Although Yinzuo and his companions were not good at archery, they were almost all experts at guessing riddles. Seeing that the boss agreed, they bargained with him and walked to the riddle wall on the side. They chose a horizontal row and did not need anyone's help. They took paper and pen from the table in front of the boss and started to solve the riddles.
"Wearing a flowery cotton-padded jacket, singing and croaking, catching pests in the fields and contributing to the harvest, I know this is a frog."
Fourteen had a good start, and even Thirteen, who was calm at the time, was getting a little restless.
"I know that too. His body is covered in dazzling silver armor, yet he's icy cold. He has wings but can't fly, and he has no feet to roam the world. Boss, the answer to this riddle is fish, right?"
The boss obviously didn't expect that these two kids, although they looked young, were actually quite capable. They got all the answers right right away. However, he still had some professional qualities as a businessman and praised them with a smile.
"You two young masters are very clever. The answer is absolutely correct. The first one is a frog, and the second one is a fish."
Thirteen and Fourteen became more excited after receiving the boss's praise, but they were still young after all, and they were defeated before they guessed the answer.
"Sixth brother, what's the answer to this riddle: the eldest sister uses a needle but no thread, the second sister uses thread but no needle, the third sister lights a lamp but doesn't work, and the fourth sister works but doesn't light a lamp?"
Yin'er and the others had originally stayed away from Thirteen and Fourteen because they saw they were so engrossed in guessing the riddles that they let them guess freely. But now, seeing that they were stumped by the riddles, they walked over.
Yinzuo took a look at the riddle and sighed softly. It was no wonder that Thirteen and Fourteen couldn't guess it. It was because these two people had been pampered since childhood, and their living places were usually spotlessly clean. It was rare for them to see bees and spiders, so it would be strange if they guessed it right.
"The answer to this riddle is four kinds of insects. The eldest sister uses a needle or not, referring to bees. Bees have a needle in their tails, and that's how they sting. The second sister uses thread instead of a needle, referring to spiders. You all know spiders are best at spinning silk and weaving webs. As for the third sister, she lights a lamp but doesn't work, referring to fireflies. Not to mention you, I've only ever read about them in books. They're little bugs with glowing tails. As for the fourth sister, she works but doesn't light a lamp, referring to the cicada, an insect similar to a katydid, named so because the sound it makes is similar to the sound of a loom."
With the help of several brothers, Thirteen and Fourteen quickly passed the lantern riddle stage, and the only thing left was the spotlight stage.
Speaking of shooting lights, the brothers are really not unfamiliar with it. After all, they shot lights at the ice skating ceremony a few days ago. Their usual practice of shooting at targets is similar to shooting at gongs. The most difficult thing is that the gong is hung high, and it is dimly lit at night, so it is not very clear.
"Oh, it would be great if my eldest brother were here now. He is a top-notch archer and can shoot an arrow through a target from a hundred paces away. This small bronze gong would be a piece of cake for him."
Everyone agreed with Yin?'s words. Isn't it true? It would be great if the eldest brother was here at this moment? But the problem is that the eldest brother is not here, so they have to fend for themselves. Fortunately, although Yin?'s archery skills are not as good as his eldest brother Yinzhi, they are not bad either. After trying twice, he found the feeling and then shot three arrows in a row, helping Fourteenth to win the koi.
"Thank you, Brother Ten. My mother must really like this carp lantern. I've seen it before. Her purse has a koi fish embroidered on it."
Fourteen was naturally happy to get the carp lantern he had been longing for. After the boss took the lantern down and handed it to him, he hurriedly asked the guard to help him carry it. He walked around the carp lantern several times before nodding with satisfaction. He immediately asked the guard to rush to deliver it to the palace to his mother.
After making dough figurines, guessing lantern riddles, and shooting lanterns, the brothers walked around the street once more to see enough of the excitement before finding a small street stall to sit down.
"Boss, give each of us a bowl of wontons and a bowl of glutinous rice balls. Also, bring up two of any side dishes you have on your stall."
As for Yinzuo himself, he still likes to eat at these small stalls. He feels that compared with those big restaurants, although such small stalls do not look as hygienic, the smell of fireworks is stronger.
"Okay, gentlemen, please wait a moment, the food will be here soon."
The stall was run by a couple in their forties. After the husband responded to Yinzuo's request, he lifted the lid of the steaming pot and deftly put the wontons and glutinous rice balls that Yinzuo ordered into two pots respectively. His wife quickly took the bowls, chopsticks and spoons and arranged them one by one. It was obvious that they had been working together in this division of labor for many years and their cooperation was quite tacit.
"I've been to this stall before, and the food is pretty good. You can try it too. If you're not used to it, don't force yourself."
Although Yinzhen and his friends were all delicate princes, they would occasionally come to such small stalls to try something new, so they were not unaccustomed to the food. As for Thirteenth, he had always been a good boy and not picky about food. Based on his long-standing trust in his sixth brother, although it was his first time to eat these, he was still brave enough to try. Needless to say, Fourteenth, the foodie, was full after just a few bites, while he could still eat a few more bites after being full, so naturally he was not unaccustomed to the food.
The boss and his wife are not skilled in cooking. The glutinous rice balls are soft and sticky with just the right amount of sweetness. The wontons are fresh, smooth and delicious. The side dishes are the common cold Chinese cabbage and pickled radish strips in this season, but they taste good too. Although the meal is simple, Yinzuo and his friends are very satisfied.
"I told you, when it comes to food, drink and entertainment, you can trust Brother Liu. Look, he even found such an inconspicuous little stall."
After having a good meal and a few drinks, the brothers sat down to rest for a while and then stood up to continue strolling. Whether it was dragon and lion dances, juggling acrobatics, or iron flower making, Thirteen and Fourteen, the two little guys who were out for the first time, were overwhelmed. By the end of the stroll, they were so tired that they nodded their heads on the way back. Once they got on the carriage, they couldn't hold on any longer and fell asleep after a few shakes.
"I used to think Fourteenth really never gets tired. Now it seems he only tires lightly. You don't know how energetic he was when he was very young. My fourth brother and I were tossing and turning when we were staying up with Mother at Yonghe Palace to celebrate the New Year. In the end, Mother couldn't stand it anymore and had him taken back to bed by force. That's how we both got some relief. Otherwise, who knows who would have collapsed from exhaustion first."
Looking back at the past events, they were all vivid in his mind. Yinzuo was filled with emotion when he looked at the Fourteenth Little One. Yinsi, Yinlu, and Yin? thought about how they were like this when they were little. They couldn't help but talk about their embarrassing childhood stories. The atmosphere in the carriage was quite good.
"Dexi, you personally take people to send your Thirteenth and Fourteenth Masters back. Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Masters, it's getting late now. You should also go back and rest early. You have to go to the study early tomorrow morning."
After strolling around all night, Thirteen and Fourteen were exhausted, and Yinzuo was not relaxed either. Although Dexi, the guards, and Yinsi helped to keep an eye on Thirteen and Fourteen, Yinzuo did not dare to relax at all. Now that he came back, his nerves, which had been tense, relaxed, and he immediately couldn't hold on any longer.
"Sister Xia He, please prepare some water for me. I need to wash up quickly and then go to bed. I'm exhausted from this night!"