From the 14th to the 16th day of the first lunar month, the city lifted its nightly curfew. During this time, lanterns illuminated the streets as bright as day. Stages lined the roads, showcasing wrestling matches, plays, and acrobatic performances. The sound of drums and music filled the air, creating a lively atmosphere. People from all walks of life came out to enjoy the festivities together, regardless of their social status. It was truly the most vibrant and jubilant festival of the year.
The He family was particularly bustling these days. Old Jian, Second Fang, and several minor eunuchs from the palace had been found guilty and held responsible for recent events. Second Young Master, Fifth Young Master, and Sixth Young Master had all returned home, and their sealed shops were reopened. However, only a portion of their confiscated property was returned, with the rest remaining unaccounted for. Madam Cen wasn’t upset about this, considering it a small price to pay for avoiding disaster.
Second Young Master had caught a cold in prison. Sixth Young Master was missing teeth, had a broken leg, and had been beaten with a cane, making it difficult for him to move. His wounds were festering, and Madam Sun refused to care for him or listen to the family’s persuasion. She resolutely packed her belongings and returned to her maiden home. Within an hour, Sun’s elder brother-in-law came to negotiate and reclaim Sun’s dowry. Seeing that the situation was irreparable, Madam Cen advised Sixth Young Master to write a divorce letter, granting both parties their freedom. Sixth Young Master refused, got drunk, and pretended to be crazy, throwing tantrums. Concubine Yang was both embarrassed and angry, crying and making a scene, which upset everyone in the family.
Due to these trivial matters, on the 14th, only Yingning, Rongning, He Hong, and He Ru went out together to see the lanterns. This year was different from previous years. The Emperor had ordered a special lantern tree to be erected outside the Anfu Gate. It stood twenty zhang high, adorned with brocade, silk, gold, and jade, with 50,000 lanterns hanging from it. Over a thousand palace maidens, entertainers, and young local women, all dressed in fine silks and adorned with pearls and jade, applied fragrant powder and danced beneath the lanterns day and night, creating a joyous atmosphere.
Mudan had arranged to meet Jiang Changyang here, so she led Yingning and the others directly to the Anfu Gate. Upon arrival, they were met with a sea of people. It wasn’t just about viewing the lanterns; it was more like people watching people. He Hong and his brothers, being young and agile, managed to squeeze through the crowd like darting fish, calling out loudly to Mudan and the others from afar. Mudan, Yingning, and Rongning could only shake their heads, knowing that they couldn’t possibly push through to get a closer look at the lanterns without risking unwanted attention from ruffians.
Yingning and Rongning were disappointed, biting their fingers and sighing. Suddenly, Shunhou’er approached them with a grin, greeted them respectfully, and pointed to a nearby high platform. He informed them that the Prince of Fen’s consort and Madam Wang were viewing the lanterns there and invited Mudan to bring Yingning and the others to join them on the platform. Mudan confidently led Yingning and the group over, sending Gui to fetch He Hong and the others.
Upon reaching the platform, they saw the Prince of Fen’s consort, Madam Wang, and several daughters-in-law and granddaughters of the Prince’s consort seated together, but Jiang Changyang was nowhere to be seen. Mudan led Yingning and the others to pay their respects and sit down. After exchanging pleasantries, she absent-mindedly looked around, searching for Jiang Changyang, but couldn’t spot him, which left her feeling somewhat frustrated.
After sitting for a while, Crown Princess Ai, the eldest daughter-in-law of the Prince of Fen’s consort, suggested, “Sitting like this is rather dull. Why don’t we take advantage of the early evening and stroll through the streets to see the sights?” Everyone agreed, and they descended from the platform. Two large carriages were brought out for them to board.
Mudan noticed that these carriages were special. Not only were they elevated above the ground, but they were also open on all sides, with only thin gauze as a barrier, providing an unobstructed view in all directions – perfect for lantern viewing. She smiled and boarded the carriage, squeezing in with Yingning, Rongning, and the others. However, the Prince of Fen’s consort’s maid, Yinger, came to invite her: “The Princess Consort requests your company.”
Mudan had no choice but to follow Yinger to the front carriage. As soon as she boarded, Madam Wang pulled her to sit beside her and said with a smile, “I was just telling the Princess Consort about the recent events. I heard from Gui that that woman invited you to view lanterns tomorrow night?”
Mudan knew she was referring to Madam Du and replied, “Yes, she said the lanterns at Chongsheng Temple are particularly beautiful.” Early this morning, Baixiang had come to tell her that the lanterns at Chongsheng Temple were worth seeing and that she must invite Jiang Changyang to go there tomorrow, emphasizing that success or failure hinged on this outing.
Madam Wang and the Prince of Fen’s consort exchanged knowing glances and smiled. “Since she says the lanterns at Chongsheng Temple are beautiful, why don’t we all go and take a look?” Madam Wang suggested.
The Prince of Fen’s consort chuckled, “Some people do project their intentions onto others. I heard that she’s been making a grand show of arranging a marriage for your eldest son these past two days, boasting that she’ll find him a virtuous and talented lady from a noble family. It’s made quite a few people uncomfortable, though some have taken an interest and approached her for talks. I don’t believe she has such good intentions. In my opinion, she’s likely trying to challenge you. She wants to see whose words carry more weight – hers as the stepmother or yours as the birth mother.”
“Is this something that can be settled by a few little maneuvers?” Madam Wang scoffed disdainfully. “Why bother with her? Let’s focus on our plans first. We’ll see what she’s really up to tomorrow.”
As they spoke, they arrived at Vermilion Bird Street. The scene before them was one of bustling carriages and horses, with the sound of silk and bamboo instruments filling the air. Colorful lanterns hung high everywhere, featuring intricate designs such as rotating flowers, yellow dragons spitting water, golden ducks, silver swallows, star-studded pavilions, and glowing caves. The myriad of exquisitely crafted lanterns illuminated the entire street as bright as day, creating a lively and boisterous atmosphere.
Suddenly feeling enthusiastic, the Prince of Fen’s consort expressed her desire to walk from one end of the street to the other, taking in the sights slowly. Madam Wang had no objections. The two women alighted from the carriage, and naturally, the others couldn’t remain seated. They all followed behind, surrounding the two ladies as they moved forward, chattering excitedly. Whenever they saw something amusing or novel, they would stop to observe and comment. If they spotted delicious snacks at the stalls, they wouldn’t hesitate to buy and taste them. Everyone was having a wonderful time, their faces beaming with joy.
Suddenly, someone tugged at Mudan’s sleeve. She turned to see Yingtao’s smiling eyes. Yingtao discreetly gestured with her mouth, indicating for Mudan to look to her left and behind. Mudan turned her head and saw Jiang Changyang wearing a dark cyan robe, standing in the shadow of a large revolving lantern, smiling at her with pursed lips. Mudan thought for a moment, then went forward to tug at Madam Wang’s sleeve, directing her attention to that spot. Jiang Changyang furrowed his brows anxiously, then smiled ingratiatingly at Madam Wang. Madam Wang gave a slight smile and said in a low voice, “Go and come back soon. I’ll only look after your nephews for an hour. Don’t be late.”
With her permission, Mudan quietly slipped away from the group, slowly moving to the edge until she was separated from the main party. As soon as Madam Wang and the others had walked less than two zhang away, Jiang Changyang rushed over, took her hand, and pulled her along as they quickly headed towards the more crowded and lively areas.
Mudan followed him as they ran wildly, laughing, “Everyone’s looking at us. We’re like two mad people.”
Jiang Changyang tightened his grip on her hand and smiled, “Everyone’s pretty much the same. Who cares about us?”
Hand in hand, they watched a variety of performances for a while, their palms growing sweaty. They both found the stage shows rather uninteresting and dull. Jiang Changyang sneaked a glance at Mudan and said in a low voice, “This is quite boring. Shall we walk around and talk?”
This was their first private meeting since that secret had been revealed. Mudan felt a bit uncomfortable around him as if a barrier between them had been broken. She avoided looking at him and just smiled, “I think it’s not bad. I didn’t get a chance to see clearly during the last festival. Tomorrow we’re going to Chongsheng Temple, and the day after that I have to accompany my mother and sisters-in-law. It looks like I won’t have another opportunity to watch, so let me enjoy it properly.”
Hearing this, Jiang Changyang felt a bit disappointed. He endured for a moment but then felt as if his heart was being clawed at. Thickening his skin, he said, “I have many things I want to tell you. Let’s go over there.” Mudan glanced back and saw a quiet street corner not far away, with few pedestrians and dimmer lighting – a perfect spot for a rendezvous. Her heart tightened, and she slowly shook her head, “It’s fine to talk here. I want to watch the show.”
“This isn’t the place to talk,” Jiang Changyang said, seeing her refusal. He gritted his teeth in frustration. Then, noticing Mudan’s reddened earlobes and her pretense of calmness, his heart skipped a beat. Without further ado, he pulled her along, “You can watch this anytime. There’s always next year, the year after that, and the year after that… Why do you always have to oppose me?”
Mudan’s hand was held in his palm, dampened by sweat, but she didn’t find it uncomfortable. Instead, she felt both nervous and joyful. She gripped his hand in return and followed him with light steps as they turned into that street. The night was beautiful and tranquil, with colorful lanterns hanging nearby emitting a warm, soft light. Couples passed by them, laughing and chatting. The air was filled with the fragrance of orchids and osmanthus. As they walked hand in hand with lowered heads, they suddenly found themselves at a loss for words.
After a long while, Mudan said, “Your mother only gave me an hour. She said she’d stop looking after my nephews if I was late. Didn’t you say you had something to tell me? Hurry up and say it, or I’ll go back to watch the show.”
Jiang Changyang’s face reddened slightly. He looked up at her, his eyes sparkling. After hesitating for a moment, he said in a low voice, “That day when my mother secretly went to see you, I didn’t know about it. When I heard about it later, I was terrified and broke out in a cold sweat.”
Mudan knew he was going to bring this up and felt her face heat up. She turned her head away, “So what? I didn’t see you rushing over to check. Weren’t you afraid we might argue and ruin everything?”
Jiang Changyang laughed dryly, “I was in the palace and didn’t know about it, remember? I thought she loved to sleep in, and after such a long journey in this cold weather, she would surely sleep until noon. I planned to be back just in time to keep an eye on her. Who knew she would get up so early and go to see you without even having breakfast?” Then his face softened, “I was just starting to worry when she came back praising you, saying you were brave and not easily frightened. She also said…”
Mudan noticed he suddenly stopped speaking and asked, “What else did she say?”
She looked up to see Jiang Changyang’s smiling eyes, and she sensed something amiss in them. Feeling both embarrassed and annoyed, she raised her foot and stomped on his hard, “Don’t look at me like that!”
Jiang Changyang winced in pain and said with a grimace, “How am I looking at you? On the 19th, the Prince of Fen’s consort will come to your house. Once the marriage agreement is written, you’ll be mine. I’ll look at you however I want!”
Mudan was startled and raised an eyebrow, looking at him, “Did you say the 19th?”