Dongzi didn't know how to persuade Jiang Dafeng.

We can only place our hopes on the capital.

However, Huang Shaoji, who had been in the capital for half a month, was about to face a thorny issue.

He should have arrived in the capital more than two months ago, but he encountered a lot of trouble on the way. First, the caravan he was with was targeted by bandits, and the two sides fought and many people were killed or injured. Huang Shaoji took advantage of the chaos to escape with his wife and children. Then, when traveling by water, a high-ranking official on the ship he was on died unexpectedly. His men suspected that there was an assassin, so they detained everyone on the ship.

They were detained for more than half a month before being released.

That wasn't the end of it. When they stepped onto the land outside the imperial city, they were swindled out of all their silver.

So much so that he entered the capital city penniless.

Fortunately, Wu had brought a lot of jewelry with her. After pawning a gold bracelet, she rented a single room, and the family was finally able to settle down.

Huang Shaoji was skilled, and craftsmen were a scarce resource in ancient times. He found a job at a jewelry shop, where he was paid a full five taels of silver a month, plus three meals a day.

With a source of income secured, there's no need to worry about rent in the future.

The couple seemed to have a positive outlook.

I'll just consider the money I was cheated out of as money fed to the dogs.

The small single room they rented was only 20 square meters in size, with two beds crammed in. The couple slept on the left, and their two sons slept on the right. Outside the room was a wooden kitchen and a two-square-meter yard. Although it was called a single room, it could actually be considered a small apartment.

Although it was crowded, at least there was a place to stand, which was better than sleeping on the street.

Every inch of land in the imperial city is incredibly valuable.

The monthly rent for a single room in a bustling city center is equivalent to the annual rent for a house in Shuangqiao Town.

Half a month later, Huang Shaoji adapted to life in the workshop. Every morning after going out to work, Wu would start cleaning the house, washing clothes, and buying groceries, while the two sons would do the homework that Huang Shaoji assigned them.

"Mother, I'm full. Oh, right, I made plans with Dacheng yesterday to go to his house this afternoon. I'm leaving now—" After finishing lunch, Huang Shaoji's eldest son, Huang Nian'an, approached the kitchen door and spoke to Madam Wu.

He was afraid his mother wouldn't agree.

After saying that, he left.

"Why are you going again? You've been going for three days in a row now! Hey, you brat, your mother hasn't given permission yet. Come back right now, Nian'an—"

Wu, who was washing dishes in the kitchen, hadn't even finished speaking.

The son ran away.

She didn't even have time to dry her hands before rushing out to try and stop her son.

However, Huang Nian'an has vanished without a trace.

Wu was so angry that she cursed and swore at the door.

Within half a month of arriving, Huang Nian'an had become acquainted with Liang Cheng, the only son of the Liang family on the neighboring street.

The two often went to the river to play on the slide together.

The imperial city is different from the Jiangnan region.

In winter, the temperature can drop to minus twenty degrees Celsius.

The river surface froze, forming a thick layer of ice.

After arriving at Liang Cheng's house, the two took out a chair, tied a rope to the front, and carried it to the river. One of them sat on it while the other pulled it, making a round trip each. They played until they were covered in sweat and had a great time.

This wooden chair is not an ordinary four-legged chair.

Instead, the bottom is surrounded by a circle of wood.

It slides like a modern sled.

Half a month.

The two children played for three whole days.

"It's getting late, I should go back, or my mother will scold me to death." Two hours later, as evening approached and the sun was already setting, Huang Nian'an prepared to go home.

"Anzi, are you coming again tomorrow?" Liang Cheng hadn't had enough fun yet.

"Come on! Same time tomorrow afternoon." Huang Nian'an jumped off the chair, and together with Liang Cheng, they carried the chair away from the river and headed straight for his house.

"Anzi, is the luminous pearl you just told me about real or fake? Does a luminous pearl really exist in the world? Did you really see it?" Liang Cheng asked as the two walked through an empty alley.

"Shh! Keep your voice down. I haven't told anyone about this. I only told you because I consider you a friend. You absolutely can't let anyone else know. I haven't even told my parents!"

Liang Cheng's voice was rather loud.

Startled, Huang Nian'an immediately covered his mouth with her left hand.

He nodded repeatedly to indicate that he understood.

Only then did he put his hand down.

"You're really not lying to me?" Liang Cheng still didn't believe it.

"Why would I lie to you? I saw it with my own eyes! That luminous pearl lit up without being lit, emitting a green light, and felt cool to the touch!" Recalling the scene when he saw the luminous pearl that night, Huang Nian'an's eyes were still filled with shock.

This kind of impact is no different from seeing a real dragon hovering in the sky.

"Anzi, when I grow up, I'll come to Jiangnan to visit you. Will you let me see the Night-Shining Pearl?" Seeing his friend's sincere expression, Liang Cheng finally believed him.

His face was full of envy.

"You won't see it anymore. That luminous pearl wasn't my father's; it was returned to its rightful owner long ago..."

As they spoke, the two had already walked out of the alley.

Sudden.

A head peeked out from the balcony on the second floor of the alley, looking around.

"Did you see the face clearly?" Just as this person was searching for the child who had just spoken, an extremely cold voice came from behind.

“Master, no, those two children are probably gone. There’s no one in the alley. Shall I go down and look for them?” the man in the gray thug uniform said, kneeling on the ground.

"go."

The man was unusually aloof.

He held the teacup in his left hand and gently brushed the lid across it with his right, uttering only one word.

"Yes, sir, I'll go right away."

The thug who had been kneeling on the ground quickly got up and rushed down the stairs. However, when he walked out of the teahouse, there was no sign of the children on the street except for the passersby.

They were worried about being scolded by their master.

Following their instincts, the thugs headed towards the street on the left.

However.

On the right side of the street, Huang Nian'an and Liang Cheng had just entered an alley.

The houses in the capital were very close together, after all, every inch of land was precious, so the two of them had to walk through three alleys before they arrived at Liang Cheng's house.

After they carried the chairs inside, Huang Nian'an left.

"Mother, I'm back—"

Walking to the street, you'll find the Huang family's house, but the gate is tightly closed at the moment.

Huang Nian'an pounded on the door and shouted inside.

"Creak—"

"You silly child, you've been playing all over the place. Why are you only coming back now? Hurry up and come in to wash your hands. Mom is cooking. Your father will be back soon."

The wooden door opened.

Holding a spatula, Wu glared at Huang Nian'an, and as she spoke, she pinched his ear with her left hand and spun it around.

"Ouch, Mother, it hurts! I was wrong, your son is hungry."

Huang Nian'an gasped for breath in pain.

Hearing her son cry out in pain, Madam Wu quickly lowered her hand. "Serves you right! If you play this late again, I'll tell your father, and he'll give you a good spanking!"

"Mom, I'm already so old, why are you staring at my backside all day? Don't you have any shame?" Huang Nian'an pouted, her face full of resentment.

"What face do you have, you little brat? Back in the day, you used to run around outside naked, haha, that's hilarious!" Madam Wu laughed heartily.