The Dramatic Crown Princess Wants to Poison Me!

Chapter 205: Chapter 205: Too Greedy

Huangfu Jingchen glanced at Xia Wenjin again.

Long-lasting, harmonious and beautiful, these words are truly pleasing to the ear. It feels like each word is infused with the happiness of everyday life. When you say them together, it’s as if you’re tasting honey and smelling fragrance, even the spaces between your lips and teeth are filled with happiness.

But where will his long-lasting, harmonious and beautiful be?

Yuelao River, Yuelao River.

If there truly is a River God in this world, and he goes to Yuelao River, would the River God of Yuelao River know his intentions? Would he show compassion for his wishes?

Yet, even if the River God shows compassion for his wishes, he is a man, and Xia Wenjin is also a man. Xia Wenjin wants to marry and have children to inherit his family business. Even if they were together, could they be long-lasting, harmonious and beautiful?

Xia Wenjin is unaware of how much Huangfu Jingchen has been thinking. She chats with the old woman and the old man, plays with Hong’er, like their grandson, exuding a sense of intimacy with them.

After dinner, following the directions given by the elderly, they prepare to head to the Yuelao River’s edge.

Hong’er also wants to come along, but the old woman says, ”Hong’er, if you go, you’ll distract your brothers from looking after you. There are so many people by the river; it’s better if you stay. When you’re older, you can go yourself!”

Xia Wenjin doesn’t mind taking Hong’er along, but the old woman insists they shouldn’t be disturbed, so Hong’er doesn’t go along. He is obedient, though wistful, and returns to the old woman’s side.

Xia Wenjin finally promises to bring him back a flower lantern, and Hong’er instantly cheers up.

They walk side by side towards the river with Huangfu Jingchen.

From the village to the river is nearly two miles, but this distance is nothing for young people. Along the way, there are many people, mostly young folks, both men and women.

The old woman previously mentioned that Yuelao River has been flowing down the mountain and through the village since the time of their ancestors.

This river sustains several villages along its banks.

And in these villages, there are no arranged marriages, if young people fancy each other, as long as the man isn’t married and the woman isn’t wed, the parents usually don’t oppose, so the village couples are very harmonious. Here, there are no polygamous arrangements, just one husband with one wife. The children are filial, families are beautiful, and Xia Wenjin thinks this is simply the best place in the world.

She chose this path to Liangzhou to escape her father, but unexpectedly, she found such a village and such people.

The world is so vast, how little does she truly know?

Huangfu Jingchen suddenly says, ”Actually, Yunzhou isn’t bad either!”

Xia Wenjin laughs, ”Compared to here?”

Huangfu Jingchen thinks for a moment, then shakes his head, honestly saying, ”Not as good! The wealthy men there will take concubines!”

Xia Wenjin chuckles. In all of Nanxia, throughout the world, women’s status is lower than men’s. Women must be devoted to one man, while men can have numerous wives. The wealthier and more powerful men are, the more concubines they have. In prestigious families, prominent clans, the population is even more complex.

But she seems like an anomaly.

In her past life, all she wanted was one pair for a lifetime, that’s why Huangfu Yuxuan’s promise made her feel happy, and she spared no effort to help, giving up everything without hesitation, until she discovered it was merely a lie.

She thought the whole of Nanxia wouldn’t have such places, wouldn’t have such people.

Unexpectedly, she found it in a small village by the river.

This kind of life is the one she admires and longs for the most!

It’s not in the Capital City, not in Jinzhou, not in Yunzhou!

Xia Wenjin slowly shakes her head. Actually, what does it matter? She doesn’t plan to marry again in this lifetime!

Huangfu Jingchen sees her expression change from time to time, then watches her shake her head as if she’s made a decision, and her once perplexed face suddenly becomes determined. Unable to resist asking, ”What are you thinking?”

Xia Wenjin points ahead, ”Look, we’re here!”

In front, lanterns hang on tree branches, casting a hazy light and shadow. The river surface glimmers with rippling water, a few flower lanterns float on the river, their soft glow reflecting off the shimmering water, drifting into the distance, creating a unique ambiance.

Small vendors are peddling, ”Sir, would you like to buy river lanterns?”

A rack hangs with many river lanterns, big and small, shaped like lotuses, ducks, rabbits... various forms fill the rack fully.

Huangfu Jingchen looks at Xia Wenjin, ”Which ones do you like?”

Xia Wenjin picks a carp one, intending to bring it to Hong’er, then takes another lotus one.

This time, Huangfu Jingchen doesn’t pay directly; he asks the price. Some of these lanterns are two coins, others three.

He selects several, including Xia Wenjin’s, spending seventeen coins in total.

Xia Wenjin watches him carry a string of them, amused, ”You plan to set off so many?”

Huangfu Jingchen, with a serious expression, ”Setting off more, there’s a better chance one wish will be heard by the River God of Yuelao River.”

Xia Wenjin laughs, ”You prepared so many wishes? Isn’t it a bit greedy?”

Huangfu Jingchen smiles without saying a word.

He didn’t prepare many wishes, just one. If possible, he wants to buy all the river lanterns and let the entire river be filled with his wish. But thinking about it, that idea seems a bit insane and childish, hence he didn’t do it.

The riverside here, probably due to years of lighting river lanterns, is all paved with blue stone slabs. There’s also a lamp platform, one zhang square and elliptical.

Along the platform’s edge, lanterns can be placed into the river. The river flow here is slow, so the river lanterns won’t get swept into the water.

Across the river, there seems to be people setting lanterns too, but the river is wide; only downstream do the lanterns from both sides gather together.

As more people release lanterns, the river surface is filled with various shaped river lanterns. Reflections in the river, shadows of trees on the shore, dots of lanterns, it’s so beautiful.

Among them, there’s an exceptionally large water buffalo lantern. This type is usually specially ordered or handcrafted meticulously. It’s carried by a sturdy fellow, who sincerely sets it down, stands up, and watches the ”big water buffalo” slowly drift away, cupping his mouth and shouting across the river, ”I want to marry Tang Sanni, Tang Sanni, Da Niu wants to be with you!”

Someone who knows him teasingly asks, ”Da Niu, how long did you make this lantern!”

Da Niu turns around, his honest face full of joy, ”One month!”

He truly put a lot of thought into this; it seems the girl he likes lives across the river. Many tease him, but he makes no attempt to hide his affection for the girl named Tang Sanni.

Huangfu Jingchen’s eyes show a trace of envy. To like someone, shouldn’t it be like this?

But his liking is too shocking, too unconventional!

He doesn’t know where to go!

Xia Wenjin also smiles slightly, watching the joyful faces of those young men and women, looking at the floating river lanterns, feeling emotional; the beautiful emotions of young people are wonderful!

After placing the river lantern, Da Niu steps down from the lamp platform, leaving space for the others.

Huangfu Jingchen walks over with a string of lanterns.