The next morning, the weather was clear.

Putting aside yesterday's shock, Lin Yun plans to take the children out for a stroll today.

She changed into an elegant lotus-root-colored ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), and only a white magnolia hairpin adorned her hair, which made her skin look as white as snow and her features as beautiful as a painting.

She held Hongyao's hand in one hand and Zhaohua's hand in the other. The two children, dressed in matching little clothes, looked like a pair of porcelain dolls, skipping and hopping along beside her.

Chunlan and Xiahe followed behind.

"Mother, Yao'er wants to walk by himself!" Hongyao looked up, his eyes full of excitement.

"Hua'er wants one too!" Zhao Hua echoed in her childish voice, her little hand tightly gripping Lin Yun's fingertips.

Lin Yun smiled and squatted down to straighten their clothes: "Alright, but don't run around. Hold your mother's hand. Also, remember to call her 'Mother' when you're outside."

The two children nodded repeatedly, eagerly taking their little steps and pulling Lin Yun outside.

The morning market in Yangzhou was bustling with activity, with all sorts of stalls lining both sides of the street.

The old man selling sugar figurines was skilled; in the blink of an eye, he sculpted a lifelike rabbit.

The woman selling rouge and face powder greeted her female customers with a smile;

There were also peddlers carrying loads on their shoulders, shaking rattles, attracting children to gather around them.

Hongyao and Zhaohua were dazzled by what they saw, their little faces filled with wonder.

Hongyao pointed to a string of bright red candied hawthorns and tugged at Lin Yun's sleeve: "Mother, that!"

Zhao Hua also stood on tiptoe, gazing longingly.

Lin Yun couldn't help but laugh and took out her purse to buy two skewers.

The two children took the candied hawthorns, their eyes crinkling into crescent moons with laughter.

Hongyao took a bite, his mouth covered in sugar crumbs, but he still held it to Lin Yun's lips: "Mother, have some too!"

Lin Yun took a small bite and ruffled his hair: "So sweet."

The guards followed behind, and seeing that the two children were getting tired, they stepped forward and said, "Master, let us carry the little master."

Lin Yun nodded, but Hongyao twisted his body and said, "Yao'er can still walk!"

Zhaohua also imitated her brother, puffing out her little chest.

Lin Yun chuckled and pinched their cheeks: "You've been walking for so long, it's time to rest."

The two children then obediently let the guards pick them up, and they continued to look around while perched on their shoulders.

The guards were overjoyed, and they surrounded their young master, making funny faces to amuse him.

The young master is so adorable, they've long wanted to get close to him, and today they've finally got the chance.

Along the way, pedestrians couldn't help but turn their heads to look.

The exceptionally beautiful young woman, accompanied by two exquisitely beautiful children, looked like figures from a painting.

An elderly woman couldn't help but exclaim, "Whose wife is this? Her child looks just like a pageboy from Guanyin's seat!"

A nearby vendor chimed in, "Judging by her entire demeanor, she must be the wife of a wealthy family."

Lin Yun listened, then simply lowered her head and smiled faintly, without saying a word.

As they walked into a silk shop, Lin Yun's eyes were drawn to a piece of sky-blue brocade displayed in the window.

Upon seeing the distinguished guest arrive, the shopkeeper hurriedly came out to greet her: "Madam has a discerning eye! This fabric was just transported from Suzhou; it's the only one of its kind in the entire city of Yangzhou."

Lin Yun reached out and gently stroked it, feeling its smooth, flowing texture, and said, "Wrap it up." She then picked out a few more brightly colored bolts, intending to make new clothes for the children.

Around noon, the group had enjoyed their stroll to the fullest, but they were also quite tired.

Lin Yun noticed a restaurant called "Zui Xian Lou" on the street corner, with elegant decor, and decided to dine there.

The guards hesitated, "Master, this place is crowded and noisy..."

Lin Yun waved her hand: "It's alright, you've all worked hard. I'll treat you all to a good meal today."

The only food she and the Emperor ate on their journey was pastries brought from the palace and some pork, mutton, and other ingredients that could be chilled.

Vegetables and fruits can only be eaten while they are still fresh, since they don't keep well.

The guards had an even harder time, mostly eating dry rations.

After saying this, he asked the innkeeper to arrange two tables, and he and his child sat in the inner room, while the guards sat in the outer room.

The dishes were served quickly: braised crab meat lion's head meatballs, Wensi tofu soup, crystal pork jelly, Yangzhou fried rice... the aroma was irresistible.

Hongyao and Zhaohua were starving, and they ate with great relish, spoons in hand.

Lin Yun picked up a piece of tofu and fed it to Zhao Hua. The little girl squinted her eyes and said, "Mother, it's delicious!"

Not to be outdone, Hongyao scooped up a spoonful of fried rice, spilling half of it, but proudly raised his head: "Yao'er can eat by himself!"

After the meal, Lin Yun noticed that the children were a little sleepy, so she took them to a nearby teahouse to rest.

A stage was set up in the center of the teahouse, where a performance of "The Peony Pavilion" was taking place.

The tender love story between Du Liniang and Liu Mengmei drew cheers from the audience, but Lin Yun seemed lost in thought.

The vows of eternal love depicted in the play reminded her of her own experiences with the emperor.

The two children had already fallen asleep on Lin Yun's body, their little faces flushed and their eyelashes fluttering gently with their breath.

Lin Yun gently patted their backs, signaling the guards to prepare to return.

Just as he stepped out of the teahouse, he suddenly saw a familiar figure walking towards him—it was Emperor Yongzheng, who was traveling incognito.

He was dressed in an indigo long gown and held a folding fan in his hand. At first glance, he looked like a wealthy gentleman, but his dignified demeanor was undeniable.

"Your Majesty...Fourth Prince?" Lin Yun exclaimed in surprise.

Yongzheng strode forward, his gaze sweeping over the sleeping child before landing on Lin Yun's face: "I finished my official duties and stopped by to see you."

In fact, he had summoned officials and inspected the Slender West Lake earlier, but he was always thinking about the mother and her two children, which is why he made a special trip here.

Lin Yun smiled, a sly glint in her eyes: "Fourth Master, are you worried about me?"

Yongzheng coughed lightly and took Zhaohua from the guard's arms: "Yangzhou is a mixed bag of people, so I naturally need to keep an eye on it myself."

Hongyao smacked his lips in his sleep and mumbled indistinctly, "Candied hawthorn..."

Upon seeing this, Yongzheng couldn't help but smile.

He coughed lightly and said, "Yun'er, I have some news to tell you."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yun turned her head, her eyes filled with curiosity: "What news?"

Yongzheng smiled slightly: "I have decided that the next stop will be Nanjing."

Lin Yun was taken aback, then her eyes flashed with surprise: "Really? Weren't you supposed to go straight to Hangzhou after Suzhou?"

Yongzheng nodded: "That was the original plan, but I thought that since you like Lin Ruhai's daughter, why don't you stay in Jinling for a few days so that the Lin family can prepare to bring Daiyu into the palace as soon as possible."

Lin Yun felt a surge of joy in her heart, and a fawning smile bloomed on her face: "Your Majesty..."

If they weren't outside, she would definitely have hugged the Emperor and kissed him passionately.

She walked quickly to Yongzheng's side, gently tugged at his sleeve, her eyes full of gratitude, "Your Majesty, I have always wanted to visit Jinling, and now my wish has finally come true."