Legend of the Female General

Chapter 226 Lantern Riddles

He Yan walked up to Xiao Jue. His gaze swept over her, and he immediately frowned slightly. "Why are you dressed so lightly?"

"It's too hot," He Yan replied, swallowing her bitterness and cursing Chi Wu inwardly while maintaining a calm expression on her face. She fanned herself with her hand and said, "For some reason, I just feel really warm."

Xiao Jue made a move to take off his cloak, but He Yan swiftly stopped him. "Really, there's no need. If I feel cold, I can always go back and get a coat later. The reason I'm dressed like this is because it's too hot. Haven't you heard Lin Shuanghe say it before? Sometimes people feel hot, and wearing too many layers can trap the heat inside, making them more prone to illness." She rambled on, making things up as she went.

Xiao Jue stared at her, half-convinced and half-skeptical.

He Yan grabbed his arm. "Alright, let's not worry about what I'm wearing anymore. Let's head to the East Market first. If we're late, we might miss the best parts."

Within Shuojing City, the markets and commerce were bustling, divided into the East Market, West Market, South Market, and North Market based on their locations. The most prosperous among them was the East Market, which was close to the City God Temple.

The East Market was further divided into twelve monthly markets: the Lantern Market in the first month, the Flower Market in the second, the Silkworm Market in the third, the Brocade Market in the fourth, the Fan Market in the fifth, the Incense Market in the sixth, the Treasure Market in the seventh, the Osmanthus Market in the eighth, the Medicine Market in the ninth, the Wine Market in the tenth, the Plum Market in the eleventh, and the Peach Charm Market in the twelfth.

It was now the end of the eleventh month and the beginning of the twelfth. The Plum Market had already closed, leaving only a few stalls selling piles of red plum blossoms. The Peach Charm Market had just begun, with stalls everywhere selling calligraphy and spring couplets. At every stop, crowds gathered, cheering, applauding, and exclaiming in admiration—it was incredibly lively.

As the New Year approached, the Lantern Market had also begun to light up. The streets were ablaze with ever-changing lights, packed with people, creating a festive atmosphere.

As He Yan followed Xiao Jue to the entrance of the East Market, she could already feel the bustling crowd.

"It's so lively," she exclaimed, looking up at the colorful lanterns hanging overhead. "This is my first time visiting a night market."

"First time?" Xiao Jue turned to look at her.

He Yan nodded. "Yes, I could never come to crowded places like this before, to avoid exposing any flaws. Every year, when the younger members of the He family went to the night market together, I was so envious. Back in Jiyang City, I thought the night market there was really fun, but I never expected Shuojing City's to be just as good. It's so beautiful!"

Her eyes were filled with excitement and joy. Having lived two lifetimes, she felt as happy as a child at this moment. Night markets weren't exclusive to the wealthy—ordinary people could come here to have fun, but for the person before her, this was her first time.

Many things that ordinary people took for granted were forbidden to her.

The young man looked at the girl beside him, his gaze gentle and sympathetic. The next moment, He Yan was already tugging at his sleeve, pushing through the crowd toward a stall selling sugar figures.

"Sugar figures!" He Yan exclaimed happily. "I remember when I was little and couldn't come to the night market, I was so desperate that I asked my aunt to buy one for me when she went. I couldn't bear to eat it, so I stuck it in my pen holder. In the end, it melted and made a mess everywhere." She turned to look at Xiao Jue. "Xiao Jue, do you want one? I'll buy one for you. What would you like? This qilin looks nice, or do you prefer the phoenix?"

Xiao Jue glanced at the various sugar figures stuck in the straw bundle. "No.""Why not?" He Yan was quite generous. "I have silver, I'll buy it for you."

Xiao Jue's gaze shifted from the sugar figure to her face, his tone indifferent. "No flower basket."

"Flower... basket?" He Yan was baffled. "Do you like flower baskets?"

His tone was as calm as ever, yet within that calmness, there was a subtle, almost imperceptible nuance. "Back in Jiyang City, didn't you give Chu Zilan a red sugar flower basket?"

"How do you know?" He Yan was startled.

"I just know." The man raised an eyebrow slightly and turned to walk ahead. He Yan hurried to catch up, finally realizing the undertone in Xiao Jue's words—it sounded somewhat displeased.

Alright, giving something to his rival probably bothered Young Master Xiao Er quite a bit.

"...At the time, he gave me a tassel," He Yan tightly gripped his sleeve to avoid getting separated in the crowded crowd, while trying to appease him with loyalty. "I just felt that accepting gifts puts one at a disadvantage, so I couldn't possibly owe him a favor. That's why I gave him a flower basket. You know how hard it is to repay favors in this world. Our relationship isn't like that—we don't need to be so particular. Don't be angry anymore. Why hold onto such old, trivial matters? Commander Xiao is magnanimous and shouldn't bother with such small things with a woman like me. Commander Xiao, Second Young Master... Little Young Master?"

Xiao Jue seemed annoyed by her pestering. He turned his head away, his expression serious, but the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

He Yan could tell he wasn't as bothered as before. Turning her head, she spotted a street vendor selling Yangchun noodles and pulled him toward it. "Today is your birthday, so you should have a bowl of longevity noodles. Come on, my treat!"

The noodle sellers were a couple who had set up an iron pot by the street. Water boiled in the pot, a bamboo basket held flour nearby, and small jars of salt and vinegar were arranged on a table. A few tables and low stools were placed on either side, forming their makeshift shop.

He Yan asked Xiao Jue to sit first, then ran over to the proprietress with a smile. "One bowl of noodles." After a pause, she added, "Today is this young master's birthday," she secretly pointed at Xiao Jue, "Could you please make this bowl of noodles extra special? Add an egg, more vegetables, and some extra braised meat... Hmm, a chicken leg would be nice too..."

"Enough, enough, miss," the proprietor on the side chuckled. "Any more, and the bowl won't be able to hold it all."

"Oh," He Yan nodded. "Then let's start with that."

The proprietress kneaded the dough while smiling. "The young master sitting over there is your sweetheart, isn't he? He's truly handsome."

He Yan blushed and didn't dare respond.

The proprietress probably didn't recognize Xiao Jue and was simply captivated by his good looks. "I've been selling noodles here for so long, but this is the first time I've seen such a handsome young master. Since you're a couple, why not order a bowl of yuanxiao too? Sesame-filled ones. Eating a bowl of yuanxiao together at the lantern market means you'll be sweethearts for life."

"No need," He Yan laughed. "This young master doesn't eat sweets."

"What a pity," the proprietress still smiled warmly, not pressing further.

He Yan was about to walk back to Xiao Jue when, after two steps, she turned around and, as if possessed, said to the proprietress, "Actually... let's have a bowl after all."

The proprietress beamed. "Coming right up!"

When the longevity noodles arrived, Xiao Jue stared at the bowl in front of him and fell silent for a moment. "He Yan, are you feeding a pig?"The bowl wasn't particularly large, yet it was filled to the brim with noodles. On top lay an egg, some vibrant green vegetables, and several large pieces of braised pork—a truly lavish serving that looked as though it might spill over at any moment. The bowls at other tables held only plain noodles in clear broth, but the one before Xiao Jue was distinctly different.

"Eat up," He Yan said, handing him a pair of chopsticks. "Since it's your birthday, we can't just treat it as any ordinary day. I specially asked the proprietress to add these for you. It's my treat, so don't hold back."

The gazes of everyone around them were fixed on their table. For the first time in his life, Xiao Jue found himself being stared at as if he were a glutton. Yet the girl across from him rested her chin in her hands, her smile utterly sincere. After a moment of hesitation, he resignedly picked up the chopsticks and began to eat the longevity noodles before him.

He Yan was quite pleased. "Remember to finish it all."

Xiao Jue's chopsticks trembled slightly, but he managed to maintain his composure.

Just then, the proprietress brought over the glutinous rice balls. Nine perfectly round dumplings floated in a red-bottomed porcelain bowl, looking especially delightful. Whether intentionally or not, the proprietress had given them only one spoon. He Yan lowered her head, scooped one up, and took a bite. The sesame filling was wonderfully sweet.

It had been bitterly cold when they stepped outside, but the bustling night market and the crowded streets had driven away much of the chill. Now, with the warmth of the hot soup, the sweetness of the glutinous rice balls, and the person sitting quietly across from her enjoying his noodles, He Yan was suddenly struck by a sense of peace and contentment.

Those days filled with danger, schemes, and the glint of blades seemed to fade into the distance, as if this tranquil moment could stretch on forever.

She smiled softly to herself and obediently picked up the spoon to continue eating the glutinous rice balls.

One bowl of glutinous rice balls and one bowl of longevity noodles—they ate slowly, savoring each bite.

Perhaps it was He Yan's "insistent hospitality," or perhaps it was the proprietress's excellent cooking, but Xiao Jue finally managed to finish the entire bowl of noodles. As he set down his chopsticks, He Yan was just finishing her eighth glutinous rice ball.

Just as she was about to scoop up the ninth, she suddenly remembered what the proprietress had said earlier.

"When two people share a bowl of glutinous rice balls at the lantern market, they'll be sweethearts for life."

A lifetime—she had always thought such a notion was distant, yet somehow, without her realizing it, she had begun to yearn for and anticipate it.

Xiao Jue noticed her hesitation and asked, "What's wrong?"

He Yan gently pushed the red-bottomed porcelain bowl toward the center of the table, looked up into Xiao Jue's eyes, and cleared her throat softly. "Would you... like to have one too?"

Xiao Jue lowered his gaze to the bowl, which now held only one glutinous rice ball, and remained silent.

He Yan suddenly felt inexplicably guilty, as though she were some kind of demon trying to seduce an innocent maiden. She added hastily, "I just remembered you don't like sweets anymore... Never mind—"

Xiao Jue smiled faintly, said nothing, took the bowl from her, picked up the spoon she had been using, and ate the remaining glutinous rice ball.

The proprietress, who was clearing the dishes at the next table, saw this and chuckled. "Ah, two people sharing a bowl of glutinous rice balls—how sweet! A perfect match, indeed."

He Yan was startled and instinctively glanced at Xiao Jue. The young man's beautiful eyes were fixed on her, as if he had glimpsed her hidden thoughts.

He Yan shot to her feet, fished a few copper coins from her pocket, and stammered, "Well, we're done eating. Let's go."

And with that, she fled in a fluster.After eating their fill and strolling through the night market, they felt much warmer. When He Yan and Xiao Jue reached a certain spot, they noticed a large crowd gathered ahead. He Yan casually asked a young man beside her, "Excuse me, what's happening up there?"

The man glanced at He Yan and replied, "It's a lantern riddle game. Today is the last day. If you want to join, you can still make it. The more riddles you solve, the better your chance of winning that most beautiful peacock lantern!"

Since they were already at the night market, it was only natural to join in the fun. He Yan grabbed Xiao Jue's hand and squeezed through the crowd. Once inside, they saw a long corridor with eaves adorned with colorful lanterns of all kinds. Beneath each lantern hung a slip of paper with written characters—the riddles. Most of the people here were couples or lovers. Some had already solved quite a few riddles and were carrying several lanterns in their arms. Seeing this, He Yan grew eager and asked Xiao Jue, "Do you have a favorite lantern? I'll win one for you."

Xiao Jue lowered his gaze to look at her. "You'll win one for me?"

"Of course. Isn't today your birthday? Whatever you want, I'll buy it for you. Winning a lantern is nothing. After all, I did study at the Virtuous Prosperity Academy."

Xiao Jue smiled faintly and was about to speak when suddenly, someone called out from not far away, "Xiao Huaijin!"

He Yan turned to look and saw a couple walking toward them under the corridor. It was none other than Yan He and Xia Chengxiu.

The couple was dressed in matching goose-yellow long robes and jackets, looking perfectly coordinated. Yan He was his usual self, never looking directly at anyone, his ponytail swinging high as he walked. Before He Yan could even speak, Yan He addressed Xiao Jue, "Well, well, what a rare guest. I never thought I'd see the day Xiao Huaijin would come to a night market."

Compared to Yan He's rudeness, Xia Chengxiu was much gentler. She smiled at He Yan and Xiao Jue and said, "Miss He, Commander Xiao."

He Yan returned the greeting. "Miss Chengxiu."

Yan He finally noticed He Yan standing beside Xiao Jue. He glanced at the two of them and made a disgusted expression. "Xiao Huaijin, don't tell me you specifically came to the night market to accompany this kid... this person." He pretended to rub his arm. "Disgusting. I'm getting goosebumps all over!"

He Yan: "..." Where did this guy get the right to criticize others? Wasn't he also accompanying his wife to the night market?

Xia Chengxiu tugged at Yan He's sleeve, but he protested, "What? I didn't say anything wrong."

"Sorry," Xia Chengxiu smiled apologetically at He Yan. "Nan Guang has this kind of temperament. He's just joking; he means no harm. Are you two also here to guess lantern riddles, Miss He?"

He Yan nodded. "Yes. We happened to pass by. Is General Yan also guessing riddles?"

"Women's pastimes. I don't guess," Yan He said. "I'm here to accompany Chengxiu." His gaze fell on Xiao Jue. "Xiao Huaijin, you—"

"He's not guessing either. He's here to accompany me," He Yan quickly cut him off. Yan He was the type to turn into a fighting rooster whenever he encountered Xiao Jue, always eager to compete. If Xiao Jue decided to guess riddles, it would only ignite Yan He's competitive spirit, and they'd spend the entire night watching the two of them compete in riddle-solving instead of enjoying the market.

To ensure she could still explore other places later, He Yan decisively intervened.

"Fine," Yan He said, crossing his arms. "Then hurry up and guess."He Yan and Xia Chengxiu exchanged a glance. Xia Chengxiu smiled slightly and directly took a slip of paper from the lantern in front of her. Following her lead, He Yan also looked at a lantern beside her.

The riddle on it was quite simple: "Every mountain holds thoughts of longing." He Yan recognized all the characters, but when strung together, she couldn’t grasp the meaning.

Over there, Xia Chengxiu had already taken the slip and read it aloud: "The feeling of parting from you." After a brief thought, she looked at the vendor. Is it 'jade'?"

"You have a sharp eye, miss," the lantern craftsman said with a laugh, handing Xia Chengxiu a wooden token marked with a red stroke.

It seemed that collecting ten strokes would allow one to exchange for a lantern here.

He Yan took a deep breath, feeling that perhaps the riddle she had chosen wasn’t quite right. It might be better to switch to a simpler one. With that thought, she walked over to a lotus-shaped lantern and picked up the slip hanging beneath it.

"Neither winter nor summer."

He Yan: "..." What on earth was this?

She glanced sideways at Xiao Jue, who was standing not far away, watching her leisurely. Unwilling to lose face, He Yan cleared her throat softly and moved to another spot.

"Mist veils the towers, moonlight confuses the ferry."

He Yan: "?"

She was on the verge of tears. Earlier, she had boasted that she had, after all, studied at the Virtuous Prosperity Academy. Now, she felt that perhaps it would have been better not to have studied at all. What were these things? She recognized every character, but when combined, they made no sense. Looking at the other women who were guessing riddles with ease, He Yan felt utterly overwhelmed. Even the most difficult battles she had faced were nothing compared to this moment of embarrassment.

Just as she stood there, clutching the slip in her hand and unsure what to do, a voice suddenly came from behind her: "Weren’t you going to give me a lantern?"

At some point, Xiao Jue had walked over and was now standing right behind her. He Yan let out a vague "hmm" and fell silent.

The corners of his lips curved upward. "It seems your poetry and literature haven’t improved much over the years."

"Different fields require different expertise," He Yan argued stubbornly. "I can’t excel at everything."

He seemed to chuckle softly, his warm breath brushing against He Yan’s neck, making her itch slightly. Over there, Xia Chengxiu had already guessed ten riddles in the blink of an eye. The craftsman marked her wooden token with ten strokes, and she exchanged it for a jade rabbit lantern.

Yan He held the lantern in his arms, looking smugly at He Yan. "Why haven’t you guessed one yet? Did you never study? Xiao Huaijin," he said, one arm around Xia Chengxiu, even daring to provoke Xiao Jue, "the wife you’ve chosen isn’t as good as mine."

Was Yan He out of his mind? He Yan was speechless. Was he thinking that since he couldn’t beat Xiao Jue in anything else, he might as well compete over their wives? Everyone had their strengths and weaknesses—how could he be so shallow!

While she was inwardly cursing Yan He, Xiao Jue suddenly whispered in her ear, "Ignore him." Then, standing behind her, he followed her movements and picked up the riddle slip in front of He Yan.

Xiao Jue was very tall, and when he reached for the slip from behind, he had to lean forward slightly. From an outsider’s perspective, it looked as though he had encircled He Yan in his arms. He Yan could almost feel the warmth of his chest against her back, and the tips of her ears flushed red. Before she could even look at the slip again, Xiao Jue had already spoken: "Both places are lost in vast emptiness."

"Huh?" He Yan was momentarily stunned.

But the craftsman laughed, bringing over a wooden tray. "You’ve guessed correctly, young master!""Xiao Huaijin, you're cheating." Yan He fumed indignantly. "How can you help her guess!"

"What's it to you?" He Yan couldn't hold back any longer, retorting at him. "If you're unhappy about it, you can help me guess too!"

"Who wants to help you guess!" Yan He flicked his sleeve. "Let's go, let's go, seeing them just annoys me!" He took Xia Chengxiu's hand and left.

Now, He Yan finally had time to focus her mind on the lantern riddles before her.

She pulled the slips of paper from the front and read the words aloud, while Xiao Jue gave the answers from behind.

"Since ancient times, deep affection leaves only regret."

"Endless sorrow."

"Add one when reaching ten, then subtract three."

"Fortress."

This man had always been the top scholar at Virtuous Prosperity Academy. When He Yan read out the lantern riddles, he didn't even need to think—he immediately spoke the answers. Xiao Jue was already exceptionally handsome, and a clever, handsome young man always stood out in such settings. Before long, young women, whether they had sweethearts or not, gathered around in a circle, some gazing at Xiao Jue with infatuation, others casting envious glances at He Yan.

Nine lantern riddles were almost finished. He Yan picked up the slip from the last lantern.

"Two trees not a forest, beneath the field lies a heart." After reading it, before Xiao Jue could speak, she said, "I know this one—it's 'longing'!"

The craftsman laughed heartily. "The young lady is truly clever and kind-hearted."

He Yan blushed at the praise. Having guessed only one out of ten riddles, she hardly deserved such compliments—the truly clever and kind-hearted one was the person behind her. The craftsman finished the last stroke on her wooden plaque and said to He Yan, "Young lady, go pick a lantern you like!"

He Yan turned around, pulling Xiao Jue along. "Well? I said I'd give you a lantern, and I will. Which one do you like?"

Under the eaves hung all kinds of lanterns, a dazzling array.

He Yan pointed at one shaped like twin fish. "This twin fish one is quite pretty. Do you like this? Or this gourd lantern is also nice... This auspicious lantern even has a picture of horseback riding..."

From beginning to end, Xiao Jue merely smiled faintly, letting her carry on as she pleased.

He Yan noticed a cyan gauze lantern nearby, painted with a landscape of pavilions and towers. As people moved around, the light and shadows shifted, and the waterfall seemed to flow gently, quite extraordinary. Among the many lanterns, this landscape lantern appeared unremarkable at first glance but held hidden depths. He Yan was instantly captivated, thinking that giving this lantern to Xiao Jue wouldn't be embarrassing. She called out to the craftsman, "I want this one."

The craftsman was busy handing out wooden plaques to another young couple and replied, "Young lady, just take it yourself."

He Yan said to Xiao Jue, "Wait, I'll go get the lantern for you."

She walked up to the landscape lantern and was about to take it down when she heard a familiar voice not far away. "There are lantern riddles up ahead. Would you like to go see?"

Immediately after, a woman's voice chimed in, "Sure. We can buy one later to hang in the courtyard."

He Yan turned to look and saw a man and woman walking toward her just a few steps away. The man was refined and elegant, the woman delicate and charming—it was Xu Zhiheng and He Xinying.Xu Zhiheng was holding He Xinying’s hand, while the maid following behind He Xinying carried a large pile of trinkets in her arms—likely rouge and cosmetics casually bought while strolling through the night market. On the surface alone, the two of them truly seemed like a perfect match, a flawless pair. Xu Zhiheng’s smile was indulgent, and his words were gentle and soothing.

He Yan stared blankly, unsure whether to feel a sense of irony in her heart. She had once thought that Xu Zhiheng would only accompany He Wanru to the night market in this lifetime. Now, it seemed that as long as it wasn’t her, anyone would do.

"Young lady?" The craftsman, seeing her standing there in a daze, called out in surprise. He Yan turned around, her heart skipping a beat, and instinctively looked toward Xiao Jue.

He too stood beneath the lantern, his figure elegant and handsome, his gaze so calm it bordered on indifference.

Dudu: A little green.

(End of chapter)