Chapter 94 - The Lantern Festival
"In the morning, when the Fourth cousin comes to pay his respects to Aunt, find an opportunity to ask him out for me, and ask him to meet in the grove at midnight tonight.
Su Qingping instructed Liu Rong to deliver the letter. At midnight that night, she met with Nangong Cheng in the grove.
"Ping Er, what is the urgency of you inviting me here?" Nangong Cheng was dressed in an outer robe of stone blue ink and rain silk brocade, with a jade belt around his waist, and a pair of ink-coloured soap shoes.
Su Qingping's eyebrows were furrowed, and she couldn't hide the sadness on her face. "Cousin, I've had it."
"What ...... has?" Nangong Cheng's face was bewildered, obviously did not understand.
"I mean I'm having a baby."
"Really? Ping Er, you mean we're having a baby!" Nangong Cheng was surprised as he held Su Qingping's hand, but soon he seemed to think of something and his face changed, "No, this child cannot be kept!"
"Cousin!" Su Qingping's face didn't look good.
Nangong Cheng hurriedly explained: "Ping'er listen to me, now we are not married yet, this child is not allowed to be taken! If people know, this child's future ......"
Su Qingping shook her head with tears in her eyes. Naturally, she understood that if this child was born, He would have a reputation as an adulterous child and his future would be ruined. And she herself would not end up in a good place either. Unless she could quickly find someone to marry and find a father for her child, but she could not find anyone in such a short time, not to mention that she was not willing to leave the Nangong Mansion.
The baby can't be saved, but it can't be sacrificed for nothing. She believes that she does not have to get rid of the baby yet, as long as Nangong Cheng is willing to marry her, everything will be solved.
"Cousin, I know this child cannot be kept, but this is our child, our first child, do you have the heart to just watch the crystallisation of our love being killed?" Su Qingping sobbed silently , looking at Nangong Cheng pitifully.
When Nangong Cheng thought of the days when he and Su Qingping had been intimate with each other, his heart softened and he reached out to caress Su Qingping's cheek. He felt a delicate and tender feeling under his hand, and was so excited that he blurted out, "Ping'er, don't worry, I will definitely find a way to withdraw my marriage and marry you!"
When Su Qingping heard the words, her heart burst with joy and she tenderly buried her head in Nangong Cheng's chest.
***************
Even though she had received Nangong Cheng's promise, Su Qingping didn't know how he would mention this to Su Shi, and she was a bit distracted all night. Even when she went to Su Shi's courtyard in the morning to ask for her blessing, she looked preoccupied.
She barely paid attention to what the others were saying until Nangong Sheng suddenly said, "Grandmother, in a dozen days, it will be the Mid-Autumn Festival Lantern Festival on the 15th of August. Grandson thinks, since the sisters have come to the capital, they have never been out together, so why not take advantage of this rare lantern festival and let Grandson take the sisters for a good stroll around the capital? What do you think, GrandMother?"
Su Qingping's eyes lit up when she heard this. She had been trapped in this house since she arrived in the royal capital and hadn't gone out for a stroll. She was not the only one, the other girls in the house were also eager to go, and even some of the maids and ladies in the house had a look of anticipation on their faces. The Mid-Autumn Lantern Festival in the capital is very famous. Not only do you have the opportunity to admire the exquisite lanterns, but you can also enjoy the fun activities organised by the restaurants and shops, as well as watching jugglers and eating delicious food.
Although Nangong Yue has been a living person for two lifetimes, she has never been to several Mid-Autumn Lantern Festivals, so she can't help but look forward to it.
And ......
Nangong Yue glanced at Su Qingping, Que Er came yesterday to reply that Su Qingping had not changed her cloth this month, and looking at her more and more distracted these days, I'm afraid she herself has noticed that her menstruation is late ......
It was also time to solve this hidden problem.
Nangong Yue was worried about finding a good opportunity, but now it seems that the mid-autumn day is a heavenly opportunity!
Seeing that Su Shi was still hesitant, Nangong Sheng added: "Grandmother, this Mid-Autumn Festival is an important event in the royal capital, many literati, scholars, sons and daughters of families and even famous families will take advantage of this rare opportunity to have some fun. Grandson will definitely bring a good escort to ensure the safety of his sisters!"
"That's fine." Su Shi finally let go, "Ping Jie Er, since it's a rare lantern festival, then you should come along too."
"Thank you, auntie." Su Qingping thanked her.
Su Shi's gaze swept over the people one by one and added in a solemn tone, "On the day of the Lantern Festival, you must not behave in a way that would tarnish the reputation of the Nangong House."
Naturally, they all obeyed.
Su Shi nodded in satisfaction, but when her eyes fell on Nangong Xin's body, she subconsciously frowned, "Xin Ge Er, there is no need to go."
Nangong Yue clenched her fist. She understood what Su Shi meant, she must be afraid that her brother would go out and embarrass her, afraid that others would laugh at her for having a foolish grandson.
When Nangong Xin heard that he could not go out with them, he was not very happy, but he had always been afraid of Su Shi, so he did not make a fuss on the spot.
When Nangong Hao saw this, he was a bit proud of himself and deliberately jumped out and said, "Then, grandmother, I can go, right?"
Su Shi was about to agree, but Huang Shi rushed ahead of her and said, "Hao Ge Er, you are young, you should stay in the mansion." Seeing that Nangong Hao's eyes turned red and he was about to start a fight, Huang Shi was busy. Said, "Hao Ge Er, there are many kidnappers in this lantern festival...you can go there when you are older." This Nangong Hao is the only son of Huang Shi, how could she be willing to let him have an accident.
Seeing this, Su Shi said nothing more.
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A dozen days passed in the blink of an eye, and all at once it was the 15th of August, the mid-autumn day, when all the houses arrived at Su Shi's Rong'an Hall for dinner together.
When Nangong Yue and her parents arrived, Zhao Shi was talking to Su Shi about the arrangements for the evening lantern festival: "Then in the evening, Sheng Ge Er will bring seven or eight guards to escort the sisters and Cousin Ping to join the fun."
Su Shi smiled and nodded: "It's fine if you and Sheng Ge Er make the arrangements."
The girls were all glowing, and the corners of their mouths could not hide their joy. They had been in the royal capital for more than half a year, but only today had they had the chance to witness the prosperity of the royal capital!
Nangong Xin was the only one who looked sullen. Nangong Yue came up to him and whispered, "Brother, I have a request for your help."
When Nangong Xin heard that his sister had something to ask him, he immediately perked up and said, "Speak up, sister."
"I'm going out at night, but Xiaobai has no one to take care of him." Nangong Yue said frowning deliberately, "Brother, I can ask you to take care of it, don't be bullied!"
Nangong Xin patted her chest vigorously, and assured her confidently: "Sister, don't worry, Xiaobai will leave it to me."
A bright smile appeared on Nangong Yue's face, and she said, "Brother is so kind, I'll bring back something delicious and fun for him tonight."
Nangong Xin was very happy, she had long forgotten the previous depression, and said: "Then sister, don't forget."
"Don't worry, brother."
Lin Shi's face smiled with relief as she watched their brother and sister's love for each other.
At that moment, the maid Donger lifted the curtain and came in, reporting, "Old Madam, the dinner is ready."
Su Shi stood up with a smile on her face and said kindly, "It's ready. Have your dinner early, and then you can go to the lantern festival."
"Grandmother ......" Nangong Zheng took her arm and shyly pouted.
After dinner, Su Shi instructed Nangong Sheng to take good care of his sisters, and then sent them off to the lantern festival early.
Nangong Yue went back to her room to change her clothes, then took Yi Mei and Que Er to the second Mansion door, where Nangong Lin and Su Qingping were already waiting.
The three of them greeted each other, and at that moment, Nangong Sheng came with Nangong Zheng and Nangong Yan.
As soon as Su Qingping saw Nangong Zheng, she smiled and said, "Zheng Jie Er, did you and Yue Jie Er make a special appointment today, wearing the same colour dress."
Just saw Nangong Yue wearing a lake-blue bright flower silk jacket, lined with a lotus-coloured butterfly-pattern tunic, and a jade-coloured pleated skirt underneath; look at Nangong Cheng's lake-blue Ruyi-patterned silk jacket, with a jade-coloured skirt underneath. The colour is sprinkled with flowery Confucian skirts.
When the two met, they couldn't help but look at each other. It was a coincidence tonight.
"Oh, it's not like the third sister knew what the elder sister was going to wear beforehand, so she deliberately came up with a sisterly outfit, right? Why didn't you tell me earlier, so that the four of us could wear the same colour together?" Nangong Lin covered her mouth and said with a soft smile.
Nangong Zheng didn't even look at Nangong Lin, she just smiled and took Nangong Yue's hand, saying with a smile, "It seems that Yue and I have the connection between our hearts, no wonder we are Di sisters." Then she turned to Nangong Sheng and asked petulantly, "Big brother, look, does Yue Jie Er and I look pretty dressed like this?"
Nangong Sheng looked at his two flower-like sisters and complimented them: "They look great, they look great, just like two little fairies. This Fairy's brother is really blessed!"
On hearing this, Nangong Zheng laughed twice and seeing that Nangong Yue only had a silk flower pinned on her hair and no other ornaments, she hastily plucked a ruby beaded flower from her own head and pinned it on Nangong Yue's head, smiling, "Well, this is more like it."
Nangong Zheng had a pair of ruby beaded flowers in her hair, and now she and Nangong Yue were wearing one on their heads, making them look more like a pair of sister flowers.
Nangong Yue immediately took off a white jade bracelet from her left wrist and put it on Nangong Cheng's wrist, then held up her right wrist and shook it.
Looking at the sisters' harmonious appearance, Nangong Lin's heart was not too happy. She glanced at Nangong Yan and asked, pretending to be curious, "Speaking of second Jiejie, you're the older Jiejie’s real younger sister, has the older Jiejie been so generous, has she ever given you anything nice in her usual life?"
Nangong Yan smiled lightly and said softly, " Lin Jie Er, what I have, you also have, so why ask me? If you don't believe me, you can ask big sister for proof."
Nangong Lin was choked speechless, her skin was not thick enough to go to Nangong Zheng for proof of such things.
At this time, Nangong Sheng deliberately exaggerated, "My four good sisters, do you want to go to the lantern festival? If you keep chatting, the lantern festival will be over."
Only then did the four girls get on the carriage one by one.
