Chapter 399 Leaving the Palace to Visit the Lantern Festival
On the day of the Ghost Festival, dusk falls and the lights come on.
The entire palace was shrouded in an invisible, almost stagnant tension.
Yan Shixu, dressed in dark casual clothes, stood on the high steps of the Purple Palace, his eyes glancing solemnly at the mass of plainclothes guards who had assembled below.
Because of this scene, the air became a little tense.
"Zhang Sicheng." His voice was not loud, but it was as cold and hard as metal and stone, penetrating the silence of dusk.
Zhang Sicheng immediately knelt on one knee, clasped his fists and replied, "I am here!"
"I'll say it again."
Yan Shixu's gaze was as sharp as a knife, slowly sweeping across every solemn face.
"The safety of the Queen and the princes and princesses is above everything else! Above your lives!"
He leaned forward slightly, and invisible pressure descended heavily.
"Recheck all pre-set routes! Guards will not allow any suspicious individuals to come within three feet of the phoenix carriage! If something unexpected happens... kill them without mercy!"
"As ordered! We, your servants, will protect Her Majesty and the young masters to the death!"
Zhang Sicheng and the hundreds of elite soldiers behind him responded with a roar, which echoed faintly between the palace walls.
Those who don’t know would think they are going to the battlefield.
But in fact, it was just an ordinary family going out of the palace to visit the lantern festival.
Wen Li'er was holding Tiantian, who was dressed like a New Year picture doll.
Following behind them were the equally excited Xiaoxiao and Miaomiao, and Zhaozhao and Mumu, who were still babbling in their cradles held by their wet nurse. As soon as the group stepped out of the Pineapple Palace, they encountered this solemn scene.
The cold aura emanating from Yan Shixu instantly quieted the chattering children.
Yan Shixu's eyes immediately caught sight of Tiantian in Wen Lier's arms.
The little girl was wearing a bright red brocade jacket, which made her face look delicate and pretty, and her big black eyes looked around curiously.
She was completely unaware of the low mood her father was emitting. She just grinned, revealing a few small white teeth as she smiled sweetly at him.
Looking at that smile of pure dependence, the tense string in Yan Shixu's heart relaxed slightly, but the vigilance deep in his eyes did not dissipate.
He strode down the steps and came straight to Wen Li'er. Very naturally and with an unquestionable strength, he took her and Tiantian into his arms.
"Father!" Tiantian called out happily.
Her little arms skillfully wrapped around his neck, and she placed her little face against the side of his neck affectionately.
Wen Li'er's hands were empty, and she raised her eyes to meet Yan Shixu's gaze.
She took his arm and said with a smile, "Your Majesty, everything is ready. The children are looking forward to it."
"Yeah." Yan Shixu responded softly.
He held the child in his arms and took the queen with him as he walked towards the carriage that had been prepared long ago. It was plain in appearance but fortified like a fortress inside.
The heavy palace gate slowly opened and closed behind him, and the noisy voices and brilliant lights suddenly came like a tide, carrying with them the unique, fresh and vigorous atmosphere of human life.
The carriage did not drive towards the most prosperous Imperial Street, but at Yan Shixu's instruction, quietly turned into a relatively quiet alley behind a street-facing restaurant that overlooked most of the sea of lights.
The restaurant had already been cleared out and booked out. It was brightly lit but unusually quiet.
Yan Shixu protected Wen Li'er and several children and went up to the private room on the top floor with the best view.
Pushing open the carved wooden window, a dazzling and breathtaking picture of prosperity suddenly unfolds before your eyes.
There is a sea of lights under your feet.
Countless lotus lanterns, rabbit lanterns, revolving lanterns, huge Aoshan lanterns...
They light up one after another along the streets, bridges and river banks, forming bright bands of light that meander along.
Finally, it merges into the dreamlike water lantern market on the distant Jinming Lake, which reflects the starry sky.
The sounds of stringed instruments and orchestras could be heard faintly, mixed with the laughter of the crowd and the shouts of vendors, merging into a bustling ocean full of vitality.
"Wow--!"
Xiaoxiao and his younger brother and sister lay by the window, their little mouths wide open and their eyes staring wide.
He was speechless at the unprecedented spectacle, his little face filled with pure shock and joy.
The wet nurse held Zhaozhao and Mumu closer.
The baby in the cradle seemed to be attracted by the flowing light and shadow. It stopped babbling and rolled its black eyes curiously.
Wen Li'er stood beside Yan Shixu, her eyes also attracted by this beautiful scenery, and the corners of her lips unconsciously raised a gentle arc.
She turned her head to look at her husband and whispered, "Your Majesty, look, how beautiful it is."
Yan Shixu's gaze was not entirely fixed on the dazzling river of lights.
He held Wen Li'er in his arms, his body seemingly relaxed against the window frame, but in fact every muscle in his body was on alert.
His hawk-like gaze swept across the seemingly ordinary crowd downstairs—
The old man selling candied haws walked too steadily, and the scholar pointing at the lanterns moved his eyes too quickly.
In the shadow of the arch bridge farther away, a figure seemed to flash by...
He slightly tightened his arm around Wen Li'er's waist, protecting her more tightly in the safe corner formed between him and the window frame.
At the same time, he kept an eye on the children.
Tiantian pointed at a bright rotating lantern downstairs with his little hand and begged in a baby voice:
"Father, go down and look at the lantern every day! Look at the brightest one!"
Yan Shixu lowered his head and looked at his son's big eyes, which were filled with light shadows, clear and full of desire. His heart felt like it was being gripped by a hand.
The words of refusal were almost on the verge of coming out of my mouth - there were too many people downstairs and it was too chaotic.
just in case……
The nightmarish tablet instantly flashed into his mind, causing a layer of cold sweat to break out on his back.
"Be good every day."
Wen Li'er leaned over and gently stroked her son's soft head, trying to comfort him.
"There are too many people down there. It's not good to squeeze in every day. We can see more clearly from here. Look, there are so many lights. It's so beautiful."
She pointed to the most brilliant spot on Jinming Lake in the distance.
Tiantian's little mouth pouted, and his big black eyes were immediately covered with a layer of aggrieved tears, and his little head shook like a rattle.
"No! I want to go down! I want to touch the lanterns every day!"
His little body twisted like an unruly little beast.
Wen Li'er felt a little helpless and looked up at Yan Shixu with a questioning look in her eyes.
He has been extremely tense since he woke up from a serious injury.
She didn't want to add to his psychological burden, but seeing the child's eager eyes, her heart softened.
Yan Shizhi's thin lips were pressed into a cold, hard straight line, and his jawline was tense.
He was silent, his eyes moving back and forth between his innocent and stubborn son's face and the sea of lights outside the window, which seemed peaceful but was actually full of dangers in his eyes.
Every time he glanced at the crowd of people downstairs, it was as if he was confirming whether the lurking secret guards were vigilant enough.
Time seemed to stand still, and only the noisy sounds coming from downstairs repeatedly assaulted his nerves.
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