On the ninth day of October, Chengxin Hall organized a grand banquet to celebrate Xiao Ning’s special day.
Not to mention the adults, Xiao Ning had eight older brothers and two older sisters, making the gathering lively for both young and old.
Xiao Ning adorned a bright red paired with two small tunics tied on her head, complemented by a small peony silk flower delicately inserted on one side, making her look beautiful and adorable.
As she playfully crawled around on a bed adorned with various auspicious objects, Xiao Ning finally seized a gold ingot.
Ji Xianxian couldn’t help but almost burst into laughter, saying, “Xiao Ning, you’re incredible! With your mother having enough money, will you be richer than her when you grow up?”
Xiao Ning beamed with joy upon seeing everyone’s laughter.
She stood up unsteadily and threw herself into her mother’s arms.
Yin Hui kissed the top of her daughter’s head, recognizing that Xiao Ning grew up in a privileged environment. Her daughter’s status was noble, and she would undoubtedly enjoy great blessings in the future.
Wei Luo observed his daughter’s chubby hand still clutching the gold ingot, a smile playing in his eyes.
After the festive banquet concluded, Empress Xu finally decided on the departure date, which was set for six days later, on October 15th.
Concubine Li felt this date was too delayed. The family had already packed their belongings and could leave the next day, so why wait another six days?
Empress Xu had a reason for choosing the 15th. It was considered an auspicious day, and it was advisable to commence journeys on such days.
Checking the almanac, Concubine Li confirmed the auspiciousness and had no choice but to patiently wait.
On October 15th, the streets of Pingcheng were abuzz with excitement.
Days prior, two teams of guards had already cordoned off the middle of the main street. Common people eagerly stood on the sidelines, anticipating the arrival of a well-trained guard procession that would pave the way forward.
Empress Xu’s carriage was the most luxurious, and the five princes in dragon robes stood guard on both sides.
As Empress Xu made her appearance, the carriages of the four concubines, Princes, and Princesses in the rear seemed ordinary. Thick curtains tightly concealed the scene inside, leaving nothing visible.
The property of the nobles relocating to the capital was on display, though the large items were veiled in red cloth, and the smaller ones were secured in cages. The common people couldn’t see clearly, but they chatted eagerly about it.
“Princess Shu is the cherished jewel of Mrs. Yin. The Yin family is wealthy, but why does Princess Shu’s dowry surpass that of others?”
“We can’t compare others with the Grand Duke’s dowry amount. Isn’t it risky to provoke Princess Shu? I recall that when Prince Shu got married, the Yin family prepared a huge dowry for Princess Shu, but I suspect it must have included a lot of gold and silver!”
“Speaking of Mr. Yin, I heard he donated all his family property to the Emperor for military funds?”
“It must be a donation. The old man’s unfilial grandson dared to plot against the Emperor. The Grand Duke could only contribute silver to atone for his crimes. Fortunately, the Emperor clearly rewarded the Yin family and bestowed a title upon them as soon as he ascended the throne.”
Gradually disappearing from view, the procession moved out of the city gate and continued toward Tongzhou Wharf. Some onlookers, who had been watching for a long time, felt a sense of loss as the entourage stopped.
When their Emperor was a vassal king, having a prince residing in Pingcheng made the people proud. With him now in the capital as the Emperor, Pingcheng suddenly lost that noble air.
Alas, they wondered if the Emperor would return to visit Pingcheng and its people.
Yin Hui and her group set off early in the morning. Due to the lengthy honor guard, they arrived at the pier by noon. Boarding the ship, they had to wait for the guards to load the boxes and cages. After an hour, more than twenty official ships set sail in full swing.
Empress Xu took a ship alone, and the four concubines occupied two ships in pairs. Among them, Wei Ying lived with Concubine Guo Xian.
The lords and their families each occupied one ship, leaving more than a dozen ships for other accompanying personnel, including several housemates favored by King Yan, such as Yuan Daoqing, and other officials working in the mansion along with their family members. Some ships were specifically designated for loading, while the accompanying guards’ ships were strategically distributed around the fleet to prevent potential attacks from assassins.
Prince Shu’s ship took the lead in the fleet. Since Wei Luo had no concubines, his family of five, along with nurses and maids, could exclusively occupy a spacious and convenient official ship.
Yin Hui and Wei Luo used two rooms, one as a bedroom and the other as a study. The three children shared a room with their respective wet nurses. During the day, the children either studied with Wei Luo in the study room or engaged in activities on the deck.
With a month-long journey ahead, Yin Hui found herself bored after only three days at sea. However, Wei Luo, who had devised a living plan while still in the palace, implemented it on the ship. He taught his sons basic martial arts for two quarters of an hour in the morning, followed by breakfast. Additionally, he provided an hour and a half of lectures for Xiao Heng and Xiao Xun in the morning and afternoon, and spent breaks playing with the three children. It seemed as if he aimed to make up for the time spent away from home during the previous three years within that month.
Before departure, Yin Hui had scoffed at Wei Luo’s plan, believing he had good intentions but wouldn’t stick to it for more than a few days. However, once on the ship, Yin Hui realized she had underestimated Wei Luo’s patience, as he diligently adhered to the plan.
Maybe it was because his face was too cold, Xiao Heng and Xiao Xun obediently listened to him, unlike the screaming and crying of Er Lang, Si Lang, Zhuang or Ba Lang on the ship in front and behind.
On that day, Wei Xuan, Prince Xiang at the back, ordered people to drive the ship closer. As soon as Yin Hui pushed Xiao Ning out in a small carriage, she saw Wei Xuan, Fu Shan, and Ba Lang standing on the bow of the ship.
Yin Hui walked over with a smile and chatted with them from a distance of about ten feet.