Chapter 488 Taipingfang

Since arriving in the capital, Lin Yuesha has only gone out to run errands and has no time to stroll around.

"Little sister, how about your big brother takes you for a walk?"

Although Taipingfang is in the outer city, it is the center of the outer city. If the two of them ride there on horseback and take a shortcut to avoid the Five City Garrison, it may take less than an hour.

"Big brother, when do we set off?"

Lin Yuesha immediately became interested, but it was getting late and there had just been a light rain. She wondered if it would affect the market.

"There's no time like the present, let's go now."

Xiao Qi went to the backyard to fetch the horse and pointed at Lin Yuesha's dress, saying, "Little sister, this outfit won't do."

When traveling, women had to dress as men for convenience, otherwise it would damage their reputation if a woman was recognized wandering around at night.

Besides, the two of them will have to sneak out without their parents' knowledge.

"Big brother, I know, Father and Mother have already gone to bed."

Lin Yuesha lowered her voice, feeling a little excited. This was the first time Xiao Qi had taken the initiative to suggest taking her out for a walk. He was usually a bookworm, always glued to his books.

Her stepbrother must have come to comfort her because he saw that she was in a bad mood.

He was always like that, doing many things quietly, and Lin Yuesha would never notice if she didn't pay attention to the details.

When the family of four ate dinner together, Lin Yuesha always noticed that her favorite dishes were right under her nose, but she hadn't put them there.

Therefore, she deliberately placed her favorite dishes on her father's side and peeked from outside the door. Sure enough, after her eldest brother entered, he casually changed the position of the food.

He always had her in mind, but Xiao Qi was not good with words and never said it.

“We sneaked out of the backyard.”

Xiao Qi waited for a moment, and Lin Yuesha had already changed into men's clothing. She was now very skilled at dressing up as a young master. She drew her eyebrows thicker and applied dark rouge to her face, making her look exactly like a handsome young master.

“Little sister, if we didn’t know each other, I would never have recognized you as a woman.”

Xiao Qi was very satisfied with Lin Yuesha's attire; sometimes, men's clothing made it easier to walk.

Lin Yuesha: ...

Although these were words of praise, why didn't she feel any joy when she heard them?

She looked down at her chest, then clenched her fist and said, "Big brother, I'm only dressed like a young master now. In two months, I won't look like one at all."

Xiao Qi: ...He really didn't have any other intentions. It seems he touched a sore spot for his little sister?

The brother and sister set off, passing by the homes of ordinary people. Occasionally, they could hear dogs barking, children crying, and couples arguing at night, the sounds carrying far. The wide, ancient streets were lined with low houses, exuding a sense of history and primitiveness.

Riding a horse with the wind at her back, Lin Yuesha sat in front of Xiao Qi, her whole body wrapped in a cloak. The feeling was both strange and familiar.

It seems that on the day the northern barbarians came, the pockmarked man also rode a horse and took her away.

Lin Yuesha turned her head, wanting to see her stepbrother's face, but Xiao Qi stopped her, saying, "It's windy, don't move around."

A light rain had begun to fall. Xiao Qi took out a large tarpaulin and wrapped the brother and sister inside it. Only their cheeks were wet with raindrops, while their clothes remained dry.

"Brother, I never knew you were such a good rider."

Lin Yuesha had never seen her stepbrother ride a horse before; this was the first time.

"Little sister, do you think all scholars are incapable of carrying anything?"

Xiao Qi stared straight ahead, his gaze distant. His voice suddenly became hoarse, and his laughter was magnetic, with a seductive quality. However, because the wind was too strong, Lin Yuesha couldn't hear him clearly.

Xiao Qi wanted to tell his younger sister something, but seeing her dazed look, he swallowed back the words he was about to say.

Oh well, the little girl is still young. He'll wait for her to grow up.

Moreover, he doesn't know how to cover up the colossal lie he told.

After about half an hour, the brother and sister finally arrived at Taipingfang, and the scenery before them immediately changed.

"Push it down! Yes, go up there and grab its head!"

"Hurry, hurry! We're about to win!"

As soon as they reached the entrance of Taipingfang Street, Xiao Qi dismounted and considerately pulled Lin Yuesha down from her horse. At the intersection, two fierce roosters were fighting. The roosters had large, deep purple combs and walked with a proud and arrogant gait. Several people who had placed bets were scratching their heads, waiting for the result.

"Oh my, that white one is bound to win!"

A crowd of people watched with great interest. Lin Yuesha helplessly shrugged. She had no interest in these gambling games involving cockfighting and dogfighting. There were countless food stalls waiting for her in front of her.

"Big brother, I'm a little hungry, shall we go get some snacks?"

Lin Yuesha saw a stall selling fish tofu, wondering if it tasted the same as the one sold in Cangzhou City. She missed that delicate, tender, and fresh flavor.

"Young master, would you like one? Twenty coins."

Most of the people who come to Taipingfang are wealthy, so the prices are a bit high. However, Lin Yuesha can understand that it's not easy for them to do business here in the middle of the night. She nodded, took out a copper coin, and wanted to try it first. If it tasted good, she would take some back with her. She figured that Qingxing and the others were probably still waiting at home at this hour.

The shop owner explained that the fish tofu is specially made and comes with a variety of seasonings, including various sauces such as pickled pepper, spicy, and five-spice. Lin Yuesha chose one of each.

"Mmm, it's delicious."

Lin Yuesha sat at a small table to the side, nodding frequently. Each of these flavors had its own merits. If it were a matter of preference, she preferred the five-spice flavor. The spicy flavor mainly focused on the spiciness, and she couldn't taste the freshness and aroma of the fish after eating it.

Every region has its own unique characteristics. From the north, Yingcheng, Cangzhou to the capital, even the same dishes can have subtle differences in taste.

"Two more, to go."

A large crowd had gathered ahead, many people watching, seemingly interested in something new and interesting. Lin Yuesha wasn't interested in any of this, but still asked a token question, "Boss, what's all this commotion up ahead?"

"Oh, young master hasn't been here lately, has he? A few days ago, a skilled martial artist came and started performing the chest-breaking-a-stone act here every day, only at night."

There are often swindlers in this field. Some of them are genuinely skilled in internal martial arts, while others are just playing tricks on people. Regardless of their methods, they can achieve the desired effect. Wealthy people don't lack money; they just want to enjoy the spectacle. If the performance is good, they will naturally give rewards.

"Little sister, you mentioned last time that there was a circus troupe that also performed breaking stones on their chests, right?"

Xiao Qi brought up the Qiuyue Class, and that's how his little sister had fooled him.

Lin Yuesha's lips twitched stiffly. She had almost forgotten how her older brother had such a good memory.