Chapter 21: The Qiqiao Festival Banquet
As they left the teahouse, lanterns had already illuminated the long street. Trees along the roadside swayed gently, their leaves filled with the chirping of cicadas.
On the bluestone path, young children laughed and played, their joy ringing through the market like a string of bells.
Mu Bai descended the steps and saw seven or eight young men carrying a sedan chair across the stone arch bridge; atop it lay a statue of the Weaver Girl. Ahead, a line of maidens in colorful robes waved paper fans as they made their way through the bustling long street.
The people of Lingyun Ferry believe that the Weaver Girl blesses romantic unions; thus, every year during the Qiqiao Festival, her statue is ceremoniously carried out from the temple for a procession.
Along the route, young men and women on the streets pressed their palms together and closed their eyes in prayer.
Seeing Mu Bai remain unmoved, Su Mo asked aloud, “Miss Xiao, aren’t you going to pray for blessings?”
Mu Bai waved a hand. “No need, no need. I already have far too many unwanted romantic entanglements; let’s not invite any more.”
Su Mo’s eyes curved into a smile as he took Mu Bai’s wrist and led them toward the bridge.
“Where are we going?”
“Since you’re not seeking a romantic match, why not release lanterns by the riverbank?”
The young men celebrating the Qiqiao Festival had all chased after the Weaver Girl to the far side of the bridge, leaving the riverbank dark and quiet, illuminated only by the faint glow of drifting lanterns on the water.
The old man who usually fished by the river was tonight selling handmade lanterns; Su Mo bought two lotus-shaped ones from him and walked with Mu Bai onto the wooden boardwalk.
Crouching at the end of the plank walkway, they lit the wicks and gently placed their lantern flowers upon the water’s surface.
The moment they let go, the lanterns drifted away with the current.
Su Mo asked, “Aren’t you going to make a wish? Lantern flowers can grant wishes too.”
Mu Bai closed his eyes with sincere devotion, pressing his palms together in prayer: “Protect me from attracting any more unwanted romantic entanglements; may evil spirits and monstrous beings depart…”
Su Mo let out a soft laugh.
Mu Bai opened one eye to glance at him. “What wish did you make?”
“No.” Su Mo bent down and gently nudged his lantern forward, making it drift faster. “In the past, I often made wishes, but none ever came true, so I no longer hold out hope.”
“If it doesn’t work, why did you tell me to make a wish?” Mu Bai smiled. “Did you want me to be disappointed too?”
Su Mo shook his head. “Heaven does not favor me, but I believe it must hold you in high regard and will not let you down.”
“Mm, I’ll take your kind words as a good omen.”
The two stood on the plank walkway, watching until those two lanterns swayed farther away, merging into the river of ten thousand lights.
Amid the cool breeze by the riverside, fireworks burst with a thunderous roar, soaring into the night sky and blooming into a spectacle of fiery trees and silver flowers.
Fragments of fireworks fell into the tranquil river, illuminating its dark, mirror-like surface.
“I was strolling through the streets this morning,” Mu Bai said, tugging Su Mo along as they ran toward the bustling thoroughfare. “The vendors said that once the fireworks are lit, the Lantern Festival officially begins. We must hurry; if we’re late, all the lanterns will be snatched up!”
A gust of wind lifted one corner of Su Mo’s black veil, revealing a hint of a smile beneath.
He said nothing, simply following Mu Bai as they ran.
The long street is bustling with life, as young men, women, and children wander about carrying lanterns, their lights flickering and dancing. Many colorful lanterns still hang from the eaves of stalls and shops, their glow filtering through thin paper, casting a poetic and hazy ambiance.
Mu Bai solves riddles at the roadside stalls and, in no time, collects eight lanterns of different shapes.
Arriving at the next household, Mu Bai finds that all the lanterns displayed there are identical to the ones already in hand. Slightly displeased, Mu Bai remarks to Su Mo, “All the lanterns along this entire street are made of paper, and there are only these few designs…”
The vendor thinks to himself, “Solving riddles is merely part of the Qiqiao Festival’s charm; yet here you are, having already claimed eight lanterns, and still complaining there aren’t enough varieties.”
I can’t tell if she’s coming to meet her lover or to sweep the grand slam.
“Miss, if you go a bit further ahead, right at the entrance of Yizui Pavilion, on the arena where the Li family holds their martial arts contest for marriage this afternoon, there’s a ‘Flower Champion in the Lantern.’ You might want to take a look.”
“‘Flower Champion in the Lantern’?” Mu Bai perked up with interest. “Thank you, brother. I’ll go see it right away.”
Outside Yizui Pavilion.
“Thank you all, esteemed elders and fellow villagers, for your support. Today, my young mistress has found her ideal husband, and in celebration, she offers the family’s treasured Nine-Colored Glazed Lantern as the prize for the Qiqiao Festival gala.” The Li family servant lifted the red cloth.
Beneath it stood a square lantern, inside which rested unexpectedly a luminous pearl; its radiance shone through the nine-colored glazed surface, still swirling with precious light, clear and brilliant.
“The Li family truly spares no expense; just the wick of this Nine-Colored Glazed Lantern must be worth over ten thousand taels, right?”
“That is a luminous pearl, after all.”
Mu Bai, eager to try, whispered to a young gentleman beside her, “Brother, what competitions are held at this Qiqiao Festival?”
The man did not turn around, replying only, “Song and dance.”
“Oh,” Mu Bai asked again, “then how is victory determined?”
“Look there.” The person pointed with a finger.
Below the stage, three maids from the Li family stood in a row, each holding a large basket of silk flowers. “If you see a performance you like, buy a silk flower and toss it onto the stage; that counts as a vote. The one with the most silk flowers wins first place.”
“I see. Thank you.”
“No trouble at all.” As the Li family servant stepped down from the stage, the man finally turned around and got a clear look at Mu Bai.
He paused for a moment, then broke into a broad smile. “Miss, when will you take the stage? I’ll give you all my silk flowers.”
Mu Bai: “…No need, no need, thank you.”
He waved his hand dismissively and quickly pulled Su Mo to the other side of the crowd.
“Is Miss Xiao Bai going up on stage to compete?”
Mu Bai furrowed her brows. “If it were a sword duel, that would be one thing, but singing and dancing… To be honest, when I first arrived at Qinglian Valley, all my senior sisters laughed at me, saying I had a voice like a broken gong. Yet, I truly do want that lantern.”
“Song and dance is a general term; sword dancing also qualifies.” Su Mo drew a bamboo flute from his sleeve. “If you take the stage, I will accompany you from below.”
Mu Bai’s eyes lit up. “That would be wonderful.”
Sword dancing alone might seem stiff and awkward, but with the flute’s melody to complement it, one could at least follow the tune while drawing the sword, making the performance far more fluid.
After the Li family servant descended from the stage, murmurs rippled through the crowd, yet no one stepped forward to perform song or dance.
The first to take the stage, before the audience below had warmed up; a poor performance would make the atmosphere exceedingly awkward.
Mu Bai glanced around and, seeing no one willing to be the opening act, asked Su Mo, “Shall I go up then?”
“Go ahead.”
Today, Mu Bai wore a white silk gauze skirt, its hem flowing gracefully, yet it could not conceal his agile prowess. Placing his hands on the edge of the arena, he leaped up in a single bound.
In an instant, all eyes converged on him, and Mu Bai unexpectedly felt a surge of nervousness.
“Which family does this young lady belong to? She is truly beautiful.”
“Just based on this appearance, I’d be willing to toss him a silk flower.”
“Hey, girl, give me ten silk flowers!”
..
Before the performance had even begun, dozens of silk flowers were already scattered up onto the stage. Mu Bai felt dizzy from the sea of dark heads below and could only fix her gaze on Su Mo.
Su Mo nodded at her.
The flute’s melody and the Green Lotus Sword unsheathed simultaneously.
The flute’s sound was clear and melodious, while the short sword concealed its sharp edge; the dancer, clad in robes whiter than snow, wore a jade pendant between their brows that swayed with the wind, accentuating eyes as lustrous as autumn waters spread across the horizon.
Mu Bai had heard this tune many times in the Green Lotus Valley.
The first half was light and soaring, like fine rain tapping against banana leaves; transitioning into the middle section, the melody shifted abruptly, resembling a torrential downpour—sudden, frantic, and wild.
He bent at the waist, spinning with incredible speed, his sword’s glow transforming into a blur of phantom light.
As the middle section concluded, the clear, resonant sound of the flute suddenly soared, piercing the night sky like a phoenix taking flight from the bamboo grove.
Mu Bai struck simultaneously, his sword’s light cleaving through the long night, unmatched in its sharpness.
As the melody gradually faded, he danced with his sword as lightly as falling snow, slowly sheathing it until the song came to an end.
The clear and melodious sound of the flute faded into the night, leaving the audience still entranced, as if lingering within the slanting rain and bamboo grove it had painted.
It was not until Mu Bai sheathed his sword and bowed deeply to the crowd below that everyone finally came to their senses, and applause began to ripple through the gathering.
Servants from the Li family ascended the stage to escort Mu Bai to a seat in the rear section to await further proceedings.
Meanwhile, two other servants began gathering the silk flowers scattered across the stage. By now, the audience below had fully grasped the moment’s significance; they rushed forward to buy more silk flowers and toss them onto the stage, far too many for the servants to collect.
The three large baskets of silk flowers prepared by the Li family were snapped up in an instant, and with no stock left to replenish them, a stir rippled through the crowd.
Seeing this, Su Mo made no attempt to push his way forward; he merely cast a glance toward the stage.
Seated in the rear rows, Mu Bai watched him with a playful smile. Catching Su Mo’s gaze, she even pulled a funny face at him.
Su Mo lowered his head, his eyes and brows brimming with amusement.
Perhaps fearing that Mu Bai might grow bored waiting, the Li family sent over a platter of fruits and tea, along with a small round mirror.
He picked it up casually to check his reflection, tidying his loosened hair bun.
The luminous pearl within the nine-colored glazed lantern shone brilliantly; moreover, to ensure the audience could clearly see the performance, lamp stands had been placed at each of the four corners of the arena. Consequently, the area below appeared much darker, illuminated only by the faint, flickering glow of lanterns held in people’s hands, resembling thousands of fireflies.
Mu Bai turned the round mirror several times until finally finding a good angle, allowing him to reflect the mirror’s light downward onto Su Mo’s face.
Su Mo raised his sleeve to shield himself, yet the bright light still flashed into his eyes.
He closed his eyes, and the light danced upon his eyelids, like standing beneath the afternoon shade of a tree and tilting his face upward.
He opened his eyes, and the light poured into them; on the stage stood a youth in white robes, smiling brightly, dwelling within that radiance.
Time seemed to slow down. Afterward, others ascended the stage to sing and dance, but he saw none of it; the crowd cheered and applauded, yet he remained indifferent.
Until the evening’s outcome was revealed with no suspense, Mu Bai hopped down holding that nine-colored glazed lantern, lifting it before his eyes: “Beautiful, isn’t it?”
“Beautiful.” For some reason, when he spoke, his voice carried a hint of hoarseness.
Light and shadow swayed all around; only the two of them stood within the bright pearlescent glow. Deep within the crowd, some mischievous youth was the first to shout: “Miss, he accompanied you so beautifully on the flute—won’t you reward him with a kiss?”
Mu Bai started, then craned her neck to peer into the throng, trying to spot which troublemaker was stirring up such nonsense.
Little did he know, before he could even find the culprit, shouts began rising all around: “Kiss! Kiss!”
Mu Bai: “…”
Holding a lantern in one hand and grasping Su Mo’s with the other, he pushed through the crowd and fled amidst the jeers.
The long street stretched endlessly, adorned with countless lanterns, as the clamor gradually faded into the distance.
Not knowing how far she had run, Mu Bai finally stopped at a dimly lit alley entrance. She covered the glow of the nine-colored glazed lantern with a cloth and leaned against the wall, gasping for breath. “Wearing a skirt and running away is just too exhausting.”
Su Mo let out a low chuckle.
Mu Bai lifted her face and realized they were standing extremely close to each other in the darkness.
The summer night breeze blows open the flower buds, carrying the fragrance of osmanthus and citrus.
Su Mo suddenly raised his hand to remove the veil, leaned forward slightly, and gently kissed the jade ornament on Mu Bai’s forehead.
In the pitch-black night behind them, fireworks burst with a loud “boom,” casting streams of cold light, while lanterns illuminated ten miles of road.