The Reborn Princess Has Turned Evil

"Young Master Xiao... is he well?" When Afang saw that the person who came was Xiao Heng, she was so surprised that she almost called out his name.

Jing Anle paused, turned around, and saw that it was Xiao Heng, dressed in a blue brocade robe, with a tall and straight figure that made him look handsome and noble.

Xiao Heng ignored Afang and walked straight up to Jing Anle, smiling broadly as he said, "What a coincidence!"

Looking at Xiao Heng's face, Jing Anle suddenly thought of the words: "A gentleman as handsome as jade, unparalleled in the world." She snapped out of her reverie and asked, "Young Master Xiao, are you here to see the lanterns too?"

"Of course not," Xiao Heng answered in his heart. He knew that Mu Ping was injured and Jing Anle would definitely leave the palace. He lingered in the General's Mansion for a long time, watching her leave and then following her here.

The guards standing not far away did not recognize Xiao Heng and were about to rush forward, but were stopped by Afang and retreated.

Xiao Heng's smile widened, but he did not answer. Instead, he turned to the vendor and said, "If I answer this question, may I give the rabbit lantern to that young lady?"

The vendor knew these two must be extraordinary people and didn't want to cause any trouble, so he nodded and said, "If you answer correctly, young master, the rabbit lantern will belong to the young lady."

“Miss, what’s wrong with Young Master Xiao…” Afang asked from the side.

Jing Anle quietly watched Xiao Heng, head bowed and silent. Xiao Heng wrote down the answer on a piece of paper and handed it to the vendor. The vendor looked at it and handed the rabbit lantern directly to Xiao Heng, saying, "Congratulations, young master, this rabbit lantern is yours."

Xiao Heng took the rabbit lantern, turned around and smiled at Jing Anle. The light shone on Xiao Heng's face, and at that moment, Jing Anle suddenly felt the surrounding noise disappear, leaving only the boy's smile in her eyes.

"Here you go!" Jing Anle looked at the rabbit lantern in front of her and reached out her hand unconsciously. Suddenly, she remembered something and was about to pull her hand back when Xiao Heng noticed her. Xiao Heng directly put the handle of the rabbit lantern into Jing Anle's hand and said, "Take it."

Jing Anle looked down at the rabbit lantern in her hand. It was exquisitely crafted and very cute. She couldn't help but think of the one her mother had given her when she was a child. It was as if her mother's gentle coaxing still echoed in her ears: "Anle, do you like the little rabbit?"

The warmth of childhood memories made Jing Anle unconsciously curl the corners of her lips, and she looked up and said, "Thank you, Young Master Xiao."

At this moment, the lanterns were in full bloom, and Jing Anle's eyes were filled with smiles, her dimples were shallow. The smiles fell into the eyes of the young man and took root. Many years later, Xiao Heng would be captivated by her memory.

"Fireworks! Fireworks!" came shouts from the crowd.

The place erupted in a cacophony of noise as the crowd surged forward, all shouting to watch the fireworks. Jing Anle, who had been standing perfectly still, was suddenly bumped hard, causing her to stumble and fall, only to land in Xiao Heng's arms.

Xiao Heng stiffened, the girl's warm breath brushing against his neck, a blush creeping onto his ears, and his hand supporting Jing Anle becoming sweaty. Jing Anle was also startled, but she quickly recovered, leaning against Xiao Heng as she stood up. Their eyes met, and the atmosphere instantly became somewhat ambiguous.

"Miss!" Afang was startled and quickly stepped forward to support Jing Anle.

Seeing that there were more people, the two guards immediately headed towards Jing Anle. However, there were too many people and the distance was too great, so they couldn't reach Jing Anle for a while.

"Afang, I..." Before he could finish speaking, there was a loud "whoosh." Jing Anle was startled by the sudden noise and trembled slightly. In a moment, a series of dazzling fireworks exploded above their heads and fell from the sky into the darkness, like a magnificent meteor shower. Everyone was immersed in the scene.

In this scene, Jing Anle temporarily forgot her troubles. She was no longer cold or repressed. She was just an ordinary fifteen-year-old girl. Gazing at the beautiful fireworks, she couldn't help but murmur, "A thousand lights illuminate the trees, and seven flames bloom."

The lamplight shone on Jing Anle's face, and she smiled innocently and radiantly, making even the most dazzling fireworks pale in comparison. Xiao Heng suddenly thought of the saying: "Looking at a beauty under the lamplight, every scene wins the heart of the lord."

Xiao Heng suddenly had a bold idea. He reached out and grabbed Jing Anle's wrist. Even through the light gauze, he could still feel Jing Anle's warmth. Before Jing Anle could react, Xiao Heng had already pulled her along and started running.

Watching Xiao Heng grab his hand and start running, Jing Anle's mouth opened slightly, but he didn't say anything. He followed along, and the noisy voices gradually faded away, while the sound of flowing water became clearer.

The two arrived at a pond with many water lanterns floating on it, like scattered starlight on earth, a breathtaking sight. Jing Anle was stunned for a moment before finally asking, "Why did you bring me here?"

Xiao Heng slowly released Jing Anle's hand, his cheeks slightly flushed, and said, "I heard that wishes made here are very effective."

The night was getting dark, and Jing Anle couldn't see the rare blush on his face. She could only see that Xiao Heng's eyes were so bright, like the fireworks tonight.

On the table next to him were paper, pen, and a small lamp. Jing Anle looked around but couldn't see the stall owner, so he figured the owner had gone to watch the fireworks. Then Xiao Heng took out a silver ingot and placed it on the table, saying, "In that case, he'll know when he gets back."

Jing Anle understood immediately, picked up a piece of paper and wrote down her wish. She turned to look at Xiao Heng and asked, "Why don't you write it down?"

"My wish has been fulfilled." Xiao Heng smiled and didn't say anything more.

Despite some doubts, Jing Anle still stuffed the paper into the river lantern and placed it in the pond. A gentle breeze blew, and the lantern drifted further and further away. The two stood side by side, like a perfect couple.

"What did you write?" Xiao Heng asked curiously.

Jing Anle stared at the water lantern, lost in thought. She had so much she wanted to write: revenge, the fulfillment of her vows, and the health and longevity of her father and family. She turned to Xiao Heng and asked, "Do you really want to know?"

Xiao Heng replied earnestly, "Of course!"

"I'm not telling you!" Jing Anle said playfully, turning and leaving.

Xiao Heng was taken aback at first, then a smile crept onto his lips. "Don't you want to know the answer to the third riddle?"

Jing Anle paused, then slowly turned around and asked, "What is it?"

Tell me your wish first.

Jing Anle gazed at the flowing river, his smile fading as he said, "Alright, I'll tell you, what I wrote was 'peace and tranquility under heaven.'"

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Heng felt a tightness in his chest. Was this really her wish? He said gently, "If this is your wish, I am willing to do everything in my power."

Jing Anle looked into Xiao Heng's eyes, trying to find a trace of falsehood within them. She stared for a long time, but found nothing but her own reflection. She laughed again, not responding to his words, but simply asking, "What is the answer to the riddle?"

“It’s a lantern before the Buddha!” Xiao Heng didn’t know why, but he had no principles in front of Jing Anle. He would tell her whatever she wanted to know.

"The eternal lamp before the Buddha," Jing Anle murmured. Yes, only the eternal lamp before the Buddha can hear the Buddhist scriptures, but in this life she is destined to have her hands stained with blood and will never have the heart of a Bodhisattva.