Soon, it was the twenty-fourth day of La Month.
Zhuang Yunlan saw the completed Ao Mountain Lantern, and fireworks began to be set off throughout the palace.
The Crown Princess led the consorts and concubines of the Eastern Palace to admire the lanterns and watch the fireworks. The most excited among them was Pu Xuan Shi, who came from a foreign land.
She approached the Ao Mountain Lantern, walking lightly around it, and even reached out to touch its surface.
She said to the Crown Princess with a smile, "This is the first time I’ve seen such a large lantern. Before, I’d only seen small lanterns hanging under eaves. I don’t even know what this lantern is made of—it’s truly beautiful."
It was indeed quite spectacular.
The Ao Mountain Lantern they were admiring now was composed of four layers of colorful lanterns stacked together, covered with pine and cypress branches, each layer adorned with various decorative lanterns and figurines.
Behind it was another arrangement of colorful lanterns built from Taihu stones, themed around various immortals. From a distance, it looked like a mountain of deities.
Even though she had seen the blueprints before, Zhuang Yunlan couldn’t help but marvel at the actual sight.
Mama Hu said to her, "This is just for the noble ladies to enjoy the auspiciousness and seek good fortune. If we’re talking about truly spectacular, the lanterns displayed in The Emperor’s Qianqing Palace are truly breathtaking. Even the fireworks there are unmatched elsewhere. When The Emperor returns to the palace later, Cairen can look toward Qianqing Palace and see for herself."
Following her words, Zhuang Yunlan occasionally glanced in the direction of Qianqing Palace.
Last year, when she was in Qionghua Palace, the female officials and matrons responsible for their training worried that the large crowds might cause trouble, so they didn’t organize any lantern or fireworks viewing for them. Although Zhuang Yunlan had previously assisted the Crown Princess with her duties and saw the fireworks and lanterns prepared for the Eastern Palace, she was still curious about the fireworks exclusively enjoyed by the ruler of the world in Qianqing Palace.
Before long, the fireworks at Qianqing Palace began.
A five-clawed golden dragon soared into the sky, accompanied by a dragon’s roar as it spiraled among the clouds, eventually disappearing into the vast sea of clouds, as if a divine dragon had returned to its lair.
Zhuang Yunlan watched in sheer amazement.
She never expected that as a time traveler, she would feel like a country bumpkin when it came to watching fireworks.
It really felt like one shouldn’t challenge the skills of ancient artisans who worked with their entire clans at stake.
Zhuang Yunlan quietly asked Mama Hu, "How did they create that dragon’s roar? Can the Gunpowder Bureau even make something like that?"
Mama Hu couldn’t help but laugh. "That’s not the work of the Gunpowder Bureau. That’s vocal mimicry. Cairen hasn’t seen it before, has she? Don’t worry, you’ll get to experience it during the New Year’s Eve banquet. Those performers are skilled in many things."
There were even performances to watch!
Zhuang Yunlan looked forward to the New Year festivities even more.
However, she hadn’t heard the female officials report on the programs for the Eastern Palace’s small banquet when she was with the Crown Princess earlier.
Mama Hu seemed to read her mind and said, "The songs and dances are handled by the people from the Music Bureau. Most of them are criminal dependents who were confiscated as punishment for crimes. They aren’t as respectable as those from proper government offices. The Crown Princess was concerned they might offend Cairen, so she didn’t involve you in this matter."
Zhuang Yunlan felt warmth in her heart.
Although interacting with criminal dependents was something Zhuang Yunlan didn’t mind, people in this era thought differently. The Crown Princess was genuinely protecting her.
After walking around the garden where the Ao Mountain Lantern was placed for a short while, the Crown Princess couldn’t hold out any longer and decided to return.
She instructed Pu Xuan Shi, "The Ao Mountain Lantern is displayed every year. Since you're with child now, watch a little longer and then return. Don't forget to have the palace maid prepare a bowl of ginger soup to ward off the cold."
Pu Xuan Shi responded with a delicate curtsy, but once the Crown Princess left, she had no intention of returning at all.
Mainly because she felt almost nothing during this pregnancy. If not for her menstrual cycle stopping for several months, Pu Xuan Shi wouldn't even have known she was pregnant. Even the nausea she pretended to feel while serving Shen Zhao Yi earlier was just an act to reveal her pregnancy.
Now, thoroughly engrossed in watching the lanterns, she naturally couldn't bear to leave.
Shen Zhao Yi had to stay to look after Pu Xuan Shi. Since she wasn't leaving, Song Miaorong couldn't leave either.
Xuan Shi Xiang seemed eager to strike up a conversation with Pu Xuan Shi and also showed no intention of departing. Thus, Zhuang Yunlan found it inappropriate to be the exception and told Shen Zhao Yi she wished to return.
She could only distance herself from Pu Xuan Shi, staying as far away as possible.
Whenever she saw Pu Xuan Shi heading her way, Zhuang Yunlan would quickly pretend to be captivated by another Ao Mountain Lantern and swiftly change locations.
Song Miaorong noticed this and began avoiding Pu Xuan Shi alongside Zhuang Yunlan.
Pu Xuan Shi grew somewhat displeased.
Shen Zhao Yi said, "It's getting late. Let's all return. The Crown Princess will host a banquet tonight, and there will be lanterns to admire then as well."
Zhuang Yunlan felt as if she had received a pardon and immediately made her escape.
Xuan Shi Xiang caught up to her, chatting about their past days of learning etiquette and sighing over their shared fate of residing in Chenghua Hall. Between the lines, she hinted at wanting to visit Zhuang Yunlan's Western Side Hall.
Haitang listened with her head bowed, frowning deeply. Wasn't it obvious she was aiming for the Crown Prince?
Everyone knew the Crown Prince had been visiting her mistress frequently lately.
This Xuan Shi Xiang—why was she everywhere? Truly like a fly.
Zhuang Yunlan also understood Xuan Shi Xiang's intentions.
When Xuan Shi Xiang seemed rooted to the spot, stubbornly refusing to budge in front of the Western Side Hall, Zhuang Yunlan said cheerfully, "Alright, if you want to borrow books, come in with me."
"I knew Sister Zhuang was the most generous. No wonder His Highness and Her Highness both favor you," Xuan Shi Xiang's eyes sparkled brighter than the fireworks at Qianqing Palace, almost as if they were emitting sparks.
Zhuang Yunlan remained calm, but Haitang was anything but.
However, Shaoyao held her hand back, slowing their pace so the two of them fell behind.
She whispered to Haitang, "Why are you so anxious? On a day like today, would His Highness even come to our mistress's place? Even if he did, our mistress wouldn't be able to keep him."
Haitang thought about it and realized it was true.
Today was the Kitchen God Festival, a somewhat formal occasion, and the inner palace held the Crown Princess in such high regard.
If His Highness truly missed their mistress and came here, Xuan Shi Xiang's presence would serve as a convenient distraction, sparing their mistress from misfortune.
However, the Crown Prince was clearly not someone to lose his senses over beauty.
Xuan Shi Xiang lingered in the Western Side Hall all afternoon, stubbornly waiting until the Crown Princess summoned them for the banquet, yet she never caught a glimpse of the Crown Prince.
Zhuang Yunlan, however, was genuinely generous, offering her study for Xuan Shi Xiang to "select books" and leaving Shaoyao there to assist.
She herself returned to her canopy bed with a light heart, drew the curtains, and slept soundly for two hours.
At this moment, with a rosy complexion, she came to tell Xuan Shi Xiang, "It's time to go to Her Highness's place for the banquet. Have you chosen your books? If you have, I'll have someone send them to the Rear Hall for you?"
Xuan Shi Xiang, of course, felt too embarrassed to say she hadn't chosen any at all—she had spent the entire afternoon thinking about how to behave if she saw The Crown Prince.
Zhuang Yunlan, once again being "generous," swept her gaze over the bookshelf and, taking the initiative for Xuan Shi Xiang, who suddenly felt too "shy" to borrow more books, generously gave her several books.
She had already read them several times and was just worried about them taking up space.
Thank you, Little Xiang—now she had room for new books!