Sizhou Eighteen
The Sky Lantern Festival, one of Sizhou's two treasures, is as lively as the Lantern Festival. Every household lights up colorful lanterns, and young men and women go out to play in the streets escorted by their entourage. The whole Sizhou city is filled with a joyful atmosphere.
Aruo looked at the person in front of him in a daze, feeling a little uncomfortable.
The man had handsome eyebrows and eyes, and a face like a jade crown. He was wearing a moon-white brocade robe, a silver jade-studded belt, and a wide-sleeved gown like gauze. His black hair was half-tied and tied with a white jade crown.
Under the bright lights, his usually aloof eyebrows and eyes became gentle, and he looked gentlemanly, cold and noble.
"Su Feng..." Aruo called out subconsciously, and Cai Xin, who was beside her, poked her waist without any hesitation. The pain made her almost jump away. She came back to her senses in an instant and put on a lovely smile, "Master Su, what a coincidence."
Su Zirui studied the girl before him, a gentle glance passing through his eyes. The girl rarely dressed up, her hair, usually tied up, now in a fashionable bun, adorned with a shimmering, glazed hair ornament. Her large, watery eyes, a soft smile adorning her soft, red lips, were accentuated by a peach-pink, wide-sleeved skirt that accentuated her graceful beauty. Her graceful, flowing gaze radiated a unique charm.
"Lord Su, are you here to release sky lanterns and make a wish as well?" Cai Xin was wearing a light yellow chest-length skirt, her hair tied up high in a bun, and a pair of butterfly-shaped kingfisher feathers on her temples, which complemented the embroidery on the cuffs and hem of her skirt, adding a touch of liveliness to her delicate face. She bowed gently.
"Putting one's hopes on lighting lanterns is only the act of a mediocre person," Su Zirui said honestly.
Then why are you here?
The few people planning to release sky lanterns had slightly puzzled expressions, clearly expressing their doubts. Su Zirui raised an eyebrow and looked at the people around him with a rather helpless look.
"I didn't expect that Lord Su would have such a refined taste." Qin Zhi looked at Liu Yurong and Beili and others beside him with a teasing look, "Or is Lord Su just a flower protector tonight?"
Su Zirui smiled slightly and said gently, "The Sky Lantern Festival is a special festival in Sizhou that is well-known in our dynasty. Since we are here, of course we must see it. When it comes to protecting the flower, Young Master Qin should be the one who takes the lead."
Qin Zhi crossed his arms and snorted. There were indeed two flowers beside him, two little flowers that he had to persuade to dress up.
Qi Qi looked at Cai Xin, who was rarely dressed up, and his face turned red and he was speechless. He could only bump into Beili with his arm.
"Xiao Caixin, Aruo, it's a rare opportunity to meet you. How about we go shopping together?" Beili ignored Qin Zhi's disdainful look and said with a smile, "Miss Yurong must not be enjoying the sights much after following us."
Liu Yurong, who was following Su Zirui, blushed slightly and said shamefully, "It was the elder brothers who were accommodating Yurong."
Aruo tilted his head and thought about it. Actually, they had also made an appointment with Xiao Man and Fang Jingsheng. However, with so many people, they would probably disperse quickly if they said they were going to go shopping together. So he stopped worrying and said, "Okay, Sister Yurong, let's go see the lanterns."
With his left hand hooked around Caixin and his right hand holding Liu Yurong, Aruo felt that this was the best happiness he could have. The satisfaction reflected on his face, leaving the men who followed behind the girl, who were good at reading her expressions, speechless.
Less than halfway down the street, Li Xiaoman came waving towards them, still in his constable uniform, followed by the fat man Fang Jingsheng who had struggled to squeeze out of the crowd.
"Xiaoman, why haven't you changed your clothes yet?" Caixin asked curiously. She remembered that she had personally delivered the dress to you yesterday.
"The yamen is short-staffed today, so I'll go on patrol first. I'll meet up with you later when the lights are on." Li Xiaoman smiled cheerfully and raised the machete in his hand.
"Man'er..." Fang Jingsheng wiped the sweat from his forehead and said pitifully.
Li Xiaoman's smile faded, he looked back and said bluntly, "Just play with everyone else first, don't follow me, I have something important to do."
Fang Jingsheng was about to burst into tears. He almost bit his handkerchief as he watched his sweetheart leave without any reluctance, and stomped his feet in anger.
Qin Zhi and the others patted his shoulders sympathetically. Aruo smiled with two dimples, stroking his chin and said, "Fatty Fang, tell me...will Xiaoman think you are the same as that young master of the Zhao family?"
The young master of the Zhao family...isn't he the brother-in-law of the prefect who is so fat that he can't even open his eyes? Fang Jingsheng's body trembled, and he slapped his fat hands rudely and said coquettishly, "How can I be so beautiful?"
The fat man of the Zhao family has more than ten concubines, but he is only obsessed with his daughter Xiaoman.
The power of the fat man's coquettishness was too great. Before Aruo could even shake off the goose bumps, he was almost slapped aside. It was only because Su Zirui reacted quickly and helped him up that he didn't fall. "Fatty Fang, you are murdering me."
"I'd rather poison you and make you mute." Fang Jingsheng told the truth. He had this idea as early as three years ago.
Comparing her figure with that of the fat man, Aruo leaned on Caixin's shoulder aggrievedly, "Little Caixin, he bullied me."
"Why are you fussing over a fat guy who can't get a wife? Isn't it better for us to sympathize with him?" Cai Xin patted her head and said with a smile.
"I feel more sympathy for Xiaoman. She hasn't been able to get rid of this fat guy in three years." Qin Zhi relied on his height to put his elbow on Aruo's shoulder and smiled maliciously.
"You guys..." Fang Jingsheng covered his chest with one hand and pointed at his three friends with the other, "Do you still have any humanity?"
"No." The three of them shook their heads decisively in unison.
"Pfft," Liu Yurong couldn't help but laugh out loud, attracting the attention of the four people. Her face flushed with embarrassment. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. It's just that you two... have such a good relationship."
It was the first time she had ever seen such banter between close friends. She had her own friends in Beijing, but they were all extremely well-behaved noble ladies, their speech as standard as the text in a book, and their occasional jokes were often quoting classics and indirect and euphemistic. Such directness and humor made her feel vaguely envious.
"I'm deeply sorry for these rude guys offending the girls." Qin Zhi pressed Fang Jingsheng down with the demeanor of an elder brother, and was stabbed in the waist and abdomen by the two girls at the same time.
"Okay, let's go. There are some cute animal lights over there." After Aruo and Caixin finished their attack, they took the lead and pulled Liu Yurong away with a smile.
"Damn, what did these two girls learn outside?" Qin Zhi covered his stomach and almost vomited out last night's meal.
A smile flashed across Su Zirui's eyes, and he patted his shoulder, "It seems that Young Master Qin is a little weak."
"Who is weak? Su Zirui, tell me clearly..."
As the hour progressed, the streets grew more crowded, and Aruo and her group were quickly dispersed. Caixin and Liu Yurong lingered in the jewelry store, while Qin Zhi and the others disappeared. Aruo, not particularly interested in jewelry, chose a quiet corner to wait, expressing deep sympathy for Beili, Qi Qi, and the others who had accompanied them in selecting hairpins.
"Don't you want to pick some?" Su Zirui stood beside her with his hands behind his back and glanced at her calmly. It had only been a few days since they last met, and she seemed to have become paler, but her face was slightly tired.
Unlike the pale complexion of women in seclusion, she always had a healthy complexion and a rosy face. God was kind to her, as she had not turned tanned in the past few years outside. Now, after less than a month of rest, her complexion has returned to white.
"I spend a lot of time outside, so I prefer to wear light." Even this outfit was bought for her by Qin Zhi.
"You didn't sing the last two scenes?" Su Zirui looked at her and suddenly said.
Aruo was a little surprised, as if she didn't expect him to pay attention to these things.
"Well, I'm not an expert at this. The actor Zhang said that the newcomers in the troupe are good, so it's a good opportunity for me to practice." Aruo's cheeks were a little red, and she lowered her eyes slightly.
The reason she didn't sing was that her life had come to an end. In this backward era, she had been lying there for three days, feeling miserable, facing the ashes. She didn't even want to leave her room, so why would she sing? But she couldn't tell him this.
"I didn't expect the ending to be like this." Su Zirui had read the manuscript of the ending and was at a loss for words.
"It's pretty good, isn't it?" Aruo smiled with two dimples, looking extremely cute.
Su Zirui lowered his eyes to glance at the smiling girl and said with a smile, "This dress is nice. It seems that you have taken the time to dress up now that you have come to the White Flame Gang branch."
When she was at the official post station, she basically wore simple clothes and even simple hair accessories. She often wore her hair in a simple bun and tied it with a headband.
"Not bad? Are you sure?" This is pink. If the color is darker, it will be the deathly Barbie pink of later generations. Aruo even feels that she has inexplicably darkened a shade after putting it on. If Qin Zhi hadn't repeatedly emphasized the expensiveness of the fabric, she wouldn't want to wear it.
"You are usually so casual, but with this outfit, you finally look like a girl." It was the first time that Su Zirui saw her dressed like this. Compared to her usual neatness, she looked... a little delicious tonight, pink and tender like a ripe peach, sweet and fragrant.
"I don't usually wear men's clothes..." It's just that I rarely wear this kind of wide-sleeved skirt. Pulling at the hem of her skirt awkwardly, Aruo endured it again and again, but couldn't help it, "Su Feng, do you really think this looks good?"
"Although you are not good-looking, your clothes are always beautiful." This is the famous cloud and mist brocade in Jiangnan, Su Zirui said pertinently.
"Sure enough, straight men have no aesthetic sense!" She looks much better than this pink, okay? Aruo kicked the hem of her skirt in disgust, "Why do I feel like you are smirking?"
"In your eyes, am I the kind of person who secretly rejoices?" Su Zirui tilted his head expressionlessly, with an air of righteousness.
With this righteous attitude, she shouldn't doubt him, but...didn't she really find it funny? "Su Feng, do you see that I have a filter?"
It was actually just Aruo's own misconception. She always felt that a slightly darker shade of pink was the deadly Barbie pink she remembered. Cloud and mist brocade is a famous Jiangnan product; how could it not complement her? Besides, this outfit was custom-made for her.
"Let's go, everyone is waiting." Su Zirui didn't understand what she was struggling with, but the awkward expression on her face made her look a little more childish.
"...I saw you smirking..."
The crowd grew larger and larger, and after a short while, they encountered the second young master of Liu Yurong's cousin's family. The gentle and refined man, observing the group's enjoyment, expertly suggested they disperse for now and reunite for the lantern festival. So, as expected, the second young master, Bai, took Liu Yurong with him, while Beili and the others went off to watch street performers. Fang Jingsheng spotted Li Xiaoman on duty with a male constable and immediately followed them stealthily.
Aruotu followed for a while for fun, and when he had seen enough, he planned to leave. Unexpectedly, when he turned around, there were no familiar people around him, and even Qin Zhi and Cai Xin were gone.
When she looked up, she saw strangers walking around with smiles on their faces. No one stopped for her, and no one even looked at her. Aruo wanted to go back, but she didn't know which direction they were going.
Aruo randomly chose a quiet stall and sat on the stone steps, watching an elderly woman selling sugar paintings not far away. The woman's craftsmanship was exceptional, and her paintings, from rabbits to flying dragons, were incredibly lifelike. Customers kept stopping to buy, and her business was booming. Aruo stared at her hand as she collected the money, feeling genuinely envious.
When she heard the dragon for the third time, a shadow covered her world. Aruo looked up. The man's brows were cold, but his eyes were less distant. His thin lips were slightly raised in a smile.
"Su Feng?" She didn't expect that this person would find her. Aruo blinked and laughed, "I've counted the twelve zodiac animals twice."
"Hmm..." Su Zirui's eyes flickered and he extended his hand towards her, "Why are you staying here?"
Aruo was a bit bewildered. The hand before her was slender and white. If it weren't for the calluses on the fingertips, one would never have guessed this man was skilled with a whip and a sword. It was like the hand of a scholar in a storybook. She placed her hand in his palm, followed his strength, and stood up. Aruo said, as if to take credit, "You said it, let me stay still."
That day in the woods, she lay on his back, and he said that if she encountered any problems in the future, she should just stay there quietly, and he would come find her and take care of the rest.
Just now when she wanted to go back to find them, she suddenly remembered these words.
Su Zirui looked at the girl in front of him with a smug look on her face, and his heart softened inexplicably. He raised his hand to smooth the curly hair on her forehead, "Well, stay here and I will find you."
There was a gentleness in his eyes that she couldn't understand, and his dark pupils were as deep as a whirlpool, easily making people indulge in them. Aruo lowered her eyes, "Where are Qin Zhi and the others? Did you see them when you came here?"
"I don't know." Everyone was dispersed when there were too many people. Others really didn't notice. Su Zirui shook his head, "It's almost time. Let's go to where the lanterns are."
Aruo didn't want to wander around anymore, so he nodded and went to the open space in the south of the city together.
The layout of Sizhou City is somewhat peculiar: the southern part of the city is not connected to the central streets, but rather separated by a river. Legend has it that there was originally no river. During a severe drought in ancient Sizhou, the then-prefect's wife, a geologist, led a team to dig a channel connecting to an underground river. Over time, the former channel has become a river, separating the southern part of the city from the central part, yet also nurturing the people of Sizhou.
Walking along the riverbank, Aruo looked at the back of the figure half a step away from her, and suddenly remembered the deal between Qin Zhi and him. Was all his care and protection for her because of the deal?
The person in front of her stopped and turned to look at her. Aruo was startled, realizing she had unconsciously asked the question. Her red lips parted slightly, but she didn't know what to say.
"Did you know?" Su Zirui asked, tilting his head. The phosphorescence on the river surface swayed, and his eyebrows and eyes alternated between light and shadow, making it impossible to see his expression.
"You used me to make a deal with Qin Zhi and asked him to help you get the official silver back." Aruo did not complain, he was just narrating.
Su Zirui nodded, "Indeed."
It turns out that it’s all true... Aruo lowered her head, wrapped her fingers around the long apricot belt, and said "oh".
"Are you unhappy?" Su Zirui asked slowly.
"Of course, who likes to be used as a bargaining chip?" Aruo kicked the hem of her skirt and pouted a little aggrieved.
These officials were all very cunning, and she certainly couldn't match them in scheming and scheming. She never hid her thoughts in front of Su Zirui, and even Cai Xin was surprised by her frankness. She just thought Su Zirui looked aloof, but he had no intention of harming her. Besides, they were just casual acquaintances, and if they really didn't get along, they could just go their separate ways.
Yes, they were in a relationship where they could break up at any time... This thought made her feel inexplicably unhappy.
"Do you know how much trouble you've caused me by barging into this situation?"
After a pause, a cold voice rose.
It would be fine if she didn't care, but this guy took advantage of her and still acted ungratefully? Aruo looked up angrily, only to find that he had walked up to her, so close that she could smell his scent on her breath.
Her heartbeat was momentarily flustered, but Aruo regained consciousness and accusingly said, "I helped you recover the government silver, and I used Yanhong as bait. Originally, I wouldn't have been involved in the government silver case. So who is causing trouble for whom?"
Yanhong had traveled south with her from the capital in the Wanxing Troupe, spending over two months together day and night without any thought of doing anything to her. Why, then, would he attack her in Sizhou? Aruo didn't understand at first, but after seeing two Fang Shourens in the Fang family's secret room, she began to suspect something. The Wanxing Troupe's first performance in Sizhou featured guests including the prefect Zhu Jiazhen, who had come to entertain the audience, and Fang Shouren, a philanthropist. Yanhong played the female role in that performance and even offered two glasses of wine.
Aruo was taught from a young age to make bold assumptions and carefully verify them. If the fake Fang Shouren knew her, and Yanhong was his subordinate, then the story would unfold: Yanhong received a secret order, and Zui Haitang discovered Yanhong's secret and was subsequently killed. However, Zhu Jiazhen later used Zui Haitang to cause trouble to attract Su Zirui's attention, using Aruo as a scapegoat. Fearing that Aruo's actions would draw attention, Yanhong faked her own death and retreated into obscurity. For unknown reasons, Zhu Jiazhen used Yanhong's faked death to disrupt Qin Zhi and Su Zirui's plans, but Yanhong's scent nearly poisoned Aruo. This intensified the scheming behind the scenes, forcing Zhu Jiazhen to clean up the mess and take Yanhong's body away, allowing her to free herself to capture Aruo.
Simply put, if there hadn't been this case involving the official silver, Aruo wouldn't have had to endure all this! Furthermore, she was the one who found the official silver, and the Ministry of Justice hadn't even given her the reward yet!
"Thank you so much, on behalf of the imperial court." Su Zirui raised an eyebrow and bowed slightly, leisurely. "But don't you think you'd still be arguing with me if it weren't for me?"
He was too close, and the sheer feeling of oppression made Aruo lean back slightly, his breathing a little unstable. But he immediately understood what he meant.
Su Zirui inexplicably insisted on keeping her in the official inn and didn't even let her move to the branch office. Was he trying to protect her?
Turning her head away sheepishly, Aruo walked around him with resentful steps, escaping his grip and slowly walking towards the arch bridge in the south of the city. As the lantern festival approached, more and more people gathered, and the petite woman was almost drowned in the crowd. Su Zirui took a few steps forward and grabbed her arm.
"Master Su, this is inappropriate." Aruo raised an eyebrow. She still remembered that in the capital, she was just playing with a few boys and was scolded by him. "Men and women should not touch each other."
Su Zirui nodded, "It's indeed inappropriate."
His fingertips slid across the material of her wide sleeves, finding her wrist and gently circling it. The loose sleeves of both of them dropped, covering them tightly, so that only the two of them could be seen standing side by side. Su Zirui frowned slightly at her and explained seriously, "There are so many people here, don't get lost again."
She could already see the other side of the bridge, how could she still get lost?
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