By the time the car arrived at Xicheng, the cousins who had put the river lanterns together had already arrived.

According to Taoism, the fifteenth days of January, July, and October are called Shangyuan, Zhongyuan, and Xiayuan. Shangyuan is the day of blessing of heavenly officials, Zhongyuan is the day of forgiveness of sins by local officials, and Xiayuan is the day of relief of water officials. Therefore, it will be in the middle of the Yuan to purify the lonely soul and wild ghosts.

Unlike the Shangyuan and Xiayuan, the Midyear Festival in July is a festival for the deceased. At this time, every household has already burned the "coating." "There are piles of ash piles surrounded by lime and faintly burning on the street, and the choking smell in the air has not yet dissipated, Sanniang closed her eyes and felt a little tingling.

When the people had gathered, the carriage went to the river in the west city.

When it reached the upstream section, the carriage slowly stopped, Erniang got out of the carriage first, and then Sanniang was also helped out of the carriage. The air here is much better, probably because there are fewer residents by the river, or maybe the air purification ability is stronger where there is water, in short, Sanniang finally doesn't feel that her eyes can't be opened.

Several mothers-in-law quickly lit the "Qi Death Wind" lamp brought from the house, and put one every few steps. A small area on the shore was illuminated almost as bright as day, and there seemed to be a world of separation from the place beyond the lamp.

The grass on the shore two or three inches long under the soles of the feet is soft and soft, and it seems to be itching around the embroidered shoes, and it rustles when you step on it.

The location chosen by the people of the Wang family is upstream, perhaps because it is still early, there are only a few lotus lanterns scattered on the river, and they can't understand the so-called "full of stars and cold in autumn, ten thousand golden lotuses all night long" realm.

Looking at the lake in front of her, which was faintly reflected by a few lights, although it was not as spectacular as imagined, the fresher air still made Sanniang feel a little more relaxed.

Wu Niang and Yuan Niang laughed together, San Niang and Er Niang looked over and saw Wu Niang take out a carp lamp during the Lantern Festival. Yuan Niang was helplessly preaching to her.

Sanniang saw that Erniang also walked over there, and the maids were taking river lanterns in the carriage behind, but they quietly took a few steps back. Exiting the range illuminated by the lights, he gently pulled Sanqi, who was following behind, and hid to the side of the carriage.

"Miss?" Sanqi saw that no one was paying attention here. And he also retreated.

Sanniang didn't have time to say anything more, so she only lowered her voice and said, "You hurry back home." Look at what the Fifth Young Master is doing. If he doesn't go out in the yard, let him stay in the yard and don't leave. If it's not in the yard, let Mama Zhao send someone to find it. Go ahead, don't let anyone find out. ”

Sanqi has been listening quietly, and when he finished listening to the words, he saw that Sanniang had no other instructions, so he nodded, and did not ask the reason.

She looked around, and at last walked to the carriage at the back, pretending to be going to help with the lanterns. But while people were not paying attention, he gradually hid himself in the night and disappeared.

Sanniang then remembered that they came by carriage. Although it is not far from the street, it is still more than half a city away from the palace, so I don't know if it will be dangerous for Sanqi to go back alone, and I don't know how she will go back. She should be given some silver to find someone to hire a car on the street in front, Sanniang secretly regretted it.

"Third sister, third sister, come quickly!" Wu Niang shouted over there.

Sanniang restrained her emotions and comforted herself Sanqi grew up in the market since she was a child, and unlike Bai Ying, who grew up in the inner courtyard, she should have her own way. This is also the reason why she just picked Sanqi back.

"I'm here." Sanniang smiled and walked into the light and shadow, and saw that Bai Ying had been standing on the side. As if to give them a sentry, he nodded to her.

"Third sister, come here to comment, big sister, she just doesn't agree with me putting this carp lamp." Wu Niang pouted and complained coquettishly.

Sanniang glanced at Yuan Niang, who was full of helplessness. Shaking his head and laughing: "This is not a krathong, even if you put it in the river, it will sink, it's a pity." ”

The other cousins also chattered, and Wu Niang could only put away the carp lamp and take the lotus lamp brought by the maid.

The lotus lanterns of the Wang family are all the same, made of bamboo strips and colored paper to make the appearance of a blooming lotus, there is no novelty at all, it seems to be made in a hurry, no wonder Wu Niang doesn't like it.

The girls of the Wang family asked the maid to light the small candle in the river lamp, and one of them held one on the bank, with a smile on his face. Sanniang looked at them and seemed to feel that at this time they were no different from the teenage girls in the other world. Simple, happy, and easy to satisfy, but Sanniang knew in her heart that they were not.

Sanniang watched Wu Niang puff out her cheeks and secretly blew the lamp in Liuniang's hand, Liuniang screamed and protected the lamp in her arms and hid behind Siniang, Wuniang's eyes rolled, and when Siniang protected Liuniang, she quickly blew out the lamp in Liuniang's hand.

Siniang was so angry that she was about to blow out her lamp after Wuniang, but Wuniang ran behind Yuan Niang and hid while laughing. Siniang couldn't dodge and collided with Erniang, and the lights of the two fell to the ground at the same time. Siniang's lamp was blown out because it was blown out, so it rolled on the grass by the river, but Erniang's one burned instantly.

Siniang glanced at Erniang, pursed her lips, and stopped chasing Wuniang.

Erniang shook her head and glanced at Wu Niang reproachfully, but she didn't blame Si Niang, but kindly picked up her lamp, patted a little grass clippings on her head, and handed it to Si Niang with a smile.

Siniang glanced at the lamp, frowned and said, "It's all dirty, don't want it." As he spoke, he instructed the maid behind her to let her go and get a new one. Erniang smiled and handed the lamp in her hand to her maid and told her to change it.

Sanniang shook her head secretly in her heart, and took a lotus lamp that had been lit from Bai Zhi.

Walking to the river, he squatted down lightly and was about to put the light on, but Bai Ying said, "Miss, didn't you prepare a note?" ”

Sanniang looked up in confusion, but saw a cousin next to her, who seemed to be the sixth in the clan, carefully placing a folded note in the lamp. Then he put the lamp in the grass, closed his eyes and put his hands together, and said a few words with his lips moving slightly, and then he understood that he was making a wish to put the river lantern.

The sixth cousin opened her eyes after making a wish, and Sanniang found that she had a smile on her lips, her eyes were shining, and her face was longing, and she couldn't help but be stunned.

The sixth cousin also noticed Sanniang's gaze, but somehow lowered her head a little shyly, because of the color difference of the light, Sanniang couldn't see whether her face was red or not, but Sanniang thought that it must be red. The sixth cousin seemed to think that it was not good to keep her head down, so she raised it again, nodded to Sanniang, and got up and hurriedly ran away, but she couldn't help but look back at the river lantern she put down while running.

"Third sister, have you made a wish?" Yuan Niang walked over with her own waiting, squatted beside Sanniang, and asked with a smile.

Sanniang nodded and smiled: "Okay, Sanniang hopes that the elders will be healthy, and the sisters will always be happy together." ”

Yuan Niang hurriedly stopped: "Third sister, just think about it in your heart, don't say it, it won't work." ”

Sanniang saw that she was in a hurry, so she also pretended to be anxious and said, "Then what should I do?" ”

Yuan Niang thought for a while and said, "You make a wish again, just read it in your heart this time, and don't tell others." ”

Sanniang nodded, really following the example of the sixth cousin, closing her eyes and clasping her hands. But in my heart, I didn't make a wish. She had always disbelieved in that.

"Alright, let's put the lights on." Sanniang opened her eyes and said to Yuan Niang with a smile.

Yuan Niang nodded, and together with Sanniang, she put the lotus lantern in her hand into the river and gently pushed it with her hand. The two lotus lanterns swirled and floated downstream along the river.

Sanniang saw Yuan Niang looking at the lotus lantern, but there was worry in her eyes, and she couldn't help but say softly: "Big sister's wish must be realized, don't worry." ”

Yuan Niang came back to her senses, nodded and smiled at Sanniang.

At this time, Wu Niang screamed. Sanniang and Yuanniang turned their heads to look, and saw Wuniang anxiously pulling a mother-in-law beside her and pointing to the river and saying, "Quick, go and catch it." ”

Sanniang looked along her hand and saw a lotus lantern tilting half of it floating in the water, as if it was about to sink. It turned out that the petals of the lamp had been broken by something and had lost its balance.

The woman on the shore was in a dilemma, but the lamp was lit in an instant because the candle on it had fallen at some point.

Liuniang stood by the river, holding a pebble in her hand and smiling proudly.

"Wang Shan, don't run!" Wu Niang stomped her feet and went to chase Liu Niang.

Liuniang was frightened, so she picked up Siniang next to her and ran.

The three of them chased and ran, and in an instant, they ran out of the range illuminated by the lights. At this time, there are already a lot of people on the river bank who have come out to put river lanterns, which is quite lively, and the three of them ran away, covered by the crowd, and because the light outside was dim, it was impossible to see the trace.

"Ah, stop them." Yuan Niang stood up in fright and shouted to the mother-in-law in the back.

As soon as they shouted like this, the maids who had put the lights by the river also came back to their senses, and chased them out one by one after losing the lamps in their hands. The mother-in-law panicked and took the windproof lamps standing on the shore and chased after them.

But after waiting for a while, no one came back.

"Where did they go? Why haven't you come back yet? Erniang said to Yuan Niang worriedly.

"The mother-in-law and maids have all followed, and it should be fine." Yuan Niang comforted, but her own brows couldn't help frowning.

At this time, Sanniang felt a chill on her face, something splashed on her face, followed by two drops and three drops.

"Ah, it's raining." Someone exclaimed.

So in an instant, the people on the shore were in chaos. ()