Chapter 126 What dish is called "Frosty Snow Reflecting Glass"?
"You..." Xie Mingyi looked at him in surprise, "When have you ever seen me play the piano? How come I don't know?"
She thought about it carefully and confirmed that she had never played the guqin in front of He Chuan. How strange.
He Chuan said, "At the banquet that hosted the Northern Rong, Miss Xie's performance was stunning and is still talked about by officials who were building the canal gates. I heard it too and was filled with admiration, so I made this revolving lantern and wanted to give it to you."
In fact, He Chuan had indeed seen Xie Mingyi play the piano. Just a few days ago, at a banquet, he didn't show his face, but secretly watched her from the side.
In He Chuan's eyes, Xie Mingyi was already very beautiful on ordinary days, but when she sat behind the guqin, she had an even more indescribable charm.
Elegance, confidence, and the majestic aura of the music surrounded her, captivating He Chuan's gaze.
He felt that Xie Mingyi was like the bright moon in the sky, while he was like a rat crawling in the shadows of a ditch, trying his best to jump around, but he could only catch a glimpse of the bright moon.
So he didn't dare to ask for too much. Besides studying hard and waiting for the autumn examination, he could only make some little trinkets in his spare time, hoping to make her happy.
"I like it very much, thank you, Young Master He."
Xie Mingyi picked up the revolving lantern with a bright smile, staring at it intently, overjoyed. After all, no one can resist something beautiful that has been carefully crafted for them.
"I'm glad Miss Xie likes it." It's worth it to get a smile from her.
Xie Mingyi was also interested in the other lanterns. In order not to disturb other customers, she strolled behind the stall and stood next to He Chuan.
"Could you tell me about the other lanterns?"
Xie Mingyi stood right beside him, her presence extremely strong, like a luminous pearl emitting a soft glow. He Chuan couldn't help but hold his breath, his hands and feet stiffening.
He replied dryly, "Okay."
There's no need to accommodate others, because the customer this stall has always wanted to serve is right next to the stall owner.
He Chuan, who was initially giving a rather dull introduction, gradually got into the swing of things and became more and more engrossed in explaining his design principles.
Unbeknownst to him, he was radiating wisdom and had become a dazzling little sun in the eyes of others.
Watching Xie Mingyi playing with the bamboo cage, He Chuan took a deep breath and said casually, "Recently, many people have introduced their sons to Governor Xie. I wonder if Miss Xie has any discerning eyes who wouldn't be wary of me? I can investigate their character for you..."
Seeing Xie Mingyi turn to look at him, He Chuan calmly added, "Miss has been kind to me, please allow me to do something practical for you."
Xie Mingyi tossed the bamboo cage in her hand back and forth, lowered her eyes and said, "No, this young lady will not get married."
"Why?" He Chuan asked, puzzled.
Perhaps it was the gentle evening breeze, or the romantic candlelight in the bamboo cage, but He Chuan's expression was very serious.
For the first time, Xie Mingyi revealed her deepest secret to someone else. That day, she prayed to God, offering to remain unmarried for life in exchange for Xie Mianmian's safe return.
"This matter is known only to Heaven, Earth, you, and me. Don't tell my father," Xie Mingyi said with a smile.
"Miss, what are you doing...?"
Xie Mingyi put her index finger to her lips and blinked her left eye.
“Miss, do you believe that anything is possible with human effort? I’ve had a dream since I was little: to fly freely in the sky like a bird. I know I can’t, but what I do can.”
As he spoke, He Chuan took out a bamboo slip from his pocket and spun it around. With a gentle twist of his hand, the bamboo slip spun and flew into the dark blue sky.
The two people, shoulder to shoulder, looked up together, watching the bamboo strip leap over the colorful lantern stalls across the river, over the shimmering, azure water, and into the unknown sky.
Just then, someone set off fireworks on the opposite bank of the river. With a sharp whooshing sound, golden flowers exploded in the sky.
The dazzling fireworks reflected in Xie Mingyi's eyes, and He Chuan turned his head to admire the spectacle through her eyes.
They didn't even realize when the bamboo slip had fallen to the ground; it was picked up by the children who were laughing and playing nearby.
In this small corner, the two stood behind the stall, letting the bustling crowds walk past the vibrant colors. They were secluded in their corner, observing the world from the sidelines.
He Chuan said softly, "Man proposes, God disposes. The princess is extremely intelligent. I believe that her escape from danger was the result of the efforts of many. Why punish yourself, Miss? I'm sure the princess wouldn't want to see you like this..."
Xie Mingyi tilted her head to look at him, "What you said... is correct."
He Chuan scratched the back of his head and laughed.
"I'll think it over carefully." Xie Mingyi gazed at the dissipating dust in the sky. "Let's not waste this beautiful world, right?"
He Chuan nodded excitedly, not knowing why he was so excited. Before he could finish being happy, a huge sense of crisis rose in his heart.
He just... was he trying to persuade the woman he loves to get married?!
With a "splat," He Chuan's heart, once as precious as glass, shattered.
Meanwhile, Xie Mianmian and her group entered the century-old shop.
The shop is small and simply decorated. To the right of the door is a counter, and against the wall are several wooden shelves that look like they are made of untreated logs. Some jars are scattered on the shelves.
The shop was quiet, with no customers, only the shopkeeper behind the counter dozing off.
Xie Mianmian found a wooden table near the window and sat on the same long bench as the Seventh Prince.
The wooden table and bench were clearly used for a long time, with many small splinters sticking out of them.
Xie Mianmian touched the prickly thorns on the edge of the wooden table, then leaned close to the Seventh Prince's ear and said, "This place truly lives up to its reputation as a century-old establishment. This is what you call 'rustic charm,' isn't it!"
It was rare to see such a unique and simple restaurant, and Xie Mianmian looked around with curiosity.
Eunuch Li shouted loudly, "Waiter, come quickly and take our order!"
"Hey, he's here!" The curtain connecting the lobby to the kitchen was lifted, and a tall man dressed in coarse linen clothes walked out. The man was the waiter.
The waiter trotted to the table and said, "I'm sorry, I have something to do today and cannot serve customers. Please go straight out the door."
"Hehe, I didn't know that. Is your shop willing to serve customers?" Eunuch Li took out a silver ingot from his sleeve and handed it to the waiter.
All Eunuch Li knew was that his masters wanted to dine here, so he would do his best to make it happen.
The waiter's eyes lit up, and he said obsequiously, "Yes, sir. You can take a look at the menu on the wall; those are all our signature dishes."
Xie Mianmian looked up and saw many wooden signs hanging on the wall beside her, with words engraved on them. These must be the menus for customers to choose from.
The Seventh Prince said, "You can order the dishes. You should be able to recognize all the characters on the menu."
Huh? Weren't we here to eat, drink, and have fun? Why do we need to learn to read?
Xie Mianmian tried hard to recognize the words on the wooden sign. The words looked familiar to her, but she couldn't recognize them when they were put together.
What does it mean to have frost and snow reflecting on crystal?
Is this the name of a dish? How come I've never heard of it before? Am I just ignorant?
Xie Mianmian tugged at the Seventh Prince's sleeve and asked, "Young Master Zhou, do you recognize the dishes on the menu?"
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