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The girls inserted their incense sticks into the incense burner one by one. Ju looked at the two longest sticks and chuckled, "Sister Hancui and Sister Zhou Le are offering their last prayers to the Weaver Girl, and their incense is the longest."
In this world, only unmarried girls could pray to the Weaver Girl; married women were not qualified. Hearing Ju's words, the other girls burst into laughter, teasing the two. Their faces turned red from embarrassment as Hancui stomped her foot, "You lot, just wait until I tear your mouths off!"
The girls laughed and scattered, while Hancui chased after Ju, the instigator of the teasing. Their laughter echoed far and wide, causing Wen Zixia and others who had just prayed to Kuaixing to join in the mirth. Meanwhile, a group of weary men had just arrived at the village outskirts. Upon hearing the joyful laughter that rang like silver bells, they couldn't help but smile. Those voices belonged to their sisters, nieces, and future daughters-in-law!
This group was part of the young men from the village who had been conscripted years ago. Thanks to Elder Brother Li, they had developed impressive skills and learned emergency medical knowledge under his guidance, allowing them all to survive on the battlefield. However, they had sustained various injuries that slightly affected their mobility—not enough to hinder daily life or labor but making it difficult to continue serving in the military. They returned home with compensation from the government. Although they couldn't remain in service like their able-bodied peers, they were content to be alive and back in their hometown.
The commotion of a group entering the village drew attention; some rode horses, stirring curiosity among the villagers who came out to investigate. Tears flew with the wind as cries of joy filled the air; families reunited in a lively atmosphere. Although some families were disappointed that their loved ones did not return, they were still happy for those who did. Their sons had become officials and could not leave easily; however, once back in the capital, they would have a holiday to return home for ancestral worship.
With such a sudden turn of events, the girls could no longer participate in activities like threading needles for Qiqiao Festival and had to return home with regrets. It was a pity for the joy spiders they had worked so hard to catch...
Compared to Aoyama Village's Qiqiao Festival, the capital was much livelier with more activities. Beautiful lanterns adorned the streets; after praying to the Weaver Girl, the girls would head out together to admire them. This allowed them to walk openly with men, resulting in many couples strolling down the streets.
Geng Shian and Elder Brother Li walked casually through the bustling streets lined with colorful decorations. Some shops had hired musicians and performers for entertainment amidst the cheerful crowd. Observing this lively scene brought thoughts of battlefields and fallen soldiers to their minds.
"Are girls in the capital this bold?" Elder Brother Li wondered as he held onto an embroidered handkerchief, unsure how to handle it.
Geng Shian confidently stuffed all his handkerchiefs into his pocket. "It's just for today. It's a custom where young unmarried girls can choose men they like by throwing handkerchiefs at them. If a man likes a girl too, he approaches her; if not, he simply walks away. These handkerchiefs are specially prepared by girls for this occasion and won't reveal any personal information, so you can throw them without worry. You don't have to return them; just use them freely."
Elder Brother Li was speechless.
What does a grown man need an embroidered handkerchief for? That's too effeminate!
He decisively shoved his handkerchief into Geng Shian's hands and clapped his hands together before walking ahead casually. However, after walking less than ten meters, something suddenly flew toward him from an unknown direction. Quick on his feet, Elder Brother Li caught it effortlessly and examined it closely—it was another handkerchief wrapped around a golden hairpin. The handkerchief was made of exquisite silk with embroidery far more delicate than any he had received before; the hairpin was even more remarkable—crafted entirely from gold with a phoenix design featuring intricate details.
Elder Brother Li turned around to find who had thrown it and spotted a beautifully dressed woman standing gracefully amidst the dim lights. She had striking features with a hint of mischief in her expression that did not detract from her overall elegance—truly a stunning beauty. However, having seen many stars in his past life, Elder Brother Li did not find her particularly beautiful—at least not compared to his fiancée.
He could accept the handkerchief but would never take such an expensive hairpin. Holding both items, he approached the woman as she blushed deeply while twisting her own embroidered handkerchief in anticipation of his arrival.
Elder Brother Li walked over to the young woman and handed her a handkerchief and a hairpin. "Miss, you dropped your hairpin. Please take care of it. Such a precious item should be looked after well; you wouldn't want to lose it again."
He stuffed the hairpin and handkerchief into her hands without waiting for her reaction and turned to leave.
The young woman was infuriated by Elder Brother Li's obliviousness. Her face changed dramatically as she stomped her foot in anger and hurried away with her maid and bodyguards.
Geng Shi'an sighed dramatically as Elder Brother Li returned to his side. "You really wasted a chance with a beauty."
Elder Brother Li smiled slightly. "With a virtuous wife at home, it's better not to indulge in such beauty from the start. That young lady is accompanied by a maid and guards; she clearly isn't an ordinary person, and I don't want to attract trouble."
"Better not to attract trouble," Mo Yan, the Princess, and Yue Yunfei emerged from the crowd, holding hands, with Yue Yunfei grinning like a fool. Elder Brother Li thought he should be able to toast to his friend's wedding before leaving the capital.
"Fortunately, you didn't accept anything from her," Mo Yan, the Princess, remarked.
"Why? Does that girl already have someone?" Geng Shi'an asked curiously.
Mo Yan, the Princess, scoffed. "Who would want her?"
Elder Brother Li was also intrigued. "I thought that girl was quite beautiful and came from a wealthy background. Why would no one want her?"
Mo Yan, the Princess, asked, "Do you know who she is?"
The three men shook their heads in unison, including Yue Yunfei, who had been away from the capital for at least five years and was unfamiliar with its people and affairs.
Mo Yan, the Princess, explained, "That woman is the daughter of Loyalty Prince's Uncle, known as Snow Orchid County Mistress. She has a notorious reputation in the capital."
Geng Shi'an responded, "Shouldn't a prince's daughter be titled as a county princess?"
Yue Yunfei simultaneously asked, "Notorious? What has she done? Is she fiercer than you?"
With a swift kick, she exclaimed, "Is it that you haven't been taught a lesson, and now you're getting restless again?"
Geng Shi'an quickly intervened, eager to gossip about the Snow Orchid County Mistress with her.
Mo Yan replied, "The street isn't a good place for conversation. I'm tired anyway; let's find a teahouse to sit down."
The other three gentlemen had no objections. Although they weren't tired, they were drenched in sweat from the crowd and wanted to find a place to catch their breath. The four of them entered a nearby teahouse. The establishment had three floors, and both the first and second floors were packed with people. Mo Yan pulled out a gold ingot and reserved the most expensive private room on the third floor. Although it was a private room, it was open on two sides; aside from one wall and an entrance door, there were large windows on the other two sides. One side faced the street, offering a view of the bustling crowd and the beautiful lights below; the other side overlooked a stage where performances took place. This arrangement felt safer, allowing them to share some essential gossip from the capital without worry.
"Li Xuelan was originally a princess but ruined herself," Mo Yan began after nibbling on some snacks and sipping tea. "This woman is extremely domineering; she insists on taking whatever she desires and often snatched things from me and my sisters in the past. A couple of years ago, she set her sights on Lord Liu from Hanlin Academy and insisted on marrying him. However, Lord Liu already had a fiancée and couldn't possibly marry her. This woman is ruthless; she even sent someone to burn down Lord Liu's fiancée's house. The entire family, over thirty people including servants, were burned alive, except for one young man who was away studying at the academy and managed to escape. Lord Liu's fiancée came from an official family; although their rank wasn't high, how could the emperor not investigate when such a tragedy occurred? Once investigated, they couldn't find any evidence against Li Xuelan. The emperor was furious, and Loyal and Obedient Uncle Wang pleaded with him, but he could only strip Li Xuelan of her princess title and demote her to County Princess. Instead of reflecting at home, Li Xuelan continued to pursue Lord Liu. Knowing that the Yue family suffered because of him, Lord Liu felt deeply guilty and chose to retreat into monastic life to pray for them. It's tragic how this once-promising young man was ruined by Li Xuelan. From then on, everyone in the capital knew her as a notorious villainess, and no one wanted to marry her. Even with many promises from Loyal Prince, no one was willing to take that risk. Realizing she couldn't marry anyone in the capital anymore, she set her sights on outsiders. Li Wei Feng—you're handsome enough for her to notice you. Be careful; this woman won't give up easily."
Elder Brother Li's face darkened upon hearing this.
Geng Shi'an worriedly suggested, "Should we write to your fiancée's family so they can hide for now? We wouldn't want them to fall victim to Li Xuelan's schemes."
Elder Brother Li shook his head. "No need; with Li Xuelan's capabilities, she won't find my fiancée's family."
"What about Loyal Prince? What if Li Xuelan seeks his father's help?" Yue Yunfei chimed in with concern.
"Loyal Prince won't be able to find them either." No one in this world could locate Nono—not even him.
"You all needn't worry; Loyal Prince's Uncle won't assist Li Xuelan in finding anyone. If he helps her harm innocents again, the emperor won't spare Loyal Prince's Residence."
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