Chapter 433 If Line - The Best Lantern
"Okay." Lu Wan closed the book.
As soon as she closed the book, He Yan blew out the candle.
Every minute that a candle burns longer costs money, and since they are short of money, they try to save as much as possible.
With the moonlight coming in from the window, the mother and daughter simply washed up and went to bed.
On a winter night, the north wind howled, the dead branches in the yard swayed, and cast a shadow on the half-worn window.
The house is not soundproofed, and from time to time I can hear coughing from next door and dogs barking in the alley.
This small house does not belong to them, they just rent it.
Moreover, they only rented one of the rooms, as there were two or three other families living in the yard, all crowded together.
Lu Wan and her mother slept in each other's arms, which would keep them warmer.
My mother was tired after a day of work and fell asleep quickly.
Lu Wan was also very sleepy and closed her eyes, but couldn't fall asleep.
The mother and daughter had only been in the capital for a short time, and Lu Wan felt a little nervous when she thought about the official school examination in the early spring of the following year.
She must be admitted to a government school in order to change her situation.
Lu Wan's maternal grandfather He Tingfang also served as an official in the capital. Although his position was not high, he was close to the third prince.
Later, the conspiracy of Empress Dowager Du and the Third Prince was exposed, and my grandfather and other ministers who had surrendered to the Third Prince were either executed or exiled.
My grandfather was executed and his wife and children were exiled.
Only He Yan escaped the disaster by hastily being promised to a family in Shannan Road, her hometown, as a child bride when disaster struck her family.
That was more than ten years ago.
He Yan married into a family surnamed Lu in a county town that was as small as it could be.
When He Tingfang returned to his hometown before his death, he helped the Lu family and had evidence of the Lu family's bribery.
Therefore, the Lu family took He Yan in.
He Yan was very young when she entered her husband's family to avoid disaster, and she was raised in her husband's family for several years before getting married.
When she got married, the He family had already been ransacked and she had almost no dowry.
The Lu family did not give any betrothal gifts, nor did they hold a wedding banquet, as they did not want to make it known that they had married the daughter of a criminal.
He Yan was born with a beautiful appearance and was well-raised as a daughter of an official family. This was something her husband liked.
When they first got married, they had a good relationship.
The Lu family was considered wealthy in their hometown. They had a house, land, and long-term servants.
But there are many people in the family, and there are many troubles.
He Yan is loved by her husband, but is disliked by her mother-in-law and sister-in-law because she is the daughter of a criminal.
Although He Yan felt angry and wronged, she had no one to support her and would be homeless once she left the Lu family. Therefore, she could only flatter the Lu family and swallow her anger.
He Yan gave birth to a daughter and named her Lu Wan, but she had no children since then.
The mother-in-law decided to take two concubines for her husband, and the two concubines gave birth to sons, making He Yan's situation even more difficult.
Fortunately, her daughter Lu Wan is very hardworking and has been smart and hardworking since she was a child.
She and her brothers and sisters of the Lu family were educated in the clan school together. The teachers who taught her all said that with her qualifications, she would most likely pass the examination and become a palace lady-in-waiting in the future.
Because of this, Lu Wan was able to continue her studies and was sent to the best local academy after her enlightenment.
A few years ago, the emperor issued an edict stating that official schools in Chang'an could also recruit female students.
If one can be admitted to a government school with excellent grades, his tuition will be waived and he will also be provided with financial support for his daily expenses.
When Lu Wan was nine years old, she told her parents, "Wan'er wants to take the exam for the government academy."
She spoke firmly.
Since she was a child, she witnessed how her mother worked hard and suffered at home, saw those concubines trapped in the dark courtyard and fighting openly and secretly for their entire lives, and saw her cousin who was only twelve or thirteen years old being engaged to an uneducated playboy in the county town.
A few days ago, she accidentally heard her grandmother and aunt casually chatting:
"The only thing missing for our grandchildren's marriage is the third branch. Wan'er is smart and has studied in academy. In a few years, when she grows up, even if she doesn't pass the imperial examination to become a court lady, she can be paired with the county magistrate's son, and our Lu family will have a good in-law."
Lu Wan felt numb all over. She didn't want to be trapped here.
She must get out and leave here.
When she told her family that she wanted to take the civil service exam, everyone laughed at her.
She passed the local screening, but when she was about to go to Beijing to take the exam, everyone still laughed at her.
Even her father laughed and shook his head, saying, "Although you are smart, it is extremely difficult to get into the official school. Even the noble ladies in Chang'an may not be able to get in. It would be a waste of money for you to go to Chang'an."
Her grandmother also disagreed and was unwilling to give her travel expenses from the public fund.
Only her mother He Yan supported her. She took out the savings she had saved over the years and said to her:
"Wan'er, I'll take you to Chang'an to take the imperial examination. Your grandfather was once the top scholar and mentored younger students in the capital. I read their essays and knew the talent of those who passed. Wan'er, they don't understand your talent, but I do."
"Mom won't let you be trapped here forever. You must move forward."
The next day, He Yan knelt in front of her mother-in-law and said that she wanted to take her daughter to Chang'an to take the imperial examination.
The eldest sister-in-law sarcastically said, "It seems that my sister-in-law hasn't forgotten her past prosperity and is still thinking of using her daughter to rise to the top. It's a pity that some things are determined by fate."
The old lady said, "You and your daughter are both very proud. If you insist on going, then go ahead. Only when you run into obstacles and suffer losses outside will you give up and come back."
The Lu family finally let He Yan and her daughter go with several other fellow villagers from their hometown who were going to Beijing to take the imperial examination.
The old lady also gave Lu Wan money from her own private money.
After He Yan took Lu Wan away, the eldest daughter-in-law asked somewhat unwillingly: "Why did mother still give them money? Isn't this obviously throwing money into the water?"
The old lady snorted coldly, "I don't want to give it to her, but I've lived for so many years and have seen so much. I always worry about the worst. What if that girl really gets lucky and becomes rich in the future? If I don't give her some money, she'll definitely hold a grudge against me."
"That girl's maternal grandfather was a ruthless person. You married in from another place. You don't know about the case of the Zhuang family who died suddenly many years ago. When her grandfather returned to his hometown, all five generations of the Zhuang family in the east of the city were wiped out overnight."
When the eldest daughter-in-law heard this, she felt a chill on her back and dared not say anything more.
He Yan and Lu Wan arrived in the capital and rented a small house. Lu Wan concentrated on studying, while He Yan took on some sewing and laundry work, earning whatever she could.
They have to live frugally and survive at least until next spring.
In the middle of the night, it snowed.
Snowflakes fell one after another.
Lu Wan closed her eyes, clenched the quilt in her hands, and silently recited the article she had read that night.
As I carried it on my back, my mood gradually calmed down and I fell asleep.
The mother and daughter lived a difficult but peaceful life in Chang'an.
Even on New Year's Eve, it was no different from any other night.
But when the Lantern Festival arrived, He Yan looked at the lanterns hanging high in the streets and alleys, and remembered the scene of visiting the Chang'an Lantern Festival when she was a child. She couldn't help but take her daughter out:
"Wan'er, today is the Lantern Festival. I'm going to take you outside to see the lanterns."
Lu Wan reminded her mother: "Mom, we can't spend money recklessly."
He Yan suppressed her sadness and forced a smile: "It's okay, just go and take a look, it doesn't cost any money."
The mother and daughter went out together.
During the two days of the Lantern Festival, the curfew was lifted, allowing people in Beijing to enjoy themselves until late at night.
The streets are brightly lit and bustling with tourists.
The various lanterns dazzled Lu Wan.
My hometown county also has a lantern festival during the Lantern Festival, but it is not as spectacular as this, and you won’t see so many exquisite lanterns.
For the first time, she saw that lanterns could even be made of silk, jade, and glass.
It is so luxurious and beautiful like a dream.
Lu Wan felt like she was walking in a bizarre dream.
The most eye-catching part of the dream was the pleasure boat by the river.
He Yan said to Lu Wan, "Wan'er, look, that's the Nichang painted boat. Every year during the Lantern Festival, they hang lanterns and let people guess lantern riddles."
Lu Wan saw that the pleasure boat looked like a giant koi carp, and it was hung with colorful lanterns.
She stood by the river and saw one of the thousand-petal lotus lanterns at a glance.
Each petal of the lotus is made of colored glaze with gold thread edging, and is crystal clear.
Lu Wan stared at the lotus lantern, mesmerized.
But she didn't say she liked it.
She can't get such a good thing, so what difference does it make whether she likes it or not?
The gorgeously dressed proprietress on the pleasure boat was soliciting customers, inviting passers-by to come on board and guess lantern riddles.
"It only costs ten taels of silver to guess the riddles. If you guess ten correctly, you can choose any one to take away." The proprietress led the group onto the boat with a smile.
Following behind the proprietress were the Pei and Xue families.
On the night of the Lantern Festival, everyone takes a break from their busy schedule to relax.
Pei Lingfeng and Yan Yu brought their children, while Pei Lingyun and Wu Yingniang brought Zhizhi. Pei Xuan was absent because she had to be on duty.
The Xue family members were all there, including Xue Yucheng and Shangguan Ru with Xue Che, as well as Xue Yuzhuo, Pei Shu and Xue Di who had returned from vacation.
They went out into the street in a lively atmosphere, and when they saw the pleasure boat, several children wanted to play a guessing game.
Xue Yuzhuo generously paid for all the children's money and said, "Go ahead and guess boldly. It's okay if you don't guess right."
"Thank you, uncle!"
"Thank you, uncle!"
Several children came on board to guess riddles.
Zhizhi pointed at a lively little fish lantern and said to Xue Che, "Ah Che, look, I like that one! Which one do you like?"
Xue Che turned his head and looked at them: "I like the pony-shaped one on the right."
Several children began to guess riddles.
Lu Wan stood on the river bank and noticed the girl on the pleasure boat who looked about her age.
The little girl was wearing a pink spring jacket with a brocade cloak over it.
Lu Wan heard the servant telling the riddle:
"Look left, the horse leans on it; look right, it leans on the horse; look left and right together, and your feet are stepping on the vast sand. Guess a word."
Lu Wan opened her mouth and said silently, "It's a camel."
At the same time, Zhizhi on the houseboat also guessed it.
Lu Wan stood not far away and guessed the next few riddles silently.
He Yan held Lu Wan's hand tightly: "Wan'er, do you want to guess too?"
Lu Wan looked down at her clothes.
These are the winter clothes I made last year. I didn’t make new clothes when I came to Beijing this year.
The clothes were not old, but she had grown taller than last year, so they were a little shorter at the wrists.
The wind was cold in the early spring night, and it made my wrists icy.
Lu Wan held down her exposed wrist and shook her head at her mother:
"Ten taels of silver is too expensive. Wan'er doesn't want to guess."
After hearing this, He Yan felt a pang of pain in her heart and frowned.
She continued walking with her daughter, but she no longer had the heart to appreciate the lanterns.
Wait until the mother and daughter walked back to the deserted alley.
He Yan looked at the old house in the alley and the doorway without even a lantern. She couldn't hold back the bitterness in her heart, and it instantly turned into tears that flowed from the corners of her eyes.
She didn't want her daughter to see, so she turned and went to the kitchen to boil water.
Lu Wan returned to the house, but instead of resting, she continued reading.
She is not from a wealthy family. If she wants to move up, she must not only be smarter than others, but also work harder than others.
At night, the mother and daughter squeezed into the small bed to rest again.
The spring moon hangs high in the night sky, surrounded by a halo of light.
The moonlight flowing into the room also became a little hazy.
In a hazy state, Lu Wan faced the wall and said to her mother:
"Mother, don't cry. We don't have any money today, but I will go to the government school and take the civil service exam in the future."
"One day, I will buy the most beautiful lanterns in the capital."
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