Qi Yu touched his heart, which was burning hot. He had received news that Empress Dowager Xiaode had summoned the Empress for a private meeting, and he was a little worried, especially since that incident had just happened. But he didn't expect to hear her praising him here.
Although he knew she was trying to put his mother at ease, he was still feeling a surge of emotion.
So, when Xia Yixin returned to the palace after having a meal with Empress Dowager Xiaode, she was surprised to find someone waiting for her at the entrance of Fengqi Palace.
“Tonight, merchants from various countries are gathering outside the palace. We’ll leave the palace tonight.” Qi Yu looked at her, a slight smile playing on his lips.
Located in the center of the continent, the Great Han Dynasty was well-connected and accessible from all directions. Every few years, merchants from the north and south would gather in the capital, which could be considered a spontaneous gathering among the people.
It was around the time of the Dragon Boat Festival in May, and the crowds were thronging the streets, with a dazzling array of goods on display.
Xia Jingfeng told Cao De that the emperor and empress were going out together, and dispatched more than a dozen Northern Martial Guards, ostensibly to "protect His Majesty and the empress," but everyone knew what the real meaning was.
Summer days are short and nights are long, and the capital city is bustling with activity. The canal is filled with the shouts of vendors, the sounds of children playing, and the hustle and bustle of people. There are also many people dressed in different clothes, who are from the other three kingdoms.
The person dressed in blue with an exotic flair is from the Xisha Islands, a region mostly composed of islands with abundant fruit.
Those wearing earth-brown clothing belong to the Northern Frontier Kingdom, whose land is fertile and rich in gold and silver mines. Finally, the people of Nanling prefer to wear white and blue outfits, where martial arts are prevalent and they have the most merchants.
The four countries are currently in a period of peace, and everyone's face is filled with joy. There are many interesting things in each place, and Xia Yixin even saw a small amount of coffee beans.
She changed into the clothes of an ordinary lady from a wealthy family, put her hair up, and wore a bright green ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) that made her look even more petite. She didn't look like someone in her twenties at all. In an ordinary family, someone that age would already be a mother of two.
Qi Yu was even more handsome and dashing. He was only seventeen years old, and his moon-white curved robe softened the coldness between his brows. Moreover, he was in a good mood for some reason today, with a smile on his lips, which attracted the attention of the young ladies from noble families who were passing by.
Unfortunately, the little one he most wanted to get her attention tonight didn't notice him at all.
Xia Yixin's attention was drawn to the things at the market. She bought a lot of interesting things, including all the coffee beans, as well as chili peppers, tomatoes, and some plant seeds that she couldn't name, intending to take them home and plant them.
Unfortunately, the food in the four countries is mainly for filling one's stomach, and there are very few exquisite things. At most, there is a kind of snack called sugar oil cake. There are no sugar balls. She sighed inwardly. Sure enough, the second world has so many delicious foods because of the bug of the transmigrated female protagonist.
However, there were quite a few interesting things at the market.
She spotted a small stall selling masks, mostly made of bamboo or thin wooden pieces, depicting evil spirits.
Xia Yixin's gaze settled on the two masks.
A pale-faced scholar and a fox-like creature; they looked like a pair.
"Do you like them?" Qi Yu walked over and took out his money to buy the two masks.
Xia Yixin shook her head. "No, I'm just looking." After saying that, she left the stall.
Qi Yu frowned slightly as he looked at the scholar and fox masks.
However, he was quickly distracted by the noise of the children behind him.
"Awooo! Kill the evil spirit! Kill the evil spirit! She's an evil spirit!" A well-dressed, arrogant child who looked about five or six years old led a group of seven or eight children to surround a chubby little girl.
"I'm not!" The little girl was the butcher's daughter, plump and beautiful. She stood up to refute him, but was pushed down by the others.
"You'd be a fool! Look how fat you are, you look just like that fat pig's daughter of that Xia thief! You're a demon!"
"That's right, hit her!"
Led by the arrogant child, the other kids picked up stones and started hurling them at the little girl, chanting, "Fat girl, die! You fat pig!"
Surprisingly, not a single person in the surrounding crowd stood up to stop them; instead, they all looked relieved.
Although the Northern cavalry quelled the rebellion after entering the capital, he was portrayed as a usurper and a traitor who killed the late emperor's son by the officials and scholars. He even forced his ugly, fat daughter to marry the emperor.
They are nothing but traitors and rebels, and even Xia Yixin is a wicked demon who brings disaster to the country.
However, what the common people could not see was that, over the past year, because Xia Jingfeng had dealt swiftly with the eunuchs and corrupt officials who were attached to the princes, and because of the prestige of the Northern Martial Iron Cavalry, the other three kingdoms had not dared to launch a military campaign without authorization.
They can't see where their current peace comes from.
When times are chaotic, those civil officials and Confucian scholars are always the first to flee.
Xia Yixin was angry, but she only felt sorry for these people. Just as she was about to step forward to save the little girl, someone else had already picked up the chubby little girl before her.
A small pebble hit his white jade robe, leaving a stain, but his aloof and imposing aura made the little boys take a step back in fear.
Especially with the Northern Martial Guards in their everyday clothes standing nearby, the surrounding people were startled. They didn't know where this handsome, aloof, and imposing young man came from, but in any case, he was not someone to be trifled with.
They quickly pulled their children away and disappeared into the crowd.
At this moment, the little girl's father also arrived. The man with a fierce face looked stern, but he thanked the two of them profusely. The little girl burst into tears as soon as she saw him.
The butcher thanked the two men with a grateful expression, picked up the little girl, and left. Before leaving, the little girl waved to the two men, her soft and cute appearance endearing.
“She has a good father,” Xia Yixin sighed.
Unexpectedly, a boy's voice responded from beside her, "You too."
Xia Yixin was slightly taken aback and looked at him in surprise. The young man had already turned and walked towards the restaurant next door. "Didn't you say you wanted to try the best restaurant in the capital? Let's go."
Xia Yixin hesitated for a moment before following.
Zuixianju, the largest restaurant in the capital, only serves some home-style stir-fries as its signature dishes. They are particularly bland for someone with a picky palate like Xia Yixin, let alone Qi Yu, who has been spoiled by Xia Yixin.
Qi Yu was still happy to be able to come outside the palace.
Having booked the entire second floor, Xia Yixin watched the young man opposite her who had only taken a few bites of food before starting to pour himself a drink. Knowing he was feeling down, she didn't try to comfort him.
The number of people on both sides of the canal gradually decreased, and the night deepened. Xia Yixin poured herself a glass of wine. The alcohol content was low at this time, dry and bitter, and not very pleasant to drink. She thought that she might be able to put some effort into this area to make some money in the future.
As she put down her wine glass, the boy opposite her suddenly spoke up, "...What is the grassland like?"
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