Chapter 710
A Familiar Feeling
There wasn't much to see in this bustling city of Qianzhou. The next day, Chen Xuan and his group strolled around the city briefly, but finding it boring, they left and headed towards Yucheng, the secondary capital of Yuhua Kingdom.
In fact, if you have money, there are many fun places in big cities like this, such as brothels where you can listen to music and watch dances, but Chen Xuan has no interest in these places.
Just kidding. Every single one of the girls around him is a beauty of unparalleled grace. Even the young girls who haven't fully blossomed yet already display extraordinary beauty. Under the etiquette guidance of Yunlan and the others, their manners are exceptionally elegant, and they have no interest in those cosmetics.
Chen Xuan had no interest in going to a brothel to listen to music. He was unfamiliar with the place, had no friends, and no one to accompany him. Besides, if he went to such a place, the princesses wouldn't do anything to him; they would probably even praise him for knowing how to enjoy himself. But the place he went to the next day would definitely be in trouble. How dare they take advantage of my man with their cosmetics? They're just ridiculous.
So what if she's in a foreign land? Her status as a princess still carries weight; a single word from her can easily take down a few brothels and entertainment venues.
Of course, such a thing will not happen.
However, there is a place more than 200 miles away from Qianzhou Prefecture that is well worth visiting. It is said that it is a paradise on earth where spring lasts all year round and flowers bloom all year round. That place is the Green Valley where Yan Quan's sect is located.
However, Chen Xuan avoided that place like the plague. How could he possibly go there on his own initiative? That would only make things difficult for himself. Tingyin, who had gone astray during her training and was now infatuated with love, was right there. Even though she was so beautiful that he couldn't bring himself to say anything insincere to belittle her, he wouldn't go looking for trouble.
Ten days later, Chen Xuan and his companions, who had been sightseeing along the way, were already close to their destination, Yucheng.
During this period, they often heard that famous beauties had disappeared in various places, causing quite a stir. It was clear that the people who abducted women were becoming more and more unscrupulous. Chen Xuan suspected that the people behind Yuexiangju were doing this kind of thing, but he had no evidence.
He was neither a chivalrous knight-errant nor did he happen to witness the abduction of women, so he had no intention of taking the initiative to investigate and punish the perpetrators. He left the matter to the angered officials of Yuhua Kingdom.
A few days ago, their other team quickly arrived to join them, but they had already gone to Yucheng to arrange their accommodations. With him there, there was no need to worry about safety, so there was no need for a large entourage.
"Master, just ten miles ahead is Beihua County, the garrison town of Yucheng, the secondary capital of Yuhua Kingdom. Although Yucheng is not as important as the capital where the emperor resides, it is still of great significance. Therefore, garrison towns are set up twenty miles away in all directions, and each garrison town is garrisoned with 30,000 troops," Xia Mei reminded him, looking ahead. The city walls of Beihua County could already be faintly seen in the distance.
Xia Mei used to be the princess's personal bodyguard commander. Now, she is adept at handling the complicated matters along the way. She also scouted out the situation in various places in advance so that she wouldn't be unable to answer Chen Xuan's questions at the last minute.
Leaning leisurely against the carriage, Chen Xuan swung one leg lightly, nodded to indicate he understood, and turned to the little princess inside, smiling, "It's only noon now. We'll pass through Beihua County and arrive at Yucheng this afternoon. After settling in, we'll go see the Golden Branch and Jade Leaf tomorrow. Although that thing won't run away anymore, I've heard about it before and am quite curious. Let's see it first before going to other places worth visiting."
The carriage was incredibly smooth, with no bumps at all. With Chen Xuan in the carriage, the wheels were not actually touching the ground, even though it seemed to be moving normally. Otherwise, the saying "travel is tiring" would not be an exaggeration, and the pregnant princess would not be able to endure that kind of suffering.
The carriage was quite cool. The little princess was carefully sewing baby shoes. Hearing this, she looked up and smiled sweetly, saying, "Anything is fine. Husband can decide. Speaking of which, there is something that husband needs to consider in advance. Our itinerary is not a secret. After we arrive in Jade City, the Grand Princess of Jade Flower Kingdom, who is stationed there, will likely send someone to invite us out of courtesy. Should husband accept the invitation?"
This is indeed a problem. Regardless of Chen Xuan's cultivation level or her status as a princess, the other party cannot possibly turn a blind eye. At the very least, they are just passing by on their way out for fun. At worst, if they are neglected, it could affect the diplomatic relations between the two countries. Logically and emotionally, the other party will not pretend not to know.
After thinking for a moment, Chen Xuan shook his head and said, "Forget it, we're not familiar with each other. If they really send someone to invite us, we'll just find an excuse to decline. My wife, you know I'm not used to those kinds of occasions. Let's skip the formalities and pleasantries."
Knowing this would happen, the little princess smiled gently and said, "Then we'll do as my husband says. If they really send someone, we'll decline. I've already thought of a reason for you: I'm pregnant and feeling a bit unwell."
At this point, the little princess paused for a moment, then said with great interest, "By the way, husband, the Grand Princess of Yuhua Kingdom who is stationed in Yucheng is not only one of the three known Grandmasters of Yuhua Kingdom, but also the twin sister of the current Emperor of Yuhua Kingdom. She is also exceptionally beautiful. Don't you want to see her?"
All the information she mentioned was public knowledge; the Grand Princess of Yuhua Kingdom was quite a remarkable woman. However, Chen Xuan shrugged and said, "What does that have to do with me?"
Then he said, somewhat speechlessly, "Although the Jade Flower Kingdom is famous for its beautiful women, it seems there's a slight imbalance of yin and yang. Of the three Grandmaster-level experts, two are women."
"Whatever you want. That Grand Princess is also quite pitiful. Her husband died suddenly on their wedding night decades ago, and she has been a widow ever since, never experiencing a single day of happiness as a woman... It can't be said that the Yuhua Kingdom is dominated by women and lacks men. It can only be said that whether it's Tingyin or the Grand Princess, their martial arts talent is too outstanding," the little princess shook her head and lowered her head to continue her needlework.
Chen Xuan chuckled to himself, thinking that his wife seemed to be a bit gossipy too.
Regardless of why the Grand Princess remained a widow until now, or whether there were hidden reasons for her husband's sudden death, none of that mattered to him, and he never even considered becoming a traitor like Cao Cao.
Without disturbing the little princess, Chen Xuan took out a gourd and took a sip of the chilled plum juice. The coolness was refreshing in the middle of summer, and he thought to himself that it felt wonderful.
As they got closer to Beihua County, the number of pedestrians on the road gradually increased, but no one dared to provoke Chen Xuan and his group.
Dujuan and the little maid were not in this car, but in another car behind. Dujuan had been avoiding Chen Xuan these past few days because she was menstruating and wanted to avoid bad luck. That day, she secretly found the little princess and said that she was not able to serve the master recently. The little princess was happy for a moment, thinking that her husband had gotten her pregnant, but it turned out to be a false alarm.
The little princess didn't mind Dujuan's pregnancy; she was actually hoping the Chen family would have many children so her own child would have playmates from a young age. However, during this time, she created opportunities for the two of them every night, but Dujuan's belly was not cooperating.
The road was bustling with people, including many martial arts practitioners carrying weapons. From their occasional conversations, Chen Xuan learned that many of them had come to investigate the missing women case out of a sense of chivalry. This incident had become the most concerning issue in both the imperial court and the martial arts world of Yuhua Kingdom.
This incident actually happened several years ago, but it has only become more serious and has attracted attention because it has escalated over time.
As Chen Xuan passed by a tea stall by the roadside, he glanced at it casually out of boredom and let out a soft "hmm" involuntarily.
It was just an inconspicuous little tea stall by the roadside, where a grandfather and grandson were buying herbal tea. It was a simple little shed with a few scattered tables and chairs, where four or five weary travelers would stop to rest and have some tea.
Chen Xuan's gaze lingered on a middle-aged man in gray. Beside him lay a load of firewood, and an axe was tucked into his waistband—an ordinary woodcutter. The reason Chen Xuan paid him attention was because the man was injured, and Chen Xuan caught a faint scent of blood, clearly indicating that he was no ordinary woodcutter but possessed cultivation, perhaps reaching the level of having opened his eight extraordinary meridians. In fact, his aura was very well concealed; if it weren't for Chen Xuan's profound cultivation, even a typical innate master would have difficulty detecting it. Most importantly, the man's internal energy felt somewhat familiar to Chen Xuan, as if he had seen it before, but he couldn't quite place where he had. Hence, he subconsciously let out a soft "hmm."
He was certain he had never seen that person before, and that person was definitely not in disguise, so where did this feeling of familiarity come from?
Noticing Chen Xuan's unusual behavior and keeping a close eye on those around her, Xia Mei asked, "Master, what happened?"
After glancing at him, Chen Xuan looked away, shook his head, and smiled, "It's nothing."
If he couldn't remember, he wouldn't dwell on it. Why make trouble for himself? But the image of the other person hiding it so well kept popping into his head. That familiar yet unfamiliar internal energy fluctuation was strange. It seemed so familiar. Logically, he should have a photographic memory, so why couldn't he remember?
After Chen Xuan and the others left, the woodcutter finished the last sip of cold tea in his bowl, wiped his mouth with the cloth on his shoulder, and then reluctantly took out a copper coin to pay for the tea. Only then did he laboriously carry his load of firewood toward Beihua County, his gaze occasionally and normally sweeping over the unhurried carriage of Chen Xuan and the others ahead.
Woodcutters like him were not uncommon on the road; they were quite ordinary. You should know that in this era, firewood was the most important commodity. People living in the city couldn't even have a hot meal without firewood at home. Carrying firewood to the city was never a problem to sell, it was just a bit of hardship.
After completing the necessary paperwork, Chen Xuan and his group entered Beihua County without encountering any difficulties and entered the city smoothly. However, as the garrison town of Yucheng, this city had a military garrison and could be considered a military city. There weren't many places for sightseeing or entertainment, so they didn't linger there and left directly towards Yucheng.
As the sun began to set in the west, the jade city standing on the earth came into view.
As the second capital of Yuhua Kingdom, Yucheng was extraordinary. Its city walls, some twenty feet high, stretched out to the left and right as far as the eye could see, revealing the mottled and vicissitudes of history everywhere.
Looking beyond the city wall, although the scene inside the city could not be seen, three stone towers could be clearly seen in the distance. Those three stone towers were at least a hundred feet tall, as if they were about to pierce the clouds, and they had existed for who knows how many years.
"This secondary capital of Yuhua Kingdom, although it doesn't have the floating island that hangs high in the sky like our capital of Jing Kingdom, those three stone towers are still quite eye-catching. They're interesting," Chen Xuan said with a smile, looking at the stone towers in the city ahead.
The little princess lifted the carriage curtain and looked around for a moment, then looked away and said with deep agreement, "It is indeed quite magnificent. I wonder how much manpower and resources it took to build it. My husband said it was interesting, but I really can't see anything special about mine. Is there any explanation for this?"
With a smile, Chen Xuan explained, "If I'm not mistaken, those three towers should be the main body of the city's protective formation. Although it's a secondary capital, it's still a capital city, so it's normal for it to be protected by a formation. It's just that it hasn't been activated yet. If it were activated, even an ordinary Grandmaster would have a hard time breaking through it."
Having spent a considerable amount of time exploring formations, even though Chen Xuan always felt he was only a novice, he still possessed some insight.
Upon hearing this, the little princess nodded and said, "I see. Since it is the main body of the city's protective formation, and it concerns the safety of the entire city, it is of utmost importance. I suppose it is not possible to climb up to it and survey the whole city."
“If my wife wants to go up and take a look, it’s not impossible,” Chen Xuan said, turning back to look at her with a questioning gaze.
After thinking for a moment, the little princess shook her head and said, "Forget it. If my husband takes me there on his own, it could cause unnecessary conflict, which would be a loss. To reach the top of this place normally, we would have to deal with the Yuhua Kingdom's court, and we would probably need the permission of the Grand Princess who is in charge here. My husband doesn't like those kinds of occasions, and I don't like those kinds of social interactions either, so let's forget it."
“That’s true. If you want a panoramic view of the city, I can take you to a high place anytime. There’s really no need to go through all that trouble,” Chen Xuan smiled and stopped insisting. There was really no need to make dumplings for a plate of vinegar.
As they chatted and laughed, they approached the city. They were supposed to queue, but another group that had arrived earlier had already made arrangements and were waiting outside the city. After meeting up, they entered the city directly through the privileged passage.
"Master, Madam, may I ask if we should go to our lodgings first, or have something to eat? There is a very famous restaurant in this Jade City called Tianshui Pavilion, which usually requires reservations a month in advance. I have already made arrangements, and we can go there for a meal at any time," a palace maid leading the way asked cautiously.
Looking at the sky, it was already lunchtime. Chen Xuan also wanted to try the local food, so he nodded and said, "Since everything's arranged, let's go get something to eat first. Hopefully, apart from the high prices, the taste won't disappoint."
"Yes, sir, please follow us," the palace maid replied and led the way.
That Tianshui Pavilion requires reservations to get a table. Chen Xuan remembered that his wife had a restaurant called Zuixianju in the capital of Jing Kingdom with a similar atmosphere. That's where they first met.
Thinking of this, Chen Xuan asked the palace maid who was leading the way, "Since Tianshui Pavilion requires reservations at least a month in advance, how do you manage to ensure that there are always seats available?"
The palace maid quickly turned around and truthfully replied, "Your Majesty, at first we acted on our own initiative, thinking that Your Majesty and Madam wouldn't miss such a famous restaurant, so we planned to spend more money to secure a table. Usually, such restaurants have reservations in case of emergency, and if all else fails, we can buy seats that others have booked in advance. But the process went very smoothly. We went to Tianshui Pavilion to explain our purpose, and after making contact, we learned that Tianshui Pavilion is a property of Miss Zheng's family in Yuhua Kingdom. That made things simple, and the best private room, which has been vacant for years, is waiting for Your Majesty's arrival."
"Is that so? Tsk, Wanqian isn't even married yet, but she's already enjoying all sorts of perks. Being a kept woman is really nice," Chen Xuan couldn't help but say, speechless. He hadn't expected that Tianshui Pavilion was actually owned by the Zheng family. It seemed like the Zheng family had businesses everywhere they went.
On the way to Tianshui Pavilion, Chen Xuan glanced at both sides of the street and a thought struck him. He frowned slightly and said, "Aunt Mei, there's a little tail following us all the way. Have someone catch him and ask him what's going on. If he has ulterior motives, then we shouldn't be lenient. Ask him first, just in case it's a misunderstanding, so we can avoid wrongly accusing an innocent person."
"Master, I was negligent. Please forgive me. I will arrange for someone to bring it right away," Xia Mei said, her heart sinking. She hadn't even noticed that someone was following her. This was a serious dereliction of duty on her part.
Chen Xuan didn't blame her. Instead, he comforted her, saying, "It's not Aunt Mei's fault for being negligent. That person's concealment skills are truly impressive. If I hadn't been able to sense his gaze, I wouldn't have noticed him at all. Although he was following you, he showed no hostility. It's normal that you didn't notice."
"In the end, it was my dereliction of duty," Xia Mei said, pausing in shame, thinking that Chen Xuan was giving her a way out.
...(End of this chapter)