A Maid's Survival Story in a Noble Family Mansion? Rich Landlords Are More Appealing.

The master and servant left the inn and stepped into the street, as if they had instantly fallen into a dazzling and bustling world, completely different from the afternoon.

The sky was just before it got dark; the deep blue sky was like a huge velvet cloth, not yet fully drawn, with the last rays of sunset still lingering on the western horizon.

However, the lights of the earth and the human world have already been lit up impatiently, vying to dominate this twilight.

Even more down-to-earth and bustling than the shop lights are the various stalls densely packed along both sides of the main street.

Many stalls are located right behind their own shops, but the shopkeepers clearly feel that serving customers inside the shop isn't enough. They insist on setting up another stall in front of their shops, displaying their most attractive goods in the middle of the street, almost face-to-face with passersby.

Chen Wanxing was not in a hurry to get to Jufulou. She moved slowly with the flow of people, with Han Feng following closely behind her at a distance of half a step. He was ready to be ordered at any time and could also carefully keep out the crowd. He kept a steady eye on his surroundings.

The closer you get to the center of the main street, the denser the crowds become, and the brighter the lights become.

In the distance, she could already see a three-story building with upturned eaves and an imposing presence. The lights there were particularly dense and bright, and a colorful lantern was erected in the open space in front of the building, covered with exquisite light sets.

People were moving about, and waves of laughter and chatter came from that direction.

Chen Wanxing swallowed the last bite of the sweet cake she bought from a roadside stall, patted the crumbs off her hands, and her eyes sparkled in the lamplight. She said to Han Feng, "It's just ahead. Let's go."

As the crowd drew closer, the full view of Jufulou and its ingeniously decorated entrance became increasingly clear to Chen Wanxing.

The restaurant itself goes without saying, but at this moment, every corner of the eaves, the pillars, and even the windows are adorned with lanterns of different sizes and styles, making the entire building dazzling and the center of this sea of ​​lights.

However, what attracts even more attention is the unique arrangement of the open space in front of the building—

Dozens of exquisitely crafted lanterns of uniform design were not hung randomly, but cleverly arranged, forming a winding passage in front of the restaurant's main entrance using the gaps between the lanterns and the connecting red ropes.

The entrance to the passage is wide, gradually narrowing and turning inwards, creating a winding and secluded atmosphere, as if it were specially designed to guide visitors through a "ritual" before they can enter the main hall.

Below the lanterns on both sides of the passageway hangs an apricot-yellow ribbon with riddles written in neat handwriting.

Above the entrance to the passageway hangs a prominent wooden sign with the rules written concisely on it.

Chen Wanxing stepped forward and took a closer look, then suddenly realized what was going on. He secretly praised the owner of Jufulou for his ingenuity and deep understanding of business.

It turns out that this "riddle passage" is divided into three rows, with the difficulty increasing from the outside in.

The aisle in the middle of the first row is wide, and there are the most lights hanging on both sides compared to the other two rows. The cotton ribbons hanging below have riddles written on them. After guessing correctly, you can take down the cotton ribbon and continue to the second row.

Of course, if the answer obtained by the shopkeeper after the silk ribbon is removed is incorrect, then there will be a punishment: half a tael of silver will be fined for each silk ribbon.

It was supposed to be a fun activity. Although half a tael of silver was a lot, for most of the people who came to answer the questions, it was just pocket money that they could easily take out.

If you want to eat at Jufulou today, you'll need at least a cotton belt, and with that belt, you can only get a seat in the lobby on the first floor of Jufulou.

The lanterns in the second row are adorned with ribbons bearing riddles that require guessing a specific item. Those who guess correctly can use the ribbon to access a private room on the second floor.

The third row, closest to the restaurant's main entrance, features the most magnificent lamps and even the silk ribbons hanging below, inscribed with the most challenging riddles. Only those who solve the riddles correctly are qualified to ascend to the third floor, where the private room boasts the best view and the most exquisite furnishings.

No wonder there were crowds of people in front of Jufulou, but it wasn't too congested at the entrance. Many people were gathered at the beginning of the passage, some looking up in thought, some discussing in hushed tones, and some eager to try it out.

Many well-dressed people, clearly of some status, were in twos and threes, intently pondering the riddles in the second and third rows, trying to secure better spots.

This not only controlled the flow of people and raised the bar, but also greatly increased the fun and challenge, turning a simple meal and lantern viewing into an elegant intellectual game and a symbol of status.

More importantly, this unique arrangement is attractive in itself.

Chen Wanxing had only planned to have a meal and look at the lights, but upon seeing this scene, he couldn't help but feel a bit interested and competitive.

Solving a riddle shouldn't be too difficult, right?

"Let's go, let's give it a try." She turned her head and said to Han Feng, then walked towards the entrance of the riddle passage. Han Feng silently followed, trying his best to keep her away from the increasingly crowded people.

Standing at the beginning of the passage, my gaze swept over the apricot-yellow cotton ribbons fluttering under the first row of lanterns, the ink marks on them still vivid.

Many people around were already pointing and whispering, some were still racking their brains, and some had already realized the answer and hurriedly wrote it down before crowding towards the registration table set up at the entrance of the passage.

Two men who looked like accountants were sitting there, responsible for checking the answers.

Chen Wanxing wasn't in a hurry. She first browsed through the dozen or so word puzzles in the vicinity.

Some were simple and straightforward, almost common sense; others required deciphering the characters and a little thought. Her gaze quickly settled on a ribbon beneath one of the lotus lanterns, on which was written:

"Neither above nor below, one should not be above, but rather below."