Chapter 159 Pei Zhi

As dawn broke, the towering city gates of Xihan creaked open.

A weary procession of carriages and horses stopped outside the city gate, the guards dressed in fine, close-fitting clothes, their eyes sharp and vigilant.

In the center of the procession was a carriage that didn't look particularly ostentatious.

The carriage curtain was lifted by a hand with distinct knuckles, revealing a young and handsome face.

It was none other than the Ninth Prince, Pei Zhi, who had traveled incognito from the capital under the guise of studying abroad. The air still carried a cool chill. Pei Zhi pulled his fur coat tighter around himself. He had always thought that Xihan was a desert and must be unbearably hot, so he hadn't brought many thick clothes with him. He had bought this fur coat from a traveling merchant on the way. However, he hadn't expected that it would only be hot during the day. The temperature difference was so great that it almost made this prince, who was used to being dressed in fine clothes and eating delicacies, fall ill.

Even so, Pei Zhi was still very interested.

He curiously peeked out, gazing at the city before him that resembled a colossal beast crouching in the morning light.

The city walls were higher and thicker than he had imagined, quite unlike the magnificent red walls and golden tiles of the capital.

The soldiers guarding the city gate stood tall and straight like pine trees, their eyes fixed straight ahead, their hands on the hilts of their swords steady and powerful, far superior to the showy imperial guards of the capital.

"That's interesting..."

Pei Zhi muttered to himself, just looking at the city gate and the state of the guards made him feel that this sneaky trip to Xihan was worth it!

The procession slowly moved forward to be inspected by the city gatekeeper.

One of the accompanying guards frowned slightly when he saw the city gatekeeper checking things carefully. He wanted to step forward to stop him and identify himself.

Pei Zhi immediately raised his hand to stop him.

"When in Rome, do as the Romans do; don't cause them any trouble."

He watched with great interest as the city gatekeeper meticulously checked documents and verified the number of people; his earnest demeanor struck him as quite novel.

In the capital, once his identity as the Ninth Prince was revealed, who would dare to investigate him?

After the inspection was completed, Pei Zhi habitually gestured to his attendants to pay the city entry fee.

Unexpectedly, the city gatekeeper waved his hand and said, "Young master, we in Xihan do not charge entry fees! It's a rule set by Miss Xie. We only recognize official documents and do not exploit the common people! Please come in!"

"No entry fee?" Pei Zhi was taken aback, thinking he had misheard.

In every prefecture and city under heaven, which gate isn't plundered as soon as a goose passes by? Even the capital city is no exception!

As soon as I entered the city gate, after taking only a few steps, a chubby, round-faced, smiling middle-aged man jogged up to greet me.

He was dressed in a clean and neat thick short jacket, and bowed respectfully to Pei Zhi, his smile warm yet just right.

"This humble servant, You Fu, greets Young Master Jiu! You must be tired from your journey! I have been waiting here for a long time on Young Miss Xie's orders! Young Miss Xie specifically instructed me to be your guide and ensure you have a good time in Xihan!"

He straightened up and gestured to the side behind him, "Look, the young lady has specially arranged a team of guards for you. They are the best in Xihan. They will follow you all the way to make sure you have a great time and can play with peace of mind! After the tour, the young lady will personally host a banquet for you."

Pei Zhi followed his hand and saw a group of about seven or eight guards standing beside him, dressed in dark, close-fitting clothes, with upright postures and calm eyes.

Unlike Pei Zhi's own guards, who were all overtly aggressive, they possessed a calm and restrained aura, like a sharp blade half an inch unsheathed, concealed yet not revealed.

Pei Zhi was genuinely pleasantly surprised!

He hadn't expected Xie Sangning to have made such thoughtful arrangements!

Even a guide and personal bodyguard were prepared! This is so much better than him wandering around aimlessly on his own! I was pleasantly surprised, but also a little embarrassed.

Before he left, he specifically asked someone to pass on a message saying that he didn't want to disturb Miss Xie, but he secretly came. Not only did she know, but she also made perfect arrangements for him, which made him seem a bit pretentious.

"I can't accept this! It's too much trouble for Miss Xie!"

Pei Zhi waved his hands repeatedly, his face showing sincere apology, "I was just strolling around, there's no need for special guards... and this banquet is absolutely out of the question! It's too much of a bother!"

You Fu still wore that Maitreya Buddha-like smile, his tone respectful yet leaving no room for doubt: "Ninth Young Master, you are too kind! The eldest young lady said that you are an honored guest, and since you have come to our Xihan, we must treat you well. Please enjoy your trip, and I will take care of everything else."

He bowed slightly. "As for the banquet, Miss said that after you have enjoyed your trip, she will prepare a small feast at the mansion to welcome you back. Please don't refuse!"

Pei Zhi wanted to say more, but You Fu had already smiled and made a "please" gesture, clearly not taking his refusal to heart.

Pei Zhi thought to himself: Why do the people of Xihan seem to only listen to Xie Sangning?

However, seeing You Fu's enthusiastic smile, he couldn't say anything more, so he just smiled and followed the guide to begin his exploration of the Western Cold.

Throughout the journey, Pei Zhi's mouth was almost constantly open.

He saw a wide and smooth cement road, on which the carriage could hardly feel any bumps, even more comfortable than the best bluestone road in the capital!

You Fu proudly introduced, "What the young lady made is called cement. It won't get muddy even on rainy days!"

He was also taken by You Fu to visit the schools in the city.

Before even reaching the door, one could hear the children's innocent yet orderly voices reciting the Thousand Character Classic.

Through the open window, he was surprised to see that there were not only boys inside, but also quite a few girls!

Wearing uniform coarse cloth clothes, sitting upright, they loudly recited along with the teacher!

This is simply unimaginable in the capital!

You Fu explained with a smile, "The young lady said that literacy and understanding are important for both men and women. The more characters you know, the less likely you are to suffer losses when farming, working, or keeping accounts!"

Pei Zhi's views were challenged. How could girls be allowed to attend school? If his father found out, wouldn't Miss Xie be in trouble? He had to help keep it a secret!

Next, he was even allowed to watch the soldiers drill from a distance.

The perfectly aligned ranks, the sharp thrusts and slashes, the deafening shouts, and the crossbows gleaming on the city walls... Pei Zhi's heart skipped a beat, and he secretly exclaimed in amazement: This is what soldiers are all about!

Those pampered young soldiers in the capital aren't even worthy of carrying someone's shoes!

Pei Zhi's mind was filled with all sorts of novel and shocking images. He couldn't wait to fly back to the capital and show off to his brothers who only knew how to cockfight, dog racing, brothel visits, and music!

Look where I, Ninth Master, have been! I've learned so much!

But as soon as the thought popped into his head, he slapped it back.

"Pah!" Pei Zhi cursed himself inwardly for being too smug. "If my father finds out that I've traveled all the way to Xihan for my studies, he'll skin me alive!"

If his suspicious and stern father knew that he had secretly come to see Xie Sangning… Pei Zhi shuddered and quickly extinguished the dangerous thought.

Unbeknownst to them, under You Fu's guidance, they had arrived at the central area of ​​the county town.

It was already evening, and the setting sun cast a warm golden glow on the gray-white buildings.

The scene before him completely stunned Pei Zhi!

Along both sides of the long main street, hundreds of tables were densely packed together!

A clean coarse cloth was spread on the table, and it was piled high with steaming hot food!

The large bowl of braised pork glistened with oil, the whole steamed fish exuded a fresh aroma, the white steamed buns piled high, and there were all sorts of stews and stir-fries that I didn't know the names of but looked delicious... The aromas mingled together, making my stomach rumble!

The streets were bustling with people and incredibly lively!

Men, women, and children, dressed in clean but simple clothes, with genuine smiles on their faces, sat around the table, helping the elderly and leading the young.

The adults chatted and laughed, and everywhere was filled with joy and laughter, creating a lively and bustling scene!

"Whose wedding is this? Such a grand affair!"

Pei Zhi stared in disbelief and subconsciously asked You Fu.

Even for a wealthy family in the capital celebrating a wedding, the banquet wouldn't be this extravagant, would it?

How many tables would that take? And judging by the quality and portion sizes of the food, it's far better than what ordinary people in Nanjing eat! So juicy and flavorful!

You Fu's smile widened, filled with a sense of pride: "Reporting to Ninth Young Master, this isn't some family celebration! It's a feast that the people of Xihan have pooled their resources to host for Miss Xie!"

"It was...for Miss Xie?" Pei Zhi was completely dumbfounded.

“Yes!” An old man nearby overheard this and chimed in with a loud voice, “Miss Xie is a great benefactor to us in Xihan! She has provided us with enough to eat, warm clothes, a clinic for medical treatment, and the opportunity for our children to go to school! Today is not a special day, we are all just happy and want to celebrate together to thank Miss Xie for her kindness!”

“That’s right, that’s right!” another old woman chimed in. “The young lady is usually too busy, and we can’t really help her much, so we’re just pooling our money and food to hire a cook so we can all have a good meal together. Let’s do this to make the young lady happy and let her know that we Xihan people remember her well!”

An indescribable shock, like a tidal wave, suddenly shattered his original impression of Xie Sangning.

Looking at the scene of thousands of people celebrating for her alone, Pei Zhi couldn't help but wonder if his father could get the people to do this willingly.

For the first time, Pei Zhi realized with such clarity that what Xie Sangning had done was to create hope with his own hands on this desolate and barren land.

This achievement, this popular support, is something that even a prince living in luxury and doing nothing could never match!

A sense of admiration mixed with a touch of self-consciousness rose in Pei Zhi's heart.

His impression of Xie Sangning instantly rose to a level that was almost one of looking up to her.

It turns out that there really are people in this world who can do that.