin turned his head towards the young monk and reprimanded him, “His highness’s body is delicate and of nobility, so why did you allocated a filthy room like this to his highness? Go back and tell your head senior to give his highness another room to move into.”

“Eunuch Lin, your highness finds it very comfortable here, no need to move into another room!” Zi Li cuts promptly cuts him off.

This damn court eunuch, who are you to meddle with my affairs!?

“But, your highness—“

“I said, I’m very comfortable here. Are you not listening?” Zi Li said with an annoyed tone.

Seeing Zi Li refute the kind gestures of Eunuch Lin, the young monk felt a bit out of sort by that. He can’t help but rant in his heart: Keep that haughty act of yours, and let’s see how long can that arrogance last. The moment his majesty gets sick of you, hmph! I will personally put you in your place.

“So why are you looking for me?”

“Oh! His majesty had asked this servant to invite his highness over!” ——

Bonbon wanted to say:

Hater alert! Zi Li got another hater ?

Haha that premonition at the end of the chapter, it could be that Zi Li may get bullied again by our S gong ?

But then again, am I turning S too? Cause I’m rather entertained by our unlucky shou’s misfortunes… (As well as the tears of the danmei campers——*cough*)