The girl traveled through another world and forced the prince to take the imperial examination

Chapter 240 Lantern Competition

At the end of the night, above the pitch-black eaves, in every dark corner, a Dragon Shadow Guard lurked. Beneath them lay the bustling crowds of people, a dazzling starry sky. If they spotted anyone suspicious, or someone deliberately causing trouble, the Dragon Shadow Guards would swiftly act and capture them.

At this moment, Yun Qing, dressed in white, stood alone on the top of the city wall, like a solitary and proud sculpture, exposed to the enemy's sight without any cover. He stood tall and straight, his sleeves fluttering in the night wind.

"Master! It's not worth it for you to take the risk yourself. Please let your subordinates do it!"

Mo Yun and Mo Feng hid in the shadows, their faces filled with worry. They had originally found a similar-looking body double for Yun Qing, hoping to draw the enemy's attention. They had already laid a tight net here, determined to annihilate the enemy in one fell swoop.

However, Yun Qing just smiled coldly, with the corners of his mouth slightly raised, revealing a hint of determination. He held the Qingcheng Sword tightly in his right hand. The lifelike dragon head on the hilt had a pair of blood-red eyes, as if it could also feel the bloodthirsty heart of its master.

"Some people must be dealt with personally by me to completely put an end to them."

Yun Qing's voice, deep and resolute, echoed in the night sky. His gaze pierced through the darkness, gazing straight into the pitch-black distance outside the city, his eyes burning with raging rage and endless murderous intent.

At this time, the Lantern Festival officially began, and people flocked to the stands, eager to see who would win the three special prizes.

Mu Qingcheng and a few others finally squeezed into a teahouse opposite the stands. This was arranged by Ning Haochen in advance. There was a private room on the second floor facing the stands.

The clanging of gongs was so deafening that the audience fell silent. A tall and thin emcee walked onto the stage.

"My fellow countrymen! Today is the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. At this very moment, the sky is ablaze with fireworks, and the streets are bustling with activity. Lanterns hang high, and the whole city is filled with red. The festive atmosphere fills the city. This is the first time our Yongkang City has been so lively..."

"Today, it's so lively and bustling because we, the people of Yongkang, have met a distinguished person! The reason why Yongkang can have such a prosperous scene today is that we should be most grateful to the wise, brave, and kind-hearted Crown Prince Yunqing of our Great Qi State!

Back then, when the epidemic was rampant, it was His Royal Highness the Crown Prince who stepped forward and led everyone to work together to fight the epidemic and protect the safety and health of our people.

Not only that, when famine struck and food was in short supply, it was His Royal Highness the Crown Prince who generously donated money and distributed life-saving relief food to us, allowing everyone to survive those difficult and hard times.

In order to help Yongkang regain its former vitality as quickly as possible, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has painstakingly prepared this grand Lantern Festival for us! Therefore, we must always remember His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's great kindness."

The master of ceremonies solemnly adjusted his clothes, then lifted a corner of his robe, slowly knelt on the ground, and shouted loudly: "We, the people of Yongkang, must always remember the kindness of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince! On behalf of the people of Yongkang, I would like to thank His Royal Highness the Crown Prince for his great grace. May His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Yunqing be blessed with great fortune and protect our Great Qi forever, and make it prosperous!" After that, he kowtowed devoutly towards the north without hesitation and performed a great kneeling ceremony!

Those standing in the front row heard these passionate and inspiring words clearly, their hearts instantly moved. Recalling the hardships they had experienced during the initial lockdown, their eyes welled with emotion. Then, led by the emcee, the people in the front row knelt in unison and kowtowed deeply.

However, the crowd at the back, being too far away, couldn't hear what was being said. They only saw everyone in front suddenly kneel and kowtow, looking at each other in bewilderment, whispering among themselves, and discussing one after another. At this moment, a loud cry suddenly came from the back: "Your Highness, Crown Prince Yunqing, bless our Great Qi! May great blessings be bestowed upon us!"

"Your Highness, Crown Prince Yunqing, may you bless our Great Qi! May you have great blessings!"

"Your Highness, Crown Prince Yunqing, may you bless our Great Qi! May you have great blessings!"

The slogans were shouted loudly, and Mu Qingcheng was very satisfied. The people behind were sent by her to make Yun Qing famous!

The gongs and drums began to sound again, and soon the audience quieted down again. The master of ceremonies turned around, facing the altar with abundant offerings, and began to worship heaven and earth!

He first respectfully lit incense and candles and burned yellow paper. Then, he lifted his robe again, knelt on both knees, clasped his hands before his chest, and bowed deeply to heaven and earth, muttering to himself, "I pray that Heaven and Earth will bear witness to this grand event today. May our country prosper, be peaceful, and be tranquil. May all things in the world celebrate with joy, may auspicious auras permeate the four seas, and may blessings and graces continue for thousands of years..."

With the completion of this series of lengthy and sincere sacrificial texts, the entire ceremony of offering sacrifices to heaven finally came to a successful conclusion!

Then, the emcee loudly announced, "...The first Lantern Festival Contest has officially begun...!!!"

"Please invite the first ten lantern contestants to the stage!"

Ten contestants took to the stage, their lanterns in hand, and sure enough, their designs were both novel and ingeniously crafted. It was practically impossible to tell which was better.

The judging was left to the people. Each of the ten contestants had a basket in front of them. Each person held a bamboo stick and cast a vote for their favorite lantern.

Within the time of an incense stick, the ranking is based on the number of bamboo sticks in the basket! This is both fair and reasonable! This method was also thought up by Mu Qingcheng, so that every citizen can feel involved.

The audience was crowded with people and the noise was endless. For a moment, the whole scene was in chaos.

Many people surged and crowded forward like a tide, everyone's face was full of anxiety and excitement. They rushed to squeeze towards the baskets in front, as if they were afraid that they would miss the opportunity if they fell behind.

At this time, Mu Qingcheng on the second floor of the teahouse witnessed this chaotic scene and couldn't help but frown, with her heart in a knot.

"This...will something happen if this continues? What if there's a stampede?"

Mo Yu, who was standing nearby, saw this and quickly comforted him, "Don't worry, Master Mu. We have made thorough arrangements and deployments in advance. Many of the people in the crowd are our people, and we have enough people to maintain order. We will definitely ensure that this Lantern Festival goes smoothly."

Mo Yu's gaze was firm, which made Mu Qingcheng feel a lot more at ease.

"Why hasn't your master come yet?" Mu Qingcheng thought of Yun Qing, and for some reason she felt uneasy. It was as if something big was about to happen!