Chapter 106: Lantern Viewing

Chapter 106: Viewing the Lanterns

"Tomorrow there will be lanterns on Chang'an Street. I want to take A Man to see them."

Wei Xun played chess with A Man, casually saying it to A Yuan.

A Yuan sat nearby embroidering. Originally, she had wanted to go inside but A Man insisted she stay.

A Yuan knew Wei Xun must have said something to the child, but she didn’t want to make a scene in front of her daughter, so she kept her distance.

"Very well. The night wind is strong—bundle her up properly."

She held her needle without even looking up. Though Wei Xun had expected her reaction, he couldn’t help feeling disappointed.

"The streets will be crowded, and there might be child snatchers. Why don’t you come along? An extra pair of eyes on A Man would be more reassuring."

He said this with a straight face, and A Yuan looked up in disbelief.

"You’re the Capital Prefecture's Deputy Chief, Wei Crown Prince. Surely you can handle a few kidnappers?"

Wei Xun cleared his throat. "Even the Capital Prefecture has its oversights."

"Mother, please come! A Man has never seen the lanterns with you before!"

The little girl stopped playing chess entirely, tugged on A Yuan’s sleeve. Back in Suzhou, she hadn’t been able to see the lanterns with her mother, and now that there were some in the capital, she was eager.

Though her strength was slight, her sweet begging was irresistible. A Yuan couldn’t say no to her daughter’s pleas.

"Alright, alright. I’ll go."

Hearing her agreement, Wei Xun let out a relieved breath, a smile forming—but before it could fully appear, A Yuan added, "Then let Uncle accompany us."

"Uncle's a great general. No kidnapper would dare come near."

Wei Xun: "..."

Now he understood what it meant to lift a stone only to drop it on his own foot.

Chang’an Street was lit up brightly.

......

A Man wore a red dress with a rabbit-fur cloak draped over her, looking like a little rabbit herself.

Xie Zheng lifted her onto his shoulders, letting her see perfectly.

"Not scared at all!"

Far from being afraid, A Man was utterly thrilled.

But A Yuan worried the night wind might make her catch cold, standing on her toes to put her daughter's veil hat on.

"Mother?"

A Man pouted, could barely see.

A Yuan was firm. "No complaining. Do you want to get sick and have to drink nasty medicine?"

"Fine..."

A Man ultimately couldn’t win against her mother—bitter medicine was simply too unbearable for her to swallow.

The little girl’s aversion to bitterness was inherited from A Yuan, though A Yuan herself grew used to contraceptive brews in the marquis’ household and feared no medicine, no matter how bitter.

But her daughter couldn’t endure such bitterness.

The woman stood beneath the lanterns, her gaze tender, her captivating beauty impossible to ignore.

Prince Jing sat in the viewing pavilion, gazing hungrily at the scene below.

“Is that Lady Xie?”

Shen Qiuyu’s eyes flashed with jealousy, quickly concealed.

“It is her. Does Your Highness believe A Yu’s words now? Lady Xie’s beauty could bring kingdoms to ruin—no ordinary woman could compare. Otherwise, Wei Xun wouldn’t have longed for her all these years.”

Shen Qiuyu refused to believe Wei Xun truly loved A Yuan—he was merely captivated by her looks. If she herself had been born with such beauty, she was certain Wei Xun would have been smitten too.

“A stunning beauty, no doubt.”

Prince Jing stroked his chin, his good looks spoiled by a sleazy demeanor, his greedy eyes full of hunger.

He had bedded countless wives, yet never encountered such an unmatched beauty. He wondered if she was as wild in bed as she looked.

Shen Qiuyu smiled flatteringly. “No matter how beautiful, she’d still bend to Your Highness’ will.”

“Oh? Getting jealous?”

Prince Jing pulled her into his arms, his hand gliding over her back.

Though Shen Qiuyu was bundled up against the cold, the wounds on her back had yet to heal. The pain turned her face pale, but she forced herself to endure.

“How could I be? A Yu should rejoice if Your Highness gains a new beauty. Lady Xie has been with another man and borne a child—no decent family would accept her. If Your Highness offers her a concubine’s title, General Xie would have no choice but to agree. Then, not only would you possess a peerless beauty, but you’d also secure the allegiance of a third-rank general. Isn’t that perfect?”

“Hmm, and it would humiliate Wei Xun in the process. Three birds with one stone.”

Prince Jing grinned smugly, as though A Yuan were already his. After all, he was the emperor’s most favored son—if Xie Zheng knew what was good for him, he wouldn’t dare refuse.

......

Unaware of the scheming above, the Xie siblings strolled along Chang’an Street, A Man now holding two lanterns in her hands.

She loved rabbits, so her lanterns were shaped like little bunnies.

“Mama has a flower one! Uncle, let’s pick another one for Mama!”

Finding it inconvenient to stay perched on Xie Zheng’s shoulders, she whined to be put down.

Holding a lantern in one hand and gripping A Yuan’s fingers with the other, the little girl bounced happily toward a lantern stall.

Wei Xun stood at the street corner, watching the mother and daughter, muttering to Chang Yuan, “Have they been lured here?”

Chang Yuan nodded. “Don’t worry, my lord—they’re here!”

A Man enthusiastically picked out a lantern for her mother, while Xie Zheng kept watch over them both.

The streets were crowded. The annual lantern festival in the capital was also an occasion for young men and women to look for matches. On this day, rules were loosened—if two took a liking to each other, their families would arrange a betrothal.

“Lady Lin, which lantern do you fancy? Let me buy it for you.”

Qin Erlang trailed eagerly after Lin Qingshuang. Though he served in the Ministry of War, his constitution was far from robust—after this long walk, sweat already beaded on his forehead.

Lin Qingshuang disliked scrawny men, and Qin Erlang's puny build was even less robust than hers. She feared she might take him down with one punch.

"Save your money—I don't like lanterns."

Her tone was icy, leaving Qin Erlang at a loss. "Did I... say something wrong?"

Lin Qingshuang was usually spoiled yet straightforward, speaking her mind freely. But faced with this sensitive guy who cried easily, she had to hold back.

"No!"

"Weren’t you going to buy a lantern? Let’s go."

Xie Zheng stood at a distance, watching the two chatting happily as they walked toward the lantern stall.

The woman who had always despised festive trinkets now accepted a horn lantern bought for her by that pretty boy, scowling at it.

"That’s hideous!"

"Brother?"

A Yuan returned with her daughter after buying a lantern and overheard Xie Zheng’s remark.

She glanced at the lotus lantern in her hand, wondering.

Was this lantern... ugly?

"Oh—not yours!"

Xie Zheng quickly recovered and explained.

A Yuan didn’t take it seriously and smiled. "A Man wants to set the lanterns afloat by the river. Let’s go."

Normally, Xie Zheng would have agreed without hesitation. But watching the increasingly intimate pair across the way, his gut twisted with jealousy.

"I..."

"Brother, is something the matter?"

A Yuan, ever perceptive, couldn’t miss Xie Zheng’s hesitation.

As Lin Qingshuang and Qin Fangyu prepared to leave, Xie Zheng cut in, "I’ll have Xie Yi accompany you. Something just came up—I need to take care of it."

Xie Yi had been keeping watch nearby. He was just as capable as Xie Zheng, so he wasn’t worried about leaving A Yuan and her daughter in his care.

"Alright, then be careful, Brother. If it’s urgent, don’t rush back. We’ll head home after setting the lanterns afloat," A Yuan told him.

"Will do!"