Half a month passed in a flash, one day passed in a flash, and in the blink of an eye it was the Lantern Festival.
As the Lantern Festival approaches, all the people in Weibo are looking forward to it with great excitement, and they are only three words away from the "River Market".
Nanny, a stranger, didn't know what was so rare about this, and said to Chun Tiao: "Heshi, as the name suggests, is a market by the river. We also have one in Chang'an. During the Lantern Festival, the banks of Qujiang Lake are full of goods carrying sheds, a mess. As an old woman, I don't like to join in the fun."
After she finished speaking, she pursed her lips, lowered her head in a lack of interest, and continued to embroider the little shoes for her missing little husband and little wife.
Chun Tiao smiled and said, "Madam, you know, the river market here is the same as in Chang'an, it is on both sides of the river, on the frozen Baihe River. The Baihe River freezes every year. I heard that the last river market was four or five years ago. It can only be held this year because the weather is cold."
Nanny's brows twitched: "It's just moving from the river bank to the river surface, what's the difference?"
Chun Tiao said, "That's different. I heard that the shops in the river market are all built with river ice. The big merchants in the city even have people build pavilions and towers with big ice blocks. When they light up the lights, it will be like the world made of gold, silver and colored glaze in the Buddhist scriptures."
Nanny was already very excited, but she just nodded modestly: "From what you said, it does sound like the glass world mentioned in the Buddhist scriptures. I will go with you to open your eyes."
As they were talking, a clever little maid walked in quickly and said to Madam, "Madam, someone is looking for you."
Nanny put down her needlework and asked curiously, "Who is it?"
The little maid squinted her eyes and said, "It's the horse guard beside the master."
Nanny glanced at Chun Tiao and cleared her throat: "It's Xiao Ma. Come outside and invite him in quickly."
Chun Tiao said, "Madam, I will go back first because you have something to do."
After saying that, he was about to stand up.
Nanny said, "Why are you going back so early? I have some freshly marinated meat for you to take to your wife."
Chun Tiao had no choice but to stay.
A moment later, a young man with bright eyes, wearing a cotton robe and an ermine fur hat, walked into the room, carrying a heavy cloth bag in his hand.
His cheeks were as red as fire, and he didn't know if it was because of the cold wind or for some other reason.
He was usually very eloquent, but when he saw Chun Tiao, he couldn't utter a word for a long time. He just touched the back of his head and said, "Miss Chun Tiao..."
Matron glanced at him angrily and said, "What a windy day it is today. Why did you suddenly think of coming to see Matron?"
Whenever Ma Zhongshun looked at Chun Tiao, his lips immediately became oily: "Madam, what are you talking about? I wish I could visit you every morning and evening, but I'm afraid you'll find me annoying."
He paused, and put the cloth bag on the table. "The day before yesterday, a few of us went outside the city to hunt some foxes and rabbits. I picked out a few good ones this time. I'll send them to Madam once they're ready. Madam, don't be disgusted. They can be made into knee pads or even a muff."
Mammy opened the cloth bag and found several pieces of fine fire fox skin. She stroked the silky fur with her hand and said, "It's a pity for an old woman like me to use such fine skin to make knee guards and muffs."
She glanced at Chun Tiao and said, "I'd rather make you a brocade fur coat, which is both fitted and warm."
Ma Zhongshun said hurriedly: "Miss Chun Tiao has some too, these are for honoring Nanny."
Nanny uttered a long "Oh".
Ma Zhongshun's face turned even redder, as if he had made some serious mistake.
Chun Tiao said, "Brother Ma, you are too polite. My wife has given me a few skins. You can keep the ones you have worked so hard to get and make your own fur coat."
Ma Zhongshun said: "I know Miss Chun Tiao doesn't need these, it's just a small token of my appreciation."
He scratched the back of his head again: "Miss Chun Tiao sewed a lot of shoes and socks for me before, but I never thanked you properly."
Chun Tiao said, "Brother Ma, don't be so polite. It was thanks to you that I helped you back then."
Ma Zhongshun stammered, "It's my duty, it's my duty..."
Nanny looked at it and said to Ma Zhongshun, "It's the Lantern Festival, what are you going to do?"
Ma Zhongshun glanced at Chun Tiao and said, "I heard that there is a lantern fair on Baihe River. I know Chun... Miss Chun Tiao..."
Nanny said, "Miss Chun Tiao, accompany me, an old woman, to watch the lanterns."
Ma Zhongshun said "Oh".
The maid had no choice but to say: "There are so many people in the lantern market, and we, an old woman and a young girl, are going to squeeze in with the crowd..."
Ma Zhongshun was suddenly enlightened: "Madam and Miss Chun Tiao, if you don't mind, I will go with you so that I can take care of you..."
Nanny looked at Chun Tiao.
Chun Tiao said, "Thank you for your help, Brother Ma."
Ma Zhongshun said: "It's not a bother or not."
Chunjo said: "Thank you very much."
Nanny smiled and said, "Silly child, go back and rest for a while. It will be several hours before dark, and you won't be able to sleep at night."
Ma Zhongshun let out an "ah", bowed and said goodbye to the two of them, and walked towards the door while turning his head to look at Chun Tiao. Suddenly, his foot tripped on the threshold of the house and he fell down with a bang. He quickly got up with a red face, rubbed his arms and legs, grabbed the fur hat on the ground, and jumped down the stairs.
Nanny rubbed her forehead. This young man is usually very clever, but when it comes to using his cleverness, he becomes a fool. No wonder his nickname is Big Monkey.
"This silly child..." The old lady pursed her lips and shook her head.
…
Jiedushi Mansion.
After lunch, Sui Sui and Huan Xuan walked around the garden hand in hand to digest their food, and then returned to the backyard.
There are still two or three hours before dark.
Everyone in the mansion was resting in their rooms, trying to gather their strength for tonight's all-night wandering by candlelight.
However, the two of them slept until noon today and were not sleepy at all, so they set up a chessboard in the East Pavilion and started playing chess.
Huan Xuan had thought very well before coming to Heshuo. They all liked playing chess, and it was rare for them to meet a worthy opponent, so naturally they had to find time every day to play a game of chess. But when they arrived in Heshuo, they found that things were not what they thought at all - they spent most of their time in the military camp, and when they occasionally got a moment of leisure, there were naturally much more interesting things to do than playing chess.
He has been in Heshuo for several months, and this is their first time playing chess against each other.
Sui Sui stroked the rosewood chessboard. This chessboard was newly made by a craftsman just because he came here. He didn't expect that this was the first time he used it.
Huan Xuan grabbed a handful of chess pieces and asked her to guess who would go first.
Sui Sui guessed correctly and played with white first.
Each of them placed two seats on diagonal star positions.
Sui Sui placed a piece on the board and said with a smile, "I've always wanted to play a few games with you. Today, neither of us can show mercy. We must decide the winner."
Huan Xuan also aroused her desire to win. She raised her eyelids and looked as sharp as a knife: "Please give me some advice, General Xiao."
After saying this, he also knocked down a piece.
They both calmed down and for a moment, the only sound they could hear was the "pa pa" sound of the pieces falling.
They think quickly and play chess very quickly, almost without pausing for one or two hundred moves.
At the middle stage, the two of them started to fight back and forth. Sui Sui's eyes lit up, and he leaned forward, rubbing his hands and said, "Kill your dragon! Let's see where you can escape!"
After a while, he said, "Ah, it seems that you are quite capable, I underestimated you..."
After a few moves, she rolled up her sleeves to her arms, her face beaming with joy: "Broken! Haha, you didn't expect that, did you?"
Huan Xuan: “…”
He thought that Xiao Ling had deliberately angered him at the plum blossom viewing banquet in the palace, but now he realized that she had been very restrained that time, and had been even more vicious during the private chess game.
He finally could bear it no longer and said, "You talk so much when you play chess with others?"
"Of course not," Sui Sui said, "Who told me to kill you for fun? Come on!"
When they felt the game was over, they both put their heads together to count the pieces, and Sui Sui said proudly, "Sister won. Thanks, thanks."
Huan Xuan was so angry that he said, "Let's play another round."
Sui Sui said: "Even if I come a hundred times, I will kill you without leaving a single piece of armor. Don't cry."
Huan Xuan said, "No talking during this game."
Sui Sui narrowed his eyes: "Do you think I can defeat you just by talking?"
Huan Xuan sneered: "Why not give it a try?"
This time, Huan Xuan pulled one back and won by a narrow margin of two pieces.
The man raised his eyelids: "How?"
Sui Sui said: "Come again."
Huan Xuan put the seat up without saying a word.
Before I knew it, the sky outside had grown overcast and the wind was making the dead branches rustle.
Sui Sui glanced out the window: "Looks like it's going to snow again."
Huan Xuan stood up to light a lamp and make tea, and threw a few pieces of charcoal into the charcoal basin.
Outside the wind was howling and the sky was overcast with the prospect of snow; inside the room the charcoal fire was warm and the air was filled with the aroma of tea.
In the middle of the game, the two were in a stalemate. Sui Sui was about to place a chess piece when he suddenly raised his eyes and said to his opponent with a smile, "The first two games ended in a tie. The third game will decide the winner. How about we place a bet?"
Huan Xuan raised his eyelids: "Are you betting?"
Sui Sui said: "You are the loser, so answer me a question."
Huan Xuan said firmly: "It's a gamble."
He knew what her question was without even asking. She had tried to trick him several times, wanting to know how his Chaos Sea ended up flowing into Luoyang, but when he thought of this he wanted to dig a hole and bury himself in it, so he couldn't bring himself to say it out loud.
Sui Sui said: "You dare to gamble only when you feel that you will definitely lose."
Huan Xuan sneered: "Don't even think about provoking me."
Sui Sui said: "Forget it, let's change the bet."
Huan Xuan asked: "Are you gambling?"
Sui Sui smiled and said, "If this is the case, if I win..."
She suddenly leaned over, put her arms around his neck, and whispered something in his ear.
Huan Xuan's Adam's apple moved.
Sui Sui said: "If I lose, I'll do the opposite."
Huan Xuan felt as if the couch beneath him was instantly on fire, and he unconsciously moved his body.
Sui Sui narrowed his eyes and asked, "Bet?"
Huan Xuan lowered his eyes: "Let's bet."
This round was decided in just seventy or eighty moves, and Huan Xuan was defeated miserably.
Sui Sui smiled and said, "A younger brother is a younger brother."
Huan Xuan finally came to his senses and said angrily, "You cheated me and disturbed my mind."
Sui Sui said: "All is fair in war. Who told you to be so weak and have such a mess in your mind?"
Huan Xuan asked, "What's the point of winning the game like this?"
Sui Sui smiled sweetly: "Winning is fun."
She put the chess pieces into the chess box one by one, took off her belt and covered his eyes, and pushed him onto the rope bed chair: "I accept the loss."
Huan Xuan pursed his lips, leaned back in his chair without saying a word, tilted his head back, put his hands behind the chair, and let her pull out the belt of his shirt and tie his wrists.
His eyes were covered with red silk and his hands were tied. His heart seemed to be floating in mid-air, feeling uneasy yet with an inexplicable expectation.
With a slight "hiss" sound, the close-fitting silk undershirt was cut open by the sharp dagger. The cold and sharp tip of the dagger moved around his body, causing him to shiver.
The tip of the dagger suddenly paused.
"What's wrong?" he said hoarsely.
Sui Sui asked: "Did you lose to me on purpose?"
Huan Xuan's mouth curled slightly: "Guess."