Chapter 159 The Banquet’s Beginning (1/2)
“The son really grew old enough to be independent. Well, I’ll leave you two here. Jinyue, Let’s stop disturbing Mengya, and leave now.”
Concubine De, as Lin Mengya’s mother-in-law, was happy to see her son and her daughter-in-law being harmonious.
Being the case, Concubine De left Lin Mengya’s yard with Jinyue.
“Your Highness, what good idea do you have in mind?”
After Concubine De’s tease, Long Tianhao still looked uncomfortable at the moment.
Lin Mengya considerately turned to a new topic, breaking the awkward atmosphere between them.
“I have no idea.”
Facing Lin Mengya, Long Tianhao did not know what to say, all of a sudden.
Lin Mengya seemed like full of weird ideas.
Even Long Tianhao could never know what the little girl would do the next moment.
Whatever she did would become unfathomable.
“I learned that Your Highness’s birthday would come in a few days?
Long Tianhao with his head lowered, didn’t see clearly Lin Mengya’s facial expression.
He hesitantly nodded. ‘Birthday?’
He seemed to have never celebrated his birthday since he became an adult.
“Okay.”
Lin Mengya thought to herself that, no matter what, Long Tianhao was the one who offered her everything she needed, up to then.
Since it was so, it would be better to find a way to please him.
“Well then, can Your Highness make time for me on his birthday?”
Long Tianhao had been busy recently. Princess Ming Yue had left, and there would be no trouble anymore. But they still had few chances to see each other.
Every time they met, they had to leave after just a few words.
Long Tianyhao thought about it, and found that he might be available on his birthday, though he knew little about what Lin Mengya was going to do.
“I may be available. I will tell you if I’m occupied.”
Lin Mengya felt excited, and raised her smiling face.
“Deal! Let’s make a pinky swear!”
Lin Mengya reached her pinky finger to curl around Long Tianhao’s counterpart.
And she pretended to stamp on his thumb. Long Tianhao didn’t understand Lin Mengya’s behavior. But he had a feeling that she was making a promise.
“Deal.”
Long Tianhao started to look forward to Lin Mengya’s surprise. ‘What surprise will it be?’
Lin Mengya made swift preparations. She designed different themes for male and female guests separately.
The male guest area was set in the Qinwu Courtyard, with a winding canal.
The winding canal with underlaying pebbles might not be long. But Lin Mengya prepared decorated paper boats of various forms.
Then, a special servant would launch boats with riddles on them on the other end of the canal.
Then, Lin Mengya prepared trotting horse lamps with riddles on them for the female guest area.
Lin Mengya ordered servants to pull a piece of colorful string around pillars in the Liuxin Courtyard.
Papers with riddles were also hung on the strings.
Besides, the trotting horse lamps would also work as a light source.
Light after shade would look beautiful.
Guests first enjoyed the beauty of chrysanthemums in the afternoon. When lights were lit at night, they could amuse themselves in the two yards after putting on a mask and getting dressed.
At night, the Liuxin Courtyard was well illuminated by evening lights like a wonderland.
Even her four maids’ interests were aroused to play.
If Lin Mengya had not stopped them, they would have run to guess riddles.
“Little girl! Little girl! I want to go there too!”
Qinghu had never taken part in such an interesting banquet, so he lingered around Lin Mengya early in the morning.
“You? Okay, which yard do you want to choose?”
Lin Mengya, biting a delicious scallion pancake, calmly cleaned her greasy hand on Qinghu’s white clothes.
“I don’t want to see men’s faces. And I think, girls will need a guide when they appreciate chrysanthemums, right?”
Looking at the dirty handprints, Qinghu felt very sorry for his clothes. ‘My new clothes!’
Unfortunately, the Snows began to do the same thing. They also cleaned their dirty paws on Qinghu’s clothes.
Lin Mengya loved them like treasures.
Qinghu resisted his impulse to kick them to death. He had to pretend not to have seen black grey plum blossom prints on the lower hem.
“You dressed up as a woman. But why not be a good woman?”
Speaking of Qinghu’s girl-like look, Lin Mengya became speechless.
Qinghu, with such an exaggerated makeup and coquettish behavior, was exactly like a procuress!
“Women are always untruthful. Common people will not understand my beauty. Oh, Xiaoyu, you will also stay in the Liuxin Courtyard, right? Do you need me to prepare women’s wear for you? What a tender young boy you are. You will look pretty once you wear it!”
Instantly, Lin Zhongyu looked at Qinghu with disgust. But Baisu was the one who made the biggest reaction.
Upon hearing his words, Baisu pulled out her sword hurriedly towards Qinghu.
“How dare you!”
Qinghu was chased around the yard. Lin Mengya giggled, and took Xiaoyu aside, seeing the fun.