Now that he knew who they were, Meng Dan naturally had no objections. After listening to Liu Hong's suggestion, he immediately agreed.
Liu Hong had expected the customer to make some kind of request, such as: "We paid so much money and stayed here for so long, how come we can't even find a table?" But to her surprise, the customer was so understanding this time.
But this is good, it saves her the trouble of talking.
Meng Dan and his brothers sat down at the table. Xiao Yanzi, being a lively person, especially after learning that they were Hui people, immediately associated them with Princess Hanxiang who had entered the palace.
Fortunately, Yongqi and Benjamin aren't stopping her right now, and Xiao Jian is currently cultivating an image of being connected but not close with her. So naturally, he won't deliberately restrain her.
So after holding back for a long time, Xiao Yanzi finally couldn't help but ask bluntly, "You are Hui people, so why didn't you go to the palace with your king? Can you even understand what I'm saying?"
Meng Dan had been waiting for this moment. At this moment, he felt like Jiang Ziya, and Xiao Yanzi was the fat fish that had taken the bait. "We are Hui people, but we are not the same group as Ali Khoja."
These words, spoken in a seemingly ambiguous way, directly drew Fu Erkang's attention. "Could it be that you are a merchant caravan? Doing business in the capital?" But upon further reflection, he realized that this statement was untenable. If they were a merchant caravan doing business in the capital, why would they be homeless and staying at the Huibinlou Restaurant?
A fleeting smile crossed Mondan's eyes, unnoticed by anyone. It quickly faded into a worried expression. "It's not a caravan; I came here with the girl I love."
This sounded like a story, and Fu Erkang liked to befriend people with interesting backstories, while Xiao Yanzi also enjoyed making friends with people from the martial arts world. The two hit it off immediately and continued to probe deeper into the matter.
"What about the girl you like?" Xiao Yanzi tilted her head, indicating her confusion. "Didn't she come with you? Why did you say you chased her here? Why did she come to the capital?"
Xiao Yanzi's barrage of questions left Meng Dan somewhat bewildered. Although he could speak Chinese, he could only understand their slow, deliberate speech. With such a rapid pace, he couldn't grasp the key points of Xiao Yanzi's words at all.
Mondan couldn't help but reply in the English, then, realizing what he meant, asked them in Chinese, "My Chinese isn't very good, could you speak a little slower?"
Xiao Yanzi scratched her head, realizing she had overreacted. She smiled somewhat sheepishly. "So, what's the name of the girl you like? Maybe we can help you find her." Xiao Yanzi figured that since this Hui man was staying at Huibinlou, he probably hadn't found the girl's place.
But Little Swallow forgot that she was no longer Princess Huanzhu; she was just an insignificant palace maid in the Forbidden City. Even leaving the palace was a problem, let alone helping someone find someone? She really didn't have the skills, yet she insisted on taking on a task beyond her capabilities.
Meng Dan was just waiting for her to say those words. It wasn't for nothing that he put on such a tragic show in front of Xiao Yanzi and the others. But it wasn't really acting, was it? Weren't he and Han Xiang lovers who went through many twists and turns but were still separated by her father?
“Her name is Hanxiang.” After saying that, Meng Dan put on a melancholy expression again.
The moment these words were spoken, the entire table fell silent. Little Swallow subconsciously swallowed, while Ziwei quickly turned her head to glance at Meng Dan. Fu Erkang was wondering what value this news could bring him. Xiao Jian was also genuinely surprised, and for a moment, his eyes widened in astonishment.
Ever since Xiao Jian spotted Meng Dan and his group in the crowd, he sensed that they were no ordinary people. He secretly dispatched the White Lotus Sect to investigate them, only learning that Meng Dan was a fallen nobleman of the Hui ethnic group; the rest of the investigation was incomplete.
Xiao Jian imagined them as lovers, only to be forcibly separated by the powerful emperor. Thinking this way, Xiao Jian's malice towards the emperor intensified, and his disgust was practically written all over his face.
"The Hanxiang you're talking about isn't Princess Hanxiang, the daughter of Ali Khoja, is it?" Ziwei asked cautiously, but she silently prayed in her heart that it was just a coincidence of names and not the same person.
But reality did not go as Ziwei wished. Mengdan blurted out, "Yes, she is Ali Khoja's daughter." His eyes were fixed on the two girls in front of him.
Ziwei couldn't believe the coincidence. Her father, the Emperor, had just bestowed upon Hanxiang the title of Noble Consort Xiang, and now Hanxiang's beloved had arrived. Ziwei felt overwhelmed by this truth; she swayed and nearly fell.
Fortunately, after hearing that the person he admired was Hanxiang, Fu Erkang had been silently watching over Ziwei's situation and helped her up in time.
"Before she came to the capital, didn't you think about how to win her over?" Xiao Yanzi asked blankly. Logically speaking, it shouldn't be like that. Meng Dan was willing to travel thousands of miles to Beijing for Han Xiang, so why didn't he try to win her over back then?
Meng Dan then told them about his several attempts to elope with Han Xiang, only to be eventually found by Ali and Zhuo.
"That Ali Khoja is truly amazing. How did he know which road you took? And how did he manage to catch you?" Xiao Yanzi asked the question that Ziwei wanted to ask. Ziwei wondered if Meng Dan had exaggerated the facts.
Since they escaped early that night, how could they have been caught at noon the next day? Even if they stopped to rest along the way, how could Ali and Jo be sure which route they took?
At this point, Meng Dan deflated like a balloon that had been punctured by a needle. "Because Han Xiang carries a unique fragrance, no matter how far we run, Ali and Zhuo's hunting dogs can smell us. So no matter how we escape, Ali and Zhuo can find us." After saying this, Meng Dan poured himself a glass of wine, tilted his head back and drank it down, pretending to be in great pain.
Xiao Yanzi and Ziwei were deeply moved, completely oblivious to the word "elopement" in Meng Dan's words. They only felt that the affection between the two was so deep that it could be described as childhood sweethearts.
But they didn't consider why Meng Dan only wanted to elope with Han Xiang instead of trying to win Ali Khoja's favor through his own efforts. Why did he only want Han Xiang to leave her hometown and her father, instead of trying to get Ali Khoja to accept him as his son-in-law? The main reason was that Meng Dan thought eloping would be the cheapest option.
They are unwilling to put in the effort; they only want to get their hands on the person they love.
Little Swallow was deeply moved by their story and immediately slammed her hand on the table, deciding, "Alright, I, Little Swallow, will help you. We'll go see Hanxiang tomorrow." Little Swallow, with an air of righteous indignation, patted her chest and easily made a promise to Meng Dan.
Ziwei frowned, sensing that things weren't so simple, but she was still moved by their love. Thinking of her own and Erkang's uncertain future, she sighed.
Meng Dan also took the opportunity to make a request, "Could you please deliver a letter to Hanxiang for me? I believe Hanxiang will understand after reading it." Meng Dan only gave a brief answer and didn't finish the sentence. He felt that he had no connection with Xiao Yanzi and the others. Xiao Yanzi was just acting out of a moment of loyalty and wanted to help them, which was just a plight for these poor people who had been separated by power.
Xiao Jian frowned. He didn't think Meng Dan's approach was right, especially since he was particularly annoying to others and maintained a degree of wariness towards him. This made him feel insecure, so Xiao Jian decided to secretly send the White Lotus Sect to inquire about Meng Dan's past romantic affairs.
Little Swallow couldn't bear to see them separated, so she readily agreed.
Meng Dan was extremely grateful, and then asked Liu Hong for paper and pen. He wrote a full page of palindromes, which Ziwei and Xiao Yanzi couldn't understand. Xiao Yanzi simply took it, carefully folded it, and put it in her sleeve.
As dusk settled, Xiao Yanzi and Ziwei knew they had to return to the palace. Before leaving, Xiao Yanzi reminded Meng Dan to remember to wait for her at Huibinlou.
Xiao Yanzi felt that she had a special connection with Xiao Jian and Meng Dan. Before leaving, she quietly pulled Liu Hong aside and said, "Liu Hong, these are two good buddies I just met today, especially that Hui man. He's penniless right now. Could you let them stay at Huibinlou for free for a while? You can have them wash dishes and wipe tables for you."
Although Liu Hong was somewhat reluctant, after all, nobody's money grows on trees. They still had elderly people and children in the tenement to support, and now they had to start doing charity work?
But Liu Hong couldn't voice her objections, because the construction of Huibinlou was inseparable from Xiao Yanzi; it was Xiao Yanzi who had funded it. Liu Hong could only suppress her dissatisfaction and nod with a displeased expression.
Xiao Yanzi felt she had done Meng Dan a huge favor. Meng Dan had just inadvertently revealed his financial situation, saying that he had almost spent all his money traveling from Hui Muslim village to Beijing. Xiao Yanzi then went out of her way to solve his housing problem.
On the carriage back to the palace, Xiao Yanzi and Ziwei were still discussing what excuse they should use to visit Consort Xiang at Baoyue Tower the next day.
Little Swallow said casually, "Ziwei, you are the Emperor's daughter. It's not a big deal if you want to see Consort Xiang. Think about the women in the palace, think about your mother. The Emperor already has so many women. Consort Xiang and Mengdan love each other so much, they shouldn't be separated."
Ziwei was still struggling and hesitating, but when she heard Xiaoyanzi mention her mother, who was still waiting for her father to come and take her away until her death, she made up her mind to visit Consort Xiang at Baoyue Tower the next day. Moreover, Ziwei also remembered what Benjamin had said in Yue Lao Town, that in their foreign country, people were committed to being together for life.
Then why did the Qing Dynasty still have polygamous marriages? Besides, the Emperor already had so many women—Consort Ling, Consort Yu—which woman in the palace didn't long for the Emperor? Losing one more, Hanxiang, wouldn't make a difference. And so, Ziwei gradually convinced herself.
*
Cining Palace
The Empress Dowager sat at the head of the table, deep in thought, while An Ke and Qing'er sat below, sipping their tea idly. Every now and then, the two would exchange glances, each asking with their eyes, "What's going on?"
The Empress Dowager noticed their little antics and, realizing what was happening, quickly ordered the palace maids to serve dinner. "It's already getting dark, why didn't you two remind me to have dinner?" The Empress Dowager wasn't blaming them; she was just worried they would go hungry.
Anke smiled obediently, "Grandmother is thinking about something, how could An'an and Qing'er make a sound to disturb her?" As he spoke, he strode forward, took the Empress Dowager's arm, and asked ingratiatingly, "Grandmother, can you tell An'an what you were thinking about just now?"
Qing'er also walked to the other side of the old lady, but she didn't say anything, because An Ke knew what she wanted to know.
"You little rascal, trying to get information out of me again." The Empress Dowager stretched out her finger and poked An Ke's head with a smile.
Anke tilted her head back in response, "Oh, An'an, isn't this just because she cares about you?" She was indeed concerned, but more than that, she just wanted to know some things.
"I'm thinking about that Hui lady, Consort Xiang," the Empress Dowager sighed. Upon hearing the topic of Consort Xiang, Qing'er and An Ke unconsciously perked up their ears. "Now that she has entered the harem and become the Emperor's woman, she naturally needs to understand the rules of our Great Qing Dynasty and wear our Great Qing Dynasty clothes."
Indeed, the Empress Dowager happened to run into Consort Xiang while strolling in the Imperial Garden today. However, Consort Xiang was still dressed in a white Hui ethnic costume, which made the Empress Dowager frown. Not to mention, she was also performing the Hui greeting, which made the veins on the Empress Dowager's brow twitch involuntarily.
In the palace, only during national mourning could one wear white, which was considered extremely unlucky by the Empress Dowager. It's no wonder that the Empress Dowager was so eager for Hanxiang to adapt to local customs.
"Oh, I see. Isn't that simple? Tomorrow, An'an will go with Qing'er to Baoyue Tower to see Consort Xiang. She can also bring her a set of palace attire befitting her rank." An Ke said ingratiatingly.
Upon hearing this, even the wrinkles on the Empress Dowager's forehead smoothed out a bit. "Then you two should go and take a look tomorrow. You might as well bring Granny Fang along, so that Consort Xiang can learn etiquette from Granny Fang." The two readily agreed.
Having resolved their troubles, the Empress Dowager chatted amiably with Qing'er and An'an during dinner.
*
The next morning
Having just finished breakfast, Anke pulled Qing'er, who was sitting next to her, and prepared to head to Baoyue Tower.
The Empress Dowager also hoped they could persuade Consort Xiang, after all, they were of similar age. But then she thought, since An'an was there, things weren't so complicated.
Little Swallow dragged Ziwei to Baoyue Tower early in the morning, wanting to deliver Mengdan's letter to Hanxiang as soon as possible. They headed for Baoyue Tower early in the morning, full of energy.
However, Xiao Yanzi and Ziwei arrived half an hour later than Anke and the others.
Anke and Qing'er had just arrived at Baoyue Tower when they were given a headache by the chanting inside. The reason was simple: Hanxiang was kneeling on a prayer mat, constantly muttering "Allah, the true god."
Anke can understand Hui and Mongolian; after all, as the woman who holds the script, she knows how the plot should unfold and has made thorough preparations.
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