Transmigrated into the Scumbag Ex-Wife of the Prime Minister - Chapter 43

At three quarters past the hour of You (around 6:45 PM), at the City God Temple.

The sky had just begun to darken, but the street was already ablaze with lanterns hung high. The colorful bright lamps emitted brilliant light, illuminating the entire street and making it radiant with flowing colors.

Light and shadow interwove on the latticed windows of the taverns and teahouses, smoke billowed from the outdoor food stalls, and the street was crowded with people, a truly lively scene.

A group of people emerged from a restaurant. Miao Fang, with his hands behind his head, said leisurely, “I heard there’s another lantern festival in the neighboring Kangding Ward. Should we go check it out?”

“Do you also want to win that golden chrysanthemum lantern prize?” Yang Huan teased.

“I’m not good at guessing riddles,” Miao Fang waved his hand. “But we have nothing to do anyway, so let’s just go take a look.”

The others had no objection, so they all headed to Kangding Ward.

The gate of Kangding Ward was tightly closed. Inside the ward, lanterns were dimly lit and glittering; outside, the noise of the crowd was deafening, packed with common people.

In front of the announcement board outside the ward gate.

Dong, dong, dong.

After the passionate drumbeats, a man wearing a round-collared brocade robe with good fortune patterns ascended the high platform in front of the ward gate. He wore a jade crown and a brocade belt with a beast-head and cloud pattern around his waist, complete with a completely emerald green jade pendant.

This man was the young master of Xianlin Villa, and tonight’s Lantern Festival, as well as the final prize, were co-organized by them and the Qinzhou Prefecture.

The young master smiled and explained the rules for the Lantern Festival’s riddle guessing. There were a total of ten questions, hidden within the lanterns inside Kangding Ward.

There were five hundred pre-prepared lanterns inside Kangding Ward, each bearing a word riddle. Participants had to sequentially find the ten useful lanterns among these five hundred in the correct order, and then solve the riddles on the lanterns.

“The first person to solve the final riddle will win the golden chrysanthemum lantern prize,” the young master swept his hand, closed the paper fan he held, and pointed to the prize lantern hung on a high rack nearby.

In the center of the high platform stood a three-meter-high wooden dragon gate frame, with a chrysanthemum lantern made of gold thread hanging right in the middle. The outer ring of the lantern had a semi-circular moon shape, and on one side of the moon was a charming little rabbit also made of gold thread.

The entire lantern was only the size of a palm, but the craftsmanship was exceptionally delicate and refined, clearly indicating its high value.

“This little lantern is quite interesting,” Lu Sheng’s eyes also lit up upon seeing it.

Qi Zhenshu looked at her upon hearing this. Lu Sheng was staring intently at the lantern on the stage, her eyes filled with a look of delight.

A gasp of admiration arose from the audience below. The already enthusiastic crowd became even more determined, each person rubbing their hands together, eager to try.

The young master’s flirtatious eyes scanned the crowd, and he smiled, drawing out his words, “Please listen carefully to the first question for today.”

The area below the stage immediately fell silent, so quiet that a dropped needle could be heard.

“A door half-open reflects a slender moon, spring buds dotting, grass just beginning to sprout.”

As the words fell, the whole street erupted in an uproar.

The crowd was not confused because the question was difficult, but because it was too simple.

This riddle was merely a simple character-splitting riddle. “Spring buds dotting” is the character for mi  “grass just beginning to sprout” is the grass radical (艹), and “A door half-open reflects a slender moon” is the middle part of the character for ju , chrysanthemum). The answer to this word riddle combined is the character ju

Some people guessed the answer instantly. Perhaps because the answer was too simple, some who guessed it began to doubt themselves.

“A door half-open… I’ve guessed it.”

“Hey, I know this one too.”

“Is this question really that simple?”

“The first question has been posed, and the remaining questions are inside that Kangding Ward.”

“Open the ward gate!” Hearing the discussion below, the young master’s smile widened. He struck a copper gong, and the burly men at the gate pulled open the heavy ward doors in response. “I wish you all good luck.”

“Isn’t this the character ju? Then the next question must be on that chrysanthemum lantern,” Miao Fang rubbed his chin, looking at the chrysanthemum-shaped lantern right at the entrance of the ward.

As soon as the ward gate opened, people who had guessed the answer swarmed forward, beginning to look up at the chrysanthemum lantern.

“This question is truly simple. I’m going to try it too,” Miao Fang took a few strides with his long legs and walked under the chrysanthemum lantern.

“Qi Zhenshu, let’s try it too,” Lu Sheng tugged at Qi Zhenshu’s sleeve, her bright, clear eyes full of expectation as she looked at her.

She wanted a golden chrysanthemum lantern, but she knew nothing about guessing riddles, so she was counting on Qi Zhenshu to help.

Her Qi Zhenshu was so smart; maybe she could be the first to finish all ten riddles.

Qi Zhenshu’s gaze lightly swept over her face. She lowered her eyes slightly and gently answered, “Mm.”

Seeing her agree, Lu Sheng’s face broke into a happy smile, and she joyfully said, “Then let’s hurry up and go.”

Qi Zhenshu turned her head and glanced at the chrysanthemum lantern at the ward entrance. With a restless crowd surging beneath it, her beautiful brows furrowed slightly.

Arriving at the ward entrance, the chrysanthemum lantern was completely surrounded, three layers deep, by people.

Lu Sheng leaned towards the edge of the crowd. Fortunately, the chrysanthemum lantern was quite large, and the writing on it was clearly visible even from a little distance.

“Wearing a hibiscus crown, draped in a five-colored robe, early in the morning…”

Lu Sheng looked up at the lantern above, reciting the word riddle. Suddenly, her wrist was gently held, and a clear, cool voice reached her ear instantly: “The answer to the first question is not this chrysanthemum lantern.”

“What?” Lu Sheng looked back at Qi Zhenshu in surprise.

When the ward gate opened, everyone had rushed over, clearly having all guessed that the answer was ju (chrysanthemum).

However, Lu Sheng only hesitated for a moment and then believed Qi Zhenshu.

Since Qi Zhenshu said it was wrong, it must not be that lantern. Lu Sheng suddenly became very curious and wanted to know what the real answer was.

The light in her eyes intensified. She leaned closer to Qi Zhenshu, stood on her tiptoes, and quietly asked, “Then which lantern is it?”

After asking, she immediately stood back up, looking around to ensure no one else had heard their conversation.

“I don’t know yet,” Qi Zhenshu released her hand and turned to walk further into Kangding Ward.

“Ah?” Lu Sheng exclaimed in surprise and quickly followed by her side, “Then why do you think that lantern is wrong?”

“The answer being the character ju is not wrong,” Qi Zhenshu leaned in and explained to her in a low voice, “but the young master’s smile was wrong.”

When she saw everyone looking at the chrysanthemum lantern, the young master’s smile was a bit strange, as if he had a triumphant look of having achieved a scheme. She then guessed it wasn’t that simple.

“So that means the answer is still ‘chrysanthemum,’ but it’s not the chrysanthemum lantern at the entrance,” Lu Sheng analyzed.

“Mm,” Qi Zhenshu stopped, stood under a square lantern, looked at it carefully, and then said to Lu Sheng, “It should be this lantern.”

Lu Sheng looked up. This square lantern was very simple and elegant, with white Xuan paper pasted on all four sides. In the top right corner of each side were the characters for plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum, and below the characters was a small painting.

Turning to the side with the character “chrysanthemum,” Lu Sheng clearly saw the picture on it.

The lantern depicted a half-open arched door, with a crescent moon hanging high inside, and on the ground were patches of unbloomed chrysanthemum seedlings. Butterflies fluttered over the plant beds, creating a charming scene.

Seeing this, Lu Sheng finally understood the line, “A door half-open reflects a slender moon, spring buds dotting, grass just beginning to sprout.” Wasn’t that exactly the scene in the painting?

Lu Sheng looked at Qi Zhenshu in surprise.

At this moment, the people surrounding the chrysanthemum lantern also figured out the riddle on that lantern and rushed towards their direction, swarming them.

Lu Sheng quickly dodged to the side of the road, making way for them.

She was focused on dodging but didn’t pay attention to a protruding road bump. Her heel caught on it, and Lu Sheng stumbled, about to fall backward.

Lu Sheng let out a soft cry. She fully expected to fall onto her backside but only felt a gentle support at her waist. She fell into a soft embrace.

Lu Sheng opened her half-closed eyes. The dark sky was deep and vast, and close at hand was a face of elegant and extraordinary beauty.

The countless lanterns above glittered with dazzling brilliance, yet none matched even one ten-thousandth of the person before her.

A warm breath fell upon her face. Lu Sheng’s heart suddenly leaped, stirring a tingling, numb sensation.

“This year’s lantern riddles are really simple.”

“Even children in primary school could guess these riddles.”

“This year’s competition, I think, is just about who can run the fastest.”

A group of people rushed past them noisily, all excitedly and vigorously heading towards the rooster lantern further inside.

As the clamor faded, Qi Zhenshu helped her stand steadily, her beautiful eyebrows furrowed. She gravely instructed, “Watch your step.”

“Oh.”

Lu Sheng tugged at her clothes, hiding the excitement in her heart. She looked at the lantern and curiously asked, “Isn’t this painting just the riddle’s surface clue? Where is the next riddle?”

She stood on her tiptoes, looking up and checking. Besides the painting, she couldn’t see any poem or verse written.

Seeing that she was only focused on the lantern and not watching her step, Qi Zhenshu frowned, walked to her side, gently held her wrist again, and pulled her closer to herself, softly reminding her, “Watch your path.”

She had originally intended to calm her mind by looking at the lantern, but unexpectedly, Qi Zhenshu held her wrist again. Lu Sheng’s heart, which had just settled down, suddenly started pounding fiercely again. She secretly raised her eyes to look at Qi Zhenshu.

“Scholar Qi, Miss Lu,” an elegant female voice came from behind the two of them.

Lu Sheng looked over upon hearing the voice and saw Princess Changning walking gracefully towards them, wearing a silver-white soft silk dress embroidered with chrysanthemums.

Princess Changning still wore a white veil over her face, but up close, one could still see the exquisite beauty beneath the sheer fabric. The corners of her eyebrows were slightly curved, carrying a refined and generous shallow smile.

“Your Royal Highness.”

“Your Royal Highness.”

Lu Sheng and Qi Zhenshu bowed their heads in greeting to her.

“I imagine Scholar Qi also guessed that the answer to this first question was not the chrysanthemum lantern at the entrance,” Princess Changning tilted her head to look at the square lantern next to them. Her tone was quite admiring, “Truly worthy of being the top scholar in Binhe County’s preliminary examination, your talent and wisdom are exceptional.”

Qi Zhenshu’s heart tightened, but her expression remained unchanged. She nodded slightly and humbly said, “Your Royal Highness flatters me.”

At the same time, an alarm bell went off in Lu Sheng’s heart.

Sure enough, the unusual feeling she had yesterday was not unfounded.

Princess Changning not only held Qi Zhenshu in high regard but also knew things about her earlier.

But when did this knowledge begin?

Yesterday? Or after they saved her that day? Or even earlier, before they traveled together?

Even though such a speculation seemed too bizarre, Lu Sheng had a strong intuition: this Princess Changning might have known about them even before they met.

Lu Sheng looked sideways at Princess Changning. Her smile was light and appropriate, her demeanor graceful and poised, and the white veil on her face added a sense of hazy beauty.

For more than twenty years, Lu Sheng had never cared much about her appearance, but at this moment, a faint sense of wistful defeat arose in her heart.

The original owner and she were seven or eight parts similar in appearance, both belonging to the type with clear and delicate features. With this body being younger, her eyes and eyebrows appeared more charming and exquisite, with a hint of childishness remaining. At most, she could only be described as pure and pretty.

Compared to Princess Changning’s dignified and extraordinary beauty, she was still far inferior.

Before she could think further, the hand at her side was gently grasped. Lu Sheng looked up, startled.

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