Chapter 141 Who Invited Me to the Lantern Festival?
The first snow has just stopped, and New Year's Day has arrived.
Smoke from countless chimneys urges the rice to ripen, red talismans reflect the snow, and new peaches gleam brightly; the whole city is bustling with activity, all preparing for New Year's Day.
The cold mist dissipates, and warmth fills every doorway; the aroma of pepper wine wafts through the new year.
After New Year's Eve comes the Lantern Festival. According to Dongxi tradition, the imperial guards do not lift the curfew on the Lantern Festival. High-ranking families and ordinary people alike can enjoy the grand celebration. It is a rare day in the year when the entire city of Yanjing is celebrating. Even late at night, the streets and alleys are still brightly lit and bustling with activity.
Yue Yining doesn't have the habit of celebrating festivals. Last year, she stayed in the princess's mansion to avoid the hustle and bustle during the Lantern Festival. But this year, it seems that fate is forcing her to join in the fun.
The day before the Lantern Festival, she had just returned home from her shift when she saw Fu Yao standing solemnly at the palace gate.
Ha! Look at that posture, he looks just like a door god.
Yue Yining sensed something was wrong. "What happened, Yao Yao?"
Fu Yao looked aggrieved and said in a stiff tone, "Miss, please come in and take a look."
Yue Yining entered the hall completely bewildered, but upon seeing the three invitations on the table, each with a different format and style, she vaguely understood.
She sat down and carefully examined the covers of the three invitations, all of which invited her to visit the Lantern Festival the following night.
The first letter was on slightly casual, dark blue stiff paper, the handwriting familiar; it was from Ye Miheng. Even if he intended to invite her out, the words he wrote were awkwardly incoherent, very much in line with his personality. Yue Yining chuckled, didn't look at it any further, folded the letter neatly, and put it back.
The second letter was extremely neat in style. The plain white paper with gold flecks was cool to the touch and of precious material. The cover had no fancy decorations and the words "To be opened by the person in charge of matters in Yue Du" were written in a meticulous official script. The seal at the seal was very clear and the small and exquisite Qilin button was the Zuo family crest.
Yue Yining understood immediately. She opened the invitation and saw that it was indeed sent by Zuo Xulin.
Compared to Ye Miheng's casual and familiar style, Zuo Xulin's wording was rigorous and restrained, almost like an official document.
"On the Lantern Festival, the imperial guards are relaxed, and all people rejoice together. The lantern market is especially magnificent, with the 'Aoshan Lantern' on Wenyu Street and the 'Thousand Buddha Lotus Lantern' on Riyue Bridge being the most outstanding. I have heard that you, a refined gentleman, live in a secluded place and may not have seen this scene. If Your Excellency would not mind, we can go together at the entrance of Qin Street at 3:45 PM to see it. Respectfully submitted by Zuo Xulin."
At the end of the post, a small, extremely detailed hand-drawn map was also attached, marking the landscapes along the way from Qin Street to Riyue Bridge, showing that thorough preparations had been made in advance.
After reading them, Yue Yining's gaze fell on the last invitation.
The outer layer is a pale blue-green Song brocade with cloud patterns, its texture warm and smooth to the touch; the inner layer is lined with jade-colored silk, its sheen shimmering. The invitation itself is made of specially crafted light pink plum blossom stationery, with subtle patterns of the same color on the surface, elegant and unique. At the seal, a mutton-fat jade clasp is carved into the shape of a half-open white magnolia, tied with a matching crimson silk ribbon.
This was not the kind of invitation that aristocratic families usually use for their distinguished guests; it far exceeded the usual standards and seemed to be specially made for her.
As soon as Yue Yining opened the seal, she smelled a refreshing aroma of tea.
The faint coolness and familiarity jolted her awake instantly.
She paused, then put her finger down after a long while. The invitation's seal was just slightly open, and the letter lay untouched inside.
While she was opening the letter, Fu Yao stood beside her, glaring and chattering about how bad these men were, finally concluding in a clear and resounding voice: "They're all a bunch of shameless bastards!"
Yue Yining burst out laughing at her antics, and the gloomy cloud that had been weighing on her heart was instantly dispelled by the sunshine.
Seeing her so happy, Fu Yao was a little confused: "Miss?"
"It's nothing, nothing at all," Yue Yining said with a smile. "I just think my Yao Yao is so cute."
Fu Yao was still sulking, but Yue Yining's simple words about not needing money completely appeased her. With no one else around in the hall, she simply squatted down and hugged her mistress's waist, burying her head in her arms like a three-year-old child, and said in a muffled voice, "I just don't want to give my mistress to them... Besides, there's no man who's good enough for my mistress."
Yue Yining smiled and patted her head: "Yes, you're right."
Fu Yao seemed encouraged: "Then, Miss, I'll go and throw these invitations away right away!"
“No.” Yue Yining rejected it decisively, even smiling slightly. “I was prepared to accept Lord Zuo’s invitation.”
Fu Yao's face immediately fell: "Miss!!"
"Dealing with him is also part of my job," Yue Yining said with a nonchalant smile. "His Highness treats me well, so naturally I have to prioritize the bigger picture."
Yue Yining had explained the whole story to her beforehand, and Fu Yao was convinced by this reason. She pouted and muttered, "He's really lucky..."
After a brief chat between mistress and servant, Yue Yining prepared to continue her official duties in the hall. Fu Yao tidied up the miscellaneous items on her desk and noticed an invitation that had been torn in half. She hesitated for a moment before picking it up and turning to Yue Yining, who was sitting behind the desk. "Miss, this invitation doesn't seem to have been read yet. Should we put it away with the other two?"
"Okay, put it away." Yue Yining had already opened the document. "I'm not going to look at it anymore."
She wouldn't agree to Xie Qingyu's request, so she simply refused to even look at him, not wanting him to have any chance to sway her.
After returning to her residence, Wei Yihua made a special trip to Yue Yining's palace to see her.
The eldest princess smiled and told her about the latest progress in Jiang Chiyin's gunpowder research: "Doctor Jiang said that she has discovered a way to control the explosion of gunpowder."
"Really?" Yue Yining's eyes lit up. "How's the progress now?"
Wei Yihua: "She adjusted the ratio of saltpeter, sulfur and charcoal, and after pondering for a long time, she discovered that the length of the fuse was related to the speed of ignition. I heard her say that she compressed the gunpowder into layers and wrapped it in a specially made thick paper tube. The fuse passed through the layers of barriers and went straight to the core. In this way, as long as the timing of ignition is controlled, the explosion time can be controlled."
Yue Yining nodded repeatedly: "I see, that is indeed a good method. I heard that she has been testing the power of the explosion in the back mountain these past few days, has she already made a sample?"
“Yes, she gave me a sample and said this thing is called ‘fireworks’. It can shoot gunpowder into the sky and explode. It can be successfully ignited nine out of ten times. She has perfected it to a very high level,” Wei Yihua said. “However, she said that the destructive power of this gunpowder is not strong enough. This ‘firework’ is just a byproduct of her research process. She is still experimenting to see if she can invent gunpowder with greater power.”
"As you said, she is a rare talent. In addition to being exceptionally intelligent, she also has a strong work ethic. Ever since she entered the manor that day, she has been studying gunpowder day and night without the slightest distraction."
Yue Yining nodded and said with a smile, "It seems that everything is progressing step by step, that's good."
"Your Highness, did you just come out of the palace?"
"Yes, I went to see my mother. Tomorrow is the Lantern Festival, and there will be a banquet in the palace. I have to go to the palace early in the morning. I plan to present this item to my father." Wei Yihua said, but then changed the subject, "I heard that Zuo Xulin invited you to the lantern festival tomorrow?"
Wei Yihua brought up the matter herself, and Yue Yining was taken aback for a moment. Turning her head, she saw the Princess reach out and grasp her hand, which was resting on the table, with her nail-painted fingers. She looked at her with utmost seriousness and said, "If you don't want to go, you don't have to agree to him. Even if we have to put on a show, I don't want you to suffer from this kind of insincere burden."
“Although you are colleagues, it is inherently ambiguous for a man and a woman to walk together during the Lantern Festival. Since you don’t like him, I’m afraid you will encounter some unpleasant things on the way.”
Yue Yining stared at her, feeling a warmth like spring in her heart, and smiled, her face blooming like a flower, "Your Highness, you don't need to worry about me."
"I only agreed to go because I wanted to. His Highness is going to the palace that day, and I'm just idling around at home anyway. I've never been to the Lantern Festival in Yanjing before. Lord Zuo is a gentleman, and I don't think he would do anything inappropriate to me." Yue Yining said with a smile, "I'll just consider it as someone accompanying me to have fun, it's nothing."
Wei Yihua took it seriously and breathed a sigh of relief, "It's good that you're willing. I was afraid that cooperating with him like this would be unfair to you."
Yue Yining shook her head and chuckled softly, "How could that be?"
Her heart was as hard as iron and could not be swayed, but when the letter of rejection reached the grand courtyard of the Xie family, it shattered the tender and gentle heart of her woman.
Xie Qingyu was working in the side room when Yin Yi went in to deliver a letter. He lowered his head and bowed, not daring to glance around. However, Xie Qingyu did not call him out for a long time. The room was unusually quiet, with only the crackling sound of the candle burning.
Even though the room was heated by an underfloor heating system, Yin Yi suddenly felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave, with a cold wind whistling through him.
He didn't even need to look to know that Yue Yining had most likely rejected Xie Qingyu.
But Yin Yi still had something to say. Knowing that he was about to face a storm, he didn't dare to raise his head and spoke in a flat tone: "Young Master, Huang Qiu has inquired with the servants from the Princess's residence, and they have learned that there are two other people who have invited Lord Yue to accompany him on the Lantern Festival."
"The Lord of Yue has read all the invitations and accepted the invitation from the Left Attendant. The servants say that the letter has been drafted and sent back."
Xie Qingyu slowly put down the reply, her gaze deep and dark as she stared at him intently.
Yin Yi, who knew Xie Qingyu's temperament well, thought he was about to go crazy again.
Surprisingly, Xie Qingyu remained remarkably calm, her face ashen. In the end, she said nothing, only instructing him to put the letter away and then proceeding with her official duties as usual.
This reaction...
Yin Yi thought that his master seemed to be a little dead.
...
On the Lantern Festival, lanterns and the moon vie for brilliance, a scene of peace and prosperity.
Yue Yining arrived at the entrance of Qin Street in the princess's carriage. From a distance, she saw a carriage bearing the Zuo family crest parked by the street. She gestured for the driver to come closer. As soon as the carriage came to a stop, before Yue Yining could even get up, the curtain of the carriage opposite her was lifted, and a person stepped out.
Zuo Xulin was dressed in casual clothes. This was the first time she had seen him without his official robes. His dark robes were simple in style, but upon closer inspection, the sleeves and hem were covered with subtle patterns, exuding a restrained air of nobility.
He was tall and slender with a handsome face. He wore a silver crown without any adornment, which made him look even more sharp and aloof.
When Yue Yining saw him walking towards her, she knew that he had also noticed her long ago, so she lifted the curtain and smiled at Zuo Xulin, who was looking at her.
The maid helped her down from the carriage and tactfully stepped aside to give the two of them some space.
Yue Yining smiled and said, "I'm sorry to have kept Lord Zuo waiting."
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Author's Note: I've written 7000 words today and still haven't finished this part of the story... I'm going to split it into two chapters and finish it tonight.
The next chapter is going to be very exciting! [Okay]
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