PFC Chapter 322 Visit the Lantern Festival and Win Lanterns
Chapter 322 Visit the Lantern Festival and Win Lanterns
The twelfth lunar month is approaching. It had been snowing for the past few days, but the snow stopped today. Shi Nanxi and Kangxi left the palace in a carriage.
Gradually, it became more lively outside. Shi Nanxi opened the curtains a little and looked at the street. There were flags flying, people coming and going, and the sounds of hawking were constant. It was really a feast for the eyes.
"Your Majesty, it's so lively outside!"
Kangxi looked at Shi Nanxi with a smile in his eyes and explained:
"Today, the capital is holding a lantern festival, and many people are out on the streets to watch the fun, so there are a lot of people."
Due to the large number of people, the carriage moved slower and slower, until it finally stopped moving at all. Kangxi then took Shi Nanxi off the carriage.
In order to avoid trouble, Shi Nanxi wore a scarf to cover the lower half of her face before getting off the bus.
"There are so many people, follow me closely."
Kangxi helped Shi Nanxi down and reminded her softly that although there were guards in disguise protecting him and in the dark, he was still worried.
Shi Nanxi nodded, no need to mention this, and then the two of them walked side by side in the flower market. All kinds of lanterns were lifelike, there were also dragon and lion dances, selling sugar men, making couplets, solving puzzles and many other fun things.
Shi Nanxi was dazzled by the sights along the way, and at this moment, she set her eyes on a lantern.
This lantern is intricately carved and the patterns on it are very lifelike. What is most special about it is its shape, which is a star with a bright blue light inside.
Shi Nanxi looked at the paper stars and remembered the one she had given to Kangxi before. She couldn't help but pull the sleeve of Kangxi beside her.
"Third Master, I want that star lantern."
Kangxi followed Shi Nanxi's line of sight and saw the star-shaped lantern emitting azure blue light. He remembered that he and the little girl were connected because of the paper stars, and since they were both stars, he couldn't help but love her as well.
When the lantern shop owner saw Kangxi, who was called the Third Master, he was keenly aware of his extraordinary aura even after he had restrained himself. Knowing that he was an honored guest, he immediately smiled and said politely:
"Sir, this lantern that my lady likes is the most precious treasure of our store. As long as you can match three couplets of our store within a cup of tea, you can take it away for free and give it to my lady."
Hearing the lantern shop owner calling her "Madam" all the time, Kangxi was in a very happy mood. He glanced at the girl with expectant eyes and nodded immediately.
"it is good."
As soon as these words came out, the guests all looked at the tall and straight-figured "Third Master".
You have to know that the couplets used in the Lantern Festival are not simple. If someone could easily match them, the store would suffer a huge loss.
Not to mention that this "Third Master" also asked him to compose three pairs of couplets within a cup of tea, which made people wonder whether he could get the treasure of the store.
Shi Nanxi saw that Kangxi was in a state of dignity now, which was different from the way he was in the palace. He was quite high-spirited and looked particularly attractive.
Feeling Shi Nanxi's gaze, Kangxi turned his head to look, and when their eyes met, Shi Nanxi opened her red lips slightly:
"Third Master, I am waiting for your immediate success."
Kangxi raised his eyes slightly:
"Don't worry, ma'am. Look, I've won you a lantern."
Soon the lantern shop owner took out a note. Kangxi opened it and saw that it read:
[One lamp, four words, wine, wine, wine]
The knowledgeable people around gasped. This couplet was so tricky. It was worthy of being the number one lantern shop in Beijing to come up with such a couplet.
But in this case, can this "Third Master" really get it right? Everyone couldn't help but look at "Third Master" and whisper to each other.
However, the "Third Master" only pondered for a moment, then quickly picked up his pen and wrote below the first couplet:
[Second watch drum, four gongs, clang clang clang clang]
This time the couplets were composed quickly and well, and the onlookers applauded and praised.
"It's amazing that they got it right so quickly and so well."
"That's right, look at the handwriting, it's so good, where did this genius come from?"
"I heard that his wife came up with the couplet because she wanted to have lanterns."
"Then his wife is so lucky!"
The blessed "Madam" Shi Nanxi looked at Kangxi intently. Seeing that he got it right so quickly and so well, the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curl up.
Soon the lantern owner took out a second note, which read:
[The moon is full in the sky, half full on the ground, every month the moon is full and half full]
Exclamations were heard again all around.
Kangxi looked down at the first couplet in deep thought. The colorful lanterns around him cast a shadow under his long and thick eyelashes.
Suddenly, he moved, and his big, bony hands wrote the second line with great vigor and vitality.
[Today is the end of the year, tomorrow is the beginning of the year, every year the end of the year follows the beginning of the year]
As soon as I finished writing, I heard loud cheers coming from all around.
"Okay, that's right."
Kangxi put down his pen and looked at Shi Nanxi beside him, meeting her bright eyes that seemed to contain the stars and the sea.
Shi Nanxi said nothing, but just blinked her right eye at Kangxi, saying:
Your Majesty is awesome, keep it up!
Kangxi lowered his head and chuckled, then raised his hand to take the last note from the lantern owner, which read.
[Beautiful mountains, beautiful waters, beautiful wind and beautiful moon, beautiful scenery for thousands of years]
Seeing this couplet, Kangxi glanced at Shi Nanxi who was looking at him. This time he didn't need to think and just picked up the pen and wrote:
[Foolish voice, foolish color, foolish dream, foolish love, several generations of fools]
As soon as I finished writing it, there was another burst of applause from the surrounding area, even louder than before, and everyone raised their hands and clapped involuntarily.
Kangxi won, took the star lantern from the boss, and handed it to Shi Nanxi in front of the lantern owner and the crowds of people around him.
"Ma'am, the lantern you requested."
Shi Nanxi took the lantern, which emitted a deep blue light, reflecting Shi Nanxi's smiling eyes.
After Shi Nanxi and Kangxi left the lantern shop with the lanterns, many people were still talking about the three couplets that Kangxi had composed over a cup of tea.
Shi Nanxi tilted her head and smiled at Kangxi:
"Third Master, your writing is so elegant today that I am really stunned by it."
Kangxi put one hand behind his back, clenched the other hand into a fist, put it to his lips, coughed lightly, and said:
"As long as Madam likes it."
Shi Nanxi moved her gaze from Kangxi's face to his slightly red earlobe, and lowered her eyes to hide the smile in her eyes.
The two of them strolled from one end of the street to the other, buying everything they liked and that was rare they saw along the way, and covered Liang Jiugong, Hongying and Yang Ma with everything.
When they reached the end of the street, there were fewer people, so Kangxi took Shi Nanxi to a wonton stall.
"Boss, give me two bowls of wontons." Liang Jiugong and the others ordered something else.
Shi Nanxi held a lantern and sat on a bench, looking around. Everyone seemed to be enjoying their meal, so it seemed that the food in this restaurant was very good.
Here, Kangxi suddenly saw a clay figurine stall not far away. He said a few words to Shi Nanxi and walked over.
Shi Nanxi watched Kangxi say something to the stall owner, and the owner looked at her.
Then he lowered his head and kept kneading something. After a while, he finished. Kangxi took it and nodded, took a dime and handed it to the boss, then held up the two clay figures and walked back to the wonton stall.
Under the dim light, Shi Nanxi supported her face with one hand and tilted her head to look at Kangxi who was approaching.
Kangxi walked closer and closer, and when he was right in front of them, he handed the two clay figurines to Shi Nanxi.
Shi Nanxi only took the clay figurine representing Kangxi and spoke, looking at Kangxi:
"Thank you, Third Master. I really like this clay figurine."
With a bang, fireworks exploded in the distance.