049
On the second day after Qin Sang arrived at the Prime Minister's residence, she was still half asleep when Xie Wu, who had come early in the morning, shook her awake: "Get up quickly, the sun is already high in the sky!"
Qin Sang pulled the blanket over her head, momentarily thinking she was still in Li County: "Mmm... let me sleep a little longer... I was too tired yesterday..."
Xie Wu looked at Ling Ding: "What did she do last night?"
Lingding then told Xie Wu about how the Prime Minister had called her over for a chat the night before. Xie Wu nodded and turned back to pull Qin Sang's blanket up, saying, "Go to bed early tonight. Get up now, and I'll take you to explore the capital. The morning tea on Pingjiang Back Street is especially delicious!"
Qin Sang was extremely tired, but Xie Wu actually helped her get out of bed.
While she was washing up, Xie Wu rested her chin on her hand and clicked her tongue in amazement. Qin Sang was puzzled and asked her what she was clicking her tongue about. Xie Wu said, "Sister, your skin is as white as snow and as delicate as cream. In your county..." She then glanced at Lingding and Ying'er, and seeing that they were also quite beautiful, she continued, "Is the soil and water there particularly nourishing? Do all the women there have skin as delicate as yours?"
As Lingding tied Qin Sang's hair up, she said, "Lixian County has many rivers and waterways, and it rains frequently, so the air is more humid than in the capital."
Xie Wu: "I see. If I also stay there for a year or two, will my skin improve?"
Qin Sang said, "Sister, you can marry him. I know a young pharmacy owner who is very handsome and has a good personality. He is about the same age as you, so you are a good match."
Xie Wu: "Come on, you've already come all the way to the capital, but you want to send me to that poor, remote place. Even if I agree, my parents won't. They're still planning to find me a good husband and arrange a good marriage."
Qin Sang smiled and said, "Now that we have enjoyed a long period of peace and prosperity, our place is not as impoverished as you imagine."
“Alas, since last year, disasters have been reported all over the country,” Xie Wu sighed, frowning. “I heard from my father that either Jingzhou is experiencing a major flood that has breached the dikes, or Yanzhou is plagued by locusts, or Yuzhou is suffering from drought and famine. The imperial court is too busy with disaster relief to keep up. Even the Xiangguo Temple doesn’t dare to say that the world is at peace. They spend their days leading their officials to pray for rain in the east and then to pray for rain in the west. I heard that in some places, people are starving and selling their children and fleeing the country. You didn’t even encounter any of these disasters on your way here?”
Qin Sang: "We've been traveling on official roads all the way, and our horses are fast. We've seen some beggars and refugees along the way, but we haven't passed through the prefectures you mentioned, and we haven't seen any famine..."
Xie Wu nodded, but his tone became more relaxed: "That's right. After all, the Nanwu Kingdom has thirty-two prefectures, and not every prefecture suffered disaster. Most places are still peaceful and prosperous. For example, our capital city is still bustling day after day. Have you ever been to the entertainment district? I heard that other prefectures also have them. They are much more lively there, with dramas, variety shows, and all sorts of entertainment. It's just a pity that my mother won't let me go, saying that it's a mixed bag and not safe. But I really want to go and see it. After I get married, I'll have even less of a chance."
Qin Sang finally dressed properly, sat down at the table, and prepared to eat breakfast.
Xie Wu's eyes widened: "You still want to eat breakfast?"
Qin Sang: "Don't you need breakfast? Morning is the time when Yang energy rises. Breakfast helps to invigorate the spleen and stomach, promoting the generation and distribution of Yang energy. The spleen and stomach are the foundation of postnatal health..."
"Alright, stop with the pedantry," Xie Wu pulled her up. "Come on, I'll take you out to eat. Let's go to a teahouse. The tea and snacks at Beishanzi Teahouse are the best in Kyoto. Now that you're here, I'll show you around."
Qin Sang looked at the breakfast snacks she had brought back from the Prime Minister's residence's main kitchen with reluctance: "Actually, I think the breakfasts at home are already quite plentiful... Hey, wait a minute, let me change my shoes..."
Xie Wu dragged the person out of the Lotus Courtyard, intending to exit through the nearest side gate, when he happened to run into Xie Sui'an, who was also preparing to leave.
"Oh, Second Young Master, you're up so early today? Did you just come back from drinking with courtesans last night?" Xie Wu liked to tease his younger brother, who was about the same age as him.
Xie Sui'an glared at her and ignored her, but stared at Qin Sang: "Why are you hanging out with her as soon as you arrive?"
Xie Wu retorted, "What do you mean by 'follow me'? Isn't it better to be with me?"
Xie Sui'an: "What's so good about being with you? Look at you, you don't look like a proper young lady at all. Don't corrupt the new girl."
"What did you say? Who are you calling unladylike?" Xie Wu said angrily, hands on her hips.
She had a somewhat heroic look and a cheerful personality, which made her seem more flamboyant and lively than ordinary women, and thus less gentle and charming. Xie Sui'an grew up with her and they often fought and bickered, so he always thought Xie Wu was a tomboy and often used this to provoke her.
Seeing this, Qin Sang quickly took Xie Wu's hand and said, "I'm new here and don't know anyone. I'd love for you to take me to the capital city if you don't mind my clumsiness." She then smiled and said to Xie Suian, "Second Young Master, are you going out so early? Are you meeting up with friends for drinks?"
Xie Wu chuckled.
Xie Sui'an was speechless and rolled his eyes at Qin Sang: "Where did you get all this wine and women so early in the morning? I'm going out... never mind, where are you going?"
Xie Wu raised his chin slightly: "First, let's go to Beishanzi Tea House for morning tea, then to Madam Wang's Clothing Store in Mati Lane to pick up my new clothes, then to Fengyu Gate on Houshi Street to go home for mutton, and then to a teahouse for sweet soup. How about it, do you want to come along?"
Xie Sui'an opened his jade fan again and said with a smile, "You've made a good arrangement for the whole day. Since Sister Wu is so enthusiastic in inviting me, I'll reluctantly agree to be your bodyguard. I've been back for so long and I'm craving some home-cooked mutton. Let's go, let's go together."
Xie Wu hurriedly said, "The autumn imperial examination is just around the corner. You've been traveling for months and have wasted a lot of time. Now that you're back in the capital, instead of studying at home, you actually want to go shopping with us?! Aren't you afraid your second uncle will beat you with a stick?"
Xie Sui'an remained calm and composed: "As the saying goes, it is better to travel ten thousand miles than to read ten thousand books. My trip was not purely for fun. I gained a lot from it, which you cannot understand. Scholarship should be based on people's livelihood, not on empty talk. What do you know? Let's go, let's go. I'm the host today."
Xie Wu: "..."
Qin Sang didn't care; one more person or one less person wouldn't matter. Since he was willing to come along, then so be it.
So the three of them left the Prime Minister's residence together and took a carriage straight to the famous Beishanzi Tea House that Xie Wu had mentioned.
As expected of the capital, Kyoto was bustling with merchants and travelers even before dawn. Various livestock pulled carts loaded with all sorts of goods through the streets, and both grand shops and small stalls opened their doors to welcome customers.
The crimson sunset blanketed the long streets, and the rows of rooftops looked as if they were draped in gold. The entire city of Kyoto resembled a lion that had just awakened, slowly shaking off the frost of the night before gradually becoming gentle and restless.
Qin Sang pulled the carriage curtain open a crack and looked outside, feeling that the world was peaceful and tranquil, and that this was the best it could be.
Unfortunately, such prosperity conceals hidden dangers and turbulent undercurrents.
A monstrous evil will bring chaos to the country—and who knows what undeserved calamities these people will suffer then.
Seven years ago, the Star Lord of Destiny foresaw that chaos was about to break out in the Kingdom of Namo, but he did not say exactly when. Or perhaps he left in too much of a hurry at the time and did not have time to ask more questions, so now he is in a rather passive position.
Now she can only take things one step at a time and be extra careful.
During the years she spent lying low in Li County, Qin Sang was not entirely idle. Although she was quite confident, she still made some preparations. For example, she had a general idea of the current political situation, who was in power, who was making moves in secret, who had relationships with whom in the open, and who might have some secret connections with whom.
Especially regarding the treason case seven years ago, the major case that directly led to the original owner's family being raided, she has also come up with some guesses about the mastermind behind it through intelligence analysis over the years.
There are many rumors in the city, but rumors are not necessarily unfounded. She had originally planned to go out and explore after arriving in Kyoto, and inquire about local customs and products. Now that she has a female companion, Xie Wu, she can save herself a lot of talking. She thinks it's great.
The carriage arrived at a street lined with restaurants, decorated with elaborate painted pavilions and gates, which were bustling even though it was early morning.
The flying bridge stretches from the restaurant on the left to the teahouse on the right. The restaurant entrances are all built extremely high and wide, with colorful sculptures, making them magnificent.
The carriage stopped in front of a teahouse called "Beishanzi". As soon as they got off the carriage, a tea and wine merchant greeted them with great enthusiasm. Seeing their attire, he intended to take them to a private room upstairs, but Qin Sang felt that it would be better to sit in the main hall, where she could learn about local customs and culture, which would broaden her horizons as a country bumpkin from a remote area.
Xie Sui'an looked displeased with a stern face, glanced around, and waved his fan as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.
Xie Wu, however, found it intriguing and said happily, "The capital is a very safe place. I'd also like to hear what gossip is going on in the capital lately. I'll listen to Qin Sang and sit in the main hall!"
The tea and wine expert brought over the menu and enthusiastically recommended the dishes: "Our local specialties for breakfast are thin-skinned spring cocoon buns, fish dumplings with mixed rice noodles, mutton soup rice noodles, various pastries, meatballs, braised beef, and pickled vegetables with eight treasures, which are also quite good."
Qin Sang didn't know what was good to eat, so she asked Xie Wu to make the decision. Xie Wu ordered, and Xie Sui'an added a few more items. Only then did the doctor respectfully leave with his paper and pen.
By this time, people had already noticed their table.
The young lady sitting diagonally opposite Xie Sui'an pointed at him without any hesitation and whispered, "What a handsome and upright young man. I've never seen him before. Could he be a scholar who has just come from out of town to take the imperial examination?"
Her companion replied, "If you like it, why not go and get to know him?"
The young woman exclaimed in surprise, "Huh? What kind of woman takes the initiative?"
My companion said, "If you're not going to take the initiative, then you might as well just stay here and watch. Look, everyone else already has two female companions. Don't make a fool of yourself."
The young woman sighed dejectedly, "How come handsome young men are always surrounded by beauties like antennas? What are we ordinary-looking people supposed to do..."
Qin Sang found it amusing. She looked up at the dashing Xie Suian and thought to herself that he was indeed a handsome young man. No wonder he attracted so many women. However, the women in the capital were too unrestrained. Their loud secret plot seemed as if they were afraid others wouldn't hear them.
She thought for a moment and said to Xie Suian, "You're so popular, no wonder you don't want to sit in the main hall. It turns out you're afraid of being bothered."
Xie Sui'an: "..."
Qin Sang added, "Actually, they just admire you, they don't really know you. They see you as an idol. Why don't you write a little note and have someone deliver it to them to express your gratitude and comfort? That way you can repay their admiration."
Xie Sui'an, fanning himself with a frustrated expression, asked, "What is an idol?"
Qin Sang was taken aback: "An idol is... cough cough... like a famous actor on the stage, a well-liked actor..."
Upon hearing this, Xie Sui'an's expression grew even colder. He shook his folding fan, gave a cold laugh, and didn't even bother to reply.
Xie Wu rarely saw Xie Sui'an get the short end of the stick, and finding it amusing, he encouraged him, "You should have someone paint a few more portraits of you at home. Then, when you go out and meet any young women who admire your beauty, just do them a favor and give them one. Maybe you'll get a lucky break and become an immortal!"
Xie Sui'an: "Get lost!"
As the group joked with each other while waiting for their food, a plump, middle-aged woman entered through the door.
The middle-aged woman was plump and wore a bright red dress and a green jacket, making her stand out. As soon as she stepped through the door, she attracted the attention of several people.
Xie Wu laughed: "It looks like a huge red-headed parrot!"
Xie Suian said, "It's her."
Qin Sang asked in confusion, "You recognize him?"
Xie Sui'an glanced at her: "Last night you asked me to help..." He originally wanted to say that he went to his elder brother's place last night to help rescue the little maid, but he immediately thought that his sister-in-law should not know that it was Qin Sang who reported him, so he immediately changed his words, "This is a matchmaker, surnamed Song, who is very famous in the capital city."
Xie Wu had obviously heard of her before, and suddenly realized, "Song the Matchmaker? That human trafficker who specializes in selling people to brothels and even supplies Wuyou Island??"
"What human trafficker?" Xie Sui'an sneered. "Their business is approved by the government; it's a legitimate business and they're protected."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
