Chapter 117: Extra: About the Side Couple 1

Chapter 117: Bonus Chapter: About the Secondary Couple 1

Seventh of July, Qixi Festival.

Luo Yan ran over to Su Zheng and Luo Yunchen, saying that there would be a lantern festival in the southern part of the city that night, and asked if they wanted to go.

Luo Yunchen didn't really care either way; he just wanted to fool around with his brother.

Su Zheng, on the other hand, was somewhat interested and asked Luo Yan, "What's fun about the lantern festival?"

Luo Yan thought for a moment and summarized, "There are displays of flower lanterns, lantern riddles, matchmaking, seeking good luck charms, and such things. It's quite lively. Many betrothed young masters and misses use the opportunity to meet under the pretext of viewing the lanterns. Those without engagements can show off their talents tonight, hoping to find a good match in the future."

He added at last, "Tonight, there will be many more food vendors on the streets than usual."

Sure enough, Su Zheng grew even more interested and whispered to Luo Yunchen, "A Chen, how about we go on a date?"

Luo Yunchen was confused: "Date?"

"It means lovers meeting. Today is the day the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl meet as lovers—it's a festival for lovers. Don't you want to spend it together?"

Luo Yunchen smiled sweetly and nodded, "Yes, I want to spend Valentine's Day with my brother."

Not just today—every single day from now on, he would celebrate Valentine's Day with his brother.

Seeing that the two agreed to go, Luo Yan suggested, "Most of the young masters and gentlemen going to the lantern festival dress as scholars. How about you, Your Majesty, the Prince Consort, and Captain Xu all dress as scholars too?"

Su Zheng had no objections. Xu Mo would do whatever these two told him to do, so he naturally had no objections either.

Only Luo Yunchen gave Luo Yan a cool, indifferent glance.

Luo Yan felt a chill down his spine, instinctively straightened his back, dared not move, and put on a placating smile.

Luo Yunchen asked briefly, "Any danger?"

Luo Yan sensed that the Prince Consort didn't seem angry, breathed a quiet sigh of relief, immediately shook his head to indicate no danger, and gave a solid reason: "With you here!"

With the Prince Consort by His Majesty's side, the mute captain tailing them, Shadow Guards in the shadows, and his patrol battalion on tight perimeter watch—if they still managed to let His Majesty be snatched away from under their noses, then there was nothing more to be said; he might as well just kill himself in apology.

Those three words were enough to convince Luo Yunchen. Indeed, with him there, how could his brother be in danger!

Since his brother was happy, he would simply let him enjoy himself to the fullest.

Su Zheng caught on that they were hinting at something, so he asked Luo Yunchen in confusion, "What happened?"

Luo Yunchen shook his head—he didn't know either. He just noticed that Luo Yan had made some secret arrangements. Probably he had discovered something, so he looked at Luo Yan, signaling him to explain to Su Zheng.

Luo Yan told them honestly.

Not long ago, Luo Yan had taken up the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Patrol Battalion. While going through the battalion's case files, he came across a public safety issue.

On the Seventh of July last year, a gang of kidnappers had appeared out of nowhere in the city. In just one night, nearly ten people were abducted and disappeared without a trace. There were no leads, and the authorities couldn't trace them.

Luo Yan wondered whether these traffickers would strike again this year on the Seventh of July.

He could, of course, step up patrols and set up a curfew. But for one thing, with so many people crowding the streets at night, there would inevitably be blind spots.

For another, leaving these people uncaught was a potential threat.

The victims abducted last year included both men and women, their common trait being youth and good looks.

When it comes to looks, who could outshine His Majesty and the Prince Consort?

That was why he wanted to take the two of them to the lantern festival—to see if they might encounter anyone suspicious. If they could follow them to their hideout and wipe out the whole gang.

After hearing this, Su Zheng naturally agreed. Too bad they had no specific target, and it wasn't in the original storyline, so the system couldn't pinpoint it. They could only rely on luck.

***

Lantern shadows flickered; the glow of the ornate lamps overflowed with splendor.

Su Zheng stood at the street entrance, gazing into the lively, colorful lantern festival that stretched endlessly before him. His eyes sparkled, and he sighed, "Now this has a real sense of occasion!"

Luo Yunchen tilted his head, smiling at Su Zheng with a look of infatuation, watching intently. His brother's brows and eyes were even more dazzling and magnificent than the brilliant night scene of the lantern-lit city.

Su Zheng took Luo Yunchen's hand and said, "Let's go."

The group entered the street, strolling and stopping as they wandered for a while.

Su Zheng was genuinely there to have fun—taking in the novelty, eating to his heart's content.

Luo Yunchen was genuinely there to accompany Su Zheng—watching his brother's expressions closely, noting what he liked and wanted.

Luo Yan, like Su Zheng, was casual and curious, looking around everywhere, occasionally sizing up the passersby while pretending to admire the lanterns.

Xu Mo, stone-faced, kept his eyes forward, on high alert, his peripheral vision sweeping the surroundings to prevent any assassination attempt on the emperor!

Su Zheng finally couldn't stand it anymore and told Xu Mo to take the night off, to go enjoy himself with Luo Yan instead of following them.

Xu Mo hesitated. Su Zheng told Xu Mo to buy a ribbon, tie one end around Su Zheng's wrist and the other around Luo Yunchen's arm, indicating that how could the Prince Consort ever lose him?

Luo Yunchen also nodded, telling Xu Mo he didn't need to follow.

Su Zheng told Luo Yan to take Xu Mo away, told the two to relax, enjoy themselves to the fullest, but stay sharp. Luck always shows up when you least expect it; when it does, grab it.

Luo Yan nodded in remembrance and dragged Xu Mo away.

Once Su Zheng and Luo Yunchen were out of sight, Xu Mo was momentarily at a loss. Then he looked up at the rooftops around him, ready to leap up.

Luo Yan saw what Xu Mo intended, immediately wrapped an arm around his shoulder, and held him down: "Hey, mute, what are you trying to do?"

Xu Mo frowned at the hand on his shoulder, tried to shake him off without success, and with so many people around, he couldn't actually use force on this guy, so he had to let himself be held in place.

Luo Yan grinned at the helpless Xu Mo, leaned in with his shoulder, and pushed further to make him talk: "Mute, don't play dumb. Come on, what are you up to?"

Xu Mo leaned back, expressionless, and gave two words: "Up on the roof."

"That won't fly. His Majesty decreed that we should relax and enjoy ourselves. You dare defy the emperor's order? Let me show you what the world's about!"

Luo Yan invoked the emperor's name to pressure him, and Luo Yan dragged Xu Mo along. After a moment of silence, Xu Mo retorted, "I'm older than you, you know."

"Hey, hey, don't be so fussy. I'll win you a lantern, bro."

"...Who are you calling 'big bro'?"

"You're my big brother, Mute Bro!"

As they strolled along, their eyes swept over the dark alleys they passed.

No one knew how long they had been wandering or how far they had gone.

Xu Mo's gaze shifted. His peripheral vision caught something ahead. He stopped abruptly. Then, still stone-faced, looked away.

It was just a fleeting change of expression, but Luo Yan somehow noticed it and followed his gaze.

If there was anything special about that spot, it was that a large stage had been set up, with many lanterns of unusual and varied shapes hanging from it.

And what Xu Mo was looking at was one at the top of the stage—a rabbit-shaped lantern almost as big as a child.

Luo Yan nudged Xu Mo's shoulder and asked, "Do you like that one?"

Xu Mo's face was expressionless, and he said flatly, "No."

"You say no, but along the way, you haven't even glanced at a single girl, yet you've looked at that one several times. Hey, seriously, if you like it, you like it. It's nothing to be ashamed of. Why be so dishonest?"

Xu Mo looked at Luo Yan for a moment, then suddenly said, "It's not about liking or disliking. When I was little, I found one just like it. It once saved my life."

Luo Yan was taken aback. He dropped his playful grin, patted Xu Mo on the shoulder, and unconsciously lowered his voice as he asked, "Can you tell me about it?"

Xu Mo lifted his gaze slightly, as if the memory was so old it had grown blurry. "When I was little—I can't even remember how old—I found it while rummaging for food. It was already damaged, so it must have been thrown away. As a little kid, I took it with me. Once, I couldn't find food for a long time, and I ended up in the mountains. I didn't find any food, and I almost got eaten by a wild boar. I was running away with it in my arms when it suddenly fell out. I tripped over it and fell flat on my face. As it happened, the boar charged into a rock and knocked itself out. I killed it and had food. I didn't starve to death."