Chapter 283 Lantern Festival

Chapter 283: The Lantern Festival

The old madam couldn't help but panic.

If others didn't know, she certainly did—Sixth Girl's serious illness was a pretense!

This was the imperial physician who treated Honored Consort Yu specifically.

Fortunately, having been repeatedly startled over her young granddaughter, the old madam had plenty of experience dealing with emergencies. Without a flicker of expression, she thanked the emperor and personally escorted Imperial Physician Wang to Cold Fragrance Lodge.

In Cold Fragrance Lodge, the scent of medicine lingered persistently, and maids and servants bustled about their tasks in perfect order.

Driven by curiosity and Honored Consort Yu's instructions, Imperial Physician Wang met Qiu Heng.

The girl lying still looked haggard, as fragile as glass, her breathing so light it was almost inaudible.

Imperial Physician Wang gazed for a moment, then took Qiu Heng's pulse, and finally left behind a prescription before departing.

In Jade Chen Palace, Honored Consort Yu waited for Imperial Physician Wang's report.

"Your Highness, County Princess Suiyun's symptoms match acute food retention."

"Is it serious?"

"Not good. It depends on whether she can pull through."

"Thank you for your trouble, Imperial Physician Wang."

As Imperial Physician Wang took his leave, he heard a soft laugh.

The laugh was cold and short, strangely unsettling.

He couldn't help but bow his back a little lower and quicken his steps.

Honored Consort Yu casually picked up a grass-woven butterfly.

It was one Qiu Heng had made the day she came to the palace. Now the grass leaves had become brittle, and a little pressure would damage them.

The poison's symptoms did resemble a food-related acute illness, but why hadn't Qiu Heng died yet?

Could she possibly survive?

Was she really so lucky?

Unconsciously, Honored Consort Yu pressed harder, and the withered butterfly's wings turned to powder, staining her fingertips.

She rubbed the grass powder on her fingertips and threw the damaged butterfly to the ground.

"How annoying!"

Uncle Xu was also annoyed. Grabbing Xue Han, who had secretly climbed over the wall to visit Qiu Heng, his face as dark as the bottom of a pot: "Xue Lad, I tell you, I can't stay another day!"

The Yongqing Earl's Mansion was too strange. He, a grown man, was staying in an unmarried young lady's courtyard, and no one had ever found him out.

Oh, the maids and servants in this courtyard knew, but they all acted as if it were normal—that was even stranger.

"Uncle Xu, just bear with it for a few more days. Now that news of A Heng's critical illness has just spread, there will be no shortage of visitors coming to inquire. I can't feel at ease without you here."

Uncle Xu unceremoniously kicked Xue Han: "You rascal, you only come at night and leave after a short while. Do you know I feel like I'm in prison?"

He had still hoped to attend the young couple's wedding in the future as an elder, and if he were discovered now, he would lose all face.

Xue Han was such a pain.

"Master Xue, Doctor Xu, the young lady invites you both in." Fang Zhou came to relay the message.

The two entered the inner room.

Qiu Heng was leaning against the headboard, candlelight flickering in her eyes. Their brightness softened the pallor on her face.

"Xue Han, take Uncle Xu and leave. I can handle things from now on."

Having deceived the imperial physician sent by Honored Consort Yu, the most difficult hurdle had been crossed.

"There's no need to come at night anymore. If you come too often and someone spots you, it will cause trouble. If something comes up, I'll contact you."

Hearing this, Xue Han agreed: "Alright. Get in touch if anything comes up."

Xue Han took Uncle Xu and vaulted over the wall, leaving the Yongqing Earl's Mansion.

After a wave of visitors, Cold Fragrance Lodge barely regained its tranquility. "Barely" because some of Qiu Heng's close friends still dropped by from time to time, though most of the time they found Qiu Heng asleep.

Everyone knew that the Qiu family's sixth young lady was ill, bedridden for months, unable to get up and move until after the New Year.

It was the eighth day of the first lunar month. Princess Rongning, County Princess Jiayi, and the Feng sisters all received invitations from Qiu Heng and gathered at Cold Fragrance Lodge.

In the warm pavilion, the table was laden with all kinds of pastries. Qiu Heng, wearing a slightly worn lilac dress, smiled and welcomed her friends to sit down.

"A Heng, you've lost so much weight." Feng Caixing's eyes were red as she held Qiu Heng's hand without letting go.

Princess Rongning also had red-rimmed eyes: "It's good that you're recovering."

The girl surrounded in the middle looked fragile, her skin as white as snow, clearly showing signs of just recovering from a serious illness. Facing her friends' concern, she gave a gentle smile: "I thought I wouldn't make it either. Fortunately, I've been healthy since I was young and had a good constitution, so I managed to pull through."

Feng Caiyue comforted her softly: "Having survived this ordeal, A Heng is bound to have good fortune ahead."

"A Heng, after you've recovered a bit more, come visit the commandery manor. Brother Ling will feel better seeing you recover."

"Does Brother Ling's headache still trouble him often?"

County Princess Jiayi sighed lightly: "Yes, we've consulted all the physicians to no avail."

The atmosphere fell silent for a moment.

"I'll come in a few days." Qiu Heng picked up a piece of red bean cake. "Speaking of which, the Lantern Festival is coming up."

"Yes, the lantern festival is the most lively every year." Feng Caixing loved these events the most and blurted out, "A Heng, can you go out?"

"I've been lying at home for so long that I'd like to get some fresh air, but I'm afraid of crowds—"

Seeing Qiu Heng hesitate, Princess Rongning said, "If A Heng wants to enjoy the lanterns but is afraid of crowds, come with me. I always find watching the lanterns from the tower dull, so having A Heng accompany me would be perfect."

Every year during the Lantern Festival, Emperor Jingping would lead his consorts to ascend the tower and enjoy the lanterns. Fu Prince Manor was certainly entitled to accompany the emperor.

"Alright." Qiu Heng nodded with a smile.

The fifteenth day of the first month arrived in the blink of an eye.

On that day, men and women, old and young, all went out to view the lanterns, and the Yongqing Earl's Mansion was no exception.

The old Madam knew that Qiu Heng was going to go up the tower to watch lanterns with Princess Rongning. Taking her hand, she cautioned, "You haven't been out for a long time, so be sure to take care and avoid trouble."

"Grandmother, rest assured. I promise not to cause any trouble and will just obediently follow Princess Rongning."

"Don't make promises." The old Madam reached out and tapped Qiu Heng's forehead. "Whenever I hear you say 'promise,' I get a headache."

Qiu Heng laughed cheerfully as she linked her arm with the old Madam's. "Then I'll bring Fang Zhou and Qing Luo with me. After I finish watching the lanterns and come downstairs, I'll come back to the mansion with them."

As she was leaving, Qiu Ying reminded her: "Sixth Sister, you must take a good look from the tower and tell us what the view is like when we get back."

Qiu Heng smiled, a look of anticipation in her eyes. "I imagine it must be a wonderful sight."

As night fell, the ten-li Imperial Street was lit up with lanterns as bright as day.

Women with flowers in their hair and painted brows, children holding candied hawthorn sticks, vendors hawking loudly, fire-breathing acrobats, lion and dragon dance troupes... From the moment the first lantern lit up, the entire capital on Lantern Festival night buzzed with excitement and joy.

This clamor reached its peak when Emperor Jingping appeared on his dragon carriage.

Even though the crowd was so dense that one could barely see anything, the crowd was thrilled, jostling for a look at the emperor.

On the Lantern Festival, rows of lantern sheds with tens of thousands of ornate lanterns lined the streets; the most captivating was the Ao Mountain Lantern, and Lehua Tower was the best place to view the lantern mountain.

Amid waves of thunderous shouts of "Long live the Emperor!," Emperor Jingping climbed Lehua Tower one step at a time.

Lehua Tower was three stories high, and every nook and cranny inside and out had been repeatedly inspected by the imperial guards. Emperor Jingping stood on the tower, calmly gazing at the dazzling lantern mountain, while Honored Consort Yu looked toward a young girl standing in a corner.