good season

The Mid-Autumn Festival banquet was not a royal family dinner. On this day, all officials of the fifth rank or above in the capital could bring their families to the palace for the banquet. Although Young Master Zhen was just a commoner, he could accompany the Third Prince to the palace. With his status, as long as the princes were happy, it wouldn't hurt to bring a few more.

The Third Prince knew perfectly well that Young Master Zhen had plenty of money, ships, gold, silver, jewels, and rare items. Moreover, it was said that the young master was in poor health. This Da Zhuang had been taking prescriptions to the Four Seasons Hall every month to have pills made. The Third Prince had someone inquire about it and found that they were for restoring health, using the best medicinal materials. Young people don't get such restorative treatments. The doctor at the Four Seasons Hall also said that this young master was most likely recovering from a serious illness, which had damaged his health. He needed to be carefully cared for and it would take him three to five years to fully recover.

So it's no wonder that Young Master Zhen has no women around him. With his physique, giving him a woman would be tantamount to taking his life.

But the Third Prince knew better than anyone that all wealthy merchants in the world shared a common problem: power.

Therefore, many people donate their money to become officials, while those who don't want to be officials will try their best to get into officialdom.

Young Master Zhen started from a very high position, doing business with princes and nobles right from the beginning. Such a person would not even care about a minor official position of the sixth or seventh rank.

But even the highest-ranking official doesn't have that ability, so the best thing is to be able to thrive in the circle of powerful and influential people. With more powerful backers, business is easier, and it's a piece of cake for children and grandchildren to cross social classes.

For example, the Third Prince believed that Young Master Zhen would treasure this opportunity to attend the palace banquet.

Sure enough, the simple-minded and clumsy Dazhuang soon returned, this time to thank his master on his behalf. However, the words of thanks came out of his mouth in a muffled voice.

The Third Prince was very satisfied. He suddenly felt that using this kind of simple-minded person was not bad, as they were more trustworthy than those who were all talk and no action.

The Third Prince didn't need to say anything about such things; he only needed to give a look, and someone would take care of it for him.

The next day, three boys who had not been castrated were brought before him. They were all burly and spoke bluntly, but like the big boy, they had a light in their eyes.

The Third Prince nodded: "Send him to Little Knife Liu, clean him up, and once he's recovered, send him over to serve."

It's safer to keep someone by your side on duty after they've been castrated.

Because of this opportunity to enter the palace, Xiao Zhen specially came to freeload a meal, earning a string of eye rolls from Zhen Wu.

He finally understood why his beloved granddaughter liked this brat. The boy knew how to please her. For example, when it came to going to the palace, the boy knew that his granddaughter would want to go, so he came over.

"Really? I can really go to the palace with you and eat and drink for free? Oh my, I wonder how the imperial chefs' skills compare to my master's. I must try them."

Xiao Zhen wanted to laugh. There really were people who thought they could eat and drink to their hearts' content at the palace banquet, not knowing that there was never enough food to go around at the palace banquet.

He smiled and said, "Okay, Xiuxiu will disguise you and make you my brother. But we won't be able to sit at the main table. We'll have to sit with those low-ranking members of the imperial family and their relatives. I'm sorry to trouble you."

The lower-ranking members of the royal family were those who, although they also lived in the royal family camp, were far removed from the royal family in terms of bloodline, and they were also unambitious and did not fare well.

As for the less prestigious maternal relatives, they are the maternal families of the princes' concubines. Of course, if the maternal family has fathers or brothers who hold high positions, then the situation is different. However, such families would not allow their daughters to become concubines for princes other than the crown prince or the third prince.

Zhao Shiqing thought this was fine; being far from the main table actually gave her more freedom.

Now she is Zhen Bao, but not Miss Zhen Bao, but Young Master Zhen Bao.

"I finally have the chance to witness the charm of the hook-nosed family!" Zhao Shiqing was overjoyed, wishing tomorrow were already the Mid-Autumn Festival. Wan Ruyi asked, puzzled, "Hook-nosed family? Are they that good-looking?"

She had never seen a hooked nose before and didn't know what it looked like.

Zhao Shiqing grabbed her hand: "It's ugly, it's hideous."

Wan Ruyi didn't care and continued with her own business.

She loves all kinds of handicrafts, and she has skillful hands. Whether it's disguise, tailoring, embroidery, or paper cutting, she can learn it all in no time. Aunt Ji only taught her how to make flower rolls and sugar triangles, but she figured out how to make dough flowers, dough fish, and dough hedgehogs on her own.

She has a pure and simple mind, and she feels very happy when she is immersed in the joy of handicrafts every day.

Zhao Shiqing, however, began to get busy. She was making new clothes for the palace banquet. She made three sets of identical clothes, shoes, and socks, and even the jade pendant and purse she wore were the same.

Lingbo asked her why she made them identical, and Zhao Shiqing replied, "In case someone deliberately spills tea on me, in case someone pushes me into the lake, in case someone waits, I'll go check the storybooks, they have all of this in the storybooks."

Lingbo: "Those stories are all for dealing with women, but they don't apply to you since you're dressed as a man!"

Zhao Shiqing crossed her arms to protect her chest: "When you're out and about, boys also need to learn to protect themselves."

Lingbo quickly turned around, ran outside, and laughed heartily.

Zhao Shiqing also made three more outfits for Xiao Zhen, just like hers, and they were all exactly the same.

She prepared many red envelopes, each filled with gold beans.

She presented the newly made clothes to Wan Ruyi: "Aunt Ruyi, use your skillful hands to sew a few pockets inside these clothes, pockets that most people can't find."

This time, even Zhen Wuduo couldn't stand it anymore: "What are you going to put in your pocket? Don't even think about bringing weapons into the palace. Your grandfather is old, and you are his only granddaughter. Have pity on your grandfather and don't die before him."

Zhao Shiqing quickly patted the old man's shoulder: "Grandpa, don't worry, I'm not that stupid. Let me tell you something."

For the next few days, Xiao Guai was never home, and later he even took three thousand taels of silver with him.

When Sanqian returned home that evening, exhausted, he buried his face in Zhen Wuduo's arms: "Let's castrate that bird. It doesn't want to be a bird anymore."

Zhen Wuduo: It's rare to find someone who can communicate with him, but why can't he understand what I say?

As for Xiao Yao, after hearing that Zhao Shiqing couldn't take her to the palace, she and Da Pang secretly went to the palace late at night. It was just going to the palace, right? The two of them went in and out several times, and the Imperial Guards acted as if they didn't see them. It wasn't as scary as the legends made it out to be. Xiao Yao recognized two god-sisters. As for Da Pang, that shameless guy actually took a liking to a white cat. When he came back, he even bragged to Xiao Yao that he was going to have a palace cat son who wore a yellow jacket.

Time flew by, and before they knew it, it was Mid-Autumn Festival. Aunt Ji and Wan Ruyi made many mooncakes; Wan Ruyi had carved the molds herself. After Zhao Shiqing finished eating the mooncakes, it was time for her to enter the palace. This was her first time, and she cherished this opportunity. (End of Chapter)