Xu Huaigu took Gu Sanyue to the door of Yan's house. Looking from a distance, he saw a large carriage parked at the door of Yan's house. There were eight horses being pulled by reins. There were more than ten servants surrounding the carriage. and maid.
Chu Wenze and Yan Ruoli were leaning on the carriage, very close to each other. They were still whispering, with excited smiles on their faces, immersed in it.
Therefore, it was Chu Xiuyang who noticed the two people coming first and hurriedly greeted: "Sister Sanyue, come here quickly!" Gu Sanyue also liked this princess very much. After all, Chu Xiuyang was such a little girl. The child's temperament doesn't have the air of a princess at all, making him very approachable.
As soon as Xu Huaigu and Gu Sanyue arrived, Chu Wenze pulled away from the conversation with Yan Ruoli and said with a smile: "Brother Xu and Miss Gu are finally here. We are well prepared and have been waiting for a long time. Now we are here." Let's go." Xu Huaigu nodded in agreement, and the group boarded the luxurious carriage, surrounded by servants carrying lanterns and incense candles, and a dozen people headed for Bishui Lake.
Bishui Lake is to the east of Xicheng. There is a high tower in the center of the lake. It looks like five floors from the outside, but actually has nine floors inside. It was built very long ago.
But the strange thing is that this tower has no name. People habitually call it the tower in the center of Bishui Lake, as if it should be like this.
In the carriage, Chu Wenze explained to Xu Huaigu, a newcomer: "When it comes to this clear water lake, we have to mention the two snake demons, one green and one white, and the folk tale of the Xu family's young master."
"Speaking of this white snake demon..."
"I know!" Chu Xiu and Yang Mei interrupted Chu Wenze's words with flying eyebrows, and said: "I used to like hearing this story the most in the palace. It is said that this white snake demon was originally a white snake on the mountain beside the lake. It has been practiced for five years. It took a hundred years to turn into a human form..." Chu Wenze glanced at her helplessly. Chu Xiuyang had such a fiery temper and loved to be in the limelight, so he just let her go.
He looked at Xu Huaigu and saw that Xu Huaigu was looking out the car window blankly. It seemed that he was not listening carefully to Chu Xiuyang's story, but was thinking about something.
In fact, when Xu Huaigu heard this story, it was like a wake-up call, and the memories hidden in his mind became clear again like pebbles on the beach at low tide.
This story was very familiar. He remembered that it was the story told by the storyteller Zuo Qiu Xun when he was in Lucheng.
It was only later that we found out that the storyteller was actually an evil cultivator who had killed countless people, and Zuo Qiuxun was no longer with him.
He touched the cloth bag behind his back, as if this could make him feel at ease. Chu Wenze glanced at him suspiciously, and then looked at each other with Yan Ruoli. They were all curious about what Xu Huaigu was carrying behind his back, but no one asked him.
Xicheng was particularly lively and crowded tonight. They were riding in a large carriage, and even though there were servants in front of them who kept yelling at them to clear the way, they were moving very slowly.
It wasn't until the sky turned completely dark and a bright full moon hung high in the sky that the group arrived at the shore of Bishui Lake.
However, at this time, Bishui Lake was already crowded with people who came to set off lanterns. Xu Huaigu looked out the car window and saw a bustling crowd outside.
The crowd was noisy, moving, and laughing. There were already many lanterns in the sky at this time. From the ground, it looked like countless stars in the distance had fallen nearby, twinkling brightly.
Chu Xiuyang stuck her head out, glanced at the sky, and shouted excitedly: "It looks good! This is much better than watching the lanterns in the palace!" Chu Wenze quickly patted her and signaled her to shut up.
Only then did Chu Xiuyang react, and she
The word "imperial palace" was spoken. However, she was still in high spirits. She winked playfully and said, "What's the point? Even if my family is a minor official, I can still watch the lanterns in the palace! Who would have thought of our identities!" Chu Wenze Still worried, he still reminded: "It's better to be careful, so as not to cause unnecessary trouble." Chu Xiuyang nodded and said eagerly: "Let's go down quickly. There are already many people on the tower. If we don't go, we will be crowded." We can't go up." Chu Wenze looked up at the tower, and sure enough he saw a sea of people up there. People rushed to poke their heads out of the corridor and set off the lanterns in their hands as if they were rushing.
Chu Wenze frowned. He only knew that it was surrounded by mountains and rivers and had myths and legends. It was a good place to put lanterns, but he didn't expect that there would be so many people.
It's just that he's here, and Chu Xiuyang seems to be indifferent. Judging from the look on his face, he is about to have a big fight with those who are crowding in. Chu Wenze has no choice but to get out of the carriage and lead the four people behind him in the crowd. Squeezing forward.
Chu Xiuyang took the lead and rushed into the crowd. Chu Wenze immediately shouted: "Xiu Yang, wait a minute! Don't get separated!" At this moment, two people rushed from the crowd nearby. came out and blocked Chu Xiuyang's way.
Those two people were both old men, one of them had an immortal appearance, and the other had thick eyebrows and big eyes. They were the old Taoist priest and the old eunuch martial artist who followed Chu Wenze in the Fuyao Sect.
It's just that both of them have changed into ordinary people's clothes at this time, and they don't look dazzling at all in the crowd.
Chu Xiuyuan was stopped by the two men and had to stop unhappy. The old Taoist priest walked up to Chu Wenze and said to him: "Your Highness, the crowd in front is too crowded. Grandmaster Cai and I can't protect you from a distance. If there is an emergency, we won't be able to get here at once. Please, Your Highness Allow us to protect you personally." Chu Wenze looked very embarrassed.
When he came to put out lanterns this time, what he wanted most was to have a chance to be alone with Yan Ruoli. With these two old guys around to watch his words and deeds, he was not free everywhere, and he didn't want to do this.
Chu Wenze frowned, pondered for a while and said: "I appreciate your kindness, but this time they and I want to put out lanterns, and it would be inconvenient for you two to follow me. I think you just stay here. Below, just wait for me to come back." The martial arts master named Cai quickly raised his hands and said urgently: "Absolutely not, Your Highness. The crowds here are surging now, and it is the time when fish and dragons mix. If Your Highness goes there alone, I am afraid it will be in danger. . It is our duty to protect His Highness, please allow us to protect him personally." Chu Wenze glanced at Yan Ruoli and saw that she seemed a little unhappy at this time, and suddenly began to become impatient and said: "Oh, Grandmaster Cai's words are wrong. We came all the way here, went to the Fuyao Sect, and stayed at the Yan family for several days, but we didn't see anything happen. Could it be that it was such a coincidence that it happened tonight? I I know that you two want to protect me with all your heart, but I am already in my twenties. When I leave the palace this time, I just want to have a chance to be alone with Miss Yan and put on the lanterns. You two should stay down there." Then Cai Cai The grandmaster wanted to say something more, but Chu Wenze glared at him fiercely. He sighed softly and stopped talking.
After finally convincing the two personal protectors not to accompany him up, Chu Wenze breathed a sigh of relief, took Yan Ruoli's hand, and walked towards the tower in the middle of the clear water lake.
Fortunately, although the crowd was crowded, many servants brought by the Yan family were in front to clear the way for the following people, so the walk went smoothly.
Several people rowed a small boat and arrived at the tower in the middle of the lake. And surrounded by the servants, he walked to the top of the tower.
At this time, only a few servants carrying lanterns followed. After finally squeezing to the top of the tower, the group found a place to stand near the outside and took the lanterns from the hands of the servants. Only then did Xu Huaigu get to watch the beautiful lanterns carefully.
It turns out that the style of the Yan family lantern is a revolving lantern. A bright candle is lit inside the revolving lantern. Under the steam of the candle, the mechanism of the revolving lantern is pushed to rotate, causing the patterns on the lantern to continuously change.
The patterns on the lanterns are all-encompassing, including beauties wearing gauze, flowers, birds, insects, fish, and soldiers on the battlefield.
And the carvings are very exquisite, with gold and silver threads intermingling with each other. Under the candlelight, the gold and silver threads are even more radiant and beautiful.
Gu Sanyule couldn't help but asked quietly: "This lantern is so gorgeous, how much money should it cost?" Yan Ruoli thought she was embarrassed to ask for such an expensive gift, so she said: "It's not expensive actually. The craftsmen of the lanterns are all the craftsmen supported by our Yan family, and the cost is about fifty taels of silver, which is nothing." Gu Sanyue lowered his head in silence.
Fifty taels of silver is the living expenses of an ordinary person for two or three years. Chu Wenze gave everyone a lantern in their hands and said with a gentle smile: "This lantern is the most exquisite lantern in Xicheng. I believe the lantern god will pay more attention to it. Everyone, think about your wishes first, and then Keep making your wish, and I hope that all your wishes will come true!" Chu Wenze was the first to speak out his wish loudly: "I hope that I can be with Yan Ruoli forever, and that Fusang Country can be strong forever. I won’t be swallowed up by the demon clan for thousands of years.” Yan Ruoli opened her eyes and looked at him affectionately, tears seemed to flash in her Qiu Shui eyes.
She also said affectionately: "I also hope to be with His Highness forever. I hope that His Highness can always be free from worries and not worry too much about family and country affairs." Xu Huaigu made a wish and said: "I hope this world will always be peaceful and prosperous. "Chu Wenze asked with a smile: "Xiu Yang, do you have any wishes in mind?" Chu Xiu Yang tilted his head, looked at him strangely, and said, "But I heard from others that if you say your wish, you won't be able to do it. If it works, I won't tell you." Chu Wenze, who was reading a book, asked doubtfully: "Is there such a rule? Then wouldn't it mean that all the wishes we made before will not work?" Chu Xiuyang smiled and shook his head and said: " Anyway, I won’t tell you.” Chu Wenze doted on her and said, “If you’re happy today, it’s up to you.” Gu Sanyue closed his eyes, clasped his hands together, and whispered seriously: “I hope Xu Huaigu won’t leave her alone. Me." Chu Xiuyang didn't hear clearly and asked curiously: "What wish did you make? I didn't hear clearly." Gu Sanyue smiled and shook his head and said, "If you don't tell me, I won't tell you either. ." Xu Huaigu looked at Gu Sanyue silently.
Chu Wenze lifted the lantern out of the tower and said with a smile: "Okay, maybe the wish is over, it's time to put the lanterns out!" Chu Xiuyang couldn't wait to reach out and put the lanterns outside, and gently relaxed his hands. , the delicate and light lantern flew unsteadily into the deep night.
In Gu March, Yan Ruoli and Xu Huaigu also set off lanterns one after another. The five lanterns slowly ascended to the sky carrying everyone's different wishes.
Xu Huaigu looked at the lanterns and felt a lot. But suddenly, almost in the blink of an eye, the five lanterns suddenly went out.
Before everyone could react, Xu Huaigu only felt a chill in his heart, and a random evil spirit hit his face.
He frowned suddenly, the sword on his waist was unsheathed, and he shouted angrily: "There is a demon!"
