Clear and Muddy Loss of Love

Lantern riddle array in front of Tingyu Building

The chubby boss smiled naively, but he obviously had an expression of disbelief: would a thirteen or fourteen-year-old be afraid of getting lost?Moreover, the two people in front of them don't look alike at all. Looking at the girl Nangong Jing's pink carvings, she is so cute and cute. The boss knows: In this peaceful and prosperous age, who doesn't have any special hobbies?

It's just a pity for the good girls in the capital, all the handsome young masters have gone to Duanxiu Longyang...

Qi Yan withdrew her gaze, her amber eyes were calm and unwavering, she didn't care what strangers thought.

Nangong Jingnv snorted softly when she heard Qi Yanyi claiming to be her elder brother, but after thinking about it, there was nothing wrong with him, he was already four years older than herself.

Nangong Jingnv managed to choose two of the exquisite masks, shook Qi Yan's arm, and followed Qi Yan's words and said sweetly: "Brother, I want these two."

Qi Yan turned her head and saw two words clearly coming out of Nangong Jingnu's eyes - pay.

An ominous premonition rose in his heart, he smiled at the boss, and pulled Nangong Jingnv to the side, Nangong Jingnv exclaimed: "Brother, I haven't bought the mask yet!"

"I'll buy it later, brother has something to tell you."

When the two came to the side, Qi Yan asked hesitantly: "Your Highness... have you brought any money?"

Nangong Jingnv lowered her voice and replied, "I never bring money with me!"

Hearing this, Qi Yan took a deep breath: "I have no money either."

Nangong Jingnv's eyes widened, and she said in disbelief, "Why don't you bring it?"

Qi Yan showed embarrassment: "I have no money..."

"What about your salary?"

Qi Yan replied innocently: "The salary of the captain's son-in-law is only paid on the second day of February every year. I used to have some savings, but after the examination, I built a private house in the south of the city. The monthly money and the crumbs of all servants in the mansion have to be paid." Let me do it, and to tell you the truth, your Highness is already in short supply. Just wait for the payment on the second day of February, and take it back to the private house and distribute it to the servants."

Nangong Jingnv couldn't believe her ears!So dignified and dignified, the captain-in-law of Princess Zhenzhen's mansion would be so poor?

Immediately, like a deflated ball: "Then what should I do, do you want to go back home?"

Qi Yan squeezed Nangong Jingnv's palm, and said with a smile: "Your Highness, please believe me, the Shangyuan Lantern Festival is just as fun without money."

"What does that mean?"

"The night market will last until dawn. Don't rush to buy things, Your Highness. How about going shopping before returning home?"

Nangong Jingnv pouted: I don't have the money for the mask, what else can I buy?However, he nodded and did not refute.

Looking back at the mask stall that was gradually going away, I feel a little wronged: thinking that there are too many rare treasures in Princess Zhenzhen's mansion, gold, silver and jewels are piled up into mountains, and just taking one from the treasury is enough for ordinary people to live for a while. As a result, it was the first time I visited the Shangyuan Night Market, and I couldn't even afford two masks!

So sad!

The two walked forward hand in hand. Unfortunately, there were some food stalls on both sides of the street. The aroma was filled with hot white smoke, and the unique and long shout of the hawker was coveted.

In order to eat more folk snacks at the night market, Nangong Jingnv specially reserved her stomach for dinner and only drank a bowl of soup. After walking for half an hour, she was already hungry.

"Candied haws~a string of two pennies, three strings of five copper coins~candied haws, candied haws~."

Nangong Jingnv stopped involuntarily, and the street vendor looked at the straw pillars, which were filled with red candied haws.

Couldn't help but licked his lips.

"Hurry up, let's start..."

"The lantern riddle array in Tingyu Tower has begun!"

Qi Yan stopped one person and asked, "May I ask Your Excellency, where are these people going in such a hurry?"

"Tingxiong's accent isn't from a local, right? Every year during the Shangyuan Festival, the owner of Tingyulou will take out hundreds of taels of silver to set up lantern riddles. You only need a copper coin to participate in the competition. There will be a generous bounty for those who compete at the end!"

"Where is Tingyu Building located?"

"East Third Street! You can see it just by following the crowd."

"Thank you."

Nangong Jingnv asked excitedly, "Are you going to participate?"

Qi Yan nodded: "Maybe you can give it a try."

"What about the entry money?"

Qi Yan smiled, and led Nangong Jingnv to the candied haws stand, where a seven or eight-year-old boy stood, holding a clay figurine in his hand, looking eagerly at the candied haws on the straw pillar.

Qi Yan squatted in front of the boy, and asked softly: "This little brother wants to buy candied haws?"

The boy nodded, spread his clenched hands, and suddenly there was a copper coin: "I only have one penny left after buying the clay figurine, which is not enough."

Qi Yan patted the boy on the shoulder: "Brother, I can treat you to two skewers."

The boy's eyes lit up all of a sudden: "Really?"

"However, I need you to do my brother a favor."

"What!?"

Qi Yan whispered a few words in the boy's ear, and the other party asked hesitantly, "Can big brother really win?"

Qi Yan replied with a smile: "I dare not say the jackpot, but the money for a few bunches of candied haws is still acceptable."

The boy gritted his teeth and handed a copper coin to Qi Yan: "Here!"

Nangong Jingnv snorted softly and muttered, "Even children's money is coaxed."

But she believed in her heart that Qi Yan would fulfill her promise.Moreover, even if he accidentally guessed the wrong lantern riddle, he has the ability to make it up to the boy.

Nangong Jingnv took the initiative to hand over the beautifully crafted lotus lantern worth at least a few taels to the boy: "Here, this lantern is counted as a thank you gift for the penny. You wait here, we will be back in a while."

The boy took the lantern and couldn't put it down, and said happily, "Thank you brother!"

Nangong Jingnv patted the boy's head with a smile: "Don't run around."

"Ah."

Qi Yan watched the scene in front of her with a smile, and stretched out her hand to Nangong Jingnv, who naturally placed her hand in the other's palm.The two looked at each other and smiled, and followed the group of people towards Tingyu Tower.

"Thank you, Your Highness." Qi Yan said in a low voice.

"I just don't want the boss who sells candied haws to think that you are a liar who specializes in coaxing children!"

In front of Tingyu Building, there are huge crowds of people.

The rules of this lantern riddle array were written in detail on the big red list, and Nangong Jingnv asked, "Can you see clearly?"

Qi Yan shook her head, Nangong Jingnv opened her red lips lightly, and read out the rules.

There are five levels in the lantern riddle array this time. Participants only need to hand in a copper coin to draw a lantern riddle from the question box. Each person can only participate once.

The lantern riddles in the first level are single-character fans, and those who guess correctly can get a lantern lottery to enter the battle.The lantern sign has two purposes: one is to exchange for two copper coins and withdraw from the race.

The second is to enter the lantern riddle array with a lantern sign, and each level has a corresponding reward. Those who answer correctly can choose to exit with the bonus of this level, or choose to continue to pass through the level.

If you successfully pass the last level, you can get a hundred taels of silver, but it is worth noting that if you answer the wrong answer, you will be eliminated directly and lose all previous rewards.

After Nangong Jingnv finished reading, she said with a smile: "This rule is interesting."

Qi Yan agreed: "Ting Yu Lou's owner is not easy." This lantern riddle array not only tested talent, but also courage and control over greed.

When the two came to the question box, the copper coin was thrown into the copper basin and made a crisp sound.

The buddy asked: "Who will participate in the two young masters?"

Qi Yan glanced at Nangong Jingnv: "I'll come."

"My lord, please draw a question. The lantern riddles outside the formation are one-character riddles. If you answer correctly, you can get two coins for yourself with a lottery. You can also participate in the lantern riddle formation."

"Third Brother, help me smoke."

"Okay." Nangong Jingnv stretched her arms into the big wooden box and took out a purple triangle bag. The assistant took it and tore open the paper bag, and read aloud, "Young Master, the question is: Hungry Ghost Festival."

After finishing speaking, Qi Yan blurted out: "Fat."

Nangong Jingnv nodded with a smile: Hungry Ghost Festival is also called July and a half, and half a month is fat.

The buddy also nodded: "That's right. Do you want to get two copper coins, or enter the battle?"

"Enter the battle."

"Your surname?"

"Miangui's surname is Qi."

The clerk picked up the gavel and knocked on the gong: "Young Master Qi enters the battle with a lottery."

Next, the sound of gongs and drums sounded from time to time, but more people chose to ask for the lottery of two pennies.

Under the guidance of the staff, Qi Yan entered the lantern riddle array: there were five raised arenas made of wood, the highest of which was less than ten feet high, and all kinds of lanterns were hung on the wooden rails, which was very beautiful.

A table and a chair were placed in the center of each platform, and five old men sat on the chairs, and the corresponding bonuses for each level were placed on the table.

The bonus for the first level is a sling of money, and there are hundreds of slings neatly stacked on the tray.The bonus for the second level is one tael of Wenyin, and the bonuses for the remaining three levels are: ten taels, 50 taels, and 100 taels.

Nangong Jingnv said suspiciously: "With such a generous bonus, isn't Ting Yulou afraid that he won't be able to pay it?"

A middle-aged man next to him said with a smile: "Young master, don't worry, Tingyu Tower is a century-old brand in the capital, and its financial resources are unfathomable. Moreover, this lantern riddle array is not easy to break through. The lantern riddles just now are just for distraction. Hi Qianer. I come to see the lantern riddles every year during the Lantern Festival, and no one has made it to the end for almost ten years. Almost everyone in the capital knows that the lantern riddles in Tingyu Tower are not easy to break through. Look, there are not enough people on stage Hundreds of people, most of them are outsiders who don’t know.”

Nangong Jingnv raised her eyes and looked: Sure enough, there were not many people joining the battle, roughly dozens of people.There are at least a hundred people who guessed the lantern riddles correctly just now, which is indeed very small in comparison.

The middle-aged man next to him continued: "It is said that the owner of Tingyulou is an elegant scholar with superb business skills. The rules are set by him personally. If you answer wrongly, you will not get a penny. Young master, just wait and see: wait for those who join in the fun." After reading the first question, most outsiders will give up. I don’t know if anyone can climb to the top this year..."

Nangong Jingnv looked at Qi Yan, only to see that he took the charcoal pencil and paper presented by the clerk, and stood in the line waiting for the question to be presented.

With a sound of "boom", the gong in front of the lantern riddle array was sounded, and the dark crowd fell silent in an instant.

The examiner of the first pass stood up slowly, took out a stack of square paper from his arms, unfolded it slowly, and shook it in his hand.

"The mystery is revealed!"

After a while, someone in the front row exclaimed: "A blank piece of paper? There is not a word on this paper!"

"Blank paper? What kind of question is this?"