Farm Tough Girl-Chapter 154 - 155 Lantern Riddle Contest_1
Chapter 154: Chapter 155 Lantern Riddle Contest_1
Chapter 154 -155 Lantern Riddle Contest_1
After wandering around for a while, the main purpose was still to buy things for the children. Muniang herself had also picked out several bolts of cloth, preparing to make clothes for Eryang and Mrs. Lin. She had become quite proficient at needlework, although embroidery was still challenging, but making clothes could now be done quite decently.
With her current wealth, Muniang could easily buy ready-made clothes, but Mrs. Lin insisted on making them herself, claiming those from outside weren’t good. Muniang also felt that making clothes for her own family was rather nice, and since she was now idle at home earning silver, she naturally had plenty of time for making clothes and such.
Muniang stored everyone’s purchases in the carriage and had Zhuzi watch over it, then the group went to find a restaurant and had a hearty meal. By then, it had also gotten dark.
Visit freёnovelkiss.com for the 𝑏est n𝘰vel reading experience.
The lantern festival had already begun, with lights and decorations everywhere on the street. All sorts of lanterns brightened the pitch-black night, and people crowded the streets—whether children or maidens in waiting. Every year during the lantern festival, a few couples would come together, which was one reason why young girls and boys loved this festival.
The children were overjoyed, probably because it was their first chance to come. They wanted to look at this and touch that; Madam Liu helplessly laughed, “These kids, they’re really something else.”
Muniang smiled, “Well, children naturally like all these colorful things. Let’s let them have a good time, this opportunity is rare after all.”
No sooner had she said this than Honghai came running over, pulling on Madam Liu, whining, “Mom, I want that tiger lantern! Mom, please buy it for me, I like it, it’s so imposing!”
Madam Liu could only nod, “Alright, but you have to be sure it’s the one you like the most, because today each person can only buy one.”
Muniang inwardly praised Madam Liu’s way of teaching children. Although they were now wealthy, they couldn’t let their kids develop an arrogant nature that didn’t value money.
Sure enough, after Madam Liu said that, Honghai pondered for a while, probably deciding if he truly wanted it, then looked up, resolute, “It is my favorite! Mom, please buy it for me, I don’t want anything else. Tigers are the most imposing; when I grow up, I also want to be like brother-in-law, someone who can fight tigers!”
Muniang patted his head, “Good boy, you’re so ambitious.”
Madam Liu laughed, “This child talks about his brother-in-law fighting tigers and bears all day, he admires Eryang so much.”
Then she took Honghai to buy the lantern at one of the stalls, “Where is it?”
Muniang, reminded of Eryang by Madam Liu’s words, started looking around wondering where Eryang had gone. She became a bit anxious but soon a big rabbit lantern obstructed her view.
Eryang held up the lantern high with excitement, “My dear, I bought you a lantern! Do you like it?!”
Muniang’s mouth twitched; she wasn’t a child, “Hmm, I do like it, but it would have been better if it were alive.”
Eryang curiously asked, “Why?”
Muniang glanced at him, “It’s edible, hand-shredded roasted rabbit is quite delicious.”
Eryang: “…”
Eryang dejectedly said, “The people selling stuff over there told me girls liked this kind of rabbit lantern the most. I was deceived.”
Muniang laughed; who was he kidding?
Muniang took the lantern from his hand, her tone affectionate, “Whatever my husband buys, I like.”
Eryang broke into a grin, “My dear is the best!”
“Hey hey, the lantern riddle guessing contest over there has started! Let’s hurry over to see, it’s going to be lively!”
The words of someone passing by reached Muniang’s ears and piqued her interest, “My husband, let’s go and watch the riddle guessing, it seems quite fun.”
“Sure!”
Muniang then went to find Madam Liu, “Auntie, we’re going to see the riddle guessing contest. Are you coming?”
Madam Liu glanced at the few cheerful children eager to see the lanterns and said, “Let’s not. We’re not literate and wouldn’t understand the meanings anyway. The children all want to see the lanterns; we’d better not go. You go enjoy the riddle guessing.”
After giving it some thought, Muniang said, “Alright then, let’s meet at the Embroidery House in half an hour. Make sure you keep a close eye on the children; it’s crowded, and I’m afraid they might get lost.”
Madam Liu nodded, “Hmm, I got it.”
The riddle-guessing contest among the lantern festival attendees had already started, with young women and men participating. Muniang knew this was essentially a disguised matchmaking event.
The rules of the poem-guessing contest were simple: there was a champion on the stage, and anyone from the audience could challenge them. They would take turns posing riddles, and whoever failed to solve the other’s riddle would lose. The winner then had the right to take something personal from the loser.
There was already a woman acting as the champion on stage, and several had tried and failed to best her, prompting a wave of applause from the crowd.
Watching those young men and women exuding hormones, Muniang suddenly felt that this era was indeed very liberal.
“My lady, what are they guessing?” asked Er Liang, puzzled.
Muniang shrugged her shoulders, “I don’t really understand either.” She wasn’t a know-it-all; she didn’t know how to guess riddles, and she was just there to watch the fun. In her previous life, she was a genuine science and engineering student, completely clueless about such literary pursuits.
Muniang had initially only wanted to casually watch the fun and pass the time, but to her surprise, a familiar figure appeared on the stage. Was that Qiao Yuanzhen?
The woman on stage gave a small bow, her demeanor somewhat coy and bashful, “Please pose your riddle, young master.”
Qiao Yuanzhen, however, continued to be gentlemanly, “As a man standing seven feet tall, how could I presume to go before a lady? Please, my dear, you pose the riddle.”
Qiao Yuanzhen’s behavior clearly won the woman’s favor, and she took an extra glance at him, her eyes carrying a bit more affection, “Well then, since the gentleman insists, I will respectfully comply.”
Er Liang looked curiously at the stage, “My lady, isn’t that Qiao Yuanzhen?”
Muniang’s eyes had already narrowed into a dangerous curve, staring intently at Qiao Yuanzhen on stage. Ha, what a lofty and proud man, just recently became a Scholar and now he’s thinking about casting aside his wife.
“My lady, what’s wrong?” Er Liang asked with concern.
Muniang exhaled a breath, “It’s nothing. Let’s just watch the play unfold.”
The two on stage had already begun.
“Round when drawn, square when written, warm with it, cool without,” the woman said softly, “Guess a single character.”
Qiao Yuanzhen smiled slyly, “Could it be the character for ‘sun’ from ‘sun and moon’ that the lady is referring to?”
The woman blushed and nodded, “Indeed, you are formidable, sir. Please, your turn to pose a riddle.”
Qiao Yuanzhen, waving his fan, said, “Less one on the first day of the first month, guess a character.”
The woman tilted her head, pondering for a moment before responding, “Is it ‘ken’, as in ‘certain’?”
“Precisely.”
Watching the scene on stage, Muniang sneered coldly. Had Qiao Yuanzhen ever shown Qinghe even a thousandth of this tenderness? She couldn’t help feeling sad for Qinghe. What was it about such a man that made him worth loving?
