Chapter 81

The air was filled with the sound of lotus lanterns, dragon lanterns, grape lanterns, silk lanterns, poetic silk lanterns, horse lanterns, glass lanterns, and various ingeniously crafted lanterns, illuminating the night sky as bright as daylight, a kaleidoscope of colors...

Not only were the streets and alleys brilliantly lit like a forest of fire trees, but even the Jade Emperor Mountain and the Gemstone Mountain were adorned with lanterns along the hills and valleys, from the treetops to the branches. Standing by the West Lake, it seemed as if the Milky Way had descended to the mortal world, transforming into countless, twinkling lanterns, radiating brilliantly and illuminating the entire area.

What was even more mesmerizing was the dreamlike West Lake. On the lake, there were hundreds of painted boats, all adorned with colorful lanterns. The lanterns were so bright that their reflections on the water created a dazzling, flowing light, making it seem as if one had entered a fairyland.

At the center of this fairyland was a towering four-story building-like boat, adorned with tens of thousands of flower lanterns, resembling a mountain of lights. From below, one could see maidservants moving back and forth, serving delicacies, and courtesans playing music that sounded like celestial tunes. Graceful dancers, dressed in white gowns and adorned with various headdresses, twirled and danced, their movements so fluid that they almost blinded the onlookers. Watching their elegant gestures, one could almost hear the jingling of their jewelry and see their charming smiles. Even the fairies of the Heavenly Jade Pool could not have been more beautiful...

Wang Xian and the two girls stood by the shore, almost entranced. After a long while, Little Silver Bell finally let out a long breath and exclaimed, "It's truly a paradise on earth!"

"Glory to our great China!" Lin Qing'er also praised, her voice filled with pride. Wang Xian, however, frowned slightly and was about to speak when he heard a cold snort: "Ridiculous!"

Wang Xian turned to see a young scholar, about fourteen or fifteen years old, with an extremely delicate face, but his expression was stern and angry.

"Brother, why are you so angry?" Wang Xian asked with a smile.

The young scholar, realizing he had been overheard, quickly muttered, "Be cautious, be cautious," and did not intend to respond. But then he heard the little girl beside the man say, "Brother, he must be upset because he can't go up and play."

"Rubbish! As the ancients said, 'Indulgence ruins one's career!'" The young scholar immediately retorted, "I, Yu Qian, refuse to be in their company!"

"Then why are you so upset?" Silver Bell asked with a grin.

"What do you know?" The young scholar huffed, but then told the truth, "That is a naval warship!"

"Then what?" Silver Bell blinked.

"A warship prepared by the court to defend against the Japanese pirates, yet it is being used as a pleasure boat!" The young scholar's face showed a look of "You are truly foolish." "Isn't that ridiculous?"

"Uh..." Silver Bell was a bit confused and turned to Wang Xian, "Brother, what's wrong...?" She saw Wang Xian staring wide-eyed, as if he had seen a ghost. "What's your name? Yu Qian?"

"Yes..." The young scholar looked at this young man, not much older than himself, with a puzzled expression, "Do you know me?"

"Cough, cough, no, I don't." Wang Xian quickly shook his head, "I just heard that the governor of Hangzhou is also named Yu Qian."

"The governor's name is 'Yu' from the ancient emperor Shun, while mine is 'Yu' from 'a son returns home,'" the young scholar said coolly, "They sound the same but are different characters, and have no relation."

"Nobody thinks you are him." Silver Bell made a face, "You look more like the governor's grandson."

"Humph!" The young scholar angrily said, "The sages were right!"

Lin Qing'er pulled Silver Bell and whispered, "Don't talk to him like that, apologize quickly."

"Okay." Silver Bell obediently made a bow and said in a sweet voice, "This country girl doesn't know how to speak, Brother Yu, please don't take it to heart."

Seeing this young and charming girl bow to him, the young scholar's white face turned red, and he awkwardly returned the bow, "It's my fault, it's my fault."

"It is..." Silver Bell stuck out her tongue at him when her brother and sister weren't looking, as if challenging him.

"You..." The young scholar couldn't get angry anymore, just feeling helpless, the sages were right...

"Alright, alright." Wang Xian came to his senses and asked the young scholar, "Brother Yu, are you here alone?"

"A group of classmates dragged me out, but we got separated." The young scholar then asked, "May I ask for your name, brother?"

"My name is Wang Xian." Wang Xian said formally.

"Brother Wang, I have heard of you." The young scholar bowed, "Pleased to meet you."

Wang Xian thought, "I have heard of you too," and smiled, "Since Brother Yu can't find your companions, why don't we travel together?"

"This..." The young scholar was tempted by the two female companions but still refused, "Respect but keep a distance, that is the proper etiquette, it's not convenient."

"Alright, Brother Yu, please do as you wish." Wang Xian smiled.

"Sorry," The young scholar glanced at Silver Bell and then looked away, "If we meet again, I will definitely travel and enjoy the West Lake with Brother Wang."

"Alright, it's a deal." Wang Xian smiled and bowed, then they parted ways.

Silver Bell kept looking back at his figure. When she turned around, she heard Wang Xian tease, "Your soul is almost taken away."

"Not at all." Silver Bell blushed and patted her brother, "That old-fashioned guy is just a novelty."

"Cough, cough..." Wang Xian couldn't help but laugh, "You are truly your mother's daughter."

"This young man has a proper appearance, he must be from a good family," Lin Qing'er also said with a smile, "If he is unmarried, it would be a good match."

"Sister, even you tease me!" Silver Bell's face turned red, and she went to catch Lin Qing'er. As the sisters were laughing and playing, they suddenly heard a voice, "Oh, isn't that Sister Lin? What a coincidence..."

Lin Qing'er's smile faded, and she turned her head and softly said, "Sister Diao..."

It was the long-missed Miss Diao, dressed in a white dress, with a graceful figure, indeed a beauty. Miss Diao smiled at Lin Qing'er and then looked at Wang Xian standing beside her, with a look of "Now how do you deny it?" and covered her mouth with a handkerchief, laughing, "Last time you denied it, but you two are really a couple!"

"..." Lin Qing'er blushed but did not avoid the question. She lightly brushed her hair and nodded, "Yes."

"Ha ha ha..." Miss Diao laughed and turned to Wang Xian, "Brother Wang, what good fortune, last time you said a toad couldn't eat a swan, but now you have!"

Wang Xian's face turned red with anger, but seeing Li Qi and other scholars behind her, he held back his anger and coldly smiled without a word.

Li Qi, somewhat embarrassed, stepped forward and bowed, "Brother Wang, don't be angry, my wife was just joking."

"What did I say?" Miss Diao said coolly, "He said it himself."

"Alright, alright, Brother Ziyu, don't worry." A tall and handsome scholar stepped forward and laughed, "Brother Wang is not a petty person." It was no coincidence that Li Qi had come with Li Yu, Yu Yifan, and other scholars who had caused trouble in the past.

"Brother Li, Brother Yu, and all the other brothers," seeing they were outnumbered, Wang Xian wisely restrained himself, "What a coincidence."

"Yes, what a coincidence, if we had known, we would have set out together," Li Yu said, glancing at Lin Qing'er, "Sister Qing'er is here too."

"Brother Li is a scholar," hearing him call her by her name in public, Lin Qing'er's face showed a faint anger, "One should not be so casual in small matters."

"Ah, sorry, sorry, I got carried away during the New Year," Li Yu apologized with a smile and then warmly took Wang Xian's arm, "Come, I will treat Brother Wang and Sister Lin to a drink."

"I appreciate the offer," Wang Xian knew there was no such thing as a free lunch, and as he pulled his hand away, he said, "But my sister is a bit tired and needs to go home early."

"Ah, the Lantern Festival is a sleepless night, who sleeps at this time?" Yu Yifan held Wang Xian's other arm, and the other scholars also came forward, almost carrying him onto a painted boat moored by the lake.

Miss Diao and the other women also surrounded Lin Qing'er and Silver Bell and got them on the boat, regardless of their willingness.

This painted boat was rented by the Li family and was considered one of the better ones. The hall was intricately carved and brightly lit, with two eight-person tables set up, and the tables were laden with sumptuous food and drink. It seemed they had gone ashore to view the lanterns and then returned to drink.

Seeing the courtesans playing music, Wang Xian couldn't help but think, "Rich people really know how to enjoy themselves..." The boat had already left the shore, and there was no way to leave, so he calmed down and decided to see what these scholars were up to.

He signaled Silver Bell to follow Lin Qing'er and sat at the men's table. The sisters naturally sat at the women's table with Miss Diao and the others.

After sitting down, Li Yu raised his cup, said a few polite words, and then solemnly apologized to Wang Xian and Lin Qing'er. He was handsome and charming, making Wang Xian feel somewhat inferior. Damn, these rich and handsome guys should all be castrated...

Li Yu was skilled at setting the mood, and after a few rounds of drinks, the atmosphere in the hall became much more relaxed.

After a few rounds of drinks and several courses, someone suggested, "Why just drink in silence? Let's play a drinking game."

Everyone cheered, and Miss Diao was chosen as the game master. She drank a cup of wine and excitedly stood up, "The drinking game is as serious as a military order, regardless of status, I am the master, and those who violate my order will be punished."

Everyone cheered, "Of course, the drinking game is like a military order."

"The government has five punishments, and the drinking game also has five punishments: whipping, caning, servitude, exile, and penalty," Miss Diao announced the rules, "When it is someone's turn to give the order, if they refuse, they will be whipped thirty times. If they violate the rules, they will be caned one hundred times. If they leave halfway, they will be exiled three thousand miles. If they refuse to accept the penalty, they will be sentenced to five years of servitude..." It sounded terrifying, but it was actually a drinking game. For example, thirty whips meant three cups of wine, one hundred canes meant ten times the penalty, and three thousand miles meant three hundred cups of wine...

Wang Xian immediately understood, these bastards were planning to take revenge this way...

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