Young men and women had gathered by the riverside, seemingly engaged in some activity, creating a lively atmosphere.
"Wow, it's so lively over there! Come on, let's go have a look!" Mingshu exclaimed, grabbing Yun Zhi and dashing off.
As they got closer, she realized they were releasing river lanterns. Mingshu suddenly remembered what Consort Rong Pin had mentioned about the lantern-festival activities during the Qixi Festival.
Her eyes lit up, and turning back to Yun Zhi, she said, "Let's go release..."
She stopped mid-sentence, her voice caught in her throat, as she realized the person she was holding was not Yun Zhi, but a strange man.
Dressed in black, the material indecipherable but exuding an understated luxury, he wore a half-mask that looked like some fierce creature.
However, the exposed half of his delicate chin and his affectionate, phoenix-like eyes were not hard to appreciate; he was undeniably handsome.
