The ninth day of the ninth lunar month is the Double Ninth Festival.
On this day, people will go on autumn outings to admire chrysanthemums, pay respects to their ancestors, and so on...
In the heart of Beijing, the air is filled with the fragrance of chrysanthemums.
Moreover, because Yuan Yao is coming of age this year, many people in the capital have already made bets that envoys from the four countries will come to offer their congratulations.
Therefore, after the Mid-Autumn Festival, lanterns were hung all over the city in Beijing for the Double Ninth Festival...
The entire capital city was as bright as day.
At night, the long streets are bustling with vehicles and pedestrians, creating a lively atmosphere.
As autumn arrives and the weather cools down, people come out to enjoy the cool air and admire the lanterns, making it almost impossible to move without crowds.
Small vendors set up stalls all along the street.
Before leaving the palace, Yuan Yao and the Ninth Prince disguised themselves.
Now that she's grown up, Yuan Yao finds it inconvenient to wear women's clothing and hold her father's hand while strolling at night. So, she simply disguises herself as a man, changes her face, and adds an Adam's apple.
And the Ninth Prince also got a normal, good-looking face.
Father and daughter, they became brothers.
The two walked side by side down the street. Although their faces were ordinary, their extraordinary temperament still attracted the frequent stares of passersby.
Every now and then, someone would point and whisper, "My God! Look, a real homosexual!"
Yuan Yao; "..."
Which eye sees them as homosexual?
Yuan Yao glared with her bright black eyes: "What are you looking at? This is my father! If you keep talking nonsense, I'll beat you up!"
Immediately, the people around them looked away, no longer daring to look or gossip.
Yuan Yao gave a soft hum, her smile as radiant as a flower.
Disguise is great!
Using someone else's face makes it easy to do bad things and scare people!
The Ninth Prince spoke with a mixture of indulgence and gentle rebuke: "We agreed to travel discreetly. If you keep making a scene like this, you'll end up parading around in public."
"Wouldn't all that effort have been wasted if I hid my looks then?"
“Father is right!” Yuan Yao immediately straightened up: “We need to keep a low profile!”
"You, you..." The Ninth Prince chuckled helplessly.
The father and daughter walked towards Bafang Street.
The street plan of the capital of the Great Qi Dynasty is square, orderly, and clear.
Bafang Street has many shops, but very few residents, because the post stations of various countries are located on this long street.
Each country's post stations occupied a vast area to ensure convenient accommodation for envoys arriving in Daqi.
When Yuan Yao and the Ninth Prince arrived, the street near the post station was surprisingly bustling with activity.
Lanterns were hung all over the long street.
Outside each post station, the Great Qi Imperial Guards were stationed, and envoys dressed in brocade robes from various countries shuttled back and forth...
The post stations in Dongye and Xiqiu are less than 500 meters apart.
The two post stations were packed with people.
Yuan Yao exclaimed excitedly, "Father, let's go take a look!"
The Ninth Prince chuckled: "You're just going to squeeze into the crowd to see?"
"Otherwise what?" Yuan Yao asked.
The Ninth Prince raised his fan and pointed to a three-story teahouse between the two countries' post stations, saying lightly, "There, the view is good."
Yuan Yao said happily, "Father is so thoughtful!"
The father and daughter walked through the noisy crowd of onlookers and entered the teahouse.
Because they had disguised themselves, the two did not choose a private room, but instead opted for a window seat with a great view on the bustling second floor.
Around the tea table were exquisite potted green plants, and the air was filled with the aroma of tea.
Yuan Yao pulled out a chair for the Ninth Prince: "Father, sit down."
The Ninth Prince waved his long sleeves and took his seat.
Yuan Yao then straightened his robes, sat opposite the Ninth Prince, and curiously craned his neck to look down...
The crowd of onlookers formed a dense, layered barrier.
However, Feng Xun was nowhere to be seen within the encirclement, nor was Ye Changyou...
Yuan Yao was somewhat disappointed.
She turned her gaze back to the Ninth Prince: "Father, isn't it forbidden to engage in gang fights?"
What if Feng Xun and Ye Changyou get into a fight and harm ordinary people?
"Since you're prepared to watch the show, you have to be prepared to get caught in the crossfire." The Ninth Prince slowly rolled up his sleeves and brewed tea for himself.
Yuan Yao thought for a moment and said, "Father is right..."
Just then, the teahouse waiter called out softly, "Sir, please sit here; the view is better from here."
Upon hearing this, Yuan Yao turned her head away.
A young woman in a dark purple dress passed by not far from her.
The woman was very tall, neither fat nor thin, with a wheatish complexion, her hair was tied up, and she wore purple makeup, making her stunningly beautiful.
It looks like things are going very smoothly.
Behind her, a maid followed: "Madam, please walk slowly and be careful not to fall."
The woman in purple sneered, "So what if I fell? Nobody cares anyway."
The maid choked back tears: "Madam, it breaks my heart!"
"Shut up! You're so annoying!" The woman walked to the window, spread her legs, and sat down casually. "Bring me a pot of wine!"
When the waiter at the teahouse heard that the customer wanted to drink, he said politely but with some difficulty, "Sir, this is a teahouse. If you want to drink, you'll have to go to the street next door..."
"Enough with the nonsense!" A gold ingot was thrown over.
The woman in purple said, "If you don't have wine, go buy some! Buy me two jugs of wine, and this gold ingot is yours!"
The shop assistant, clutching the gold, his eyes wide with excitement, exclaimed, "I'll get there right away!"
After saying that, the waiter happily went downstairs.
Yuan Yao looked away.
Across from him, the Ninth Prince glanced at the woman in purple, seemingly lost in thought.
Yuan Yao pursed her lips and asked, "Father, do you know her?"
The Ninth Prince smiled, but his eyes were cold: "We don't know each other now, but we might get to know each other later."
Um?
Yuan Yao looked puzzled.
The Ninth Prince rolled up his sleeves, poured a cup of tea, and handed it over: "Watch the show first."
Yuan Yao nodded obediently.
Just as I was about to have some tea, the street suddenly erupted in commotion.
He didn't even drink the tea; he just peeked outside.
A young man with gentle features and dressed in flowing light blue robes emerged from the post station, surrounded by a group of people.
Phoenix Seeking!
Yuan Yao exclaimed excitedly in her heart.
It's been years since I last saw Feng Xun, he's changed so much!
He had grown much taller, and his features had matured, becoming more refined and gentle, but his skin remained as fair as ever.
This version of Feng Xun looks both familiar and reassuring!
Seeing that Yuan Yao was eager to go, the Ninth Prince asked softly, "Do you want to go down and greet him?"
Yuan Yao immediately shook her head: "Tonight, I'm here to watch a play, so I won't reveal my identity!"
I'll just sit here and wait to see the show!
As soon as he finished speaking, the crowd erupted in cheers once again.
Outside the East Night Inn, a group of burly men escorted a tall man dressed in a black brocade robe and wearing a black cloak.
The man stood with his hands behind his back. His brows were furrowed with worry for years, forming a shallow "川" (river) shape. His cold, detached eyes held a hint of familiarity.
Under the lanterns, the man glanced sideways and smiled at Feng.
A smile, full of familiar provocation.
Just like when we first met.
No matter how many years have passed, this long, dark night remains as captivating as ever.
Feng Xun smiled gently, but his eyes held little warmth.
He raised his hand and bowed to Ye Changyou: "It's been many years. How is Your Majesty the Night Emperor?"
Ye Changyou stretched out his hand, and a steel whip about one meter long and the width of a thumb, shaped like an ear of wheat, was nimbly extended.
Ye Changyou declared, "You dare to try and steal someone from me? Tonight, I'll teach you a lesson!"
Upon hearing this, Feng Xun's smile widened, and he said coldly, "Night Emperor might as well give it a try."
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