Chen Qingwan and Qiao'er hid behind Princess Mingyue, still shaken.
After Princess Mingyue landed, she stood steadily in front of Chen Qingwan.
He blocked the men's attacks and said coldly:
"If you want to touch them, you'll have to get past me first!"
Chen Qingwan and Qiao'er were both stunned.
They never expected that Princess Mingyue would come to their rescue under such circumstances.
"Thank you so much for saving me, young lady!"
Chen Qingwan said gratefully.
Princess Mingyue turned and glanced at Chen Qingwan, then smiled slightly:
"I simply drew my sword to help those in need."
The guards subdued all the thugs and hooligans.
Princess Mingyue walked up to Chen Qingwan and asked with concern:
Are you alright?
"It's nothing serious."
Chen Qingwan composed herself, suppressing her fear, and nodded slightly to Princess Mingyue.
"Thank you for saving me, Your Highness."
Princess Mingyue laughed heartily, revealing two small tiger teeth:
"It was nothing, Miss Chen, you're too kind."
"Jingzhou City is not peaceful these days. The two young ladies are alone out there, so it would be best to be careful."
After saying this, she ordered the guards to escort the group of thugs to the government office.
She then invited Chen Qingwan and Qiao'er to her temporary residence in Jingzhou City.
Chen Qingwan wanted to refuse, but Qiao'er tugged at her sleeve and whispered:
"Your Majesty, we are penniless and have no relatives or friends. Let's follow Princess for now."
After thinking for a moment, Chen Qingwan felt that Qiao'er's words made sense, so she accepted Princess Mingyue's invitation.
Princess Mingyue's temporary residence was an exquisite villa.
While it cannot compare to the extravagance of the imperial palace, it is still elegant and comfortable.
After settling Chen Qingwan and Qiao'er in, Chen Qingwan asked:
"Why has Your Highness come to Jingzhou?"
Princess Mingyue sighed and said:
"To my shame..."
"The Northern Xiang Kingdom actually took advantage of the chaos and attacked Shannan Prefecture."
"I was caught in the middle, not pleasing either side, so I thought I'd come to Jingzhou to avoid trouble."
"I'll return to Shannan Prefecture after the Northern Xiang Kingdom withdraws its troops..."
Upon hearing this, Chen Qingwan thought to herself:
What magic does Lu Yan of Shannan Prefecture possess that makes him so attractive to Princess Mingyue?
Her expression remained unchanged; she merely sighed softly:
"Life is unpredictable."
Then, she casually inquired about the current situation in Jingzhou from Princess Mingyue.
Princess Mingyue pouted, looking disgusted.
"Don't even mention it. That prefect of Jingzhou is a complete incompetent. All he knows is corruption and pleasure."
"The people's lives were miserable, and bandits ran rampant."
"If it weren't for Lu Yan's sake, this princess wouldn't bother coming to this lousy place!"
Chen Qingwan's heart skipped a beat, but she continued to ask calmly:
"Your Highness seems to admire Lord Lu?"
Princess Mingyue's cheeks flushed slightly, and her eyes revealed a hint of shyness.
"Lord Lu's literary and military talents are unparalleled in the world, and I, the princess..."
"This princess naturally admires you greatly."
She paused, then added.
"Unfortunately, the falling flowers are full of affection, but the flowing water is heartless..."
Chen Qingwan's mind was in turmoil, but she only smiled slightly on the surface:
"With such excellence from Your Highness, Lord Lu will surely see it."
Princess Mingyue sighed and did not continue the topic.
He then inquired about the reason for Chen Qingwan's visit to Jingzhou.
"Miss Chen, may I ask why you have come to Jingzhou?"
Chen Qingwan was slightly taken aback.
A hint of melancholy flickered across her eyes, then she said casually:
"I was just traveling around."
Princess Mingyue saw that she was unwilling to say more, so she did not press her for details.
He then enthusiastically offered to take Chen Qingwan on a tour of Jingzhou City.
The next morning, sunlight shone through the thin mist and onto the streets and alleys of Jingzhou City.
Princess Mingyue wore an elegant dress and a veil, which concealed her beautiful face.
Chen Qingwan and Qiao'er also changed into simple clothes.
Following behind Princess Mingyue.
The group discreetly blended into the bustling crowd.
They walked through a narrow alleyway lined with low, dilapidated houses.
The plaster on the walls was peeling and crumbling, revealing the grayish-yellow adobe bricks underneath.
An old woman in tattered clothes sat in the corner, with a small bamboo basket in front of her.
Inside were a few wilted radishes and cabbages.
Her eyes were vacant, and her face was covered with deep wrinkles.
"Sir, how much are your vegetables?"
Princess Mingyue stopped and asked with concern.
The old woman slowly raised her head and said in a hoarse voice:
"A radish costs two coins, and a cabbage costs three coins..."
Princess Mingyue picked up a radish, and it felt so light in her hand that she could barely feel its weight.
She sighed, took a small piece of silver from her purse, and handed it to the old woman.
"I've bought all of these. Please use them to buy some rice and flour."
The old woman took the loose change with trembling hands, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Thank you, thank you, kind girl..."
Leaving the alley, they arrived at a bustling market.
However, the bustling atmosphere here cannot mask the desolation of the city.
The goods on many stalls looked old and damaged, and the hawking sounds were weak and listless.
A cloth vendor was arguing with a constable who was holding a stick.
Pointing his finger at the vendor and cursing:
"You unruly commoner, how dare you underpay your taxes! You're asking for trouble!"
The vendor, looking aggrieved, explained:
"Sir, I really have no money left. Business has been bad these days, and I'm barely making ends meet..."
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