"Never mind," After careful consideration, Emperor Changlong decided that he couldn't let his son suffer, so he gave up the idea of making the daughter of the Du family the Crown Princess.
"Let Zhen tell you again," Emperor Changlong sighed. "When Zhen was at your age, Zhen was never lacking companions."
The Crown Prince pretended not to hear and stood up. He bowed deeply to Emperor Changlong. "Thank you, Father Emperor, for your understanding."
"While being born into the imperial family comes with certain limitations, Zhen also doesn't want you to end up with a Crown Princess who you find displeasing," Emperor Changlong waved his hand, "If you find a suitable woman who you have feelings for, you can inform Zhen in advance."
Crown Prince replied, "Father Emperor, Erchen may be picky when it comes to marriage, but Erchen is not swayed by personal emotions. If Father Emperor expects Erchen to have romantic feelings for any noble young lady, it would be difficult."
"Get out, get out!" Emperor Changlong became angry upon hearing those words and waved his hand, urging the Crown Prince to leave and go to sleep.
"Then, Erchen will take leave," the Crown Prince said obediently, preparing to leave.
"Wait," Emperor Changlong threw a red envelope at the Crown Prince "Take this, it's your New Year's red envelope."
"Thank you, Father Emperor," the Crown Prince said as he took the red envelope and left.
Emperor Changlong sighed once again, hoping that next year he would have fewer children who would expect New Year's red envelopes.
After the Crown Prince left, Emperor Changlong, the worried father, sent red envelopes to each of his sons and daughters. In the Great Jin, it was customary for elders to give red envelopes to unmarried juniors on New Year's Eve. Although he had five sons and three daughters, none of them were married, and it was a headache for the imperial family's marriage affairs.
The Hua siblings returned to the Hua Estate very late. After washing up and lying in the soft bed, Hua Liuli held onto her longing for her parents and slowly fell asleep.
The next day, she slept in and woke up late.
"A year's plan starts with spring, and a day's plan starts with the morning," Seeing Hua Liuli looking like she hadn't fully woken up, Hua Changkong said, "Today is the first day of the Lunar New Year. Why are you sleeping so late?"
"On the first day of the Lunar New Year, being able to sleep in symbolizes that I can sleep in all year round. It's a good sign," Hua Liuli said. After finishing breakfast, her energy gradually recovered, "Third Brother, let's go out today. Spending the first day of the Lunar New Year at home and reading books symbolizes that you will be reading books at home for the whole year."
"Nonsense," Hua Changkong reached out and flicked her forehead, "I'll take you out."
It would be lively outside on the first day of the Lunar New Year, so the two siblings would feel somewhat lonely staying at home. Hua Changkong knew that his sister was missing their parents.
After changing their clothes, the siblings went out. Knowing that his sister was lazy and didn't like to walk, Hua Changkong specifically arranged for a carriage to take them out.
The streets were indeed crowded, with vendors selling small goods smiling from ear to ear. Mischievous children clamored to buy snacks, while young men and women walked together shyly. Even in the midst of the bustling crowd, their sweet affection couldn't be dispersed.
Hua Changkong knew that Hua Liuli had a craving for snacks, so he secretly bought some and stuffed them into the carriage, "Don't eat too much, the street food is not clean."
"For your thoughtfulness, even if I don't like these snacks, I will cherish them," Hua Liuli opened the curtain of the carriage, giving Hua Changkong a gentle smile. After closing the curtain, she started eating the snacks she shared with her houndfish head.
"The capital is truly a good place," Hua Liuli sighed. "From both the north and south, you can find all the delicious things in the capital."
It's no wonder people in the capital are so active. When they eat too much every day and have nothing to do, don't they just want to find something to occupy themselves?
Every now and then, the patrol guards from the Jingzhao Prefecture would pass by on the main street, but the vendors were not afraid. They would even greet the guards if they were familiar, presenting a thriving atmosphere.
Hua Liuli could probably understand why her father respected the current emperor so much.
"Passersby, don't miss out! To celebrate the capture of the Second Prince by the Great Jin, all the noodles at my stall are 20% off. Buy five bowls and get one free."
"Come and see here! Our pastries are extraordinary," a woman in an apron shouted loudly, "To thank our wise and martial Majesty, all the pastries in our shop are being sold at a discount. Buy three pastries and get a cup of hot tea."
"Selling hair accessories! Selling hair accessories!" A child carried a basket of hair accessories and shouted, "Wear these hair accessories and you'll be the most beautiful girl on the street."
The vendors in the capital city were different. Even their reasons for offering discounts were so noble. They celebrated what the court celebrated and worried about what the court worried about. Their ideological consciousness was so high.
Moved by their spirit, Hua Liuli bought a bunch of pastries and gave them to the servants who accompanied her and her brother.
While waiting for the servants to eat, Hua Liuli got off the carriage and looked around with curiosity. Coincidentally, she encountered another group of people.
"Junzhu," Du Xiuying recognized Hua Liuli. She looked at the siblings holding various trinkets and greeted them perfectly, "Happy New Year."
"Hello, Young Lady Du," Hua Liuli returned the greeting, "Are you also here to join in the festivities?"
Du Xiuying shook her head lightly, "There's a bookstore ahead, I am going there to buy books."
Hua Liuli respected her solemnly. A woman who spent the first day of the Lunar New Year reading books diligently was truly remarkable.
"Farewell," Du Xiuying bowed again.
Hua Liuli quickly returned the gesture. In this Young Lady Du, she seemed to see the shadow of her teacher, which reminded her of the fear she felt when she was punished to copy texts in her childhood.
Du Xiuying nodded slightly, lifted her skirt, and walked in the opposite direction, crossing through the crowd. Her pace remained steady and measured. Even though the surroundings were crowded with pedestrians, the swaying of her steps remained unchanged.
"This Young Lady Du is truly extraordinary," Hua Liuli exclaimed. Among the nobility, there were countless demands regarding etiquette, but there were few who could match Young Lady Du's perfection.
"Why are you praising others at this moment?" Hua Changkong noticed a group of acrobats on stilts approaching, fanning themselves with fans. He reached out and protected Hua Liuli by his side, "If you had such awareness when the teacher taught you etiquette, that would have been great."
"I'm physically weak," Hua Liuli grabbed Hua Changkong's sleeve and suddenly her expression changed, "Third brother, something doesn't seem right."
Dressed in their luxurious attire, she and her third brother were usually avoided by the commoners, who feared damaging the accessories on their bodies. But now, she noticed that quite a few people were intentionally moving closer to them.
Hua Changkong also sensed that something was wrong. He watched as the unknown people crowded closer. He was about to draw the short sword hidden in his boots when he heard his sister's scream.
"Help! Someone wants to harm the daughter of the Great General!"
"The daughter of the Great General?"
"Who dares to harm the Great General's daughter?!"
"Damn it, watch me kill him."
Upon hearing the scream, the surrounding pedestrians and vendors also realized that something was wrong. They immediately rushed over with fervor.
"Protect the Great General's daughter."
"Yes, the Great General guards our country, and we'll protect his daughter."
Before the person who attempted to abduct Hua Liuli could even touch her sleeve, a candied haw seller took a bamboo stick and jabbed it into his hand.
"Ah!" The person let out a miserable scream and was instantly pressed down to the ground by the commoners.
Hua Changkong noticed someone drawing a weapon and swiftly kicked it away mid-air, causing the weapon to fall to the ground. The Hua family members were well-versed in navigating tumultuous battles amidst throngs of people. He was worried that these people might harm the commoners and didn't dare to let his guard down for a moment.
On the contrary, these unknown individuals seemed more accustomed to ambushes. They realized the situation was unfavorable and turned to escape into the crowd. However, they were no match for the people of the capital. Many of them clumsily surrounded the culprits, blocking their escape.
"Please be careful and ensure your own safety. These thieves may be carrying weapons," Hua Liuli stood amidst the crowd, trembling and pale-faced. She appeared helpless and pitiful, as though she hadn't been the one who screamed so loudly moments ago.
With Hua Changkong skilled in chaotic battles, he kicked down the weapons before they could be used. Combined with the protection of the commoners, those who wanted to take advantage of the chaos and abduct Hua Liuli didn't dare to reveal their identities and had no opportunity to make a move.
A timid yet caring girl like Hua Liuli easily triggered the protective instincts of the passersby. After being firmly restrained by the angry crowd and receiving a severe beating, the perpetrators were sent to the Jingzhao Prefecture with swollen faces and bruised bodies.
Once these criminals were taken to the authorities, the Hua siblings began expressing their gratitude to the commoners.
Rescuing the daughter of the Great General gave the commoners a sense of satisfaction in acting righteously. They saw the outstanding appearance of the siblings and their friendliness toward ordinary people, causing them to smile happily and say, "No need to thank us. Such a well-behaved little girl, those scoundrels wouldn't dare to lay a hand on her. They truly deserve to be wiped out."
"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid." One of the stall vendors saw Hua Liuli's pale face and couldn't bear it. She handed over a traditional toy, a tilting doll, from her stall to Hua Liuli, "Here, take this to play with."
She treated Hua Liuli as if she were her own granddaughter.
When Du Xiuying came out of the bookstore, she immediately caught sight of the Hua siblings seated in a wonton shop, indulging in their meal. They were surrounded by commoners and servants, while Hua Liuli was sipping wonton soup and conversing with people around her.
As descendants of the prestigious Hua family, renowned for their martial heritage, one would expect them to uphold basic etiquette and decorum. How could they disregard such customary practices?
"What did you say? Those assassins we sent out, someone caught them?" Wu San thought there was something wrong with his ears.
"Yes, they were caught by the commoners and vendors on the street."
"They were assassins," Wu San fell into a long silence. "They were renowned and named assassins on the ranking list. And now you're telling me they were captured by vendors? Did they buy their ranks with money?"
"Boss," one of the assassins replied in a low voice, reminding him, "You've forgotten again. We assassins don't have surnames."
"The moral standards in the capital are deteriorating. Even the assassin ranking list is being manipulated," Wu San covered his face, "When you go out, don't mention that they are assassins. Our assassin profession can't afford such a disgrace."
The assassin thought, in their line of work, what else is there to lose? The only thing that can be lost is their lives, right?
"They are all useless individuals," Wu San felt bitter and indignant over the declining state of the assassin profession and worried about its future. He wiped his face with a solemn expression, "Next time, I'll personally take care of it."
As a senior who's ranked third in the assassin world, he should shoulder this heavy responsibility.
"Never mind," After careful consideration, Emperor Changlong decided that he couldn't let his son suffer, so he gave up the idea of making the daughter of the Du family the Crown Princess.
"Let Zhen tell you again," Emperor Changlong sighed. "When Zhen was at your age, Zhen was never lacking companions."
The Crown Prince pretended not to hear and stood up. He bowed deeply to Emperor Changlong. "Thank you, Father Emperor, for your understanding."
"While being born into the imperial family comes with certain limitations, Zhen also doesn't want you to end up with a Crown Princess who you find displeasing," Emperor Changlong waved his hand, "If you find a suitable woman who you have feelings for, you can inform Zhen in advance."
Crown Prince replied, "Father Emperor, Erchen may be picky when it comes to marriage, but Erchen is not swayed by personal emotions. If Father Emperor expects Erchen to have romantic feelings for any noble young lady, it would be difficult."
"Get out, get out!" Emperor Changlong became angry upon hearing those words and waved his hand, urging the Crown Prince to leave and go to sleep.
"Then, Erchen will take leave," the Crown Prince said obediently, preparing to leave.
"Wait," Emperor Changlong threw a red envelope at the Crown Prince "Take this, it's your New Year's red envelope."
"Thank you, Father Emperor," the Crown Prince said as he took the red envelope and left.
Emperor Changlong sighed once again, hoping that next year he would have fewer children who would expect New Year's red envelopes.
After the Crown Prince left, Emperor Changlong, the worried father, sent red envelopes to each of his sons and daughters. In the Great Jin, it was customary for elders to give red envelopes to unmarried juniors on New Year's Eve. Although he had five sons and three daughters, none of them were married, and it was a headache for the imperial family's marriage affairs.
The Hua siblings returned to the Hua Estate very late. After washing up and lying in the soft bed, Hua Liuli held onto her longing for her parents and slowly fell asleep.
The next day, she slept in and woke up late.
"A year's plan starts with spring, and a day's plan starts with the morning," Seeing Hua Liuli looking like she hadn't fully woken up, Hua Changkong said, "Today is the first day of the Lunar New Year. Why are you sleeping so late?"
"On the first day of the Lunar New Year, being able to sleep in symbolizes that I can sleep in all year round. It's a good sign," Hua Liuli said. After finishing breakfast, her energy gradually recovered, "Third Brother, let's go out today. Spending the first day of the Lunar New Year at home and reading books symbolizes that you will be reading books at home for the whole year."
"Nonsense," Hua Changkong reached out and flicked her forehead, "I'll take you out."
It would be lively outside on the first day of the Lunar New Year, so the two siblings would feel somewhat lonely staying at home. Hua Changkong knew that his sister was missing their parents.
After changing their clothes, the siblings went out. Knowing that his sister was lazy and didn't like to walk, Hua Changkong specifically arranged for a carriage to take them out.
The streets were indeed crowded, with vendors selling small goods smiling from ear to ear. Mischievous children clamored to buy snacks, while young men and women walked together shyly. Even in the midst of the bustling crowd, their sweet affection couldn't be dispersed.
Hua Changkong knew that Hua Liuli had a craving for snacks, so he secretly bought some and stuffed them into the carriage, "Don't eat too much, the street food is not clean."
"For your thoughtfulness, even if I don't like these snacks, I will cherish them," Hua Liuli opened the curtain of the carriage, giving Hua Changkong a gentle smile. After closing the curtain, she started eating the snacks she shared with her houndfish head.
"The capital is truly a good place," Hua Liuli sighed. "From both the north and south, you can find all the delicious things in the capital."
It's no wonder people in the capital are so active. When they eat too much every day and have nothing to do, don't they just want to find something to occupy themselves?
Every now and then, the patrol guards from the Jingzhao Prefecture would pass by on the main street, but the vendors were not afraid. They would even greet the guards if they were familiar, presenting a thriving atmosphere.
Hua Liuli could probably understand why her father respected the current emperor so much.
"Passersby, don't miss out! To celebrate the capture of the Second Prince by the Great Jin, all the noodles at my stall are 20% off. Buy five bowls and get one free."
"Come and see here! Our pastries are extraordinary," a woman in an apron shouted loudly, "To thank our wise and martial Majesty, all the pastries in our shop are being sold at a discount. Buy three pastries and get a cup of hot tea."
"Selling hair accessories! Selling hair accessories!" A child carried a basket of hair accessories and shouted, "Wear these hair accessories and you'll be the most beautiful girl on the street."
The vendors in the capital city were different. Even their reasons for offering discounts were so noble. They celebrated what the court celebrated and worried about what the court worried about. Their ideological consciousness was so high.
Moved by their spirit, Hua Liuli bought a bunch of pastries and gave them to the servants who accompanied her and her brother.
While waiting for the servants to eat, Hua Liuli got off the carriage and looked around with curiosity. Coincidentally, she encountered another group of people.
"Junzhu," Du Xiuying recognized Hua Liuli. She looked at the siblings holding various trinkets and greeted them perfectly, "Happy New Year."
"Hello, Young Lady Du," Hua Liuli returned the greeting, "Are you also here to join in the festivities?"
Du Xiuying shook her head lightly, "There's a bookstore ahead, I am going there to buy books."
Hua Liuli respected her solemnly. A woman who spent the first day of the Lunar New Year reading books diligently was truly remarkable.
"Farewell," Du Xiuying bowed again.
Hua Liuli quickly returned the gesture. In this Young Lady Du, she seemed to see the shadow of her teacher, which reminded her of the fear she felt when she was punished to copy texts in her childhood.
Du Xiuying nodded slightly, lifted her skirt, and walked in the opposite direction, crossing through the crowd. Her pace remained steady and measured. Even though the surroundings were crowded with pedestrians, the swaying of her steps remained unchanged.
"This Young Lady Du is truly extraordinary," Hua Liuli exclaimed. Among the nobility, there were countless demands regarding etiquette, but there were few who could match Young Lady Du's perfection.
"Why are you praising others at this moment?" Hua Changkong noticed a group of acrobats on stilts approaching, fanning themselves with fans. He reached out and protected Hua Liuli by his side, "If you had such awareness when the teacher taught you etiquette, that would have been great."
"I'm physically weak," Hua Liuli grabbed Hua Changkong's sleeve and suddenly her expression changed, "Third brother, something doesn't seem right."
Dressed in their luxurious attire, she and her third brother were usually avoided by the commoners, who feared damaging the accessories on their bodies. But now, she noticed that quite a few people were intentionally moving closer to them.
Hua Changkong also sensed that something was wrong. He watched as the unknown people crowded closer. He was about to draw the short sword hidden in his boots when he heard his sister's scream.
"Help! Someone wants to harm the daughter of the Great General!"
"The daughter of the Great General?"
"Who dares to harm the Great General's daughter?!"
"Damn it, watch me kill him."
Upon hearing the scream, the surrounding pedestrians and vendors also realized that something was wrong. They immediately rushed over with fervor.
"Protect the Great General's daughter."
"Yes, the Great General guards our country, and we'll protect his daughter."
Before the person who attempted to abduct Hua Liuli could even touch her sleeve, a candied haw seller took a bamboo stick and jabbed it into his hand.
"Ah!" The person let out a miserable scream and was instantly pressed down to the ground by the commoners.
Hua Changkong noticed someone drawing a weapon and swiftly kicked it away mid-air, causing the weapon to fall to the ground. The Hua family members were well-versed in navigating tumultuous battles amidst throngs of people. He was worried that these people might harm the commoners and didn't dare to let his guard down for a moment.
On the contrary, these unknown individuals seemed more accustomed to ambushes. They realized the situation was unfavorable and turned to escape into the crowd. However, they were no match for the people of the capital. Many of them clumsily surrounded the culprits, blocking their escape.
"Please be careful and ensure your own safety. These thieves may be carrying weapons," Hua Liuli stood amidst the crowd, trembling and pale-faced. She appeared helpless and pitiful, as though she hadn't been the one who screamed so loudly moments ago.
With Hua Changkong skilled in chaotic battles, he kicked down the weapons before they could be used. Combined with the protection of the commoners, those who wanted to take advantage of the chaos and abduct Hua Liuli didn't dare to reveal their identities and had no opportunity to make a move.
A timid yet caring girl like Hua Liuli easily triggered the protective instincts of the passersby. After being firmly restrained by the angry crowd and receiving a severe beating, the perpetrators were sent to the Jingzhao Prefecture with swollen faces and bruised bodies.
Once these criminals were taken to the authorities, the Hua siblings began expressing their gratitude to the commoners.
Rescuing the daughter of the Great General gave the commoners a sense of satisfaction in acting righteously. They saw the outstanding appearance of the siblings and their friendliness toward ordinary people, causing them to smile happily and say, "No need to thank us. Such a well-behaved little girl, those scoundrels wouldn't dare to lay a hand on her. They truly deserve to be wiped out."
"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid." One of the stall vendors saw Hua Liuli's pale face and couldn't bear it. She handed over a traditional toy, a tilting doll, from her stall to Hua Liuli, "Here, take this to play with."
She treated Hua Liuli as if she were her own granddaughter.
When Du Xiuying came out of the bookstore, she immediately caught sight of the Hua siblings seated in a wonton shop, indulging in their meal. They were surrounded by commoners and servants, while Hua Liuli was sipping wonton soup and conversing with people around her.
As descendants of the prestigious Hua family, renowned for their martial heritage, one would expect them to uphold basic etiquette and decorum. How could they disregard such customary practices?
"What did you say? Those assassins we sent out, someone caught them?" Wu San thought there was something wrong with his ears.
"Yes, they were caught by the commoners and vendors on the street."
"They were assassins," Wu San fell into a long silence. "They were renowned and named assassins on the ranking list. And now you're telling me they were captured by vendors? Did they buy their ranks with money?"
"Boss," one of the assassins replied in a low voice, reminding him, "You've forgotten again. We assassins don't have surnames."
"The moral standards in the capital are deteriorating. Even the assassin ranking list is being manipulated," Wu San covered his face, "When you go out, don't mention that they are assassins. Our assassin profession can't afford such a disgrace."
The assassin thought, in their line of work, what else is there to lose? The only thing that can be lost is their lives, right?
"They are all useless individuals," Wu San felt bitter and indignant over the declining state of the assassin profession and worried about its future. He wiped his face with a solemn expression, "Next time, I'll personally take care of it."
As a senior who's ranked third in the assassin world, he should shoulder this heavy responsibility.
