Chapter 20
After three or five days, the streets were bustling with people. Walking and looking, under the eaves of every household were fiery red round lanterns, which looked like dense red beans from a distance. Near noon, firecrackers were blasted, drums were beating, and groups of children were running back and forth on the ice lake. Across the bridge, some vendors were ingenious and pasted riddles on the lanterns for people to guess. Winning would bring good luck. Feng Huanhuan looked at the four treasures of the study, folding fans, calligraphy and paintings, rare candies on the wooden table... until her eyes fell on the Western Region medicine bag in the middle. Her eyes suddenly lit up, and she said to Bai Tiao next to her: "Sister, I want that medicine bag."
Bai Tiao smiled and replied, "If sister can't guess, will Huan'er sit on the ground and cry like she did when she was a child?"
"Sister." Although she knew Bai Tiao was joking, Feng Huanhuan still lowered her head in embarrassment, and did not forget to look around, fearing that others would hear it. "Don't talk about the past, it's so embarrassing."
Bai Tiao covered her face and smiled, "Okay, okay, Huan'er has grown up and knows how to be shy. I'll let you guess the lantern riddle now." Then, she looked around and saw rows of red cages tightly connected in a string, with black ink on the back. She looked carefully, as if she was afraid that Huan'er would not be able to get the Western Region medicine bag. It was not until the vendor called out "girl" that she picked up the red cage hanging in front of her and pointed at it, "This is it."
"Okay, girl." The vendor happily tore off the red paper behind the red cage, took a look, and said with a smile: "Girl, I ask you to answer, what animal carries a lantern that is so shiny."
Bai Tiao thought for a moment and said with a smile, "Firefly."
The vendor smiled and said, "The girl got it right."
Bai Tiao continued to point to the red cage next to it, one... two... until the fifth one. If anyone guessed correctly, they would get the Western Region medicine bag.
The vendor was not very old, and he kept looking at the girl in front of him with an admiring look. Today, during the Lantern Festival, the one who guessed the most riddles was a young man who had just left, but he only guessed three correctly. He bought these riddles from the Scholars Academy at a high price, but he didn't expect that this girl could guess four at once.
But the fifth one is the most difficult one - a desert walker carrying a mountain on his back.
Feng Huanhuan saw Bai Tiao frowning and biting her lower lip in deep thought, feeling very embarrassed. So, she gently pulled Bai Tiao's sleeve and leaned over to whisper, "Sister Bai, I don't want it anymore, let's go."
But Bai Tiao seemed to be making things difficult for him. He was very stubborn and refused to leave. "I must guess it."
Feng Huanhuan and Feicui looked at each other and said nothing. Beside Bai Tiao stood the new maid Haitang, who was timid and didn't like to talk. Feng Huanhuan wanted to ask Bai Tiao's maid to say something to dissuade her, but when she thought about how she had just glanced at Haitang and frightened her to the ground, she gave up the idea. Not to mention dissuading her, she probably didn't even dare to say a word to Bai Tiao.
Seeing that there was really no other way, he could only let Bai Tiao stand there. When the situation was at a stalemate, he suddenly heard a male voice behind him, saying, "Camel."
The three of them turned around at the same time, and the smiles of surprise on their faces suddenly froze into ice. The man in front of them was the sickly Third Prince. Feng Huanhuan looked him up and down without any hesitation. He was wearing a fruit green satin robe and holding a folding fan. He looked decent, but his raised eyebrows showed that he had bad intentions. So, she stepped forward and deliberately stood in front of Bai Tiao, saying to him, "Why is the Third Prince not eating in the palace and coming to the market to guess lantern riddles?"
Yu Yu still had a fake smile on his face, "Miss Feng, what you said is not right." While speaking, his eyes kept scanning Bai Tiao restlessly, very provocative, "I came to the market to appreciate the street view of Fanrong, to sympathize with the people, to see if there is anything that needs to be reported to the emperor, which can be regarded as helping the people, right?"
"Women should not discuss politics. I'm sorry that I can't reply to the Third Prince's words. There are differences between men and women. Sister Bai and I are not married yet, so I'm afraid we can't reminisce with the Third Prince on the street." Feng Huanhuan bowed, "Third Prince, I'll take my leave first."
Feng Huanhuan immediately pulled Bai Tiao's arm, trying to flee as quickly as possible, but the Third Prince was quick and took only one step forward to stop the two of them, "Miss Feng, Miss Bai, please stay. Isn't it fate for us to meet each other in this huge market during the Lantern Festival? How about this, I'll be the host. I heard that the glutinous rice balls at Taotie Pavilion today are filled with red beans, which are very delicious."
"I thank the Third Prince for his kindness, but I have already told my father that I will return home to have the reunion dinner before dinner. The elders also know that Sister Bai is a guest at the Feng Mansion and cannot suddenly change the schedule. Please forgive me, Third Prince."
Feng Huanhuan's words were irresistible. Firstly, she had specifically asked Minister Feng to wait for them after they finished their meal. Secondly, the elders also knew their itinerary. If they wanted to change the itinerary, they would have to report back first. At that time, they had no say in the matter.
Yu Yu narrowed his eyes and looked at Feng Huanhuan. He hadn't seen her for a few years. The little girl had grown into a stunning beauty, but her sharp tongue really made people dislike her. Seeing that he couldn't trick her away, he didn't force her. He really couldn't afford to offend the Shangshu Mansion at the moment. So, he stepped aside and said with regret: "In this case, I won't force you. At the poetry appreciation meeting in a few days, the two ladies can't refuse me like this."
Before Feng Huanhuan could reply, the Third Prince glanced at Bai Tiao and turned away. Feng Huanhuan knew what he was thinking, and she was so angry that she glared at him and scolded him, "This Third Prince is really a big offender."
"Never mind, he is just a nobody, like an autumn leaf passing by. Huan'er doesn't need to care about him." After saying that, Bai Tiao walked towards the lantern riddle stall, picked up the Western medicine bag, and said to the vendor, "We want this, okay?"
The vendor nodded quickly, "Okay, okay, okay, girl, please take your pick. Anything here will do."
Seeing them go away, the peddler breathed a sigh of relief. He had already heard what the three of them said. Each of them was someone he could not afford to offend. If he had known this, he would have just given them the sachets directly.
The six streets and three alleys were crowded with people, leaving the lantern riddle stall. After crossing the bridge, Feng Huanhuan walked in front, still feeling angry. Seeing that there were fewer people, she stopped, turned around, pulled Bai Tiao to the corner, and asked, "Sister Bai, stay away from the Third Prince in the future. He has bad intentions towards you."
Bai Tiao's lips curved into a gentle arc, "Huan'er, I know."
"Do you know the third prince's intention?" Feng Huanhuan asked.
"I know." Bai Tiao said.
Feng Huanhuan stared blankly: "Then why don't you respond at all? Could it be that you like the Third Prince?"
"Why would I fall for the Third Prince? I just don't want to get entangled with him any more." Bai Tiao said.
"Then...then why are you so indifferent?" Feng Huanhuan was really puzzled.
"Because... there's no point in being anxious." She was like a puppet in the Prime Minister's Mansion. No, it should be that the entire Prime Minister's Mansion was under the control of her father. Who could escape from her father's Five Fingers Mountain? Whether she accepted her fate or was incompetent, she was afraid that she would never be able to escape from the giant hand on her head in this life, so why bother involving others.
Bai Tiao lowered her eyes, the cold wind blew gently, her hair fluttered in the wind, and her pale face made her look powerless. She felt uncomfortable, stepped forward and held Bai Tiao's hand, looked at her steadily and said, "The Third Prince is not to be feared, but the Concubine Cihe behind him is difficult to deal with. I believe you have also received the invitation to enter the palace. The reward from Concubine Cihe must be the Hongmen Banquet, otherwise, sister, pretend to be sick and don't go."
There was no way she would not go. Her father would be the first to disagree. Bai Tiao covered her hand. Seeing Feng Huanhuan's worried look, she interrupted him intentionally and said, "Huan'er, thank you. I am your elder sister, but I have caused you so much worry. Let's not talk about me. Let's talk about you. Tell me the truth. What happened between you and Han Liqing?"
Feng Huanhuan's face instantly turned red, and she lowered her head in embarrassment. Her voice was not as loud as before, and she said softly, "Nothing happened."
Bai Tiao joked, "You still want to lie to me? When you saw Han Liqing, your eyes were full of stars, not to mention me or Feng Shangshu."
Feng Huanhuan raised her head suddenly and denied, "I... I don't have that." Seeing Bai Tiao looking at her with a smile, she asked angrily, "Is it that obvious?"
"What else? I can see it. Minister Feng must have seen it a long time ago." Bai Tiao said.
"Well, you can see it, anyway, I just like him, it's not something to be ashamed of." Feng Huanhuan was open-minded, and in just a few breaths, she lost her shyness and continued to walk forward with Bai Tiao, "Sister Bai, I like him and want to marry him."
She said it very seriously and confidently, which shocked Bai Tiao, who had only taken a few steps, and suddenly stopped walking. She tilted her head and asked, "Huan'er, have you thought it through?"
Feng Huanhuan nodded: "Yeah, when I saw him for the first time, my heart started pounding, and I had an indescribable emotion. It felt like I had known him for a long time." She looked at Bai Tiao, confusion in her eyes, "I don't know why, he always looks cold, but he only smiles at me. With that face that doesn't have any extra expressions, I can always sense whether he's sad or happy at the first moment. When he's sad, my heart aches uncontrollably, and when he's happy, I seem to be happier than my own business. Sister, is this love?"
Bai Tiao looked at her. This little girl was usually carefree. Since she lost her mother when she was young, her heart was more sensitive and fragile than ordinary people. Now that she could say such words, she must have loved him deeply without knowing it.
So, she touched Feng Huanhuan's hair and said softly, "Huan'er, this is love."
"But...how does Han Liqing treat you?" She was afraid that Feng Huanhuan was just being too enthusiastic. If that was the case, how could she feel at ease?
Feng Huanhuan blinked her eyes and paced slowly, as if she was lost in memories: "He treated me very well and never lost his temper with me. When I deliberately made trouble for him, he never got angry and always looked at me and smiled. When I wanted to see him, he would always appear in front of me at the first time. He listened to me and did what I said. No matter what I wanted to do, even if it was boring or unreasonable, he would accompany me."
As she was talking, Bai Tiao saw a trace of loneliness in Feng Huanhuan's eyes, although it was only for a moment. She was suspicious and was about to ask, but Feng Huanhuan suddenly jumped up happily and said, "I don't care, I just want to marry him."
Even so, she always felt that Han Fengci was looking through her and seeing others.
Bai Tiao was relieved to see Feng Huanhuan so happy. Maybe she was just suspicious and saw it wrong. So, she smiled from the bottom of her heart: "I heard from Huan'er that Han Liqing is a good man. Being able to marry a man you love is something that many girls from official families can't ask for. Huan'er must be happy."
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