Chapter 221 Word Puzzle
Murong Wan and Murong Ming came out to play with the He family today.
Murong Xun and He Yan were not on good terms, and no one in Prince Gong's mansion dared to laugh during the first month of the year.
On the Lantern Festival, Murong Xun and He Yan had no intention of going out to enjoy the lanterns.
Mrs. He liked to bring her children to join in the fun, so she brought Murong Ming and his sister over to watch the lanterns with the He family.
When the group walked to the Nichang painted boat, they saw lanterns hanging high, each one brightly lit.
Murong Wan fell in love with a thousand-petal lotus lantern at first sight.
The frame is made of pure silver, with several petals made of glass on the outside. The patterns on the petals are inlaid with gold wire, and there is a ruby in the center.
It is the most gorgeous of all lanterns.
Murong Wan: "That lotus lantern is beautiful."
The lotus lantern costs one thousand taels, which is shockingly expensive.
After Murong Wan finished speaking, Madam He was about to send someone to buy it: "It's a bit expensive, but it's worth it to make our Wan'er happy."
But when she later heard that she could win lanterns by guessing riddles, Murong Wan was interested in trying it.
The servant on the pleasure boat said:
"If you can guess ten correctly within half a cup of tea, you can choose any lantern."
The servant on the pleasure boat brought the bottles. Murong Ming drew one, but didn't guess it right, so he threw it away and sat aside to eat.
Murong Wan guessed several correctly in a row.
When he guessed the tenth one, the servant led Murong Wan to the center of the pleasure boat:
"Our boss lady will draw the last riddle from this bottle."
Murong Wan saw a larger golden bottle, and next to it stood a proprietress with thick makeup on her face.
There was a girl in front of the proprietress, wearing a tiger mask.
The proprietress waved her handkerchief and smiled:
"Today, two little literary stars have truly descended upon my pleasure boat. I'll draw a riddle, and whoever guesses it first gets to choose the lantern first."
Su Zhizhi and Murong Wan nodded.
Gradually, some people gathered around and watched the two little girls guessing riddles with great interest.
The riddle in the Big Golden Bottle is actually not difficult. The key is who of the two people reacts faster.
The proprietress drew a riddle:
"Half of it has scales but no horns, half of it has horns but no scales. Half of it cannot survive out of water, and half of it cannot survive if it falls into the water."
Su Zhizhi: "Fresh."
Murong Wan: "Fresh."
The two blurted out almost at the same time.
Su Zhizhi and Murong Wan looked at each other in surprise, obviously not expecting the other to be as fast as themselves.
Su Zhizhi had also guessed riddles when she was in Baiyun County.
She didn't like reading or practicing calligraphy, but she was very enthusiastic about playing this little game. Among her peers, only Xue Che could compete with her at that time.
Su Zhizhi whispered, "People in the capital are so good at having fun."
Murong Wanze always knew that she was smart, and she never thought that anyone could compare with her.
"You both guessed right at the same time, so it's hard to tell who was right first. So guess again."
The proprietress continued to draw out a puzzle:
"Half green, half purple, born in the clouds, not—"
Su Zhizhi: "Su!"
Murong Wan: "Su!"
This time, both of them were afraid of falling behind, so they spoke at the same time before the proprietress finished reading.
Su Zhizhi really wants the little fish lantern.
Murong Wan is determined to get the lotus lantern.
The proprietress was stunned for a moment, then laughed:
"You guessed it right!"
The people watching nearby were also surprised.
The proprietress drew a few more puzzles in succession, and Su Zhizhi and Murong Wan answered them correctly almost at the same time.
When she drew the last one, the lady boss said:
"Fire is needed to cook, water is needed to irrigate the fields, silkworms spin coils of silk, and the sun rises to brighten the sky."
Murong Wan didn't react at first when she heard about cooking and spitting silk.
Su Zhizhi chuckled:
"Yao! It's Yao."
Hao Ren in the crowd nodded and smiled, he knew his daughter had guessed right.
The proprietress revealed the answer with a smile:
"Yes, this little girl guessed it right, it's Yao."
The proprietress then said to Murong Wan, "Don't worry, young lady. You've guessed more than ten correctly, so you can choose any lantern to take away. You just have to wait until the girl next to you finishes choosing."
Su Zhizhi pointed at the small fish lantern hanging above her head: "Then I want to -"
"Wait!" Murong Wan said.
Under the divine bird mask, her face had turned red, and it was unclear whether she was anxious or annoyed.
"Don't choose the lotus lantern."
In Murong Wan's eyes, the lotus lantern was gorgeous and exquisite, the best one, and anyone would choose it.
No one except the princess and the prince can snatch or touch the things she likes.
She didn't want others to get it first, otherwise even if someone else bought it, it would look like it had been used by someone else.
She took a look at Su Zhizhi's clothes. She looked like she came from a well-off family, but definitely not extremely wealthy.
"I'll give you whatever amount of silver you want, but you can't choose the lotus lantern," Murong Wan said.
Su Zhizhi looked at Murong Wan strangely:
"You told me not to choose the Lotus Lantern? Why should I listen to you?"
There were too many people around, so Murong Wan didn't want to reveal her identity. She just said:
"I said, I'll give you silver."
Su Zhizhi blinked and stretched out a finger:
"How much can you give?"
Murong Wan snorted coldly, "You're really asking for too much. You heard someone was selling it for a thousand taels, and you dared to ask for a thousand taels. I can afford a thousand taels, but I won't give it to you. Five hundred taels at most."
Su Zhizhi didn't say anything and was a little dazed.
Murong Wan gritted her teeth: "Six hundred taels!"
Su Zhizhi still didn't speak.
Murong Wan hardened her heart and said, "Seven hundred taels, don't even think about adding a penny."
Su Zhizhi came back to her senses and spoke:
"make a deal!"
Mrs. He had been watching the movements on her granddaughter's side, and without changing her expression, she asked someone to send over a silver note worth seven hundred taels.
It’s nothing to spend seven hundred taels to make my granddaughter happy for one night.
A moment later, Su Zhizhi was in a daze, holding her favorite little fish lantern and seven hundred taels of silver in her hand, standing in front of Wu Yingniang and Hao Ren.
Wu Yingniang sighed, "People in the capital are so rich that they are so generous even to a little girl."
Hao Ren stared at Murong Wan's back for a while.
In the capital, it is rare to find a girl who can casually give out seven hundred taels.
Hao Ren felt his sleeve being tugged. He looked down and saw Su Zhizhi stuffing the banknote into his hand.
"Dad, please keep it for me first."
Hao Ren helped Su Zhizhi collect the banknotes, and saw that Su Zhizhi still looked a little confused:
"Zhizhi, are you too happy to speak?"
Su Zhizhi shook her head: "Dad, I finally understand one thing."
Hao Ren: "What?"
Su Zhizhi: "Books are the golden house."
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