Because Yun Duan's protector, Zhuang Li, was actually able to effortlessly walk to the center of the crowd. A peddler was splattering his saliva everywhere as he introduced the fire red chrysanthemum in front of him.
"This chrysanthemum flower was brought back from the South Mountain to be planted. Because it was exposed to too much sunlight, it became a rare color. Red like fire, its name is Fire Phoenix …"
Although for Zhuang Li who had long seen the world, the majority of chrysanthemums were yellow in color, but after going through continuous breeding, the multicolored chrysanthemums in the modern world were no longer a rare sight. Instead, they were exceptionally common.
However, in this era, chrysanthemums were mainly yellow and white. In contrast, the number of other colors of chrysanthemums was slightly fewer. Just now, they had encountered a purple plant on the way here, and the onlookers had blocked the way.
The owner of that purple chrysanthemum flower was still fooling around. He said that this chrysanthemum flower was originally white as well, and that it could only turn purple when it had been transformed by the purple flower fairy from the heavens …
After all, things were still valuable, so it was naturally the words of the peddler. It was just like how, in ancient times, people did not know how the glass was refined in the west and felt that its bright and transparent color was exceptionally dazzling, even spending a large amount of money to buy it, thinking it was equivalent to a Night Pearl.
People's approval of things was indeed related to whether or not they knew that species.
Hearing this, Zhuang Li could only sigh and shake her head nonstop in her heart … As expected, they were all ignorant humans … I don't know who to send to save you.
Although there were few red chrysanthemums on the market, they had been introduced to the palace. Nearing Zhong Yang, there were probably many places in the palace where chrysanthemums were changed. He lived under the Opposite Moon House, which was just an ordinary yellow color, but the large smell of the flowers was very faint. As a result, it did not attract Zhuang Li's attention.
The boss was still boasting about his amazing chrysanthemum. He wanted to sell it for a good price as long as there were more people around. The final bid was already as high as five taels of silver …
That was equivalent to the cost of a normal family for a month …
However, it was obvious that there were many young miss and young master from wealthy families visiting the flower market, so they were not afraid, and the prices continued to rise as they competed with each other.
Zhuang Li naturally felt that it was meaningless after hearing it for a while, so she turned around and prepared to leave. Just as she was about to leave, he was attracted by an exceptionally exquisite yellow chrysanthemum flower beside him.
It wasn't because there was anything special about it, but because the flower pot was especially good. The flower pot was big and round, and the color was pure gold. Although there was nothing special about it, the most ordinary variety was particularly good.
Coming out from the flower market, Zhuang Li dragged Yun Duan and aimlessly walked down the street. Yun Duan followed behind, carrying the pot of golden chrysanthemum in his arms.
Normally, Zhuang Li would definitely go and tease him.
It was near dusk and Zhuang Li was still wandering around, she did not want to return to the palace. Although she was not willing to come out previously, but after coming out, she did not want to, so she could not help but feel stifled.
He walked aimlessly down the street, neither looking around nor caring about the messy items that littered the street. They were colorful, but they could not muster up a temper no matter what. Yun Duan also unexpectedly quietened down, and followed behind obediently with the potted flower in his arms.
If it was any other time, they would probably have started bickering endlessly long ago.
He didn't know how long he had been walking, nor did he know whether he was in the east or west parts of the city. He only stopped in front of a pavilion and suddenly felt that it seemed somewhat familiar.
Looking at the surroundings, it seemed like they were still within the bustling area of the capital, it was obvious that there was everything around them. The seller of noodles, the seller of cakes, and the owner of all sorts of small shops all lit up at night.
The pavilion was just like that, quietly standing there with its doors closed. The roof was exquisite, but there was quite a bit of dust on it. It seemed like it had been idle for a long time.
Why was no one living in a pavilion in a bustling area of the capital? Zhuang Li couldn't help but start to think until she saw the exceptionally familiar and low-key signboard.
Brightmoon Restaurant...
Roughly ten years ago, when he had yet to leave the capital for the West Cold, this place was a bustling scene. At that time, she had just arrived at Zhao Ci's body, and because she was living an uncomfortable life in the Prime Minister's Estate, she would always rush over to the Brightmoon Restaurant to eat and drink.
There was a Young Master Baishi inside the building, and there was also a Miss Hong Feng. Young Master Baishi wore a mask all year round, and was not willing to take it off easily.
She never saw the face behind the mask again.
"How did this building end up like this?" She was so confused that she couldn't help but ask the people around her.
"Old man, where are the people in this building?"
She asked an old man who was doing business beside her. That old man looked at Zhuang Li as if he was looking at a weirdo. Everyone seemed to know about it.
"What's so strange about this building?"
"Isn't this Young Master Baishi's Brightmoon Restaurant? Why did it become like this? Then where did the Young Master Baishi go? "
Once he talked about Young Master Baishi, the old man seemed to finally understand what was going on. However, it seemed like a very long time had passed, he needed to frown as he tried his best to think about it.
"Young Master Baishi? That was years ago, and then one day they moved out. No one remains. "
"Then why is this building so empty? "This area is so bustling, yet no other merchants would go there to do business?"
The old man laughed out loud, "You're right. Quite a few merchants have taken a fancy to this building. However, the owner doesn't want to sell it. He would rather be empty and willful …" He chuckled, as if trying to remember something from a long time ago.
"This building has already been empty for many years. Let me think, at that time, I was also doing business here. That's right, the Young Master Baishi probably moved away when the Emperor ascended the throne …" He continued to laugh heartily, and ignored Zhuang Li, busy with her own matters.
That building stood lonely at the end of the street, as if it was extremely lonely. However, Zhuang Li really wanted to open the door and look at her memories of the capital. With the Young Master Baishi and Hong Feng, could they still remember the tables where the martial artists ate?
In the end, she resisted her impulse and forcefully shifted her gaze away from the building. She was afraid that if she could not resist opening the sealed wooden door, her memories would rush in like floodwaters.
Although he was a man, she could feel his exquisite and exquisite features. He was wearing a mask, which made people feel that he was incomparably mysterious.
At that time, he was the only one who could move Liu Yiyi, the renowned courtesan in the capital.
The zither's melodious voice was like heavenly music to the ears, making one feel as if one had drunk a glass of wine.
Zhuang Li couldn't help but touch her forehead, as if she still remembered the Young Master Baishi's words that he would be willing to accompany me to drink a cup when he grows up.
That memory was like her own life being sucked into a whirlpool. She wanted to hold on to it, but it was impossible. In the end, she would follow her and disappear into the unknown.
It was on the way back from the Brightmoon Restaurant that she met Wang Su and Li Liangxiao for the first time. The little beggar looked at himself with his shiny black eyes, full of gratitude. His heart immediately felt warm like a small sun.
"Yun Duan." Zhuang Li shouted.
"Do you know that this is the first time I've met you?" She said that she was looking at the streets outside the Brightmoon Restaurant. At that time, she met the young man here. Yun Duan pulled the rein in time so that he did not disfigure the horse.
Yun Duan, on the other hand, was at a loss. For a while, he didn't understand what Fu Li was talking about. Perhaps Zhuang Li had changed so much that he could not connect the two together. Or perhaps he had long forgotten about such a small incident.
Zhuang Li slowly squatted down. She had always felt that she didn't have much to do with this world, and that she wouldn't have much to do with this capital, where she had no memories of her own, but at this time, she felt extremely uncomfortable. If she really never belonged to this world, then how could she have so many ties with this world?
The scene before her eyes had become extremely blurry due to her tearful eyes. In a trance, she saw a carriage coming towards her, and she could only remember that back when Yun Duan was driving the carriage towards her. That kind of boundary allowed her to clearly distinguish between dream and reality.
When the carriage came to a halt and stopped in front of her, she raised her head and shed a few tears before being carried by the person who had alighted from the carriage.
Wang Su came out of the palace to pick her up...
He opened his arms and held her in his arms as he softly and firmly said those words …
"It's time to go home …"
An unexpected sense of belonging suddenly arose in his heart. She had been living in this world for too long, and yet she suddenly felt at home in front of her. She didn't feel uncomfortable at all.
Maybe even earlier, her heart had already treated the place with Wang Su as her home?
She was twenty years old, and as Zhao Ci's age she was already twenty. Even though she did not remember when she would be able to celebrate her birthday, Ge Ya had always treated the day of meeting Zhuang Li as her birthday, and had always been celebrating every year.
In the blink of an eye, she had already been in this world for so long …
She, who was twenty years old, did not marry Xi Cuo as she had promised back then. Or perhaps she thought that she had already missed him too much and didn't want to miss any more because of her hesitation …