Chapter 1198 - 1204 Birthday Feast (2)
All the way there, she was brimming with anticipation and hope for a bright future, sitting up straight and full of confidence! After an indeterminate amount of time, the horse carriage finally came to a stop, and the eunuch responsible for receiving Cai Lian lifted the carriage curtain, whispering softly, "Girl, we’ve arrived at Wan’an Gate. You’ll need to disembark and proceed on foot!"
Wan’an Gate was the grand entrance through which the womenfolk of the court ministers would enter the palace to offer congratulations. It was used exclusively by women and eunuchs, while the male members of the royal family and the ministers entered the palace through a different gate.
Cai Lian poked her head out and saw that the entrance to Wan’an Gate was crowded with vehicles and litters, all adorned with canopies and precious embellishments, radiating opulence. Groups of noblewomen clad in imperial decree clothing were getting off the vehicles, assisted by their maidservants, one after another.
The number of ladies entering the palace was considerable, and together with their maids, they formed a large, dense crowd. Yet, despite the throng of people, it was eerily quiet before the imposing palace gate. No one dared to speak loudly or indulge in idle chatter; even when familiar faces were encountered, everyone just slightly nodded to each other as a form of greeting.
Cai Lian, with her heart racing with excitement, quietly stepped out of the carriage and, under the guidance of the eunuch, followed these distinguished women into the palace!
Walking along the path paved with green bricks, Cai Lian controlled her expressions, trying her best not to appear like an unsophisticated country bumpkin, but in reality, she was already overwhelmed by the royal family’s opulent magnificence and splendor!
The palace was truly imposing, spectacular, luxuriant, and gorgeous!
The vermillion wide palace gate was inlaid with huge copper-gold plated door nails. Inside the gate, vermillion jade railing stones lined the many-layered halls, creating an impression of a wonderland—a host of majestic and awe-inspiring palaces and pavilions, glazed tiles glittering with golden light, and atop the eaves of the halls, two colossal dragons with golden scales, so lifelike they seemed ready to soar into the clouds; the ground was laid with green bricks, with the occasional cobbled path, and each palace hall had white jade stone steps at its entrance, guarded by huge stone lions or auspicious beasts!