Chapter 71: Strolling Through the Lantern Festival

  Lantern Festival

  "Cough... I think that after eating my fill, I can better serve the king." If one were to point at Yin Ruo Fei's flustered or embarrassed appearance, it would be underestimating his shamelessness.

  Rong Jingze also knew this and merely hummed softly, "This king hasn't eaten yet either."

  "That... I'll serve you, Your Highness." Yin Ruo Fei hastily swallowed the bun in her mouth, glanced at the other half in her hand, and bluntly ignored Rong Jing Ze's gaze as she stuffed it in too.

  The king also wants to eat, so naturally he can't hide in the kitchen to eat anymore. Even if Rong Jingze is not particular about details, after all, he has to maintain the dignity of the king.

  The table was filled with all kinds of dim sum and snacks. Since it's Chinese New Year, there were also various types of niangao (sticky rice cake). Good quality glutinous rice is ground into a paste with water, mixed with red sugar, rose sugar or white sugar, sesame seeds, peanuts, then steamed to perfection.

  There are also salty ones, steamed with ham and then sliced and fried until golden.

  Not only delicious in taste, sweet or savory, but also auspicious and festive in appearance, the salty and sweet flavors complement each other perfectly. With so many dishes to choose from, there's no need to worry about not having enough to eat.

  Rong Jingze just wanted to hurry him up to eat quickly, and didn't really want to fight with him for food. Once they arrived at the palace, it would be even less likely.

  Rong Jingze looked thin, but was actually a big eater. Yin Ruofei had already eaten his fill and couldn't eat another bite, yet Rong Jingze still managed to drink more than half of the chicken soup.

  There's a lot of ginseng in the chicken soup, and it's likely to be bitter when cooked. So, Zi Yun wrote him some learning tips on purpose.

  Since he had entered the palace, Rong Jingze didn't plan to let him go back again, lest he would be close with his brother again. The rewards were sent to Ze Wangfu, Yin Ruofei's courtyard, where someone took care of them, and Yin Ruofei settled down at ease.

  There are different thoughts in the hearts of various people in the Hou Mansion of Zhenjiang, and Old Lady Ruiqi and others have some resentment towards the Emperor for not being considerate of family feelings.

  After the fifth day of the new year, Rong Jingze said that he would no longer stay in the palace and it was more comfortable to be in his own Wangfu. Yin Ruofei naturally agreed with both hands, and was also reminded by the Empress Dowager to take good care of the King. The two were released back.

  Rong Jingze was not fond of moving around, let alone in the severe winter. Taking advantage of his laziness at home, Yin Ruofei would often return to visit and sometimes invite Xiling Hao and others to go out and have fun. Rong Jingze's network spanned the entire capital city; how could he not know? He was simply turning a blind eye.

  The happy days always pass quickly, and before you know it, the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day has arrived.

  The Lantern Festival has a history of several hundred years and is especially lively today.

  The outing would take a long time, so Yin Ruofei decided to go and tell Rong Jingze. He changed into a light and warm outfit, entered the house and found that Rong Jingze was also dressed up neatly.

  "Your Highness, where are you going?"

  Rong Jingze raised his arm and let the little eunuch help him adjust his clothes. "I'll accompany you to the lantern festival."

  Yin Ruofei suddenly smiled awkwardly, "This... Prince Wang..." This was no prince at all, but a complete fake.

  "Where are we gathering?" As soon as he got on the horse carriage, Rong Jingze asked casually, instantly making Yin Ruofei break out in cold sweat. He reported the address in a low voice, and Yin Ruofei looked at Rong Jingze helplessly.

  "What's wrong?" Even in the carriage, there was a small copper stove burning, and it was very warm.

  "The king's body is worth a thousand gold, and there are many people at the lantern festival. I'm afraid it will hurt the king." That's what he said, but Yin Ruofei was really worried that his rare chance to have some fun would be ruined. With twenty-eight guards surrounding him, clearing the way in front of him, the streets were empty, so what's the point of even going out?

  "It's a joke, I can still get hurt." Rong Jingze, holding a hand warmer, jumped down first. This place was already close to the Lantern Festival street, and the carriage couldn't move forward anymore. Yin Ruofei also got off the carriage and looked around.

  "Fei Di, over here!" Xiling Hao's eyes were sharp and he waved his hand at him, running over in big strides. When he turned to see the person beside Fei Di emitting frost, his expression changed instantly. He was about to kneel down and pay his respects. Although his appearance had changed somewhat, how could Xiling Hao not recognize that figure and aura, which he had seen many times before?

  Yin Ruofei hastily reached out to stop him. "Xiling brother, there are too many people around, let's just forget it."

  Xiling Hao whispered, "How did you even bring him along?"

  "Alas." Yin Ruofei sighed and shook his head. This is a living ancestor, how can he be allowed to come or not?

  After waiting for a while, Jin Yuan also arrived, bringing three younger brothers from home, and holding Ruo Lan in his arms.

  "Brother." The soft and gentle call made Yin Ruofei's face suddenly break into a smile, and he quickly ran over to take his little sister in his arms.

  "What's he doing here?" Jin Yuan asked in a low voice as he handed over his sister. Yin Ruofei still had an expression of helplessness on her face.

  "Since you've seen him, big brother should go over and pay his respects."

  "Alright then, what about others?"

  "It's better to just forget about others." The remaining brothers aren't clever either, and they probably wouldn't be able to recognize her even if they saw her again after that one encounter.

  Jin Yuan has seen Master. Jin Yuan knew the depth of the situation, followed Yin Ruo Fei to pay his respects, but did not dare to kneel down, only bowing his head and calling out "Master".

  "Hmm." Rong Jingze only responded faintly and ignored the other person, turning his head to look at the little girl in Yin Ruofei's arms. She was probably only three or four years old, plump and very cute.

  "Your sister?"

  "Ah, it's my sister." Yin Ruofei's eyes curved into a smile. "She was making a fuss about coming earlier, and I couldn't persuade her otherwise, so I had to get Big Brother to bring her along."

  "Call me brother." Rong Jingze, although wary of Jin Yuan and disapproving of his closeness to Yin Ruofei, didn't think it was necessary to mind about such a small girl. Moreover, Ruolan's chubby appearance was indeed cute.

  "Grandfather, this is unbearable." Call out to elder brother, if Ruan Cheng becomes something, wouldn't that make him the same generation as the current emperor?

  "It's just a title, what's the big deal?" Rong Jingze didn't take it seriously at all, stretched out his hand from his waist to take down another purse and gave it to Ruolan. "Take it and play with it."

  "Thank you, brother." With what happened to Xiling Hao before, Yin Ruofei was now welcoming anyone. Before Yin Ruofei could say anything, the chubby little hand had already grabbed the purse and was even rummaging inside to see what was there.

  "At such a young age, how can you be so obsessed with wealth." Yin Ruofei muttered to himself. He didn't dare let Ruo Lan return the things, he knew Ze Wang's temper and if she couldn't return them on the spot, she would immediately turn against him.

  "No need to be jealous, you have your own." Rong Jingze couldn't help but laugh. And speaking of his sister, he himself saw that the emperor and empress dowager had an even more greedy look in their eyes when they were rewarding him, a hundred times more than his sister's. He didn't know how the Hou Mansion managed to raise such a son.

  As soon as the words came out, Yin Ruofei's face suddenly turned red with embarrassment. Jin Yuan and the twenty-eight guards who were disguised beside him were okay, barely holding back their laughter, but Xi Linghao had already laughed so hard that he was about to roll on the ground, and Yin Ruofei almost lost his temper.

  So many people, it's naturally not good to walk together, let alone the identities are too different. Jin Yuan sighed and retreated with a few younger brothers to play.

  Xi Ling Hao relied on his identity and thick skin, leaving behind that group of brothers, and stayed here. Yin Ruofei secretly rejoiced, indeed this is what it means to be brothers.

  This was the first time Yin Ruofei had ever been to a lantern festival in his two lifetimes. When he was young, his mother, Da Linshi, was afraid that he would be hurt or kidnapped, so she never allowed him to go. Later on, when he was discarded by the Hou Manor, there was even less chance of anyone bringing him here.

  At this time, I saw a variety of lanterns and flowers on both sides, all kinds of snacks and toys, dazzling.

  "Brother, I want that!" Although Yin Ruofei was not very old, she had already started practicing martial arts. Carrying her little sister was no problem at first, but after a while, it turned out to be just as exhausting as training.

  The person next to Rong Yun smiled and took him away.

  It's strange to say that Ruo Lan actually let him hold her, and it seems like she looks more comfortable than when she was being held by Yin Ruofei.

  Rong is a head taller and bigger, holding a little girl with no pressure at all. While Yu Ran stands tall and sees far, seeing more than Yin Ru Fei who is shorter, making Yin Ru Fei very envious.

  "Why not let Gong Jiu hold you too?" Rong Jing Ze said on purpose, he was already 14 years old, and the people in the Rong family were generally tall. Although not as tall as Rong Shi, but much taller than Yin Ru Fei.

  Let Gongjiu hold it? Might as well die!

  Pushing through the crowd, I looked at the stall that my sister was talking about. It turned out to be a ring toss game. The stall owner held a small bamboo hoop in his hand, and on the ground were various prizes.

  Small drum, porcelain doll, some not very valuable silver bangles and hairpins, and several small packages, what's inside can only be known after unwrapping.

  It seems simple, but it's actually not easy. The bamboo ring is small and light, making it hard to control. And the objects on the ground are far away and quite large, making it even more difficult to accurately put them in.

  Many have played before, although they didn't leave empty-handed, but they also didn't gain much.

  "This, how do you play?" Doesn't matter if it's horizontal or vertical, little sister likes it, so let's play.

  "This young master, you like which one then go take that one, after taking it's yours. This bamboo circle is two cents."

  "It's not expensive anyway." Yin Ruofei touched her purse and took out a piece of silver, "Let's start with 100 first."

  "Haha, you're too lacking in confidence." Xiling Hao chuckled and burst out laughing, "I think this store has less than a hundred customers."

  "It's alright, it's alright." The stall owner wiped away his sweat.

  This is a small business, just to entertain the kids. Coming out to stroll around the lantern festival, it's already good if parents give them 10 cents or so, let alone 2 cents can buy a sugar gourd, who would come back here to waste money.

  However, judging from the attire of Yin Ruofei and others, they knew that none of them were poor people. They politely handed over all the bamboo circles. "There are thirty here, young master has lost them all, old man will go pick them up for young master again."

  "Whatever." That piece of broken silver was worth at least a few ounces, but in their eyes it wasn't anything special, just something to amuse themselves with.

  Rong Jingze didn't dare to move, naturally. Xiling Hao wasn't polite and snatched ten of them. Yin Ruofei kept some for himself and handed a few to his sister, letting her have fun too.

  It looks easy but it's actually hard. Xiling Hao threw ten rings and none of them landed, causing the onlookers to burst into a fit of kind laughter.

  If Lan's circle, naturally also can't enter, she is young and weak, even if thrown out, it's not enough to reach one meter.

  Two people looked at Yin Ruofei with hope, and Yin Ruofei gave them a firm gaze. But this gaze became more and more unconfident as one by one circle was thrown out.

  "Give it to me." Rong Jingze stretched out his hand from behind.

  "Oh." There were still two rings on his hand, Yin Ruofei hastily handed them over, stealing a glance at Rong Jingze, not expecting Wang Ye to have such elegant hobbies...