Pumpkin Lantern
Half a year ago, during the Lantern Festival in Jinjiang, she drew him a lantern with plum blossoms on it.
She still remembered the Kongming lantern that she and Wei Yi released. On the lantern were the words, 'May the heart be free from dust, and the dead rest in peace'.
Wei Yi said, "Today is their Lantern Festival, but Brother Jing Rong won't let me go out. He says it's dangerous outside, but everyone else says it's fun outside. There are beautiful lanterns everywhere, and there are so many fireworks. I saw a huge bunch of fireworks just now." He spread his hands to both sides and made a big gesture. "It exploded in the sky, and it was even more beautiful than the fireworks we set off at home. So, I spent five taels of silver to buy that firecracker so that I could set off fireworks here."
Five taels of silver?
"Who did you buy it from?"
"Brother Lang."
"He gave you this for five taels of silver?"
"Yes, Brother Lang said that the fireworks from this firecracker are better than others, so he asked me to give him five taels of silver."
Complete trust!
Indeed, Lang Po should get back all fifty-three taels of silver, or else he wouldn't even have enough money to marry a wife.
Ji Yunshu smiled and knocked his head.
"Silly boy."
She asked again, "Do you want to go out?"
He nodded vigorously.
"Alright, then I'll bring you out."
"Really?" His eyes widened in surprise, "Will Shu 'er make lanterns for me like before?"
"What kind of lantern do you want?"
"Of course I want the most beautiful one. The most special one that only I have."
His voice was loud and clear.
Ji Yunshu thought about it. The most beautiful? The most special?
Then …
"Alright, then make it the prettiest and most special one." A doting smile gradually appeared at the corner of her mouth.
Wei Yi was overjoyed.
Lang Po appeared out of nowhere and picked up the extinguished firecracker from the ground. He hid it behind his back and said sternly, "Teacher Ji, His Highness has ordered that you and Young Master Wei cannot go out."
His tone left no room for negotiation.
Ji Yunshu only smiled, "Brother Lang, when did the yamen become a cage?"
"Cage? Teacher Ji must be joking. How can the yamen be a cage? "
"Then why do you have to tie our hands and feet?"
"Ah?"
"Since it's not a cage, why can't we go out and look at the lanterns? And I'll be back after I'm done so Big Brother Lang doesn't need to worry. Moreover, Zi Jin will be following me in secret so nothing will happen. "
"No, His Highness said that if you and Young Master Wei leave the yamen, I'm dead meat. His Highness will definitely kill me. Teacher Ji, don't go out. His Highness is still dealing with the gold and can't take care of you. If you go out and something happens to you, I …" Lang Po didn't know how to reply, but after thinking for a while, he said, "I can't.
Before he could finish his words, he was interrupted.
"Alright, I won't make things difficult for you. We won't be going out."
Ji Yunshu appeared very sensible and obedient.
However, Wei Yi panicked when he heard this.
He blinked his eyes and looked at her. "Shu 'er, can we really not go out?"
She nodded lightly, but the corners of her mouth curled up into a sly and profound smile.
It was hard to fathom.
Then, he said to Lang Po, "Brother Lang, can I trouble you to find me two pumpkins with a slightly rounder shape?"
"Teacher, do you want to cook?"
"Hmm … Something like that. I want to make a dish from my hometown."
"Alright, I'll go look for it for you."
Thus, he eagerly went to look for pumpkins.
Soon, he found two pumpkins that were neither too big nor too small.
Ji Yunshu pulled him into the kitchen and found a pen and a knife. Then, she began to 'write' on the pumpkins.
You brat, sit on the side with your cheeks propped up, and watch obediently.
He watched as Ji Yunshu cut a hole in the top of the two pumpkins and scraped off all the threads and pulp inside. She also scraped the inner walls of the pumpkins a bit thinner before rinsing them with water. Her fair and nimble hands held a small and delicate knife and began to carve little by little on the pumpkins.
She was very focused!
After about the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, the two pumpkins were carved with hollow bamboo and bamboo leaves. Just the shape alone was enough to tell that the pumpkins were lifelike.
Then, she found a few thin ropes and threaded the pumpkins with two long, smooth sticks. Finally, she placed the candles inside.
The orange-yellow light swayed faintly, reflecting the hollow bamboo on the pumpkins and the surrounding white walls and floor. As the candlelight swayed, the bamboo shadows also moved slightly, as if they were in a bamboo forest.
That scene was beautiful and magnificent!
Wei Yi was stunned. He slowly straightened his body and looked at the bamboo shadows around him in disbelief. His lips gradually curved into a surprised smile.
"Wow!" He exclaimed.
He looked like a mischievous sloth.
"Shu 'er, this is the most beautiful lantern I've ever seen."
Ji Yunshu smiled as she handed one of the pumpkins to him. "Take it. Let's go to the lantern festival."
He carefully took it and said worriedly, "But Brother Lang is outside."
"Then let's go through the back door."
"Mm."
He happily carried the jack-o '-lantern and followed Ji Yunshu to the back door.
Just as the door opened …
"Are you a thief?"
Mo Ruo's deep voice rang out.
He was sitting on the stone steps outside the door, lazily tilting his body sideways. One of his legs was stretched out, directly blocking the way to the back door. He was drinking from a bottle of wine in his hand, and the wine bottles around him were scattered all over the place.
Why hasn't this brat drunk himself to death yet?
Ji Yunshu brought the jack-o '-lantern closer to him, illuminating half of his face.
"Why are you here?"
This was probably the first time he had seen such a strange lantern. Mo Ruo rubbed his eyes and lightly tapped the pumpkin with his finger.
"What the hell is this? Why does it glow? "
"This is a lantern made by Shu 'er," Wei Yi answered.
"Lantern? Interesting. If you put this on the market, you'll definitely make a lot of money. How did you make it? Teach me. When we return to the capital, I'll close Yuhua Pavilion and specialize in making lanterns. "
He didn't wait for Ji Yunshu's reply.
"I know." Wei Yi answered again. He simply sat down and said, "This is made from pumpkin. First, use a knife to chop off the head of the pumpkin, then dig out all the meat, then …"
"Stop, do you think it's murder?"
He hurriedly waved his hands, "I'm not going to kill anyone. A murderer must pay with their life. It's a pumpkin that was killed by Shu 'er, not me."
He tossed the water bag to Ji Yunshu.
He continued, "Shu 'er's lantern is very beautiful. She used a knife to carve out the bamboo on it. Look at the bamboo, isn't it beautiful? And these leaves, aren't they beautiful too? "
"They are."
"Shu 'er used a rope to tie the pumpkin, then tied the rope to …"
The two of them squatted together and began to discuss the method of making pumpkin lanterns with relish.
Mo Ruo seemed to have discovered a huge business opportunity. He decided to close Yuhua Pavilion and open a lantern shop, specializing in pumpkin lanterns.
Thinking that he was going to make a fortune, he squinted his eyes and laughed maniacally. He gulped down another mouthful of wine.
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