Chapter 8: The Lantern Festival

                               

The Wang girl, named Wang Ranxi, came from the Wang clan of Taiyuan—one of the Great Zhou's Five Surnames and Seven Clans, families whose bloodlines carried the weight of dynasties.

Wang Ranxi had been beautiful and clever since childhood, skilled in zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting—all the accomplishments expected of a noble lady. Her mother and Zheng Yun's mother were sisters, so they referred to each other as cousins. After Zheng Yun's entire clan was executed, Wang Ranxi escaped the catastrophe because her mother had already married into the Wang family. But with blood flowing like rivers among the noble families of Chang'an, Wang Ranxi was terrified and hastily married Pei Guanyue, who at that time held the seventh-rank position of Captain of the Imperial Honor Guard.

Pei Guanyue was from a humble family but gained entry into aristocratic circles by marrying a daughter of the Wang clan of Taiyuan. Afterward, Pei Guanyue's official career flourished, and now he was the Minister of War, of the third rank. Wang Ranxi had also risen in status, being enfeoffed as the Lady of Jincheng Commandery.

For someone of such noble status, Cui Xun naturally could not treat her like Wang Liang, arbitrarily binding her and extracting a confession through torture.

Li Ying said, "If she is truly connected to my case, perhaps I could investigate the Pei residence."

Cui Xun curved his lips in a smile that held no warmth. "You won't be able to enter."

"Why not?"

"The Pei residence is heavily guarded, and they keep many Daoist priests and Buddhist monks. Door gods and house-protecting talismans are pasted throughout the residence. I fear you would be dispersed into nothingness by the Five Thunder house-protecting talismans before even entering."

Li Ying was first discouraged, but then thought of something. "Those who have done no wrong fear no ghost knocking at their door. The Pei residence keeps Daoist priests and Buddhist monks and pastes house-protecting talismans—could it be because Wang Ranxi has done something that weighs on her conscience?"

Cui Xun neither confirmed nor denied this. He said, "Five days from now will be the Lantern Festival. At that time, everyone in Chang'an, regardless of social status, will come to enjoy this annual festivity. Surely Wang Ranxi would not miss such merriment."

Upon hearing this, Li Ying said, "Good, then I shall wait for the Lantern Festival to meet this Lady of Jincheng Commandery."

---

Five days later, on the night of the fourteenth day of the first lunar month, Li Ying arrived as promised.

During the Lantern Festival, the night curfew was lifted. People of that time had poems describing the scene of the festival: "Moonlight and lantern mountains fill the imperial capital, fragrant carriages and precious canopies crowd the thoroughfares." Lantern towers reaching a hundred feet were hung with countless lanterns, illuminating the entire city of Chang'an as bright as day. Tonight, Chang'an was lit with fifty thousand lanterns, each crafted in the shapes of dragons, phoenixes, tigers, leopards, and other designs, dazzling the eyes with their splendor.

Dancing girls from the Imperial Academy of Music, wearing flower crowns and rosy gauze capes, danced to songs. Performers swallowed swords and spat fire. Young men and women exchanged secret glances while guessing lantern riddles. The various festivities were overwhelming to behold.

Li Ying still wore her thirty-year-old, now outdated red and white striped skirt. Beside her was Cui Xun, accompanying her. She couldn't help but say, "Is the Lantern Festival so lively nowadays?"

Cui Xun asked, "How was it thirty years ago?"

Li Ying thought for a moment and said, "Not so bustling."

When she was twelve, her father had secretly taken her out of the palace to see the Lantern Festival once. At that time, although the festival was also filled with lanterns, it wasn't on such a grand scale and didn't have these hundred-foot-tall lantern towers hung with pearl and jade pendants.

Cui Xun said, "The Great Zhou's national fortunes are flourishing. Tax revenue has increased tenfold compared to thirty years ago, which is why the Lantern Festival grows more vibrant each year."

Li Ying pressed her lips together. "It seems my mother has governed the Great Zhou very successfully."

After saying this, she felt inexplicably desolate. Cui Xun did not respond. Li Ying suddenly said, "Deputy Minister Cui, are you thinking that if not for my death, the Great Zhou would not have implemented the imperial examination system and pushed new policies, and the world would not have today's peace and prosperity?"

Cui Xun was slightly surprised, then neither confirmed nor denied it, only saying, "That is what the Princess thinks."

Li Ying tugged at the corner of her mouth in a bitter smile. "I've come to terms with it. My death has blessed countless people, but that doesn't mean I don't want to understand how I died. So, I still need to find Wang Ranxi."

She wore her hair in double buns with a heavenly maiden hairstyle, with teardrop-shaped decorations on her forehead, looking divine and beautiful. Walking alongside Cui Xun, who wore a black cloak and possessed striking good looks, they truly seemed like a perfect pair. Unfortunately, she was a ghost, and in the eyes of passersby, Cui Xun appeared to be walking alone, with no one by his side.

Therefore, many young ladies would secretly pause, using their fans to cover their faces, blushing as they stole glances at Cui Xun—tall as bamboo and beautiful as pearl and jade. But their thoughts of acquainting themselves with this handsome young man were all frightened away by the frost-like coldness emanating from him.

Finally, one bold young lady in green clothing could not resist stepping forward, bashfully blocking Cui Xun's path. "I am Xiao Yan, residing in Guiyi Ward. May I ask your surname, name, and where you live?"

Cui Xun did not answer, only glancing at her coldly. The young lady in green was somewhat frightened by his indifference, but still summoned her courage and handed her lantern to Cui Xun. "On this wonderful Lantern Festival night, the young master is all alone. Why not let me accompany you to appreciate the lanterns? Would that be agreeable?"

As soon as she finished speaking, her brother hurriedly arrived and pulled her aside. Li Ying heard her brother mention the words "Cui Xun" and "Lotus Gentleman." The young lady in green immediately turned pale, her eyes changing from admiration to disgust, and she hurriedly left with her brother.

The green-clothed young lady's behavior was nothing short of a face-to-face insult, but Cui Xun's eyes showed no emotion other than their usual coldness. He simply continued to walk alone amid the pointing and whispering of the crowd.

Li Ying, beside him, had disappeared without notice. Cui Xun didn't concern himself with her absence and continued walking forward. After a while, Li Ying came running back, slightly out of breath as she reached Cui Xun's side, handing him a colorfully painted beast-headed mask. "Here, put this on."

Cui Xun frowned. "What is this for?"

Li Ying said very sincerely, "You're too handsome. Wearing a mask can save you a lot of trouble during the Lantern Festival."

Cui Xun glanced at the mask and took it. Li Ying was delighted and was about to say something when Cui Xun suddenly threw the mask far away. Li Ying was momentarily stunned, and by the time she reacted, Cui Xun had already walked away.

Li Ying pressed her lips together. She went to pick up the mask, then caught up with Cui Xun, walking quietly beside him. However, she remained silent, no longer urging him to wear the mask.

After the scene with the green-clothed young lady had repeated four or five times—each rejection and insult cutting deeper than the last—Li Ying still said nothing, continuing to walk quietly beside Cui Xun, holding the mask.

Cui Xun suddenly spoke. "Everyone avoids me like a snake or scorpion. Why do you go against the grain?"

Li Ying thought for a moment and said, "You can help me investigate my case."

Cui Xun said mockingly, "To investigate your case, you seek help from a notoriously evil villain. Aren't you afraid of defiling your path to rebirth?"

Li Ying said softly, "Actually, those rumors may not be true."

"What's not true?" Cui Xun suddenly stopped walking, his beautiful eyes looking directly at Li Ying. His eyes, slightly upturned at the corners, were exceptionally beautiful peach blossom eyes. When gazing at a woman, they would reflect her image, sparkling with a watery light, like peach blossoms blooming over a deep pool—bottomless to behold, making one intoxicated.

Li Ying opened her mouth, her heart suddenly beating very fast. She quickly lowered her head, stammering, "Many things."

"For example?" Cui Xun pressed, moving closer. Li Ying didn't dare look into his eyes and could only retreat awkwardly.

Cui Xun sneered. "For example, that I shared your mother's bed, became your mother's male pet—is that also false?"

His words were crude. Li Ying looked up, saying angrily, "That is false!"

"Oh? Why?"

Li Ying said word by word, "I am my mother's daughter. No one understands her better than I do. After my father passed away, as a woman, she might have been lonely, might have sought a man to accompany her—that was her right. But besides being a woman, she was also the ruler of the Great Zhou, and a ruler who separated public and private matters. The man who accompanied her—she would only view him as a plaything, a pet, and would never make him the fourth-rank Deputy Minister of the Investigation Department of the Great Zhou, entrusting him with important national affairs!"

She looked at the Lantern Festival scene, where colorful lanterns adorned trees like silver flowers and people thronged everywhere, and said somewhat proudly, "This is the prosperity created by my mother. My mother was an extraordinary woman. Deputy Minister Cui, although everyone curses you, calling you evil, my mother valued and employed you. Therefore, I trust you too."

After she finished speaking, she prepared herself for Cui Xun's mockery, since Cui Xun was a man of peculiar temperament, and she never knew which words might anger him.

But Cui Xun remained silent for a moment, then took the beast-headed mask from her hand and put it on. Li Ying was slightly startled, but Cui Xun said calmly, "You're right. Wearing a mask can save a lot of trouble."

He walked a few steps, then turned back to look at Li Ying, who stood frozen in place. "Weren't we going to find Wang Ranxi? Are we not going anymore?"

Only then did Li Ying come to her senses. She hurriedly walked to Cui Xun's side, saying, "Yes, yes, we're going."

As she walked, she couldn't help but glance at Cui Xun wearing the beast-headed mask. Beneath the fierce mask, Cui Xun's expression was unreadable. She withdrew her gaze and raised her hand to touch her heart. The feeling of her heart beating a moment ago was still clear. She was somewhat confused, seemingly not quite understanding why it happened, but she quickly lowered her hand, no longer thinking about it, and continued to follow Cui Xun in search of Wang Ranxi.

---

The two arrived at the banks of the Qu River. On the shore, fine horses with golden saddles and tens of thousands of lanterns created a spectacular scene. In the clear, glistening water, colorful boats floated gently. The court officials were holding a banquet there. Li Ying and Cui Xun exchanged a glance—since it was an official banquet, Wang Ranxi must surely be present.

Li Ying had never seen Wang Ranxi before, but Cui Xun had, so she could only rely on him to search. She followed Cui Xun along the riverbank. Suddenly, Cui Xun stopped and looked at a pleasure boat on the water.

At the bow of the boat, a pipa player was intently playing her instrument. She lowered her head, her slender white fingers plucking and strumming slowly. The pipa music was crisp and clear, like pearls falling onto a jade plate. Just as she was completely immersed in the music, an official wearing a deep blue everyday robe suddenly emerged drunkenly from the cabin. He staggered to the bow, raising his golden cup, seemingly gesturing for the pipa player to drink.

The pipa player was taken aback, then shook her head. The official, humiliated and angered, forcibly poured the wine from the golden cup into the pipa player's mouth.

The scene instantly became chaotic, but other people on shore and the boat seemed accustomed to such incidents and remained indifferent. After all, this pipa player was merely of lowly status—who would risk offending a court official for her sake?

The pipa player and the official began arguing at the bow. In a fit of anger, the official pushed her into the water with brutal force, then ordered the boatman to row away. The pipa player struggled in the water, but not a single person went to rescue her.

Li Ying watched anxiously. She instinctively turned to ask Cui Xun beside her what to do, only to see that Cui Xun had already swiftly removed his black cloak and leaped into the cold water of the river.

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