Chapter 12 – Strolling Through the Lantern Festival

Wei Yuhui’s face turned pale.

She still remembered the eldest daughter of the Yu family quite clearly.

In her memory, Yu-jie (Big Sister Yu) had always been gentle and well-spoken, and she used to have delicious crisp candy.

On the day of the Spring Blossoms Banquet, Wei Yuhui had accidentally dirtied her embroidered handkerchief. After being scolded, she ran to a corner and cried.

Yu-jie happened to pass by, saw her, and handed her her own handkerchief, then took out a piece of crisp candy from her pouch and stuffed it into her mouth.

At the time, she wondered why anyone would keep candy in their pouch.

Yu-jie explained it was because her little sister loved eating them.

That afternoon, they sat and talked for a long time.

Wei Yuhui had learned from her that Yu-jie’s little sister was a crybaby, but she’d always stop crying after eating crisp candy.

Before they parted, Wei Yuhui asked when they could meet again.

Yu-jie promised that next time, she’d bring her little sister along, and she believed they would become great friends.

But it hadn’t even been a month, and everything had changed.

—

After returning to her room, Yaoyao was made to eat a whole piece of hawthorn strip under Xie Yixing’s watch to aid digestion.

But after swallowing it, she only felt even more full.

Seeing how slowly she was moving, Xie Yixing ordered the nanny to take off her outer jacket, leaving her only in a light goose-yellow inner layer. Still worried she’d catch a chill, he also had the charcoal stove filled up.

Without the bulky outer layer restricting her, Yaoyao suddenly felt like her belly could still fit two more pastries. Just as her chubby little hand reached for the jade plate on the table, Xie Yixing moved it out of reach. “You can’t eat anymore.”

Yaoyao instinctively puckered up to cry—but before the tears could fall, a sweet crisp candy was stuffed into her mouth.

Xie Yixing had the nanny buy those especially. Last night, he’d heard Yaoyao murmuring in her sleep, calling out for crisp candy.

Yaoyao never expected to get crisp candy from him and instantly smiled through her tears, happily licking the sesame seeds with her little tongue.

Xie Yixing didn’t expect the candy to work so well on her.

Still, he wouldn’t let her eat too many, fearing it would ruin her teeth.

Just as he was about to pick her up to go practice calligraphy, that slender figure appeared outside the door again.

Wei Yuhui stood at the threshold, not daring to enter without permission.

She went straight to the point.

“Cousin, there’s a lantern festival tonight. Let’s go see it together~”

“No.”

Xie Yixing rejected her without hesitation.

Wei Yuhui didn’t give up. “Cousin can bring Miss Yaoyao too. I heard there will even be fireworks this year. It’d be such a pity to miss it.”

“Fireworks?”

Yaoyao’s eyes widened in surprise, and she jumped off Xie Yixing.

He reached out to catch her, but only brushed the hem of her sleeve.

Wei Yuhui quickly turned to Yaoyao, eyes lighting up. “Yes! They say the fireworks were confiscated from the home of a convicted official—fifty catties of them! The styles are all brand new, supposedly imported from the Western Regions.”

Fireworks from the Western Regions?

Yaoyao rubbed her chin thoughtfully.

Didn’t Second Brother once complain about being tricked into buying fireworks from the Western Regions for an outrageous price?

Even though their parents scolded him, they ended up saying they’d save them for her birthday.

She’d been looking forward to it ever since.

Yaoyao counted on her fingers—only ten days left until her birthday.

Would Mama be done being mad at her by then?

Once Mama calmed down, would she come get her and take her home to celebrate?

Yaoyao thought naively, her tiny frown noticed by Xie Yixing. Misunderstanding that she wanted to see the fireworks but was too shy to say so, he offered, “If you want to go, then we’ll go.”

Seeing him give in so easily, Wei Yuhui wasn’t as happy as she’d expected.

Her mother had been right—her tactics were too weak.

In her cousin’s eyes, she was nothing more than an optional person.

But she really had tried her best.

When Yaoyao heard that Xie Yixing agreed to see the fireworks, she joyfully clung to the nanny’s leg, acting coy and saying she didn’t want to wear the heavy quilted jacket because she wouldn’t be able to walk in it.

The nanny patted her head helplessly and went back inside to find her a cloak.

Ever since Yaoyao moved in, the young heir had used his own money and chosen cloth from his personal stores. The estate seamstresses had worked through the night to make her two full trunks of clothes.

Still, they had to inform Madam Wei about going out. If something like the last incident happened again, the nanny could kiss her job goodbye.

When Madam Wei heard that her son was going out, she first furrowed her brows in thought, then waved them off in approval.

After all, he was a boy—being cooped up all day would make him narrow-minded. Better to let him go out and see the world.

The Marquess of Chengming, however, was worried. “Those fireworks were confiscated from the Yu family. What if something goes wrong when they’re lit? The Yu family has already been sentenced. If something bad happens, it’ll only add to their crimes and make salvation even more impossible.”

Madam Wei placed her hand gently on his and comforted him, “Think positively. Maybe these fireworks will bring luck instead.”

“Let’s hope so.”

Though he hadn’t found a way out yet, he didn’t believe a few dozen catties of fireworks could save the entire Yu family from execution.

He then brought up another topic. “Yu-brother’s live-in son-in-law has entered the Ministry of Revenue. Word is, he’s about to marry Princess Qingyun. Looks like he’s really climbed the ladder.”

Madam Wei smacked her lips, then spat bluntly, “Ungrateful bastard. Betrayed his own family for justice, stomped over their blood to marry a princess. He’ll get his retribution. You better steer clear of that kind of scum—don’t bring bad luck home.”

The Marquess nodded.

Given their family’s ties with the Yu family, his loyalties were clear.

But the imperial decree to confiscate their property came straight from the emperor. He couldn’t change that—nor could he risk the lives of a hundred members of his own household to break them out of prison.

Just to be safe, he assigned shadow guards to secretly protect the young heir and Yaoyao.

—

Every year on Little New Year, the capital hosted a grand lantern festival. Acrobatic troupes would also perform at the city gates for entertainment.

But this year, the court had unexpectedly obtained a batch of fireworks. Since storage was troublesome, they decided to use them for the public to enjoy and bring good fortune.

Fireworks, no matter how dazzling, were fleeting. Until they were lit, no one knew what they would look like. Their true form could only be revealed in the sky.

As soon as the Marquess left the estate, he went up the city tower. Looking down at the sea of lanterns, he reminded his men once again to guard the fireworks carefully. If anything happened, they’d be losing their heads.

Xie Yixing, Yaoyao, and Wei Yuhui took a carriage to the busiest street in South Alley. As soon as they got out, Yaoyao grabbed onto Xie Yixing’s sleeve, afraid of being swept away by the crowd.

Xie Yixing was even more direct. He simply pressed her tiny palm into his, intertwining their fingers.

He hated crowds—especially these packed streets where people rubbed shoulders.

But Yaoyao beside him was unusually excited. She clung to his hand, looking and touching everything.

Xie Yixing clenched his fists the whole time, taking deep breaths to calm himself.

Wei Yuhui trailed behind them, nearly losing sight of them several times.

When she tried to show off her intellect by guessing lantern riddles, Xie Yixing let Yaoyao choose freely, “Whichever lantern you like, I’ll guess the riddle for you.”

Yaoyao nodded eagerly.

But after a while, she couldn’t decide.

One moment she liked the little goldfish lantern, the next she liked the butterfly one—then came cat lanterns, dog lanterns—there were so many to choose from.

Wei Yuhui tried pointing to a peony lantern by the roadside, hoping to ask Xie Yixing to guess it.

But he ignored her completely and instead led Yaoyao toward a stand with white rabbit lanterns.

He thought of Yaoyao’s little bunny—unsure if it was the real bunny or the lantern that was cuter.

Xie Yixing pointed to the white rabbit lantern silently. The stall owner, understanding immediately, handed over a riddle.

As Xie Yixing unfolded the paper, Yaoyao leaned over curiously and read aloud: “One dog, two mouths—whoever meets him will be troubled. Guess the word.”

What could it be?

Yaoyao racked her little brain but couldn’t come up with an answer.

Xie Yixing hadn’t expected her to be literate, especially since she read the riddle without a single mistake.

He looked at the vendor and said, “It’s the word ‘cry’ (哭).”

“Correct!” The vendor gave him a thumbs up and handed him the lantern, which Xie Yixing immediately passed to Yaoyao.

Yaoyao twirled in place with the lantern, overjoyed.

Not far off, Wei Yuhui watched them with growing distress.

What should she do… to get Yaoyao away from her cousin’s side?