Jing Chen said that he wanted to make an "astrolabe", so Yu Shu followed him to buy it. On the way, she inquired about the use of this thing. It turned out to be a miniature star palace, which was used to simulate various star maps to calculate the stars. This was also created by Taoist Huai Xian.
It was not difficult to make an astrolabe. There were ready-made carpenters in the princess' residence, but they were missing a few materials and parts, so they needed to find them elsewhere. Thus, after the two of them left Wangji Tower, they took a carriage to the market. By the time they gathered everything, it was already late in the afternoon.
After checking that there were no omissions, Yu Shu asked Jing Chen to send her home. The two of them talked on the way and knew that they would be busy in the next few days, so they made an appointment. After the astrolabe was made, Jing Chen would copy the "Chaotic Sky Divination" and then send someone to inform Yu Shu.
Tomorrow was the first day of the second month. It was the Zhonghe Festival, also known as the Spring Festival. Most people had to go out to the Taoist temples to burn incense and add oil. In the morning, Yu Shu heard from Zhao Hui that she was going to the Ascending Cloud Temple outside the city to pray for the safety of her family. Naturally, Yu Shu had to accompany her.
As for Jing Chen, the Double Sun Meeting would begin on the second day of the second month. As the "Daozi" personally conferred by the emperor, he had to appear at that time.
The carriage stopped at the He residence. Yu Shu raised her hand to stop Jing Chen, who was about to get off the carriage with her. She said, "Don't go in. Xiaoxiu is probably sleeping right now. Godmother is pregnant and can't go out of the house. You can go in and make her panic."
With Jing Chen's current status, people would welcome him wherever he went. Yu Shu was probably the only one who would block people at the door and not let them in.
However, with the relationship between Jing Chen and her, he wouldn't care about these common sense.
"Okay, you can go in." Jing Chen still followed her out of the car, but he didn't go in. He watched Yu Shu walk over the threshold, and suddenly remembered to ask her to stay. He walked up to her, took out a palm-sized jade pendant from his sleeve, and handed it to her. He said a few more words, "I observed your complexion today. He seemed to have lost something. Recently, he might have been caught up in some trouble. If you run into any trouble, you must send someone to the Princess Mansion to find me. "
Yu Shu took it and played with it a few times. Nodding his head, he did not decline.
*
*
*
The next day, before dawn, Zhao Hui urged He Fangzhi to wake up. She also called for the servant who was guarding the door to boil water for them to wash up.
He Fangzhi only got a beautiful wife in his middle age, so he naturally cherished her. Therefore, when Zhao Hui was pregnant, the couple slept separately. However, they still slept in the same room. He checked her pulse three times a day and inquired about her well-being. This was to ensure that his beloved wife would be able to give birth naturally and suffer less.
"It's still early. Furen, go back to sleep. I'll massage your hands and feet." Doctor He put on his outer robe. Sitting by Zhao Hui's bed, he rubbed her legs through the blanket and yawned. Last night in the middle of the night, Zhao Hui cried out a few times. He did not dare to close his eyes for the rest of the night.
Zhao Hui was lying on her side. She had just woken up and her face was a little red. She lifted the blanket and covered his legs. She said gently, "Let's go out early. There will definitely be a lot of people going to burn incense today. If we go late, I'm afraid that the ancestors will hear too many wishes and won't be able to take care of us. Didn't Eldest Brother say? The results for the Da yan examination are about to be released. I have to go and ask for good luck for our daughter. If there's one subject on the list, then we'll burn incense. "
He Fangzhi smiled, "When she passes, I'll prepare a few tables of wine to treat everyone."
As the couple discussed in private, Yu Shu had already gotten up. She was sitting in front of the bronze mirror, letting Yun Dou comb her hair. In her hand was a scroll of Song Tuxue's' Notes of Peace '. She had spent more than ten taels of silver to get it from a small shop, but it was just a copy.
Song Tuxue was the Junior Supervisor of the Celestial Commissioner ten years ago. This book recorded the major events of the An Dynasty in the past three hundred years. It was analyzed from a scholar's point of view and was worth reading.
"Miss, I'm done combing."
"En. Go and see if Master and Madam are awake." Yu Shu folded the book and placed it on the dressing table. She got up to change her clothes. She had been free recently and could read a few more books. She did not need this little bit of time.
Just after breakfast, Pei Jing came to the door with two attendants. Although the two families had recognized each other halfway, their relationship was not bad at all. Moreover, they had left their homes and did not visit each other frequently. It was inevitable that their days would be lonely.
Because Yu Xiaoxiu had not fully recovered from his injuries, he was left at home. He was sensible and did not make a fuss. He only asked Yu Shu to bring back something fun at the gathering. Needless to say, Bai Ran was included.
Boys were easy to get along with, so in the past two or three days, Yu Xiaoxiu had accepted Bai Ran as his playmate. Whenever he had something good, he would share it with Bai Ran. As for Hu Tian 'er, who he called a brother in the Hundred Rivers Academy, he had completely forgotten about him.
*
*
*
At dusk, Yu Shu came back from praying outside the city. She was exhausted. She brought some food and toys to Yu Xiaoxiu's room, then went back to her room and lay down on the bed.
Because of the festival, there was a market near the Ascending Cloud Temple outside the city. People from the surrounding villages gathered together and the road was filled with people. Their carriage didn't move very fast. When they finally arrived at the entrance of the Taoist temple and got out of the carriage, there were people coming and going. Yu Shu was afraid that the people would crowd Zhao Hui, so she and He Fangzhi stood on the left and right to protect her. Pei Jing led the way in front. They lined up in the main hall to burn incense, donate money, kowtow to the Three Pure Ones, and make a wish.
No one knew how Pei Jing got them to stay in the backyard of the Ascending Cloud Temple for a meal. They rested for a while and only came back in the afternoon.
Yu Shu lay down for a while and fell asleep. She dreamt that a group of people came to her house with drums and gongs, congratulating her for Dayan Senior High School and asking for money. She searched all over her body but could not find a copper coin. She was so anxious that she stamped her feet and woke up. When she opened her eyes, it was already dark outside the window. She heard Yun Dou's clear voice outside the door, "Miss, Miss, are you awake? Mr. Xue is here. Please get up."
Yu Shu rubbed her head and turned over to sit up. She wrapped herself in the quilt and said in a muffled voice, "I'm up. Go get a basin of water for me to wash my face."
"Yes."
Yu Shu sat on the bed and sobered up for a while. She wondered why Xue Rui came to see her at this time. So she took a hot handkerchief to wipe her hair and tied it into a simple bun. Then she went to the front yard with her sleeves in her hands.
It was early spring, and the thick curtains on the living room's door had been removed yesterday. Xue Rui was sitting and blowing on his tea when Yu Shu dragged her feet and walked in. She nodded at Xue Rui and greeted, "Big Brother Xue, you're here."
"Hmm …" Xue Rui heard her soft nasal voice. When she came closer, he saw two faint red marks on the left side of her face. At first glance, he knew that she fell asleep on the pillow. He couldn't help but smile and said kindly, "Why are you sleeping at this time? Aren't you afraid that you won't be able to eat dinner?"
Yu Shu laughed dryly and sat on the chair opposite him. She said, "I walked outside the city during the day. I'm a little tired when I came back. How come you have time to come here at this time? Is there something you need from me?"
Xue Rui's gaze stopped on the two red marks on her face. He said in a light tone, "Have you forgotten? The Double Sun Gathering is tomorrow. There will be a dragon boat dance on the bank of the Spring Wave River. The festival will be very lively. If you have nothing to do, you can go for a walk with me. I will bring Third Sister along. You two can keep each other company. Zhaomiao will also come."
Yu Shu's heart was moved. She had long heard that there were hidden dragons and crouching tigers in the Double Sun Gathering. She really wanted to go and see for herself. Moreover, there was an annual festival to watch. She couldn't miss it.
"Third Sister?" Yu Shu didn't miss it. She asked curiously, "Is it the sister you mentioned to me last time? Her name is Jinxun?"
She remembered that Xue Rui didn't have many siblings in his family. He only had one biological sister. She was one or two years younger than him. She heard that her health wasn't very good.
Xue Rui nodded with a smile. "It's Jinxun. My third sister is very obedient. You will definitely like her."
When Yu Shu heard that she could meet Xue Rui's sister, she was also very happy. "Okay, then I will definitely go. Will you come pick me up tomorrow morning?"
As Xue Rui answered, he was calculating in his heart. He'd wanted to let Yu Shu meet his Third Younger Sister since a long time ago. That child, Jin Xun, had a weak body, and he didn't have a temper. As the daughter of the Xue Clan, he actually didn't even have a single friend that he could talk to normally. Moreover, Yu Shu had such a righteous heart, so it would be a good thing if the two of them could be on good terms.
"By the way, I was in the inner province yesterday and didn't go to Wangji Tower. Did you see Daozi?" Xue Rui asked knowingly. Before he came to see Yu Shu, he passed by Wangji Tower and asked Lin Fu. He knew that Yu Shu and Jing Chen didn't stay in Wangji Tower for long before they went out together. He didn't know where they went.
Yu Shu didn't think there was anything to hide, so she told him the truth. Jing Chen wanted to teach her the stargazing skill of Longhu Mountain. In order to make an astrolabe, they went shopping.
"Oh, what is an astrolabe?" Xue Rui asked curiously, yet Jing Chen's actions towards Yu Shu without holding back in the slightest caused him to feel rather powerless in his heart.
He didn't understand why a smart person like Yu Shu would be so stubborn towards a person like Jing Chen. It seemed that it was because of the other party's rare frankness. On the contrary, he couldn't be completely unreserved towards a person.
"Astrolabe, that's …" Yu Shu roughly explained the usage of the astrolabe to Xue Rui, and in the end, she said in admiration, "Jing Chen's master, that Daoist Huai Xian, is truly an exceptionally capable person. If I'm able to learn his ability to observe the stars, even if it's only ten percent, it would be enough to benefit me."
Xue Rui saw that she was confused, so he said, "It's true. All the officials in the Celestial Commissioner who can be of great use are proficient in the art of stargazing. You need to know that watching people is just small, but watching geniuses is the way. If you have the ambition to be a female official in the Celestial Commissioner, it's necessary to understand the art of astrology."
Yu Shu listened to Xue Rui's words and knew what was going on. She sighed and said, "It's a pity that it's difficult to learn that strange art. Jing Chen learned it since he was young and only saw through a little. I don't know how long it will take me to understand it."
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