Chapter Fifty-Four

  Kangxi 50 years ? Forbidden City

  The Lantern Festival has just passed, the palace's lanterns have not been completely removed, and everyone's eyebrows and eyes still carry the faint joy and leisure of the holiday.

  "This lantern is indeed a masterpiece! The mechanism is ingenious, and it's convenient to fold up. Even the painting on top might be the work of a master artist." I said with a smile, carefully examining the paper lantern in my hand, as I spoke to Tenth Brother and Fourteenth Brother.

  Tenth Brother smiled and said, "I knew you'd like it!" Fourteenth snorted and said, "Hurry up and thank Tenth Brother a few more times! This is something he forcibly took from someone else's hands!" I looked at Tenth Brother in surprise. He glared at Fourteenth and said, "I knew you'd ruin my moment! The lantern was originally what you wanted, and it was your idea to give it to Ruoxi to play with." Fourteenth curled his lip and sneered, "But didn't the owner say that they only put it out for everyone to admire, and wouldn't sell it no matter how much money was offered? I gave up on it. But you had to go and show off your status, putting on airs and saying 'I'm taking it', forcing the other person to give it to you! I felt embarrassed for you at the time, so I quickly left! You still have the nerve to talk about it here!"

  I understood the whole story, handed the lantern to Tenth Brother and said with a smile: "It's just a trifle in my hands, but it's a treasure for others, hurry up and return it!" Tenth Brother glared at Fourteenth again and said: "Since you've taken it, why return it? Just keep it!"

  I hadn't even spoken, when the Ninth Prince, who had been quietly standing by, said calmly: "It's just a lantern, what's the point of taking it? You've already paid for it! Why be so pretentious!" I pretended not to hear him and smiled at the Tenth Prince, saying: "Hurry up and put it back!" The Tenth Prince looked at my resolute expression, furrowed his brow in frustration, and reluctantly put the lantern away, sighing: "Fine, I'll put it back... what a waste of effort!"

  I scolded the 14th: "You're standing right there, can't you persuade him a bit?" The 14th pointed at the 10th brother and said: "Ask him if I didn't try to persuade him! But he has to be willing to listen! In this world, when he's being stubborn, apart from the Emperor, only three people's words can get through to him. And unfortunately, I'm not one of them!"

  I and Tenth Brother chimed in unison, laughing and asking: "Which three people?" Fourteenth smiled at Tenth Brother and said: "Eighth Brother!" Tenth Brother didn't say a word, and Fourteenth pointed at me, saying: "Ruo Xi!" Tenth Brother looked at me with a sly smile, not responding. I glared at Fourteenth with a smile. Fourteenth suppressed his laughter and told me: "The last one is your childhood arch-nemesis, now the current Madame Ten!" Tenth Brother's face suddenly turned very awkward, staring at Fourteenth.

  I smiled and changed the subject, asking: "Is the lantern market lively this year?" Fourteen said: "It's about the same every year, nothing too new or surprising!" But Tenth Brother started talking enthusiastically about the excitement of this year's Lantern Festival. Ninth Brother impatiently urged us to leave.

  Just as the three were about to leave, the 13th prince hurried over with quick steps, rolling up his sleeves and turning pale with rage, rushing straight at the 9th prince, swinging his fist to hit him. The 14th prince hastily rushed over to stop him, grasping his fist and shouting: "Thirteenth brother! This is not a place for fighting in the palace!"

  Jiu Ge jumped back a few steps, looking at Thirteen with a cold smile: "Fourteenth brother, let him go! Today I want to see how big his guts are."

  Thirteen Qi was at its peak, and my body shape was about to move forward, but it was tightly blocked by Fourteen. I hastily asked Tenth Brother: "What's going on?" Tenth Brother shook his head dazedly and said: "Who knows?" Suddenly he laughed and said: "Today we have a lively show to watch!" I glared at him, this person who feared that the world was not chaotic!

  I glanced around, but there was still no one. However, if this continued, I feared that Kangxi would soon find out. Hurriedly pushing the tenth brother, I said: "Quickly take the ninth brother away!" The tenth brother was somewhat unwilling, and under my fierce glare, he slowly walked forward, embracing the ninth brother with both hands and leaving: "He wants to go mad, does Ninth Brother have to accompany him in his madness? Why bother with him, we still have things to do outside the palace!" As they spoke, the two of them dragged each other away into the distance.

  Fourteen tightly hugged Thirteen until their figures were no longer visible, and only then did he relax, but one hand still clutched Thirteen's arm. Thirteen angrily said: "Why are you blocking me from hitting that beast?" Fourteen sighed: "You fought with him in the palace, things have really gotten out of hand, I'm afraid it won't be good for Green Withered Maiden!" Only then did Thirteen slowly calm down and say: "I only found out about this last night, today I suddenly saw him, my anger surged to my head, all I could think of was punching his face a few times!"

  I was bewildered by the misty mountains and clouds, how did it drag in the greenery? I hastily asked: "What's going on?" Fourteen looked at me with an embarrassed expression, not saying a word. Thirteen paused for a moment, then sincerely said to Fourteen: "Thanks a lot this time, Fourteen!"

  Fourteenth said with a smile: "I haven't thanked you yet, so you don't have to thank me! Besides, this matter was originally Ninth Brother's drunken mistake!"

  Listening to their conversation, looking at the fourteen awkward expressions, and thinking about Jiu Ge's lustful nature, she was shocked in her heart and asked incredulously: "What did Jiu Ge do to Lü Wén? Didn't Lü Wén redeem herself a few years ago? Besides, even before she redeemed herself, she was one who sold her art but not her body?"

  Fourteen glanced at me awkwardly and said, "What's the point of a young lady like you asking so many questions?" Thirteen said, "It was on the night of the Lantern Festival. That scoundrel ran into Qingwu and, with his shameless audacity, actually tried to force himself on her! Luckily, Fourteen brother happened upon them and saved her!"

  I stared at the 14th airway: "I knew that Ninth Brother was a lecher! I didn't expect it to be this bad! He's reckless with any beautiful girl he comes across! That black-hearted scoundrel!"

  Fourteen rebuked loudly: "Ruo Xi!" I shut my mouth, still angry, and said to Thirteen: "Why don't you just find a few people, one day sneak up on Ninth Brother outside, put him in a sack, and beat him up without anyone knowing?" Fourteen scolded: "Shut up! Ruo Xi! Since Green Hill is fine, the best way to resolve this matter is to 'make big things small, and small things nothing'! What's the logic in making a bigger fuss? Do you want the whole city to know? In the end, even if nothing happened, it could be spread as if something did! How will Green Hill live with herself in the future?"

  Thirteen fell silent for a moment, then turned to Fourteen and said: "You go back and make it clear to him that if he dares to act recklessly again, I'll take care of him first even if it means being scolded by the Emperor." Fourteen nodded repeatedly, saying: "There won't be a next time!" Thirteen thanked Fourteen with a hint of anger still in his voice and hastily turned away.

  Fourteen glared at me and scolded, "Are you eating bear hearts and leopard gall? Brother, how dare you scold?" I stared back at him without saying a word. He softened his tone and said, "Actually, it's not entirely Nine Brother's fault! That night he had a few too many drinks, and coincidentally the people around him knew about Green Withered's origins in the wind and dust, and were instigated by someone who said 'You're being protected by Thirteen Master, looking down on Ninth Master'. Nine Brother was momentarily confused and lost control of his actions!"

  I looked up at the sky and sneered twice, saying: "So it's Green Withered and Thirteen's fault! Today is really an eye-opener!" After finishing speaking, I turned around and left.

  Fourteen in the back of the airway: "I've become 'Zhu Bajie looking at a mirror, inside and out not human'! In order to save Qingwu, Ninth Brother was angry with me for several days, now you're angry again! If I had known it would be so troublesome, I might as well give up and not care!"

  I halted my footsteps, thinking of the 14th's stance, turned around and went back, smiling and saying: "I'm also muddled! Still have to thank you!" He let out a cold hum without speaking. I smiled again and said: "Why don't you scold me for a few sentences, vent some anger?" He pointed at me and said: "You're really..."; shook his head, swallowed his words, and sighed: "Too lazy to entangle with you!" After saying that, he turned around and left.

  I calmed down for a moment, then hurried to catch up with him. He heard the footsteps and turned around to wait for me, asking: "Is there anything else?" I said: "The Ninth Brother's temper is probably not so easy to let go of..." Before I finished speaking, the Fourteenth Brother interrupted: "Don't worry! Since we've saved him, we have to save him thoroughly! I've already asked Ninth Brother about this matter, and also had Eighth Brother specially talk to Ninth Brother about it. No matter what, he has to give us some face!" I quickly bowed my head and said: "Thank you!"

  He smiled and said, "You've only met Green Wither once, why are you so concerned about her?" I said, "Her character and talent are top-notch, although I don't have much of a deep relationship with her. Not to mention the 13th prince, even if we were both women, there's no reason to just look at each other!" The 14th shook his head and sighed, "Still can't change this temper, not considering one's own status, casually comparing oneself to a woman of questionable character!" As they spoke, both of them thought back to when they were young in the Eight Beile's study, quarreling over Green Wither, and burst out laughing at each other.

  He smiled and said: "You and the thirteenth brother are indeed open-minded!" I said: "The thirteenth brother is a man of integrity, and his relationship with Qingwu is not what you think. Because I admire his talent and sympathize with his circumstances, I have been protecting him for many years. It's like holding an umbrella in the wind and rain to protect a beautiful flower, not to pick it up and take it home, but just to preserve its beauty."

  He smiled and said: "But I think Green has a special relationship with Thirteen Brother, not just friendship. That night, I was afraid that Nine Brother's men would secretly cause trouble, so I personally sent her back. On the way, she asked me to never let Thirteen Brother know about this matter! She said it was just a bit of grievance, but no big deal. Thirteen Brother is a straightforward and righteous person, and she didn't want to cause him trouble because of herself. In that situation, an ordinary girl would have cried her heart out, but she didn't complain at all, only thinking about Thirteen Brother's well-being!" I lowered my head and thought for a while, then sighed. Was meeting Thirteen good luck or bad luck for her? This thought might be something she herself would never dare to acknowledge.