Volume One: The Youngest Among Three Hundred Chapter Fifty: Family Outing in the Streets, The Youth Sets Off Firecrackers

When the glowing lanterns were raised in the Great Sun Palace, the districts closest to the imperial palace along Taiping Xingdao followed suit, lighting fires and lamps one by one—green, purple, white, pink—casting a shimmering, multicolored glow over the alleys and streets. It was a spectacle of prosperity, a vision of flourishing grandeur. Gradually, this festive atmosphere spread throughout the entire city. Tonight, though the stars clustered around the moon in a pale brilliance, they seemed dim against the symmetry of lights filling the palace.

From high above, the whole city of Chang’an resembled a resplendent pearl.

In Yanfu District, the five members of the Su family walked together in line, admiring the festive lanterns, each with a smile of delight—men rubbing their round, well-fed bellies, women skipping and swirling in specially prepared new dresses.

At the front, the head of the household, Su Qing Tang, and Qin Fuluo, the old married couple, walked hand in hand. The voluptuous and graceful lady would occasionally dart to street vendors to sample snacks, then joyfully select cosmetics in shops, so satisfied that even the air she breathed seemed sweet.

“Oh, I wonder where Chang’an is hiding. I’d planned to reward him during tonight’s Longevity Festival. If not for him, we’d have moved outside the city by now—how else could we witness such a scene?”

“How else could we buy silk from Su’s Cloth Shop, or combs and silver hairpins from Thirteen Treasures?”

Qin Fuluo, who used to find fault with Chen Chang’an at every turn, now considered him a gold-medal son-in-law, feeling a touch of guilt at not giving him more benefits. Of course, her thoughts soon returned to her own affairs: “Never mind, I’ll make it up to him next time. Let’s eat at Eight Immortals Court later—so much still to buy!”

With each word she spoke, Zhu Jiawen, who had just filled his belly with sweet dumplings, felt his stomach sink and his back arch even more, sweat trickling down his forehead. In his left hand, he held Qin Fuluo’s purchases; in his right, more of her purchases; and both shoulders were draped with yet more. This scholar, who had failed the civil examinations three times and knew only the teachings of Confucius, was relentlessly pressed by his mother-in-law, muttering under his breath, “Amitabha, Bodhisattva, please let her stop buying, please…”

Beside him, his wife Su Wanqing pursed her lips in silent displeasure, unable to say anything, and out of pity for her husband, she decided to scrap her own shopping list.

“Sigh, where is Chang’an? If he were here, he could help carry some of this.”

Zhu Jiawen’s ears twitched as he heard her muttering, and he sighed sincerely, “No wonder he disappeared early this morning. Our third brother-in-law really has foresight.”

Su Wanqiu, walking alone at the back, slowed her steps, gazing thoughtfully at her sisters and their husbands nearby, and the couples with children holding hands in the distance. Unbidden, the image of Chen Chang’an arose in her mind, followed by a fleeting sense of loss.

Where was he? Why wasn’t he here tonight? If he were, would they stroll side by side?

Questions lingered in her heart. Realizing her distraction, Su Wanqiu shook her head, banishing Chen Chang’an’s image, and murmured to herself, “Why am I thinking of him?”

Her eyes returned to the street’s fireworks and floating lanterns.

At that moment, Qin Fuluo, gnawing on her candied hawthorn, suddenly tossed the stick with three berries left and spread her arms wide: “Wow, wow, wow! There’s a magician ahead! Quick, quick, everyone follow!”

Su Qing Tang hurried a few steps, picked up the discarded treat, wiped off the dust, and chased after her: “Hey, slow down, be careful you don’t fall!”

Zhu Jiawen, like an exhausted husky sticking out its tongue, breathed out, weighed the jumble of things hanging from his body, and followed with a dejected face.

Su Wanqing caught his arm: “Let me help you!”

He straightened his back and replied proudly, “A man of seven feet, tasked to cultivate himself, manage his household, govern the state, and bring peace to the world—what’s this?”

“Alright,” said Su Wanqing, withdrawing her offer.

“Mm!” Zhu Jiawen nodded firmly, marching forward with alternating steps. Suddenly, darkness clouded his vision, his legs weakened, and he collapsed.

With clattering and thudding, Qin Fuluo’s cosmetics, silks, jewelry, and hairpins scattered across the ground.

“Ah! Jiawen, Jiawen!”

Su Wanqing rushed to support him, shaking him to no avail, then turned anxiously to a white-clad figure atop the roof tiles nearby: “Brother, come quick, Jiawen has fainted!”

From his vantage point, Su Dingfeng, the brother-in-law, narrowed his eyes over the bustling city: “Ha, the weakest are always the scholars. This one’s physique isn’t even as strong as blind Chang’an!”

...

Inside Taihe Tower, as Changning spoke, everyone’s pupils widened, staring in shock as Chen Chang’an, wearing women’s clothes, emerged from the tables, his brows twisted in anguish.

Bai Mai cast a piercing, regal gaze: “Little An, tell me, what are these bamboo tubes? Changning says they’re marvelous. Show me at once.”

“Ah…” Chen Chang’an opened his mouth, then quickly shut it, shaking his head repeatedly.

Changning explained, “Mother… Empress, she’s mute and cannot speak. Perhaps… perhaps let her write instead?”

The ministers’ faces paled. Not only were bamboo tubes brought as gifts to the Empress’s birthday banquet, but now a mute maid was to converse with Her Majesty by writing—utterly presumptuous.

Bai Mai squeezed her goblet in anger: “Changning, what are you trying to do?”

Changning gritted her teeth, cursing Chen Chang’an inwardly—wishing him to choke on cold water or burn his mouth on tofu. She had said the bamboo tubes wouldn’t work, but stubborn Chen insisted, even guaranteeing with the Su family’s lives.

With a fierce glance at Chen Chang’an, Changning addressed Bai Mai in the same tone he’d used to assure her: “Mother, I pledge as princess, this truly isn’t just bamboo tubes. You won’t be disappointed.”

“If there’s any falsehood, please strip me of my title.”

Burning bridges, fighting with her back to the river.

A commotion arose. They knew Changning often acted rashly, but hadn’t expected her to say such things before Bai Mai. Could there really be a mystery to these bamboo tubes?

The princes and princesses murmured among themselves: “Changning is going too far. She can usually get away with nonsense, but today’s the Empress’s birthday—she’s courting disaster.”

“Or maybe she’s just showing off, flaunting Her Majesty’s boundless favor.”

Yongle clenched her hands tightly in her pink palms, her face clouded with worry.

Crown Prince Zhao Yankang stood by Changning’s side, casting a chilling glance at the gossiping siblings, silencing them instantly—their status spoke for itself.

Bai Mai’s anger gradually gave way to solemnity and curiosity. Knowing her daughter well, she had never seen the usually carefree Changning so serious. There was even a hint of grievance and complaint—though Bai Mai did not realize it was directed at Chen Chang’an.

After a moment’s thought, she raised her hand: “Bring paper and brush.”

At the Empress’s command, someone promptly placed paper and brush before Chen Chang’an. Without hesitation, he dipped the brush and wrote: “May Her Majesty the Empress lead the ministers and envoys outside Taihe Tower, and extinguish all palace lights.”

“What?” Prime Minister Zhang Huaimin’s chopsticks dropped in shock. This message breached at least three taboos—each a capital offense.

First, the birthday banquet at Taihe Tower was a fixed tradition; how could the Empress relocate for a gift, undermining imperial authority? Second, all ministers and envoys were to follow—if the gift proved unimpressive, it would disgrace the empire before foreign guests. Third, most crucially, extinguishing all palace lights—what if assassins seized the opportunity, even if none could kill Bai Mai at present?

Still, Zhang Huaimin merely marveled—it didn’t trouble him greatly.

Bai Mai stared intently at the words on Chen Chang’an’s paper, pondering for a long while before nodding: “Everyone, move outside the tower and witness Changning’s birthday gift together!”

Chen Chang’an, who had been ready to use Peach Demon Gu to sway her, breathed a sigh of relief, withdrawing his powers.

Bai Mai, as sovereign, had to consider the greater good. Changning was family—even if punishment was warranted, it would wait until after the banquet. Before foreign envoys, harmony must be maintained.

Thus, a hundred people followed Bai Mai outside Taihe Tower, extinguishing ten thousand palace lights within a kilometer. What had been bright as day, lanterns and colors displaying the palace’s splendor, now sank into darkness.

For Chen Chang’an, all prerequisites were now met. He walked to the carriage, arranged ninety-nine tubes of fireworks in the square according to the order of the phrase “A thousand autumns, a unified empire,” with eight special tubes placed at the center.

Next, Chen Chang’an pressed his fingers together, using the Immortal-Slaying Heart Technique to channel his inner energy, twisting the air as he ignited the fuses. A bright spark appeared atop each bamboo tube.

Soon, whistling sounds erupted as dazzling lights shot skyward, exploding at a certain height into brilliant arcs of color, intertwining and embellishing one another.

The ninety-nine tubes created a flower sea of flowing lights, spanning hundreds of square meters, illuminating the sky and ground with ethereal beauty.

In an instant, mouths gaped in awe. Bai Mai gazed upwards, the astonishment in her eyes mingling with the myriad brilliant colors, clear as a mirror.

“There are bamboo tubes in this world so beautiful?” Bai Mai rubbed her eyes, uttering a sigh of wonder at the spectacle.

Chen Chang’an, hands on hips, raised his chin with pride: “This is only the beginning—what comes next will be even more dazzling!”