Princess Luo Yao was very concerned about Princess Luo Ning, the youngest among them. Today was the day of rest at the Imperial College, so none of the princesses or princes had to go to class.
In the past, on this day, Princess Luo Ning never stayed put but would wander around everywhere.
Today, Princess Luo Yao sent a maid to urge Princess Luo Ning to study. To her surprise, the maid reported that the ninth princess had gotten up early to practice calligraphy.
Princess Luo Yao thought that she had suddenly changed her ways. It must be because the other day she had ordered the beating of two of the ninth princess's maids as a warning, which made her behave a bit more.
Ting Qin understood how worried her mistress was about the ninth princess. She said with a smile, "The ninth princess has already had her meal in her room, but she ate less than usual."
Ting Qin recalled the visit to the ninth princess in the morning. She lowered her head and said, "The maids in Ninghua Palace said that the ninth princess hasn't even left her room today!"
Princess Luo Yao shook her head. "She must be feeling depressed and has no appetite."
"Tell the imperial kitchen to make a bowl of green - stemmed rice porridge later and send it to the ninth princess."
Then, after thinking for a while, she added, "Forget it. I'll go and deliver it myself. The ninth is stubborn. I'll go and comfort her!"
Ting Qin took the order and went to tell the imperial kitchen to make the green - stemmed rice porridge.
Inside Feilai Residence, Princess Luo Ning had eaten until her belly was round. Since they were outside the palace, Princess Luo Ning had graciously decided not to follow those rigid rules and had specifically told Jiaoyue and the other three to sit down and eat together.
Of course, Ruizhu, Jiaoyue and the other two didn't dare to do so. Only after Princess Luo Ning gave the order did they sit down.
"Burp! The food in Feilai Residence is really delicious. I'll come here again next time!"
Shen Li looked at her amusingly. Although the food in Feilai Residence was good, it was still a bit inferior to that in the imperial kitchen.
Princess Luo Ning thought it was great just because she was tired of the imperial cuisine and now wanted something new.
After a full meal, Princess Luo Ning started to wonder where to go for fun. Although she had lived in the palace all year round, she had heard of many interesting places.
Since there was no outsider in the room, she forgot about the restraints. "Alas, Sister Shen, where shall we go next? I heard from the little eunuch in the palace that there are monkey shows in the capital. Let's go and watch them!"
Shen Li shook her head and refused. "Those are street performers. They don't have a fixed performance place or time. It's not easy to come across them for the time being."
"Then let's go to the teahouse to listen to the storytelling. I heard that those storytellers are really good. They can tell all kinds of stories about heroes and chivalrous men so vividly."
Shen Li shook her head again. "There are too many people there. It's not safe!"
Hearing this, Princess Luo Ning's face immediately fell. "I can't go here and I can't go there! I finally got out. Sister Shen, you can't just send me back now, can you?"
Shen Li thought for a while and negotiated with her. "If you promise to be obedient and not cause any trouble, we can go!"
"Okay! I promise you! Let's go then!"
Saying that, Princess Luo Ning stood up first and pulled Shen Li's arm, asking her to take her to listen to the storytelling.
In her previous life, after Shen Li married Xiao Hanzhi, she never went out alone. Every time she was surrounded by a large group of servants. Later, when she became the queen, she had even less chance to go out.
So after being reborn in this life, Shen Li's memory of the capital was a bit blurred. She led a few people around for two circles but couldn't find a single teahouse.
Jiaoyue and Mingyue wanted to help, but they didn't know where the teahouse was either.
"Y... young master, let me ask someone for directions," Jiaoyue said quickly when she saw Shen Li looking troubled.
After thinking hard for a long time without going the right way, Shen Li had no choice but to nod in agreement.
Jiaoyue asked a few street vendors for directions and came back to tell Shen Li, "Young master, go straight south along this street to the end of the street, then turn east and go two more streets. There's a 'Binyue Teahouse'. I heard it's quite good in the capital."
After hearing this, Shen Li said to Princess Luo Ning behind her, "Then let's go to that 'Binyue Teahouse'."
Princess Luo Ning nodded, still full of enthusiasm.
After getting the directions, everyone felt more confident and walked a bit more briskly.
Princess Luo Ning was still full of curiosity. She took a look at this stall and peeked at that one.
On a stall, Princess Luo Ning saw a few beautiful paper lanterns. She picked up a snow - white rabbit lantern and instinctively called out to Shen Li behind her.
"Master Shen, come and have a look. The lanterns here are all very beautiful."
Shen Li glanced at the lantern in her hand and was about to walk over with a smile. But out of the corner of her eye, she caught a familiar figure at the street corner. Frightened, she quickly opened the folding fan in her hand and blocked it in front of her face. She also hid behind Jiaoyue and Mingyue.
Jiaoyue and Mingyue didn't understand why she suddenly behaved like this.
"Young master..." Jiaoyue was just about to speak when Shen Li interrupted her.
"Shh! Stand still and don't say a word!"
Jiaoyue was confused. She scratched her head and exchanged a look with Mingyue. Then she saw Xuan Yuanjue walking from the street corner with Xuanshu behind him. She immediately understood everything. She remembered that in Pufa Temple, it was this Prince Li's heir who had put them in such a situation and always bullied her young lady. So she simply turned around and lowered her head.
Today, Xuan Yuanjue was wearing a dark blue robe, which made him look even more handsome. Especially when he walked stridently on the street, it was as if he was inspecting his own territory.
People on the street couldn't help but look at him.
Princess Luo Ning, who had been holding the lantern and waiting for Shen Li to choose together, turned around and saw Shen Li hiding behind Jiaoyue and Mingyue as if she was avoiding someone. She looked at them in confusion.
But when she turned her head and saw Xuan Yuanjue striding towards them, Princess Luo Ning suddenly panicked. She did the same thing as Shen Li and used the rabbit lantern to cover her face.
She casually grabbed Ruizhu beside her and used her as a shield. Then she turned around and pretended to be carefully selecting the lanterns on the stall.
Xuan Yuanjue had originally been dealing with matters in Xuan Yuan Pavilion. The black - clothed assassins who had tried to kill him and the fourth prince the other day still remained unidentified.
But in the afternoon, he felt inexplicably irritated and just wanted to go out for a walk. So he had come to this street with Xuanshu.
He walked on without stopping, seemingly accustomed to the surprised looks on the way.
When passing by the lantern stall on the street, Xuan Yuanjue looked at Han Yue's back and unconsciously frowned. He always felt that he had seen this person somewhere before, but he just couldn't remember for the moment.
Shen Li lowered her head, clasped her hands together and kept murmuring in her heart, "Don't see me! Don't see me!"
Xuan Yuanjue didn't stop. He stared at Han Yue's back for a couple of seconds and then passed by the lantern stall. He was now far away from Shen Li.
Through the gap between Jiaoyue and Mingyue, Shen Li saw that Xuan Yuanjue's figure was already six or seven steps away from them. She heaved a big sigh of relief. Now he wouldn't be able to find her!
But before Shen Li could finish sighing, she saw Xuan Yuanjue, who was walking in front, suddenly stop in his tracks.