"I don't know either!" Dongfang Yu'er shook her head, her tone somewhat dejected: "From childhood to adulthood, I've only been to the War King's Mansion once, when I was very young. I only remember seeing a large bamboo grove, and nothing else!"
Shen Lixue: "..." It seems that after the War King left, the War King's mansion has been almost completely closed off, and no one has come here.
"I'm also very curious about what those things are. Let's go take a look!" With that, Dongfang Yu'er pulled Shen Lixue and jumped out of the window. Just as the two left the bamboo house, the book that Shen Lixue had pulled out halfway fell to the ground, and a piece of white paper fell to the ground and slowly unfolded, revealing a portrait of a beautiful woman.
Dongfang Yu'er and Shen Lixue followed the bamboo forest to the red object, their eyes filled with surprise. Dongfang Yu'er, in particular, was so astonished that her mouth was agape. It took her a long time to finally utter, "So beautiful!"
The red objects were small lanterns, exquisitely designed, strung together with rope and arranged around the bamboo grove, creating a striking sight.
"Planting bamboo and hanging lanterns, the entire War King's Mansion is decorated in an exceptionally elegant and refined manner, exuding a sense of tranquility and extraordinary beauty, almost like a paradise on earth!" Dongfang Yu'er exclaimed in admiration. Living here would surely add decades to one's life.
"So many lanterns, how many are there?" The little red lanterns were lined up one after another, and Shen Lixue couldn't see the end of them at a glance. The patterns on the lanterns were also different, which showed that Prince Zhan had put a lot of thought into them.
"Let's count them!" Dongfang Yu'er was bored, and since the War King had things to do and couldn't see them, she pulled Shen Lixue to count the lanterns.
Shen Lixue didn't count the lanterns. Her cool gaze swept around, taking in the green bamboo forest and the long strings of red lanterns, as if they were a blessing to someone...
"Seven hundred, seven hundred and one, seven hundred and two..." Beside her, Dongfang Yu'er counted the lanterns softly.
Shen Lixue suddenly stopped, and Dongfang Yu'er stopped as well, complaining, "We've counted over seven hundred, and we're still not finished. How many lanterns did Uncle Royal string together?"
"A total of nine hundred and ninety-nine were strung together!" A majestic voice suddenly rang out, and Dongfang Yu'er's body trembled. She looked sharply ahead: "Your...Your Royal Uncle!"
In the darkness of night, the War King held a tinderbox, lighting lanterns one by one with seriousness and focus. The firelight illuminated his handsome face and slender figure, exuding a cold and majestic aura tinged with loneliness and desolation.
Shen Lixue's eyes flickered: "Your Highness, I've heard from my elders that lighting a thousand red lanterns by hand is the highest blessing one can receive. Why do you only have nine hundred and ninety-nine here?"
"Yes, Imperial Uncle, does your nine hundred and ninety-nine lanterns have a special meaning?" Dongfang Yu'er echoed Shen Lixue's words to ease her embarrassment. She was so focused on counting the lanterns that she didn't even notice that it was getting dark.
The War King looked at Shen Lixue and Dongfang Yu'er. In the flickering firelight, the young woman's figure overlapped with that scene from many years ago. A moment of confusion flashed in the War King's stern eyes, but he quickly regained his composure. He looked up at the star-studded night sky, a slight smile playing on his lips: "The thousandth lantern is..."
The last few words were spoken so softly by the War King that neither Shen Lixue nor Dongfang Yu'er heard them clearly; they had already drifted away with the wind...
Just as Dongfang Yu'er was about to ask for details, a guard quickly approached and respectfully reported, "Your Highness, news has come from the palace that a banquet will be held in the palace in three days, and you are invited to attend!"
Witty Remarks 076: The scumbag brother crashes into a pillar, the scumbag sister loses face.
The War King agreed, and as he turned around, he saw the crystal swallow on Shen Lixue's chest. His sharp gaze narrowed slightly, and he continued to bend down to light the candles: "It's getting dark, you should go back!"
"Uncle, there are nine hundred and ninety-nine lanterns here. How long will it take you to light them all? Why don't we help you?" Dongfang Yu'er suggested with a smile.
What she really wanted to say was, "It's already dark. Why don't you stay for a simple meal before you leave? The first meal the War King has to eat upon returning to the capital is of special significance. It's not something just anyone can eat. If she eats it, it will make her look good and allow her to better report back to the Prince of Huai."
Without even raising his head, the War King lightly touched the lantern and uttered a casual remark: "I have no appetite. There is no dinner prepared in the War King's residence!"
"Ah!" Dongfang Yu'er was taken aback, then chuckled awkwardly, "My little schemes really couldn't escape my notice, Imperial Uncle!"
"Go back and tell my fourth brother that I never blamed him for what happened back then!" When he said this, the War King's tone was low and meaningful. His deep eyes darkened slightly, and a hint of sorrow flashed in the depths of his pupils.
"Really?" Dongfang Yu'er's throat tightened, and her eyes welled up with tears. "Father has been feeling guilty. He would be very happy if he knew that Uncle doesn't blame him."
Shen Lixue looked at Dongfang Yu'er. She had always been bold and strong, never bowing her head in the face of trouble. Now that her father had been forgiven, she was actually moved to tears of gratitude. It seemed that what happened between the Prince of Huai and the Prince of Zhan back then was not simple.
"Uncle, nine hundred and ninety-nine lanterns are indeed too many. Are you sure you don't need our help?" Having completed the task assigned by the Prince of Huai, Dongfang Yu'er was not in a hurry to return to the Prince of Huai's residence. She wanted to stay and help the Prince of Zhan light the lanterns.
"No need!" The War King rejected Dongfang Yu'er's suggestion decisively, leaving no room for negotiation.
“But…” Dongfang Yu’er looked at the endless string of lanterns: With so many lanterns, how long would it take for the Imperial Uncle to light them all by himself?
"Princess, let's not disturb Prince Zhan while he lights the lanterns, let's go!" Shen Lixue smiled slightly, took Dongfang Yu'er's arm and walked quickly forward.
"Why aren't you helping?" After walking a distance, Dongfang Yu'er couldn't help but ask. Behind her, red lanterns were slowly lit, forming a bright red glow that illuminated the green bamboo forest, creating a beautiful sight.
Shen Lixue stopped and looked back at the string of lit red lanterns: "These red lanterns are very exquisite and clean, just like new, but if you look closely, you will find that the color of the lanterns has faded a bit."
Dongfang Yu'er's eyes lit up: "You mean, those lanterns have been strung there for a long time!"
Shen Lixue nodded: "The lanterns are well taken care of. It's impossible to tell when they were hung up. This is the War King's house, so he must have ordered them to be hung up."
“The Imperial Uncle has been away from the manor for fifteen years and has never returned. According to you, these lanterns must be at least fifteen years old…” Dongfang Yu’er was surprised. These red lanterns had been hanging for fifteen years, and she had never noticed them.
“Prince Zhan likes to light lanterns by himself. He must have lit these 999 lanterns many times. He can light them all in the shortest amount of time without anyone else’s help!” Shen Lixue looked at the bamboo forest and the red lanterns, her dark eyes unfathomable.
Shen Lixue and Dongfang Yu'er were far from the lantern, and their voices were not loud, but every word reached the War King's ears. The War King paused in his action of lighting the lantern, turned around and looked in the direction of Shen Lixue and Dongfang Yu'er. His sharp eyes reflected the graceful figure of the woman in green, and the corners of his mouth were slightly upturned. She was just as clever and understanding as her.
When Shen Lixue returned to the Prime Minister's residence under the cover of night, the residence was brightly lit. Shen Minghui, Shen Yingxue, and Shen Yelei sat in the pavilion, drinking tea and telling jokes. The father and sons were kind and filial, and they were very happy.
Shen Yelei had been studying at the Imperial Academy and had a highly learned teacher as his mentor. He rarely returned to the Prime Minister's residence. This time, he was sure he would spend time with his parents and older sister. Shen Lixue did not want to make a fool of herself, so she pretended not to see the three of them and was about to take a side path back to the Bamboo Garden.
The sharp-eyed Shen Yelei spotted her and exclaimed in surprise, "Dad, sister, look! That wild girl from the countryside is back!"
"Ye Lei, that's my older sister, don't talk nonsense!" Shen Yingxue scolded softly, her gloating tone carrying no hint of reproach. Her injured arm was tied with a white cloth strip, hanging in front of her chest, which not only did not make her look disheveled, but also added a touch of sickly beauty to her.
"Father!" Shen Lixue stepped forward and casually curtsied to Shen Minghui.
Shen Minghui gave a faint reply, looking at Shen Yelei and Shen Yingxue with loving eyes, without even glancing at Shen Lixue.
"No wonder he's from the countryside, he has no manners at all. He didn't even greet his father when he saw him, and he just turned around and left!" Shen Yelei was small and had a high-pitched voice. He looked down at Shen Lixue with contempt and disdain in his eyes.
"Not only did you not greet your sister, but you also made sarcastic remarks. Is this Ye Lei's upbringing?" Shen Lixue retorted sarcastically. Shen Ye Lei was young, but he had a sharp tongue and was unforgiving. She didn't need to be polite to him either.
"You...you're just a country bumpkin, reeking of poverty, lowly and despicable. If it weren't for my parents feeding and sheltering you, you would have starved to death on the streets long ago!" Speechless after being outmaneuvered by Shen Lixue, Shen Yelei gritted his teeth and glared angrily at her. This woman was truly despicable, daring to talk back to him, the esteemed eldest son of the Prime Minister's family.
“Shen Yelei, remember this clearly, I am the daughter of the first wife, and my status and position are higher than yours, the legitimate son born to the second wife…” Shen Lixue retorted coldly, word by word. She had already vaguely guessed the purpose of the three of them appearing in the pavilion. Since they wanted to play a game, she would play a game with them.
Shen Yelei scoffed disdainfully: "What nobility can a daughter born of a lowly country bumpkin possibly possess..."
"Slap!" A slap landed hard on Shen Yelei's face, turning his head to the side. A bright red five-fingered mountain instantly appeared on his fair face, and a clear, cold voice rang in his ringing ears: "Shen Yelei, listen carefully, my mother is Lin Qingzhu, the legitimate daughter of the Duke of Wu's mansion. You are not allowed to insult my mother again!"