Chapter 159 Extra 3

Passing by Wei Li's palace, I saw that its gates were tightly closed, and it was quiet and desolate as if no one lived there.

Zhao Xiheng stopped walking.

She frowned and took two more steps forward.

Xiao Tao finally caught up, panting, and tugged at Zhao Xiheng's sleeve, "Little ancestor, please slow down."

Zhao Xiheng finally couldn't hold back and asked her, "Wei Li didn't go out today?"

Xiao Tao fanned her cheeks with her hands to cool down, "I heard that Lord Wei is sick today and can't get out of bed, so he hasn't gone out."

Zhao Xiheng looked at the tightly closed door; she wasn't sick at all.

He was surprisingly obedient; when told to feign illness and not come along, he actually did not.

She doesn't like Wei Li, so what does it matter to her what he does?

Thinking this through, Zhao Xiheng didn't ask any further questions.

She tugged at the tassels on her clothes, but then stopped in her tracks.

Everyone has gone to celebrate the festival. Grandpa and Grandma probably won't be back until the afternoon, while she and Xie Qingyu will be back in the evening.

Wei Li was all alone in the palace, with no one to play with, and he looked rather pitiful...

Or... or I'll just reluctantly bring him along.

She stomped her foot. How could this person be so stubborn? He really wouldn't go with her just because he said he wouldn't let her? Couldn't he be a little more shameless?

Zhao Xiheng pushed the door open and ran inside.

Wei Li was still curled up in bed, wrapped up in his clothes.

He wasn't asleep; his eyes were red and pressed against the ceiling, his eyelids a little swollen, as if he had been crying.

Zhao Xiheng felt a little uncomfortable watching it.

Was he crying because I wouldn't let him play with me?

Why are you crying, you big man?

Can't you just talk things out properly?

If Wei Li says he really wants to go out with her, he should just beg her nicely, and she'll definitely take him!

She tugged at Wei Li's sleeve. "Were you crying?"

Wei Li kept a straight face, pulled the blanket up to cover her face, and said in a muffled voice, "No, go play, don't worry about me."

Despite her arrogance, Zhao Xiheng could still clearly hear both good and bad things.

That tone clearly indicates displeasure.

snort!

She tugged at his blanket again and shouted, "You have fifteen minutes to get dressed and wash up, then come out with me. If you're not ready in fifteen minutes, you can stay in the palace by yourself. No one will play with you!"

The person inside the blanket was motionless, as if dead, or as if asleep.

Zhao Xiheng pouted and called out to him anxiously, "Get up! Get up now! If you don't get up, I'm really leaving!"

The quilt, which was rolled up in a ball, stirred, and Wei Li's messy, fluffy head popped out from inside. He lay on the mattress, covering his face, and said, "Get out, I'm going to change my clothes."

How can he change his clothes when she's here?

"Who would even glance at you?" Zhao Xiheng lifted her skirt and ran out like a gust of wind, not forgetting to tease him as she left, "Like a stick."

Wei Li is still young. He has been eating and sleeping well these days and has not suffered. He has gained weight and become much stronger, but he still looks a bit thin and frail. His face is still childish, with baby fat still on his cheeks. He looks somewhere between a boy and a child, but he is not quite as thin as a reed.

He hurriedly put on a light blue robe, then washed up, combed his hair, tucked a wad of money into his waistband, and rushed out.

Although he went out as soon as Zhao Xiheng invited him, this behavior was very shameful.

But compared to letting her develop feelings for Xie Qingyu, losing face a little isn't so unacceptable.

Is your wife more important or your reputation?

Xie Qingyu had circled around the palace gate several times before finally spotting Zhao Xiheng's shadow. His eyes lit up just as he saw Wei Li following closely behind.

Zhao Xiheng's skirt was red, Wei Li's clothes were blue, and his was turquoise. Something just didn't feel right.

He sighed, feeling a little regretful, but then he thought again.

Although he really wanted to play with his sister A-Dan, Wei Li was His Majesty's newly adopted son, which meant he was A-Dan's brother. He shouldn't have too much of a rejection towards Wei Li.

The moat of Jinyang flows around the front of the palace and then out of the city.

The floating activity was held outside the city. Each neighborhood nominated young and strong men to participate. Twenty ducks were released into the river, and the young man who caught the most ducks won.

When the three arrived, the riverbank was already crowded with people who came to watch the floating activity.

Twenty ducks on the river were startled by the crowd and began to quack and flap their wings.

Zhao Xiheng was too young and short to see much.

Wei Li grabbed her hand and pushed her forward, but no matter what, he didn't dare let go.

During busy holidays, there are many human traffickers. What if Zhao Xiheng is lost?

More than twenty young men were poised to go. Suddenly, they took off their shirts, revealing strong arms and healthy, wheat-colored skin.

Zhao Xiheng exclaimed, "They look so strong!"

Wei Li's face darkened, and he grabbed her hand and pulled her back.

The crowd surged forward again, and Zhao Xiheng couldn't squeeze in at all. She looked at Wei Li with displeasure, "What are you doing?"

"It's not safe because there are too many people ahead," he said calmly.

Xie Qingyu nodded in agreement with a serious expression, "Yes, it's so close to the water up there, what if we get pushed in?"

One after another, splashes were heard as the young men jumped into the river.

The ducks' quacking became even louder.

The outcome was decided in no time.

A young man emerged from the water, holding three duck heads.

Seeing that he had already put on his clothes, Wei Li asked her, "Do you want to see it? I'll carry you to see it?"

"After everyone's finished competing, who still wants to watch!" she said, clearly displeased.

Xie Qingyu tried her best to persuade Zhao Xiheng with kind words, but Zhao Xiheng remained unhappy.

"I'll buy you something delicious, okay? Don't be angry anymore." Wei Li took out a few copper coins from his waist and waved them in front of her.

A vendor's cry came from afar: "Salted egg yolk rice dumplings! Red date rice dumplings!"

"I don't need you to buy it for me, Xiao Tao will buy it for me." Zhao Xiheng looked around, but Xiao Tao had been swept away by the current.

She had no money on her; Xiao Tao was the one who carried the money.

Zhao Xiheng couldn't help but feel embarrassed.

Xie Qingyu quickly checked himself; he had no money on him. The servant who had come with him had been separated from him by the crowd and was waving at him from afar.

"I'll buy you some sweet soup." Wei Li waved the copper coin in his hand.

He felt that he really didn't learn his lesson. Even though she didn't say anything nice to him, he would subconsciously try to coax her whenever he saw that she was unhappy.

"Then... then I'll reluctantly let you treat me to some sweet soup." Zhao Xiheng raised her chin, though she felt embarrassed inside, she still had to maintain a haughty demeanor.

"And you?" Wei Li asked Xie Qingyu.

Xie Qingyu blushed. Of the three of them, he was clearly the oldest, yet Wei Li was now treating him to sweet soup.

The three of them sat down at the dessert stall, their bodies covered in the heat and sweat.

"They're all chilled sweet soups, what would you like, sir?"

Zhao Xiheng raised her hand, "I want stewed turtle jelly with raisins!"

Wei Li, who hadn't lived in Jinyang for long, wasn't familiar with these sweet soups, so he asked for the same ones as her.

The cool, refreshing sugar water, freshly frozen from the ice, was still steaming.

Zhao Xiheng added honey, took a big spoonful, squinted her eyes in satisfaction, and felt completely relaxed.

"It would be great if we could have shaved ice in winter."

Xie Qingyu was puzzled. "Shaved ice? It seems there isn't any in Jinyang. Eating shaved ice in winter is not good; you might hurt yourself."

“Tempering the stove until it’s nice and warm, and then holding shaved ice while watching the snow is one of the best things in life,” Zhao Xiheng said to Xie Qingyu, oblivious to anything amiss.

Wei Li gripped the spoon tightly. Eating shaved ice in winter?

This is a custom in Pingzhou.