Chapter 45: Stunning Talent

The private booth was bustling with activity.

A large group from the Cheng family was gathered on one side. Over by Zhou Yuanshen's side were Fan Xiao and Helian Jian, along with two young girls who shared some facial resemblance to Helian Jian, likely children from Prince Rong's estate.

Cheng Zhao shot her fourth brother a look.

The siblings went out to the corridor to talk.

"...How did so many people end up together?" Cheng Zhao asked.

Cheng Chao replied, "We ran into Fan Xiao, and he invited us over. The Lantern King was moved to a different spot this year, so the booth we booked was facing the wrong way."

Cheng Zhao: "You didn't ask around beforehand? What use are you?"

Cheng Chao: "You didn't contribute money or effort, so what are you picking at? If you don't want to sit here, go out and play by yourself."

He added, "Besides, there are no outsiders here."

Centered around Cheng Zhao and Zhou Yuanshen, everyone present was indeed family or friends: the Fan family were close relatives, and Prince Rong's estate were close neighbors.

Since things had already come to this, Cheng Zhao couldn't say much more. She silently noted another strike against Cheng Chao in her heart, deciding never to entrust him with important matters in the future.

Fan Xiao even invited a songstress into the private booth to play the lute and sing.

After sitting for a short while, the Lantern King downstairs began to light up.

It was a massive lantern equipped with mechanical gears that allowed it to rotate on its own. It had twenty-four panels featuring beautiful women, flowers and birds, and landscapes, so beautiful it was dazzling.

It could be seen right from the window of the private booth. Visually, it felt closer and more breathtaking than being downstairs.

"This year's Lantern King was made by the Liao family workshop. the Liao clan is the best at making lanterns."

"It is indeed beautiful. However, I wonder who was hired to paint the lantern panels? It lacks the simple elegance of last year's," someone said.

Fan Xiao said, "It was still painted by the scholars of Hengshan Academy; it's them every year. Perhaps a different group did it this year, as they used much richer and vibrant colors."

Cheng Zhao, however, said, "Last year's was too plain. This year's is just right. On such a wonderful day, it should be heavily colored to reflect the lively and prosperous atmosphere."

The eldest sister laughed, "My little sister is a person of worldly tastes."

Fan Xiao said, "The Duchess's opinion coincides with mine. I also think vibrant richness is auspicious."

Zhou Yuanshen glanced at him.

Fan Xiao took the opportunity to say, "Isn't that right, Yuanshen?"

Several members of the Cheng family looked over.

Zhou Yuanshen had no choice but to say, "Yes."

"He's saying one thing but meaning another. He actually liked last year's. He painted the 'Fishing in the Snow' piece from last year. A teacher at Hengshan Academy used to be his private tutor and specially invited him to paint that picture," Fan Xiao said.

Hengshan Academy was the largest academy in the current dynasty, yearned for by many scholars.

This topic was interesting, and everyone chimed in eagerly.

Zhou Yuanshen did not join in the replies.

He looked straight ahead, not glancing sideways.

Cheng Zhao had no interest in this; she wanted a rotating lotus lantern.

Vendors didn't sell lanterns equipped with mechanical rotating gears. Instead, they required solving very difficult riddles to win them, serving as an attraction for tourists.

Some people, unable to solve them, had to settle for the next best thing and buy other lanterns.

"...You must win one for me later," Cheng Zhao said to Zhou Yuanqi. "Call my third sister to come along. If you get it before she does, I will give you a reward."

"What kind of reward?"

"My grandfather still has many books and calligraphy copybooks, as well as precious inkstones and brushes. What do you want?" Cheng Zhao said.

Zhou Yuanqi's eyes brightened significantly.

Cheng Zhao walked toward her third sister, who was sitting in the corner.

Cheng Ying sat there alone, silent but not gloomy.

On the contrary, quite a few people in the private booth would secretly steal glances at her.

Her outstanding appearance and noble temperament made her resemble a magnolia blossom on a branch. Even sitting quietly, she possessed a strength of character that made her impossible to ignore.

Cheng Zhao called her, brought Zhou Yuanqi along, and then downstairs called for the maidservant Qiubai, along with the Cheng family guards, and headed toward the lantern market.

She linked her arm with Cheng Ying's.

"...Win three lanterns for me. One for Mother, one for my mother-in-law, and another one for myself," Cheng Zhao said.

Cheng Ying replied, "Rotating lotus lanterns are not easy to come by; only one out of ten lantern stalls has them. There will definitely be many Hengshan Academy scholars lining up for them."

Cheng Zhao: "Just do your best. It's fine if we don't get them."

She added, "Show Yuanqi what it means to possess immense talent and profound knowledge."

Cheng Ying turned to look at Zhou Yuanqi and told him, "Don't listen to your sister-in-law. There is a trick to guessing lantern riddles; it's nothing more than using a key to open a door."

"I know how to open doors too," Zhou Yuanqi said coldly.

Cheng Ying: "Yes, we have the keys."

The implication was that there was no need to be arrogant.

Zhou Yuanqi had always felt that his sister-in-law's beauty was otherworldly, unmatched by ordinary people; yet this 'Third Sister' was not inferior to his sister-in-law at all. They were like two fairies descended from the heavens, equally flawless and ethereal.

Walking through the lantern market with the two of them, Zhou Yuanqi inexplicably felt very honored.

Anyone following fairies would feel joyful.

Soon, they spotted a rotating lotus lantern.

Sure enough, the entrance was surrounded by scholars, all dressed elegantly and looking quite learned.

The riddle was a line of characters.

It wasn't a character-guessing riddle, but a character-dismantling riddle.

This kind was relatively difficult. Cheng Zhao was the worst at guessing character riddles, let alone this type that required dismantling, analyzing, and then guessing.

This kind of character riddle was like fortune-telling.

A character, its meanings and strokes, the allusions contained within after it's dismantled, and then guessing a related one; and in this sentence, which character was the central one that hinted at the answer?

Cheng Zhao took one look and was completely baffled.

Cheng Ying did not guess it immediately this time.

She glanced at the rotating lantern and said to Cheng Zhao, "The painting on this lantern is the work of Old Master Cui, the headmaster of Hengshan Academy. It bears his small seal."

Zhou Yuanqi looked at her in surprise.

Guessing a riddle also required looking at the painting—he had learned another trick.

"Is that of any use?" Cheng Zhao asked.

Cheng Ying explained, "Since the painting has an origin, the allusion contained in the riddle's answer naturally has an origin as well. Old Master Cui is most fond of the 'Bamboo Grove School'..."

She spoke softly, her voice not loud.

Outsiders couldn't hear clearly; only Zhou Yuanqi could hear.

He listened, completely stunned.

Cheng Zhao: "You don't need to teach me how to make a key, I wouldn't know how. Just guess the answer directly. Hurry, don't let anyone else snatch it away. This rotating lantern is exquisitely made; it'll probably be hard to find a better one later."

Cheng Ying's analysis was interrupted, but Zhou Yuanqi had already guessed it.

He stepped forward and said loudly, "The answer is 'Zhuangzi Dreaming of a Butterfly'."

Another scholar hurriedly answered, "The answer is 'Drumming on a Basin and Singing'."

Cheng Zhao's heart leaped into her throat as she whispered to Cheng Ying, "Which one is it?"

Cheng Ying gently patted the back of her hand.

The shopkeeper came out, saw the two people who had answered, and looked at Zhou Yuanqi in surprise.

"This young gentleman has guessed the riddle correctly."

A chorus of gasps erupted all around.

The scholars all looked at Zhou Yuanqi in amazement; some also saw Cheng Zhao and Cheng Ying, their gazes lingering, unwilling to look away.

Suyue and the guards blocked them from the front.

"Young gentleman, please come in and sit for a while, and leave some of your calligraphy for our humble shop," the shopkeeper warmly invited.

Zhou Yuanqi frowned.

He didn't want to.

The shopkeeper tried to pull him, and the others, for whatever unknown purpose, started cheering to urge him and the Cheng sisters to go into the shop.

Things got a little chaotic, but then someone spoke up: "There's no need. Just give him the lantern."

A man stood in the shadows against the light. His posture was tall and straight, his presence intimidating, instantly dissolving the commotion of the crowd.

For the first time, Zhou Yuanqi looked his brother square in the eye.

A brute was still of some use after all.