Moreover, this Hermit Expert, Long Rui had long wanted to visit him, but this person was elusive, often traveling far and wide, rarely at home for more than a few days a year. Yesterday the scout reported that he had returned from his travels, making Long Rui exceedingly joyful.
So, he took Xuexue with him, preparing to pay a visit.
However, he also heard that this person greatly resented the wealthy. Upon hearing that someone is rich, he would unceremoniously kick them out. To be on the safe side, they decided to use a facial disguise to visit him. Only after getting to know each other would they reveal the truth to him.
Today is the Empress Dowager’s funeral. Every house has hung white cloth at its entrance as a sign of respect for the Empress Dowager. The Emperor has also ordered the city’s restaurants to offer the common people a day of free meals, considering it the Empress Dowager’s farewell feast.
It is a popular custom among the people that when someone in the family dies, on the day of the funeral, anyone can visit that household for a farewell meal, even if they are strangers. Street beggars can also join in; on this day, everything is casual, everyone who comes is a guest, and the family hosting the meal is very welcoming.
The Emperor, known to be stingy, just commanded the merchants to provide the common folk with meals, placing a burden on the merchants.
However, since the Emperor’s words are as good as gold, they dared not object and could only skimp on the dishes by setting aside expensive ingredients and using ordinary meats and vegetables instead.
Despite this, the commoners were still overjoyed. Normally unwilling to spend extravagantly at establishments, they could now visit a restaurant, thanks to the Empress Dowager’s connection. How could they not be happy? What they ate was secondary; the main thing was the environment—crowded and lively, with everyone coming together in a raucous joy, immensely happy.
Long Rui and Xuexue exited the city with the funeral procession and parted from them at the fork in the road.
Long Yi and Zi Xia had already been waiting in a small grove nearby with swift horses.
"Prince, Princess Consort, you’re here!" Zi Xia greeted them, taking steps not to attract attention. She and Long Yi had left the city with their horses and were waiting here for the Prince and Princess Consort to gather.
Xuexue nodded, glancing around: "Hmm, where’s Xiao Jiu?"
Zi Xia looked around and replied, "It was just here, where did it go?"
She then turned and yelled towards the woods, "Xiao Jiu, Xiao Jiu, come out quickly, the master is here!"
"Chirrup chirrup chirrup...! Coming, coming, Xiao Jiu is here." Xiao Jiu flapped its wings and flew out of the woods, clutching a small, enticing red fruit in its claws.
Xuexue was puzzled, this bird doesn’t eat bugs, now it’s eating fruit?
Xiao Jiu flapped and landed on Xuexue’s shoulder, chirping incessantly: "Master, good stuff, good stuff!"
Xuexue: "What is it?"
Xiao Jiu held out the fruit to Xuexue: "Good stuff, master, a delicacy, hurry and eat."
"Is that for me?"
"Yes, yes, eat it quickly, eat it quickly!"
"Xiao Jiu, you just pick some wild fruit for me to eat, does it have any poison!"
Mother always advised, when encountering unknown fruits in the mountains, don’t eat them recklessly, otherwise, it’s easy to die from poisoning.
Xiao Jiu again cried out: "Master, this isn’t wild fruit, it’s a Ginseng Fruit. Eating it can enhance your martial power, then you’ll have the strength to stand up to big bullies and won’t be pushed around anymore."
Upon hearing this, Long Rui’s face darkened with lines. What did this lousy bird mean? He treated his wife so well, always indulging her, giving her whatever she wanted, sparing no effort. What did it mean by being bullied? It was clearly sowing discord.
Long Rui glared fiercely at Xiao Jiu, coldly threatening, "You lousy bird, if you babble anymore nonsense, watch out, this prince might just slice off your bird beak."
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