Prince An, dressed in a silver-white robe and draped in a white cloak, stood out from the crowd, completely out of place among the people behind him.
When he saw Fang Ruotang, a gentle smile appeared on his lips, making him look like a celestial being amidst the colorful lanterns illuminating the street.
"Brother Ziqi, you've come too."
Fang Ruotang stepped forward, looking up with a smile, and happily looked at the suddenly appearing Prince An. Prince An's smile widened, and he took out a warm paper package from his sleeve and handed it to Fang Ruotang.
"I tried some of the new pastries that the chefs at the manor have developed, and I thought they tasted quite good, so I brought some out for you to try. If you like them, I'll bring you more next time."
"Okay! Thank you, Brother Ziqi."
Fang Ruotang took the pastry, opened it, ate a piece, and praised it as delicious. She then divided the pastry among the six people. The small package was enough for each of them to finish in two bites.
Prince An took a handkerchief and gently wiped away the residue from the corner of Fang Ruotang's mouth.
"Alright, another pretty little girl."
Prince An tucked the wiped handkerchief into his sleeve and smiled as he praised Fang Ruotang.
Fang Ruotang squinted her eyes happily, thoroughly enjoying herself.
"This is the first New Year I've spent with you. I hope that every year from now on, I will have the honor of being by your side and seeing the beauty of this world with you."
"Okay!" Fang Ruotang accepted the red envelope from Fang Ruotang and readily agreed.
Anyway, Little Mirror said that although they were not husband and wife or lovers before, the six princes had accompanied her through countless years, and it seemed that nothing had changed.
"The time has come, let's go up!"
After the minor official in charge of the fireworks came and said a few words to the Crown Prince, he interrupted their tender conversation and took Fang Ruotang up to the Star-Picking Tower.
In the past, only the emperor and empress could ascend the Star-Picking Tower. Fang Ruotang hesitated for a moment, and seeing that the crown prince did not mention it, she did not suggest that the other four go upstairs to watch the fireworks together.
The Crown Prince noticed Fang Ruotang's subtle actions, but pretended not to see them. At this moment, he would rather stand alone with Fang Ruotang on the Star-Picking Tower. In this moment, he would feel that they belonged only to each other.
This wasn't the first time Fang Ruotang had spoken to the people at the Star-Picking Tower, so she was already quite composed. After saying a few more polite words, the Crown Prince ordered fireworks to be set off throughout the city. As the fireworks burst in the sky, Fang Ruotang cheered, and the Crown Prince looked down at her.
"Brother Crown Prince, look at the fireworks! Why are you looking at me?"
You're more beautiful than fireworks!
Fang Ruotang wasn't particularly romantic, but she thought the words sounded nice. She shifted her gaze from the fireworks to the Crown Prince's face, and seeing her own smiling reflection in his eyes, she thought she looked quite good.
Fang Ruotang threw herself into the Crown Prince's arms, hugged his waist, and said coquettishly, "Your eyes are most beautiful when you look at me, as bright as the stars in the night sky."
The prince chuckled softly. The little girl was never at a disadvantage. Every time she praised them, it was as if she was praising herself. But when she coaxed her family, she didn't act like that at all.
Watching the little girl playfully nestled in his arms, tugging at him to shield herself from the wind in her adorable way, he couldn't resist lowering his head and gently pressing his lips to hers.
Fang Ruotang subconsciously parted her lips slightly, and the Crown Prince's heart trembled. He hugged Fang Ruotang and moved a step inward, then turned his back to the outside until the people below the Star-Picking Tower could no longer see the two of them. Only then did he indulge in deepening the kiss.
Amidst a sky full of fireworks, the two embraced and kissed, their love overflowing.
The four people downstairs looked grim and uncomfortable. Another man hiding in the corner had a sharp glint in his eyes. He licked his lips with a look of infatuation and stared at the Star-Picking Tower with a determined expression.
The fireworks lasted for fifteen minutes, and the two kissed for fifteen minutes on the Star-Picking Tower. When the fireworks stopped and the sky returned to its original darkness, the two finally left the Star-Picking Tower.
Upon seeing the four men waiting in front of the building, Fang Ruotang immediately dropped her radiant and sweet smile, and said somewhat guiltily, "The fireworks were so beautiful, did you see them?"
"Yes! That's wonderful!" The young prince, twirling his long tail, asked in a flippant tone, "Such beautiful fireworks, I wonder if Xiao Ruoruo could watch them with me alone next time?"
The young prince emphasized the word "alone" with particular force, and his phoenix eyes scanned her red lips blatantly.
"...Okay, okay!"
[Why does it seem like the young prince knows something?]
Feeling guilty, Fang Ruotang couldn't help but talk to the little mirror.
The little mirror conjured a wisp of smoke, which it shook in its hand. It thought with a touch of pity, "Oh, me, such a simple-minded adult! When will you ever realize what they all feel in common?"
Ye Wuxia chuckled softly and gave Fang Ruotang's lips a suggestive wipe.
"Remember to wipe your mouth next time you sneak a bite."
Fang Ruotang's face flushed red instantly. She subconsciously covered her mouth and secretly wiped her lips, which were clean and not noticeably wet.
You're lying to me!
Fang Ruotang realized what was happening, widened her eyes, and put on a show of bravado.
"Tsk!" Ye Wuxia chuckled, not wanting to continue discussing how passionate and romantic Fang Ruotang's kiss with the Crown Prince had been.
"Alright, let's go watch the show! I just heard from the locals that a monkey that can understand human speech performed acrobatics a couple of days ago. Shall we go check it out?"
"Okay!"
Fang Ruotang immediately sheathed her soft thorns and smiled as if nothing had happened. After all, she usually turned a blind eye to these jealous and rivalry situations unless it escalated to the point where she had to take charge.
The main reason is that after she realized her true feelings had been revealed, she understood one thing: these men knew how to restrain themselves and never made things difficult for her. They could comfort themselves and maintain a superficial balance.
Her involvement would actually backfire, since a single wrong word could easily make people think she was favoring someone else. It would be better to remain perfectly hidden in the midst of this conflict.
It was terrible, but I have to admit, it was beneficial to her.
In the past, the city was crowded during the New Year, but it was not as crowded as it is this year. After all, this year, not only people from the capital, but also farmers from nearby villages, whose lives have improved, are willing to spend a copper coin or two to come to the capital for a visit.
With the Imperial Preceptor in the capital, many wealthy people from surrounding cities flocked to the capital, hoping to catch a glimpse of him during the New Year. Under the Crown Prince's persistent brainwashing, the people of Dayong now believed that a single glance at Fang Ruotang would bring them good fortune and longevity, causing the inns in the capital to be completely full.
Fang Ruotang, surrounded by five large men, was restless and tried to squeeze forward like a monkey. The Crown Prince pulled her into his arms and warned, "Don't try to squeeze in."
There were six of them in total, and twice as many guards in the open. It wasn't difficult for them to go in any direction. The difficulty lay in controlling Fang Ruotang.
The Crown Prince glanced at the four men present. The one who was the most unpredictable was not there, which was clearly unusual given his affection for Fang Ruotang.
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