"Yes, when my older sister and aunt don't have time to look after us, we sneak out."

With the princess gone, they became wild children without any elders to care for them.

The Empress Dowager of Shu often farmed in the countryside and was not frequently in the palace.

The emperor of Shu often lingered among the beauties in the harem and never paid any attention to his princes and princesses.

"Sometimes, I just want to eat something from a street stall. You should try it later; it has a unique flavor."

Lianrong went to the table and got a few pairs of chopsticks and spoons, waiting for the owner to prepare the rice noodles and soup.

"Let's eat together in a bit and try some."

Yun Duoduo glanced at Lian Qiao, who looked at her with the same expression, a typical example of someone who wants to eat what's in their bowl but has their eyes on what's in the pot.

"good."

Ah Xiang wiped the table and poured tea for the group.

"Duoduo, tomorrow, I'll take you to buy some nice jade pendants."

Lianqiao frowned as she looked at the thing tied around Yun Duoduo's waist.

This is so ugly!

Yun Duoduo looked at the copper piece, smiled at Lian Qiao, and said nothing, nor did she refuse Lian Qiao's kindness.

Because she didn't know what it was, and how to explain it to Lianqiao.

"Duoduo, you've never tried this kind of rice noodle soup before, have you?"

Lotus seed paste asks the clouds.

Yun Duoduo wanted to say that she had eaten all kinds of rice noodles, including handmade noodles, rice vermicelli, potato noodles, and rice vermicelli, in her previous life, but seeing Lianrong's excited expression, she shook her head.

"I've never eaten it."

"Actually, 'suo fen' refers to the sound of eating rice noodles."

Lianrong explained to her, "There are many kinds of noodles, such as rice noodles, flat rice noodles, and so on."

"As the weather gets warmer, the noodle shops on the streets and alleys are the liveliest places."

"The smooth, white rice noodles are soaked in a rich and fragrant broth, topped with plenty of toppings, and then garnished with chopped green onions and chili oil. A bowl of steaming hot rice noodles is like heaven!"

Lianrong described it vividly, and Yun Duoduo was stunned. She even doubted whether the noodles Lianrong was talking about were the same kind of noodles she had eaten.

In her memory, the noodles were quite delicious, but not to the extent that Lianrong described.

Indeed, the most delicious food often requires only the simplest cooking methods...

"The rice noodles are here! Lamb rice noodles!"

The shopkeeper brought over a bowl and placed the rice noodles on the square table in front of the group.

The group picked up their chopsticks and started eating. "Mmm, so delicious!"

"Yes, it smells best when it's fresh out of the pan."

Lianrong took a bite of the noodles and found the flavor a bit bland, so she poured half a jar of chili flakes into it.

"It smells so good!"

"Stir-fried rice noodles with cabbage and shredded pork!"

"Stir-fried pork with rice noodles!"

"Spicy pork rice noodles, and red bean sweet soup!"

The owner's voice boomed, "The dishes are all ready, please enjoy! Here are some complimentary peanuts from our restaurant, please have a taste!"

"Thank you, shopkeeper."

The group smiled and nodded at the shopkeeper.

"The peanuts here are so fragrant. They're roasted, so they taste really good."

Several people used chopsticks to pick up a few peanuts and chewed them.

"This soup is amazing."

Yun Duoduo took a sip of the soup. "The sweetness is just right. Next time, I'll bring my brothers to eat the noodles and drink the soup here."

"Right? This is the restaurant that Lianqiao and I picked out after trying all the restaurants in this area."

Lianrong said smugly, glancing at Lianqiao, who nodded in agreement as she ate.

Yun Duoduo was enjoying her meal, but she always felt like there was a pair of eyes watching her.

She went back to look, but apart from the passersby, she didn't see anything strange.

But when she turned back to her food, that chilling feeling of being stared at returned.

【What's going on? 】

"What's wrong, Duoduo?"

Lianqiao noticed Yun Duoduo's unusual behavior and glanced at her worriedly.

"Are there any acquaintances behind us?"

Lianrong also put down her chopsticks and looked behind Yun Duoduo.

Yun Duoduo shook her head, indicating to Lianqiao and Lianrong not to worry about her and to continue eating.

She strained her ears to listen to the sounds around her, but didn't hear anything unusual.

Am I being overly sensitive, seeing threats everywhere?

However, this feeling did not dissipate; instead, it grew stronger.

Could it be that the people who wanted to kill me have chased me all the way from Nanyang to Shu?

[After you finish eating, you can return to the palace.]

The group continued eating their noodles in silence.

They ate until they were sweating profusely, then patted their round bellies and contentedly put down their bowls and chopsticks.

"We're a bit full, let's walk back and chat as we go."

Lianrong suggested.

"good."

The group left the stall one after another and headed towards the palace.

...

Within the territory of Shu, a clear stream meanders, and the ground is covered with green grass and wildflowers. The Medicine King Valley is nestled in the surrounding steep valleys.

The entrance to Medicine King Valley is heavily guarded, and the mountain path leading into the valley is filled with man-eating plants and hidden traps.

A row of neat thatched huts sits in the middle of a small clearing in the middle of the canyon, and several men dressed in straw clothes are walking through the field full of medicinal herbs, examining them.

"Master, the chrysanthemum still hasn't grown."

"However, the wheatgrass was successfully cultivated."

The ground is covered with strangely shaped and colorful plants, among which one purple plant stands out particularly tall.

"Master Dongfang, our informant reports that he has spotted the Valley Master in the capital."

A dark-skinned, burly middle-aged man said in a low voice.

Upon hearing the words "Valley Master," the middle-aged man visibly stiffened: "You saw the Valley Master in the capital? Is that true?"

"It's been a long time since we've seen the Valley Master. Didn't the Valley Master say he was traveling all over the world? Has he returned?"

Master Dongfang frowned.

"But now that you're back, why don't you come and take a look in the valley?"

The Eastern Hall Master was somewhat puzzled. This valley was clearly growing the medicinal herbs that the Valley Master valued most. So why didn't the Valley Master come to take a look now that he had returned?

Seeing the puzzled look on his subordinate's face as he hesitated, the Eastern Hall Master snapped impatiently, "Speak what you have to say!"

Why are you stammering?

"The Valley Master is a child who looks only nine or ten years old."

...

Author's Note: I apologize for not updating yesterday, my darlings. I know some of you were waiting for my update, so I'm so sorry. It was too hot yesterday, and I probably ate too much watermelon, or maybe the watermelon wasn't fresh. I had diarrhea ever since, and I was so weak I felt like a ghost. I had a draft, but I wanted to ensure the quality before uploading it, but I just couldn't hold on any longer.

Thank you all for your support and concern. I'm feeling a bit better today, so I updated this morning as soon as possible. I'll be updating more frequently these next few days. Thank you all for being with me!