In the end, it was only because of the high price of Longyang tea that Li Lianying was able to calmly continue drinking it.

After drinking tea, a person tends to feel more energetic.

As dusk approached, Li Daikui asked, "Eunuch Li, do you have any ideas for dinner? Would you like Tianyi Palace to prepare it? Or would you like to come with me to the streets to try the various snacks of Qihuai County?"

"snack?"

"Qihuai County has a special snack street with all kinds of local delicacies that you can't find in Beijing. There are salty, sweet, spicy and all kinds of flavors. It's the liveliest place every night."

"Really? Then why don't you take me to see it?"

The two then left Tianyi Palace.

In addition to the quiet darkness after nightfall, Qihuai County is adorned with large red lanterns lit along both sides of the streets.

The long street was brightly lit.

The passersby were also each holding a lantern of a different color, which looked incredibly dazzling from a distance.

Li Lianying was so engrossed in the atmosphere that he remained silent for a long time.

Before long, he smelled a rich fragrance.

Looking up, I saw a small stall in front of me, where a middle-aged man was shirtless, grilling some kind of meat on an iron rack.

Noticing Li Lianying's gaze, Li Daikui smiled and introduced, "This is barbecue, which, along with hot pot, is known as one of the two major delicacies of Qihuai County. I don't think it's available in the capital yet, right?"

"This hot pot also came from Qihuai County?" Li Lianying was extremely surprised. He had heard about the hot pot's reputation some time ago, but as the chief eunuch, he didn't have many opportunities to leave the palace and had never tasted it before.

I've been hearing about it from others, and I'm starting to crave it.

"Since it's comparable to hot pot, the barbecue must be delicious too?"

“Of course.” Li Daikui extended a hand in invitation. “Eunuch Li, come with me. You can eat whatever you want tonight. Don’t go hungry.”

This is just the first stall on the food street, and there aren't many people here yet.

Driven by curiosity about barbecue, Li Lianying approached the barbecue owner and bombarded him with questions, determined to get to the bottom of everything.

However, the boss kept a straight face and seemed somewhat indifferent.

Li Lianying was somewhat displeased. He had never been treated like this in the palace. Apart from His Majesty, who else would dare to treat him with such an attitude?

He immediately wanted to lash out.

With a hand pressing firmly on Li Lianying's shoulder, Li Daikui said with a smile, "Father-in-law, please calm down. That's just how this kid is. He always has a stern face when he sees anyone, as if everyone owes him money. Don't take it personally."

After saying that, Li Daikui shouted to the boss, "Don't just stand there, give me ten skewers of lamb!"

The boss snorted and quickly got to work.

Seeing this, Li Lianying could not say anything more and could only swallow his displeasure.

Just then, the sound of a child's laughter suddenly rang out behind me.

Immediately afterwards, Li Lianying felt her clothes being tugged.

A little boy, barely taller than a person's thigh, was standing in front of Li Lianying. He had a small braid, held a candied hawthorn in one hand, and tugged at Li Lianying's clothes with the other.

Li Lianying looked down at the other person, and the two stared at each other.

The child has a chubby face and looks very smart.

This pleased Li Lianying. "This lad is quite adorable; he's not afraid of strangers at all."

The child looked intently at Li Lianying and asked, "Are you the eunuch who came today?"

"You know me?" Li Lianying couldn't help but ask. She hadn't been in Qihuai County for long, yet even a child knew her?

That's more like it. After all, he was the chief eunuch, second only to the emperor in the palace, and many people had to act according to his wishes.

But the child's next words made Li Lianying's face darken immediately.

"I heard from my father that my father-in-law is someone who doesn't have a baby. Father-in-law, don't you have a baby anymore?"

She still had that adorable look with her eyes wide open, but these words made Li Lianying's face turn ugly.

Li Da Kui was struggling to suppress his laughter and could only turn his head to the side to avoid being seen by Li Lianying.

Li Lianying's mindset was affected, but he didn't intend to stoop to the level of a child.

He patiently explained, "You can understand it that way, but a more accurate way to put it is that everyone who enters the palace must be purified, so that they can serve His Majesty with their cleanest and purest self."

The child looked up and asked, "If Lord Tang is also going to the palace to see His Majesty, will he also have to be castrated?"

"Lord Tang doesn't need it..."

"Then why do you want to? Is it because you don't want Little Gigi anymore?"

Li Lianying was starting to lose his temper.

The child wouldn't let go of this matter, and Li Lianying felt greatly hurt, to the point that she couldn't even stand up straight.

"Xiaodou, why are you running around like that..."

After a reprimand, a man came over and pulled the little boy in front of him.

The man glanced at Li Lianying. "Eunuch Li?"

Before Li Lianying could answer, the man muttered, "A eunuch should get out of Qihuai County as soon as possible."

After saying that, the man picked up the little boy and prepared to leave.

"How dare you speak to me like that! Do you know who I am? Do you know that by saying this, I can have your entire family executed!"

Upon hearing this, the man, holding the child, turned around and said disdainfully, "Really? Then you try it."

It wasn't just mockery and insults; now it was outright contempt. Li Lianying was consumed by rage.

He sensed the other party's intense hostility and was about to take action.

But as soon as he took a step forward, everything went black.

Li Lianying looked up suspiciously and found that a group of people had appeared behind the man at some point. They were all wearing specially made light armor and were all tall and strong.

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