Who says the prince is weak and can't take care of himself?

Ning Wanxiao turned his head slightly, looked towards Bai Xiqiao, and smiled: "Nice to meet you again, how are you, Brother Bai?"

This time it was Qi Xiao's turn to be surprised. He also looked at Bai Xiqiao. When did he know Ning Wanxiao? "Brother Bai," he said, "what kind of address is that?" In terms of age, it was reversed.

Bai Xiqiao's face flushed instantly, and he said hurriedly, "I don't deserve it, I don't deserve it. I was shortsighted that day. Please forgive me for my rudeness and disrespect, Imperial Master."

The day after Qi Xiao and his entourage arrived in Yuanjing, Bai Xiqiao was bored and went out for a stroll. He ran into Ning Wanxiao on the street. Ning Wanxiao was dressed in casual clothes, with no one to serve him, and his eyes were covered with a veil. A thief, taking advantage of his blindness, stole his purse and was caught red-handed by Bai Xiqiao.

Bai Xiqiao saw that he was wearing valuable clothes and must be a son of a wealthy family. Since he had an eye disease, why didn't he have a servant by his side? So he decided to be a good person and give him a ride.

Ning Wanxiao didn't refuse and asked Bai Xiqiao to take him to Taihe Temple. Bai Xiqiao supported Ning Wanxiao all the way and kept talking to him to avoid embarrassment. Seeing that he looked very young, he took advantage of Ning Wanxiao and asked him to call him "Big Brother"...

It was just a chance encounter. After returning to the guild hall, Bai Xiqiao found out that Qi Xiao went to find Tang Ling. She was so angry that she had a headache and didn't even think about telling Qi Xiao about this unimportant matter.

At this moment, meeting Ning Wanxiao in such a situation again, Bai Xiqiao just wanted to dig a hole for himself and bury himself quickly.

Ning Wanxiao smiled, explained the whole story to Qi Xiao in a few words, and led them inside.

Bai Xiqiao saw that Ning Wanxiao was walking well and didn't look like he was blind at all, and he suddenly felt that he had done one more stupid thing.

Qi Xiao was also curious, but he didn't open his mouth to ask. Ning Wanxiao asked Qi Xiao to sit down and ordered the little Taoist boy to serve tea. He then answered Qi Xiao's question himself: "I was born with a disease in my eyes. Although I can see, I am extremely sensitive to light. I am used to covering my eyes with a veil during the day. That day, Brother Bai misunderstood me."

Ning Wanxiao also called Bai Xiqiao "Big Brother" and poked him in the back, which seemed to be fun and addictive. Qi Xiao almost couldn't hold back his laughter.

"Master Imperial Master, I know I was wrong." Bai Xiqiao lowered his head, feeling ashamed, and almost kowtowed to Ning Wanxiao begging for mercy.

Ning Wanxiao looked up at Baixiqiao and smiled: "You helped me that day, but I lied to you. How could it be your fault?"

The little Taoist boy came to serve tea, and seeing Baixiqiao's pitiful appearance, he couldn't help but sigh and shook his head.

"Let's get back to the topic. This is the first time that His Highness the Ninth Prince is participating in the lunar sacrifice. I believe the regulations have been delivered by the Ministry of Rites..." It was getting late, and Ning Wanxiao stopped teasing Bai Xiqiao and began to discuss the arrangements for tomorrow's memorial service with Qi Xiao.

Bai Xiqiao quietly exited the hall, raised his head and breathed a sigh of relief. A little Taoist boy came out from behind him and said to him, "That's just his nature. He loves to play tricks on people."

"Uh..." Bai Xiqiao turned around and looked at the little Taoist boy. Ning Wanxiao is the national master. Doesn't the little Taoist boy beside him know how to speak in moderation?

The little Taoist boy seemed to see through Baixiqiao and shrugged, saying, "Taoist cultivation is not in the secular world. According to seniority, he is my senior brother, so naturally we are closer. There is nothing to worry about."

Bai Xiqiao nodded, and then listened to the little Taoist boy say, "Do you know why he brought me with him? He said it was because the other old Taoists in the temple were very boring."

"..."

It turns out that this way of speaking is also passed down from generation to generation.

***

Ning Wanxiao personally took Qi Xiao through the rules of the Moon Festival and taught him all the necessary etiquette. It took some time, and it was noon in the blink of an eye.

His Majesty would come to listen to the sutras in the afternoon, and asked Qi Xiao to accompany him. Ning Wanxiao naturally invited him to have lunch together.

"Your Highness the Ninth Prince must be wondering why the Moon Festival was never mentioned before, and why you are suddenly asked to come."

Qi Xiao looked at Ning Wanxiao. He did have some doubts in his mind, but he didn't expect that the person who would answer his doubts would be Ning Wanxiao.

"This morning, a message came from the palace saying that His Majesty was furious about the Ministry of Revenue matter, and he ordered the eldest prince to be confined to his residence to reflect on his mistakes, and he was not allowed to leave without permission. Since the eldest prince was absent from the monthly sacrifice, it was just right for the Ninth Prince to take his place." Ning Wanxiao smiled and slowly drank a sip of soup.

Although the process of the lunar sacrifice is somewhat complicated, it shouldn't matter if there is one more or one less person. There is no reason to ask Qi Xiao to take over.

"Your Highness, do you think that inviting Your Highness to participate in the Moon Festival was a sudden event?"

Qi Xiao frowned. From what Ning Wanxiao said, could it be that it wasn't?

Ning Wanxiao ate his food and chatted, "The monthly sacrifice is unimportant, but it's the Mid-Autumn Festival. It's not as grand as the year-end sacrifice, so the Imperial Astronomical Bureau can't be careless. But the Ministry of Rites has a headache. According to convention, the eldest prince, your majesty's legitimate son, and all adult princes should participate. But your highness returned to the capital only a month ago, and the Ministry of Rites didn't dare to make the decision on their own. It's been delayed until now, and they've finally sent the rules to your highness."

After Ning Wanxiao said this, Qi Xiao understood everything.

The regulations and arrangements for the Lunar Festival are overseen by the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, and His Majesty generally does not personally inquire about them. While there are conventions to follow, adherence to them is not guaranteed. When it comes to royal rituals, the Ministry of Rites must consider the Empress's favor. Since Qi Xiao's return, he has been a star performer, earning Her Majesty's favor. This must have displeased the Empress, who wants to use the Lunar Festival as a warning to him.

Qi Xiao's name should have been on the drafted regulations by the Ministry of Rites, but the post hadn't been delivered to him in time. Without His Majesty's order, Qi Xiao suspected the Ministry would go to the Guild Hall early the next morning to invite him, forcing him to Linxiantai and causing a minor blunder. They could simply claim the regulations had been delivered long ago and Qi Xiao was too busy to remember, and thus clear themselves of the matter.

But for Qi Xiao, as a prince, being disrespectful to the Heavenly Lord by misbehaving at the Mid-Autumn Festival was a small matter and a disgrace to the royal family, but it was a big matter. What's more, he was born with the fate of "Sirly Wolf Disaster Star". There were so many things he could do, and the spit was enough to drown him.

Unexpectedly, the Ministry of Revenue's case was traced to the eldest prince, allowing Qi Xiao to escape.

"Thank you, Master Ning, for sharing the inside story."

"Inside story? Your Highness, you're joking. I didn't say anything."

Qi Xiao smiled and said, "I'll offer a glass of tea to the Imperial Master instead of wine."

Ning Wanxiao drank his tea and continued, "But there's one thing I'd like to tell His Highness the Ninth Prince. Consider it my repayment for Bai Xiqiao's prank the other day. Tomorrow's memorial ceremony, His Majesty has summoned Young Master Tang Ling to accompany him and take His Highness's place."

Qi Xiao frowned. The envoys from the Zhou Kingdom were foreign ministers. There had never been a precedent of foreign ministers entering the Xiantai to participate in the sacrifice. This could not be something that the Ministry of Rites had done. What was the purpose of His Majesty asking Tang Ling to come?

"Have you ever heard of the saying that there is Qiming in the East and Changgeng in the West?"

"Please enlighten me, Master Ning." Qi Xiao, born with a jinxed star in his horoscope, hated the astrological signs, the hexagrams, and other such nonsense. Even though he was at the Linxian Terrace, sitting across from him was Ning Wanxiao, the Director of the Imperial Observatory and the current Imperial Master, he could at best appear humble and listen to his nonsense, always being polite, but he certainly wouldn't listen.

But after spending only an hour with Ning Wanxiao and hearing him talk about the Ministry of Rites, Qi Xiao realized that this Imperial Master was truly extraordinary and quite interesting. And what Ning Wanxiao was about to say probably wasn't nonsense.

"When Taibai rises in the east, it's called Qiming. When it sets in the west, it's called Changgeng. Last night, there was a strange phenomenon in the sky: Taibai rose in the east and lay beside the Sirius."