Fierce Consort

Chapter 67

The lantern market was truly lively. It was filled with people and bustling with activity.

Shen Qi only brought Third Yuan and Fourth Xi with him this time and Luo Huai Yuan brought Xiao An Zi. Instead, it was Yan Yan who brought along several guards and Lady Hui for Yan Mo's sake.

These guards were dressed as commoners and walked loosely around the group, subtly diverting the crowd. However, there were too many people so the effects weren't too obvious. Yan Yan could only order the guards to split up. Two were assigned to follow Shen Qi, two for Luo Huai Yuan, and two for her and Yan Mo. They just needed to keep an eye on their own targets. They then planned on meeting at the Liu Xiang Restaurant before midnight in case they were separated.

Shen Qi had a lively nature. At first he would turn back to check up on Yan Yan and Luo Huai Yuan, but soon he vanished from sight.

Luo Huai Yuan didn't go anywhere and tightly followed by Yan Yan's side.

There were many lanterns at the festival. The rows and rows of lanterns were a feast for the eyes. Yan Yan was also unable to take her eyes off them. Luo Huai Yuan still knew to stop by a small stand and buy a few things to eat with Yan Yan and Yan Mo. But who could think about food at this time? They were too busy looking around.

There was a crowd gathered around a dragon lantern performance. This dragon lantern was also known as "dragon lantern dance", and was a sort of dance involving colored lanterns.

Have you seen lion dancing before?

It was a similar sort of concept. However, performing with dragon lanterns was much higher level compared to a lion dance. This was because they were dancing with lanterns.

At the front was a dragon's head, and the body was made up different segments. The number wasn't fixed but it was usually an odd number. Every segment was propped up by a pole, and contained a lit candle. This was known as a "dragon lantern". If the candles weren't lit, it was known as a "cloth dragon". During the dance, a person holding a rainbow bead would be teasing the dragon and its head would move along with the bead. The rest of the people moved the segments up and down, left and right in dance along with the instruments. It was a spectacular sight.

A group of children surrounded the performance, and every now and then someone would clap and cheer.

"Little sis Ah Yan, let's go watch as well."

Luo Huai Yuan grabbed Yan Yan's free hand and pulled her forward.

He finally got to touch the little consort's little hand. How soft! How smooth! How tender!

Luo Huai Yuan felt his heart pounding, and snuck a glance to the side. He saw her jade-like glossy and delicate little face, her long and curly eyelashes and high nose-bridge. Her little mouth opened and closed occasionally as she admired the surroundings. The market's brightly colored lanterns made her face appear as though covered in a layer of pink silk. She looked like a fairy from the highest heavens....
Fine, he had run out of words to describe her.

He felt his own hand was clammy and wondered if little sis Ah Yan would mind.

The surroundings were noisy and restless but Luo Huai Yuan felt he could die happy at this moment!
Halfway through the performance, a middle-aged man wearing a short coarse hemp robe circled around holding a copper container. He beat a gong while calling loudly for those with money to offer money and those without to offer applause.

Every now and then, someone in the crowd would stretch out their hands and the sound of coins falling into the container never stopped.

Feeling her little brother pulling at her, Yan Yan lowered her head and saw him looking at her silently. She smiled and fished out a few silver ingots from her coin pouch. When that person reached Yan Mo's side, he lifted his hand and threw a few inside the container.