When Fang Zilan took Mo Han and Deputy General Cao out of the palace, the sky was dark and there were more and more people in the market as the lanterns came on.
"Are there any activities tonight?" Fang Zilan looked at the crowds of people on the street and couldn't help but slow down.
Mo Han followed Fang Zilan closely and said: "Double Ninth Festival has always been a festival of memories. It is more solemn but lacks excitement. But if this year is like the Mid-Autumn Festival, with post-war celebrations, I think a visit to the Lantern Festival and Flower Market is indispensable."
"Let's go back to the house first, pick up Awan and Cong Rong, and then come out together." Fang Zilan said and walked back to the house quickly. However, as soon as she entered the house, she heard the housekeeper say that Awan and Cong Rong had already gone out.
"Miss Awan said that Master Fang might have to go back late at night if you go to the palace for a banquet. She wanted to see the lanterns, but she was afraid of missing the time, so she took Miss Cong out first." The housekeeper said as if she was remembering something, and asked The boy brought out the food box and said, "This is the Sufangzhai cake sent by His Highness King Yucheng. I kept it on my own initiative. Master Fang, look..."
"It's just a cake, you can keep it, it doesn't matter." Fang Zilan took a piece and took a bite. She couldn't help but admired: "It tastes good. Mo Han, Lao Cao, you guys should try it too."
After the two of them tasted the snacks, they heard Fang Zilan say: "Let's go, let's go out and have some fun."
"Boss, I won't join you anymore." Vice General Cao waved his hand, "Today is a festival, and I want to go see my acquaintances. Some of them are still patrolling the city, and I will accompany them."
"That's fine." Fang Zilan took the food box, "Take this and share it with the brothers."
Vice General Cao hesitated and did not take it, "Boss, this is not good, after all, this is given to you by the prince..."
"What's wrong?" Fang Zilan thrust the food box into Deputy General Cao's hands, "Since the prince gave it to me, it's my business how to deal with it. You can take it."
"Thank you, boss." Vice General Cao held the food box and Fang Zilan said, "There are many people outside, please take it easy."
"Don't worry, boss." Deputy General Cao turned around and left. Mo Han looked at his back, "Don't you need to find someone to accompany Deputy General Cao?"
"No need." Fang Zilan patted Mo Han on the shoulder, "Let's go and watch the lanterns and flowers."
After leaving the house, the two wandered aimlessly along the street. They didn't go far before they saw Murong Qing and Tao Zhiwei. Meng Tingyang followed them closely, for fear of being separated.
"Master Fang." Murong Qing waved to Fang Zilan, and she walked through the crowd, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, what a coincidence."
Murong Qing smiled, and his pale face became a little more angry, "It's a festival today. I heard there was a night market, so I came out to join in the fun. But Master Fang didn't even enter the palace for a banquet?"
"Your Majesty is really well-informed." Fang Zilan said calmly: "The banquet is boring, come out for a walk."
The smile on Murong Qing's face faded a bit, "Master Fang was joking."
"Since the prince is fine, I will not disturb the prince and his wife while they are having fun." Fang Zilan bowed her hands, then pulled Mo Han away, without giving Murong Qing a chance to say anything more.
After the two of them walked some distance away, Mo Han asked curiously: "Were those just now the loyal prince and his wife of Miluo?"
Fang Zilan hummed, turned to the street vendor and said, "Excuse me, please take two bunches of candied haws."
"Okay." The vendor picked out two bunches of candied haws and handed them to Fang Zilan, "Sir, you've got them."
Fang Zilan paid and gave a bunch to Mo Han. He was stunned and said, "Sister Lan, when did you like eating candied haws?"
"Taken by Awan." Fang Zilan took a bite. The sugar juice wrapped on the outside of the candied haws was so sweet that it seemed to penetrate her heart, but the sourness that followed made her frown, "Why is it so sour?"
Mo Han also coughed slightly due to the sourness, "Sister Lan, forget it, don't eat it if it tastes bad."
"I should have known I would have left two pieces of cake." Fang Zilan muttered, "At this time, I definitely won't be able to buy Sufangzhai's cakes."
"Sufangzhai?" Mo Han looked confused, and Fang Zilan explained: "The most famous pastry shop in the capital. When we came back from the northern border, the prince mentioned it to me. At that time, I casually said what I wanted to eat. Yes. I didn’t expect him to be so thoughtful and still remember this.”
Mo Han recalled the cakes he had eaten just now, "That box just now..."
Fang Zilan shook the candied haws in her hand and said, "It should be a festival limited edition, and I definitely can't buy it now."
Mo Han couldn't help laughing when he saw Fang Zilan biting the candied haws as if she were dead as she spoke. He was about to say something, but saw her stop.
"Sister Lan?" Mo Han followed her gaze and saw a woman in red slowly pushing the young man in a wheelchair towards their direction, standing out among the crowd.
Seeing Fang Zilan's expression getting colder, she grabbed Mo Han's wrist, turned around and walked in another direction, "Don't ask."
Mo Han was obedient and didn't ask any more questions, letting Fang Zilan lead him out several streets without saying a word.
It wasn't until Fang Zilan slowed down that Mo Han whispered: "Sister Lan, you don't want to see them?"
"It's definitely not good to see them." Fang Zilan snorted coldly, "I know what you want to ask. The young master sitting in the wheelchair is Prince Yuning Ji Ningtian, and the woman in red pushing him is Princess Wuqing."
"Sister Lan, do you know them?" Mo Han asked tentatively, Fang Zilan looked away, "More than just acquaintance?"
Mo Han gently tugged on Fang Zilan's sleeve, "Sister Lan, it's rare for the capital to go dark at night, with thousands of lights like daylight. When you're having fun and enjoying yourself, don't think about anything disturbing."
"You're right." Fang Zilan relaxed, "Tonight we..."
"Look, the thousand lanterns on Baiye Temple's pagoda are lit up!" The delighted voice of a passerby interrupted Fang Zilan's words. She turned her head and looked over, only to see the Buddhist lanterns lighting up one after another from the top of the pagoda, dots of light. They gathered into one stream, illuminating the entire pagoda like a torch, reflecting the light in the night sky.
"We actually arrived near Baiye Temple." Mo Han's voice rang in Fang Zilan's ears, and she suddenly came back to her senses. It turned out that the place she was most familiar with in the past was right in front of her.
"Go and have a look." Fang Zilan strode towards Baiye Temple, Mo Han followed her, looking at her impatient look, it seemed that something was waiting for her in Baiye Temple.
However, when she reached the entrance of Baiye Temple, Fang Zilan suddenly stopped. She raised her head and looked at the plaque of Baiye Temple. She did not step onto the first step, but stood quietly below.
"Sister Lan?" Mo Han stretched out his hand and waved it in front of Fang Zilan's eyes. She still had no reaction. After a while, he said, "Mo Han, you go in and put the incense sticks on for me. I won't go in."
Mo Han asked in confusion: "Why?"
Fang Zilan was silent, suddenly thinking of herself who had always looked at Baiye Temple from a distance but never dared to get close to her after her mother passed away. With so much blood on her hands, even if she had a clear conscience, she could not step into the pure land of Buddhism.
What's more, does she really have a clear conscience? How many of the people who died at her hands were innocent? For the sake of mission, for survival, for all kinds of reasons that can be explained or unspeakable, she was once a murder tool.
Now, although I have done something with my skills, my hands are stained with more blood, which cannot be washed away no matter what. She is not afraid of being filled with murder, but she also knows that this is not the place she should go.
At the end, Mo Han pursed her lips and said, "Sister Lan, what do you need me to do in here?"
"I..." As soon as Fang Zilan spoke, a clear voice said: "Why is Mr. Fang standing here instead of entering the temple?"
