Chapter 232 Lanterns
Qi Yuxuan followed that figure for two streets.
However, just after turning a corner, the figure suddenly disappeared, and she abruptly stopped in her tracks.
Qi Yuxuan realized something was wrong.
Why didn't she think it through before impulsively following the person?
She stood there, recalling what had just happened. When that familiar figure passed by, there seemed to be a strange fragrance wafting through the air…
Qi Yuxuan's anxiety gradually subsided. Looking around, she realized that she was standing at the entrance of a somewhat deserted alley, with no one in front or behind her, quite far from the bustling lantern festival.
Thinking that she shouldn't stay here any longer, Qi Yuxuan turned around and bumped into two tall, burly drunk men.
Both of them were drunk and staggered as they walked. They rushed up to Qi Yuxuan in just a few steps.
"Oh, such a pretty young lady, why are you here at the lantern festival all by yourself? Would you like your brothers to keep you company?"
Just as one of them was about to reach out and touch Qi Yuxuan's face, a sharp stone flew out from behind him and knocked his hand away.
"Who?! Who attacked me?! Show yourself if you dare!"
Ren Shun made no attempt to hide his disgust, and just as he was about to make a move, he heard his master calmly speak.
"Don't take any lives, let's go."
The two drunkards appeared suddenly, and since they were not skilled in martial arts, it was clear that they had discovered Ren Shun was with her. Therefore, they stopped trying to lead her away and instead sent two men to try to stop her.
Ren Shun quickly twisted their wrists out of place. Hearing the sudden howling behind him, he then flew after Qi Yuxuan, who had already walked out of the alley.
“I can go after the person that Master wants to follow.”
"No need, you can stay by my side."
Sending Ren Shun might give them a chance to catch up with the person, but who knows if this isn't a diversionary tactic?
Qi Yuxuan had recovered from her dazed state and felt that the lantern festival had lost its previous liveliness and joy, and was now filled with an eerie atmosphere.
Not long after they came out, they met the Crown Prince and his entourage, who happened to be strolling around the area.
Qi Minying and Zheng Yanling pulled her on either side, asking who the acquaintance from earlier was.
“I was mistaken, that wasn’t the person, so I rescued him immediately.”
Qi Yuxuan smiled and didn't say anything more.
"Selling candied hawthorns! Three coins a skewer, five coins for two skewers. Only two skewers left! We're closing up shop when they're sold out!"
A hawker's cry brushed past the group of people, and Qi Minying's fingers twitched.
She's never tried candied hawthorns from outside the palace.
The candied hawthorns made by the imperial chefs were naturally exquisite and delicious, but they could get cloying if eaten too often. She wanted to try the ones sold by the street vendors outside the palace.
"Want some?" Qi Yuxuan asked her.
"Does Sister Yuxuan want some?"
Qi Minying was worried that her eating might seem abrupt, so she wanted to involve another person.
Hearing their conversation, Zheng Yanling chuckled and said, "I'll go buy two skewers."
Just as she turned to walk back, Qi Wenyue, for some reason, suddenly turned around and rushed to the old man selling candied hawthorns.
"I'll buy two skewers!"
Qi Wenyue tore off her purse and handed it over.
As a princess, her purse was bulging with loose silver; she could hardly find even a tael of silver, let alone a single coin.
The old man paused for a moment, then frowned: "Young lady, if you're not going to buy, don't stop me from doing business!"
Qi Wenyue raised an eyebrow, thinking that the other person hadn't heard what she had just said:
"I said, you can have all this money! Just sell me the last two strings of candied hawthorns!"
The old man seemed to have never encountered someone like this before. He tried to walk past her with his candied hawthorns, but Zheng Yanling stopped him and handed him exactly five copper coins.
"Grandpa, I'd like to buy some candied hawthorns, the last two skewers!"
The old man grinned, revealing two rows of large teeth, and said, "Alright!"
Qi Wenyue rushed forward in disbelief: "I wanted to buy it first, Zheng Yanling, can't you be reasonable?!"
"Whoever pays first buys first, don't you even know that rule?"
Zheng Yanling glanced at her, then happily took the two strings of candied hawthorns and headed back.
"You're not allowed to leave! Those are the candied hawthorns I wanted to buy!"
Qi Wenyue stomped her foot in anger and tried to stop her, but Zheng Yanling was very agile and dodged away with a twist of her body.
"What do you mean you want to buy? You're trying to use a whole bag of silver to buy two strings of candied hawthorns for five coins. No wonder they won't even look at you. You don't think those businessmen are all fools, do you? 'A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime.' Who would dare take so much silver? Stupid."
Qi Wenyue gritted her teeth: "You!!!"
Zheng Yanling wasn't going to tolerate her. She stuffed a string of candied hawthorns into Qi Yuxuan's and Qi Minying's hands and glared back at them.
"What do you mean, 'you'? You feel better if you make others uncomfortable? The young master and young lady are still here, so stop being so petty!"
She had already figured it out. Qi Wenyue had only interrupted because she overheard them talking about buying candied hawthorns, and she didn't really want to buy any. She probably wouldn't even take a bite of them and would just toss them aside.
Her grandfather was a retired prime minister, her grandmother was the Princess of Pingyin, and her father and uncles were also officials in the court. The Zheng family was not afraid of her, a bald princess who had nothing.
The little incident was quickly put to rest, and Qi Wenyue was already trailing behind, her gaze fixed on the people in front of her like a venomous snake.
"There's a beautiful lantern over there! Sister Yuxuan, come and see!"
Qi Minying shouted excitedly.
The crowd looked in the direction she was pointing and saw a glass lotus lantern hanging high above. Below it, some kind of vendors were surrounded by a huge crowd of people.
"I know that one."
Zheng Yanling explained with a smile, "That's the Zhao family's lantern shop. Every year at the lantern festival, there's a riddle-guessing game to win a lantern. If the winner tonight hasn't appeared yet, this seven-colored glass lotus lantern will be hung high up, so those people are probably there to guess the riddles."
"A riddle? Let's go check it out!"
Qi Minying pulled the two of them into the crowd. After finally squeezing to the front, she saw the riddles written on the lanterns and immediately looked miserable and pouted.
"A white dragon lies in a crystal cup, while a jade pestle pounds the Guanghan Palace."
"General Bamboo built a city for self-defense, General Paper surrounded it on all sides, General Iron passed through the city, and General Little broke through the city in pursuit... What is all this? I don't understand any of it."
She pouted and looked around. Zheng Yanling crossed her arms and looked up at the sky, helpless. Qi Yuxuan frowned, clearly not looking like she was good at solving the mystery.
Qi Minying blinked and looked at Qi Jun, who had followed behind her:
"Brother? I want that lantern, can you help me win it?"
When suddenly asked, Qi Jun's first reaction was to refuse.
Even if he weren't the crown prince now, he should strive for what he wants himself, rather than relying on others. That's his consistent style.
But Qi Yuxuan was also looking over at Qi Minying.
The two little girls' eyes were sparkling; they clearly loved the lamp.
He weighed the options in his mind for a moment and then came to his answer.
"Then you two stay here and wait obediently."
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