Chapter 1474: Chapter 1474: Win Together
On the night of the Lantern Festival, the capital was ablaze with lights. Lanterns hung everywhere on the streets, and every passerby carried one—some purchased, some handmade.
Zhulan held a store-bought glass lantern, while Zhou Shuren carried a lotus-style paper lantern.
Zhulan muttered softly, "What a pity there’s no camera. The beauty of today far surpasses anything I’ve seen on TV."
Zhou Shuren walked very slowly; he had dressed too warmly. Leading his wife, he avoided the crowd, "You could draw it."
"That’s quite the undertaking."
"Take your time, no rush."
Zhulan was tempted, "Alright, I’ll take my time and draw it then."
The streets were crowded with people, seemingly unaffected by the cold. Not only were there lanterns everywhere, but also an array of street snacks. The busiest spots, however, were the tangyuan stalls, with their colorful assortments that whetted the appetite.
Zhulan said, "Shall we go watch the lantern riddle contest?"
"Alright, but hold on to me so you don’t get bumped."
Zhulan, wearing leather gloves, clung tightly to Shuren’s cloak. "I’ll hold on tight."
Zhou Shuren felt a pang of regret. If there weren’t so many people around, holding his wife’s hand would have been far more comfortable. Still, even with this, he was content. The old man was in an exceptionally good mood.
The lantern riddle contest drew the largest crowd. Zhou Shuren had booked a private box in advance, sparing them from squeezing into the throng in their later years.
Outside the restaurant, the crowd was a sea of people. The two went up to the private box, and Zhulan let out a long breath, "That was no small feat."
The streets were packed so tightly it was hard to take a single step.
Zhou Shuren wiped the sweat off his brow, "Indeed, too many people."
Cheers erupted periodically from outside. Zhulan gestured for Qing Xue to open the window, took the binoculars from her hand, and looked outside. "Oh?"
The Zhou family owned several binoculars—one purchased by Shuren, and the rest brought back by Chang Yi from overseas.
Zhou Shuren said, "Let me take a look."
Zhulan handed over the binoculars, "Here, take a look."
Zhou Shuren raised them to his eyes, raising an eyebrow as he observed, "Ming Hui is contesting riddles with Wen Xiao from the third branch of the Wen family, betting a jade pendant."
Zhulan wasn’t looking at that. "I spotted Liu Yuanbo and Wen Rong. Didn’t you see them?"
Zhou Shuren searched for a while. "Ah, Liu Yuanbo is quite impressive. Judging by the crowd supporting him, his rivalry with Wen Rong appears evenly matched."
Zhulan, in a hurry, said, "Let me see."
Zhou Shuren handed the binoculars back. "These kids left early; they’ve all managed to get to the front."
At the riddle contest, there was a large arena and several smaller sections. As soon as the Zhou and Wen families gathered, they immediately squared off.
Shangguan Liu nudged Ming Rui, "Aren’t you concerned about your future brother-in-law?"
Ming Rui hugged his hand warmer and said calmly, "This is a riddle contest, not an academic competition. What’s there to worry about?"
If it were the imperial exams, he’d be concerned. But for this? It didn’t matter. Liu Yuanbo was stingy, but his knowledge and wit were still decent.
Shangguan Liu whispered, "I saw your father and mother."
Ming Rui followed the direction of her gaze. Sure enough, his parents, who he hadn’t noticed earlier, were now at the front, watching the scene unfold.
Liu Yuanbo had no idea his future father-in-law was observing him. His head was full of one thought: he couldn’t afford to lose. This wasn’t just about pride—it was about money. Anything involving silver was no small matter. The jade pendant he’d bet was a family heirloom worth a thousand silver taels. Losing it would break his heart.
Not only could he not lose, but he had to win. Wen Rong’s jade pendant was also valuable—being a Top Scorer’s pendant, it would fetch a good price.
On Ming Hui’s side, the outcome was one-sided and overwhelming. Ming Hui was an inquisitive person by nature, with a head full of bizarre and challenging questions. At the academy, he simply refrained from showing off.
Ming Hui grinned, "Wen Xiao, don’t fixate only on my little uncle in the future. Let today be a lesson—underestimating anyone might cost you."
Sweat dotted Wen Xiao’s forehead as he realized he had lost. Out of ten riddles, Ming Hui had solved all of his, while Wen Xiao had failed to answer four of Ming Hui’s.
The two family contests had drawn a sizable audience; whoever lost would lose face.
At that moment, Yu Die let out an excited cheer. Liu Yuanbo broke into a grin as he looked at her—he had won by the skin of his teeth. His ears turned red. The final riddle? It was one Yu Die had posed to him during the New Year. This jade pendant was something they had won together.
Yu Yi was stunned, truly not expecting this outcome.
Wen Rong smiled warmly, "Mr. Liu, what talent you have."
Liu Yuanbo bowed slightly, "It was mere luck. Mr. Wen, you are the truly talented one. I’ve learned so much from you today."
Wen Rong nodded and led the Wen family members away.
Liu Yuanbo, holding the jade pendant, walked toward Yu Die, only for Ming Rui to step forward and block him. "Let me see that pendant you won."
Liu Yuanbo sighed heavily, "..."
Future brother-in-law—not so endearing at the moment. Couldn’t he let him show off first?
Just then, the crowd erupted with cheers, and everyone’s eyes turned toward the stage. Unnoticed until now, there were only three contestants left on stage.
Yu Yi’s sharp eyes spotted it, "Is that Mr. Yu up there?"
Ming Rui nodded. "He actually stayed in the competition."
Shangguan Liu chuckled, "Among the three on stage, it seems like two adults are flanking a child. How old is Mr. Yu? A teenager?"
Ming Rui replied, "Fifteen—no, technically sixteen, now that the New Year has passed."
Shangguan Liu was incredulous, "You’re not joking?"
"No, I’m not."
In the upstairs box, Zhulan was delighted by the results. But in the next moment, her mood shifted.
Zhou Shuren asked, "What’s wrong?"
"I saw the young prince of the Grassland Tribe."
After the New Year, that young prince had visited. She had seen him before.
Zhou Shuren narrowed his eyes and, taking the binoculars, grew agitated. What was the young prince of the Oge Tribe up to now?
Yu Die and Yu Yi had already moved behind Ming Rui, while Ming Rui and Liu Yuanbo stood protectively in front of them.
The young prince of the Oge Tribe smiled, "The prince means no harm; just wanted to observe."
Chang Yi approached, "The young prince seems to be in fine spirits, enjoying the lanterns. Your father’s health must have improved."
The prince’s words were interrupted, and his heart brimmed with displeasure. Back home, he had eliminated his older brothers to secure the inheritance. But here in the capital, the aristocratic families didn’t regard him highly, leaving him with only his title as young prince.
Repressing his anger, the young prince forced a smile. "Master Zhou, you’ve come to enjoy the lanterns as well?"
"Indeed. There’s nothing pressing at the start of the year, so it’s a rare chance to relax. Judging by your appearance, your father must be recovering well."
The prince chuckled awkwardly, "This prince rarely gets to witness the capital’s Lantern Festival; hence, I came out to enjoy it. My father has not yet fully recovered and still requires proper rest."
Chang Yi gave a smirk that didn’t quite reach his eyes. "Is that so? I had thought his recovery was sufficient for a trip to the capital. Even the Emperor inquired about it and directed Ministry of Rites officials to show more concern for the princes."
At this point, the young prince had no thoughts of targeting the Zhou family daughters. With a deep breath, he said, "This prince has other matters to attend to. Please excuse me."
Chang Yi replied, "The prince’s matters must be urgent. By the way, I’ll be sure to report to the Grand Master of Writing tomorrow and request the chief physician of the Imperial Hospital to have a look at your father. This prolonged illness truly isn’t ideal."