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Murong Yin smiled slightly and carefully explained to her, "These silk paper lanterns are Kongming lanterns from Jiangnan, also known as wishing lanterns. They can be released into the night sky after the candles are lit. Releasing Kongming lanterns is a custom in Jiangnan."

He held a Kongming lantern in both hands, lit the candle on the bamboo candlestick, and the silk paper Kongming lantern was lit, its warm temperature soothing the skin of his palms.

“You said you are an orphan, and you have no relatives to tell even about your marriage, so I came up with this idea. You can write everything you want to say on this Kongming lantern and then release it.”

He held the Kongming lantern in front of the lotus flower.

The warm candlelight illuminated his gentle, smiling face, and also reddened Lianhua's pale complexion.

"Lotus, your departed loved ones will surely see the Kongming lantern you released. They will know that you have found your home and will never have to wander again in this life."

"Homecoming?" Lotus's lips trembled slightly, her gaze momentarily unfocused.

It turns out she could still find a home...

"certainly."

Bathed in the light of the Kongming lanterns, his smile shone with a gentle glow. "In this life and the next, I am your destiny. You are my wife, Murong Yin's wife. I will take care of you for the rest of my life. As long as I am here, I will never let you be bullied again..."

His voice was as firm as a rock.

Lotus gazed at his refined and handsome face, a thousand emotions churning within her. A stinging pain shot through her nose, and hot tears silently welled up in her eyes…

Murong Yin placed the Kongming lantern in her hand and smiled slightly, "Release the lantern!"

Lotus held up the Kongming lantern with both hands, watching the candlelight flicker inside. Her hands felt a gentle warmth, and her exquisitely beautiful face was filled with a pure and flawless tranquility.

The candlelight flickered...

They held the Kongming lantern high in the air, and then slowly... let go...

Kongming lanterns made of silk paper slowly rose from her hand, each one graceful and ethereal, swaying and drifting into the star-studded night sky.

One lamp, two hearts.

He and she, after exchanging vows with heaven and earth, pledged their lives to each other.

For some reason, a gust of wind suddenly arose.

The delicate, fragmented magnolia blossoms, with their shimmering luster, pierced the vast darkness of the night.

In the silent night, no one noticed that the once whole petals of the magnolia flower, dancing in the wind, seemed to have been torn apart...

The petals of the magnolia flower shattered into pieces, like tears, slowly falling into the dust...

"Since it's a vow made through mountains and seas, how can it be without fine wine?"

In the darkness of night, a voice suddenly spoke. Murong Yin turned his head and saw his cousin Hua Chen smiling broadly as he held a jar of wine, a flower spear in his right hand, his crimson robes like fire, standing in the wind under the Nine-Bend Bridge.

Murong Yin smiled slightly, but his words saw right through his cousin's thoughts, "What do vows of eternal love have to do with fine wine? This is just an excuse for you to ask me to drink with you!"

There was one more person on the Nine-Bend Bridge.

The seal of the fine Daughter's Red wine has been broken, and the rich aroma of the wine quickly enveloped the entire Nine-Bend Bridge. The lotus buds under the Nine-Bend Bridge seemed to be intoxicated by the wine's fragrance, and the lotus leaves stretched out, swaying gently in the wind.

Lotus sat to the side, watching the two cousins drinking together, a clear smile on her lips.

Hua Chen picked up the wine jar, took a big gulp, and his amber eyes became even brighter and more dazzling. "Others drink the whole jar, but Brother Thirteen drinks like he's savoring tea, one cup after another. It's a waste of this jar of fine aged Daughter Red that I smuggled from Uncle's wine cellar."

Murong Yin toyed with the rhinoceros horn cup in his hand. The clear wine flowed in the cup, appearing exceptionally light and translucent under the moonlight.

“Even if it is a fine vintage wine, it would be a great waste to drink it like this.”

Hua Chen frowned, quite unconvinced. "That's how you're supposed to drink. Have you ever seen a hero drink from a cup? Thirteenth Brother, you can't be a hero."

Murong Yin shook his head and chuckled, "I still remember when you were fourteen, you tried to imitate heroes by drinking wine in a drunken stupor. You stole wine from the cellar and got completely drunk. My father was searching everywhere for the wine thief when you, reeking of alcohol, bumped into him and knelt under the blazing sun for a whole day without sobering up..."

Lotus smiled, pursing her lips.

Hua Chen's eyes narrowed silently. After a moment of stunned silence, he picked up the wine jar again and gulped down another large mouthful of wine, the fragrant liquid soaking his fiery red robes.

"That jar of wine was drunk by me and Sister Xiaoci together."

On the Nine-Bend Bridge.

He suddenly said softly.

Murong Yin's hand holding the cup froze silently.

Xiao Ci...

Murong Ci...

Suddenly, the Nine-Bend Bridge fell silent.

Hua Chen, holding the wine jar, thought for a moment and then turned to Lianhua, asking in a low voice, "Is it pitiful for a girl to wander alone outside, often being bullied by others?"

Lotus knew what he wanted to ask, and she said in a low voice, "Perhaps your little Ci sister will meet a very good person like me and be well taken care of."

Very well taken care of...

Hua Chen looked up at the bright moon in the night sky and smiled bitterly. "I only hope that my little sister Ci will not be bullied. In Murong Manor, because she is just a child born to a concubine, she is always looked down upon. Only my thirteenth brother and I have always thought about her."

Murong Yin slowly put down his wine cup.

Hua Chen looked down at the Kongming lanterns on the bridge that had not yet been lit. He put down the wine jar, bent down and picked up a Kongming lantern, then turned and smiled.