“Isn’t that necessary?”
Ren Bin quickly refused, “It’s only two miles from here to Yuehu Park, so I won’t bother Boss Shang.”
“Haha, no need to be so polite.”
Shang Mengrui chuckled and said, “My carriage is quite spacious. If we squeeze in, there will definitely be room for everyone.”
“My lord, you have come from afar, so you probably don’t know much about the Imperial City Lantern Festival. If you go there now, I’m afraid you won’t be able to get in.”
“Huh?”
Ren Bin was stunned.
“Do we have to queue up for the Lantern Festival?”
“Not really.”
Shang Mengrui stretched out her slender fingers and began to explain one by one: “First of all, as the Lantern Festival is an event held in the imperial city to welcome the New Year, it is naturally crowded. Especially in the first period of time after it was opened, it was probably packed with people.”
“Secondly, there are many distinguished guests who come here because of its reputation. In order to prevent any accidents, the palace staff will limit the flow of people to avoid leaving a bad impression on these foreign guests.”
Shang Mengrui looked at Ren Bin seriously: “You seem to be of a high status. If you ask for a reception from the imperial palace, it will actually be a lot easier.”
“Forget it. I’m not good at dealing with those people.”
Ren Bin waved his hand.
“That’s right,” Shang Mengrui chuckled, “So, sir, you don’t have to refuse me. I can enter the Lantern Festival freely.”
“Hmm? Then you are…” “I am the sponsor of the Lantern Festival. We at Shangya Pavilion have invested a lot of money in this Lantern Festival.”
“So that’s it.”
Ren Bin suddenly realized.
No wonder he can come and go freely, it turns out he is one of the financial sponsors.
She is indeed a rich woman.
“Then…thank you, Boss Shang.”
“It’s just a small favor, how can I thank you enough?”
Shang Mengrui smiled sweetly: “I still hope to cooperate with you further, so what does this little help mean?”
This made Ren Bin feel a little embarrassed.
He had clearly taken a lot of clothes for free and even refused her invitation to “help with publicity.”
“Consider it as a favor to you, Boss Shang.”
He couldn’t bring himself to do it for free after all.
“If there is anything I can do in the future, I will definitely try my best to help.”
“A favor?”
She carefully looked at Ren Bin and Yu Xian who had just walked over, and then asked: “Why don’t you tell me your name, sir?”
Now, it seems like Shang Mengrui introduced herself at the beginning, but he didn’t mention a word about himself… “Feel sorry.”
“My name is Ren Bin, and I am an elder of the Tai Heng Sect.”
“Oh, I see.”
Shang Mengrui pondered for a while and murmured, “Elder…?”
“Miss, here is your wine.”
The waiter brought the jade pot filled with wine.
“Then, everyone, let’s set off early.”
She turned around and called the carriage.
———(gorgeous dividing line)———
“Will it be a bit crowded?”
“Won’t.”
The carriage had just enough space for six people.
Shuyao sat on Ren Bin’s lap, happily enjoying the snacks on the table.
“Why don’t you let the little girl sit over here? The three of us girls can still squeeze in.”
“No,” Ren Bin refused with a smile, “This girl usually sticks to me and sits on my lap. She’s used to it.”
In the past few days, Shuyao has been sticking to Ren Bin.
Usually, when Ren Bin was painting, the little girl would sit in his arms and read.
Shuyao was not heavy and was very soft.
She was washed nicely by Yuxian and she was very well behaved in his arms.
She was more comfortable than a pillow.
He was reluctant to push Shuyao away.
“As long as you don’t mind, sir.”
Shang Mengrui pushed aside the curtain and looked at the crowded crowd outside the carriage.
“There are so many people here. It looks like we’ll be busy for a long time tonight.”
She sighed softly.
“It’s always like this during the Lantern Festival. I have to stay up until the early morning before I can rest.”
As the person in charge, I naturally cannot leave earlier than others.
“Sir, do you need me to find a guide to take you to the Lantern Festival?”
“Guide?”
Seeing Ren Bin puzzled, Shang Mengrui explained: “There are so many attractions at the Lantern Festival that many visitors are confused and end up not enjoying anything.”
Moreover, there are inevitably some unscrupulous businesses that deliberately cheat tourists.
“Since this is your first time here, it would be better if you have a guide to lead the way.”
“Thank you for your kindness, but it’s really not necessary.”
Ren Bin waved his hand to refuse: “For activities like this, it’s more fun to go around on your own.”
“Besides, it’s my little girl and apprentice who really want to come, so my wife and I are here to keep them company,” Ren Bin rubbed the cheek of the little girl in his arms, “We’ll go wherever they like, it’s up to them.”
“Okay.”
Shang Mengrui looked at the girls in the car (and Mo Yan who was pretending to be young among them), and then responded with some emotion.
“Since Master Ren Bin has arranged it this way, I won’t say anything more.”
“Let me recommend some of the unique activities in previous Lantern Festivals.”
She pinched her chin and thought for a while: “I spent most of my time in the store during the previous Lantern Festivals, but I have heard of some of the most famous ones.”
“The flower opera at Yuehu Square, the lantern riddles and poetry gatherings at Mengjiang Tower, and the acrobatics at Xinhuo Opera Troupe are all very interesting.”
“Oh, yes, there’s also boating on the lake.”
Shang Mengrui suddenly thought of something and took out a piece of silver-white paper from her treasure bag.
“Cruising the lake is not an activity you can do whenever you want.”
“After all, there are only so many boats available for people to enjoy. If you have to queue up, you may not be able to get a seat even after the queue ends.”
“This is a ticket for a cruise on the lake. As an investor, I own one. It’s enough for the six of you to cruise.”
Um?
Ren Bin looked at the ticket in Shang Mengrui’s hand and frowned.
“No need, Boss Shang, someone also sent me a ticket.”
“It’s just…” He took out the ticket Hua Wenyan gave him, “Why is mine… purple?”
Shang Mengrui’s eyes narrowed, her brows slightly wrinkled, and she looked a little confused.
“Hiss… Sir, this ticket…” “Hmm? Is there something wrong with this ticket?”
“Problem… not really.”
She took a deep breath and returned the ticket to Ren Bin.
“I just feel that the young master’s interpersonal relationships in the imperial city are indeed extraordinary.”
“How can it be so unusual?”
Ren Bin was also a little stunned.
“I just know a swordsman.”
“Swordsman?”
Shang Mengrui continued to ask doubtfully, “What does this ticket have to do with it?”
“Wait, don’t tell me, this ticket was given to you by that swordsman.” “yes.”
“Hmm? That’s impossible…” Shang Mengrui frowned even more: “This is… a ticket for the harem.”
“Harem?”
Seeing that Ren Bin didn’t understand, Shang Mengrui patiently explained: “The common people’s tickets are white, the courtiers’ tickets are blue, the royal family’s tickets are gold, and the harem’s tickets are purple.”
“If it was a gift from the swordsman, it should be a blue ticket.”
“In other words, this ticket in my hand is the harem’s lake cruise ticket?”
Ren Bin’s face changed slightly.
How did this have anything to do with the harem?
He felt a headache.
The last thing he wanted to do was deal with those troublesome royal nobles.
“Don’t worry, sir.”
Shang Mengrui said, “Real royal nobles don’t need tickets at all. They have their own ships and won’t have any dealings with them.”
“These are just tickets given by the concubines in the harem to their relatives and friends.”
“Perhaps the swordsman has some connection with the harem. This ticket can be used normally.”
“Hey, we’re here.”
As the coachman let out a long sigh, the horses’ footsteps became slower and slower and the carriage gradually stopped.
The curtain was pulled open by the maid who had been waiting there for a long time.
Before Shang Mengrui got out of the car, the maid whispered a few words in her ear.
“Madam boss…Mr. Lu from Tianyi Painting Pavilion is here.”
Shang Mengrui’s face changed.
“What is he doing here?!”
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