Chapter 595: Chapter 207: Love Binding Silk_3
He bent down to speak to her, lowered his back to pick up the medical box in her hand, and even when he accidentally triggered a trap just now, he had made sure to protect her in a safer position first.
He always indulged her.
Because of his indulgence and patience, she always felt fearless around him, confident that he wouldn’t squabble over such matters.
Yet she had forgotten that he was not accustomed to bending down.
"Oh, Young Master and Mistress are so tangled in love; you must be very affectionate," the woman in floral clothing drifted over to them, as Lu Tong looked down and stepped back, Pei Yunmeng averted her gaze.
Neither of them bothered to explain.
Glimpsing at the pair, the woman smiled knowingly, "Truly, a match made by heaven, have the two of you found the Golden Magpie yet?"
Lu Tong was stunned for a moment, snapping back to reality. She hadn’t held onto the lotus flower stalk firmly, and accidentally stepping on the trap had startled her, causing her to miss the Golden Magpie.
She was so close, Lu Tong felt a tinge of regret.
Pei Yunmeng glanced at her, a corner of his mouth lifting, and a small golden magpie emerged from the palm of his hand.
Lu Tong’s gaze sharpened.
Upon closer examination, the Golden Magpie was carved from water caltrop, painted in colors and gold leaf—a palm-sized life-like bird.
"When did you get it?" she asked.
"After all, I am the Commander of the Palace Front Office," Pei Yunmeng looked down at her, leisurely saying, "If I can’t even win this small prize, it would damage the face of the Palace Front Office."
Lu Tong was speechless.
This man was quite smug.
But the woman in floral clothes just laughed, "Young Master has good eyes, having secured the Golden Magpie and ’skill.’ Come now, the prize from Seventh Lady is bestowed upon you both!"
Lu Tong was somewhat curious.
The prizes for "Threading Needles to Seek Skill" and "Spider Shows Skill" were "Valley Boards"; for the two silver’s worth of "Lanye Competing in Skill," the prize had to be even more extraordinary.
The woman in floral clothing walked to the door, took out an extremely small peony pattern wooden comb from a box filled with flowers, and handed it to Lu Tong.
Lu Tong received it, "A comb?"
"Yes, Miss, this is a comb blessed by the Weaver Girl, they say, ’each thread of hair reflects enduring thoughts, combing deeper intertwines lovers’ longing.’ Using this comb, a couple will grow more affectionate with every stroke!"
Lu Tong fell silent.
It was just an ordinary wooden comb, its craftsmanship wasn’t particularly exquisite, and she even had to pay twenty copper coins to search the building—one must admit the people of Shengjing knew how to do business.
Yet the people around her seemed wholly satisfied with their competitions in skill, paying no mind.
Perhaps sensing her disappointment, the woman in floral clothes pointed upstairs with a smile, "Miss, Young Master, our Qiqiao Tower’s third floor has unmatched scenery, not inferior to Yuxian Tower on Qinghe Street. Those who paid for Lanye’s skill competition can go up to the third floor to stargaze, now that’s a bargain, isn’t it!"
"Having just tired ourselves from the competition, going up for a breath of fresh air and a rest sounds perfect." The woman said while pushing them towards the stairs, clearly intent on maximizing her business.
Lu Tong looked to Pei Yunmeng, who then asked, "Do you want to go up?"
"Let’s go."
Lu Tong walked forward, "We’ve paid."
She never took advantage of others, nor would she let others take advantage of her. With the prize being not as impressive as its reputation, Lu Tong wanted to see just how "not inferior" the stargazing platform that the woman boasted about really was compared to Yuxian Tower on Qinghe Street.
Luckily, this time it didn’t seem to be a scam.
Ascending one more level inside Qiqiao Tower, the lights became brighter, not emerging from the hall but illuminating from below as Lu Tong approached the railing to look down. It was a sea of people with torches, lanterns, and music, reflecting a bright and magnificent scene below.
In the distance, a grand procession passed by, singing and dancing, with the performers hidden behind gigantic puppets intricately crafted, cheerful and lively. Under the bright lights, the night of the Qixi Festival seemed even livelier.
Pei Yunmeng approached.
"That’s a puppet variety show," he said.
Seeing Lu Tong’s confusion, he explained further, "People hide within, puppeteers perform various acts, it’s part of the celebrations and prayers."
Pei Yunmeng glanced at the crowd below, "The ordinary variety show is not big enough. Soon, the sacrificial ceremony at the Shenbao Platform in the palace will be even more spectacular than this."
"Shenbao Platform’s sacrificial ceremony?"
"The Emperor’s prayer feast, with all officials in attendance — you’ll be able to see it too."
Lu Tong pondered.
He tilted his head, "Do you like watching this?"
Lu Tong shook her head, her gaze on the giant puppets being lifted and lowered in the crowd.
"I’m just thinking, if someone were killed here, it would likely go unnoticed for quite a while."
Pei Yunmeng: "..."
He sighed, "You really know how to ruin the mood."
Lu Tong paused before shifting her gaze, looking carefully at the crowd below, and asked Pei Yunmeng, "Where are Sister Yunshu and the others?"
Pei Yunshu had pushed the two of them into Qiqiao Tower, and now, with Lanye’s skill contest over and looking down from above, there was no sign of Pei Yunshu and her companions.