To maintain good relations, I have to keep smiling and take advantage of any opportunities.

Xiren came in carrying a food box. She placed it on the table, and I noticed that she looked a little unhappy. But I had to focus on the blueprints right now, so I pretended not to see it for the time being and would send Wan'er to ask her later.

After dinner, I prepared to take the documents to Xie Yuancheng, but to my surprise, he had already gone out. That was good, I escaped another disaster.

The next morning, I put the letter in the lining, said a few words to Wan'er, and headed for the door. Wan'er was reliable; I had no trouble getting anywhere.

Outside the Marquis's mansion, I stopped a young woman and asked for directions. She stammered and ran off without giving a clear answer. I touched my face; I'd looked in the mirror this morning and had no pimples or dark circles. How did I manage to scare her away?

I asked another young man, and he grinned, "To meet such an outstanding young master so early in the morning, it seems today is a good day." I'm starting to have a mental breakdown. Are all the people of the Great Zhao Kingdom weirdos? Meeting a handsome person means you're on your lucky day.

I suppressed the thought of laughing and asked how to get to the south of the city. The young man was very easy to talk to and gave me a very detailed route. I memorized part of it and decided to start walking first, and ask again if I got lost.

I thanked the young man and headed in the direction he indicated. The best thing about ancient times was the fresh air; the morning breeze wasn't cool or stuffy. I need to buy some soft cloth to prepare for this trip; the time is almost here. The downside of being a woman disguised as a man is that I have to hide. Back in the Heqing Palace, I had a room to myself, but it always burned down on dark and windy nights. Now, two girls are sharing a room with me, so I'll have to find a way to avoid them for those few days.

After walking for a while, the streets gradually became more crowded. A few girls walked towards me, all covering their faces with fans. They laughed a few times when they got to me and then left.

Looks like another bunch of infatuated girls. I have to say, Ji Ying is really pretty, much prettier than I originally looked. Her skin is like snow, and she's probably close to 1.7 meters tall. Although her face is neither quite round nor square, and she has large, round almond-shaped eyes that make her look somewhat childish, she actually looks quite dashing when dressed as a man.

Most importantly, her voice is androgynous, and sometimes I find it delightful to listen to.

I saw a lot of food on the way, and it smelled really good, but I was focused on getting out of the house in the morning, so I didn't ask Wan'er for money. I could only look but not eat.

I could only rub my belly and continue onward. When I reached a fork in the road, I couldn't quite remember which way to go, and I was getting a little tired. All of this was for scouting ahead later; I should have had Wan'er rent a carriage.

Holding the Phantom Sword in my hand and clutching it to my chest, I couldn't figure out which way to go, so I put the sword down and looked around. Everyone was busy, so I decided to wait and ask someone who looked kind and gentle.

I heard the sound of horses' hooves behind me, so I stepped aside and continued to observe who would be a good person to ask for directions.

"The Prince Consort left the manor so early this morning, where is he planning to go?" Hearing this, I knew it was Xie Yuancheng; his voice was distinctive and easily recognizable. I closed my eyes briefly, smiled, and turned around to see him on horseback, looking at me with a mocking expression. Judging from his posture, he wasn't here to cause trouble because I called him by his full name yesterday, was he?

I chuckled and said, "My lord, good morning. Are you out on business?"

Xie Yuancheng dismounted and led me to him: "I had to go out last night and didn't have time to tell you. I rushed back early this morning, afraid of delaying our discussion." You'd better stay out there and not come back!

I saw an old lady who I was sure could ask for directions, and I was about to go over when she grabbed my hand. Xie Yuancheng frowned and asked, "Where is the Prince Consort going?"

I cursed myself for being stupid. The entire Linyang City belonged to Xie Yuancheng, yet I ignored this powerful figure and immediately put on a sincere expression: "My lord, I need to go to the South City, but I don't know the way. Do you know how to get there?"

Xie Yuancheng: "What are you doing in the south of Linyang this first time?"

I made up a lie: "I have a close friend in the south of the city whom I haven't seen for many years. This trip is a good opportunity to see him."

Xie Yuancheng clearly didn't believe it: "Oh, true friends are hard to find. What's his name? I'll invite him to my residence."

I immediately refused: "No, he is a hermit who cannot stand worldly affairs. I was fortunate enough to meet such a divine person back then."

Xie Yuancheng was considering the truthfulness of my words. I was worried that he would keep asking questions, so I quickly thought of how to persuade him next. Who knew that he would actually come with me and say that he would take me there!

I kept smiling and said, "Your Excellency is busy with many affairs, so there's no need for you to get involved in such a small matter. I'll just ask someone around." Just as I was about to leave, he handed the horse he was leading to his subordinate, a guard whose name I think was Meng Anshi.

Meng Anshi led the horse away, and Xie Yuancheng said, "Let's go. I've been wanting to make some friends with hermits, so let's go together." He was truly in a bind. He decided to get there first and then figure out how to shake him off. At worst, he could just say he couldn't find anyone and would sneak back next time.

It took almost half an hour to reach the South City. Along the way, they attracted a lot of attention, but this time most of the attention was directed at Xie Yuancheng. After all, he had an extraordinary demeanor, and his mere presence was pleasing to the eye.

I glanced at the unfamiliar surroundings: "My lord, is there a pawnshop here?"

Xie Yuancheng: "There is only one pawnshop in the south of the city. It is the third shop when you go in from the street in front."

It's not far off; now it's just a matter of figuring out how to get rid of him. After thinking for a moment, he said, "My lord."

Xie Yuancheng suddenly interrupted: "Prince Consort, you don't need to be so polite when we're out in public. I have no given name, so if you don't mind, you can call me by my name from now on."

If I agreed, I would be a fool. "It's not appropriate to call you by your name directly. How about this, I'll recognize you as my sworn brother and call you Brother Yuancheng." Seeing that he agreed, I called him Brother Yuancheng. Just as I looked up, I saw some trouble in the alley to my left. It was truly a stroke of luck!

I pointed to the area where the disturbance was taking place and said, "Brother Yuancheng, there's a disturbance over there." Xie Yuancheng didn't seem to care, so I went over there myself, and he had no choice but to follow.

I stood outside the crowd and saw an old woman clinging to a young man's leg, crying and wailing. Her voice sounded so pitiful.

The old woman said, "Son, you can't take this money. Your father is still on his sickbed, and he's counting on it to save his life."

The young man spat and said, "You two old geezers, you've lived to such an old age, this money should be mine, why are you treating my illness?" People around him were pointing and whispering, but no one stepped forward to persuade him.

I composed myself and gave Xie Yuancheng a pitiful look: "Brother Yuancheng." Originally, I planned to let him handle this matter, since he was a marquis and would definitely deal with it, so I took the opportunity to go to the pawnshop to find someone. Not long after, I regretted it immensely. If it weren't for that one look, I wouldn't have been controlled by him and caused such a mess.