Chapter 146: Lantern Festival
Lantern Festival.
On this day, the Palace Army had leave and did not need to train, yet Xiao Yi rose as usual to practice martial arts.
He had a premonition that there was a high probability of a fight with Li Chongjin tonight.
After bathing and changing clothes, he first went to a courtyard house on Guanqian Street to take a look. It was too large to explore fully, so he hired people to tidy up two rooms for the convenience of settling Zhang Wan.
Afterwards, he paid a visit to Li Tao’s Residence, entered through a side gate at the back, and after drinking tea for a while, discussed matters with Li Fang.
“Brother Ming Yuan, why have you been living at Lord Xin Chen’s Residence?”
“It is because my purse is empty.”
Xiao Yi said, “The residence I received from Su Fengji was expanded from a courtyard house with four courtyards and ten mu. It covers over forty mu, which is too large for me. I plan to divide it into four parts: the northeast corner, the Li Residence, will be returned to Madam Li; the southeast corner will be for Brother Ming Yuan. How about it?”
“And the money owed?”
“Brother Ming Yuan can help me with a few favors in the future.”
“I mean, what about the money you owe me?”
“Naturally, it will be written off.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“You’re quite clever with your calculations. If my clan…”
Li Fang seemed to have more to say but shook his head. He then said, “If I were to buy your residence, I would still have to spend money on repairs. I live at Lord Xin Chen’s Residence and can access tens of thousands of books. In the future, someone will surely grant me a grand mansion; this is called ‘in books, there are golden houses’.”
Xiao Yi gave a wry smile and said, “A large residence is not easy to live in.”
“What? Did the business indeed lose money?”
“I hired artisans to fire glass to replace crystal. Brother Ming Yuan, could you help me look into it?”
Li Fang waved his hand and said, “Come back to me when the artisans can’t solve it.”
At noon, they dined at the Li Residence, and the dishes were very exquisite.
Xiao Yi knew that Li Zhaoning had painstakingly prepared them, but he did not see her.
After finishing the meal and coming out, he saw her standing by the corridor, holding a food box.
“Were the dishes palatable today?”
“Next time, you should join us at the table, and then you’ll know.”
“Living under someone else’s roof, it’s not proper to be so impolite.” Li Zhaoning quickly skipped over the topic and said, “I’ve prepared a carriage, so you won’t ride a horse, right?”
“Okay.”
The two then traveled together in the carriage.
Li Zhaoning had previously said she wanted to tame wild horses, but in reality, she couldn’t ride very well.
The carriage was enclosed, and a faint fragrance could be smelled. When the carriage bumped, there were occasional collisions of limbs, yet both remained quite natural.
“I heard there’s a particularly beautiful Ao Shan Lantern at the Lantern Fair tonight.”
“Is that so? An Yuanzhen probably can’t see it.”
“It’s too pathetic for her to be alone in Tai Ping Palace. So, can I accompany her tonight?”
Xiao Yi turned his head to look. Li Zhaoning’s eyes seemed to be misted over.
It was as if she was asking if it was pathetic for her to wander the lantern fair alone tonight, and if he could accompany her.
However, tonight was not a good time to arrange it.
“I will discuss it with the guards to see if you can stay with her for the night.”
“Okay.”
“Do you have any news of your elder brother?”
“Not yet. Jiangnan is far away, and finding someone is not that easy.”
The topics of conversation were all trivial, because their hands had lightly brushed against each other.
Xiao Yi felt the smooth, cool sensation on the back of his hand and had a strange premonition… that he might encounter some trouble today.
When they arrived at Tai Ping Palace, the premonition grew even stronger.
As soon as they reached the moon gate of the guest courtyard, a palace servant saw him arrive and immediately scurried off to announce him.
“Madam, General Xiao has come to see you.”
“Hmph, heartless man. Tell him I’m already dead.”
“Please, Madam, don’t speak nonsense.”
Xiao Yi stepped inside and saw An Yuanzhen sitting with her back to the door, wiping tears. She had become much thinner.
However, she was actually the type who looked better when she was plump.
“Madam An.”
“You still have the nerve to come? I treated you so well, sending word for my father to buy cotton cloth for you, and you? You only remembered me today? You bad person.”
When An Yuanzhen wasn’t acting as Empress, she naturally spoke in a sweet and delicate tone. Today, she added more resentment, making it seem as if Xiao Yi owed her.
She turned her head and saw Li Zhaoning staring at him, letting out a soft, displeased hum.
“Wan Niang, it’s me who came to see you.”
“Ah?”
An Yuanzhen turned her head to look, her expression blank.
Xiao Yi also paused slightly. He thought she was wiping tears, but she was actually applying lipstick in front of a small bronze mirror.
She hadn’t finished yet, her cherry lips were slightly red.
“Boohoo… You Niang… You’re still good to me. I told you he’s avoiding me, how could he possibly come to see me.”
“You’ve suffered.”
Li Zhaoning stepped forward and, as if by accident, stepped on Xiao Yi’s boot.
The two women then hugged each other, weeping. The scene was beautiful, but the occasional glances they cast were quite unfriendly.
Xiao Yi, however, was thinking that if they were truly so close, Li Zhaoning would not have been left without An Yuanzhen’s help when her family was seized at the Shi Residence back then.
Of course, it couldn’t be said to be false affection; everyone has their own way of surviving.
“I brought you some pastries. Do you want to eat them?”
“Mmm, you’re still the best.”
The two opened the food box. There were only four pastries in total, but An Yuanzhen seemed to have trouble choosing. After deliberating for a while, she said, “I want to eat them all.”
“They were all for you, so eat them all.”
“I’m not like him with a big appetite; I’m afraid I won’t be able to eat them all.”
“It’s fine. You pick one first, and I’ll bring you more next time. There’s Red Bean Cake, Osmanthus Cake, Apricot Blossom Cake, and Peach Blossom Cake.”
“I’ve never seen Peach Blossom Cake before. Your skill is truly amazing.”
An Yuanzhen picked up a pink pastry, took a small bite, and while Li Zhaoning was looking down, she glanced towards Xiao Yi, wanting to say something but hesitating.
Li Zhaoning took a piece of Red Bean Cake, took a small taste, and handed the food box over, saying softly, “You eat it.”
“Okay.”
Although the conversation was simple, there was a sense of familiarity.
Xiao Yi saw that there was still a piece of white cake and a piece of apricot-colored pastry left in the food box, and suddenly thought of something.
Before, when buying cotton cloth, there was still a bolt of apricot-colored cloth in that shop, which looked quite beautiful. He should go and buy it to give to Zhang Wan when he had the time.
He sat there quietly eating the pastries, not speaking.
An Yuanzhen was determined not to let him off the hook. After a while, she steered the conversation back to him, saying, “You’re so well-behaved today, like a cat. You don’t know, he’s very bold and very bad.”
“I wonder what Xiao Lang has done?”
“Well, it’s nothing much.”
Xiao Yi looked over, but An Yuanzhen stammered and couldn’t speak.
She had probably intended to scare him a little, but ended up being somewhat unable to back down.
She simply threw her handkerchief over.
“We want to go see the lanterns, you take us.”
“Madam An probably won’t be able to go.”
“Hmph, who says? I have donated. The new Emperor has allowed me to go. If you don’t believe me, ask the guards outside… You Niang, shall we view the lanterns later?”
Xiao Yi then went outside Tai Ping Palace and inquired with the guards. He actually received orders that An Yuanzhen could leave Tai Ping Palace to view the lanterns, as long as she didn’t get lost.
He glanced at the sky; it had unknowingly reached the hour of Shen (3 PM – 5 PM).
He returned to tell Li Zhaoning, “I still have some official duties. Shall I take you back first?”
“I want to accompany Wan Niang to see the lanterns. Can you come after you finish your duties?”
Xiao Yi saw the anticipation in her eyes and calculated that if Guo Xin came out to view the lanterns, she would have to return to the palace by the hour of Xu (7 PM – 9 PM) at the latest.
“Then I’ll find you at Zhou Bridge at the hour of Hai (9 PM – 11 PM).”
“Okay.”
Actually, as soon as the words left his mouth, Xiao Yi regretted it, feeling he had been a bit impulsive and put himself in a tight spot.
But since he had promised, and seeing how happy Li Zhaoning seemed, he couldn’t go back on his word.
He left Tai Ping Palace and realized he hadn’t brought his horse. Fortunately, it wasn’t far from the Imperial Palace, so he went to the Imperial Palace to wait.
Not long after, Zhang Yongde and Li Chongjin, with their wives, arrived in a carriage.
“I was wondering where Xiao Lang was, and it turns out he’s waiting here. He’s truly attentive.”
“I was just in the vicinity.”
Light snow suddenly began to fall from the sky.
Without waiting long, a figure wearing a chubby baby mask, escorted by palace servants, emerged, even earlier than the agreed time.
She wore a white ruqun with a long skirt, a fox fur coat, and carried a paper umbrella.
Guo Xin had not brought Zhang Wan with her; behind her followed those two Shuo female guards.
When she reached him, she didn’t remove her mask and said in a muffled voice, “Do you still remember me, you brat?”
Xiao Yi flicked his finger at the chubby baby.
Guo Xin laughed and scolded, “How dare you! Do you know who I am?”
She lifted the mask, and underneath it was another mask, a rather frightening demon-face mask.
Xiao Yi couldn’t help but smile. Beside him, Li Chongjin burst into laughter.
“Hahaha, you’re so clever.”
Xiao Yi’s gaze fell upon Li Chongjin, who was arm-in-arm with Ma Shi. Li Chongjin looked at Guo Xin with a protective gaze. Xiao Yi suddenly realized that if he knew something, the worst outcome wouldn’t be a fight.
Given Li Chongjin’s personality, a worse outcome would be him killing all his other mistresses.
His heart tightened, and even his smile disappeared.
“Let’s go, to the Imperial Street to see the lanterns…”
Guo Wei was frugal. On the Lantern Festival, there was no palace banquet, nor did he personally view the lanterns, to avoid excessive spending. However, he did not forbid folk entertainment.
As dusk settled, the group headed south from the Imperial Palace and soon arrived near Fan Lou.
The entire Imperial Street was decorated with lanterns and colored streamers. It wasn’t grand, but it was rare to see such a peaceful atmosphere during a festival.
Children ran past, carrying rabbit lanterns and fish lanterns.
Peddlers’ shouts rose and fell, selling candied hammers, ice-snow dumplings, and crystal shredded fish. Xiao Yi had never heard of them nor tasted them.
Zhang Yongde first suggested, “How about we guess lantern riddles?”
Li Chongjin exclaimed, “Guessing lantern riddles is boring! I heard that the Great Xiangguo Temple has built an Ao Shan Lantern, which is the most spectacular…”
“I’m not going to the Great Xiangguo Temple.”
Xiao Yi, afraid of triggering Guo Xin’s sad memories, quickly changed the subject and said, “Let’s go to Fan Lou to eat something and watch the acrobatic performances first.”
“You’re always thinking about food…”
“Let’s just go to Fan Lou.”
“Okay, I’m hungry too.”
In front of Fan Lou, a large lantern had been erected, depicting overseas immortal mountains and exotic beasts. It even had bamboo strips to make the immortals’ sleeves wave, and the cranes stretched their necks to let out long cries, drawing bursts of applause from the surrounding crowd.
As Xiao Yi was walking, he suddenly saw someone waving at him. He turned his head and saw Li Zhaoning and An Yuanzhen viewing the lanterns.
He stopped, waited for the others to enter Fan Lou, and walked over.
“What a coincidence.”
Li Zhaoning smiled and asked, “Finished with your work?”
An Yuanzhen pouted, “He said he had official duties but ran off to drink.”
“I was accompanying my two military heads.”
“I saw, that Blackie climbing on your head. Who is the person wearing the mask? Quite interesting.”
Xiao Yi turned to look. At the entrance of Fan Lou, Guo Xin had stopped and was looking around, as if searching for him in the crowd.
“Where are you planning to go?”
“We wanted to eat something at Fan Lou, but there are no seats available.”
“Wait, I’ll go ask.”
“Okay, you’re actually useful.”
Xiao Yi turned and entered Fan Lou. Pushing through the crowd, Guo Xin saw him and smiled, asking, “Where did you go just now? Haven’t you seen such an Ao Shan Lantern before?”
“I met two friends.”
“Let’s go, Brother-in-law has asked, and we can watch the acrobatic performances from a private room.”
“Where are they?”
Xiao Yi’s bad premonition grew stronger.
He secretly thought that he hadn’t even agreed to be involved with them yet, and yet he had somehow fallen into this situation.
“Okay!”
Cheers erupted from the main hall, and the crowd surged.
“They’re over there, let’s go quickly!”
Suddenly, Guo Xin grabbed Xiao Yi’s wrist and led him towards the stairs.
