On the day of the Double Seventh Festival, that insufferable Li Wu rose early and dressed himself in the mandarin duck patterned brocade robe Shen Zhuxi had newly sewn for him, and stepped into a brand new pair of black boots — cutting a figure that was every inch the part, duck-patterned elegance and all.

The orange-red sun had barely spread across the horizon when Li Wu, bursting with impatience, pulled Shen Zhuxi out of the house.

Last year’s Double Seventh, Shen Zhuxi had spent in Yutou Town. She had expected Xuzhou to have a grand festival market — but though the streets were shoulder-to-shoulder with people giving a festive atmosphere, the goods on display at the shops lining both sides of the street were noticeably sparse.

Even the traveling peddlers carrying bamboo baskets and hawking trinkets had shelves that, though they should have been brimming with delights, held only the most commonplace items.

The somewhat meager festival market did nothing to dampen the people’s enthusiasm for the celebration. Once the sun dipped behind the clouds, the street itself seemed to vanish behind the crowd.

The now-narrow street hummed with noise. The confection artist selling candied hawthorn could only raise his straw stick up high as he wove laboriously through the throng to make his calls. The straw stick bristling with candied hawthorn bobbed up and down amid the sea of people — like a red flower riding the waves of the ocean.

To avoid getting separated in the crowd, when Li Wu steered her away from the crush of people, he naturally reached out and took her hand.

His warmth was all too familiar — so familiar that Shen Zhuxi stayed quietly in his grasp, not knowing whether she had simply forgotten to pull away, or simply didn’t want to.

The two strolled along the main street for a while, and after a long, careful look around, Shen Zhuxi finally couldn’t help asking the man beside her: “Why is the selection of goods here even more sparse than in Yutou Town?”

“Can this year be compared to last year?” Li Wu said, unsurprised. “First came the autumn and winter famine, and now just as there’s enough food again, fighting has broken out everywhere. Most of the craftsmen have been pressed into military service — only the old, the weak, the women, and the children remain. Even with silver in hand, there’s very little good to be had.”

“Will there be fighting in Xuzhou too?”

“Not now,” said Li Wu. “As for later — hard to say.”

His words weighed on Shen Zhuxi.

Being inside the government office, Li Wu understood Wang Wenzhong’s intentions and direction far better than she did. If he said this, he must have already caught wind of something.

“Against whom?” Shen Zhuxi said quietly. “The Liao forces, the military governors, or… His Majesty?”

A wave of cheers and applause erupted from the crowd gathered ahead to watch a street performer, drowning out Shen Zhuxi’s question.

A traveling acrobat wearing a short brown robe, his body hung with all manner of small trinkets, shot a column of fire into the air. The audience broke into sustained applause.

Li Wu’s gaze was drawn over as well, and he missed what she had said.

Shen Zhuxi did not ask again.

The answer was not important to her at this moment.

Whatever cause the Prefect of Xuzhou chose to serve, she had no power to influence decisions at that level.

Rumor had it that Emperor Yuanlong had declared that until the false Liao regime was destroyed, he would not establish a capital. True to his word, he had not yet done so, continuing to move from place to place, fighting rebel forces without rest.

Compared to her eldest imperial brother, who lived and died by the sword each day, Shen Zhuxi had merely endured some hardship. By any measure, her life had been stable enough.

Her greatest wish now was for Emperor Yuanlong, with the support of the Prime Minister and other loyal officials, to put down the rebellion soon and secure his reign.

After wandering through the festival for a while, Li Wu asked, “Are you hungry?”

Shen Zhuxi had been pulled out the door right around the time she should have had dinner. By now the sun had set, and a bright, clear full moon had taken over the sky as its most radiant presence.

Now that Li Wu mentioned it, the hungry little creature in her stomach began to stir restlessly.

“I’m hungry.” She nodded honestly.

“Let’s eat first then. We can watch the lantern festival once it opens — the streets will be even livelier.” said Li Wu. “There are still plenty of good things that haven’t come out yet.”

Li Wu’s words rekindled Shen Zhuxi’s excitement, which had begun to fade when she saw how sparse the festival offerings were.

A lantern festival! How could she have forgotten?

Without a lantern festival, could it even be called the Double Seventh?

Once they’d eaten their fill, the lantern festival would be just about starting. They could stroll through it, walk off the meal, and perhaps pick up a few festive little trinkets to bring home.

The Double Seventh was mostly about praying for a good marriage — but Shen Zhuxi had no interest in praying for that. She planned to find a spider, make a wish for good luck, and hope that maybe, just maybe, her needlework would take a great leap forward by next year!

Unfortunately, what she hoped for was beautiful; reality was harsh.

Shen Zhuxi and Li Wu arrived at Tianxiang Restaurant — the most well-regarded establishment in the city — only to find a long queue stretched outside the door. She grabbed someone in line to ask, and learned that because of the festival, the restaurant was packed to capacity. There was not a private room to be had — even the main hall was full.

“Well, if it isn’t Centurion Li and Lady Li!”

The restaurant attendant who had done Shen Zhuxi a great favor at the banquet came out with a warm smile.

“This really is unfortunate timing — the restaurant is completely full today. But the Centurion’s face is not something I can afford to ignore. If you’ll be kind enough to wait just a little while — there’s a table almost finished — the moment they’re done, I’ll arrange a seat for you at once—”

“Can’t you arrange it right now?” Li Wu said, displeased. “Who in there is royalty, eating all this time?”

“Royalty? Far from it — just ordinary folk—” the attendant laughed. “But they’ve already started eating, and I can’t very well ask them to stop and leave.”

Li Wu was not the sort of person inclined to wait for anyone. His brow had just begun to furrow as he was about to say something when Shen Zhuxi spoke first:

“We’re not in any hurry anyway — waiting a little while is fine.”

“…Alright,” said Li Wu. “As long as you don’t mind.”

The attendant relaxed with relief and broke into a grin. “I’ll bring out a bench for you right away — please, have a seat.”

In short order, the attendant brought out a clean, well-wiped old bench from inside.

There was little to be choosy about at this point. The other people in line had no bench at all — they could only stand and wait to be called forward in turn.

Shen Zhuxi had already jumped the queue, and now had a bench to sit on as well. Any further complaint would be unreasonable.

“This place does excellent braised pig’s trotters,” Li Wu said, sitting beside her with one leg propped up. “Get a few cups of good wine while we’re at it, order a plate of boiled soybeans — and the day will be perfect.”

“Braised pig’s trotters? For the Double Seventh?” Shen Zhuxi said in disbelief.

“In my view, every single one of the three hundred and sixty-five days in a year ought to feature braised pig’s trotters.” Li Wu rested his hand on his knee, smacked his lips with relish, and said, “Braised pig’s trotters with wine washes away all worries.”

How wonderful it would be, she thought, if she could be like this numbskull — and have every trouble solved by a braised pig’s trotter and a bowl of hot wine.

“…Maybe I should have a little too?” Shen Zhuxi murmured.

For no apparent reason, the Li Wu beside her gave an unusually vehement reaction.

“Don’t — I can buy some for you to drink at home, but don’t drink out here. And absolutely do not drink when I’m not around to watch you!”

“Why are you so worked up?” Shen Zhuxi was startled. “I was just saying it off the top of my head…”

“Saying it off the top of your head still counts—” Li Wu said firmly. “You can eat whatever you like on your own — but for drinking, you absolutely cannot do it without me watching!”

“You’re the one who should be eat— that other thing!” Shen Zhuxi said, annoyed.

The Li Wu of the Double Seventh Festival was every bit as infuriating as he was on any other day!

Li Wu had just opened his mouth to reply when Dì Niang came rushing out of the crowd in a flurry.

“Master Li, I’ve finally found you!”

Shen Zhuxi looked up in surprise. “Dì Niang?”

“Mistress!” Dì Niang came breathlessly before them, dipped in a quick bow, and said, “Master Li, the Prefect has sent someone — he says to come to Juying Teahouse right away to discuss something!”

“What Prefect?! I’m on rest leave!” Li Wu said irritably.

Shen Zhuxi asked, “Did the messenger say what it was about?”

“No.” Dì Niang shook her head blankly. “But he looked very urgent — I’d guess something important has come up. Master Li had better go quickly…”

Li Wu sat on the bench without budging, muttering under his breath, “Blast it all — it’s the one day off I manage to get, and this happens. I’m not going. Rest days cost extra — he hasn’t paid me for them, I’m not going!”

“Stop being difficult and go,” Shen Zhuxi urged. “Authority outranks everything — you’ll have to go eventually no matter how long you hold out. Better to hurry and get it over with — it’ll make a better impression too.”

“What do I need to make a good impression on him for… I’m not trying to climb the ranks here.” Li Wu grumbled, but his body was already honestly getting to its feet.

He always knew when to be pragmatic — only that mouth of his could never admit defeat.

Though Li Wu had risen, his feet stayed planted. He looked at Shen Zhuxi, who had also stood, and said, still reluctant to give up: “You stay and keep the place in the queue — maybe Old Wang only needs to pass some hot air, and I’ll be back in no time?”

Shen Zhuxi thought that scenario rather unlikely, but to set his mind at ease so he could leave without worry, she smiled and said, “I understand — you go ahead.”

Li Wu took a step outward, then stopped, turned back, and added: “If I don’t come back in time, don’t sit here waiting all night. Head home early.”

“I know, I will.” Shen Zhuxi agreed readily.

Only then did Li Wu move off, glancing back three times with every step. Even as the distance grew, Shen Zhuxi could still make out the faint sound of his muttering from the shape of his lips:

“Blast Old Wang — makes me work without paying proper wages, one day I’ll cave in his thick skull…”

Shen Zhuxi couldn’t help but laugh.

She waited alone on the bench for another half incense stick of time before she was finally given a seat inside. Once seated, bearing in mind the possibility that Li Wu might not make it back, she only dared to order her own portion.

Even without Li Wu, Shen Zhuxi ordered the braised pig’s trotters.

It was also the first dish to be brought out.

The braised pig’s trotters that Li Wu could never stop thinking about made her think of him — and having them to accompany the meal almost felt like having his spirit at the table with her.

Though she deliberately drew out the meal, even as a good portion of the main hall’s diners had come and gone, Li Wu never appeared.

By the time the moon had climbed high into the sky and the pedestrians outside the teahouse were lighting their lanterns one by one, Shen Zhuxi had no choice but to call the attendant over and settle the bill.

Walking out of the restaurant, Shen Zhuxi looked up at the full moon overhead and felt, for reasons she couldn’t quite name, a quiet wistfulness.

Full stomach, lantern festival already underway — yet her mood was less bright than it had been when she set out.

A lantern festival for one always felt like something was missing.

After a moment’s hesitation, Shen Zhuxi chose to walk toward where the crowd was thickest and the lanterns shone brightest.

Perhaps, as she wandered, Li Wu would catch up to her?

At a stall selling accessories along the street, a tall man set down the hair pin he had been holding.

“How about it, sir? If you like it, I’ll let you have it at a good price! Don’t like this one? I’ve plenty of other styles — take a look around!” the stall owner called out enthusiastically.

Yufeng paid no notice. His eyes were fixed, unmoving, on the spot where a tea-red figure had disappeared.

“Sir, why don’t you have a look at this one — hey, sir, don’t leave just yet?!”

Yufeng set down the hair pin and, without looking back, gave chase.