Finest Servant

Chapter 277

Chapter 277

Chapter 277 The Search

Lin Wanrong and the two young ladies craned their necks to watch the floating lotus lanterns. The three of them stood in silence, like unnoticed clay beads amid a sea of people, their presence unseen.

Looking up at the gleaming jade disk nestled in the vibrant night sky, a woman standing atop a building heaved a faint sigh. Her gaze unwittingly swept over the bustling crowd, but she failed to notice the three unnoticed clay beads amidst the multitude.

Tears shimmered in her eyes. With a light tap of her foot, she transformed into a beautiful crane under the moonlight, disappearing into the vast darkness of the night.

Observing the twin lotus lanterns leisurely floating overhead, Xiao Yushuang clapped her hands in delight, "I wonder which young lady released these lanterns. They are indeed beautiful. This sister must surely be pining for her lover."

The lotus lanterns flew higher and higher, scattering a myriad of radiant colors, dazzling and bewitching, becoming the most captivating sight at the lantern festival. Numerous lovesick men and women put their palms together in respect and bowed their heads, their expressions utmost sincere.

A force seemed to beckon him from the unknown. Lin Wanrong's gaze fell upon the rooftop. With the bright moon in the sky and the world covered in a silvery sheen, the place seemed empty and desolate, devoid of any human figure.

"What are you staring at?" The Eldest Miss asked upon seeing his dazed expression, hurriedly whispering.

"That tavern, I want to check it out," Lin Wanrong affirmed.

The Eldest Miss hummed in agreement, "A tavern? That's good then. After traveling for so many days, we've finally reached the capital. We should go there and celebrate. I will allow you some drinks, but do not let it interfere with our plans."

Lin Wanrong chuckled. The Eldest Miss's rules were becoming more humane. Things were looking up.

The tavern they saw stood tall in the middle of the bustling street, in an ideal location, approximately five to six stories high. It was majestic, a magnificent sight, the busiest establishment on the street.

With great effort, Lin Wanrong led the two young ladies through the crowd to the entrance of the building. The tavern was decorated from top to bottom with lanterns of various sizes. In the middle was a large golden plaque, emblazoned with four big characters – Yun Lai Xian Jing [Fairyland Comes with the Clouds].

"Hah, even a dining place is named like this? They've really gone overboard with their taste!" Lin Wanrong laughed.

The Eldest Miss pulled him lightly and pointed to some smaller characters beneath the large plaque, "Look."

Lin Wanrong had been so taken by the grandeur of the golden characters that he had overlooked the small ones in the corner. Reminded by the Eldest Miss, he looked up again to see some more small characters inscribed beneath the main title – "Calligraphy by Xu Wei."

"So, this place had the old man Xu's calligraphy? It must truly be a place of refined taste. We should definitely check it out." Lin Wanrong nodded and said with a smile, "Ladies, let's dine here."

Just as the trio was about to ascend the stairs, a smiling waiter stopped them. "Honored guests, I'm afraid you're out of luck. Our Fairyland Comes with the Clouds has been reserved for the night, and we cannot accommodate other customers. I am sorry, but you'll have to find another place. My sincere apologies."

It was common for taverns to be reserved, especially on a day as big as the Lantern Festival. The waiter was polite. The Eldest Miss nodded in acknowledgment and was about to leave when Lin Wanrong, haunted by the memory of the woman releasing the lotus lanterns on the rooftop, felt a pang of regret. He felt as if missing this place would mean missing out on many things.

"Brother, is there truly no way to accommodate us? My two young ladies have traveled from afar, particularly to appreciate the lanterns here, to admire the renowned Fairyland Comes with the Clouds. Can you not even spare three seats?" Lin Wanrong asked.

The server was caught in a dilemma, "Sir, truth be told, today, Fairyland Comes with the Clouds has been reserved for the young masters and ladies from Jinghua Academy to admire and guess riddles in the lanterns. They have specifically instructed to keep away the common masses. You are aware, the tempers of these young masters and ladies are not easy to handle. Please, don't make it hard for me."

"Jinghua Academy?" The Second Miss was taken aback, then she excitedly grabbed Xiao Yuruo's hand and said, "Sister, could it be the Jinghua Academy where I intend to study?"

The Eldest Miss nodded, "There should only be one Jinghua Academy in the capital, it must be the one."

Yushuang was immediately thrilled. Madam Xiao had allowed her to pursue education in the capital and the academy she was affiliated with was Jinghua Academy. Lin Wanrong was also taken aback. Jinghua Academy? Was this not the legendary university? These guys really had deep pockets, reserving such a large restaurant just like that.

While the three could have easily settled for some other restaurant, now hearing the name Jinghua Academy, with the Second Miss looking forward to it, and Lin Wanrong himself having certain considerations, they all wished to make it to the top floor of the restaurant.

As they hesitated, a young man dressed in splendid attire, accompanied by two servants, walked directly towards the upper floor.

The server rushed to greet him, "Young Master Tian, you've arrived? The other young masters and ladies are already waiting upstairs."

This so-called Young Master Tian, a dashing and debonair young man, nodded and asked, "Have Miss Zhiqing and Master Ye arrived?"

The server hurriedly responded, "These two have not yet arrived, but the other young masters and ladies have been here for a while."

Young Master Tian acknowledged the answer, and as he was about to proceed upstairs, his eyes caught the Xiao sisters and he paused. Adjusting his robe, he turned around and elegantly greeted, "May I ask, are you ladies also here to attend the lantern festival at Jinghua Academy? I don't recall seeing you before."

His face was adorned with a friendly smile, displaying a demeanor of grace and fervor. His gaze fell warmly on the two young ladies, stirring a pleasant impression at first sight. However, the likes of Lin San, being a servant, was naturally filtered out.

Being attractive indeed had its benefits, Lin Wanrong thought in contempt. Yet, he was helpless, unable to go up and punch this audacious inquirer.

The Eldest Miss responded graciously, "Your courtesy is appreciated, sir. We sisters are not from the capital, but came from afar. Having heard about the reputation of Fairyland Comes with the Clouds and coinciding with the Lantern Festival, we thought of joining the festivities."

Young Master Tian responded enthusiastically, "I see. The two ladies are remarkably beautiful, akin to ethereal beings, where do you hail from? Could it be that you are the fairies who have descended from the Moon Palace?"

The Second Miss, younger in age, felt her cheeks grow warm at the public praise from the young man. Shy, she lowered her gaze.

‘Damn, he's even thicker-skinned than me,’ Lin Wanrong grumbled, ‘My wife doesn't need your flattery.’ Yushuang secretly took his hand, her face blooming into a smile as she whispered, "You scoundrel, I prefer when you tell me I'm pretty."

The Eldest Miss responded with a gentle smile, "Your flattery is unnecessary, sir. We sisters hail from Jinling."

Young Master Tian exclaimed, "So, you are the beauties of the south! No wonder you're so fresh and extraordinary. Why don't the two of you go up to watch the lanterns?"

"Well, my mistresses were about to do just that, but this waiter here says you and your companions have reserved the entire establishment, so we can't," Lin Wanrong replied, smirking.

Young Master Tian had wanted to converse with the two ladies, but seeing this servant interrupt and cut off the mistresses, he couldn't help but frown. He thought to himself, 'What a presumptuous servant.' But seeing that neither lady spoke up, he didn't feel it was his place to chastise the man. He managed an awkward smile and said, "I apologize for my intrusion! There must be some misunderstanding. My name is Tian Wenjing. I and my friends from Jinghua Academy have reserved this place tonight for the lantern show. We intended to enjoy it without disturbances, and to entertain ourselves with some lantern riddles. According to our rules, anyone who solves a riddle may go upstairs to view the lanterns. I hadn't anticipated it would inconvenience you, my apologies. I invite you both to join us upstairs."

The Eldest Miss glanced at Lin Wanrong. She didn't know why he was insistent on visiting this Fairyland Comes with the Clouds, but since he had reasons, and her younger sister was eager to witness the Jinghua Academy's talented individuals, she smiled faintly and said, "So one must solve a lantern riddle to go upstairs? That's fair enough. It's our fault for intruding, and we don't want to break the rules. Young Master Tian, please bring a lantern. I'll give the riddle a try."

"Turns out the lady is a scholar herself, my apologies for not recognizing," Young Master Tian said, a glint in his eyes and a more eager smile on his face. "These riddles are just for amusement, no need to take them too seriously. How about I host the event today and invite both of you upstairs to enjoy the beautiful lanterns and celebrate this prosperous year together?"

The Eldest Miss didn't respond, and Lin Wanrong moved the broken lantern he was holding a bit closer. He thought, 'A prosperous year, huh? Sounds good. If anyone believes you, they'll be celebrating New Year's again tomorrow.'

Seeing the ladies firm in their stance, Young Master Tian had no choice but to nod. Pointing to the various lanterns hanging upstairs, he offered a polite smile, "Then, please choose a lantern, miss."

The Eldest Miss turned to Yushuang and gestured, "Little sister, choose one for me."

The younger sister nodded and stretched out her delicate finger, pointing to a butterfly lantern, "I want that one."

The waiter hurriedly used a bamboo pole to retrieve the lantern and Young Master Tian handed it over to the sisters with a sincere smile, "Please open the riddle, ladies."

The Eldest Miss nodded, pulled out the slip of paper from the lantern, and handed it to the waiter who then passed it to Young Master Tian.

Upon reading the riddle, Young Master Tian paused before reciting, "Ladies, this is a word (character) riddle. Clear when meeting water, bright when meeting fire. Guess the word (character)."

This type of brain teaser-like question was Lin Wanrong's specialty. After a moment of contemplation, he already had the answer. Turning his attention back to the Eldest Miss, he noticed her slightly furrowed brow as she pondered. After a while, she picked up the small brush offered by the waiter and, on the plate in front of her, wrote a beautiful character—"?".

[TL: The character "?" in English corresponds to the word "ascend" or "rise". It is used in various contexts in Chinese such as to ascend a height, rise to power, etc.]

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