The next day, Li Chang'an prepared some simple travel expenses and clothes, then mounted his warhorse, which had been his companion for many years.
Princess Yong'an returns to the capital alone!
Inside the imperial city, on the dragon bed, Emperor Xingchang, dressed in a bright yellow sleeping robe, lay flat with his eyes slightly closed, his face thin and pale.
If it weren't for the slight rise and fall of his chest at that moment, he would have looked like a dying man.
The former emperor's majesty has vanished without a trace.
Hearing the slight sound of the door being pushed open, a spy in black quietly entered and nodded slightly to the head eunuch beside him. The man immediately understood and raised his hand slightly, and all the maids and eunuchs in the room quietly followed him out.
"Your Majesty, Princess Yong'an departed this morning and should arrive at the capital soon."
Emperor Xingchang's lightly closed eyelids trembled slightly. After a long while, he slightly opened his eyes. The light in his eyes was somewhat dim and aged, which was not in line with his age of just over forty.
"How many attendants did my son bring on this trip?"
"His Highness returned alone; if you mention any attendants, it's only a horse."
"The journey has been arduous. Let the princess come to see me upon her return."
After saying that, he slowly closed his eyes again.
The scout bowed slightly and left quietly.
The Regent's Palace also received the news immediately. After the scouts reported Li Chang'an's return to the court to Feng Beichuan, the man's eyes were full of smiles, amused by the woman's quick actions.
Excellent, this way we can be closer together without worrying about being disturbed by others.
Li Chang'an traveled non-stop, taking shortcuts all the way, and arrived at the capital city near dusk.
Once you enter the imperial city, the atmosphere changes dramatically. Everywhere you look, there are mansions and residences of all sizes, all kinds of stalls and shops, and restaurants with a constant stream of customers.
Although dusk had fallen, the streets were still bustling with people coming and going, and the sounds of vendors calling out their wares created a lively atmosphere.
Compared to the remote military camps, the imperial city was bustling with activity and full of life.
Seeing this scene, Li Chang'an relaxed a lot. She hadn't had a drop of water all day, and the continuous running around had made her feel a little tired.
Li Chang'an rode his horse to an inn, dismounted, and prepared to grab some food to fill his stomach.
"Would you like to stay at an inn or have a meal, young lady?"
The waiter was quite attentive; he jogged over to greet Li Chang'an as soon as he entered.
"A bowl of noodles, with two ounces of beef."
Li Chang'an said indifferently, tossed two pieces of silver to the waiter, then casually found an empty table to sit down, poured himself a cup of tea, and drank it all in one gulp.
Seeing that the woman was generous and had an extraordinary demeanor, the waiter did not dare to neglect her. He responded and ran to the kitchen. Soon after, he returned with a steaming bowl of soup noodles and a plate of neatly arranged beef.
Because he had given a generous tip, the waiter gave him an extra plate of pastries, claiming they were the restaurant's signature dish, and offered them to Li Chang'an to try for free.
Li Chang'an didn't stand on ceremony. He thanked them and accepted the gifts. He then told his servant to pack the pastries directly and gave them two pieces of silver to make sure they were packed together with half a pound of pastries.
Perhaps he was really hungry, because he quickly finished a bowl of noodles. Li Chang'an felt warm and comfortable all over, and his strength seemed to have recovered a lot. So he prepared to get some pastries and leave.
To my surprise, as soon as I reached the counter, I heard a woman's somewhat annoyed voice.
"If we sell them all, we'll just remake them. I'll just pay a little more money!"
Looking at the woman in front of him with an unfriendly tone, she looked to be about fifteen or sixteen years old. Although she was arrogant, she was just dressed as a maid. Although the fabric of her clothes was exquisite, she was at most a maid from a wealthy family.
This person looks so familiar!
Li Chang'an was slightly surprised, but too lazy to meddle in other people's business. He took some pastries from the shopkeeper and prepared to leave, but was stopped just as he took a step.
"Hey, could I have those pastries you're holding?"
It was that girl who spoke up.
Li Chang'an naturally knew that the other party was calling him, and he couldn't help but feel displeased, as this person was somewhat impolite.
"No."
She refused decisively, not even bothering to turn her head, and continued walking out.
"How dare you! Do you know who I'm selling these pastries to? Letting you resell them is giving you a huge favor, and besides, I can offer three times the price!"
Seeing that the other party was so arrogant, the maid's anger intensified, and she vented all the anger she had just taken out on the waiter on Li Chang'an.
Li Chang'an paused, a cold smile playing on his lips, his handsome phoenix eyes now filled with mockery. "What, you've gotten so used to being subservient to your master that you've forgotten your place once you're out here?"
Upon hearing this, the maid was first taken aback, then she saw the woman's face clearly and was immediately stunned—it was her!
But because she had just suffered such a great humiliation, she couldn't care less about anything else. She quickly came to her senses and said in a shrill voice, "You dare not give my young lady what she wants?"
"Your young lady? What does that have to do with me?"
Li Chang'an raised an eyebrow dismissively at the maid's face, which had turned red with anger; she really did look like a fighting rooster with its feathers standing on end.
She couldn't help but feel disgusted. She had always looked down on such arrogant and domineering people who acted like servants in front of their masters. They were always humble and subservient to their masters, but once they were outside, they became even more arrogant and domineering, showing no regard for anyone else.
Seeing the two customers looking tense, the waiter couldn't help but sweat. They both seemed like people he couldn't afford to offend, but the pastry chef had finished making his daily quota and then left. What was he supposed to do?
"you……"
Just as the maid was about to speak, she saw the woman walking gracefully from the doorway and greeted her sweetly with a smile.
"Caiyun, what happened?"
The newcomer was Bai Ruohan. She wore a light pink, wide-sleeved silk dress, her figure slender and her curves graceful. A white jade peach blossom hairpin adorned her simple hair, making her look exceptionally fresh and elegant. Her smooth, black hair cascaded down her back, and anyone who saw her would secretly admire her beauty.
In comparison, Li Chang'an had more heroic spirit and less feminine charm. She was also taller and more refined than Bai Ruohan, and her phoenix eyes shone brightly, giving her a unique charm.
Upon seeing Bai Ruohan, Li Chang'an instantly remembered her. Wasn't she the daughter of the Prime Minister's mansion? He couldn't help but sigh inwardly that fate was against him, and he had run into trouble again as soon as he returned.
"I don't want the things anymore, you can have them!"
Li Chang'an just wanted to get away as soon as possible, so he threw a bag of pastries into Bai Ruohan's arms. Because she didn't expect her to do this, Bai Ruohan didn't have time to react and the bag fell to the ground.
"What do you mean? How dare you disrespect our young lady?"
Upon seeing this, Caiyun grabbed Li Chang'an's arm, determined to demand an explanation from this rude and uncouth woman.
Bai Ruohan's face also darkened, but with the demeanor of a well-bred young lady cultivated since childhood, she couldn't make a scene. So she didn't stop Caiyun's actions, but just remained silent, which was considered as tacit approval.
Another scream rang out. Caiyun's hand, which had been gripping Li Chang'an's arm, was now being held firmly by a slender hand. The fair fingers tightly pinched her delicate wrist without any mercy!
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