In Hong Ning’s opinion, the streets of Chong Zhou were not particularly wide, nor were they crowded with people, yet the city still retained the grandeur of an ancient metropolis.
Yang Zhen had not lied to her—there had indeed been a few strange cases in Chong Zhou recently. However, after their arrival, he hadn’t brought up the matter again. It was Hong Ning herself who couldn’t hold back her curiosity and asked about it, only then did he agree to take her to the yamen [government office].
As a royal prince, Yang Zhen never traveled without a full entourage of carriages and horses, but Hong Ning disliked drawing attention. Besides, she couldn’t ride a horse, and in this era, it was considered improper for men and women to share one. While she didn’t care for such conventions, his status was exceptional, and it was best to maintain some distance. Moreover, this was a minor matter—sending a few guards would have sufficed; there was no need for him to personally accompany her. So, she insisted on exploring Chong Zhou on foot instead.
To her surprise, he actually changed into plain clothes and came out to accompany her.
Although he was officially acting as her escort, Hong Ning understood his personality well. She deliberately fell half a step behind, avoiding walking side by side with him.
In an instant, the dynamic shifted—what was meant to be a host guiding a guest now seemed like a guest accompanying their host. Yet Yang Zhen seemed completely unaware of the change, leading the way as usual.
“You don’t avoid eating meat.”
Cultivators typically followed strict dietary practices for longevity and spiritual purity. Because of this, he had specifically instructed the servants to prepare only vegetarian dishes for her. Yet, to his surprise, she had outright rejected them.
So, all this time, she had been eating bland meals simply because of this misunderstanding. Amused, Hong Ning chuckled. “‘Meat-eaters are narrow-minded’—I am but an unrefined commoner. Eating meat is hardly surprising.”
Yang Zhen stopped in his tracks. “A fine phrase—‘meat-eaters are narrow-minded.’ You’ve even included me in your insult.”
Hong Ning halted as well. “How could I dare insult Your Highness?” She smirked. “Returning the meals may have been rude, but it’s still better than being forced to eat vegetarian food every day. Besides, while I may not compare to Your Highness, I can still afford to feed myself. But since Your Highness is willing to keep an idle guest at your estate, why should I be modest? Otherwise, people might start calling you stingy.”
Yang Zhen cast her a glance before continuing forward. “A sharp tongue on a woman—is it a blessing or a curse?”
Hong Ning laughed. “I only know that when a man has a sharp tongue, it’s always a blessing.”
Understanding her nature, Yang Zhen chose not to take offense. “I’ve heard that cultivators practice inedia [bigu—fasting from grains and food to refine the body].”
Inedia? How dull. She had indeed gone through a phase like that—back when she had been desperate to become an immortal.
After a brief pause, she let out a cold laugh. “That’s for those pursuing immortality.”
Yang Zhen raised a brow in surprise. “Isn’t cultivation precisely for the sake of attaining immortality?”
“Usually, yes.” Hong Ning replied flatly.
A flicker of thought crossed Yang Zhen’s gaze, but he did not press further.
Suddenly, the sound of a gong rang out from behind them.
Pedestrians hurriedly stepped aside as a team of yamen officers marched through the street, holding up large placards that read “Silence” and “Make Way.”
Following them was the magistrate’s sedan chair, trailed by several constables and a wooden cart. Something lay on the cart, concealed beneath a white cloth.
Behind the cart, a large crowd had gathered. At the forefront was a richly dressed, overweight man in his sixties, his eyes red and swollen. Two younger men supported him as they walked forward, while the servants stumbled about in disarray.
Beside them, several women were weeping mournfully.
Seeing the scene unfold, Hong Ning had already formed a rough guess. As she drew closer, her suspicions were confirmed—a withered, yellowed, and emaciated hand protruded from beneath the white cloth covering the wooden cart.
The deceased is an elderly man? She was still pondering when the overweight old man suddenly burst into tears. “My son!”
The two younger men beside him tried to console him. “Father, you must take care of yourself. Second Brother’s behavior had been strange lately—there must be something unusual at play. The authorities will surely seek justice for us.”
“The fifth one already.”
Murmurs spread through the gathered crowd.
“This time, it’s the second young master of the Zhu family.”
“Exactly the same as before.”
…
0 Comments