The villagers from Hongshu Village, upon hearing that the elder had found his long-lost uncles, wished to formally pay their respects to the uncles.
Fortunately, Bai Sheng had released her fourth uncle from the spatial realm a few days prior.
The fourth uncle had recovered considerably. While he still struggled with social customs, he could now communicate normally with people.
He now understood that he was the maternal uncle to Lu Ye, Lu Hua, Lu Yun, and Lu Yu, their elder. Bai Sheng was his niece-in-law, and the quadruplets were his grand-nephews.
He no longer called Lu Yun "Boss." Lu Yun could finally relax, fearing that if his fourth uncle continued to call him that, it would shorten his lifespan.
Of course, he hadn't fully recalled events before he became foolish. After all, he was only a little over three years old then, and even if he did remember, there wouldn't be many memories.
"Uncle Four looks so handsome. Elder Master looks very much like him; you can tell they are related at a glance," Granny Zhong said, looking at Uncle Four and then at the elder, her eyes crinkling into two smiling chrysanthemums.
"They really do look alike," Zhao Dazhuang nodded.
Beside them, the third uncle puffed out his chest and coughed loudly.
Ma San immediately fawned, "Oh my, our Third Uncle also looks so dignified and impressive, very dignified and impressive!"
Madam Liu smacked Ma San on the back. "You mispronounced it. It's 'qi yu xuan ang,' not 'xian yang'."
"Oh, oh, oh, Third Uncle looks dignified and 'xian yang'," Ma San chuckled foolishly.
The crowd burst into laughter again.
Regarding why the third and fourth uncles ended up in the capital, or why the elder's mother became a slave wife, no one asked. They would not inquire about the elder's family affairs unless the elder and his wife volunteered the information.
It was not their place to worry about their master's family matters; they just needed to do their own jobs well.
Late into the night in the capital, only the Lu residence in Yuhua Lane was brightly lit. Bursts of laughter echoed through the vast night, lending a touch of warmth to the chilling darkness.
It wasn't until dawn that everyone felt sleepy.
Bai Sheng had already informed Uncle Ding about the approximate number of people who would come to the capital for the New Year. Uncle Ding had arranged lodging for everyone in the preceding days.
The residence had many rooms; it could even accommodate Baili family's over a hundred people. Uncle Ding was very experienced in this.
Uncle Ding arranged for Bai Sheng's master in the west wing of the third courtyard.
The Yang family, Ma San's family, Gousheng's family, Zhao Dazhuang's family, and Du Min's family were all arranged in the second courtyard. Tian Guihua and Granny Zhong shared a room.
The next day, everyone in the residence slept until noon before waking up.
After lunch, Uncle Ding took everyone on a tour of the residence, and everyone was full of admiration.
The residence was truly vast, and many more houses could be built without feeling crowded.
The following day, Lu Yun and Tian Dou enthusiastically invited everyone to visit their street gang and archery shop.
As they were going out, everyone changed into clothes of excellent quality and wore all the jewelry they could. As servants of the elder and his wife, they absolutely could not disgrace their masters.
Thus, bathed in the morning sunlight, the crowd behind Wu Wa sparkled with gold and silver.
Looking at the prosperous, lively, and bustling street scene, everyone couldn't help but exclaim, no wonder so many people wanted to come to the capital. Just coming out to see it made them feel their lives were not lived in vain.
After visiting the street gang, everyone couldn't help but praise Wu Wa profusely. Zhao Dazhuang and Tian Guihua felt that their son, by following the second master, was incredibly awesome.
These young children had actually established such a formal gang.
On their way back, Lu Hua and Lu Yin took them to see the "Red Powder Beauty" shop.
Du Min, Madam Liu, Madam Yang, and Lu Hao were all very proud because the shop sold items they had produced, and the business was booming.
On the third day, Bai Sheng and Lu Ye planned to take them to tour Baihua Manor. Baihua Manor had many winter flowers planted, which bloomed even in the cold weather.
Baihua Manor was also frighteningly large.
They felt their madam was frighteningly generous.
In the first few days after arriving in the capital, the people from Hongshu Village were taken on tours of many places, greatly broadening their horizons. If they returned to Hongshu Village, they would have plenty to boast about for a long time.
After their initial glimpse of the capital's splendor, the entire family began preparations for the New Year.
On New Year's Eve, Bai Sheng planned to invite the twenty people from Baihua Manor for a reunion dinner. Baihua Manor would temporarily be guarded by Shannan, Baoyu, and San Gouzi for a day and a night.
Bai Sheng did not mistreat them either; they were allowed to eat meat and bones to their heart's content.
Tian Guihua, with the rice and flour, and Aunt Ding, with the oil and salt, met triumphantly in the kitchen.
This year for the New Year, the six of them would jointly conquer the kitchen, manage the mouths of nearly a hundred people, and strive to satisfy all of them.
This was not an easy task.
On the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month, the day of the Little Year, the Imperial Prince arrived in the capital.
He traveled the entire way on horseback, not by carriage, and only brought A Qiu, A Bian, and five or six guards.
Upon entering the imperial palace gates, the guards at the gate did not recognize him as the Imperial Prince. Their attitude was very hostile. Before the Imperial Prince could speak, the guards yelled at him to get lost and not cause trouble at the palace gates, lest they lose their heads!
This was because the dark-skinned, rough man before them was vastly different from the former fourth prince, who had skin as white as snow, lived a life of pampered luxury, was delicate and affected, and had a fastidious, peculiar, and wicked disposition.
The difference was beyond the guards' imagination.
Without the Imperial Prince's token, the Imperial Prince and his entourage would not have been able to enter the palace city.
The guards' eyes widened, and they stared at the Imperial Prince for a long time before finally seeing some familiarity on his dark face.
"You blind fools! You don't even recognize me!" The Imperial Prince, furious, kicked the leading guard in the backside several times.
Alright, this person was indeed the madcap Imperial Prince. The guards at the gate immediately knelt on one knee to beg for mercy.
Without looking back, the Imperial Prince mounted his horse and rode straight to Yong'an Palace. He hadn't seen his mother consort in a long time and missed her dearly.
A Qiu quietly reminded, "Your Highness, shouldn't we first go and meet the Emperor?"
The Imperial Prince snorted, "Let him wait!" No matter how great the Emperor was, he was not as important as his mother consort!
A Bian also quietly reminded, "Your Highness, when an outside male enters the harem, shouldn't he first report to the Imperial Household Department?"
"Report what nonsense!" The Imperial Prince retorted impatiently. "If I weren't missing my mother consort and she hadn't begged me to come back, I wouldn't want to return. If anyone is unhappy, they can just kill me. Eighteen years later, I'll be a good fellow again!"
Qiu and Bian exchanged glances. Truly, as soon as they returned to the capital, their master... was still the same old master.
The palace staff, seeing someone riding a horse galloping within the palace, hid in fear. Someone immediately ran to report to the Empress Dowager.
"Mother Consort! Mother Consort!" The Imperial Prince shouted excitedly as soon as he stepped into Yong'an Palace.
Consort Mei, having received the news of the Imperial Prince's return to the capital, had already slipped back into the palace and had been eagerly awaiting her son's return day after day.