Just then, the carriage suddenly slowed down, and a small voice came from outside: "Your Majesty, there are too many people, the carriage may not be able to pass."
"Then let's get off the bus and leave," Su Wanyan decided immediately.
Su Chien naturally had no objection and nodded, "Okay."
Stepping off the carriage and into the bustling city, Su Wanyan found the street even more vibrant and open. Looking up, she saw an endless expanse of lights, truly like a highway leading to heaven.
Su Wanyan grabbed Su Chien's hand: "Quick, hold hands, or you'll get lost."
"Huh?" Su Chien's small hands trembled slightly.
These childlike carelessness made Su Chien feel uneasy for a moment.
But seeing that Su Wanyan's attention was entirely on the lanterns, he stopped thinking about it and tightened his grip on Su Wanyan's hand: "Sister, would you like to see the dragon lantern parade?"
"Yes, I want to!" Su Wanyan's eyes lit up immediately; she had just been thinking about it.
"Come with me, the parade is about to begin!"
Su Chien led Su Wanyan to a bridge, which was built over the city's moat and was called the Magpie Bridge.
The story goes that when the bridge was being built, a number of magpies inexplicably came to build their nests on it one year. Magpies are considered auspicious birds by the people, so after the bridge was completed, it was named the Magpie Bridge.
Su Wanyan estimated that the bridge was about ten meters wide, not to mention its length, spanning the widest part of the city's moat.
The entire stone bridge is magnificent and spectacular, and there are also stone pavilions built on the bridge for people to rest.
This bridge is the best spot to watch the dragon lantern parade. Standing on the bridge and looking down, you can take in the scenery on both sides of the river.
The bridge was now crowded with people watching the dragon lantern parade, and many children rode on their fathers' shoulders, holding small rabbit lanterns and looking expectantly into the distance.
Seeing the huge crowd, Su Wanyan had second thoughts.
Although she wanted to see the dragon lantern parade, there were just too many people; she was sure she'd be squeezed flat.
However, before she could speak, Su Chien had already pulled her into the crowd.
Using Su Chien's petite frame, Su Wanyan was pulled along by him, struggling to walk through the narrow gap.
Seeing him leading the way, sweating profusely, Su Wanyan couldn't bring herself to say she wanted to give up.
In this situation, Mingyu, Xiaobu, and the two maids Qiuye and Huangye couldn't squeeze in. Xiaobu immediately jumped onto a nearby building and kept an eye on Su Wanyan's situation from above.
"Sister! Look!" Su Chien pushed Su Wanyan to the front of the crowd all by herself.
Squeezed onto the bridge railing, Su Wanyan looked up and saw a huge silver dragon slowly swimming along the main road.
In front of the dragon lantern are two huge lantern spheres, as if guiding the way.
Many people carrying flower lanterns followed the dragon lantern, creating a scene of prosperity and magnificence. Against the backdrop of the city's festivities, it was as if a golden age was unfolding here.
"Beautiful!" Su Wanyan exclaimed.
If only I had a cell phone, I would love to take a picture and show it to Yu Nanqing.
No, even a mobile phone can't capture the visual effect of the scene.
As the dragon lantern drew closer, the people of the Magpie Bridge cheered, and Su Wanyan witnessed just how enormous the dragon lantern was when it was within arm's reach.
Looking up, it is over ten meters high and almost covers the entire street. Below it is a giant wheel carrying the dragon lantern. On the dragon lantern, someone is controlling its movements. Wherever you look, it is radiant with light.
As the dragon lantern procession moved, the people walked from one side of the bridge to the other.
Unable to squeeze through the crowd, Su Wanyan exclaimed, "Chi En! Let's go! Let's buy two lanterns to play with!"
Su Chien nodded: "Okay! I'll listen to my sister."
The crowd was bustling with voices; they even shouted to have simple conversations.
Besides lanterns, there are many freshly baked snacks, such as sesame seed cakes, spring rolls, and glutinous rice cakes. The most eye-catching item is the candied hawthorn skewers carried by vendors as they walk through the streets and alleys.
Besides food, there were also cosmetics, hairpins and jewelry displayed on the street, some made of copper and some carved from peach wood. Su Wanyan found everything novel and interesting.
Su Wanyan asked Su Chien to choose a lantern. Su Chien looked left and right, and finally chose an octagonal lantern with a very ordinary design.
Su Chien had seen this kind of bustling city many times when he was in the capital. At first, he looked forward to it, but later he found that no matter how prosperous the capital was, it had nothing to do with him, so he gradually lost interest in it.
Just like how he used to love boat lanterns and would compare the boat lanterns made by various vendors every Mid-Autumn Festival, but when he could actually afford to buy a boat lantern, he suddenly realized that he didn't want it as much anymore.
So he chose an ordinary octagonal lamp.
“Autumn leaves, yellow leaves, you can choose one too,” Su Wanyan called out enthusiastically.
Qiu Ye and Huang Ye shook their heads repeatedly: "Your Majesty, we don't need to."
"Yes, yes, pick one quickly."
Seeing this, Qiuye and Huangye exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with both hesitation and excitement as they picked out two identical peach blossom lanterns.
After picking through the autumn and yellow leaves, Su Wanyan looked at Mingyu again: "Guard Ming, you..."
Upon hearing this, Mingyu silently retreated three zhang (approximately 10 meters)...
This is something only girls like; it's so awkward for a grown man like him to carry a lantern.
Su Wanyan: "..."
never mind.
"Where's Xiaobu?" Where did that baby-faced girl go?
"Yes, yes! Your subordinate is here!" Xiao Bu suddenly appeared out of nowhere, and before Su Wanyan could speak, he was holding a ladybug lantern in his hand: "Your Majesty, your subordinate needs this! Thank you, Your Majesty!"
He's a lively and playful boy, and he never refuses to attend a banquet hosted by the Empress.
After they had all made their choices, Su Wanyan looked around but couldn't find one she liked.
But she also felt that since she had come all this way, it would be a shame not to buy a cup to mark the occasion.
After thinking for a moment, I took a lantern with the character "福" (fortune/blessing).
Su Wanyan had a great time that night. Before returning to her residence, they released lanterns into the moat. The lanterns, like sparks, floated further and further away along the moat, and before long she could tell which one was hers.
Su Wanyan, carrying a lantern with the character "福" (fortune/blessing), said, "Let's go, it's almost time to go back."
"Mmm," Su Chien replied contentedly.
Main courtyard, inside a room.
Yu Nanqing had not yet gone to sleep.
The candlelight flickered in the room, and he felt a little uneasy.
Holding a book in my hand, I couldn't concentrate on reading a single word.
At this moment, Wang Zhang entered quietly from outside the door: "Your Highness."
Yu Nanqing put down his book: "What is it?"
"Her Majesty instructed me before leaving that I should help you turn over every hour or so. I am clumsy, Your Highness, please forgive me."
As he spoke, Wang Zhang stepped forward and carefully helped Yu Nanqing move her body with his only left hand.
Yu Nanqing felt increasingly frustrated. His face darkened, as if his pride was stirring up again, and he suddenly became extremely irritable.
If he were a healthy person, then he would have accompanied Su Wanyan to the lantern festival today...
"Yu Nanqing!" The thought had barely formed when the door was flung open with a bang!
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