Lin Qingge, dressed in official robes, passed through the palace gates without obstruction, then stood aside ungenerously with his arms crossed to watch the excitement.
Yan Tinghao, who considered himself his lord's right-hand man, followed suit. Dressed in constable attire, he was inevitably stopped by the guards at the palace gate.
"Um, I'm with our lord."
Yan Tinghao said, pointing to someone not far away, but the guard's raised hand showed no intention of lowering.
Feeling that these two hands were somewhat in the way, Yan Tinghao's stubbornness kicked in.
He reached out to push them aside, muttering indignantly,
"My mother clearly said that the palace is like the backyard of our house, you can go in and out as you please!"
"How dare you!
A mere constable dares to force his way through the palace gates without being summoned!"
The guard roared and swiftly drew the sword at his waist.
Although Yan Tinghao was simple-minded, he didn't actually fight the guard.
As both sides were locked in a stalemate.
Other officials who were delayed from entering the palace to pay their respects due to the blocked entrance began to urge them on.
"What's going on?
Why is a constable blocking the palace gate?
Don't you know what an important day it is today?"
"Exactly, if the Emperor's enthronement ceremony is delayed, can you, a mere constable, bear the responsibility?"
"Where are the Imperial Guards? Why haven't you captured this troublemaker quickly!"
Yan Tinghao, who was inexplicably reprimanded, frowned and glared, retorting directly,
"My father is Yan Xiuping, my mother is Princess Pingyang, my maternal grandfather is the King of Zhennan who rendered great service to Great Xia, and the current Emperor is my cousin!
Why can't I enter the palace?"
After Yan Tinghao finished speaking, he caught sight of his lord's exceptionally brilliant smile from the corner of his eye. Suddenly, he had an idea and put on a stern face, pointing out the officials who had spoken earlier.
"You, you, and you!
What were you just slandering this prince about?"
The word "Yan Xiuping" had already caused the surrounding officials to retreat more than ten feet away. The utterance of "this prince" left even the guards bewildered.
Yan Tinghao, who learned and applied on the spot, did not even need his lord to step in this time.
He nimbly took out the token of the King of Zhennan and the document of abdication from his懷, then directly copied his lord's previous remarks.
Taking the paper and brush that Lin Yan had fetched from the carriage, he made the three officials, whose intestines were turning green with regret, write a leave request letter each on the spot.
However, Yan Tinghao, holding the three leave request letters, was somewhat lost.
At this critical juncture, where could he find Prime Minister Feng?
Hua Jinrong, seeing this, kindly reminded him that Feng Qingchen, as the Prime Minister, would surely attend the Emperor's enthronement ceremony.
Hearing this, Yan Tinghao happily put away the three leave request letters and, with his head held high, strode through the palace gates.
This time, the guards at the gate neither stopped him nor dared to say another word.
Hua Jinrong then walked over, fanning himself. When he reached the guards, a token engraved with a floral character "Ten" fell from his sleeve.
The guards at the gate were shocked, their pupils constricting, and then they bowed in unison.
But Hua Jinrong, who had already picked up the fallen token, smiled dismissively, "It's just something that fell, no need to trouble you two young brothers~"
With that, he fanned himself and swaggered into the imperial palace.
The frustrated guards turned their gaze to the white figure who seemed as if he had descended from the heavens.
However, before they could ask, an official nearby spoke up first, revealing the newcomer's identity.
"Isn't this Young Master Bai?"
"Young Master Bai?!
The one born to the former Grand Princess and Bai Yichen, known as the 'Number One Handsome Man of Great Xia', who excels in both medicine and martial arts, the renowned Young Master Bai of the capital?
But didn't that Young Master Bai leave the capital after the incident with Imperial Physician Bai?"
"I don't know when he returned, but I do know that this Young Master Bai has an unpredictable temperament. Not only is his medical skill superior to Imperial Physician Bai, but he is also skilled in the use of poison.
Back then, my son slightly offended this Young Master Bai with his words and came home foaming at the mouth and convulsing uncontrollably. I immediately sent a petition to the palace and invited an imperial physician, but they were still helpless.
Later, on someone's advice, I sought help from the驸马ye, Imperial Physician Bai, and my son narrowly saved his life."
While the officials were whispering, Murong Bai had already walked through the palace gates as if no one else was there and approached Lin Qingge and the others.
"Oh, my apologies, my apologies. I never expected Magistrate Murong to be such a noble Young Master?"
Lin Qingge teased, then cupped his hands in a semblance of respect.
"This subordinate, Lin Jingxing, greets the Young Master."
Seeing the perfunctory bow, Murong Bai pouted without hiding his disdain.
"No sincerity!"
"May I ask how this subordinate should act to show sincerity?
Of course, Magistrate Murong, you are a noble Young Master, so you would certainly disdain to quibble with insignificant people like this subordinate.
So, would you trouble Young Master to settle the food and lodging fees at the Lin residence in advance?"
Looking at the person with a cunning smile and an upturned palm, Murong Bai replied two words without hesitation:
"Dream on!"
At this moment, Zhang Ziliang, the commander of the Imperial Guards, strode over from a distance.
"Lord Lin, we've finally been waiting for you!
Quickly follow this general. The palace is short-handed, and Prime Minister Feng has asked me to find you to help arrange the venue for the evening banquet!"
Hearing this, Lin Qingge mentally cursed Feng Qingchen's ancestors within eighteen generations and wanted to turn back. However, he was grabbed by the overly enthusiastic Zhang Ziliang and, like a chicken, was unceremoniously dragged away.
Lu Mingxuan, abandoned at the palace gate, watched his lord leave him behind. Just as he was about to discuss with Lin Yan, who was also left behind, whether they should wait in the carriage or return directly to the Lin residence.
A luxuriously decorated carriage slowly stopped nearby.
Hearing everyone salute and shout, "Greetings, Prince Xiang," Lu Mingxuan didn't react immediately. It wasn't until the carriage curtain was lifted from the inside, revealing the Eighth Prince's deceptively youthful face.
Lu Mingxuan only then belatedly realized that the so-called "Prince Xiang" should be the title bestowed upon the Eighth Prince after the new Emperor's enthronement.
After all, with the new Emperor ascending the throne, other princes could no longer remain in the imperial palace.
As Lu Mingxuan's thoughts wandered, he heard the Eighth Prince, seated in the carriage, call out with a smile.
"Brother Lin, what a coincidence! As it happens, I don't have enough attendants to accompany me. I wonder if I could trouble Brother Lin to accompany me into the palace?"
"This subordinate is greatly honored."
Thus, Lu Mingxuan, who originally had a companion, was truly left alone and solitary.