Chapter 16
Qi Lian Festival (Part 1)
“Qing Qing, hurry up ah, why are you so slow!” Early in the morning, Tang Xiao Xiao already shouted out loudly in the front of Murong Shu Qing’s bamboo house.
Murong Shu Qing shook her head, this girl would forever be a person whom you could hear her voice first before you could see the actual person.
Asking Zi Yuan gently, who was just doing her hair: “Is Wan Ru getting better?”
While inserting the wooden hairpin that she loved the most, Zi Yuan answered: “After resting for several days, she has almost recovered (her health).”
“You go and ask her to go to the Qi Lian Festival together.”
“Yes!”
Just when Zi Yuan wanted to go out, she almost knocked against the energetic Tang Xiao Xiao who just rushed to come in.
“Qing Qing, are you done? Hurry up and go, ok, everybody is waiting for you!” Tang Xiao Xiao looked at Murong Shu Qing who already put on her clothing properly. She was pulling her hand, and rushing to go out hurriedly.
Murong Shu Qing was dragged by Tang Xiao Xiao, she did not have any alternatives but to have a small run to catch up with her. Heavens, she did not have any qinggong.
Finally arriving at the front gate, Shen Xiao Yun, Xuanyuan Yi, Pei Che, Murong Xing Hun were already waiting at that place. Waiting until Murong Shu Qing could finally breathe with great difficulty, Murong Wan Ru who was wearing a light purple dress, also arrived at the same time. Murong Wan Ru who had not completely healed from her serious illness, along with her tender and soft figure, bright and beautiful appearance, looked even pitier.
This was the first time that Tang Xiao Xiao saw Murong Wan Ru, so she moved around to look her up and down for several times, until she felt embarra.s.sed and bowed her head down lowly. Then Tang Xiao Xiao withdrew her line of sight, and looked to compare to Murong Shu Qing’s face for quite a while, then she asked astonishingly: “Huh?! She is your elder sister?!”
Looking at her appearance, Murong Shu Qing knew exactly what she wanted to say, she raised her eyebrows and smilingly said: “She should be!”
Comparing them again, Tang Xiao Xiao concluded as she was saying: “You guys do not look alike at all, you are very different.”
Once she finished speaking, everyone’s reaction was different, Pei Che almost fell, then he stared fixedly at Murong Shu Qing. Xuanyuan Yi was also curious with her reaction, Shen Xiao Yun advanced one step secretly, and took his young, reckless and smart wife to leave Murong Shu Qing’s side. Murong Wan Ru felt awkward and stood on the spot confusingly, and she did not dare to raise her head to look at Murong Shu Qing. Lu Yi who was standing beside Murong Shu Qing, slightly knitted her eyebrows, and just looked at Tang Xiao Xiao who was still infatuated with her own conclusion.
Murong Shu Qing was looking at their exaggerated expressions, and could not help to lightly smile and say: “I also think this way!”
She felt that it was very strange all along, Murong Shu Qing and Murong Wan Ru’s appearances did not look alike at all, one was bright, colorful and beautiful, the other one could only be regarded as delicate and pretty at the most. It was said that Murong Shu Qing’s mother was known as a beauty at the capital in those years, her elder brother was also out of ordinarily handsome and bright, how could she not inherit anything. But she was very satisfied with her appearance now, since the beauty during the ancient times, was unable to run away from her destiny. And her beauty could bring troubles also, so looking ordinary was actually good.
Just liked that? Looking at Murong Shu Qing who was still smiling and standing in front of them, she did not even say anything for a period of time. All of the women attached importance to their appearances, but she was actually unconcerned at all.
“Ah! It is so late, we should set off now!” Tang Xiao Xiao cried out in alarmed, her left hand was pulling Shen Xiao Yun, and her right hand was dragging Murong Shu Qing to walk out.
Because of Tang Xiao Xiao’s insistence not to take a chariot, and want to have some fun for the whole journey, Murong Shu Qing could only make the chariot to follow them from behind. So that Murong Wan Ru who had not completely healed from her serious illness, could take the chariot when she was tired.
Qi Lian Festival was Haidu’s annual event, it could be considered as a major festival in Dong Yu. The original flourishing street became even livelier now, so much so that some merchants from the other countries also came to this event. Both sides of the streets, everything that people could eat, drink and have fun, were there. Every kind of lotus flower lanterns, the lotus decorations were also magnificent and diverse.
Shen Xiao Yun was accompanying Tang Xiao Xiao who was walking ahead of (everybody else), and she bought a pile of stuffs, and asked the family’s servant to throw them inside the chariot. She had a tendency to continue buying things all the way. Murong Xing Hun and Lu Yi were following Murong Shu Qing, and were walking behind Xuanyuan Yi. Pei Che was accompanying the delicate, Murong Wan Ru who walked the last.
Murong Shu Qing was laughing to see that Shen Xiao Yun was being pulled and scattered everywhere, this well-known Jiang Hu’s master who was harsh, wealthy and an expert, but he was willing to be like this in front of that woman. Xuanyuan Yi was also looking at Shen Xiao Yun who was busy paying, and he shook his head and smilingly said: “If one has a wife like that, it is really exhausting.”
“Happiness always comes from one’s personal experiences. You see that he has to go a lot of troubles, but he thinks that this is the extreme happiness that he is seeking throughout his life.” While she was talking to Xuanyuan Yi, she picked up a clear white jade lotus that was on the top of the small store on the street, and played with it.
Coming to Murong Shu Qing’s side, Xuanyuan Yi asked: “You like it?”
“Very pretty!” The white l.u.s.ter of gems of the white jade was pure and clear, it had a unique carving of a new blooming lotus flower.
Picking up the jade, throwing out a silver ingot, then he took out a silver chain and put it on Murong Shu Qing’s neck. Sticking behind her ear, he gently told her: “I have taken your bamboo leaf pendant, so I am giving this to you.”
Murong Shu Qing caressed the jade with her hand, and heard Xuanyuan Yi’s m.u.f.fled voice that had a somewhat s.e.x appeal, this man would never accept any rejection forever.
Running around in a circle, Tang Xiao Xiao whose head was slightly sweating, already walked to the side of Murong Shu Qing. Leaning against her shoulder, she dispiritedly spoke: “Qing Qing, I have not eaten any breakfast, I am starving to death?”
“I thought that you did not need to eat.” Murong Shu Qing laughingly mocked her.
Looking at Tang Xiao Xiao’s pouting mouth, she did not even have any strengths to bicker, and Murong Wan Ru who was behind, was also exhausted and she could not stand anymore. Tang Xiao Xiao who was leaning on her shoulder, finally said: “Good, we are going to eat lunch, ok!”
A delegation of people walked over towards Ying Ke Lou.
It was noon, the inside of Ying (to welcome) Ke (guest) Lou (building) was already full. This Ying Ke Lou was the most famous restaurant in Huadu district, not only their dishes were top quality, the whole scenery at Ying Ke Lou was even more distinct. Especially during the Qi Lian Festival, the whole lotus feast here was even more well-known in the whole world ah, many people just came to Huadu district because of it. The private rooms during these few days would already been booked long time ago. Inside the first floor hall, many people had already been waiting on the side also.
One woman was looking at the shopkeeper miserably: “We came just for this whole lotus feast, shopkeeper, please help us!”
The shopkeeper also felt awkward, but he had no alternative but to explain repeatedly: “These guests (using a very polite appellation for a guest), I am really sorry, our private rooms have been booked early and they are full, there is absolutely no more empty seats.”
The young man who was behind the woman, was already unable to tolerate it, and he said: “We will spend twice as much money, you think of a way, ok.”
The shopkeeper was still smiling and he cupped his hands in greetings: “I apologize to the guests, even if you can spend tenth or hundredth times of money, I still do not have any empty seats to give to you.”
Murong Shu Qing’s party just entered Ying Ke Lou, and they had seen a lot of people who were standing by the side of the stairs. The shopkeeper saw them, and he immediately welcomed them to come up: “Miss, you come.”
Looking at these several people, they appeared to be somewhat familiar, and she asked: “What is going on!”
The shopkeeper was not replying yet, that woman from a moment ago, already walked to the front of Murong Shu Qing, and she excitingly said: “This older sister, do you still remember me? From last time, we met near the chariot that was at the roadside.”
“As it turns out, it is that young lady.” Looking one glance at the several people who were behind the woman, it was indeed them.
“You remember me?! I am Huo Zhi Qing. Are you also coming to eat ah? I specifically come to eat this whole lotus feast, but unfortunately, there is no more seats!” Huo Zhi Qing slightly stuck out her mouth, disappointedly lowered her head, and looked as if she was a pitiful kitten.
Murong Shu Qing laughed secretly, this appearance really looked similar to Tang Xiao Xiao’s appearance when she had not eaten anything. Looking at those several men who were behind her, she was afraid that their ident.i.ties were rather complicated, ok.
Not wanting to make this young girl disappointed, Murong Shu Qing smilingly said: “If Miss does not mind it, you can join us.”
“Really?” Huo Zhi Qing raised her head in surprise, but she looked cautious and solemn again, and pitifully turned around to look at the black dress man: “Eldest brother ~~~”
Looking at his younger sister’s hoping gaze, and then he looked at Murong Shu Qing, Huo Zi Qi cupped his hands and said with a clear voice: “Then, many thanks to Miss.”
Sian’s notes:
The actual words for this chapter is actually Qi Lian Festival. The Lian word means lotus, that’s why there are a lot of lotus’ references in this chapter. Based on the synopsis in novelupdates, the person who translated the synopsis was actually using Qi Xi Festival. Qi Xi Festival which is the seventh day of July in lunar calendar is also known as Qi Qiao festival or the Night of Sevens or the Magpie festival. According to the legend, the G.o.ddess “Zhi Nv” (the star Vega) fell in love with the farmer boy “Niu Lang” (the star Altair), but was disapproved by her mother G.o.ddess. As punishment, they were separated by the Milky Way and could only meet once a year on this night. It’s also called the Chinese’s Valentine Day. More about Qi Xi Festival can be found here At first I decided to use Qi Xi Festival to be consistent with the novelupdates, however during editing, I have decided to stick with the raw. And as we move along to the next few chapters, the origin about Qi Lian Festival is actually somewhat different than Qi Xi Festival, but it does relate to the same love concepts.
That Ying Ke Lou is actually both a restaurant and an inn. I was going to use Ying Ke Lou restaurant to make it easier to remember since I keep the pinyin words for this, however, in the future chapters, I find out that this Ying Ke Lou is also an inn. If you like to watch mainland kungfu drama, you can picture this Ying Ke Lou where the people can stay overnight at this type of inn and they can also decide to only eat at this restaurant (without staying overnight).
Again, you should also know the meaning of the “qinggong” words from book 1of the Mistaken Marriage series. Anyhow, it’s a skill that these martial art pract.i.tioners have in order for them to be able to walk so fast or jump so high or “fly”.