Chapter 59

Defeated and dejected, Ye Mingzhi returned home and, seeing his father in the living room, said with a resentful tone, "Father, I told you long ago that the boy wouldn't appreciate it!"

Saying this, he sat down beside him, placed the folding fan on the table, and showed a face full of gloom.

Seated in the hall was Ye Mengxin, a man in his forties, plump and round, with a ruddy complexion that clearly indicated his expertise in health and longevity.

After hearing his son's complaint, Ye Mengxin did not become angry but nodded slightly and said, "I didn't expect the boy to be so resolute, but this was within my expectations!"

"Since it was within your expectations, why did you let me go and suffer this humiliation? You even made me prepare two couplets to test the waters. Now, the praise couplet he didn't accept, and the insulting couplet not only failed to humiliate him in public, but your son ended up being the one who got into trouble!"

Thinking of the public humiliation he endured, Ye Mingzhi felt a surge of anger. The feeling of being outmaneuvered was truly frustrating.

Ye Mengxin, holding a string of prayer beads, gently turned them and sighed, "I didn't expect that in just two years, this boy would not only turn his life around but also show such unexpected wit!"

When Ye Mingzhi went to congratulate, he had already sent a servant to follow him. Therefore, before Ye Mingzhi returned, he had already learned everything. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been so calm.

"Father, since the boy doesn't know his place, why should we trouble ourselves? Although he has turned his life around, do we, the Ye family, fear him?"

"Our family deals in tea and porcelain, and since we are not in the same line of business as that boy, there's nothing to worry about! However, Zhi, you should know that your cousin is a vengeful person. Now that he is growing stronger, we cannot underestimate him. We must be cautious!"

This reminder made Ye Mingzhi recall past events, and he suddenly felt that his father's words had some truth to them.

Back then, the two of them had fought over a young actress in the city's 'Leisure Cloud Residence,' disregarding their brotherly bond. Because of this, they often had conflicts.

However, Ye Mingzhi felt that his father was being overly anxious and said, "Father, you are worrying too much! Although I don't know how the boy managed to gain the favor of the Censor and the Prefect, there's no need to take him seriously!"

"Perhaps I am overthinking it. Let's wait and see for now!"

...

At this moment, Ye Yu had no interest in the thoughts of this father and son. He had planned to return to Qingliu County as soon as possible, but it happened to be the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month, so he decided to wait until after the 15th to return.

In no time, it was the 15th. As night fell, the streets were filled with the glow of lanterns, each household placing them outside their doors, making the night as bright as day.

The streets were bustling with people of all ages. Elderly men and women, some in their seventies and eighties, leaned on canes, while children, some as young as seven or eight, skipped and jumped, all coming to admire the lanterns.

There were countless lanterns of various designs, and people of all kinds. Ye Yu, who hadn't seen such a lively scene in a long time, sat in his wheelchair, accompanied by She Tongcheng and Su Yueyun, and strolled through the bustling market street with a sense of melancholy.

Before they knew it, the three of them had arrived at the most prosperous street in the city—Yongshu Street.

Speaking of this street name, it had a rich history. The great scholar Ouyang Xiu once served as the governor of Chuzhou and left behind many famous scenic spots and historical sites.

Apart from the Drunken翁Pavilion on Langya Mountain, which commemorates the timeless essay "Ode to the Drunken翁Pavilion," the Yongshu Street within Chuzhou City is also a tribute to Ouyang Xiu, as 'Yongshu' is his courtesy name.

Yongshu Street was crowded with people, and the lanterns extended far along the street. Sitting in his wheelchair, Ye Yu couldn't see the end. Su Yueyun, though delighted, looked around with interest but didn't laugh and chat like the other women on the street.

Ye Yu glanced at Su Yueyun and smiled, "Yueyun, if you like any lantern, be sure to tell me!"

"Okay!"

"You, if Qiulan were here, she would have been jumping with joy! Tell me which lantern you like, and I'll buy it for you!" Seeing that Su Yueyun was still reserved, Ye Yu pretended to be displeased.

Su Yueyun, hearing this, felt a bit embarrassed.

Moreover, women have a natural tendency to compare themselves. Now that Ye Yu was comparing her to Qiulan, she puffed out her cheeks and pointed to a lotus lantern not far away, "Then I'll take that lotus lantern!"

"Good! Let's go!" Ye Yu looked in the direction Su Yueyun pointed and saw a finely crafted lotus lantern hanging in a nearby lantern shop. He then signaled She Tongcheng to push the wheelchair over.

When they got closer, Ye Yu noticed that these lanterns not only came in various colors but also had riddles written on paper strips attached to them.

The lotus lantern Su Yueyun wanted had eight petals, with seven of them inscribed with seven lines of a poem, while the last petal was left blank.

Seeing Ye Yu's interest in the lotus lantern, the vendor said enthusiastically, "If this young master wants to buy a lantern for the lady, this lotus lantern is the most suitable!"

Seeing Ye Yu examining the poem on the lotus lantern, the vendor continued, "Of course, if you can solve the riddle, I'll give you the lotus lantern for free!"

"Oh? Wouldn't you be losing money then?" Ye Yu played with the lotus lantern in his hands and then handed it to Su Yueyun.

Su Yueyun took the lotus lantern and curiously examined it. Seeing a line of poetry on each petal, she turned the lantern around. After reading the seven lines, her initial joy turned to a slight embarrassment.

The lotus lantern had eight petals, with one left blank. This was clearly intentional, as the final answer to the riddle should be written on the blank petal.

"Paired mandarin ducks play in the water, butterflies fly together in the flower garden. I have countless tender feelings, but with whom can I share them in this life? Waiting for a destined encounter, to enjoy the changing seasons together. Memories of past lives linger in my heart..."

The seven lines of poetry were simple and easy to understand, but the last line was left blank. After reading them, Ye Yu found the riddle quite intriguing.

The vendor chuckled and replied, "My shop wouldn't do a losing business. If a customer chooses to guess the riddle, they get the lantern for free if they guess correctly. If they guess incorrectly, they have to pay double the price!"

"Oh, I see. That's a clever method!"

"Would the young master like to buy the lantern or guess the riddle?"

Ye Yu laughed heartily, "Since you said you'd give it to the lady, wouldn't it be too mercenary to buy it?"

When Ye Yu said he would guess the riddle, Su Yueyun's eyes lit up with joy. Although the riddle was somewhat difficult, Su Yueyun, being well-read, quickly figured out the answer after a moment's thought.

On the surface, each line was filled with tender feelings, but each line also contained a hidden character. Therefore, if the seven lines were combined into seven characters, they formed the last line of the poem, which was also the answer to the riddle.

Taking the lantern back from Su Yueyun, Ye Yu picked up a brush and wrote a line of poetry on the blank petal: "Heart and soul, forever together!"

Paired mandarin ducks in the water, "heart"; butterflies flying together, "soul"; countless tender feelings, "forever"; with whom to share, "together"; waiting for a destined encounter, "forever"; enjoying the changing seasons, "together"; memories of past lives, "forever"!

The seven characters formed the line: "Heart and soul, forever together."

After receiving the lantern from Ye Yu, Su Yueyun didn't pay much attention to it and continued on in her wheelchair.

For Ye Yu, the past two years had been so busy that he hadn't given any gifts to the woman before him, and he felt somewhat guilty. Now, since the lady had shown interest in this lantern, how could he not fulfill her wish?

Although Ye Yu didn't think much of it, Su Yueyun couldn't help but be moved. The tender lotus lantern filled her heart with sweetness. Following Ye Yu, she held the beloved lantern and couldn't help but smile sweetly.

At this moment, the orderly crowd on the street suddenly became chaotic. Ye Yu saw the people around him rushing in one direction and felt puzzled. Upon inquiry, he learned that a lantern competition was being held in the middle of the street.

"Yueyun, why don't we go and see the lantern competition?"

Ye Yu suddenly became interested in the lantern competition. He had only heard of lantern viewing events where scholars and literati would write poetry and solve riddles. This lantern competition, which focused on the lanterns themselves rather than literary talent, was quite unique.

Su Yueyun was initially delighted but then felt disappointed, "Unfortunately, we didn't prepare a lantern in advance, or we could have participated!"

"Let's go! Let's see what's special about these competing lanterns..."

The group followed the crowd to the middle of the street. When Ye Yu and the others arrived, the area was already packed with people, a hundred times more lively than where they had been. Hundreds of lanterns illuminated the area, making it as bright as day.

Lifting his gaze, Ye Yu saw a raised platform in the middle of the street, with Prefect Yue Lin seated in the center and four judges sitting beside him. Ye Yu immediately understood that the Prefect was participating in the festivities with the people.

The lantern competition had three rounds. The first round was a preliminary selection of distinctive lanterns. The second round required innovative designs to advance, and the final round was judged by the four people on the platform.

Although Ye Yu was standing on the outskirts, his position was higher than others, allowing him to see the scene clearly.

After two rounds of selection, only five people advanced to the final round, one of whom Ye Yu recognized as Ye Mingzhi, who had given him a couplet at the dye shop.

Ye Mingzhi was holding a 'Wind-Sprinting Horse Lantern,' which resembled a galloping horse and, under the light, appeared to be alive and kicking.

Another participant was a woman holding a 'Phoenix Through Peonies Lantern,' where the peonies, illuminated by the light, looked exceptionally beautiful and graceful.

The other three participants held a 'Monkey Climbing Tree Lantern,' a 'Hundred Flowers Lantern,' and a 'Longevity and Prosperity Lantern.' While these were distinctive, they lacked originality.

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