Damn it, I'm in the garbage book I wrote

Chapter 610 You guys just keep messing around!
On their first night in Fuliang, everyone was quite tired, so they didn't do anything. But starting the next day, Emperor Jingtai began to have a great time.

First, we went to the Fuliang Grand Theater to see a play. Today's performance was supposedly the highly acclaimed "The Orphan of Zhao," the kind where all the main actors had to perform. This play was going to run for three days straight, and the tickets were being scalped for fifty taels of silver each. Even Emperor Jingtai had to buy those damned scalped tickets to see the show.

However, after watching it, he felt deeply that the fifty taels were well worth it. The actors' performances were excellent, the script was excellent, and especially the part where the protagonist finally avenged his great enemy and gave a monologue on stage was truly wonderful and profound, making everyone hold their breath. The curtain call was met with thunderous applause.

"Look at this, look at this!" As he walked out of the theater, Emperor Jingtai was still cursing: "This is what real acting is all about. Look at those in the capital, they take off their clothes while they're acting, and then they do some filthy things, it's disgusting to look at."

Jinlian chuckled upon hearing this. Although she didn't say anything, she deeply agreed with Emperor Jingtai's complaints. She didn't know what was wrong with the capital. When the Fuliang Opera Troupe performed there, she could see proper plays. But when they weren't there, the plays in the capital were always unbearable to watch. Most of them were love stories and lingering affections. She had gone with Emperor Jingtai a few times. At first, it was novel, but after seeing so much vulgar stuff, it lost its appeal.

Today, watching the masterpiece produced by the Fuliang Theater, the grudges and love affairs in "The Orphan of Zhao" are almost magical, captivating the viewer's soul. After watching the first act, I simply couldn't sleep without seeing more.

"Jinlian, I'll take you to play something fun later."

"What is it, Your Majesty?"

Although Jinlian did not love Emperor Jingtai and her heart was always with Xia Daosheng, people are still made of flesh and blood. Emperor Jingtai treated her very well, and even without love, she developed some affection for him. When they talked, she could respond with genuine feelings.

Emperor Jingtai mysteriously dragged her a long way, until they reached a place outside the town. After they stopped, Jinlian's eyes widened and she couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow~~~ What a huge market!"

"Hahaha, this is the largest general merchandise market in the Great Wei. I've heard people mention it before, but this is my first time here. When I last came here, it was just a wasteland."

They were currently in what was now the Great Wei version of a small commodity market. It was a long and narrow super market stretching for twenty li and four li in width, located on both sides of the river. There were twelve wharves along the way, and the goods sold covered all over the country. It should be the largest market in the Great Wei... no, it should be the largest market in the world.

This place is divided into dozens of areas, and everything from gold and silver jewelry to live chickens and ducks can be done here. Even national-level procurement can be completed here. For example, if you want to buy 100,000 catties of grain, you only need to look at the samples here and complete the transaction. Then, you can take a receipt to pick up the goods from the warehouses of grain merchants in various places. All the goods here are guaranteed by the Fuliang Grand Market. While we can't say that the quality and quantity are perfect, they are generally within a reasonable range.

Once inside, one is overwhelmed with sights from morning till night. Not to mention Jinlian, even Emperor Jingtai was secretly amazed at how large the daily throughput of this place could be.

Although Emperor Jingtai often said he was a novice, he was actually fluent in Persian, Tibetan, Arabic, and Turkic languages. He chatted very happily in the market. The Persians called this place the Land of Heaven, the Tibetans called it the Land of Gods, and the Turks called it the Oasis. Standing here, one could experience what it meant to have all nations paying tribute.

"This is also my ideal country!" Emperor Jingtai said excitedly to Jinlian, opening his arms wide. "This is the country of my dreams!"

His exaggeration is not unusual here. This is how country bumpkins are when they first come to this place. People in the market have seen all sorts of outrageous things and people.

Just then, a group of Indians arrogantly led five elephants past, shouting as they went, "Make way, make way, don't block the gifts presented to His Majesty the Emperor of Great Wei."

Emperor Jingtai turned around and saw an elephant draped in a red woolen shawl and decorated with various gemstones walking past him. He couldn't resist reaching out to touch it, but a soldier next to him stopped him. The soldier bowed to him and said, "You mustn't touch it. If this elephant is frightened, something terrible will happen."

"Wow, it's huge..." It was Jinlian's first time seeing an elephant. She looked up as this mountain-like elephant walked past her, her pretty face flushing red. The feeling of seeing this wondrous place for the first time made her feel like a country bumpkin...

"It seems these are tributes to be sent to Nanjing. I reckon India is about to establish diplomatic relations." Emperor Jingtai couldn't keep a smile on his face: "Daosheng once said that all nations would come to pay tribute. It seems that this is about to come true."

There were even a few people with snow-white skin here. They were barbarians who called themselves mules and horses and had been brought here by Persian merchants to broaden their horizons. At this moment, these lowly mule and horse people were standing by the roadside taking notes with outdated quill pens. Emperor Jingtai stepped forward and glanced at them.

"Jinlian, come and see! These are the Westerners that Daosheng once mentioned. They have blond hair, blue and green eyes, and their hair is as shiny as pig bristles." Emperor Jingtai earnestly showed off his knowledge: "Daosheng also said that there is a place in the far west called the Roman Empire, which was once a very prosperous empire. But after we drove the Huns away, we went there and utterly destroyed them."

"What a useless thing." Jinlian curled her lip in disdain: "A piece of trash who can't even beat the Xiongnu."

"Hahahaha..." Emperor Jingtai laughed heartily: "Yes, even the Xiongnu are no match for them."

There's definitely not enough time to explore this place in a day. However, its advantage lies in its comprehensive facilities. In the evenings, there's a wide variety of leisure and entertainment options available. Although Fuliang explicitly prohibits brothels and gambling dens, these things are difficult to catch if they sneak around. Sometimes, they just turn a blind eye and let it go. As long as there's no extreme usury or forcing women into prostitution, and no one reports it to the authorities, they can only let it be. After all, the flow of people is too large, and the government is really short-handed.

Emperor Jingtai, accompanied by his daughter Jinlian, tasted Persian cuisine for the first time here. It wasn't particularly delicious, but they were there for the novelty. Of course, the performance included a veiled dance by a fiery Persian dancer and passionate music. Eventually, everyone, Han Chinese and non-Han Chinese alike, joined in the singing and dancing. "Our great China is so inclusive," Emperor Jingtai said, taking a sip of wine from a silver goblet. "If Father could see this, he would be overjoyed." He added, "Let's go, let's try on some Persian clothes too."

Soon, the two of them also changed into Persian clothes. Emperor Jingtai's clothes were mismatched, but Jinlian's figure and appearance were excellent. After wearing them, she looked like a celestial maiden descending to earth, which caused a stir among the crowd.

"Hahaha, mine, mine!" Emperor Jingtai pointed at himself, slightly drunk, and then pulled Jinlian into his arms, creating quite a lively and playful scene.

They had been enjoying themselves in the market for three days. The most anxious person now was the little princess. She had received a message from the emperor's guards that His Majesty had arrived, but they had been searching for three days without any news. Everyone in the princess's residence was frantic with worry, and they even got pimples on their faces. Finally, on the evening of the third day, they found Emperor Jingtai in the market.

When they found him, he was dressed in Arab clothing, with a turban on his head, sitting in the caravan of Arab merchants, waiting for them to cut off the head of a roasted camel for him to eat. Just as he was about to eat a piece of camel hump because he could speak Arab language and was treated as the most honored guest, he looked up and saw his sister's resentful eyes.

"Ah... this..." Emperor Jingtai lifted the plate slightly: "Would you like some?"

The little princess's words weren't particularly offensive, but her ability to ramble on was extremely strong. On the way back to the princess's residence from the market, Emperor Jingtai's temples throbbed from her constant chatter, but he couldn't say anything back.

"Brother Jing, you need to know your place! What if something happens to you? How am I supposed to explain? Besides, you shook off your guards. What if you get kidnapped or poisoned..."

Emperor Jingtai's mind was buzzing at this moment, only missing the oily aroma and smooth texture of the camel hump. It was indeed a dish worthy of entertaining distinguished guests. Apart from being easy to get tired of after a few bites, it really had no flaws.

"Brother! Are you even listening to me?!"

"Yes, yes, yes..."

"What should I do if something happens to you? Do you expect me to die with you?"

"No, no... Oh, sister, calm down. I'm not like your husband, a weak scholar. When I was young, I was a skilled martial artist."

"elder brother!!!"

"Okay, okay, I won't say anymore..."

After enduring countless hardships to reach the princess's residence, Emperor Jingtai, in order to avoid his sister, repeatedly said that he was tired and quickly took Jinlian back to his room, refusing to come out no matter what.

"My sister is... scary."

While Jinlian was serving Emperor Jingtai a bath, he sighed sincerely, "She wasn't like this before. She used to be silly and adorable."

"Your Majesty~" Jinlian laughed at this moment: "Your Highness was just worried about your safety. If something really goes wrong, the country cannot be without a ruler for a day."

At that very moment... a group of people outside Fuliang City also entered the city after submitting their travel documents.

"Goodness, it's been years since I last came here, and this place has developed so rapidly?" Li Shimin stood on the Cape of Good Hope, the first stop after entering the city, and looked down at the city that had expanded countless times: "When I came last time, it was only this small."

"Stop sighing and come down quickly. Chengqian is still waiting for you."

“Sister, are you missing Zhi’er? Hehe…” Li Shimin jumped off the rock: “Sister, I knew you still couldn’t let go of your child because you insisted on taking such a long detour.”

(End of this chapter)