Chapter 543: Matchmaker Festival
Chapter 543: Chapter 543: Matchmaker Festival
The banquet began. Soon after, Ye Shangyi appeared, magnificently dressed, while supporting Grand Tutor Ye.
The old tutor was highly respected and well-connected in the imperial court.
Countless dignitaries had come to celebrate his birthday.
Yet, he greeted and attended to each one of them. When it was Shen Ningning’s table’s turn...
Grand Tutor Ye beamed, his white beard curling up. "Ningning is here! It seems I’m destined for a long life!"
Shen Ningning raised her wine cup, stood up, and beamed with festive cheer.
"Grandfather Ye, I wish you blessings as vast as the Eastern Sea!"
Qi Xiuwei, beside her, quickly rose as well. "And a life as long as the Southern Mountains!"
The two of them, in their vermilion and pale yellow dresses, looked just like fairies of good fortune.
Grand Tutor Ye was grinning from ear to ear, downing one cup of wine after another.
Xu Jingxi, calm and gentle, reminded him, "Grand Tutor, wine may be good, but please drink in moderation."
Ye Shangyi also snatched the wine cup from Grand Tutor Ye’s hand.
"Yes, Grandfather. There are so many other tables of guests. You should drink a little less."
But Grand Tutor Ye, his face flushed with joy, laughed. "I’m happy today! Seeing you younger generations become more and more outstanding, I just know that Cangyun Country’s future will be one of universal peace and unrivaled dominance."
Shen Ningning blinked her long lashes and, taking advantage of Grand Tutor Ye’s good mood, asked:
"Grandfather Ye, the day after tomorrow is the Matchmaker Festival. I’d like to ask Shangyi to go out with me to see the flower lanterns. I promise we’ll be back before 7 p.m. Is that okay?"
Ever since the turmoil surrounding her engagement had passed, the Ye Family had become even more protective of Ye Shangyi, keeping a strict watch over her, afraid she would be deceived again by some young master with ill intentions.
Now, whenever Ye Shangyi went out, she had to report to her family if she was going to be home late.
Since Grand Tutor Ye was in high spirits today, Shen Ningning decided to ask on her behalf.
Fearing Grand Tutor Ye might refuse, the young girl quickly added, "My third brother will be going too, so we’ll be safe. Please don’t worry, Grandfather Ye!"
Xu Jingxi silently glanced at his sister.
’Did I say I was going?’
’The Matchmaker Festival is filled with happy couples. What’s the point of me tagging along and joining the crowd?’
But Shen Ningning gave him a pleading look, and he immediately nodded. The few lies he had told in his life were almost all for his sister’s sake.
"Yes, I’ll be going with them."
Ye Shangyi quietly pressed her lips together, trying to hold back a smile.
Over there, Lu Shaoyuan chimed in, "That’s right, I’m going too! With me and Third Young Master Xie around, you have nothing to worry about, old lord."
Grand Tutor Ye stroked his beard and laughed heartily. "With Ningning here, what is there to worry about? You all just go ahead and have fun."
At this, both Shen Ningning and Ye Shangyi breathed a sigh of relief.
The young girl secretly gave Ye Shangyi an encouraging look.
’It’s all up to her now!’
However, no one at their table noticed that Meng Wanning’s maidservant, using the excuse of pouring wine, had been standing behind them and overheard the entire conversation.
After returning, she told Meng Wanning everything.
Xu Jingxi would be going out with Shen Ningning to see the lanterns on the night of the Matchmaker Festival.
Meng Wanning watched the table of cheerful figures, her fingers twisting her handkerchief.
"I asked him to go see the lanterns that day, and he refused. But the moment the Princess asks, he agrees?"
The maidservant whispered, "Don’t be sad, My Lady. Princess Funing is Third Young Master Xie’s younger sister, and the Xie family has always doted on her. I’ve heard that her brothers grant her every wish."
But Meng Wanning still felt displeased.
She glanced at Ye Shangyi, who had already left with Grand Tutor Ye.
"If it were just to accompany the Princess, that would be one thing. But besides the Princess, there’s also Princess Lingyi and Miss Ye."
Meng Wanning had also heard that Qi Xiuwei used to have feelings for Pei Yin.
Therefore, she didn’t suspect Qi Xiuwei. She only found it strange that Ye Shangyi was always tagging along.
’It seems I’ll have to go on that day as well!’
After Shen Ningning returned home, she had intended to send a message to Mo Lingwei.
They were all going out to have fun on the night of the Matchmaker Festival, and she wanted to ask if Mo Lingwei was free and if he wanted to come out with them.
But then she remembered what Wu Fang had just told her: Mo Lingwei was not only busy but also had to look after the Emperor’s health.
After some thought, Shen Ningning didn’t want to ask him to come out for fun at a time like this.
"I should let him focus on taking good care of Uncle Emperor." Shen Ningning burned the letter she had written.
However, a gust of wind from the window blew the partially burned letter to the ground.
The gluttonous Lang Si snatched it up in his mouth.
A second later, he spat it out with a "BLECH!"
"Hot!" he let out a long, whining howl.
Shen Ningning covered her mouth, her body shaking with laughter. "Lang Si, no wonder Grandma Qin calls you a chubby baby. How could you eat paper that’s on fire!"
The Black Wolf King, who was nearby, couldn’t even be bothered to glance at his disappointing son.
’So useless! A disgrace to all wolves!’
Lang Si flopped onto the ground, looking aggrieved.
"Last time, I saw Grandma Qin roasting meat over a fire. I thought it was the same thing," he said, sticking his tongue out a couple of times. It still hurt.
So Shen Ningning took him outside and let him soak in the Lotus Pond for a while.
The half-burned piece of paper was blown by the wind and drifted under the bed.
...
On the day of the Matchmaker Festival, as night began to fall, fireworks were already being set off continuously throughout the city.
Fiery trees and silver flowers bloomed by the thousands, and the fish and dragon fire dances created a spectacular, bustling scene.
From time to time, fine horses pulling fragrant, bell-adorned carriages would pass by, and on the river that flowed through the city, a constant stream of flower boats drifted past.
Looking up, the bridges and streets, the boats and the fronts of every stall, and even the shops were all filled with couple after couple.
Qi Xiuwei arrived the earliest. She stood waiting by the Matchmaker Temple.
Today, the Matchmaker Temple was practically overflowing with people.
Inside, the flower lanterns were as bright as day, their brilliant light dazzling. It was also said that the fortunes drawn at the Matchmaker Temple today were especially effective.
Qi Xiuwei stood on her tiptoes, eagerly searching the vast sea of people for Shen Ningning and her other friends.
However, after just a few glances, she was surprised to see not Shen Ningning, but Pei Yin.
Qi Xiuwei’s expression stiffened. She silently looked away, deciding to pretend she hadn’t seen him.
Unexpectedly, a pair of black boots stopped right in front of her.
"Commandery Princess," Pei Yin was the first to speak.
Qi Xiuwei had no choice but to look up and offer a reserved, distant smile. "What a coincidence. Is Lord Pei also here to draw a fortune?"
However, she saw that Pei Yin was dressed in a brown, close-fitting robe, with four guards following behind him.
Pei Yin said, "Lord Lu learned that Second Young Master Lu was going out tonight, so he asked me to accompany him to prevent him from getting hurt in the crowded streets."
He was off duty today, and Lu Fu had entrusted this matter to him. Pei Yin hadn’t wanted to agree, but Lu Fu mentioned that Lu Shaoyuan would be out with Shen Ningning, Qi Xiuwei, and the others.
So, Pei Yin had come.
Qi Xiuwei understood. ’Looks like I won’t be able to avoid him today.’
She could only offer a slight smile. "Alright. I’m also waiting for Ningning and the others. Has Second Young Master Lu arrived yet?"
"He saw the Princess just now. The two of them are in line buying bamboo-branch drinks and will be over shortly." Pei Yin sounded helpless as he said this.
Lu Shaoyuan only wanted to be alone with Shen Ningning and had run off faster than a rabbit. Pei Yin hadn’t even had time to follow with his men.
So, he could only wait at the entrance of the Matchmaker Temple.
A short while later, Shen Ningning, Lu Shaoyuan, and Xu Jingxi appeared together.
"Xiao Wei, Lord Pei, here are your bamboo-branch drinks."
The so-called bamboo-branch drink was a new beverage recently launched in Shen Ningning’s shop.
A section of thin bamboo was cleaned and fashioned into a cup, then filled with sweet fruit juices of various flavors.
"Thank you," Qi Xiuwei said as she took it.
She noticed that Shen Ningning was wearing a smoky purple dress today, and Lu Shaoyuan’s robe was, surprisingly, a light lavender.
The two of them were standing together, discussing the future direction of the shop and brainstorming what new products to launch after the bamboo-branch drink.
Lu Shaoyuan was in charge of execution and giving opinions, while Shen Ningning was responsible for coming up with ideas.
Qi Xiuwei suddenly had a bold thought: the two of them looked quite good together.
Just then, Shen Ningning looked around. "Why isn’t Shangyi here yet?"
Lu Shaoyuan said, "Doesn’t she always claim to be punctual? Maybe she’s not coming?"
Shen Ningning wanted to say that was impossible. Her third brother had even come.
Xu Jingxi said calmly, "It’s fine. We can wait for her a bit. It’s crowded today, so she might be stuck on the road."
The words had barely left his mouth when Pei Yin pointed into the distance. "She’s here."
Shen Ningning looked up and saw Ye Shangyi walking toward them, but beside her was Miss Meng—Meng Wanning.