Three days after the start of autumn, the Qixi Festival arrived.
Colorful tents were set up early in the heart of West Street. Within the tents, Qixi Festival goods were sold—all kinds of items, including yellow wax mandarin ducks, wooden boards made into small houses and villages known as "Valley Boards," "Smiling Faces," and "Fruit Soldier Generals"... everything you could wish for.
Renxin dical Hall also joined in the festivity.
Two packets of nourishing qi tea were put into the sa straw-woven flower basket tied with colorful silk ribbons, with a piece of red cloth embroidered with black characters on top: Forever United in Heart.
This basket of dicine made a small mountain in front of the dical officer’s wooden cabinet, extrely popular with ordinary couples. In less than half a day, one batch sold out, and they quickly added another.
By dusk, the last jar of dicine was sold out, and the excess silk ribbons were sneakily taken by Du Changqing. Turning around, he saw Yin Zheng sitting in the inner room, dyeing her nails by the lit bronze lamp.
Du Changqing approached, "What are you doing?"
"It’s Qixi, Boss," Yin Zheng said, "In Su Nan, we dye our nails during Qixi to wish for everlasting health and beauty. Look," she extended her hand to Du Changqing, "Isn’t it pretty?"
The bright red phoenix flowers dotted on the nails made her originally white and rounded nails bloom with stunning colors.
The boss was montarily distracted, then shifted his gaze away, "It’s passable."
Yin Zheng uttered a "tsk." Just then, she heard Ah Cheng say, "There are only two ladies in our dical hall, and tonight they need to worship the Seventh Fairy and eat the clever feast. Uncle Miao even specially bought Qixi fruits, but why hasn’t Doctor Lu co back?"
Lu Tong had said earlier that she was going to the street corner to buy a cup of sweet syrup, and she hadn’t returned for the ti it takes to drink a cup of tea.
Yin Zheng said, "Don’t wait for her, the lady has gone to the Pei Mansion."
Miao Liangfang asked, "What is Xiao Lu doing at the Pei Mansion?"
Du Changqing’s face darkened, "She sneaked off to find that Pei fellow?"
Yin Zheng quietly said, "Not to see Lord Pei. Today is Miss Pei’s birthday, and the lady went to give Miss Pei a birthday present."
...
When Lu Tong arrived at the entrance of the Pei Mansion, Fangzi had already been waiting at the door for quite so ti.
Upon seeing her, Fangzi smiled in greeting, "Miss Lu is right on ti. Just now, the Lady was worried that it would be inconvenient as it was getting late, and was thinking of sending soone to fetch Miss Lu."
"It’s no trouble," Lu Tong said, "We’re not far away."
She’d deliberately left before Du Changqing did; otherwise, given Du Changqing’s habits, after dealing with his questions and entanglents and then going to the Pei Mansion, the birthday banquet would probably have already ended.
Fangzi led Lu Tong into the courtyard, laughing as she said, "It’s the Lady’s birthday today, and it’s also the Qixi Festival; we’ve also set up the colorful pavilion in the courtyard."
As they spoke, they had reached the middle of the courtyard.
Under the layered fragrant osmanthus and flowers, a wooden pavilion was set up with colorful embroidery. In the middle stood a long wooden table covered with delicacies, pastries, liquors, and fruits. Pei Yunshu, in a green satin pearl-button jacket, and wearing a cuiti flower crown on her head, was talking to soone while holding Treasure Bead.
Fangzi said, "Lady, Miss Lu has arrived."
Pei Yunshu turned her head and her smile blood instantly, "You’ve finally co."
Treasure Bead "yiyiya" waved her hands towards Lu Tong, who stepped forward and said, "Sister Yunshu, joy on your birthday." She then took out a coral glazed gold-streaked fragrance box and handed it over.
"This is a fragrance box I made myself," Lu Tong said, "It’s for scenting clothes and repelling poor energy and external evils. I hope Sister Yunshu won’t find it unsatisfactory."
The Pei Family did not lack for gold and silver, and Pei Yunshu had seen too many jewels and jades. After much thought, it seed better to personally make a fragrance dicine, which at least surpassed anything sold at the Shengjing Fragrance Pharmacy.
Pei Yunshu laughed as she accepted it, cherishing it greatly, "How could I possibly despise sothing you’ve given ? You’re already busy on normal days, and yet you’ve taken the trouble to make this for ; I feel bad about it." She instructed Qiong Ying to take the fragrance box back to the room and glanced into the distance, "Why hasn’t Ah Ying co yet?"
"He was supposed to have the day off today and had agreed to accompany in the mansion all day," Pei Yunshu explained to Lu Tong, "but suddenly there was business at the Palace Marshal’s Mansion and he had to leave in a hurry. I reckon he should be back by now."
As they were speaking, a cheerful young voice ca from outside the door, "Sister Pei!"
It was Duan Xiaoyan’s voice.
Pei Yunshu happily said, "He’s back."
Lu Tong looked ahead and indeed saw three people walking into the dim courtyard.
The one in the lead was Duan Xiaoyan, nearly jumping with every step. Xiao Zhufeng walked by his side, carrying two large baskets of grapes, followed by Pei Yunng.
It was dusk, the sun was setting, and only the courtyard lanterns flickered dimly. That day, he was wearing a blue gold-woven Kirin square-patched brocade robe, with a Tortoise Pattern Gold-woven Brocade Belt outlining his figure, his delicate brows and eyes smiling. The nobility and beauty stood out as he walked into the darkening courtyard.
He also saw Lu Tong and paused briefly.
Lu Tong was wearing a callia-blue shirt with an apricot-hued brocaded skirt, her blue shirt closely matching the blue of his robe in color.
Duan Xiaoyan whispered, "Truly, unintentionally planting willows and willows growing into shade, today’s coincidence has co back again."
Pei Yunng paid him no mind.
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