Seeing a hint of suspicion flash across the face of the Western Regions man, he was about to leave.
Dongfang Yi immediately blocked his way and asked in a different tone, "If we also want to buy this kind of snake, where can we get one?"
"What do you want it for?!" He still frowned as he asked, clearly not fully trusting them.
"My wife is a snake enthusiast. Seeing you perform with snakes today, she's eager to own one herself," Helian Qi explained.
Dongfang Yi looked at the man beside her in disbelief. She never expected him to be such a smooth liar without showing any sign of unease. She quickly chimed in in agreement.
Only then did the Western Regions man lower his guard slightly and said, "These snakes are unique to the Western Regions and can't be found in the Central Plains. So, you'd better not waste your efforts."
After saying that, he shook his head regretfully.
"What about your snake?" Dongfang Yi asked.
"This snake is my livelihood, so I can't give it to you. I bought it at a high price from a special snake - breeding place in the Western Regions," he said word by word.
"Can you tell us where it is in the Western Regions?" she continued.
"I'm afraid I can't tell you!"
Leaving this sentence behind, he tilted his head and walked away.
Helian Qi and the others didn't stop him because they knew further questioning would be fruitless, so they let him go.
It seemed that the place where the Western Regions Glass Rattlesnakes were bred was a well - kept secret, and it wasn't easy for outsiders to find out.
The chance of getting clues about it from the snake - charmer was now gone. Dongfang Yi couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed, but Helian Qi rubbed her head and comforted her, "It's okay. That snake will surely reveal its secrets after we return to the palace."
This reassured her a bit, and the two started strolling around the market again.
They bought many small items that ordinary people needed during the Chinese New Year. By chance, they found a handicraft workshop in a street store. When they walked in, they unexpectedly ran into an acquaintance.
"Mr. Shen?!" Dongfang Yi exclaimed in surprise.
When the man turned around, with his fair complexion and slender build, who else could it be but Shen Fu?
His face lit up when he saw them, but when he saw the man behind her, he was startled and immediately bowed, saying, "Your humble subject... no, your humble citizen pays respects to the Emperor!"
Dongfang Yi made a shushing gesture at him and whispered that they were out secretly visiting the market and didn't want too many people to know.
Then she asked him why he was no longer in the palace and had opened such a small shop on the streets of the capital.
After hearing this, Shen Fu hesitated and glanced at Helian Qi behind her. Under the Emperor's threatening gaze, he lowered his head and stammered, "I just didn't want to stay in the palace anymore. It's much freer here than in the palace..."
But he felt quite aggrieved in his heart. He didn't dare to say that he had been driven out by the Emperor. Although he didn't know what mistake he had made, he instinctively felt that it might have something to do with the Empress, but he didn't know for sure, and he didn't dare to ask.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but let out a long sigh and then asked the woman in front of him, "Your Highness, do you still remember the blueprint of 'poker' you gave me? I've already made it."
After saying that, he stood up, ran to the side, and took it out from the cabinet.
It was a small mahogany box. When opened, there was a stack of thin wooden chips inside, with various patterns drawn on them, just like modern playing cards.
Dongfang Yi exclaimed in surprise, then took it from his hand and held it in her hand, clearly reluctant to let go.
Helian Qi watched the two of them chatting non - stop in front of him, seemingly completely ignoring his presence. He couldn't help but cough lightly to remind them. However, the woman was still explaining the "rules of the game" to the man opposite her and didn't hear his cough at all.
For a moment, a vein popped out on his forehead. He stood up and was about to drag her away.
"What are you doing?!" Dongfang Yi protested.
This made him even more annoyed, and he increased his strength to drag her out.
Shen Fu, standing on the side, was sweating profusely but didn't dare to say a word.
Knowing that she couldn't resist the man behind her, Dongfang Yi asked the man opposite, "Mr. Shen, are you really not going back?"
Seeing the Emperor's fierce look and the continuous threatening glances, Shen Fu shook his head vigorously, indicating that he had no interest in going back at all.
Only then did Dongfang Yi lower her head dejectedly, expressing her regret.
After the two completely left Shen Fu's handicraft shop, she frowned and asked, "Why did you drag me away? Is there something important?"
Helian Qi saw her completely oblivious look, and his anger grew even stronger. But looking at her innocent face, if he got angry, it would seem like he was being unreasonable.
Thinking of this, he was extremely frustrated. Finally, he could only say, "I'm hungry!"
Then he walked forward without looking back.
Dongfang Yi looked at the back of the man in front of her and thought how strange he was. He suddenly got angry for no reason.
But she had no choice but to follow him closely. The two entered a restaurant together.
The waiter saw them and quickly greeted them, then flatteringly asked, "What would you two gentlemen like?"
Before Helian Qi could say anything, Dongfang Yi said, "A plate of spiced beef and two pots of the best Nu'erhong wine."
"Sure thing! The private room on the second floor for you two!"
He watched the woman in front of him being so clever. He didn't expect that she was quite familiar with the ways of the inn. Then he remembered that she had run out of the palace to open an inn before.
Thinking of this, he recalled the scene of her being with the remnants of the previous dynasty, and his anger flared up even more. Without looking back, he went up to the second floor.
Dongfang Yi thought she had done a great job and was just about to turn around and ask for praise when she saw the man getting angry for no reason again. She couldn't help but frown and then followed him upstairs. After catching up with him, she couldn't help but ask,
"Are you angry? What are you angry about? Tell me!"
She couldn't stand his cold - shoulder treatment anymore. As the saying goes, a hot argument is not scary, but a cold war is the worst.
Wasn't Helian Qi giving her the cold shoulder all the way? If she didn't ask, she would be a fool.
But the man just pulled out his sleeve and replied word by word, "I'm not angry!"