MTCCP Chapter 12

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The next time they met, it was evident both of them felt a little awkward.

Yue Yiwan discreetly instructed the attendant to put away the USB drive, pretending to remain calm as he joined Hua Muzhi for a meal.

An English breakfast was served. The blood sausage tasted strange, but the oatmeal with milk was quite pleasant.

“You don’t need to pay your respects today; they have foreign affairs to attend to,” Hua Muzhi said with a slight wave of his hand. 

An attendant approached, carrying a tray.

The tray, made of lacquered wood and adorned with silver depictions of birds of paradise, was covered with a thin layer of silk.

“This is a belated return gift,” Hua Muzhi said as he stood up. When he reached the tray, he glanced back at Yue Yiwan. “After some deliberation, Father and the others decided to present everything back to you together.”

Yue Yiwan hesitated for a moment before standing to inspect the tray’s contents.

As those long, slender fingers lifted the silk, a pair of jade ruyi scepter appeared before their eyes.

These weren’t ordinary objects—they were likely relics from a century ago.

Back when the neighboring kingdom was a vassal state of the Ming Dynasty, it had received many rewards during its annual tributes. Now, these items remained quietly in the palace.

The quality of it was exceptional, and the carvings were exquisite.

The scepters’ heads were flat, with a simple yet majestic cloud design. The long handles were engraved with elephants carrying treasure vases, symbolizing peace and prosperity.

“These are antiques…” Yue Yiwan hesitated. “I don’t think I can accept them.”

Such treasures were not something one could casually keep. If he placed these historical relics in his bedroom, he might even start dreaming of old nannies at night.

“Actually,” Hua Muzhi replied thoughtfully, “the chopsticks and bowls we use for meals every day are also antiques, some two or three centuries old.”

Even an ordinary bowl here was worth millions—not something you’d find just anywhere.

Yue Yiwan was stunned for a few seconds.

He had met his share of wealthy people.

Those with a competitive streak would show off their multimillion-dollar limited-edition watches or a standalone villa in the heart of the capital.

But being wealthy to this extent felt almost... intimidating.

If the everyday bowls here truly dated back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties, wasn’t that a bit too extravagant?

Shaking his head, he thought, This must be what it’s like for nobility. Clearing his throat, he said, “Then I’ll trouble Steward Huo to store them properly.”

“My father and mother both like you very much,” Hua Muzhi said with a faint smile. “They hope that after completing your training, you’ll choose to stay here for a long time.”

Yue Yiwan looked up at him, suddenly wanting to ask what he thought.

Their statuses were indeed well-matched, and his father and older brother had voiced concerns—even jokingly suggesting over a video call that he should blink twice if he’d been kidnapped.

All his family wanted was for him to have a happy marriage and spend a lifetime with someone he loved.

But Yue Yiwan didn’t think he’d ever fall in love again.

After what happened with his mother, he felt as if certain beliefs of his had been so thoroughly shattered that they could never be pieced back together.

He hesitated for a moment but ultimately didn’t voice the question in his heart.

As September 19th approached, the palace grew increasingly busy.

Not only was the Empress managing affairs, but many members of the imperial family and relatives were also coming to the palace to assist.

As the Crown Princess-to-be, Yue Yiwan only needed to follow the prince to offer ceremonial respects and incense.

The palace maids went out to gather baskets of silver osmanthus and hibiscus, preparing to crush the petals in advance to make various pastries and delicacies.

For the 万灵归 (Returning of All Souls) festival, they needed to prepare a special type of candle called the Guiding Kin Candle. Though referred to as a candle, it was actually an edible pastry that burned like a candle and could stay lit for a long time. These candles were offered at ancestral halls and along rivers, with their familiar fragrance said to guide the souls of departed relatives back home.

Before leaving for England, Yue Yiwan had loved this festival.

On that day, the streets would be filled with the fragrance of white chrysanthemums and silver osmanthus. The flower-shaped pastries, though offerings and not meant to be eaten, smelled so good when burning as candles that they often made people want to eat it with an extra bowl of rice.

Aside from preparing and steaming the Guiding Kin Candles, paper money and prayer flags for the ceremonies also had to be readied.

Hua Muzhi transcribed a volume of scriptures to offer at the 万佛堂 (Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas), and Yue Yiwan copied quite a few as well, sending them over as a token of goodwill.

However, he was used to writing in English, so handling a fountain pen felt a bit awkward now. His handwriting was rounded and cute, almost as if it were trying to be playful.

By September 10th, the palace was filled with the fragrance of steaming flower cakes.

Even on the way to pay respects with the big white dog, you can smell the sweetness of the hot osmanthus cakes.

Fresh shad was brought into the palace, and the three generations of grandparents and grandchildren had lunch together at noon, and the conversation was quite natural.

The Empress Dowager was still that eccentric, occasionally asking some tricky questions, but she didn't embarrass them.

She even wore the bracelet that Yue Yiwan gave her, which was also a side recognition of his existence.

After all, a daughter-in-law who was so well-mannered and courteous fit her expectations perfectly.

The Empress Dowager was an old-school aristocrat, exclusively wearing long robes and silk slippers, never touching modern casual clothing or outerwear.

When the family gathered, the contrasting styles sometimes created an oddly anachronistic scene.

The Emperor and Empress had just returned from an event outside the palace, still dressed in Western-style suits.

The Dowager Empress was wearing a newly tailored palace robe, its deep purple brocade adorned with meticulously embroidered hibiscus flowers.

Yue Yiwan had recently made himself a new trench coat, looking no different from when he was in London.

Hua Muzhi, who rarely encountered such a situation, couldn’t help but chuckle.

If this were a rigid and strict family, there would no doubt be trouble brewing and a fair share of drama.

On September 19th, everyone was up by 4:30 in the morning.

The palace maids and attendants had started preparations as early as 3:00, rechecking all the pre-arranged items one last time.

Yue Yiwan was completely drowsy and simply let the attendants help him dress, his arms limply hanging like a puppet’s.

After finishing a bowl of porridge and getting into the car, he was still so sleepy he could barely keep his eyes open.

They had to visit the elders first, and then go to the Wanfo Hall to worship their ancestors together. After these things were done, they would leave the palace together to participate in a bigger ceremony.

The carriage ride was slightly bumpy, like a cradle rocking gently, making him want to lean over and sleep.

Although the journey was only ten minutes, Yue Yiwan ended up dozing off, his head unknowingly tilting onto Hua Muzhi’s shoulder. He didn’t wake up until they reached their destination and had to be gently shaken awake.

After paying respects to Buddha and the ancestors, they took the carriage again to a point closer to the outer palace, where they transferred to cars.

Dressed in traditional ceremonial robes and wearing wooden clogs, the group stepped into a long, piano-lacquered Bentley.

“You can sleep a bit longer,” Hua Muzhi whispered. “Father and Mother will be on camera giving interviews. You still have about twenty minutes to nap.”

Yue Yiwan gratefully nodded, closed his eyes, and instantly drifted off again.

It felt just like his school days during morning study sessions when he could fall asleep the moment he tried.

By noon, they were to dine with ministers and foreign dignitaries, followed by a trip to the imperial tombs in the countryside to perform ancient rituals.

Dinner that evening, out of respect and remembrance, was a fast. By twilight, they arrived at the banks of the 汣水 (Jiushui River).

The Jiushui River ran through the entire capital city of 临都 (Lindu), passing just south of the 溯明廷 (Summing Pavilion).

This ancient river, once a protective moat for the palace, remained wide and turbulent.

A bright moon hung beyond the clouds, and people from both sides of the river gathered gradually.

To the north of the river stood the royal family and their relatives, witnesses and inheritors of history.

To the south were citizens who had come to honor and pay tribute to their ancestors.

The ancient riverside was brightly illuminated, with countless lanterns flickering like fireflies. Guards maintaining order stood silently like rows of sentinel trees.

On 凤竹桥 (Phoenix Bamboo Bridge), a group of professional performers, dressed in replicas of ancient clothing, danced the 光玉舞 (Light Jade Dance) with silver bells and bamboo clappers, summoning the spirits of ancestors.

The national leaders and officials bowed deeply for a long time, as did the royal family, kneeling alongside countless citizens to welcome the return of all souls.

The light from paper and silk lanterns shimmered in the night, creating a long, undulating trail of brightness that stretched endlessly.

Monks and Taoist priests began chanting scriptures, barefoot and holding various ritual tools as they walked along the riverbank.

The offerings had been set up along the shore in advance. Amid the chanting and singing, people stepped forward to light the Guiding Kin Candles and incense, which sent up wisps of milky white smoke that coiled into a long, drifting path in the northern wind.

Yue Yiwan, alongside Hua Muzhi, placed the hibiscus candles in position and returned to their place in the procession to continue observing the ceremony.

Bundled up in thick robes, he didn’t feel cold at all, but he was a bit hungry. When bowing earlier, his stomach had even let out an audible growl.

He was looking at the other side of the river, trying to see if he could find his father and brother from a distance of more than ten meters, when his drooping left hand was suddenly touched.

Yue Yiwan turned to look at Hua Muzhi, thinking that he had something to say.

The next second, there was suddenly an osmanthus candy in his palm.

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