Finest Servant

Chapter 274 Journey to the Capital

The chill of spring was biting, and the cold wind was sharp as a knife. The hard, frozen ground, recently dusted by snow, was riddled with clumps of soil turned icy. As a result, the carriage traveled with a rough jolt. The air was filled with a faint scent of gunpowder from spent firecrackers. The just-thawed river flowed with a gurgling sound, its crisp and clear noise stimulating the spirit.

Every household had hung lanterns at their doors. These lanterns were of various sizes and designs, differing in shape, with their lights either bright or dim, either near or far. Seen from a distance, they looked like hanging lamps in the sky, each lit and glowing, creating a magnificent spectacle.

There were many pedestrians on both sides of the road. The maids held lanterns, their figures swaying gracefully in the cool spring wind. Young ladies walked hurriedly with shy smiles, their heads down, as if fearful that others might see their faces. Young gentlemen seeking springtime pleasures held small, casual fans, occasionally appraising the women passing by with an air of nonchalance.

The saying "fire of the 30th, lanterns of the 15th" rang true. Half a month had passed since the Spring Festival, and now it was the Lantern Festival. Spring was in full swing, and the city was alight with lanterns, marking a prosperous start to the year.

At the side of the city's moat, where ice had just begun to melt, the water flowed with a constant hum. Countless flower lanterns floated on the surface, gently swaying. Their forms varied, some in the shape of lotuses, others peonies, competing in their splendor and beauty. The lanterns' reflections danced on the water, and each one created a corresponding shadow. The surface of the water mirrored the scene above, appearing like numerous fallen stars, stunningly beautiful.

This was the widely celebrated Flower Lantern Festival in the north. Legend has it that during the Lantern Festival at the start of spring, young ladies would write their wishes on paper, put them in specially made flower lanterns, and let them float downstream. If a scholar happened to pick up the lantern, he was deemed the destined one. The mythical Flower Goddess would bless these couples, who were brought together by the flower lanterns, to enjoy a harmonious and enduring union.

This legend, passed down through hundreds of years, had indeed brought together several renowned couples. Over time, the Flower Lantern Festival became a unique highlight of the northern Lantern Festival.

The Lantern Festival came early this year. With the river ice just beginning to thaw and the weather still bitterly cold, a large crowd of young gentlemen, eager to fish out the flower lanterns, lined the riverbanks in thick clusters, leaving no room to pass.

A boy, about eleven or twelve years old, dressed in silk, held a long bamboo pole. Attached to it was a small iron hook, which he skillfully used to hook several flower lanterns, evoking a wave of admiration and envy from the other gentlemen on the riverbanks. Most of them came empty-handed, and even those who brought tools hadn't prepared as thoroughly. Seeing this young lad, barely eleven or twelve, continuously collecting the lanterns dropped by the ladies upstream, they couldn't help but respect him: "Whose young master is this? Such foresight is remarkable indeed!"

A large carriage slowly made its way from the distance, bobbing along the bumpy road.

The two horses pulling the carriage were blowing hot breaths from their mouths, their bridles foamy. Despite their travel-worn state, they appeared vigorous and gallant. The carriage behind them was considerably large, covered in a layer of dust, showing signs of a long journey.

The carriage jolted, and from inside came a woman's soft shout: "Hey, what are you doing? You're pressing on me!"

Another man's voice rang out, "Ah, I'm sorry, it's the bumpy ride. I didn't mean to... Wait, what's this soft thing? Oh, there's another one over here—"

"You, get out!" Two women's voices chorused from inside the carriage.

The curtain was hastily pulled back, and a healthy-looking man with a smile on his face was pushed out by two pairs of small hands.

Brushing off his green robe and adjusting his cap, he chuckled, "What's there to be embarrassed about? It was an accident. Even though you're well-shaped, there's no need to be so domineering. Getting out is fine; I was getting tired of sitting in the carriage anyway. Walking a bit will serve as good exercise."

The carriage hadn't gone far before it came to a halt. A man who had been walking beside the carriage yawned, looked at the dense crowd on both sides of the river, and jumped in surprise. What the hell was going on? It was pitch-dark, and everyone was here fishing?

The curtain of the carriage window was lifted, and a beautiful little face poked out. With a sweet smile, she curiously examined the crowd before her and asked, "Sister, why are the people in the capital so strange? It's cold and dark, yet they are gathered by the river. Oh, there are so many lanterns on the river. They're so pretty."

Another woman also leaned out of the window. Her face was exquisite, cheeks pink, eyes sparkling, and she exuded grace. She observed the crowd before speaking, "Ah, is it the Lantern Festival today? We've been on the road for so long that we've even forgotten about this important day. This must be the legendary Lantern Festival of the Flower Goddess. The legend states that if an unmarried woman floats a lantern down the river with her wish written on it and a gentleman catches it, this would be a divine matchmaking by the Flower Goddess, leading to a lifetime of happiness."

The younger woman exclaimed in delight, "Really?" She sneakily glanced at the man walking beside the carriage and whispered, "Then I'll also send one and let that naughty man pick it up."

The older, beautiful woman laughed softly and said, "What's the point of him picking it up? You could simply be together with him for a lifetime without these complexities. Making it so roundabout just complicates things."

The younger girl squealed, her face reddening beyond her ears, as she playfully argued with her sister inside the carriage.

The man walking beside the carriage suddenly understood upon hearing their conversation. So, these people were here to pick up lanterns, no wonder everyone was so eager, their eyes gleaming. But this activity seemed beneficial for these lazy young men and women.

He glanced around, noticing a boy of around eleven or twelve who was deftly picking up four or five lanterns in a short time. The boy glanced at the messages inside each lantern, snorted, and tossed them aside. More and more disregarded lanterns, each bearing the heart of a charming young lady, piled up, causing the spectating gentlemen to anxiously salivate.

"Damn, even a little boy is catching lanterns. Is there no sense of decency left?" the man muttered, shaking his head. "So young and he's already playing this romantic game. What a disgrace." He spat in disdain, his smile broad as he approached. With a pleasant smile, he said, "Hey, kiddo. Wow, you're amazing, picking lanterns at such a young age. Can I play with you?"

The young gentlemen in the crowd watched as a commoner made friendly advances, instantly feeling contempt. "Whose servant is this, showing such lack of manners? Does he have no sense of propriety, swindling even a child?"

"Sister, he's up to no good again. Aren't you going to restrain him?" the younger girl inside the carriage peeped through the curtain and huffed.

Her sister chuckled. "He's been up to mischief more times than I can count. Who can really control him? It would be a daunting task for our family."

The younger girl retorted, "I think you just don't want to interfere, sister. This bad man, journeying all the way from Jinling to the capital, he looks for trouble every day. Without supervision, who knows what evil he might do?"

The older sister laughed, "Evil deeds? When he is mischievous around you, I see you enjoying it very much. Don't think I haven't noticed just because I'm asleep."

"Sister!" The younger girl blushed and buried herself in her sister's arms, speechless.

The older sister touched her nose helplessly. "You're still so young, but you allow him to fool around with you every day. What will you do in the future? Didn't I give you a small knife for self-protection? If he bullies you again, stab him with it. But don't say I taught you this. He loves to get back at me."

As the two sisters laughed and talked in the carriage, the man had already shamelessly approached the child. "So, little brother, do you agree? If you don't speak, I'll take it as a yes. Here, this is a piece of silver. If you can catch ten lanterns, this silver is yours."

The boy hummed, not saying a word.

‘He's got character. I like that,’ he chuckled, brandishing the shiny silver before the boy's eyes. "See this? It's shiny silver. Ten lanterns for a piece of silver, quite a bargain."

The boy looked at him scornfully, took out a gold ingot from his pocket, about four to five taels in weight, and signaled with his little finger. "Here, this is five taels of gold. If you can catch a lantern, consider this young master's reward to you." The crowd burst into laughter at this.

‘Damn, he's more arrogant than me? The capital really is different. Even the kids are so cocky,’ he thought but, being thick-skinned, the man wasn't bothered by the laughter. He gave a thumbs-up, "Little brother, you certainly have character. I like it. Let's be friends. My name's Lin San. What's yours?"

"Lin San?" The boy frowned, shaking his head. "That's a terrible name. Utterly common. If your name is anything to go by, your learning can't be much better."

The little fellow acted like a tiny adult and had spoken at length, yet he had not revealed his own name. Lin Wanrong didn't mind and chuckled, "True, my name was given by others, a crude and vulgar mess. I wonder, what kind of noble name do you have, little brother?"

The child gave him a wary glance and said, "Why do you ask for my name? Hmm, among those who try to cozy up to me, eight out of ten have ulterior motives. You have the look of a crook, aren't you planning to kidnap me? Let me tell you, I'm not to be trifled with! I could kill cats when I was three and rip apart leopards when I was five. I've just recently slaughtered a ferocious tiger with my bare hands. You want to kidnap me? Be careful, my fists don't discriminate!" He waved his little fist around, portraying himself as a muscular man.

Lin Wanrong stood dumbfounded. ‘Damn, I've finally met someone more shameless than me, and he's so young too. He has potential, a promising future indeed.’ He laughed slyly, "Little brother, you indeed are formidable. Fine, fine, I won't ask for your name anymore. Tell me, why are you trying to pick these lanterns? Is it really to find a wife?"

The boy dismissed him with a snort, "Find a wife? What would I want with a wife? You think everyone is like you, always thinking about wives!" The crowd erupted in laughter. Lin Wanrong was sweating, this kid was on the mark, he indeed came to the capital to find a wife. The two sisters, hearing Lin Wanrong getting one-upped by the boy in their conversation, couldn't help but cover their mouths with their hands and giggle in the carriage. The older sister said, "There you go. There's always someone who can scare you, right?"

"If you're not looking for a wife, then why are you picking those lanterns?" One of the bystanders, having listened to their conversation, finally couldn't hold back and asked.

"The lanterns are nothing interesting." The boy said, "I've picked forty to fifty lanterns, all containing the love poems written by ladies. They are simply unbearable to read. I wanted to find some pastries to my taste, but failed to find any."

The sound of countless young men gasping. This damn brat! He was picking the lanterns to look for pastries and casually discarded the love poems written by the ladies, utterly heartless.

Lin Wanrong laughed heartily. He never held a liking for such love poems anyway. This kid was amusing and made people laugh despite themselves.

The boy, seeing the hateful stares from the crowd, showed no fear. He tugged at Lin Wanrong's sleeve, "Lin San, you're not too bad!"

"What's not too bad?" Lin Wanrong asked, curious.

The child said seriously, "These people are all trying to find a lady through a lantern, utterly vulgar and shallow. Although you are of low status, you are not like them. You didn't try to pick a lantern, nor did you ridicule me. Your character seems alright. So, I'll tell you my name. I am Li Wuling. In the future, if anyone bullies you in the capital, just mention my name. I guarantee that no one would dare lay a finger on you."

‘Damn, is he really that awesome?’ Lin Wanrong chuckled secretly, not taking it seriously. However, he had an inkling from the boy's previous words that this kid was not ordinary. Li Wuling had a round and chubby face, with black pupils and sparkling eyes, indeed clever and adorable. Thinking of his unique reason for picking the lanterns, Lin Wanrong couldn't help but laugh, "Little brother, are you picking these lanterns for snacks? Have you been tricked?"

Li Wuling snorted, "Yesterday, I heard people talking about this Lantern Festival of the Flower Goddess, so I asked Grandpa what the festival was about. He was busy at the time, so after I pestered him a bit, he said it was to appease the gods who crave sweets, with each family's young ladies making pastries to offer to the River God. Hmph, he dared to lie to me. Tomorrow, I'll show him who's boss and let him see my power."

Incredible, Lin Wanrong broke into a cold sweat upon hearing this. This little guy was likely a tyrant at home, even his grandfather wasn't spared from his audacity.

"Look, look, it's the Flower Goddess Lantern!" A shout echoed from upstream.

"Flower Goddess Lantern, Flower Goddess Lantern!" Young men on both banks echoed in unison, their voices filled with excitement and fervor. The two young ladies hidden in the carriage, hearing the commotion, couldn't help but peer out.

"What's this Flower Goddess Lantern?" Lin Wanrong looked at Li Wuling, puzzled.

"You're asking me? How would I know, I'm just a kid!" Li Wuling rolled his eyes.

‘Damn, this kid's a tough one,’ Lin Wanrong smirked, and turned his gaze upstream. There, slowly approaching, was a lantern the size of a person, shaped like a beautiful woman. The lantern figure was coy, smiling, with fluttering skirt ribbons, lifelike in every way. This beautiful lady lantern radiated a gentle yellow glow all over, surrounded by dozens of small lights forming a lotus shape. From a distance, it looked like a celestial being floating within a lotus.

So, this was the Flower Goddess Lantern? Lin Wanrong silently admired it. Aside from the concept, to make such a large lantern float on the waves without tipping over was a great challenge, not something an ordinary person could achieve.

"What Flower Goddess Lantern? Watch me hook it up just the same." Li Wuling said dismissively.

People on both sides of the river had long been captivated by the breathtaking Flower Goddess Lantern, with many prostrating in worship. Only Li Wuling and Lin Wanrong were fearless, after all, it was a lantern released by upstream maidens, might as well hook it up and have a look.

Li Wuling was standing at a narrow part of the river, the best spot for lantern fetching. He extended the bamboo pole, gauging the direction the Flower Goddess Lantern was drifting from, and pulled hard. Despite the lantern's height, it was quite stable in water, Li Wuling's pull tilted it slightly but didn't hook it over.

Lin Wanrong, quick on his feet, grabbed the bamboo pole and yanked, finally hooking the beautiful lantern over.

Once the lantern was ashore, Lin Wanrong closely examined its base. There was a circular support bracket holding the lamp with several wooden wheels attached, allowing the lantern to change direction freely according to the water flow. The lantern came from upstream with the wheels following the water flow, thus, to hook the lantern over was to change the direction of the wheels, requiring considerable force.

Amazed by the ingenious mechanical design, Lin Wanrong nodded approvingly, acknowledging that the capital truly was filled with talented people.

Seeing the Flower Goddess Lantern was hooked up, the crowd flocked over. The two young ladies in the carriage couldn't help themselves either, they elegantly moved closer, standing beside Lin Wanrong.

The two women were gracefully proportioned, stunningly beautiful, even surpassing the celestial fairies depicted in paintings. Onlookers were momentarily stunned, mouths agape. Even Li Wuling, the young lad, seemed somewhat entranced.

‘Damn it, they're my wives, not yours to gawk at.’ Lin Wanrong felt disgruntled and moved to shield the two ladies. He cleared his throat and asked, “Little brother, what are you going to do with this lantern?”

Li Wuling rubbed his eyes, stating, “These sisters are truly beautiful. Lin San, are they your wives?”

That was a good question. Lin Wanrong laughed heartily, “Close enough.” Xiao Yushuang blushed ear to ear at his words, while the Eldest Miss pinched the flesh on his waist with force.

“Lin San, why do you look so peculiar?” inquired Li Wuling.

‘Well, I was being tormented by this little minx, experiencing pain in my own flesh, yet I had to keep a smile on my face. Could I not look peculiar?’ He chuckled, “Stop with the chatter, Li. Check if there are any pastries in the lantern. I’m a bit hungry. After eating, I’ll go home to sleep with my wife.”

“You wish! Dare to say such things?” the Eldest Miss gripped harder, her face as red as the evening glow. She whispered softly into his ear. The fragrant breath she exhaled was intoxicating, making Lin Wanrong's heart flutter.

Li Wuling nodded and examined the contents of the flower lantern. Of course, there were no pastries, but he did find a crumpled piece of paper. Disappointed, the young boy didn’t even glance at the paper before tossing it to Lin Wanrong. “You hooked the lantern, so naturally, you should read the letter written by the young lady.”

Feeling a sharp pain in his waist, Lin Wanrong forced a smile. “Miss, I didn’t mean it. Don’t be jealous for no reason. How about I let you read it? I won’t bother.”

Xiao Yuruo blushed, sneakily glancing at her younger sister, and huffed, “Who's jealous? You just love talking nonsense. Yushuang, let's ignore him. Let him have his way.”

Xiao Yushuang nodded and asked in puzzlement, “Sister, what’s wrong? Your face is so red.”

“Is it?” The Eldest Miss covered her cheek, her heart pounding, “Maybe it’s the wind. Anyway, it’s all because of Lin San. Let’s just ignore him.”

Seeing Lin Wanrong holding the paper ball, an expression of both sweetness and pain on his face, Li Wuling couldn’t help saying, “Lin San, are you going to read it or not? If not, throw it away earlier to spare your wife the jealousy.”

‘For the sake of calling her his 'wife,' I'll let this little guy off.’ Lin Wanrong grinned and unfolded the paper, reading a line of small characters: Dragon, dragon, dragon, when will you lead the phoenix?

This seemed like half a poem or couplet, leaving the reader puzzled. Li Wuling peeked at it, scoffing, “Something about dragons and phoenixes, this young lady from wherever sure thinks highly of herself.”

That makes sense. These young ladies were always daydreaming, just like Ning'er in the past. But fortunately, with his irresistible charm, he managed to win over the talented lady Luo. Otherwise, who knew how long she would have had to suffer?

Insect, insect, insect, adept at taming phoenixes and dragons! Lin Wanrong laughed heartily, adding a few words that seemed to capture his own image.

Li Wuling, wise beyond his years, nodded approvingly. "Lin San, your response is fitting. A dragon conquering a phoenix isn't impressive. But an insect doing so? That's a real accomplishment."

Lin Wanrong tucked the slip of paper back into the lantern. The two of them returned the flower lantern to the river, watching as the divine lantern with its beautiful image continued to drift downstream. Li Wuling giggled, "Lin San, you're an interesting man. Once we enter the city, I'll treat you to some tea. Now, I have to go back and ride my horse. Until we meet again."

Riding a horse? In pitch darkness? Was his whole family mad? Lin Wanrong was left in a daze long after Li Wuling had departed. The capital was indeed different - the people he met were all so unique.

As they climbed back into the carriage, Yushuang giggled, "What was written on the flower lantern that held you up for so long - Sister, is this the right question?"

"You naughty girl!" The Eldest Miss blushed and quickly turned her head away.

Lin Wanrong discreetly drew on the Eldest Miss's palm and replied solemnly, "Nothing much, it's the Flower Goddess blessing us!"

"Blessing us with what?" the Eldest Miss asked softly.

"Blessing us with eternal harmony and the early birth of noble children!" Lin Wanrong giggled.

Both women simultaneously gave a light scoff. The younger sister, thinking the words were about her, felt her heart pounding, while the Eldest Miss, conscious of her secret, turned crimson. She hurriedly said, "You can't be serious for even a few words. I'll punish you by walking into the city."

There was no need to walk into the city. As they conversed, the carriage slowly reached the city walls. Lin Wanrong stood on the carriage shaft, looking at the vermilion city gates and the two bright red characters above them. A surge of excitement welled up in him. "Qingxuan, I'm here!"

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