Lanterns Beneath the Moon
Time seemed to fly by. The sky turned orange, then red, before finally darkening as night fell. As daylight faded, the people of BaoZhi Town lit countless lanterns throughout the streets. Merchants prepared their stalls, displaying all kinds of goods for sale. There were lanterns, candied treats, jewelry, and countless other things to admire. Performers were also getting ready to put on their shows, from fire-eating to tightrope dancing. Everything was ready for tonight's Moon Festival.
Soon, the streets were filled with people eager to enjoy the festivities. Among them were the familiar faces from our story.
Prince Li was accompanied by ManQi, as usual. TanTan walked with XiaoRue, while ShuangAi held FangFang's hand and led the way.
BaoZhi was a small town within Prince Li's territory. Everyone who passed him greeted him respectfully, and the same courtesy was extended to TanTan. The people loved their humble prince, and they also knew his famous wife, Hua MuTan.
However, this was the first time many of them had actually seen Hua MuTan walking around town. In the past, she would never have wanted to wander through the streets like an ordinary person. She preferred to enjoy the Moon Festival in luxurious places, such as the palace, if possible.
Of course, the people had heard the rumors. So whenever TanTan passed by, they would glance at her and whisper among themselves.
"I heard she was wounded because she has so many enemies..."
"Is it true she's a living ghost? They say she came back from the dead..."
"They're walking together?! Does that mean that woman has finally succeeded in winning over our Prince? Do you think she used some kind of spell?"
XiaoRue overheard some of their comments and glanced anxiously at Hua MuTan.
In the past, no one would have dared to speak badly about Hua MuTan in front of her, whether at her own residence or in the palace. Everyone knew the consequences. They were also afraid of the powerful people supporting her, especially the Queen Mother.
Hua MuTan would never let anyone who spoke ill of her get away with it. She would immediately order the soldiers to capture whoever had dared to insult her.
But these people did not know that history. XiaoRue was terribly worried about what might happen next. She glanced at her young mistress again.
TanTan, on the other hand, was trying to enjoy the festival. She admired the traditional decorations and the many interesting things displayed along the streets. As she looked around, memories of her childhood began to surface.
When she was seven years old, her mother had once taken her to a traditional market on the night of the Moon Festival. It had been only a month after her father passed away. After weeks of sorrow and grief, TanTan's mother had decided that they needed to move forward with their lives. She had taken little TanTan out to celebrate the festival.
"Mommy, why do we have to celebrate the Moon Festival?" Little TanTan had been a curious child.
Her mother smiled sadly at her.
"Legend says that a beautiful goddess named Chang'e lives on the moon. She was separated from her beloved husband, who remained on earth. That's why she is always sad, especially on this night.
"When the moon is round and bright, Chang'e can see what is happening on earth. But when she looks down, she becomes sad because she can no longer find her husband. So we celebrate the festival to cheer her up. That's why we happily celebrate it every year, TanTan."
"Will it really make Chang'e happy?" Little TanTan asked, staring seriously at the moon.
"Of course it will..."
"But it can also make Mommy happy again. So I think it's okay if we celebrate it every day!"
Her mother was taken by surprise. She picked up little TanTan and kissed her gently.
"Of course, TanEr. But it will be more special if we celebrate it once a year. Besides, our teeth would ache if we ate mooncakes every day..."
Little TanTan giggled at her mother's words.
Meanwhile, Prince Li was in a completely different mood. He was not enjoying the festival at all. His attention remained focused on ShuangAi and FangFang, constantly watching over their safety. They were the two people dearest to him, and he would do anything to protect them.
Whenever ShuangAi and FangFang laughed together, he couldn't help smiling as he watched them.
"YiFu! YiFu! Look! Sugar candy! Can I have two?"
FangFang shouted excitedly in front of a candy seller. The candies came in many interesting shapes, including people, animals, and plants. Both FangFang and ShuangAi were fascinated by them.
"Li Ge, MuTan Jie, which ones would you like?"
Prince Li immediately approached ShuangAi and FangFang. He joined them in choosing the candy shapes, smiling as they enjoyed themselves.
When TanTan saw Prince Li smile, she was a little surprised. He had never smiled like that in front of her.
He's actually quite handsome when he smiles.
TanTan observed the warm interaction between the three of them.
They look exactly like a happy little family...
Hua MuTan... Hua MuTan, you never had a chance from the beginning. Why did you have to ruin their happiness? Is that why I'm here now? To fix your mistakes and help them be together?
If I do that, will I be able to return to my own time and see Mom again?
XiaoRue was growing increasingly worried. She could see the sadness in her young mistress's eyes. She was afraid Hua MuTan might lose control of her anger, just as she had in the past. So she quickly tried to distract her.
"XiaoJie... XiaoJie... Look!"
She pointed in another direction, where a lantern seller was displaying his goods.
"Let's buy lanterns and make our wishes!"
"Yeah, that's a good idea. Let's go!"
TanTan glanced at ManQi, who had been silently walking nearby since the beginning. She knew he was there because Prince Li had ordered him to keep watch over them.
"Would you like to come with us?"
"He doesn't need to come, XiaoJie! Doesn't he have to protect Prince Li? We'll be fine on our own..."
Somehow, TanTan could sense that XiaoRue felt uneasy around ManQi.
"I'll inform Master first," ManQi replied.
"All right."
It didn't really matter to TanTan. She knew Prince Li wouldn't care much about where they went, as long as they didn't cause trouble.
TanTan and XiaoRue started walking toward the lantern seller.
ManQi immediately approached Prince Li and whispered something to him. Prince Li glanced at TanTan and XiaoRue as they walked away.
"Go. Keep an eye on them."
ManQi immediately followed his master's order.
By then, TanTan and XiaoRue had bought their lanterns and were heading toward a hillside on the outskirts of town. TanTan chose a high spot near the woods. There was no one else around, so they could enjoy a little privacy while releasing their lanterns into the sky, away from the crowds.
TanTan and XiaoRue began writing their wishes on their lanterns.
XiaoRue wrote:
Wishing for a peaceful life and a truly handsome soulmate.
ManQi secretly glanced at her writing. He couldn't hold back a laugh.
XiaoRue heard him and shot him a sharp look.
"What are you laughing about?"
"Nothing... Nothing."
XiaoRue then noticed that ManQi had also bought a lantern of his own and written something on it.
"It's not fair if you get to see mine. Let me see yours!"
"No. I'm afraid it's a secret."
But XiaoRue refused to give up. She tried to reach for his lantern while ManQi held it out of her reach. He was careful not to hurt her, but he also didn't make it too difficult for her to keep trying.
Meanwhile, TanTan was checking the words she had written on her lantern before releasing it. She didn't realize that someone standing behind her was also reading them.
The man quietly recited her wish.
"Wishing to return to the right time and see my beloved mother again..."
TanTan was startled. She turned around and saw a dignified older man smiling at her.
He looked strangely familiar. She felt certain she had seen him somewhere before.
"I'm sorry if I startled you, Young Lady."
He called me 'Young Lady'? Why does his voice sound so familiar? Ah... Right! I saw him at the funeral. He was the one who suggested that Grandma dismiss the guests. Grandma called him... Ugh, I can't remember! But Grandma listened to him. He must be someone very close to the Hua family.
Seeing TanTan's confused expression, the older man seemed to guess what she was thinking.
"It seems you are still having trouble remembering things, Young Lady. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Hua FouQi..."
The surname Hua? That means...
"Uncle FouQi?" she guessed.
"You remember! Ah, that's a good sign. I see you're almost fully recovered. How is your wound?"
Hua FouQi smiled warmly. His eyes nearly disappeared whenever he smiled, reminding TanTan of the statue of the Earth God she had once seen in a book.
"Thank you for your concern, Uncle. It's almost completely healed now..." TanTan replied nervously.
How close was he to Hua MuTan, exactly? Could he tell that something was different about me?
"I miss your mother too, MuTan. She was one of the most beautiful and intelligent women I have ever met. Though she has been gone for so long, I can still see her in you."
He smiled at TanTan.
TanTan returned his smile out of politeness. Compared with her Aunt MeiGui, Uncle FouQi seemed much more welcoming. There was no sarcasm or hatred in his words.
Well, at least Hua MuTan has a kind uncle and a loving grandmother. You should be grateful for the people you have instead of greedily wanting someone you can never have.
"May I help you light your lantern? I would also like to pray for your wish. Consider it a prayer for your mother as well."
"Of course, Uncle."
Together, they lit the lantern.
From a distance, ManQi watched them seriously. He stopped teasing XiaoRue and handed his own lantern to her.
"XiaoRue, keep an eye on your XiaoJie."
"Wait... What?"
ManQi simply walked away, leaving her confused. Only then did XiaoRue notice Hua FouQi standing beside TanTan. She wondered what the two of them were talking about.
Meanwhile, ShuangAi and Prince Li were still enjoying the street performances with FangFang.
As soon as ManQi left to follow TanTan and XiaoRue, ShuangAi noticed that they were no longer nearby. She looked around, trying to find TanTan, but couldn't see her anywhere.
She turned to Prince Li.
"Li Ge, where is MuTan Jie?"
"She's with XiaoRue. Probably wandering around somewhere," Prince Li answered briefly.
He didn't seem particularly concerned. As long as that evil woman didn't cause trouble for ShuangAi and FangFang, he had no reason to pay attention to her. In truth, he didn't want to have anything to do with Hua MuTan.
ShuangAi immediately regretted not noticing their absence sooner. She gave him a disapproving look.
"But, Li Ge, you should accompany her..."
"Don't worry. ManQi is with them. They'll be fine!"
"It's not about danger, Li Ge. You're really heartless! Come on, FangFang. Let's go find your YangMu."
"But I still want to watch the show..."
Just then, ManQi returned and reported what had happened with Hua FouQi.
Prince Li's expression suddenly changed. He stopped ShuangAi from trying to persuade FangFang any further.
"All right, ShuangMei. I'll go and bring Hua MuTan back. You stay here with FangFang."
He nodded at ManQi, instructing him to watch over ShuangAi and FangFang, then left.
ShuangAi felt relieved that Prince Li had decided to look for MuTan Jie. She hoped things would go well between the two of them.
Just as TanTan and Hua FouQi finished lighting the lantern, Prince Li suddenly appeared and snatched it from her hand.
He glared angrily at both TanTan and Hua FouQi.
TanTan couldn't believe what had just happened. She stared at him in disbelief.
"What are you doing?! Give me back my lantern!"
Hua FouQi was also surprised, but he quickly composed himself and greeted the prince politely.
"Prince Li ZhouWei, what an honor to meet you here."
Prince Li acknowledged his greeting and tried to maintain a normal tone, but his eyes remained fixed sharply on Hua FouQi.
"Minister Hua, what a coincidence to find you here with my wife. Or perhaps the two of you arranged this meeting?"
TanTan couldn't understand what he was implying.
Is he accusing me of having a secret meeting with Uncle FouQi? Why?
Hua FouQi looked deeply into Prince Li's eyes before answering slowly, as though carefully choosing his words.
"No, Your Highness. It was purely a coincidence. This old man simply came to enjoy the festival and happened to meet Young Lady Hua while she was writing her wish on a lantern. I was touched by what she had written, so I offered to help her release it into the sky."
"Is that so...?"
Prince Li examined the lantern and read the words written on it.
Return to the right time... What does that mean? Is it some kind of code?
TanTan was still upset that he had suddenly snatched her lantern. She stepped forward and tried to take it back.
"Give it back!"
Unfortunately, Prince Li refused to let go so easily. As TanTan pulled against him, the lantern tore with a loud ripping sound.
TanTan's eyes widened. Then she exploded in anger.
"LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE! YOU RUINED MY LANTERN!"
"Well, if you hadn't tried to snatch it from me, it wouldn't have torn."
"YOU...!"
TanTan was speechless.
Unbelievable! He's clearly the one who caused this, yet he can't even offer a single apology. Instead, he's blaming me!
"Please calm down, Young Lady Hua. I'll prepare another lantern for you," Hua FouQi offered.
"No... No need, Uncle Hua. Thank you, but I'm no longer in the mood to release another lantern."
"Since your loyal uncle here is willing to buy you a new one, why not let him? Isn't that right, Minister Hua?"
TanTan could hear the sarcasm in Prince Li's voice. It made her feel even more confused.
He seemed angry not only with her but also with Uncle FouQi. Did he have some personal grudge against him? Or was he simply unfriendly toward everyone from the Hua family?
Whatever the reason, TanTan didn't want to cause trouble for the kind uncle she had only just met.
"Please leave us, Uncle. Let me talk to Prince Li alone."
"...Very well, if that is what you wish, MuTan. But don't hesitate to come to me if you need any help. As you may remember, I have always helped you get what you wanted in the past..."
Those were Uncle FouQi's final words. He politely greeted TanTan and Prince Li before leaving.
As he passed XiaoRue, Hua FouQi instructed her not to approach Hua MuTan yet, explaining that the young couple seemed to want a private conversation.
Understanding his meaning, XiaoRue stayed where she was and watched them from a distance.
TanTan turned toward Prince Li angrily.
"What exactly is your problem?"
"My problem?! You know very well what it is! What does 'return to the right time' mean? Hah? Is that some kind of code you can use to send more assassins after ShuangAi?"
"What?! You're completely insane! I've told you so many times that I won't hurt ShuangAi anymore! I'm not the person I used to be!"
"Hua MuTan... Stop pretending! I know that everything that happened in the past was part of your plan with your uncle. You once tried to force me to take a drug you obtained from him. You also tried to poison ShuangAi with another drug that came from him! Now tell me, why shouldn't I suspect that you're planning something evil again when I find you meeting with your uncle?!"
TanTan was speechless.
This man is far too paranoid about Hua MuTan. There's no point trying to talk to him right now...
From a distance, they heard ShuangAi and FangFang calling for them. The two were approaching from another direction.
Prince Li didn't want ShuangAi to witness their argument, so he stepped closer to TanTan and gave her a cold warning.
"I warn you, Hua MuTan. One day, I will find evidence of your evil schemes and arrest both you and your uncle. Then you will receive the punishment you deserve."
With that, Prince Li turned and walked toward ShuangAi and FangFang.
TanTan remained standing where she was.
I know those hateful words are meant for Hua MuTan, but still... Why does my heart hurt?
XiaoRue approached her.
"XiaoJie..."
"Leave me alone, XiaoRue. I need some time by myself."
TanTan began walking toward the woods.
"But, XiaoJie..."
"Please, XiaoRue. Don't follow me."
XiaoRue stopped. She could only stand there and watch as TanTan walked away.
The moon was now shining brightly, and countless lanterns had risen into the sky. They looked like glowing fireballs, twinkling and dancing above the town. Everyone turned their attention toward the beautiful sight, watching the lanterns with joy.
Even XiaoRue was swept up in the cheerful atmosphere and looked up at the sky.
But TanTan couldn't share their happiness.
She stopped beneath the trees and began to cry. She felt so terribly lonely. At that moment, all she wanted was her mother.
She crouched down, covering her face as tears streamed down her cheeks.
"Hik... hik... I want to go home... Mom, please tell me what I should do to go home..."
She took out her handkerchief and wiped her tears, hoping to compose herself before returning.
But not far from where TanTan crouched, a black figure was watching her from a tree.
The mysterious man wore a silver metal mask that covered almost his entire face.
Then the masked man noticed something glinting beneath the moonlight. It was the reflection of several swords.
There wasn't just one attacker. At least three black-clad figures had surrounded TanTan, and it was obvious that they intended to kill her.
At the critical moment, just as one of them moved to attack, the masked man threw several flying daggers.
The daggers struck the arm of the attacker who had raised his sword against TanTan, drawing blood. They were poisoned, and the wounded assassin immediately lost control of his movements.
Realizing what was happening, TanTan quickly steadied herself and prepared to fight. She tried to dodge the attacks of the other two black-clad men.
But defending herself against two highly skilled assassins was no easy task.
Just as one of them was about to pierce her with his sword, the masked man suddenly dropped from the tree. He wrapped one arm tightly around TanTan's waist and whisked her away from the woods.
The two remaining assassins immediately gave chase.
Everything happened so quickly that TanTan couldn't tell whether the masked man was an enemy or an ally. She also failed to notice that her handkerchief had fallen to the ground, leaving behind a trace of her presence in the woods.
Meanwhile, XiaoRue returned to check on TanTan, only to find that the place where Hua MuTan had been standing was now empty.
Alarmed, she rushed into the woods, calling out desperately.
"XiaoJie...! XIAOJIE...! XIAOOO JIEEEE!"