After finishing the wontons, Xie Jingchen continued accompanying Su Jin to view the flower lanterns.
Holding Su Jin’s hand, Xie Jingchen looked at her and said, "Today is your birthday, and I haven’t brought you a gift on the way back to the Capital. What would you like?"
What would she like?
Su Jin thought about it and realized she truly had no desires or demands.
She didn’t lack anything.
Just as she was about to shake her head, a commotion broke out ahead, and many people rushed in that direction.
Curious, Su Jin pulled Xie Jingchen to move forward.
In an open space, a tall platform was set up, with a flower lantern hanging at the top.
The flower lantern was exquisitely designed, with the most dazzling part being its wick.
It wasn’t an ordinary candle but a small luminous pearl.
At a glance, Su Jin liked that flower lantern and was about to speak when a crisp voice echoed in her ear, "What a beautiful flower lantern!"
"If my cousin likes it, I’ll win it for you," said the man beside her.
The young lady was dressed remarkably well, with a charming appearance.
As she approached, several maids surrounded her. To give her more space to stand, one of the maids pushed Su Jin aside.
Su Jin, "...."
This was too overbearing, wasn’t it?
Although she was wearing a mask, her attire wasn’t ordinary either.
In the capital, where nobility gathered under the Emperor’s feet, a re maid dared to be so arrogant. Su Jin was genuinely curious about the young lady’s background.
Could she be as brainless and arrogant as the eldest daughter of the Wenyuan Bo Mansion?
Xie Jingchen pulled Su Jin closer to his side, clearly not wanting her to start a conflict.
Su Jin glanced at Xie Jingchen, her brows slightly furrowed.
Not far away, Su Chong was escorting Princess Fu Yun, who also set her eyes on that flower lantern, and Su Chong wanted to gift it to her.
After Princess Fu Yun nodded, she glanced over.
She paused montarily on that girl, then looked at Su Jin and shook her head, saying, "I don’t want it anymore."
"Didn’t you like it? Why don’t you want it now?" Su Chong asked in confusion.
"That’s Princess Chengxian from the Prince Qi Mansion. I can see she’s determined to get the flower lantern," Princess Fu Yun replied.
Su Chong didn’t recognize any princesses from the Prince Qi Mansion, so he said, "This flower lantern is for those who compete for it with skills. Why bother if others have taken a liking?"
"As long as you like it, it’s fine."
Princess Fu Yun’s cheeks reddened slightly.
She knew the Dongxiang Marquis Mansion was not afraid of power, even daring to beat the Emperor and then help cover it up, which spoke volus.
But she inherently disliked getting involved in troubles.
Prince Qi had no sons, only this one princess. She was cherished like a fragile treasure, protected against any slight grievance.
It’s just a flower lantern, not a must-have.
However, seeing Su Chong insist, Princess Fu Yun had no choice and lightly tugged his sleeve, signaling him to look towards Su Jin.
Earlier today at the Dongxiang Marquis Mansion, Su Jin wore this sa attire.
It’s one thing for him to compete with others, but does he have to compete with his brother-in-law?
Previously, when Su Jin and Xie Jingchen passed by, Princess Fu Yun felt she looked familiar.
But since Su Jin didn’t recognize her, Princess Fu Yun didn’t speak up.
Now, she was more and more certain that it was Su Jin.
Seeing it was Su Jin and Xie Jingchen, Su Chong gave up the idea of competing for the flower lantern.
Today is his sister’s birthday, and she should naturally have the priority.
Moreover, if it ca down to a fight with Xie Jingchen, it wouldn’t be easy to determine a winner in a short ti, and the platform wouldn’t be able to withstand it.
Besides... when did the brother-in-law return to the Capital?
The drums sounded.
The contest began.
With great rewards, there would surely be courageous n.
A dozen or so n grabbed bamboo poles and started climbing up.
The flower lantern was clearly sothing that appealed to young won, and these n were competing for the lantern mostly to win the favor of their beloved.
Xie Jingchen leapt onto the contest platform.
Su Jin watched intently from below.
Many n climbed up, and many fell down in the fight.
Very soon, most had fallen, leaving only a few.
After a while, only Xie Jingchen and the young lady’s cousin were left.
Xie Jingchen was highly skilled in martial arts, and so was the man.
But he was still far inferior to Xie Jingchen.
Only this man had a ruthless determination, not giving up until achieving his goal. Even Su Jin could see that he was at a disadvantage, yet he was intent on taking Xie Jingchen’s life.
As Xie Jingchen stood at the highest point and took the flower lantern, the man kicked and broke the bamboo fra, causing the already swaying structure from the fight to crash down.
Xie Jingchen landed with the flower lantern and handed it to Su Jin.
This was his birthday gift to Su Jin.
Su Jin accepted the flower lantern.
Princess Chengxian jealously clenched her fist.
The maid advised, "Princess, it’s just a small flower lantern, not worth ntioning."
"You are the only princess of the Prince Qi Mansion, and as long as you say a word, it won’t be an issue to have a hundred or eighty of them."
Hmm.
Though the maid was equally overbearing,
The maid from the Prince Qi Mansion was much smarter than the ones from Wenyuan Bo Mansion.
Unlike the flamboyant maids from Wenyuan Bo Mansion, this maid subtly revealed her young lady’s identity, which would make most people eager to curry favor.
But unfortunately—
Su Jin was not among them.
After receiving the flower lantern, Xie Jingchen turned with Su Jin and left.
Not even giving a proper glance to Princess Chengxian.
Princess Chengxian, enraged, tore at the embroidered handkerchief in her hand, saying, "Find out who that man is for ."
The cousin, who failed to win the flower lantern to please his cousin, looked sullen hearing this.
After walking just a few steps, a commotion ca from the riverside.
A crowd surged in that direction.
There’s never an end to excitent.
But after all, the Lantern Festival is about enjoying the excitent.
Su Jin and Xie Jingchen walked over, but by the ti they arrived, most of the commotion was over.
There was an overturned small boat by the lakeside.
A man nearby asked, "What happened here?"
"Such indecency," a woman said.
"What happened?" The man asked more curiously.
"A man and a woman were fooling around in the boat, and in their passion, they overturned it..."
A man nearby chid in, "I heard it was the Heir of Duke Chong and the eldest daughter of Wenyuan Bo Mansion."
"Why would it be the Heir of Duke Chong?" another man asked.
"Today, the Old Madam of Duke Chong died from poison, and instead of staying in the mansion to pay respects to his grandmother, he’s out cavorting with a girl. How unfilial," soone comnted.
"Shh, keep it down. Mind your words to avoid trouble."
The group dared not speak further and turned to find more excitent elsewhere.
Su Jin had a black line on her face.
This was truly a downfall in the gutter.
The eldest daughter of Wenyuan Bo Mansion had tainted Shangguan Feng’er’s reputation.
Duke Chong wanted to crush the Wenyuan Bo Mansion.
And yet, the Heir of Duke Chong and the eldest daughter of Wenyuan Bo Mansion ended up together...
What a tangled web of grievances, Su Jin thought, already bewildered.
Today’s imperial pardon across the realm, her uncle Wenyuan was trapped in the ongoing case, yet he should have been luckier and received a reprieve.
But his misfortune persists, with the case still unresolved.
But word quickly spread—
The Heir of Duke Chong had been thrown off the boat during a fight, and it was the eldest daughter of Wenyuan Bo Mansion who saved him.
Despite efforts to row to a busy shore to avoid idle gossip about a man and a woman being together in a boat, the Heir’s lust surfaced unexpectedly, and his savior ended up being his victim, dressed but disheveled and crying, she’d beco a heartbreaking but pitiful sight, while the Heir of Duke Chong was in nothing but disheveled breeches.
The innocent had to bear the brunt, but her reputation was already in ruins.
In any case, the Heir of Duke Chong would have to marry her.
Given that today the Emperor decreed a general amnesty, it’s likely he’ll pardon Wenyuan Bo as well, even if the case still hangs.
But he’s rather unfortunate since his case remains pending.
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