Chapter 74: Searching for Him in the Crowd

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  "You... you... this unreasonable shrew..." Gu Huai Li finally couldn't bear it and slammed the door, only to bump into Qing Jin who was standing outside, he didn't know when she had appeared there.

  He didn't know how long Qingjin had been standing outside, thinking that his quarrel with his wife had just been heard by their daughter Qingjin, wanting to say something but not knowing what to say. Thinking again about the imperial family's marriage arrangement being missed due to Qingjin's engagement, he couldn't help feeling a little resentful in his heart. In the end, he didn't say anything and simply turned around and left with a flick of his sleeve.

  Qing Jin watched as her father, Gu Huai Li, turned and left with a flick of his sleeve. It seemed that the Emperor had revealed plans to arrange a marriage for the eldest daughter of the An Ji Hou Fu family, and her father's hopes of her becoming the official wife of an imperial prince had slipped away before his eyes. He didn't know who was goading him, but he wasn't willing to give up, so he vented his anger on his wife, Jun Shi, not expecting to run into Qing Jin instead.

  However, after hearing her mother's words, she definitely wouldn't let herself back down from the engagement. What she didn't know was whether or not her father's words would make her mother think of something else. In any case, she had to protect this marriage with her cousin. Thinking this, she stepped into her mother's room.

  In the room, Junshi was sitting on the bed with a sullen face. Seeing Qingjin come in, he had a moment of surprise, "Qingjin, why did you come today? Just now..."

  "Mother and Father's words, Qingjin has heard." Qingjin said faintly to Junshi.

  When Qing Jin spoke in such a light tone, Jun Shi didn't understand what Qing Jin was thinking and hesitated to open his mouth: "Jin Er..."

  "Mother, don't worry, daughter doesn't blame you for anything. Daughter thinks the engagement with brother-in-law is good, just like mother said, royal family is too complicated, and daughter never had the idea of marrying into the royal family."

  "Aren't you worried? You should know, if it weren't for the engagement with your cousin, the Emperor would have arranged a marriage for you. As the eldest daughter of the Duke of Anji, you would definitely have gotten a better match than your fourth sister. I'm telling you the truth, if you hadn't been betrothed to your cousin, you might have even become the Empress of the Sixth Prince. But now, it's possible that your fourth sister will become the Empress instead. You and your fourth sister are both legitimate daughters, but she may end up with the status, glory, and honor that should be yours. Are you certain you won't regret this in the future?" Lady Jun asked, her eyes piercing as she looked at Qingjin.

  Upon hearing Jun Shi's words, Qing Jin looked straight at him with a firm gaze and said: "I know what I want. Mother doesn't need to test me, I'm certain that in the future I won't regret or resent it. The best isn't necessarily the most suitable for me. Moreover, I think older cousin is very good, I... really like... older cousin..." After finishing her last sentence, she pretended to be shy and lowered her head.

  Upon hearing Qingjin's words, Junshi finally let out a sigh of relief and lavished praise on her: "Ji'er is indeed clever since childhood. You're so determined, I can rest assured now. I was worried that as a young girl, you wouldn't be able to distinguish good from bad and would be blinded by superficial glory and vanity. Although our family only has your uncle and grandfather left, which may seem weak to outsiders, we know our own strengths. Now that you're so resolute, I'm not worried anymore. By the way, I heard Xier invited you to watch the lantern festival together tonight?"

  "Yes, Brother Biao had someone come and talk to our daughter a few days ago." Qingjin said without hiding anything.

  Jun heard Qingjin's words and nodded, "Then you go back and prepare well, tonight go out with your cousin, now that you have a marriage contract, understand each other more, and the feelings in the future will be deeper..." Jun said with a smile.

  "Mother..." Qing Jin heard Jun Shi's words and pretended to be embarrassed, lowering her head.

  "What's there to be ashamed of? The daughters of our family are supposed to be bold and straightforward, loving and hating with abandon. Xiang'er is outstanding in her own way, and my Jiner is clever too. I hope you two will have a happy and fulfilling life together."

  “………”

  "Alright, I'm sure you're already tired of listening to me, so I won't keep you any longer. You go back and get dressed up properly, then go out and have a good time. I won't keep you anymore."

  "How can daughters be impatient when mothers speak words of love?"

  "Jing'er has finally grown up. It's good that you have this heart, but I won't keep you here any longer. You should go back and prepare early!"

  The girl then took her leave. Qing Jin bowed to Jun Shi.

  Junshi waved his hand at Qingjin, and Qingjin walked out of Junshi's room.

  The fire tree and silver flower are combined, the star bridge and iron lock open. The lamp tree shines with a thousand lights, the bright moon follows people to come.

  Lantern Festival has been a bustling holiday from ancient times to the present. In the old days when there were no forms of entertainment, it was an even more significant and grand festival.

  Tonight's capital city is full of fireworks and lanterns, with lights shining everywhere.

  The streets of the capital were even more bustling, with crowds of people, lanterns filling the streets, and beautiful women from various households coming out in groups to attend the lantern festival, guess riddles, set off fireworks, and participate in all sorts of activities. Children held pretty lanterns in their hands, laughing as they wove through the crowds, everyone's face filled with joyful smiles.

  Qing Jin wore a bright red cheongsam and white long shirt, walking side by side with Jun Mu on the bustling street. With an irrepressible smile on her face, her stunning looks were even more breathtaking. Jun Mu couldn't help but ask, "Cousin seems very happy?"

  Upon hearing Junmu's words, Qingjin turned her head around, looking at the plain white long shirt, with elegant gestures and a refined demeanor, standing out from the crowd with an air of nobility, asked with a smile: "Brother, aren't you happy?"

  Upon hearing Qingjin's words, Junmu Xiangqing smiled elegantly and said: "A beautiful day with a beautiful view, having a cousin like you, an extraordinary beauty, by my brother's side as his companion, my brother has long been enchanted. You tell me, is my brother happy or not?"

  "......" Is this really her elegant and refined older cousin?

  Jun Mu asked, "What's wrong, doesn't cousin believe what her cousin said?"

  "It's not that she didn't believe him, but Qing Jin simply couldn't believe that someone as elegant and refined as her brother could say something like this. It sounded like the sweet nothings spoken by a poor scholar trying to seduce a wealthy young woman in some mundane storybook!"

  Upon hearing Qing Jin's words, Jun Mu couldn't help but be taken aback. He had imagined a thousand different reactions from his cousin, but he never thought she would say something like that. It seemed that this cousin of his was indeed very interesting. He let out an involuntary sigh as he gazed at Qing Jin: "Alas... the young master is so sentimental, yet the object of his affections is a wooden pillar..."

  "Brother, look, what a beautiful fireworks display!" Only to see the direction Qingjin pointed to, there were beautiful fireworks, blooming and falling, a moment of beauty, a moment of splendor, bursting into beautiful sparks in the sky, colorful, elegant and dreamy, dazzling and varied.

  "It's very beautiful!" This girl, obviously trying to avoid her previous words.

  "By the way, cousin, I heard that Aunt and Uncle had some disagreement today?" Junmu Xue changed the subject and said.

  "What does Brother want to know?" Hearing Junmu Xue's words, Qingjin quietly looked at her brother Junmu Xue.

  "I want to know what's on my cousin's mind." Junmu said without hiding.

  "Tabo also knows that my third uncle saved Your Majesty, as well as the Third and Sixth Princes. The argument between Father and Mother today was just because Father had been provoked by someone else's words, saying that the Emperor intends to arrange a marriage for the daughter of the Anji Marquis..."

  "Cousin should know that this thing is indeed true!" Junmu interrupted Qingjin's words, not allowing Qingjin to escape.

  "Brother said, but Qingjin has already been engaged to Brother, no matter whether it was the Emperor's arrangement or whatever, Qingjin is already engaged. These are all unrelated to Qingjin, Brother can rest assured, our Anji Houfu will not back out of this marriage." Qingjin said this as she glanced at Junmu Xue, then shifted her gaze to the crowd in the distance under the dim lamp light.

  "What about the marriage contract? Is it because of the Anji Marquis's household refusing to back down, or..."

  "Is Brother Biao asking this because he has no confidence in himself?" Qing Jin asked with a smile and a playful tone.

  Upon hearing Qing Jin's words, Jun Mu Xi gave a clear and elegant smile, not refuting her. Instead, he took over Qing Jin's words: "Eldest brother is indeed worried? You should know that eldest brother's identity is indeed not as noble as the imperial prince's!"

  I didn't expect Junmu to say something like that. Qingjin chuckled and said, "Brother is a young talent with a bright future, handsome and elegant in appearance, refined and noble in demeanor. Just now, many girls who passed by us couldn't help but steal glances at brother. Doesn't brother have confidence?" Qingjin teased.

  "Does my cousin not know that worry and fear arise from love?" Junmu said, his eyes fixed intently on Qingjin.

  Qing Jin didn't receive Jun Mu's gaze, instead her eyes fell on a small vendor beside them. She opened her mouth and said: "Do you know, Brother? I don't have any grand ambitions. The life I aspire to is simply a peaceful one, where I can live out my days in tranquility. These are the most luxurious things in the imperial family." Her words were straightforward, meeting Jun Mu's gaze head-on without evasion or hesitation.

  Hearing Qingjin's words and seeing her gaze, Junmu couldn't help but smile. "Alright, with today's words from my younger sister, I can finally put my mind at ease. You should know, the men of our family have always been monogamous, this rule still applies to me!"

  When Qing Jin heard Jun Mu's words, she was taken aback for a moment. She raised her head and met Jun Mu's sparkling eyes, unable to help but break into a smile. Jun Mu saw Qing Jin's smile and instinctively returned one.

  Among the lights of ten thousand families, a woman in red and a man in white, both with exceptional looks, gazed at each other, smiling gently, like a beautiful painting.

  After a brief moment of stunned silence, Qing Jin regained her composure and spoke up to Jun Mu Xuan: "Then I'll have to rely on Brother-in-law's care from now on."

  "There are trees on the mountain and branches on the tree. My heart is pleased with you, and you are also dear to me." The gentleman woodcutter sang out this sentence with a clear smile.