Chapter 43: It's nothing for an old acquaintance and childhood friend to suffer some grievances for his sister-in-law...
On the night of the Lantern Festival, the Great Qi Dynasty lifted the curfew. The lantern towers on both sides of the streets and alleys had already been erected. In order to attract customers, each shop competed to hang all kinds of novel lanterns on their doors and windows. Some lantern towers were several meters high, and from a distance, they looked like the Milky Way had been poured out. People couldn't help but sigh at the great prosperity of the country and its unparalleled style.
The main street of Xishi was bustling with people. There were couples with children to see the Aoshan Lantern Festival, lovers guessing riddles under the lanterns, and vendors selling their goods weaving through the crowd.
The river is a mixed bag, with both good and bad.
Li Sanlang, the eldest son of the Vice Minister of the Imperial Clan Court, was a complete scoundrel. Although he had no official rank, he held a sinecure in the Ministry of War because of his family background. He idled away his days and was a complete wastrel.
After leaving Hongji Restaurant, Li Sanlang was quite drunk and was about to head to Huaxiangzi to find some fun when he suddenly spotted a beautiful figure in the crowd. He was instantly frozen in place.
Li Sanlang frequented brothels and red-light districts year-round. He was fairly good-looking and quite skilled at polo. He had also seduced several noblewomen at polo matches, making him a veritable connoisseur of women.
Even so, Li Sanlang was still captivated by this fleeting glimpse.
The woman stood by the lantern stall, her small face covered by half a painted fox mask, revealing only her slightly upturned nose and bright red lips. Her simple and elegant attire was not particularly luxurious, yet she exuded a unique charm.
Li Sanlang immediately pushed away the servants who were supporting him, and staggered toward the lantern stall while hiccuping from drinking.
"I'll buy all the lanterns at this stall and give them to this young lady..."
Li Sanlang casually tossed down a gold ingot, his eyes greedily fixed on the woman before him. He grinned and proudly introduced himself: "I am the son of the Vice Minister of the Imperial Clan Court. May I ask which family you belong to, young lady?"
The Lantern Festival was bustling with people. Chu Yueyuan, disguised, left the palace and the first thing she did upon arriving at the West Market was to buy a mask to wear in order to avoid running into acquaintances.
Unfortunately, what she feared most came to pass, and she was spotted by the sharp-eyed Li Sanlang.
The third son of the Li family, who was the Vice Minister of the Imperial Clan Court, had a notorious reputation in the capital.
Many years ago, when Chu Yueyuan first participated in a polo match, she was harassed by Li Sanlang. Fortunately, the young master Meng from the Zhongyi Earl's family stood up for her. The young master Meng rolled up his sleeves and gave Li Sanlang a good beating, almost breaking his leg. From then on, Li Sanlang dared not provoke Chu Yueyuan again.
Fearing that Li Sanlang would discover her identity, Chu Yueyuan remained silent. She put down the lantern she was looking at and turned to leave.
"Oh, young lady, don't go! I, Li, am willing to buy all the lanterns in the East Market for you. Since I'm so sincere, why don't you accompany me to the riverbank in the west of the city to release the lanterns..."
Actually, compared to usual, Li Sanlang was more restrained in his words tonight. Seeing that the woman was dressed simply and had her hair styled like a married woman, he was certain that she was a beautiful woman from a humble family, so he chased after her with a grin.
The streets were bustling with pedestrians, and Chu Yueyuan quickened her pace, but it was difficult for her to shake off Li Sanlang, who was relentlessly pursuing her.
Li Sanlang was very confident in his ability to recognize talent. Although the young woman was covered up, her graceful figure was still undeniable. In particular, her beautiful eyes, which shimmered under the mask, were so captivating that when she smiled, she was like a fox spirit, capable of bewitching one's soul.
He had only ever seen those captivating eyes on one woman's face in all his years of life, but unfortunately, that woman had become the most esteemed royal widow of the Great Qi Dynasty, and he could never see her again.
However, the charming and beautiful young woman in front of him could make up for his regret.
"Young lady, you look somewhat familiar. Have we met before? Otherwise, why would I feel so familiar with you? Perhaps we had a predestined relationship in our past lives, and our reunion in this life is destined to continue our love... Oh dear!"
Just as he was about to grab the woman's slender arm, a sharp pain shot through Li Sanlang's knee, causing him to fall face-first into the mud. Enraged by the alcohol surging in his chest, he cursed viciously, "Who is it? Which bastard is trying to ambush me!"
His shout instantly summoned a group of fierce-looking servants.
Li Sanlang was helped to his feet by two servants. He looked closely and saw a handsome young man standing next to the young lady.
The young man was tall and elegant, and he also wore a silver wolf-head mask. His cold eyes beneath the mask gleamed with disdain, as if he were looking at an ant. It was an absolute majesty that only a person in a superior position could possess.
Li Sanlang sobered up a bit immediately, but relying on his superior numbers, he braced himself and shouted, "Who are you? How dare you interfere in my business? Are you tired of living?"
After saying this, he gave a look, and the dozen or so servants who understood immediately rubbed their hands together, put their hands on their hips, and assumed a posture that looked like they were about to cause trouble.
This commotion naturally attracted many onlookers. Seeing the crowd growing larger, Chu Yueyuan believed the Regent could easily deal with them, but not wanting to cause further trouble, she gently tugged at the man's sleeve and whispered:
"Pei Qing, let's go."
Pei Muwei grasped the woman's soft hand and pulled her behind him, his cold gaze sweeping over Li Sanlang and his group.
"Li Sanlang, son of the Vice Minister of the Imperial Clan Court, a fifth-rank commander of a thousand households, is your superior Zhao Mufeng?"
When Li Sanlang heard the man not only mention his official rank but also dare to address his superior by his name, his expression changed. He looked the man up and down with suspicion and felt that the man's demeanor was not that of an ordinary person.
"You know Governor Zhao?"
"Zhao Mufeng used to be the Military Advisor and Pacification Commissioner in Yongzhou. He was transferred back to the Ministry of War two years ago."
Seeing that the other party could clearly recite Governor Zhao's resume, Li Sanlang no longer had any doubts. His expression changed faster than a juggling act. He smiled broadly, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "So you are a friend of Governor Zhao. It's true that we became friends after a fight. Just now, I saw your wife from afar and felt that she looked very familiar. She looked like an old acquaintance of mine, so I was curious and chatted with her for a few minutes. Please forgive me."
Li Sanlang was a master at judging people by their appearance. Just moments ago, he was calling Chu Yueyuan "little lady" repeatedly, speaking in a frivolous and ill-intentioned manner. But as soon as he realized that she had a powerful backer, he immediately changed his address to "sister-in-law."
Unfortunately, Chu Yueyuan was Pei Muwei's nominal sister-in-law. She suddenly felt her face burning, especially under the watchful eyes of everyone, her hand, which was being held in her brother-in-law's palm, felt like it was on fire.
She struggled twice, but couldn't break free from the man's grasp.
Having finally made it into a quieter alley, Chu Yueyuan raised their clasped hands, blushing, and said, "Li Sanlang has gone far away, Pei Qing, you can let go of me now."
Pei Muwei stared at the woman's pink earlobe peeking out from under the fox mask, showing no intention of letting go. He simply said casually, "The Aoshan Lantern Festival will be packed with people soon. It would be best if Your Highness didn't let go, lest we get separated."
After a pause, he added, "Since Your Highness is traveling incognito, the way you address me should be changed. You should no longer call me Minister Pei."
Chu Yueyuan felt that the Regent's words made sense. Just like when she bumped into the drunk Li Sanlang earlier, she blurted out Pei Qing in her haste. Fortunately, Li Sanlang was not in his right mind at the time and did not realize the identities of the two of them.
“Then I will call you Pei Lang, and you may call me by my maiden name: Niannian.”
The woman's soft, gentle voice calling him "Pei Lang" momentarily stunned Pei Muwei. He lowered his eyes, feigning ignorance, and asked, "Which word?"
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Chu Yueyuan pulled her hand out of the man's palm, and then carefully wrote the character "念" on his palm, explaining earnestly, "It is the '念' of longing."
Pei Muwei's eyes flickered, and his voice was low: "How can I not miss my beloved? The Qi River cannot be crossed, I miss you..." His voice was cold, but his low voice was very pleasant to hear, like a whisper in a dream, inexplicably revealing tenderness.
"Nian Nian..."
He read it aloud again, a barely perceptible smile playing on his lips.
The heat that had finally subsided on Chu Yueyuan's cheeks surged up again. She thought that only her mother had ever called her by this name, her tone full of warmth and affection.
The two were hiding in a secluded alley, with pedestrians hurrying by in the bustling city not far away. He pinned her against the wall, his tall figure completely enveloping her in his presence, as he whispered her maiden name.
The bustling crowd seemed to be separated by an invisible barrier, with only that deep, possessive, hoarse voice lingering in her ears.
"Nian Nian..."
Those dark eyes hidden beneath the wolf-head mask were as deep as pools, shimmering with a bewitching light, drawing ever closer, carrying a hint of danger, yet also a touch of allure.
Chu Yueyuan stared at his increasingly close, shimmering black eyes, momentarily stunned, even forgetting to look away.
"Your Highness, Li Sanlang has been captured. May I ask how Your Highness intends to deal with him?"
The sudden sound in the dim light startled Chu Yueyuan. She pushed the man in front of her away, turned around guiltily, and covered half of her face under the mask with her hands, only to find that her cheeks were burning hot.
Pei Muwei turned his hands behind his back, the tingling sensation of those soft fingertips gliding across his skin still lingering in his palms. He clenched his fists tightly, lowered his gaze to Lin Mu, who was kneeling in the corner, and spoke in a slightly cold tone:
"Li Qing is a cautious official, so let's leave him an heir for now."
Li Qing was Li Sanlang's father. He held the official rank of Assistant Minister of the Imperial Clan Court, a third-rank official, and belonged to the royalist faction in the court.
Lin Mu clearly felt the cold aura emanating from the Regent. He glanced furtively at the young Empress Dowager, who was quickly disappearing into the corner, and suddenly realized he had done something foolish. He hurriedly responded:
"I will immediately cripple Li Sanlang's hands and cut out his tongue to ensure that he will not reveal what happened tonight."
After saying that, Lin Mu disappeared in a flash, like a shadow melting into the night.
Chu Yueyuan knew that Lin Mu had left, but she was still facing the wall in repentance.
She reflected on how she could be so easily tempted by male beauty; if Lin Mu hadn't appeared in time, she would have almost made another grave mistake.
The kiss in the osmanthus grove last time could be considered a drunken blunder by the Regent, which she could easily dismiss as a mere dream.
But the two of them were perfectly sober just now. If they make another mistake, what excuse can they possibly make to get away with it?
Moreover, the man's mind is unfathomable. One moment he is polite and courteous to Li Sanlang, and the next he can hold the power of life and death over others without batting an eye. This man is really too dangerous.
It was so dangerous that Chu Yueyuan dared not gamble with her own and Xiao Yun's lives.
"The lantern festival is about to begin, how long is the Empress Dowager going to stand in the corner?"
Chu Yueyuan slowly turned around and saw the man standing in the lamplight reaching out his hand to her. His phoenix eyes, beneath his deep brows, shone brightly, and his voice was low and alluring: "Niannian, come with me."
She took a deep breath, silently reciting in her heart, "Lust is a knife above one's head; a weak will leads to a life of danger." Having banished these evil thoughts, she smiled gently.
"Since Minister Pei has already arranged for secret guards, it doesn't matter if I get separated from you. Let's hurry up and leave, or we won't see any more lanterns lit."
After saying that, she ignored the man's outstretched hand, walked quickly past him without looking to the side, and plunged into the bustling crowd.
Pei Muwei's gaze darkened slightly, and a helpless smile appeared on his lips as he strode after the figure that was about to disappear into the crowd.
———
With envoys from various countries coming to pay tribute to the Great Qi, the Jingzhao Prefecture held an unprecedentedly grand Aoshan Lantern Festival this year to showcase the grandeur of the great nation.
Skilled craftsmen used bamboo as the frame and silk as the surface to not only weave several magnificent lanterns that soared into the air, but also stacked thousands of exquisite small lanterns along the street, weaving them into a shimmering, golden, and ever-changing fairyland of lights, attracting countless people to stop and marvel at the sight.
In the middle of the street stands a flower stand even taller than Fanlou, on which hangs the highlight of tonight's lantern festival—the box lantern.
The process of making box lanterns is incredibly complex, requiring not only paper cutting, painting, bamboo weaving, and fireworks, but also precise control over the amount of gunpowder used. The lanterns are then stacked layer by layer inside an octagonal lantern box, creating a nested lantern effect with up to a dozen layers, making it a true king of lanterns.
At the hour of Si (9-11 AM), the golden gong rang out, and the Prefect of the Capital ascended the high platform amidst the eager anticipation of the people of the city. He raised the bamboo pole in his hand high and used the burning end to ignite the tassel fuse under the box lamp.
In an instant, a string of sparks shot out from the bottom of the box lamp, and a huge phoenix lantern suddenly crashed down. The phoenix lantern, which was dozens of feet tall, was exquisite and unparalleled, and its whole body was shimmering with colorful light, like a golden phoenix bathed in firelight.
The onlookers widened their eyes and exclaimed in amazement. Just as the phoenix flower was about to burn out, an exquisite unicorn lantern fell out of the box, followed by a Chongming bird lantern. This cycle continued, and eleven mythical beast lanterns were displayed in succession.
The final lantern to fall was a magnificent dragon lantern. The dragon lantern was exquisitely shaped and lifelike, with dazzling pagoda patterns on its body. It looked like a fire dragon soaring into the night sky, showing its majesty and grandeur.
"good!"
"That was amazing!"
"Long live the true dragon! Long live the Great Qi!"
The crowd was overjoyed and cheered, as if the golden dragon, which had been reborn several times, was a divine beast that would protect them. They watched with awe as the dazzling golden dragon rose into the night sky amidst the fireworks.
Under the holly tree by the street, Chu Yueyuan looked at the cheering crowd and smiled: "Lord Yao is a smart man. Minister Pei should reward him in the future."
Due to their status, Chu Yueyuan and the Regent did not go up to the restaurant to admire the lanterns. Instead, they found an inconspicuous street corner and counted down together amidst the joyful cheers of the surrounding people, watching the twelve mythical beast lanterns appear one after another.
Pei Muwei looked at the intrigued young Empress Dowager beside him, his eyes reflecting the warm orange candlelight: "What makes you say that, Your Highness?"
Chu Yueyuan pointed to the most dazzling dragon lantern at the lantern festival and smiled:
"The craftsmen who made the mythical beast lanterns hid another lantern inside the belly of each lantern. When the first phoenix lantern burned out, it became the fuse for the next unicorn lantern. This cycle continued, and tonight there are a total of twelve mythical beast lanterns, corresponding to the twelve victories that Pei Qing has won outside Beiting Pass. The last true dragon lantern has a pagoda flower painted on its tail, indicating that this golden dragon that saves the world is none other than Pei Qing, who commands the Pagoda Army!"
During the time Chu Yueyuan assumed personal rule, she had witnessed many of the sycophantic tactics employed by officials in the court, not to mention the blatant ulterior motives of Prefect Yao.
Pei Muwei remained unmoved by Prefect Yao's elaborate flattery: "Since Your Highness finds this auspicious, then next year on the Lantern Festival, I will have every shop light up a blue phoenix lantern..."
“There’s no need for that…” Chu Yueyuan immediately interrupted the minister’s advice.
How could a blue phoenix compare to a golden dragon? The man before her was destined to be a future king, but she no longer wanted to be a phoenix in a golden cage.
After the Aoshan Lantern Festival ended, the pedestrians on the street dispersed. Chu Yueyuan, who rarely left the palace, lingered, reluctant to go back.
She coughed lightly and said, "At the palace banquet earlier, I noticed that Minister Pei didn't eat much. Now, accompanying me to inspect the Lantern Festival, we've walked for quite a while, so I imagine you must be quite hungry. I do know a stall in the East Market where the stall owner has superb skills; their 'mountain and sea dumplings' are incredibly delicious, leaving a lingering fragrance on the lips and teeth..."
Shan Hai Dou Zi is a night market snack. It consists of tender bamboo shoots, river shrimp, fresh fish and ferns wrapped in a translucent mung bean skin, shaped into a fortune bag and steamed. The freshly steamed dumplings are crystal clear. The ingredients include both mountain vegetables and seafood, hence the name Shan Hai Dou Zi. It is served with white porridge to warm the stomach and taste delicious.
Pei Muwei stared at the woman wearing the fox mask. Beneath the exquisite mask, her bright black eyes swirled with reluctance and anticipation, blatantly revealing her innermost thoughts to him.
He smiled slightly: "Your Highness is hungry. I will trouble you to lead the way."
The East Market is filled with a dazzling array of shops, and the goods are inexpensive. In particular, there is a row of night market food stalls along the river, which is more lively than the West Market. The pedestrians are also more diverse, including local vendors carrying their wares on shoulder poles and Persians leading camels to sell imported goods.
After walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Chu Yueyuan finally found the late-night snack stall she had been longing for.
She had left the palace in a hurry and hadn't expected to wander from the West Market all the way to the East Market, so she hadn't brought any money with her. She could only look longingly at the Regent and whisper:
"I...cough...I want to take some back for Yun'er to eat. Pei Lang...have you brought enough money?"
Pedestrians came and went by the roadside stalls, so Chu Yueyuan had no choice but to use the terms of address they had agreed upon earlier.
Pei Muwei raised his eyebrows slightly. When the Empress Dowager had nothing to do, she would call him "Pei Qing," but when she needed something from him, she would call him "Pei Lang" with great affection.
He nodded slightly and said, "Niannian, there's no need to worry. I brought some silver notes."
Chu Yueyuan grinned, inwardly sighing that the Regent was truly a wealthy and powerful golden dragon! Well, she, a phoenix that had been burned to a crisp, didn't need to be polite to him.
"Hey buddy, five baskets of seafood dumplings, two bowls of plain congee, two servings of stone pancakes, egg drop dumplings, and sugar-coated fried dough sticks..."
The waiter quickly cleared a table and greeted Pei Muwei warmly, saying, "Please sit down, gentlemen. Your wife has a good appetite; she must be a blessed person!"
Seeing that the waiter had misunderstood their relationship, Chu Yueyuan's ears turned red. She wanted to explain, but the man opposite her responded nonchalantly and even generously tossed her a silver ingot.
The shop assistant weighed the heavy silver ingot in his hand, his eyes almost disappearing with a smile. His flattering blessings were witty and charming, even including wishes for the couple to live a long and happy life together with many children and grandchildren.
Chu Yueyuan rubbed her forehead and lowered her head. She finally managed to wait until the waiter went to greet the next table of guests, and quietly kicked the black boots under the table.
Her dark eyes glared at him, and she angrily demanded, "Why didn't Pei Qing explain to him clearly that we are not husband and wife..."
As she spoke the last two words, she glanced around at the other diners and unconsciously moved closer to them.
Pei Muwei calmly looked at her wide, dark eyes and said in a slow, deliberate voice, "It must have been Your Highness who called me Pei Lang first, which caused the waiter to misunderstand."
Chu Yueyuan bit her lip, her tone softening slightly: "Then you can explain it to him..."
Pei Muwei leaned forward, a smile playing in his dark eyes, and said, "Since Your Highness insists, I will go and explain to the servants that you are my sister-in-law."
Chu Yueyuan: .....
Seeing the man about to get up, she quickly reached out and pressed his arm down, forcing a smile. "Oh dear, it's a rare trip out of the palace, why must you explain yourself so thoroughly to an ignorant commoner like me? A misunderstanding is a misunderstanding, but it's unfair to your reputation..."
Chu Yueyuan practically gritted her teeth as she spoke.
Pei Muwei's smile deepened. He looked down at the soft hand tightly gripping his arm and said in a clear voice, "Suffering a little grievance for my sister-in-law is nothing."
Chu Yueyuan: ....
Layer upon layer of lanterns hang under the eaves, swaying gently in the night breeze, their shadows shifting and creating a beautiful scene.
Street food stalls are all about the wok hei (the smoky aroma imparted by a hot wok). The stall owner worked quickly and soon filled the table with several plates of steaming hot snacks. To express her gratitude to the God of Wealth for the night, Chu Yueyuan took the initiative to pick up a piece of Shan Hai Douzi (a type of steamed bun) and put it on the stall owner's plate.
"Pei Lang, please try some. The stall owner's wife is a very hardworking woman. The winter bamboo shoots in this basket are dug out one by one by her from the mountains outside Beijing before dawn every day..."
Most noble ladies in the capital city preferred fine silks and satins or cosmetics, while daughters of scholarly families preferred poetry, paintings, and the Four Treasures of the Study.
Chu Yueyuan had a particular fondness for food. Whenever she ate something delicious outside, she would bring it back for Granny Xu and the others to try and see if they could recreate it.
Her eyes lit up at the mention of delicious food, like a crescent moon, clear and lively.
The girl, having shed her elaborate attire, had a pure smile in her eyes, like a cunning yet slightly greedy little fox.
Pei Muwei picked up the delicate little mountain and sea dumpling, put it in his mouth and tasted it under the expectant gaze of the other party, and slowly nodded and said: "Niannian's favorite food is indeed delicious."
More than delicious food, he was satisfied with the gentle nicknames of women flowing between his teeth.
"Right, I wasn't bragging..."
Chu Yueyuan was delighted to receive the affirmation and couldn't wait to enjoy the steaming hot snack in front of her.
Without the constraints of palace etiquette, the woman's eating manner revealed the charming innocence that should be present at her age. Her bright eyes showed a satisfied smile, her red lips were full and glossy from being moistened with oil, and her snowy cheeks were puffed up.
Pei Muwei suddenly had a strong urge to reach out and poke her puffed-up cheeks, to watch her eat every day, to call her by her maiden name, and to make her an indispensable part of his life.
His obsession with the throne seemed to fade at this moment, transforming into another kind of longing: the longing to possess the woman under the dim lights.
Chu Yueyuan ate the wok-fried snacks with gusto, sweating profusely as she ate. After a short while, a thin layer of sweat appeared on her forehead.
The West Market was a chaotic place, mostly inhabited by manual laborers. Young masters from noble families rarely went there. Chu Yueyuan was so hot that she couldn't stand it. Thinking that she was unlikely to run into anyone she knew, she took off her fox mask to get some fresh air.
Although the food stalls on the street corner are small, the food is delicious, and even though it's almost midnight, customers are still coming in droves.
Not far away, a group of soldiers strode in, making a loud noise. The leader was tall and strong, wearing a dark red double-layered cotton military uniform with cross collar, his legs tightly bound, and riding boots on his feet. His brows still held the dust and heroism unique to the frontier. Judging from his appearance, he was not an ordinary soldier, but a border army officer who had been transferred back to the capital.
The waiter quickly greeted them with a smile: "Gentlemen, you've arrived! What would you like to eat tonight?"
"Bring us all the best wine and food!"
"Alright, gentlemen, please come in."
One of the soldiers joked, "Boss Meng, you're going to be promoted two ranks this time when you return to the capital in triumph, becoming the General of Huaihua. And it's even been personally conferred the title by the Regent. That's a huge honor!"
The other person immediately chimed in, his voice even louder: "Not only that, I heard our boss is going to the Chu family to propose marriage tomorrow. This is double happiness! You absolutely have to treat us to dinner tonight!"
"Meng is the host! Meng is the host!"
The young man, who was being cheered on by the crowd, patted his chest with great joy and said with great pride, "Please, please. On the day I marry the goose, I'll get you all drunk!"
After a burst of laughter, someone else said, "Then I'll have to take a good look at what this Chu girl looks like. She's so infatuated with Meng that he doesn't even care about his own life. He rushes at the Hu people like a hungry tiger, hoping to make military achievements as soon as possible and win the beauty's heart!"
The young man couldn't hide his smile and proudly said, "My goose looks exactly like the fairy in the painting. No, my goose is even more beautiful than the fairy!"
"Boss Meng is bragging again!"
Amidst a burst of laughter, the young man's gaze inadvertently swept over the stall in the corner. His smile froze, replaced by an incredulous joy, and he blurted out:
"A goose!"
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