Chapter 90: A Pie Falling from the Sky
Chapter 90: A Pie Falling from the Sky
A ball of flames rose up and shot towards the sky.
Deng Jian turned pale with fear. After confirming his own limbs were unharmed, he turned around and saw that under the night sky, the ball of flames had already reached mid-air, then suddenly… vanished without a trace.
Just like that… it was over?
Bang…
A loud firecracker sound echoed through the air, followed by sparks shooting out and countless fiery sparks scattering down, resembling a fiery tree.
So beautiful…
Deng Jian grinned happily as he gazed at the dazzling display in the sky.
Everyone craned their necks, the magnificent sight in the mid-air reflecting in their eyes like a light of hope.
Deng Jian quickly rushed to Fang Jifan’s side and was about to speak when Fang Jifan shouted, “Stay quiet! I’m making a wish!”
Deng Jian widened his eyes, “A wi… wish?”
“Right,” Fang Jifan, remembering Deng Jian’s courage in setting off the fireworks, explained, “Look, these fireworks are like shooting stars. When shooting stars streak across the sky, you make a wish, and next year your wish will come true.”
As he spoke, Fang Jifan closed his eyes and silently prayed, “I wish for peace and prosperity in the nation, for my father’s good health, and for everyone a happy New Year.”
He wanted to wish for many more wonderful things.
But Deng Jian beside him suddenly lit up—wait, were fireworks more powerful than the Bodhisattva?! Might as well give it a try! He hastily moved closer to Fang Jifan and murmured in a low voice, “May heaven bestow upon me a wife, may my wife give birth to a chubby son, may the chubby son grow up to serve the future Young Lord Fang. No, no—May heaven grant me a wife with a big bottom, and may she bear two children…”
He kept muttering over and over, like a buzzing fly, making it impossible for Fang Jifan to continue praying for the nation’s peace and his family’s happiness. His thoughts drifted: “Grant me a wife too. Her name is Zhu Xiurong, that little girl who always smiles gently no matter what!”
Thinking of that smiling girl, Fang Jifan felt warmth in his heart, a very comfortable feeling.
Sigh…
He turned and glared at Deng Jian—how corrupted he had become, he was being led astray. Deng Jian wore a look of pure devotion.
Just then, the fireworks went bang again, and another ball of flames soared upward.
These were connected fireworks, twenty-one in total. No one in the mansion had ever seen such fireworks before, and they were all so excited they danced and jumped about.
When Fang Jifan glanced back, he saw Fang Jinglong also closing his eyes, silently making a wish. Fang Jifan suspected he must have overheard his conversation with Deng Jian. He chuckled and approached, “Dad, what are you wishing for?”
Fang Jinglong opened his eyes wide, “I’m not telling you.”
Fang Jifan gave a mischievous smile.
Seeing Fang Jifan’s mischievous expression, Fang Jinglong couldn’t help gritting his teeth, “What nonsense are you thinking? Your father only prays for one thing in his life: if you are safe and well, then everything is fine.”
Fang Jifan laughed heartily and playfully punched Fang Jinglong in the shoulder socket, “I’m perfectly fine, I won’t die.” But the moment Fang Jifan’s face turned toward the shadows, his smile suddenly froze. In his usually frivolous eyes, a glimmer of tears appeared. He desperately tried to raise his eyes higher, not wanting the gathered tears to trickle down the corners of his eyes.
Such a father, ah… Why was he feeling more and more guilty? Alright… he must strive harder, the twelfth year of Hongzhi… Fang Jifan was coming.
…
Qianning Palace.
The palace was brightly lit. Emperor Hongzhi and Empress Zhang attended to Grand Empress Dowager Zhou on either side. Grand Empress Dowager Zhou, with her white hair and youthful complexion, showed no signs of aging under the lamplight. She smiled warmly, looking at her children and grandchildren with indescribable contentment.
Zhu Xiurong smiled gently, her demeanor dignified and graceful, naturally impeccable.
Zhu Houzhao, however, kept glancing out the window from time to time, seemingly preoccupied.
“Houzhao, Houzhao…”
Empress Zhang called several times, but there was no response.
So, a eunuch carefully approached Zhu Houzhao’s side and whispered a few words. Only then did Zhu Houzhao snap back to reality and look at his mother, “What is it, Empress Mother?”
“Why are you spacing out instead of keeping your imperial grandmother company properly?”
“I’m waiting for the fireworks.”
Just then, a loud roar came from the direction of the Fang Family’s night sky.
“It’s here…” Zhu Houzhao was extremely excited, scrambling to his feet, “Open the doors and windows, open all the doors and windows!”
The main hall of Qianning Palace had dozens of doors and windows. The eunuchs hurriedly scrambled to open them, and the night sky was completely visible. Zhu Houzhao’s eyes instantly shone like stars. When the firework ascending into the night sky exploded, countless sparks scattered like meteors. Zhu Houzhao shouted, “Make a wish, make a wish! It’s very effective! This Palace… um… This Palace will one day ride with a sword in hand, following the examples of Emperor Gao and Emperor Wen, march six times into the Great Desert, and conquer the world! This Palace wishes Imperial Grandmother and Imperial Father longevity for ten thousand years, wishes Empress Mother eternal youth, wishes Xiurong never to marry off… and… wishes Old Fang endless wealth and prosperity…”
Hearing about making wishes, everyone curiously looked at Zhu Houzhao, only to see him truly clasp his hands together, devoutly praying silently towards the night sky.
Empress Zhang and Emperor Hongzhi exchanged a glance and shook their heads with a wry smile.
Grand Empress Dowager Zhou gazed lovingly at Zhu Houzhao as if entranced.
Princess Zhu Xiurong, upon hearing his words, showed a slight change in her charming face, which smiled like a begonia flower. Her starry eyes looked toward the night sky as she silently prayed, “May my Brain Illness never recur, may I no longer have to smile gently like this every day, and may I not have matrons watching me all the time…”
…
Shouning Marquis Residence.
“Fireworks… fireworks…” In the pitch-black Marquis residence, Jianchang Earl Zhang Yanling excitedly rushed into the main hall, “Brother, come quickly and see the fireworks!”
Hearing there were fireworks to watch, Zhang Heling immediately felt he was getting something for nothing and dashed out instantly. Looking toward the night sky, he was stunned by the beautiful sight.
“Make a wish, brother, make a wish… It’s very effective! I heard it from Eunuch Liu at the House of the Crown Prince. He said these fireworks are very powerful—make a wish, and it’ll come true, more effective than the Bodhisattva.” Zhang Yanling said gleefully.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Heling hurriedly clasped his hands and looked at the countless fireworks in the night sky, “May heaven open its eyes, may heaven take Fang Jifan, cast him into the eighteenth level of hell, never to be reincarnated…”
Then, by his ear, he heard Zhang Yanling repeatedly muttering, “May Fang Jifan’s bottom be covered in sores, may Fang Jifan’s bottom be covered in sores, may Fang Jifan’s bottom be covered in sores…”
When the night sky finally returned to silence.
Zhang Yanling said happily, “Brother… what did you wish for?”
He then noticed that Zhang Heling was glaring at him fiercely, trembling with anger, “You useless thing, so useless! Even when making a wish, it’s only about bottoms with sores…”
Zhang Yanling was terrified, “I… I… It’s the New Year, brother…”
Zhang Heling sighed deeply. He suddenly realized that the misery in his life was entirely because he had a brother who was as useless as a pig teammate. Shaking his head, he looked utterly lonely as he walked toward the deep darkness.
The Zhang residence was pitch black simply because Zhang Heling hated spending money on lamp oil. Zhang Yanling watched his brother disappear into the darkness with concern and couldn’t help saying, “Brother, watch your step!”
Oww…
As soon as he spoke, the sound of a collision was heard. In the darkness, Zhang Heling’s voice cried out, “Someone, someone! My leg might be broken! My leg is broken! Agh… Someone help! Which bastard put such a big rock here… Oh heavens, heavens—this is attempted murder, this is trying to kill me!”