As soon as she opened the door, Taozhi saw Chu Changning, who was heavily pregnant, picking dates from the yard.
She quickly put down the herbs in her hand, cried out "Ouch!", and went over to help her.
"Princess, your belly is so big, be careful not to disturb the baby."
Chu Changning was bored in the courtyard and got carried away on a whim, only to be caught red-handed. He then sheepishly put down the hook.
She frowned when she saw the medicine packet in Taozhi's hand.
"Want more?"
When she fell off the cliff, she was caught by the guards and slid into the cave with a rope, but she was still impacted and had been taking medicine ever since.
"By the way, how's Xiao San? Is his back better?"
At that time, Xiao San cushioned her fall in the cave, then hit a rock and bled a lot.
Taozhi placed the food in front of her and said, "I went to check on her, she's much better."
Upon hearing this, Chu Changning breathed a sigh of relief and slowly began to eat.
After she arrived in Penglai, Xiao Yan took them to open a restaurant. On the surface, it was a place to eat, but behind the scenes, it was a place to build an intelligence network and return to their old profession. They lived a comfortable life.
When she had nothing to do, she would go to the restaurant to enjoy the sea view and listen to conversations.
"Let's go to the restaurant later. Yesterday, the storyteller told us halfway through his story, but we still don't know what happened to that witch."
Taozhi twitched her lips and took out a whole bunch of storybooks for her.
Chu Changning, "---"
"Storytelling is still more interesting."
"The doctor said that the princess needs to rest."
Chu Changning knew this, but she had finally escaped those awful places and was free to go out and see the local customs.
"By the way, don't call me princess anymore, just call me by my name."
Taozhi felt it was extremely disrespectful, and hesitated for a moment before saying, "Just call me Miss, and no one will suspect anything."
"Um."
The small courtyard they bought had two sections, with dark green tiles and gray stone walls. The back garden had strange rocks and pine trees, but it snowed in the dead of winter.
Chu Changning was pregnant and couldn't go out, so she sat around the stove with Taozhi and brewed tea.
The room is quiet and serene, with plum branches arranged in a vase; every detail is meticulously arranged.
The room was warmed by charcoal, so it wasn't cold. She was dressed lightly, and a gentle breeze blew in from outside. The two of them enjoyed the snow and drank tea, displaying a refined and elegant taste reminiscent of scholars.
"Quick, bring me that blue crab, it's the best accompaniment to alcohol."
Taozhi said helplessly, "Miss, how much of that cold food have you eaten?"
Chu Changning hissed, "I want to eat."
"---"
Tao Zhi sighed and brought it to her.
Chu Changning has been in a good mood lately and has been talking a lot more, chatting with her while eating.
As the two were talking, they heard someone knocking on the door.
"Miss."
Xiao Yan drove his carriage to a stop outside the courtyard gate.
Peach saw him through the crack in the door, cautiously peered around, and then opened the door.
"Huh, what did you bring?"
Xiao Yan came in and put the things inside.
"Just made from the sea, mackerel-filled fried dough, a local specialty, come and try it."
After Chu Changning became pregnant, she had a big appetite. Although she had just eaten a lot, she still tasted some because of the smell.
Guozha is a type of dumpling from the Central Plains. It has a lingering fragrance and is very delicious.
"Xiao Yan, is your shop crowded?"
"Many people have come to see the sea after the snow."
Chu Changning also wanted to join in the fun, and glanced at the two of them with a smile.
Seeing her like this, Taozhi had no choice but to tidy up the door, drape a mink coat over her shoulders, and go out together.
The restaurant opened by Xiao Yan was named Guanhailou, situated on a high and spacious location.
When Chu Changning arrived, the restaurant was packed with guests. The diners chatted about everything under the sun, while children peered out the window at the beautiful snowflakes falling over the sea. The atmosphere was lively and joyful.
She went straight to a private room on the second floor and sat down by the window.
The sea is shrouded in mist, occasionally graced by birds and beasts, all white in color. Fine snowflakes fall softly, and waves rise one after another, creating an ethereal scene against the backdrop of the sky.
Chu Changning rested her chin on her hand as she looked at the scene, and couldn't help but touch her stomach with her other hand.
"Have you heard? The old emperor of the Central Plains is dead, and a new emperor has ascended the throne, establishing the Great Qi. This emperor is quite formidable; as soon as he took the throne, he ordered a northern expedition—"
"I just crossed the sea and heard that it's in chaos there. The northern kingdoms are fighting each other, and the south is also in turmoil. We poor folks shouldn't go and join the fun."
"Ah, Emperor Jin was truly good. During his reign, the Central Plains weren't so chaotic, and our trade and goods movement across the borders was very convenient."
Chu Changning listened intently to the animated conversation taking place outside the window, and licked his lips slightly.
Taozhi also heard the discussion around her, so she stuck her head out and shouted at the other end of the line.
Who is the Emperor of Great Qi?
The people of Penglai are hospitable and cheerful. The diners over there heard the voice and replied while enjoying their wine.
"You little lady, you even care about this?"
Taozhi cursed the scoundrel in her heart, but asked with a cheerful smile on her face.
"I heard from someone that they are from the powerful families of Yandu. Who knows? There are so many emperors in the Central Plains and so many kings in the North. We don't care about this kind of thing here."
"Come, come, let's drink."
After saying that, the diner seemed to remember something else and started discussing it.
"Oh, by the way, I also heard that a great general has suddenly appeared in the north, annihilating several foreign tribes in succession, establishing a capital in the north, and apparently even sending people here to look for some kind of medicine—"
"Alas, the Central Plains are divided between the Northern and Southern Dynasties, it's too chaotic. We should stay in Penglai."
Chu Changning listened to the grand pronouncements on the other end, picked up the fruit wine and took a few sips.
"Miss, do you think it could be Lord Jun?" Taozhi asked curiously in a low voice. "Is His Majesty dead?"
Chu Changning said calmly, "Don't worry about it, just treat it as a joke."
Seeing this, Taozhi dared not say anything more.
A cool breeze blew silently, and the snowflakes drifted across the sea, creating a cold, shimmering expanse.
As Chu Changning listened to the storyteller below and gazed at the seascape, he couldn't help but eat a few more bites.
The two were enjoying themselves when, before long, Xiao Yan hurriedly came up and pushed open the door to enter.
"Miss."
Chu Changning paused, her hand holding the pastry still, and asked in confusion, "What's wrong?"
Xiao Yan leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Soldiers have suddenly come outside to search for people. You should go and hide."
"You came to see me?"
Chu Changning was instantly terrified and jumped to his feet.
She finally escaped that madman and went to live in Penglai. Surely he won't still hold a grudge against her.
Xiao Yan was also unsure, and said cautiously, "There were no soldiers here a few days ago, but suddenly soldiers have come to search, just in case."
Chu Changning immediately realized this made sense, picked up her veil, and followed Xiao Yan out.
Peach branch quickly followed.
As Chu Changning went downstairs, he saw that the soldiers had already entered. He paused for a moment, then pushed open the door next to him and went in.
"Miss, come this way."
Xiao Yan led the two through the innermost room, avoiding the soldiers, and headed towards the back pavilion.
Chu Changning glanced back hastily and noticed the tokens on the soldiers' bodies, then frowned.
People from the Southeast?
She had previously studied the forces in various regions, so she naturally knew about the troops under each king's command.
"Come here."
Chu Changning dared not look any longer and followed Xiao Yan around the pavilion and into the building.
"Who's there? Stop right there!"
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