Chapter 155: Chapter 155: Jade Orbs Descend as the Moon Rises, Dew-Fresh Splendor Gathered Before the Palace

"Three years? Do you think that’s feasible, Lord Baili?" the Fifth Prince asked.

"According to the initial estimate, the remaining part of the Mountain Scripture will take at least another ten years."

Baili Xinghua didn’t answer directly, but the meaning was clear: Shen Yu couldn’t do it.

"Hehe, interesting, Old Seventh is really in a hurry." The Fifth Prince laughed nonchalantly.

"How are the arrangements for the Mid-Autumn Festival?"

"Your Highness, everything has been arranged; all the officials of Xirong County will be present," Baili Xinghua replied respectfully.

"Hmm," the Fifth Prince responded, casually glancing at the table:

"Take my Eldest Brother’s poem and put it into the main lantern. My Eldest Brother said that any official below the seventh grade who matches its lines, regardless of who it is, will be promoted to seventh grade."

"Above seventh grade, one will be rewarded with a golden lantern."

"Yes," Baili Xinghua replied respectfully.

The Eldest Brother mentioned by the Fifth Prince was, of course, the Crown Prince of the Great Qin Dynasty.

Every Mid-Autumn Festival, it was customary to match poetry with lanterns.

The first half of the poem was usually created by the Crown Prince and placed inside the main lantern, attracting countless talented youths.

The Mid-Autumn Festival in Xirong County is lively every year, largely due to the lantern poetry matching event.

Those who successfully match the poem and gain recognition can be directly appointed as officials, while those already in office can receive special rewards.

The golden lantern mentioned by the Fifth Prince is the most prestigious reward.

There may be many appointed officials, but there is only one golden lantern.

In his youth, Baili Xinghua received one, which led to a connection with the Fifth Prince.

...

Mid-Autumn Festival.

The county city was bustling with activity, with lanterns hung high and red cloth visible everywhere.

Along the streets, the sound of vendors calling was unceasing.

If one stops to take a closer sniff, they will find the air filled with a faint fragrance of osmanthus.

Following the scent, one will find many shops selling osmanthus cakes and osmanthus wine.

Some are pastry shops, some are taverns, and others are the places where noble children and wealthy sons linger endlessly.

But in the central streets of the county city, there were no lanterns or red cloth, no shops in sight, only countless lanterns stretching as far as the eye could see.

The lanterns varied in style, colorful, each bearing poetry.

"Grandpa Shen, what does ’With wine after dusk, the festival makes one miss home’ mean?"

"Young master, does ’The drum halts travelers, the moon shines brighter in the homeland’ mean homesickness?"

"..."

Chu Ming and Shen Yu walked side by side, with Little Shan joyfully in front, frequently holding up a lantern to ask about the poetry on it.

"It means homesickness." Shen Yu smiled and asked, "You little girl, you actually recognize characters?"

"Grandpa Shen, the young master taught me," Little Shan blushed and ran ahead to see more lanterns.

She recognized characters, but not many, only asking about the poetry she knew.

"Little Shan is a good girl, she makes delicious osmanthus cakes," Shen Yu picked up a lantern to look at it, then set it down again with a sense of regret in his eyes, "It’s just a shame about her poor background."

Little Shan was sold to the Chu Family at a young age; indeed, her background was poor.

"Brother Shen, let’s go see the front." Chu Ming didn’t want to continue that topic.

He didn’t care about backgrounds; Little Shan was kind to him, so he would protect her for life—that was enough.

After walking for a while, Little Shan suddenly raised her head, pointing at the sky, surprised, "Young master, Grandpa Shen, look there, such a big and beautiful lantern."

Chu Ming followed the sound to look.

A splendid lantern, three or four meters high, in a gorgeous design, slowly rose.

Wow——

As the splendid lantern ascended into the air, it suddenly lit up, countless flame petals akin to osmanthus bloomed.

In that instant, all other lanterns paled in comparison; the splendid lantern was the head of all lanterns.

Shen Yu wasn’t overly impressed, as though he’d seen it often before: "That is the main lantern, the most dazzling lantern every Mid-Autumn Festival."

"It’s not just the lantern itself that dazzles, but also the poetry on it."

"Chu Ming, look," Shen Yu pointed to the poetry on the lantern, "The autumn moon is pure in the jade sky... bow in reflection upon the vast universe..."

"Tut-tut, it seems to express moon appreciation and nostalgia, but appreciating the jade sky, pondering the universe... the Crown Prince indeed has great ambition."

Shen Yu read it several times, then suddenly turned his gaze to Chu Ming:

"Others may not know you, but I, as your elder brother, know very well your prowess in poetry, isn’t it also quite high?"

Chu Ming just stared at the two lines of poetry without replying.

"With the bright moon in the sky illuminating rivers, silver waves reflecting frost light, how about this?" Shen Yu asked with a smile.

"It’s quite good." Chu Ming withdrew his gaze.

"And yours, don’t tell me you can’t."

"..." After pondering, Chu Ming said, "Pearls delay in descending at the moon wheel, newly picked dewdrops shine at the palace front."

"Eh?" Shen Yu raised his eyebrows, then a playful smile surfaced on his face, his voice lowered, "Haha, didn’t expect you to be even better at sarcasm than me."

Chu Ming’s lines, on the surface, connected with the main lantern’s, expressing the feelings of the Mid-Autumn Festival, but also carried another layer of meaning.

Shen Yu recognized it in one go, neglecting to pick up even the dew from one’s own doorstep, what significance has the grand jade sky?

"Brother Shen, I mean no sarcasm..." Chu Ming smiled wryly.

Shen Yu thought Chu Ming was mocking the Crown Prince’s ambition, but Chu Ming was actually reminding himself.

As someone who had lived through two lifetimes, he knew better than anyone the profoundness of this world; even now, facing the true vast universe, he remained very insignificant.

He knew the future path was long, whether it be Xirong County or the Great Qin Dynasty, all were but a drop in the ocean.

Shen Yu looked at Chu Ming, suddenly serious: "Your skill in poetry is indeed deep; just two lines can be so striking."

"I dare say, with your talent, even changing the poetry would win you this year’s golden lantern reward."

"But I’ll nag a bit more—the relationship between princes and princes, princes and the Crown Prince is very complex. You’ve accepted the Seventh Prince’s Red Book Iron Certificate, hence you’re on the Seventh Prince’s side."

"This year’s lantern poetry competition is overseen by the Crown Prince’s poem, hosted by the Fifth Prince, evaluated by the Seventh Prince and Old Xiao—it’s chaotic, don’t stand out too much, casually match it with two lines."

Shen Yu paused slightly, then added: "But you also can’t not match it, as your reputation has soared in recent days, many are watching you. If you don’t match it, they’ll surely accuse you of disrespect to the Crown Prince or dishonoring a prince."

"Rest assured, Brother Shen..." Chu Ming expressed gratitude to Shen Yu with hands folded.

His elder brother truly cared for him in every way, and he was deeply grateful. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

"Time is almost up; we must hurry to the Commandery Mansion, where two princes hold a grand banquet, inviting all civil and military officials of Xirong County."

"Several commanders of the Tiger Armor Army, including Xiang Yue and Commander Xiang, will also attend."

Seeing Chu Ming’s resolution, Shen Yu relaxed slightly.

Chu Ming did not linger, first escorting Little Shan back to the Chu Mansion, then heading to the Commandery Mansion with Shen Yu.

Night descended, the silver disk hung in the sky.

The Commandery Mansion was decorated with lanterns and festoons, with nobility in elaborate robes entering the mansion one after another.

The main hall of the Commandery Mansion was already filled with officials.

Outside the main hall were three additional side halls, similarly full of people.

Today not only included officials from within Xirong County City but also many from the towns under Xirong County.