Only after the candles were lit and the lanterns floated into the sky did Zhao Qiaoqiao realize that they were releasing sky lanterns.

The lanterns were exquisitely made, soaring higher and higher, and several children clapped their hands in celebration.

Zhao Qiaoqiao said to Baozhu, "Go back and have someone follow the wind to these lanterns and see what's written on them."

Even in diplomatic relations between the two countries, I've never seen anything like this—two emperors from the Jade Dragon Kingdom traveling abroad at the same time, bringing their children along to pray for blessings.

For whom are we praying?

Those who didn't know better would think the two emperors were one family.

Zhao Qiaoqiao felt increasingly uneasy. There were rumors that His Majesty was not the eldest prince and always wore a mask, so no one had ever seen his true face. It was possible that someone from the Jade Dragon Kingdom had usurped the throne.

As the sky lanterns were released, people on both sides chatted and laughed happily, especially Zhao Qiaoqiao, who saw that Emperor Chen was carrying Princess Longxiang on his shoulders.

What happened?

Why did Emperor Chen and Emperor An value Princess Longxiang so much?

Just because she is the niece of the Heavenly Emperor?

How could Emperor Chen, a man of such imposing stature and aloofness, be carrying the nephew of an emperor from another country?

Zhao Qiaoqiao simply couldn't understand it.

The group released sky lanterns and saw Xiahou Yan leading thousands of imperial guards in neat formations, surrounding the entire Jade Dragon Pavilion.

Emperor Chen, Emperor An, and Emperor Aotian sat down in the square outside the post station, as the Imperial Guards brought in cart after cart of fireworks.

"Long Xiang, sit down quickly and watch the fireworks." Yin Jin'an called Jiu Tian over.

Jiutian patted the seat next to him and said to Zhou Qize, "Brother, sit next to me."

Zhou Qize and Zhou Qiyuan sat on either side of Jiutian, each holding a string of candied hawthorns and handing them to Jiutian. The three of them looked up at the sky, waiting for the fireworks to start.

When the first firework soared into the sky and exploded, the night sky was ablaze with light and color, astonishing all the people of Xingqing Prefecture.

No one knew what had happened; the loud bangs and the fireworks filling the sky left many people bewildered.

Xiahou Yan ran up to Yin Jin'an and said, "Your Majesty, should I remind everyone along the street that fireworks are being set off?"

Yin Jin'an belatedly asked, "They've never seen fireworks before?"

Xiahou Yan shook his head: "Never seen it."

The Western Xia was too poor, and could not compare with the Jade Dragon Kingdom. They knew about firecrackers, but had never seen fireworks.

Yin Jin'an gave a wry smile and said, "I forgot. You should hurry up and make arrangements to tell the people to set off fireworks to celebrate the eternal friendship between Yulong Kingdom and Qi Kingdom."

Xiahou Yan immediately went out. Wang Can's idea coincided with Yin Jin'an's. They sent many people along the street to shout and remind the people that these were fireworks.

"Everyone come out to watch the fireworks. The Great Qi Kingdom and the Jade Dragon Kingdom will forever be friends. The whole world is celebrating."

Xie Zhaozhao said to Yin Jin'an, "I originally had a lot of fireworks made to send to you for festival celebrations. Since the people want to see them, let's set them off for them. I'll leave you a technician so you can make your own fireworks whenever you want to see them."

That night, dazzling fireworks lit up the sky for a full hour.

The next morning at court, Yin Jin'an had to handle government affairs. He had been away for more than a month, and there was a backlog of court matters. However, Wang Can was capable, and things went smoothly.

Zhou Shaoyu and Xie Zhaozhao naturally wouldn't keep Yin Jin'an talking. Xie Zhaozhao personally sewed several new sets of clothes for Jiutian using light-colored silk. The style was common at the moment, but it was soft and comfortable.

After putting it on Jiutian, he excitedly exclaimed, "Wow, it's so comfortable! Is it expensive?"

Xie Zhaozhao shook her head and said, "It's not expensive. It's made of the most ordinary silk. A single bolt isn't even worth three taels of silver."

At noon, Zhao Qiaoqiao originally intended to ask the post station to urge the palace again, but suddenly Zhao San, a guard of the Zhao family, ran over with a haggard face and asked to see Zhao Qiaoqiao.

Zhao Qiaoqiao called him in, and Zhao San burst into tears as soon as he saw Zhao Qiaoqiao: "Miss, something terrible has happened! Master, Madam... the whole family has been in trouble."

"What happened? Who did this?"

"On the third night after you left, the master suddenly had a severe stomachache. I immediately called the doctor. But when the doctor arrived at the mansion, he found that the madam, the eldest son, and others were all suffering from unbearable abdominal pain."

After examining them, the doctor said they were poisoned, but couldn't identify the type of poison.

The family was writhing on the ground in pain, their bodies burning hot like the bottom of a cauldron. They had a high fever for a day, and each of them had large blisters on their lips.

Zhao San was anxious and consulted all the doctors, but none of them knew what was wrong with him or what kind of poison he had been poisoned by.

In just one day, the entire Zhao family was left partially paralyzed, regardless of age or gender.

"Young Miss, I don't know who is so wicked as to make even the horses, dogs, and cats in the house paralyzed on one side."

Zhao Qiaoqiao: ......