Finest Servant

Chapter 278 The Lantern Riddles (Part 1)

"Marvelous," Young Master Tian gently tapped his palm with a small fan, his face filled with a smile. "The young lady's beauty is divine, like a fairy among mortals, and her talent is astounding. I am truly in awe. Please, ladies, accompany me upstairs."

Lin Wanrong gave a thumbs-up to the Eldest Miss. Xiao Yuruo's face reddened slightly, and with a glance at him, she took her sister's hand and said, "Yushuang, let's go upstairs and take a look."

Young Master Tian led the way, guiding the two young ladies upstairs, and occasionally engaging them in conversation. His refined and polite demeanor made him very charming. After a long conversation, he did not overstep the bounds of propriety by asking for the ladies' names. His elegant manners indeed left a favorable impression.

Given Lin Wanrong's status, he naturally trailed behind. With an unconcerned smile, he followed the group.

Upon reaching the second floor, it was filled with bustling noise, cheering, and laughter. Lin Wanrong looked around to find the Fairyland Comes with the Clouds elegantly decorated. Lanterns were hung everywhere, casting bright light, enhancing the simple yet elegant setup. Numerous tables were arranged in a circle, with young ladies and gentlemen sitting at their leisure, some writing, some composing poetry, others playing musical instruments, creating a lively atmosphere.

Upon seeing Young Master Tian, several young scholars came over, raising their fists in greeting. "Brother Tian, why are you late? You must drink as a penalty, three cups!"

Tian Wenjing laughed, bowing slightly in return. "I was delayed by some matters, which made me late. I hope my colleagues can forgive me."

The laughing women also ceased their chatter, approaching to greet him with a smile. One of them, noticing the Xiao sisters by Young Master Tian's side, gasped, "Young Master Tian, where did you find such beautiful sisters? They are simply gorgeous!"

Tian Wenjing nodded and smiled. "These ladies hail from Jinling. Not only are they beautiful, but their intellect is also remarkable, leaving me in awe." He glanced at the sisters and said, "Oh, I've been rather rude. I haven't yet asked for your honorable names."

The gentleman certainly had tact; his public inquiry, despite not asking their names privately, came across as natural and made refusal hard.

The ladies, being from a business family, nodded. "My surname is Xiao, and my given name is Yuruo. This is my younger sister, Yushuang. We've come from Jinling, drawn by the renowned beauty of Fairyland Comes with the Clouds. We hope you can pardon our intrusion."

Young Master Tian replied, "Miss Xiao, no need for formalities. You came here openly." He then recounted the earlier lantern riddle, leading to everyone praising them, causing the sisters to feel somewhat bashful.

The purpose of Lin Wanrong's visit to the tavern was to investigate, but noticing no stairs leading to the top floor, he felt a twinge of disappointment.

A faint aroma of orchids wafted in the air. While others couldn't detect it, Lin Wanrong was particularly sensitive. This orchid perfume was of his own making, hence he recognized it instantly. In the entire establishment, only the Xiao sisters used this perfume. The sisters, like Madam Xiao, all preferred the rose perfume, with the exception of Qingxuan who used this unique orchid fragrance.

He took a few deep sniffs, a surge of joy filling his heart, and quickly started searching around.

The upper floor was wide open, allowing everyone to see clearly. Lin Wanrong slowly moved closer to the window, the faint fragrance seemed to be wafting from the rooftop. He peered out to scrutinize the surroundings, only to find the moonlight as serene as a pool of water. Where could he spot Qingxuan's silhouette? Remembering the twin lotus lantern, Lin Wanrong stood dazed for quite some time, realizing that Qingxuan indeed had been here.

Young Master Tian was incredibly courteous, introducing the young masters and ladies from the Jinghua Academy one by one to the two Miss Xiaos. The Eldest Miss, contemplating future ventures in the capital, knew these individuals were valuable resources, so they greeted them with gracious smiles.

Seeing the gentle, logical, and elegant Eldest Miss Xiao from Jinling, Young Master Tian's heart was filled with delight. He smiled, "Miss Xiao, these individuals are renowned talents from Jinghua Academy, including scholars well-versed in literature and brilliant students. Some have even been to the royal court to listen to state affairs, they are the future pillars of our Great Hua. There are two more who have yet to arrive, their fame is unmatched in Jinghua, once they arrive, I will introduce them to you."

Young Master Tian's enthusiasm upon their first meeting made Eldest Miss Xiao a bit embarrassed. She thanked him and said, "Young Master Tian, you are quite knowledgeable and modest, a gentleman indeed. May we know from which distinguished family you come from?"

A young master standing next to him named Yu Hang laughed, "Miss Xiao, you might not know that our brother Tian Wenjing is the son of Minister Tian of the Ministry of Public Works, a true blueblood."

"Oh?" Eldest Miss Xiao exclaimed in surprise, "So you are the son of Minister Tian, forgive me for my ignorance."

Tian Wenjing quickly humbled himself, "Miss Xiao, you flatter me. My father always taught me to be modest and respectful, to never bully the weak or the disadvantaged. I have always followed his teachings, I strive to keep a low profile." His face was full of humility, but a glint of pride flickered in his eyes.

Though Lin Wanrong was preoccupied with thoughts of Qingxuan, he couldn't help but chuckle upon hearing Young Master Tian's words. A low profile? This young man truly embodied that, much more than himself.

Eldest Miss Xiao gave a slight smile, not as eager as Tian Wenjing had imagined, which left him slightly disappointed, but also sparked his interest even more.

Noticing Lin Wanrong's low spirits and silence, Eldest Miss Xiao quietly walked over, gently tugged at his sleeve, and whispered, "What's wrong?"

Lin Wanrong looked up and smiled, "Nothing, I'm just a little hungry, Eldest Miss. Let's have dinner—you're treating tonight!"

Eldest Miss Xiao feigned annoyance, "Eat if you want to, who's going to stop you?"

Before ascending the stairs, the 'low-profile' Young Master Tian had offered to host the evening. Knowing that this young master wanted to impress Miss Xiao and was prepared to foot the bill, Lin Wanrong didn't hold back and ordered some of the pricier dishes.

Knowing that Lin Wanrong wasn't in the best of spirits that day, Eldest Miss Xiao poured half of the jug of fine wine before handing it over to him, "You're not allowed to drink too much today, be careful not to cause trouble."

Seeing Miss Xiao treat a servant with such courtesy, Young Master Tian was slightly taken aback. Yu Hang, standing next to him, noticed this and started formulating a plan in his mind.

Yu Hang rose from his seat, lightly patting the table as he declared, "My friends, as Brother Ye and Miss Zhiqing have yet to arrive, let's entertain ourselves. Today is the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the perfect time to admire lanterns and guess riddles. With my modest abilities, I'll start by offering a riddle for everyone to guess. Here it is: 'A pig savors fine wine while a cat learns to walk,' and the answer pertains to something within this hall."

As soon as his words fell, laughter erupted among the people in the hall. The servant from the Xiao family was pouring wine into a cup, intending to taste it, when this anecdote from Yu Hang was obviously a riddle hinting at something in the hall, designed to embarrass the Xiao family's servant.

Seeing his cryptic riddle eliciting praise from the crowd, Yu Hang, tall and skinny, swaggered about, acknowledging the applause and laughing, "I yield, I yield." His movements made him look like a monkey bowing, causing suppressed laughter from the onlookers.

Everyone knew the answer without guessing. Amidst the chuckles and laughter, the Eldest Miss Xiao, her pretty face flushed with anger, was about to stand up when Lin Wanrong smiled faintly, gently grasping her hand, and said, "Let me handle this. I'm quite good at such matters."

Second Miss Xiao was already fuming at the people insulting Lin, and she tightly grasped Lin's hand, saying, "Those bullies! Teach them a lesson!"

Lin Wanrong lightly scratched her hand, stood up, and laughed out loud, "So you're Yu Hang, the esteemed son of Yu, what a grand name, and an impressive presence. Earlier, you presented a riddle that I, in my dullness, didn't understand."

Yu Hang sneered, "A crude servant like you wouldn't understand. It's not your place to sit in front of your master."

Lin Wanrong chuckled, "Whether or not I sit isn't your call. But since you're so talented, Mr. Yu, I wasn't able to solve your riddle. However, I also have a riddle. I wonder if you could solve it. Your riddle was 'A pig savors fine wine while a cat learns to walk,' mine is, 'A monkey stretches its arm while a dog bows.' It corresponds to your riddle and pertains to something in this hall."

Everyone froze for a moment, but Second Miss Xiao of the Xiao family burst into laughter. A tit-for-tat retort, Lin Wanrong's riddle was brilliant!

Yu Hang, the so-called talented scholar, was beet-red and speechless. The young men and women from the Jinghua Academy exchanged glances, none daring to laugh aloud. They didn't expect this from the Xiao family – not only was the Eldest Miss exceptionally talented, but even a servant was so quick-witted. They really couldn't afford to underestimate them.

Lin Wanrong returned to his seat, and the Eldest Miss softly scolded him, "Always causing a ruckus." But her face broke into a broad smile.

The silent Tian Wenjing, seeing the atmosphere cooling, quickly intervened with a smile, "That was just a little joke earlier, everyone, please don't mind it. Since today is about admiring lanterns and guessing riddles, let's start with the lanterns hanging in this hall. Have you noticed the jade tassels hanging from these lanterns? They're of different colors, each representing a different level of difficulty. There are orange, red, and blue. Orange is the most difficult, these are riddles personally crafted by Miss Zhiqing, and you can imagine the level of difficulty."

Upon hearing that Miss Zhiqing had personally crafted the riddles, the people in the hall showed a mix of excitement and apprehension. Lin Wanrong, unaware of who this Miss Zhiqing was, pulled Xiao Yuruo aside and asked, "Eldest Miss, is this Miss Zhiqing a tiger? Why do so many people look pale at the mention of her name?"

Eldest Miss Xiao didn't respond, but Yushuang laughed, "I understand now. Miss Zhiqing must be a scholar superior to others. Everyone is unable to answer her riddles, hence their respect and fear for her. Hmph, if they can't even solve a riddle proposed by a woman, these people are really gutless. You, on the other hand, rogue, have guts."

Lin Wanrong chuckled, leaning close to her ear and whispering, "Why don't you also propose a few riddles and I'll try to solve them? If I get them right, I get to kiss you as a penalty. If I get them wrong, you get to kiss me as a penalty. How about that?"

Second Miss Xiao snorted lightly, while the Eldest Miss Xiao blushed at his words. Despite the tension, the trio had to maintain a serious demeanor in front of others, which only added to the excitement.

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