Chapter 76
On the first day of the new year, people worship their ancestors, worship gods and burn incense.
On the second day of the New Year, go back to your parents' home and pay New Year's greetings.
At the beginning of the new year, Chu Huan was busy until the Lantern Festival when she had some free time. This was also the last day of the annual leave. Starting tomorrow, she would have to go back to attending classes in the morning, noon and evening.
Modern Chinese New Year celebrations basically involve visiting relatives, with adults getting together to play cards or mahjong. Fireworks are prohibited in many places, and the Chinese New Year is no different from any other day. The festive atmosphere has faded.
Although she was running around to pay New Year's greetings here and there, Chu Huan was still quite happy, especially since there was the Lantern Festival during the Lantern Festival.
When she was young, Wen was worried that there would be too many people at the Lantern Festival and that the servants would not be able to take good care of her. She might be kidnapped by the beggars if she wasn't careful, so she was not allowed to go out to play. At most, she would ask the servants to buy her a rabbit or goldfish lantern to play with.
Seeing that his sister was really yearning for it, Chu Qin would go out for a good walk, and after coming back he would vividly tell Chu Huan what was happening outside.
When Chu Huan saw the eager look on her face, Chu Qin would tell her with a fierce face who had fallen into the water during the Lantern Festival, or whose child had been abducted, and warned her not to sneak out alone, otherwise she would be stolen by the beggars.
Talking was not enough, he had to act it out, like a mother cat carrying her kittens. He either grabbed Chu Huan's collar and carried her around, or grabbed Chu Huan's waist from behind and picked her up, almost strangling her to death.
Chu Huan kind of missed her brother who always acted silly with his handsome face.
[Wow—is this the Lantern Festival? So beautiful!] Seeing a real ancient Lantern Festival for the first time, the system almost jumped up in excitement. [Sister Huan, Sister Huan, come over here! I want to see the sugar figures!]
Chu Huan came back to her senses and found it very funny. Did she bring a younger brother out to watch the lanterns together?
Slowly approaching the candy figurine stall, [Okay, let me show you a closer look.]
As soon as she moved, Qingzhu Hongmei followed closely, and Jia Yi, Cai Gang, the hidden secret guards, and Jinyiwei also moved as well, keeping their eyes and ears open in all directions, guarding against assassins who might appear at any moment.
Because of Chu Huan and the system, too many people were arrested, killed, and had their homes confiscated. Her life was coveted by too many people.
Before, she was either at home or out, protected by the Jinyiwei, so it was difficult for many people to attack her. For example, the assassin who sneaked into Qianhuaju in the middle of the night on the first day of the new year, the Jinyiwei had no idea how many waves of assassins they had dealt with in secret.
Tonight's Lantern Festival is an excellent opportunity for assassination. There are many people here, and they are a mixed bunch. If you are not careful, something bad can easily happen. But Chu Huan can't stay at home forever.
Moreover, Chu Huan stayed at home and continued to assassinate and poison people, but they were intercepted in advance by the Jinyiwei.
Tu Wenguang asked Lin You for instructions, and Lin You asked the emperor for instructions. After discussion, everyone decided to lure the snake out of its hole.
Whenever you see anyone acting suspiciously, no matter if he is a beggar, a thief or a killer, arrest him first.
Furthermore, the system is very protective of its owner. If there is a hidden killer approaching, it will alert you.
System: [Sister Huan, I want to see the rabbit sugar painting!]
System: [Sister Huan, I want to buy a fox mask!]
Chu Huan was like a sister who really took her younger brother out. Whatever the system wanted, she would go over to take a look or buy it.
In just a cup of tea, Qingzhu and Hongmei had their arms full and had to go home to put their things away.
System: [Sister Huan, there's an acrobatic performance where you can crush rocks with your chest. I want to see it!]
Chu Huan approached the acrobatics booth and asked, "You already know the principle of breaking rocks with your chest, and you still want to see it?"
The system snorted proudly: [As long as you resist eating the melon, I won't know the tricks inside! ]
Chu Hua laughed: [Really? Can you resist eating melons?]
Jia Yi, Cai Gang and others also didn't believe it. If the melon-eating system doesn't eat melons, it's no different from a cat not eating fish.
The system itself hesitated for a moment, obviously knowing that it could not defeat the little goblin curiosity.
[Then I should wait until I finish watching before eating? ]
Chu Huan: [Puff, cough, cough.]
The system exploded: [Sister Huan, you are laughing at me!]
Chu Hua: [No, I just choked on my saliva.]
The system is suspicious: [Is this true or false?]
Chu Hua: [Really.]
System: [Then swear in front of Shang Lu's beautiful face that if you tell a lie, his face will break out like crazy!]
Chu Huan: “…”
Jia Yi and others: "..."
Isn't this a bit too harsh? Who swears that retribution is inflicted on others?
However, this kind of oath is just right for those who love beauty. Chu Huan has experienced such an unreasonable thing as time travel, so she dare not make an oath casually.
Chu Huan decisively admitted: [I'm sorry, I did laugh at you.]
The system cried out: [I knew it!]
She cried for less than a second, and before she could even finish the words, "Sister Huan, you don't love me anymore!", Chu Huan had already walked over to the acrobatics stall. The system immediately started: "Wow—it's started! It's started!"
Chu Huan laughed secretly, the little silly Tong was so easy to coax.
188 has a lot of data that comes with it when it leaves the factory, but the data is only accompanied by one or two pictures, rather than recording the entire process, so this is indeed the first time it has seen a real-life version of a chest-breaking stone.
[Wow—this stone is so big and heavy.]
Is there really no problem?
[The person lying down below looks too thin! ]
The man with the hammer was a big, strong man, and he could kill a kid with one punch.
[Will this hammer really not kill someone? ]
Chu Huan was surrounded by many children who were attracted by the huge stone breaking on her chest. The children chattered non-stop, and what they said was almost the same as the system, making the intangible system blend in perfectly and not attract attention.
Chu Hua: [Do you want to watch the performance quietly, or do you want to watch while I explain the principle of this chest-breaking stone technique?]
This performance is just like a magic trick. All the tricks and routines have been revealed. What’s the point?
The system rejects: [I don't want to hear it, I don't want to hear it, you are not allowed to say it! Please give the children a perfect childhood, don't deprive them of their endless imagination and their only happiness!]
Chu Huan: “…”
Jia Yi and others: "..."
Do you really think of yourself as a child?
There are too many complaints.
The system said so, and Chu Huan didn't insist on explaining. She hated those spoilers who knew that you haven't seen the movie yet but still had to complain to you. After listening to them, she completely lost the desire to watch the movie.
Of course, it’s still okay to complain together after watching the movie.
So Chu Huan quietly waited for the performance of shattering the stone in her chest to end before speaking to the system: [How is it?]
The system was surrounded by numerous question marks: [Is this 1.8-meter-tall guy just faking his strength? Why did that little chicken-like guy remain unscathed after being struck by a hammer?]
The 1.8-meter-tall man: "..."
The little chicken: "..."
Although they deliberately picked two people with huge contrasts in order to highlight the performance effect, shouldn't children usually exclaim that their performance is wonderful after watching it?
What's wrong with this kid? He doesn't follow the usual path.
System: [Or is it that the big guy is just putting on a show, swinging the hammer with all the force it can muster, but the impact on the stone isn't significant. Or maybe the big stone slab on the little guy is fake!]
Big guy: “…”
The little guy: “…”
How come this is getting more and more outrageous?
They are just ordinary people struggling to make a living. As long as others are not here to cause trouble, they have to pretend not to hear many of the things they say.
Besides, it was just a little kid, and it was probably just a pure question. It was not easy for them to catch up and explain to him what was going on.
Chu Hua: [The hammer is real, and the stone is real, but it does require skill, and not everyone can do this job.]
She had learned the specific principle of breaking stones with the chest from her father when she first saw it on TV.
It's not that she couldn't tell the system, but if she explained the principle in group chat mode, who would come to watch the show? Wouldn't she ruin these two people's jobs?
The system's curiosity was aroused. Seeing that Chu Huan didn't tell it, it immediately realized that this matter couldn't be made public, so it spent its own energy to check it out.
It turns out to be the inertia effect and the Pascal effect.
A large man would have to practice hundreds of times to break a stone slab more than a centimeter thick in just a few hits. A small man would have to have enough courage and guts to lie there, and he would also have to know how to protect himself when the stone slab breaks.
The large stone slab used for the performance must be a regularly shaped rectangular block. Not just any stone will do, and not just any person will do.
System: [This money is truly earned through skill.]
The big guy and the small guy were a little curious about how the kid knew their secret so quickly, but since the other party didn't shout it out in public, they just felt lucky - their jobs were saved!
The next acrobatic performances included fire breathing, tightrope walking, and throat stabbing. They were so exciting and thrilling that many people could not take their eyes off them.
The system was successfully fooled before it understood the principle, and it exclaimed in surprise. When someone came with a gong to ask for a reward, it urged Chu Huan to give the money.
Compared to the common people who could only give one or two copper coins, Chu Hua, who gave one or two taels of silver, instantly attracted all the attention of the acrobatic troupe and the onlookers: Wow - a wealthy family!
Chu Hua: [Still watching?]
System: [Forget it, I feel like you're being treated like a monkey.]
Chu Huan: "..." You're right, don't say that again next time :)
The system quickly discovered something even more interesting: [Sister Huan, there's a super beautiful lantern two hundred meters to the right! Go check it out!]
Under the repeated urging of the system, Chu Huan and her group walked forward in the direction of the crowd.
Lanterns are everywhere during the Lantern Festival. Most people make their own beautiful lanterns and sell them. Ordinary lanterns cost a few cents each, while exquisite ones cost double that. Smart businessmen combine riddles with lanterns.
What the system is interested in is the activities of the Oriental Tea House.
The Oriental Teahouse is decorated very elegantly. The owner often holds poetry gatherings and tea parties, inviting some famous literati to come and appreciate poetry and paintings. Not long ago, he also brought out the works of masters from the previous dynasty.
Usually, the Oriental Teahouse is a favorite place for literati and poets. Now, it has launched new activities during the Lantern Festival, attracting countless people.
There are two hundred and ninety-nine lanterns in front of the teahouse, including riddles, couplets, and poems. If anyone can win first place tonight, they will win the first prize: an extremely exquisite glass lotus lantern.
The glazed lotus lantern hangs high above all the lanterns, overlooking them all like the king of lanterns, which perfectly fits the desire of some literati to conquer and become famous through it.
They arrived late, and many people in the teahouse had already started guessing the riddles. If you answered a lantern correctly, you would post the answer, and the corresponding lantern could no longer be answered.
At this time, less than one-third of the lanterns in front of the teahouse were still functional.
"Master Ximen has guessed sixty of them, so he must be the winner tonight."
"I don't think so. Young Master Nangong has come from behind and already has fifty-two lamps."
"I heard there's a 200 tael silver reward for being the winner."
"Oh, do you think the gentlemen would care about this little money?"
[Why not?] The system didn't understand, [They are not immortal men who drink wind and dew. How can they grow so big without silver?]
Everyone choked. Just by listening to the voice, they knew it was a child. Forget it, we won’t bother with the child.
"What can you buy with two hundred taels of silver?"
"That's right, it's not even enough for Master Ximen's outfit."
"Mr. Ximen wouldn't care about this little money."
The system perfectly responded: [But Ximen only participated in the competition because of the 200 taels of silver reward for winning first place.]
Everyone was choked up again. Whose child was interrupting here? How annoying!
Jia Yi and Cai Gang had no time to enjoy themselves. What they feared most was that someone would open their mouths to refute the system. Once someone opened their mouths, the fact that they could hear the conversation between Chu Huan and the system would be exposed!
Chu Huan didn't want to be exposed so early, so she diverted the system's attention: [Aren't you here to see the lanterns?]
System: [I've already seen the lanterns. I'm more interested in the person who guessed the lanterns.]
Chu Hua: [Eating melons on the spot?]
System: [This is my job. As soon as I smell the melon, I get all excited and can hardly control myself.]
Everyone: ???
What's with this dangerous statement? Whose child was released without proper discipline?
Many people secretly turned their heads to look for the person who was talking, but the event at the Oriental Tea House was so grand that there were people crowded around, including many children, so it was really impossible to tell who was talking.
Chu Huan thought for a moment and decided that it would be weird not to let the system eat melons at this time. It would be better to let nature take its course. The system knew what it could say and what it couldn't say.
Chu Hua: [Okay, let's eat.]
System: [Alright! Hey, Shanglu Beauty is here too. Is he interested in this kind of activity?]
Chu Huan turned around to search for the beauty. She thought it would be difficult to find a specific person in the huge crowd, but she didn't expect to see Shanglu, who seemed to be glowing in the crowd, just as she turned her head.
There were a few girls around him who were blushing and secretly looking at him, but they didn't dare to approach him and talk to him because they were too easy to recognize.
The system gasped: [Shanglu's beauty actually has a glowing filter!]
Chu Hua said matter-of-factly, "There are too many lanterns in the teahouse, and they've illuminated the entire area."
Phytolacca: “…”
system:【……】
The system was so disappointed with him: [You're a straight woman! Stop looking down on your brother, a straight man. You two are the same, and you're no better!]
[You only know how to admire a beautiful woman from afar, never say a few sweet words, keep your distance in your actions, and have no improper thoughts. When will you be able to marry her?!]
Everyone: ???
Wait, wasn't the girl talking to the child? Why is it "marry"?
Oh, it’s about marrying a son-in-law. That’s fine then.
Chu Huan sighed. When would the little idiot Tong remember that her current body was only fourteen years old and it was still too early for her to get married?
[Tong'er, do you want to eat melon? ]
The system decisively said: [Eat!]
As they were talking, Shang Lu saw Chu Huan, Jia Yi and Cai Gang, who were also walking in their direction.
There were too many people gathered nearby for the riddle-guessing event at the Oriental Teahouse. If something happened and separated Chu Huan from Jia Yi and Cai Gang, she would be in danger alone.
However, the system was unaware of any danger and was diligently doing its job of eating melons.
Don't be fooled by Ximen Jie's handsome appearance, fanning himself in the middle of winter like a dandy gentleman, and his reputation as one of the Four Heroes of the Capital. Actually, that was all fabricated by someone he paid to have his name spread.
Some people were dissatisfied: "Master Ximen has written many praiseworthy poems! Don't try to slander him!"
The system didn't give them any room to refute, and it spouted off: [Ximen Jie first gained fame due to his poem "Ode to the Chrysanthemum." Many people were amazed after reading it and became his close friend, making him an instant celebrity.]
In fact, "Ode to the Chrysanthemum" was written by a scholar named Xiang Le. He was able to study and pass the imperial examinations thanks to Mr. Ximen's years of financial support. So, when Mr. Ximen took a fancy to "Ode to the Chrysanthemum" and asked to buy it, Xiang Le gave it to him without asking for a penny.
Ximen Jie had read "Ode to the Chrysanthemum" from his father. After arriving in the capital, he hadn't achieved much fame on his own. However, he recited "Ode to the Chrysanthemum" while drunk at a banquet. His fame skyrocketed, and he's been unstoppable ever since.
Chu Huan frowned: [He published someone else's work as his own?]
System: [Yes and no.]
Chu Hua: ???
Everyone: ???
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