Besides lying down, I also know a little about power struggles

Chapter 35 The night is cold and the people are warm
Walking on the street, Fang Tong stared at Feng Twelve and laughed secretly.

What do you mean by come back tomorrow? Haven’t you seen the colorful faces of the waiters? Are they almost opening a dyeing factory?

Before they left, the restaurant owner personally escorted them to the door, and his words revealed the same meaning: "Sir, if you really want to eat, we can deliver the fish and the cook to you, okay? Our small shop just wants to do business well, and we can't afford your trouble, so you'd better not come tomorrow."

Feng Twelve seemed oblivious to the shopkeeper's hospitality and hints. He only looked back at the restaurant's sign as he walked down the stairs.

The three large characters "Xiaoyao Tower" on the plaque are written in a flamboyant style, as if they are about to break through the air.

"This is the handwriting of Wuyueshanren." He said.

The restaurant owner gave a thumbs up and said, "Your Highness has a good eye. This calligraphy was written by Wu Yue Shanren himself. He is a great calligrapher of the time, and his whereabouts are always elusive. It happened that he passed by the capital two years ago, and we were lucky enough to have him write a plaque for us."

"The Wuyue Mountain Man is on good terms with Prince Jing, and he is willing to write an inscription for you. Are you still worried that this restaurant won't be able to run smoothly?"

When Feng Twelve said this, the restaurant owner was slightly startled, then he smiled and said, "Your Highness Twelve is joking."

"I'm not joking," Feng Twelve said seriously, "What happened today was an accident. You don't need to take it to heart."

The restaurant owner apologized with a smile: "Your Highness the Twelfth Prince is so considerate. I am truly humbled and grateful."

Feng Twelve was obviously not interested in this kind of clichés. He said no more to the shopkeeper and turned away with his guards.

Instead of getting into the carriage, he strolled down the street holding the kitten.

As night falls, the lanterns in front of the shops light up, and the bright candlelight shines through the veil, turning the streets into a warm sea of ​​lights.

Fang Tong rested his chin on Feng Twelve's arm and looked at everything around him curiously.

In addition to restaurants and hotels, there are many large green cloth umbrellas on the roadside. Under the umbrellas are small food stalls. Iron pots are placed on the stove, bubbling with hot steam. A "chi" sound is heard from somewhere, and water chestnut-like dough fruits float up in the oil pan, with a tempting yellow and burnt aroma.

Feng Twelve ordered the accompanying guards: "Find a place to eat by yourselves. We will meet at the second street intersection on the east side in an hour."

They did not have their meal in the restaurant just now. The news that the Dali Temple had taken a group of officials away had already spread. Feng Twelve knew that staying in the restaurant would affect the business, so he simply took his people away.

The guard asked, "Your Highness, won't you join us?"

"I'll take a walk by myself." Feng Twelve said.

The two guards looked at each other and said, "Let's stay with His Highness."

Although the security in this area has always been good, Your Highness just confronted the people from Prince Ping's Mansion. What if someone is hiding in the dark and doing bad things? They are Your Highness's guards, so naturally everything depends on him.

Feng Twelve shook his head: "No need."

He always kept his word in the mansion. If he said he would not use it, he really would not use it. The two guards had no choice but to leave as he said.

Feng Twelve walked onto an arch bridge and stood on a high place looking at the lights of the capital.

The capital city has a flat terrain, with roofs lined up one after another. The tallest building is the imperial palace surrounded by the imperial city.

The dark palace looked like a huge shadow under the light of the city. It seemed to be hanging in the air, overlooking all living beings in the world from above.

The rippling water under the bridge was reflected in Feng Twelve's eyes, but was blown away by the wind. The bottom of his eyes was like splashed ink, with only cold and desolate black and white.

A chirp sounded in his arms, drawing his attention back.

After sneezing, Fang Tong wiped his face with his paw and looked at him innocently.

It's windy here and the view is not good. Instead of standing on the bridge and feeling the wind, why not find a place to eat?

Feng Twelve saw her looking at him with grievance and curled the corners of his lips silently.

He forgot that it was already past her mealtime.

He hadn't been out shopping for a long time, so he didn't know where to eat nearby, so he just followed the crowd and walked towards the lights. An old couple set up a wonton stand under a willow tree.

The white-haired old woman wrapped her head with a green cloth. She picked up the wonton wrapper with nimble hands and feet, put the meat filling on it, rolled and pinched it, and a small and exquisite wonton took shape between her fingers.

Her husband put the wontons on the lid into the pot, boiled them in boiling water, scooped them out with a colander and put them into a bowl, sprinkled a handful of dried shrimps and chopped green onions on them, and washed them down with boiling hot chicken soup. The rich aroma instantly dispelled the chill of the night.

Feng Twelve stood in front of the stall and looked at it for a while, as if talking to himself, asking: "Want some wontons?"

Fang Tong tilted his neck back and sniffed hard, wanting to eat.

Feng Twelve glanced at her and sat down at the small table next to the stall.

He was tall and had long legs, so he felt cramped sitting on the narrow bamboo stool. He moved the kitten in his arms upwards, stretched his legs and changed his posture.

Seeing that he was handsome, the old woman picked up a snowball-sized kitten and said with a smile, "Sir, there is an empty stool next to you. Just put the kitten there."

Feng Twelve looked at the kitten, then at the blazing fire beside him: "Do you want to go over there?"

After saying that, he added: "You can't run around."

His tone was serious, like a parent who was worried about his naughty child.

Fang Tong shook his tail, jumped out of his arms, and landed steadily on the empty stool.

She put her hind legs together, sat up straight, turned her head and meowed at him.

This sound revealed the cat's dissatisfaction with the owner. What did he think of her? Was she the kind of cat that was troublesome?
Feng Twelve probably heard her protest. A hint of tenderness appeared in his eyes. He gently stroked her back hair and said no more.

The fragrant chicken soup wontons were served. Fang Tong looked at the empty table in front of her, then at the big bowl of wontons in front of Feng Twelve. She suddenly suspected that his previous question, "Do you want to eat wontons?" had nothing to do with her at all.

She wants to eat wontons too!

Fang Tong stood up, climbed onto the edge of the table and meowed towards Feng Twelve.

Feng Twelve smiled.

"Please sell me a bowl." He said to the old woman.

The old woman squinted her eyes and then laughed.

She asked her husband to take out a clean wooden bowl and said, "You are welcome, sir. Just take it."

She looked at the kittens on the table lovingly: "My granddaughter also likes to raise cats. Her parents have raised six for her. The day before yesterday, another litter was born. It seems that the house is almost full of cats."

"Of course," her husband answered, "that girl always gives the cat everything she has. Last time she was sick, I sent her a basket of shrimps, and she secretly fed half of them to the cat."

"You're afraid she'll get scolded, so why didn't you complain when she was quietly collecting the shrimp shells?" The old woman rolled her eyes at him, "Go do your own thing, don't let the guests laugh at you."

The father-in-law snorted and turned his head away angrily.

The old woman turned to Feng Twelve and said with a smile, "We have been bickering for most of our lives, so please don't laugh."

Feng Twelve scooped a few wontons with a spoon, put them in a wooden bowl to cool, and placed the bowl in front of Fang Tong.

He heard the old woman explain to him, shook his head, and replied: "Nothing, it's fine."

Fang Tong lowered his head to smell the aroma of the wontons and smacked his lips with satisfaction.

Yes, she thought it was good too.

(End of this chapter)