CH 22

“Forget it.” After careful deliberation, Emperor Changlong decided he could not wrong his son. Thus, he abandoned the idea of having the Du family’s daughter as the crown princess consort.　　

“We will look around more for you.” A sigh left his lips. “When We were around your age, We never lacked women.”　　

The crown prince pretended not to have heard the last things he had said. He rose to his feet and saluted in a grand manner toward Emperor Changlong. “Many thanks Imperial Father for empathizing with Son-Official.”　　

“Although you are born from the imperial clan and cannot follow your heart’s desire for many things, We don’t want you to have someone you can’t stand as your crown princess consort.” Emperor Changlong waved his hand. “As long as her status is suitable and you have a favorable impression of her, tell Us in advance.”　　

The crown prince said, “Imperial Father, Son-Official is picky when it comes to marriage, and has no interest in romantic relationships. If you want me to fancy a noble young lady, it will be difficult.”　　

“Go, go, go,” said Emperor Changlong, anger coursing through his veins once he had heard his son’s words, waving to shoo the crown prince away to bed.　　

“Then Son-Official will leave first.” The crown prince was very tactful in preparing to leave.　　　　

“Wait.” Emperor Changlong threw a red packet at him. “Take this new year eve’s packet.”　　

“Many thanks, Imperial Father.” He placed it into his pocket and left.　　

Emperor Changlong began to sigh again. He hoped that next year, he wouldn’t have to give as many new year’s eve packets to his sons and daughters. 　　

After the crown prince had left, the worried father, Emperor Changlong, dispatched people to give each of the imperial princes and princesses a new year’s eve packet. The Great State of Jin had a custom where during every lunar new year’s eve, the elders would give unmarried members of the younger generation such a thing. Despite the facts that he had five sons and two daughters and that they were not young anymore, other than his eldest daughter who married far away, none of his other children were wed.　　　　

Just like normal families, the emperor’s family also felt troubled by the sons and daughters’ marriages.　　

It was very late when the Hua family’s brother-and-sister pair returned home. Once Hua Liuli had finished washing her face and rinsing her mouth, she lay down with a soft quilt around her. She thought of her parents as she slowly submerged into the lull of slumber. 　　　　

The next day, she woke up very late.　　

“Early planning is the key to success. Early morning is the best time to do anything,” said Hua Changkong when he noticed her half-asleep appearance. “Today is the first day of the lunar new year. Why are you getting up so late?”　　

“If I can sleep in on the first day of the new year, then that means I can sleep in on any day. It’s a good omen.” Hua Liuli finished breakfast, her mental energy slowly restoring. “Third Brother, let’s go out today. If you stay in to study on New Year’s day, then that means you’ll be staying inside to study for the whole year.”　　

“What fallacious reasoning.” Hua Changkong flicked her forehead. “I’ll bring you outside for a stroll.”　　

It would be very lively outside on new year’s day. If the two of them remained indoors, it truly would be cold and cheerless. Hua Changkong knew his younger sister missed  their parents.　　　　

Once the siblings changed outfits, they left the estate. Hua Changkong knew that his younger sister was lazy and didn’t want to walk, so specially had someone prepare a carriage for their trip outside.　　

Sure enough, the main street was crowded. Smiles lit up the faces of the peddlers and stalkeepers. Mischievous children made a fuss, wanting to buy snacks. There were even shy young men and women walking together. Although it was crowded everywhere, it was unable to make the couples lose their sweet feelings toward each other.　　　　

Hua Changkong knew Hua Liuli was gluttonous, stuffing snacks into the carriage like a thief. He whispered, “Don’t eat too much. The food outside isn’t clean.”　　

“Since Third Brother cares for me so much, I’ll eat these things even if I don’t like them,” said Hua Liuli after lifting open the window curtain, smiling softly at him. Then she let the curtain drop, before splitting the snacks with Yuanwei, heads leaning against each other’s.　　

“The capital truly is a great place,” said Hua Liuli, sighing with emotion. “All the delicious things from the north, south, east, and west can be found here.”　　　　

No wonder the people of the capital were full of unfounded doubts. They eat too well every day, so they would naturally find things to do when they were too leisurely.　　

Every now and then, there would be armed officers patrolling the main street. When the peddlers and stall keepers caught sight of them, they were not afraid. They would even take the initiative to greet the officers that they knew, a scene of prosperity. 　　　　

And Hua Liuli could understand for the most part why her daddy revered the emperor so much.　　

“You can pass by but don’t miss out on the opportunity. To celebrate Great Jin capturing Jinpo Country’s Second Prince alive, everything in this stall is twenty percent off! If you buy five bowls, you’ll get one free.”　　　　

“Come take a look, come take a look. Our pasties are special,” shouted a married woman with an apron. “To thank the wise, divine, and mighty emperor, every pasty in this store will be on sale. Buy three pasties and you’ll get a free cup of hot tea.”　　

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“Flower hairpins for sale, flower hairpins for sale,” said a child with a basket of them, trying to peddle them. “Put one on, and you’ll be the most beautiful lady on the street.”　　

The peddlers of the capital were different from those of other places. Even their discount reasons proved so grand. If the court was happy, they would be happy for the same reasons. If the court was worried, they would worry for the same reasons. They were very aware of the trend of the court.　　　　

The peddlers’ way of thinking moved Hua Liuli. She purchased a pile of pasties to give the servants who had followed her and her older brother out.　　

As the servants ate, she disembarked from the carriage, accompanying Hua Changkong as they took a look around. Coincidentally, they encountered another group of people.　　　　

“Commandery Princess,” said Du Xiuying, recognizing her. She noticed that the siblings were carrying all kinds of toys. Then she gave them a perfect salute. “Happy New Year.”　　

“Greetings Young Miss Du,” said Hua Liuli, returning the salute. “Are you here to join in on the excitement too?”　　

But Du Xiuying only shook her head in a faint manner. “There’s a bookshop ahead. I’m going there to buy some books.”　　

Hua Liuli felt deep respect for her. A woman conscientious enough to read on New Year’s day was extraordinary.　　

“Farewell.” Du Xiuying saluted again.　　　　

Hua Liuli rushed to return the salute. She seemed to catch the impression of a teacher when looking at this Young Miss Du, making her recall the fear in her youth when she was punished to copy lines.　

Du Xiuying faintly nodded and faintly lifted up the ends of her dress, passing through the crowd to the side of the road. Her pace was constant, as if her steps had been measured. Even though it was crowded all around, how much the dangling hair ornaments by her temples swayed stayed constant as well.　　　　

“That Young Miss Du is truly amazing,” said Hua Liuli, sighing with emotion. When it came to etiquette, there were countless rules among the nobility. But there were few people like Young Miss Du, who stuck to protocol without slipping at all. 　　

“Why are you praising someone right now?” Hua Changkong watched from afar as a team of performers walked on stilts toward them, twirling fans in their hands. He reached out and pulled her to his side. “If you were this aware when your teacher was teaching you, that would be great.”　　　　

“I have a delicate constitution.” She tugged at his sleeve. All of a sudden, her complexion changed. “Third Brother, something’s wrong.”　　

She and her third brother wore gorgeous clothes. The commoners feared bumping into them and damaging their property, so avoided the siblings with care. But right now, she noticed many people purposely moving toward them.　　

There weren’t such carefree commoners in the capital.　　

Hua Changkong also noticed something amiss. He caught sight of the strangers approaching them. Just as he prepared to take out the dagger concealed in his boot, he heard his younger sister scream, “Help! Someone’s trying to murder Great General Hua’s daughter!”　　

“Great General Hua’s daughter?”

“Who wants to hurt General Hua’s daughter?!”　　

“Motherf*cker! Looks like I, this father, have to kill him.”　　

Once strangers and peddlers from all directions had heard her scream, they realized something was wrong. In a flash, they rushed over to her, blood roaring.　　　　

“Protect the general’s daughter.”　　

“Yes, General defended our borders for us, so we have to protect his daughter.”　　

Before the man who had wanted to use the chaos to kidnap Hua Liuli could even touch her sleeve, the peddler selling sugar-coated Chinese hawthorn stabbed the back of his hand with a bamboo skewer.　　　　

The man screamed in pain. A blink of an eye, and the commoners  pressed him against the ground.　　

Noticing someone taking out a weapon, Hua Changkong leaped into the air and kicked it to the ground. The Hua family’s servants had plentiful experience fighting in a chaotic crowd of people. But Hua Changkong worried they would injure the civilians, so he did not dare to relax for a moment.　　

However, those people whose intentions were unknown seemed even more experienced with mounting a sneak attack. Once they realized that the situation was poor, they turned around and melded into the crowd, wanting to flee. But how could they be the opponent of the capital’s civilians? Many people eagerly and chaotically surrounded them, blocking their retreat.

“Please be careful, everyone. Take note of your own safety. These bad people may have weapons on them.” Hua Liuli stood in the crowd, swaying. Her face was the picture of panic and unease, appearing pitiful and helpless to the extreme.　　　　

With Hua Changkong, who was an expert in fighting in a crowd, around, these people weren’t able to take out their weapons before he kicked them away. Moreover, the civilians were also protecting Hua Liuli. Not wanting to expose their identities, the people who had wanted to borrow the confusion to capture her basically did not know where to start. 　　

A young girl who was timid but still did not forget to care for other people would arouse protective feelings from strangers even more. Thus, after those evildoers were pressed onto the ground and beaten ferociously by the civilians indignant at the injustice, they were sent to the office of the capital governor battered and bloody.　　　　

After these evildoers were bound and sent to the authorities, the Hua family siblings started to thank the civilians.　　

Saving Great General Hua’s daughter made them feel the satisfaction of acting heroically for a just cause. They saw that the siblings had outstanding appearances and treated the commoners so closely, making them smile with joy. “No need for thanks, no need for thanks. Those crooks actually acted on such a well-behaved young maiden. They truly are the scum of the earth.”　　　　

“Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid,” said an elderly female stall keeper after seeing Hua Liuli’s deathly pale little face. She felt too sorry for her, so stuffed a tilting doll of the god of longevity from her stall into Hua Liuli’s hand. “Come. Play with this.”

She coaxed Hua Liuli like she was coaxing her own granddaughter.　　

When Du Xiuying left the bookstore, she saw the Hua family siblings in the distance sitting by a wonton shop as they ate. Sitting all around them were commoners. She even saw Hua Liuli drinking wonton soup as she spoke to other people.　　　　

Once must not talk while eating and lying down. The Hua clan was an influential family of generals for generations. How could they not abide by this bit of etiquette?　　

“What did you say? Those assassins we dispatched were captured by who?” Five Three thought his ears were playing tricks on him.　　　　

“B-by the commoners and peddlers on the street.”　　

“They were assassins,” said Five Three after a good while of silence. “They were famous assassins with names, top ranks on the list. You’re telling me now that they were arrested by peddlers, that their rankings were bought with money?”　　

“Eldest Brother,” replied the first speaker in a soft voice. Who was also an assassin. “You’ve forgotten again. Our assassins don’t have surnames.”　　

“The atmosphere in the capital is truly growing worse and worse. Even top-ranking assassins are practicing fraud.” Five Three covered his face with his hands. “When outside, don’t say they were assassins, so that they won’t lose face for our assassin industry.”　　　　

The assassin thought, In this industry, what could be considered embarrassing? Aren’t assassins afraid of losing their lives the most, not their face?　　

“They’re just a bunch of useless people.” Five Three felt grief and indignation toward the assassin industry’s slump, and worry for said industry’s future. With a grave expression, he wiped his face. “Next time, I’ll personally do it.”　　　　

As the third-ranked senior assassin, he ought to shoulder this heavy responsibility.