Chapter 218: Thousand Lantern Building, Disaster

The so called tiled paG.o.da lantern is a tall hallowed paG.o.da built using tiles and bricks, filled with burning firewood, and lit after finis.h.i.+ng paying respect to the moon. The moon wors.h.i.+p this time naturally isnt the same as when offering sacrifices at home. The spectacle will be very grand, and the site set in the open s.p.a.ce in front of the Thousand Lantern Building.

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The Thousand Lantern Building is the main building in the district where large-scale gatherings are held in the capital. Its three stories tall, and inside and outside of the building had a total of nine thousand, nine hundred, and ninety-nine lanterns. However, having all the lanterns lit, all year round it was also just those two three times, thats all.

When it was still a distance away from the Thousand Lantern Building, everyone just climbed down from the horse carriage one by one, preparing to go over on foot.

And tonight, there was completely no need for the servants to the light the way. The place where they are at was already brightly lit, light coming from all sides, the shadow all gathered under the feet. This kind of scene, even Jing Wan felt astonished by. In Qian Fu, they similarly celebrated festivals, but it still wasnt able to reach this level of grandness. This was even just the Mid-Autumn Festival, dont know how spectacular the Lantern Festival will be.

The several older brothers also headed out as protective guards.

Speaking of which, her eldest sister-in-law, little w.a.n.g-s.h.i.+, needed to wait until tomorrow before coming out of confinement. This is also a very fortunate thing. If by chance the child was born a day earlier on the fifteenth of the seventh lunar month, the day of the Ghost Festival

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, then that would really be asking for ones life. That was just another kind of ghost child.

Actually, when coming out, Jing Wan originally wanted to let her eldest tang brother and her own third brother stay at home to accompany their wife, but unfortunately the elders didnt agree. What little w.a.n.g-s.h.i.+ thought, Jing Wan didnt know, but for Sun Yi Jia, that was purely having Luo Jing Bo kicked out. She was perfectly fine at home, with a bunch of people keeping her company, so with or without him was all the same. However, for the younger brothers and sisters going out, it wasnt the same. The amount of them werent considered few, so how could they not have the older brothers accompanying along.

Moreover, those few from the Gu family also shamelessly followed. Just, Jing Wan didnt pay them any attention. That Miss Lianer was still thinking of becoming Luo Jing Bos concubine. Although that path got Jing Wan unhesitantly blocked by Jing Wan, but whenever that girl sees Luo Jing Bo, this older cousin, although she never says anything, it was still a look of wis.h.i.+ng to cry, her expression gloomy or like as if looking at a traitor to her love. Luo Jing Bo had ran into her those two or three times, gooseb.u.mps directly emerging on his body, taking a detour whenever he saw her. With these two siblings both ignoring them, the other brothers and sisters of the Luo family naturally also had them treated as invisible people.

Luo Jing Bo walked next to Jing Wan, explaining to Jing Wan the situations of the various festivals in the capital, and naturally was also able to pull out all kinds of interesting stories. Jing Wan quite cheerfully listened.

Originally, since Jing Wan was already engaged, the protective guard should be a certain someone. After all, tonight was a good opportunity to openly have a date. Just, unfortunately, the Emperor arranged a family banquet, and even if he wanted to come out to accompany Jing Wan, it definitely wouldnt be now. If Le Cheng Emperor were to have a seizure and refuse to let them go, wanting to hold a small-scale festival in the palace and whatnot, hell probably just..come out even sooner. According to a certain someones personality, to want to use these boring matters to trap him, its better to just wash up and go to bed. Itll be easier to achieve in the dreams.

Although there were many people, because there were servants and bodyguards blocking in the surrounding, this walk was also very relaxing, and definitely wont have situations where the crowd is crammed together appearing. Moreover, those ordinary commoners also wont come to this area. This was a place where families of high officials and n.o.ble personages parked their carriages after all. To barge in for no reason, perhaps one will just get pinned a label of harboring malicious intentions. How wronged would that be.

When there was nothing, one generally wont come here. This was also Jing Wans first time seeing the Thousand Lantern Building. At this very moment, the lanterns inside and outside of the building were all lit, the lantern fire burning brightly, looking just like a s.h.i.+nning giant treasure. If looking at it from far away, that effect most likely will be even more distinct.

At this very moment, the incense burner table was already set up, all the offerings also all on the table.

And in the surrounding, several tiled paG.o.das were already built, not just having hollowed out interiors. For the sake of keeping with the meaning of reunion, several circular holes were also left on the paG.o.da itself, appearing to very much have an artistic aesthetic, and much more troublesome than making square shaped holes.

And Jing Wan, under her third brothers explanation, finally learned that standing on the central axis of this lantern building and seeing the moon perfectly suspend over the crown of the building, the rites for paying respect to the moon will begin. Jing Wan stood over to have a look, guessing that this time was more or less about time.

Dont know which madam will be the one presiding over the rites this year?

Its the Left a.s.sistant Minister of Revenues madam.

Jing Wan listened to the side. She also had learned from her third brother that every year, it was a different person presiding over the moon wors.h.i.+ping rites. And this Left a.s.sistant Minister of Revenue was n.o.ble Consort Sus full-blooded older brother. The one presiding over the rites tonight was her elder sister-in-law.

The left and right a.s.sistant ministers of the Ministry of Revenue were on disagreeing terms. But, if the current Head Minister of Revenue were to go down, this position, nine times out of ten will fall onto this left a.s.sistant ministers head. And the people of Rui Qinw.a.n.gs faction have been continuously plotting for this. Perhaps this was just something that will happen within the next one or two years.

Jing Wan thought for a moment. Seemingly for that father of hers, the place where he held an empty post was precisely the Ministry of Revenue.

Big sister, big sister.. Just as Jing Wan was somewhat lost in thought, Yu Yao pounced up from behind, hugging her.

Jing Wan pulled her over, turning around, Yu Yao has come? Just you alone?

Aside from father and mother, everyone else from home all came out, but I dont want to stay together with them, so afterwards, just directly came here. Yu Yao explained like so.

Jing Wan glanced at the crowd of servant girls, servant women, and bodyguards tightly following behind her, and rather didnt worry something would happen to her.

Although the times Yu Yao interacted with Jing Wan were comparatively more, but their ages were still relatively far apart. When there were children of the same age present, it was still easier for Yu Yao play together with them. Letting Yu Yao become acquainted with her own familys two younger tang sisters, the little girls very quickly just started chatting together.

Shortly after, Yuan Qiao Qiao and Zhou Ying Shuang appeared together, and also quite a few others that she was acquainted with, mutually greeting. As time elapsed, the people that gathered increased more and more. Jing Wan estimated that in this place, as well as in this time period, it should be the most concentrated place and time tonight.

A beautiful middle-aged madam came out. The rites for paying respect to the moon were about to formally begin.

The area in the middle was completely cleared out. Each familys servants as well as the males all retreated out.

Although the moon wors.h.i.+p this time was completely voluntary, and there was also no rule on who stood where, but no matter where, there all exists unspoken rules. Those whose birth and background were relatively low would always consciously move back a little, and those girls from ordinary commoners families further could only stand in the outer surrounding. Jing Wan however directly led along Yu Yao and headed to the front. At this time, there was truly no need to modestly decline.

Rather, it was that younger sister-in-law of Jing Wans maternal aunt that subconsciously followed after Jing Wan. However, she got slightly blocked by people, Miss Gu, that isnt a place where you should go. It doesnt matter if you dont understand the rules, but dont implicate the Luo family in getting said by others to be mannerless.

That girl instantly just reddened her eyes. However, in the end, she wasnt a little white flower type like that other pair of mother and daughter, and didnt really cry out, but the humiliation inside made her internal organs all burn in pain, even constantly feeling that the people in the surrounding were all looking at her, pointing fingers, making her both ashamed and angry, unable to show her face, simply not daring to lift her head.

The Luo familys fifth, sixth, and seventh, three young misses directly casted her a glance. The place in the very front, they all wont think about going.

This little episode, naturally no one cared about.

The entire moon wors.h.i.+ping process was more or less the same as the one at home, and didnt use up much time either.

After paying respect to the moon, everyone also just scattered. Going sightseeing, playing with lanterns, admiring lanterns, playing games, it was all according to ones wish. Although one wouldnt really go as far as to play around for the entire night, playing until midnight was very likely.

Yu Yao and the two slightly older than her young misses from the Luo family actually got along quite well, this while wanting invite one another to go play together. Yu Yao had enough people following, and the Luo family also could divide out some people. As such, there was rather no need to worry about their safety, just appointing the time and place when ready to go home, before letting them off.

Yuan Qiao Qiao excitedly pulled along Jing Wan and Zhou Ying Shuan, preparing to go place lanterns in the water.

The river that pa.s.sed through the city was just to the side, so they didnt need to walk too far either.

On the riverbank, there were quite a few people selling river lanterns, the variety also quite numerous, and the one with the most of was still the lotus flower shaped ones.

Yuan Qiao Qiao singlehandedly bought a whole bunch, justifying it as buying one for everyone at home.

Jing Wan and Zhou Ying Shuang were both between laughter and tears. This river lantern was also a wish making lantern, or praying lantern. This one wish or prayer from everyone, the deity in charge of this aspect wasnt able to attend to completely, you alone wanting to place this many, suppose it will be even more impossible to realize. However, this was also just for fun, expressing ones wish or writing something unrealistic.

Jing Wan originally was still thinking of waiting for this Qiao Qiao older cousin to spend a bunch of time writing things, but in the end, she directly took out her own embroidered pouch, taking out the already prepared slips of papers, placing one in each lantern, her movements very swift.

Alright, this simply wasnt a last minute idea.

Jing Wan just bought one, and thinking for a moment, wrote down, the family well and healthy.

What about this prince?

A line practically pressing close to the ear had Jing Wan quite startled. Turning around, she shot a glare at the culprit that suddenly appeared, somewhat gritting her teeth as she opened her mouth, w.a.n.gye, people scaring people can scare someone to death.

Li Hong Yuan hooked a smile, It was this princes fault. Next time, will definitely warn you in advance.

When this b.a.s.t.a.r.d smiled, the destructive power was too great. Furthermore, it was even with a gentle expression, practically just asking for ones life.

Thats why, when the person was good-looking, sure enough, there were benefits. Jing Wan also believed herself to just be a mere mortal.

Li Hong Yuan also took a flower lantern, quickly writing a few words.

Jing Wan didnt look. Because of a certain someones appearance, the surrounding became a bit off. For instance, Zhou Ying Shuang and Yuan Qiao Qiao both just became relatively restrained, that smile stiffening quite a bit, and at the same time, there were also those that secretly peeked in this direction. Regardless of whether they recognized him or not, all in all, the Jin Qinw.a.n.g that restrained his dark aura was very attractive to the eyes.

Jing Wan inadvertently casted a glance at the younger sister-in-law of her maternal aunts. After coming out, this Miss Gu just followed her like a little tail. And right now, she was gazing at a certain someone, dazedly lost in thought. That expression was just like having lost her soul.

Jing Wan inwardly cursed a line: Walking disaster.

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Ghost Festival

The day when offerings are made to the deceased