It had to be said that Duan Mu An Guo's Winter Palace was something that those who had never entered the Dashun Imperial Palace would only feel that it was grand and magnificent, but for someone like Feng Yu Heng, who could enter and leave the Imperial Palace as if it were her own kitchen, this was clearly a smaller version of the Dashun Imperial Palace.
Thinking about it, the successive generations of the Duan Mu family's clan heads were all very familiar with the Dashun Imperial Palace. It was such that even if Duan Mu An Guo had not been to the Imperial Palace many times in his life, he could clearly remember every single brick and tile in the Imperial Palace.
Feng Yu Heng sneered internally. Duan Mu An Guo had the ambition of a wolf. Even with such a large territory, he still could not satisfy his hunger. His appetite was truly large.
The group of illusionists entered the Palace through the main entrance. After entering, they immediately turned left and began to walk along a small path. Upon entering the Palace, Feng Yu Heng saw Ban Zou, who was wearing a guard's uniform and holding a spear, standing on the left side of the Palace. She held back her laughter and walked with her head lowered; however, when she passed by Ban Zou, she forcefully stepped on his foot and successfully heard Ban Zou snort.
She had used the Illusory Hall to enter the Winter Palace; however, Ban Zou had used some unknown method to become a guard of the Winter Palace. Feng Yu Heng was a bit more certain of her own hidden guard's abilities.
The group of illusionists had been arranged to stay in a place called Li Huan Pavilion. Apparently, this place was behind the Hundred Family Banquet Hall. Going to the banquet hall from here was the most convenient. The girl with the surname Qi said: "Li Huan Pavilion was specially prepared by Lord Duan Mu for our Illusory Hall. It has already been ten years. Being able to come here today is your good fortune."
Another middle-aged man also said: "That's right. Our illusions have always been performed as the finale of the Hundred Family Banquet. That's why you still have time to prepare. It's not that you can't see the Winter Palace, but you are not allowed to move more than 100 steps away from Li Huan Pavilion. This can be considered the special treatment that Lord Duan Mu has given our Illusory Hall. Change into your clothes for the performance and disperse on your own. "
Upon hearing this, the girls began to cheer. There were even some that began to thank the middle-aged man.
Feng Yu Heng snorted coldly in her heart. There was no such thing as a free lunch in this world. The other party had actually given them such a degree of freedom. It was obvious that they had ulterior motives.
She then looked at Shen Yu Ning and Zhang Ling Ning. The two also had worried expressions on their faces. Shen Yu Ning saw her look over and tugged at her, quietly saying: "They said that they wanted us to take a look at the Winter Palace. Who doesn't know what they are planning. I heard that lord Duan Mu's sons will often use the banquets to come and take a look around. In regards to the girls that his sons have taken a liking to, Duan Mu An Guo has always been generous in sending them off. Even if the sons don't come, the grandsons will come. The Illusory Hall has sent countless girls to the Winter Palace and the Duanmu Family over the years. It's not without reason that it's able to stand tall in the North for so many years. "
Feng Yu Heng facepalmed. The knowledge behind this was really complicated! But it gave her a reason to leave the crowd. She said to the two girls: "Since we've come, there will be the same ending either way. How about we go out and take a look. Otherwise, if we don't go, it would be too abrupt."
Zhang Ling Xi sighed and took the lead to leave the room, "Let's go. Xiao Ya is right. There will be the same ending either way. We've already come in. What's the point of being coy."
Just like this, the three girls also left Li Huan Pavilion. They then split up and went their separate ways.
Feng Yu Heng saw that everyone had gone far away. The one closest to her was about 30 steps away. She smiled and casually walked along a small path.
If she had not guessed incorrectly, there should be a small lake ahead of her. At this time, the layout of the Dashun Imperial Palace flattened out in Feng Yu Heng's mind, gradually replacing it with the Winter Palace. It was just that the small lake was definitely more than 100 steps away from here. Feng Yu Heng wondered if the other girls were like her, walking more than 100 steps away.
Her guess was right. After walking about 150 steps, a small man-made lake appeared in front of her. This lake was much smaller than the one in the Dashun Imperial Palace. Moreover, the difference was that the one in the Dashun Imperial Palace was a lake with flowing water. It would not freeze during the winter. However, the one in the North was a completely frozen lake. It was three feet deep and made people feel cold just by looking at it.
Feng Yu Heng took a few more steps forward and went around a small rock garden. Suddenly, she heard a "bang bang" sound enter her ears. It was as though someone was chiseling away at something heavy. Each strike was extremely forceful.
She looked over in confusion. Through a few pine trees, she saw a red-clothed girl at the edge of the frozen lake. She was holding a hoe and was using all her strength to chisel away at the ice. Bang, bang, bang. The sounds came one after another. Feng Yu Heng could not help but grimace.
The girl's figure was very slender. Even on this kind of winter day, when everyone was wearing thick winter robes, the girl's figure could still be seen. It was just that the hoe was too heavy, and it truly did not match her figure. Feng Yu Heng watched and felt as though she was a little monkey wielding a sledgehammer. Every time she swung it, she worried that the girl would throw herself out or break her arm.
She took a few more steps and stood at the edge of the frozen lake. The two of them were separated by a third of the lake's circumference. She did not know who this girl was, but to appear in the Winter Palace and be so arrogant as to use a hoe to chisel away at the ice, she should be a favoured concubine.
Looking around, she did not see any servants following her. It was as if this girl was the only one in the world. Her expression was very serious. Every time she chiseled away, she would carefully examine the ice. Then, she would shake her head in dissatisfaction and continue chiseling away.
Feng Yu Heng chose a rock and sat down. She bent her legs and propped her chin up as she looked at the girl. She could not tell the girl's age too well. She felt like she was seventeen or eighteen, but she acted like she was twelve or thirteen. Occasionally, she would wipe away some sweat, but her appearance made her seem like she was already in her twenties. However, her appearance was very good. It was so good that when Feng Yu Heng compared her to Feng Chen Yu, she felt that this girl's beauty was a bit better.
She was curious and could not help but raise her voice to ask the other party: "Hey! What are you doing? "
The girl suddenly threw the hoe away and seemed to have received a great shock. She quickly looked around for someone. When she finally saw Feng Yu Heng, she patted her chest and said in an exaggerated manner: "You scared me to death! Are you a person or a ghost? "
Feng Yu Heng laughed, "Of course I'm a person." The girl's voice was not very soft, but it sounded very charming. She felt that it sounded a little familiar, but she could not remember where she had heard it before.
"If you're a person, then it'll be easy." The girl picked up the hoe and waved to Feng Yu Heng: "Come here."
Feng Yu Heng did not understand what was going on, but she still stood up and walked over. The two stood on the ice about five steps away from the shore. She could finally see the girl's cold beauty up close. Feng Yu Heng's mind became hot. She suddenly felt that she could no longer control her infatuation. The irrational feeling she had when she first met Xuan Tianming once again appeared. She raised her hand and quickly touched the girl's face. She then sighed: "Your skin is really good."
The girl was stunned. Her hand loosened, and the hoe fell to the ice with a "clang". It almost hit her foot. She took a step back and stared at Feng Yu Heng as if she was a thief. After a long time, she finally squeezed out a sentence: "You touched me?"
Feng Yu Heng nodded: "Un, I touched you." And then?
The girl looked a little wronged. She stood there and thought for a while. She then quietly picked up the hoe and continued to dig at the ice.
Feng Yu Heng did not understand: "Hey, you were the one who called me over just now. I've come, yet you're telling me to look at this?"
The girl stopped moving. Thinking for a bit, she turned and left. Not long later, she returned with a hoe in her hand.
"This ice lake is used by Duan Mu An Guo to raise fish. The fish here are all caught from the four-colored lake near the border of Qian Zhou. The fish meat is the most delicious. Come, let's make the most of the time. With more people, there's more hope. Once we finish digging out a fish, we'll call someone to stew it. I guarantee that you've definitely never eaten such delicious fish before. "
Feng Yu Heng facepalmed, "Since you have the ability to break the ice and fish in the Winter Palace, why don't you call the servants to help?"
The girl looked at her as if she was looking at a monster: "Are you crazy? Did you not understand what I just said? The fish in this lake are especially precious. The amount of fish that can be caught in the four-colored lake is limited, and they are all enjoyed by Qian Zhou's imperial family. For Duan Mu An Guo to be able to catch five or six in a year is already quite good. How could there be servants that would dare come and dig them up? This matter needs to be done secretly. Do you understand secretly? I sent away all of the servants. "
Feng Yu Heng did not understand. Was this considered secretly? The movements were so loud that they could be heard from far away. Was there any point in deceiving yourself?
Although she thought this way, she still picked up the hoe and began digging. The two went back and forth, and they very quickly dug out a large hole. The girl looked into the hole and said: "It's almost done. After a few more strokes, it will be able to see water. I will then begin fishing."
"Fishing?" Damn it, she really was a dog. Feng Yu Heng thought, this girl shouldn't be crazy, right?
At this time, shouts came from the direction she had come from. It sounded like Shen Yu Ning's voice, "Xiao Ya! Xiao Ya! "
It was as though she had been pardoned. Throwing the hoe aside, she pointed behind her and said: "Someone is calling me. I need to go."
The girl nodded, "Go, go. Don't let her find you here. Quickly run a few steps."
Feng Yu Heng really was running quickly. Until she saw Shen Yu Ning, she was still trying to figure out what sort of identity that girl had. But she did not have time to think too much. Shen Yu Ning said to her: "We need to go and prepare. Lord Duan Mu can't wait and wants to see our illusion performance in advance. Xiao Ya, why did you walk so far? Quickly come back with me. "
The two ran back to Li Huan Pavilion. The girl surnamed Qi was already telling the new girls about the things they needed to pay attention to. Seeing Feng Yu Heng return, she asked her with some dissatisfaction: "Why are you so late?"
Feng Yu Heng quickly said in a low voice: "I wasn't paying attention and walked a bit too far. Sister Qi, please don't blame me."
"Oh?" The girl surnamed Qi raised an eyebrow, "You walked a bit too far. Did you see anyone?"
Feng Yu Heng thought for a bit then shook her head, "No."
"Then stand over here." There was a trace of disappointment in her voice.
This time, there were a total of three illusionists in the performance. Behind them, there were ten other girls. They were wearing rainbow coloured clothes. Feng Yu Heng was wearing blue.
After two incense sticks of time, everyone arrived at the entrance of the banquet hall. Feng Yu Heng finally understood what the North's "Hundred Family Banquet" meant.
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