On the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, as soon as night falls, the streets and alleys are decorated with colorful lanterns, creating a dreamlike scene.
Mingxuan finally overcame the many obstacles set up by his future father-in-law and took her out to play in the street.
Along the way, Zhao Zhao was as excited as a happy little bird, chirping incessantly.
"Mingxuan, Mingxuan! I want to eat candied hawthorn, dragon beard candy, pea cake, almond tofu..."
During this time, the girl was kept very strict by her mother, and now she was so hungry that her mouth was practically watering.
Seeing Zhao Zhao's adorable expression, Ming Xuan waved his hand and replied, "Okay! I'll buy you anything Zhao Zhao wants!"
The roadsides were lined with all sorts of exquisite lanterns, a feast for the eyes.
However, none of the dazzling lanterns could capture Zhaozhao's attention.
At that moment, all she could see and thought about were those tempting dishes.
And so, the two walked slowly along the bustling street, Zhao Zhao constantly chewing on various snacks, thoroughly enjoying herself.
Even Mingxuan, who was standing to the side, couldn't bear to watch any longer. He gently tugged at Zhaozhao's sleeve and said softly, "Zhaozhao, stop eating all the time. Look, there's a riddle-guessing game over there. If you see a pretty lantern that you like, I'll go and win it back for you, okay?"
However, Zhao Zhao shook her head without hesitation and replied in a coquettish tone, "No, I have absolutely no interest in solving riddles, and besides, I heard there's a really delicious fried cake shop on the street ahead, and I want to eat it!"
Faced with Zhao Zhao's insistence, Ming Xuan was a little helpless, but he still gently reached out and touched her round little belly, and said with a smile, "Zhao Zhao, today is the Lantern Festival. If we don't even bring a lantern home, your parents will definitely get suspicious. How about this, let's take a walk, you can keep me company, and then we'll go buy fried cakes later, okay?"
Zhao Zhao struggled internally for a while before nodding hesitantly.
Both of them were fond of lively places, so naturally they went to the place with the most people.
The two moved slowly forward with the surging crowd, and soon arrived in front of a towering pavilion that seemed to reach into the clouds.
Looking up, the pavilion is magnificent, with carved beams and painted rafters, and is extremely beautiful.
"Huh? Why are there so many lights on in Moonlight Pavilion today?" Mingxuan asked suspiciously.
Before they could finish speaking, a passerby dressed as a scholar glanced at them sideways, a contemptuous smile playing on his lips, and sneered, "Where did you country bumpkins come from? You don't even know the rules of Moonbeam Pavilion!"
Upon hearing this, Mingxuan immediately lost his temper and retorted, "You think you know so much! Then you should explain it to us properly!"
Perhaps provoked by Mingxuan's words, or perhaps wanting to show off his erudition, the scholar actually began to speak eloquently.
According to him, a hundred years ago, there was an honest and upright official in this area.
This man risked his life to protect the people of Yunzhou from foreign invasion, ultimately sacrificing himself on this land.
To commemorate this heroic figure, the local people spontaneously raised funds to build the Moonlit Tower.
This incorruptible official not only cared deeply for the people, but was also a refined scholar with exceptional literary talent.
To forever commemorate his achievements and virtues, the local wealthy merchants jointly discussed and formulated a special rule.
Every year, local wealthy businessmen meticulously commission several lanterns, each a masterpiece of craftsmanship.
These lanterns will be hung on the six floors of Moonlit Tower, and the exquisiteness of the lanterns will increase with each floor from low to high.
If someone can successfully guess the riddle in the lantern hanging upstairs, then that person can take that lantern home.
You should know that every year during the Lantern Festival, a peerless treasure, unparalleled in the world and capable of outshining all other lanterns in the city, would be hung high on the top floor of the Moonlit Pavilion.
Legend has it that this lantern was meticulously crafted with funds jointly raised by wealthy merchants from all over Yunzhou.
Its exorbitant cost is astonishing, not to mention its stunning beauty, which has captivated men and women throughout the city.
Although the six tiers of lanterns below are updated and replaced every year to maintain their freshness and appeal, this "King of Lanterns" remains hanging there year after year.
Every year, countless ambitious people rush here, each vowing to win the title of "King of Lanterns".
However, in the end, they all failed miserably.
Just then, a harsh word reached Mingxuan's ears.
"For a country bumpkin like you, being able to witness it with your own eyes is already an extremely honorable thing. Don't even think about things that don't belong to you!"
Upon hearing this, Mingxuan was instantly enraged.
He was in a pretty good mood and just wanted to join in the fun, but he never expected to be so disrespected and insulted.
Although he had only recently arrived in Yunzhou from Lizhou, he didn't deserve such ridicule!
So, with his eyebrows raised and no backing down, he retorted, "Mind your own business! I'm going to guess it today!"
Upon hearing this, the other party snorted coldly, his face showing disdain, and mocked, "How arrogant!"
"Let's have a competition and see who can finally claim the crown of the King of Lanterns!"
"Hmph, you really don't know your place. Since that's the case, let's have a match! But let's make it clear beforehand, if you lose, you'll have to kneel down and admit defeat!"
"Fine! If you lose, then kneel down and admit your mistake!"
Hearing this, Mingxuan was furious, but he suppressed his anger and gritted his teeth as he replied, "No problem! If you lose in the end, then you'll have to kneel down and admit your mistake!"
Thus, in a moment of impulsive loyalty, Mingxuan agreed without a second thought.
After he calmed down a bit, he suddenly realized his recklessness.
Mingxuan looked around and saw Zhaozhao standing with her arms crossed, coldly observing him, her face clearly showing an expression of indifference.
Mingxuan felt embarrassed and guilty, and could only lower his head dejectedly.
Just then, the man opposite him, seeing this, assumed that Mingxuan had repented and immediately mocked him smugly, "What's wrong, kid? Are you scared and want to back out? If you're smart enough to say 'Grandpa, I was wrong' now, maybe I'll be in a good mood and let you off the hook!"
These words were like adding fuel to the fire, and Mingxuan's anger, which had just subsided, surged up again like a volcanic eruption.
Meanwhile, the merchant who was watching the spectacle from inside the pavilion, seeing that the two men's gambling game had attracted the attention of many passersby, quickly ordered his servants to bring him the riddle test paper.
Mingxuan, with a blank expression, went upstairs and took the riddle test paper handed to him by the servants.
They answered each question one by one, and the two were evenly matched.
However, the questions became increasingly difficult as they progressed, and Mingxuan gradually found it challenging.
Looking at the scholar, he was also sweating profusely with anxiety.
Despite this, the two gritted their teeth and stumbled their way to the fourth floor.
The scholar had a flash of inspiration and answered the question on the fourth floor first, then went up to the fifth floor.
In contrast, Mingxuan seemed somewhat hesitant and dawdling.
After pondering for a long time, he finally managed to come up with an answer, and then slowly followed along with heavy steps.
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