good season

Besides Xiuxiu and Zhang Ye, Zhen Wuduo was also absent. However, at this time, he would go out for a stroll, carrying three thousand taels of silver, followed by Ah Huang and Xiao Ye. Sometimes, the head of the Ji family would also accompany him, with the four guards providing cover. He would wander around, occasionally visiting the brokerage firm. If he saw a house or shop that caught his eye, the old man would wave his hand and buy it for his beloved granddaughter. Therefore, the brokers treated him even better than their own grandfather, wishing they could immediately kneel down and become his godparents.

However, the old man was cunning. He would only cooperate with the same brokerage firm twice at most, and then change places the third time. It was precisely for this reason that no one ever associated him with the famous Zhen Wuduo. Even the travel permit he was using now was new.

That's right, the old man changed hands a few times and settled in Beijing using a fake name!
Don't ask him how he did it, just believe one word: money!

Therefore, Zhao Shiqing wasn't worried at all that the old man wasn't home. The old man was terrified of dying, and wherever he went, he was secretly protected by experts.

What worries Zhao Shiqing is Xiuxiu. She suddenly realized that since Xiuxiu's accident, she hasn't had a single conversation with Xiuxiu alone in the past few days.

Actually, it had always been like this. Everyone would chat, laugh, and joke around together, but no one had ever sat down alone to talk about life. So Zhao Shiqing had long been used to it. But today, she suddenly felt that she should have a good talk with Xiuxiu.

The others didn't think so much. Liangdi had a custom of walking on stilts during the New Year. Zhao Shiqing and Lingbo had lived in Liangdi since they were young and had seen it before. It used to be common in the capital, but it was mostly seen at temple fairs. Later, people in the capital stopped worshipping Buddha, and temple fairs disappeared. Children like Niqiu who grew up in the capital didn't even know what stilts were. As for Wan Ruyi and Shen Wangxing who grew up in Wudi, they had never seen them before.

Therefore, upon hearing Zhao Shiqing and Ling Bo say that stilt walking was beautiful, they couldn't wait to run out of their homes.

I won't be able to catch the performance at Kuixing Tower, but I can still go to Bao'en Temple.

Speaking of Bao'en Temple, it is actually just a place name.

Bao'en Temple existed in the previous dynasty, but it was destroyed when Emperor Taizu of the Yongzheng Emperor entered the capital. Now, only the ruins of the bell tower remain.

Although the temple is gone, the city's lantern festival is still held here during festivals, and the only remaining bell tower is the center of the festival.

Even without the lantern festival, Bao'en Temple and Kui Xing Tower are still very lively places.

Zhao Shiqing and her group of teenagers were very familiar with this place.

When they arrived, there were already many people waiting outside the clock tower to watch the stilt walking performance, and some people were taking the opportunity to set up stalls to sell various snacks and trinkets.

As the group ate and strolled around, exploring all the stalls, they heard cheers: "They're here! The stilt walkers are here!"

The loach reacted quickly, climbing up the tree first and taking the best view. Shen Wangxing wasn't going to fall behind, but he wasn't as agile as the loach, so the loach had to pull him up.

Seeing this, others followed suit and climbed up the tree. Some of the children who couldn't climb trees cried loudly in distress.

Zhao Shiqing and Ling Bo could climb trees, but Wan Ruyi couldn't. Not wanting to leave Wan Ruyi alone, the two accompanied her as they squeezed forward.

In the Wu region, it would be rare to find someone as old as Wan Ruyi who, instead of staying home spinning, weaving, and doing housework, would go out to watch the excitement. But the capital city is different. Leaving aside wealthy families, ordinary people don't have the outdated custom of women staying at home. On the streets, you can often see poor women going out to work and make a living just like men. There are also landladys like Aunt Ji who have some savings and go wherever there is excitement.

Therefore, Wan Ruyi and the two girls squeezed through the crowd without being criticized. In fact, some shy young men even made way for them, afraid that they might accidentally bump into the old lady and be grabbed and accused of indecent assault. After all, these kinds of old ladies are the most difficult to deal with.

Zhao Shiqing and her two companions easily squeezed to the front, where people were already maintaining order and they could not go any further to make way for the stilt walkers.

Zhao Shiqing noticed that the people around her seemed to have never seen stilts before, and they were all excitedly discussing the stilts they had seen at Kuixing Tower that morning.

It turns out they had already seen one show in the morning, and then came back for another one in the afternoon.

Zhao Shiqing couldn't help but ask, "Is this stilt walking team very famous?"

An auntie excitedly said, "Young lady, I can tell you're from out of town just by your accent. You probably don't know where Daguo Village is, do you?"

Before Zhao Shiqing could answer, her aunt answered herself: "Then you must have heard of Changshou Palace, right? That's right, it's the Changshou Palace where the Emperor Emeritus attained immortality. Let me tell you, the area around Changshou Palace used to be part of Daguo Village."

Later, that place became a geomantically auspicious site, and the retired emperor allocated another piece of land for Daguo Village to move there. This was land given by the retired emperor, who was a figure who had ascended to the ranks of immortals. How could the land he gave be ordinary land?
"That's a place blessed with outstanding people and resources! Da Guo Village has become increasingly wealthy, practically rolling in money. To express their gratitude to the late Emperor Emeritus, they formed this stilt-walking troupe. Originally, they intended to perform only for the Emperor Emeritus, but the kind-hearted Emperor Emeritus allowed them to perform in the town so that people from the surrounding areas could see it. They've been performing for ten years now, and the people of our capital are incredibly envious."

Zhao Shiqing never expected that this stilt walking team would have a connection with the retired emperor.

She quickly asked, "For the past ten years, the show has only been performed in towns near Daguo Village. Why did it come to the capital this year? It's not like you can just perform in the capital whenever you want. At the very least, the capital government and the Five City Bureaus need to agree, right?"

The aunt clicked her tongue twice, giving him an impression that he was a country bumpkin who wouldn't understand. As for which countryside, anything outside the capital was considered countryside.

Zhao Shiqing was already used to it. She had tried her best, but as soon as she opened her mouth, the people of the capital could still tell without a doubt that she was from the countryside.

The auntie showed off her superiority before slowly saying, "These are stilts that even the Emperor Emeritus saw. How could the noble ladies in the palace not want to see them? How could the Empress not want to see them? Of course she wanted to see them, don't you think?"

Zhao Shiqing nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, absolutely right!"

The aunt continued, "It was one thing for those officials in the past, but now that the Fourth Prince has been appointed to the Ministry of Rites, he is a very filial son. So he personally went to the Longevity Palace and asked the Emperor Emeritus to issue an edict to invite this stilt walking troupe to the capital. Starting today, they will perform until the Lantern Festival. On the Lantern Festival, the Emperor and Empress will also come to watch and enjoy the festivities with the people."

Zhao Shiqing suddenly realized why the stilt walkers had suddenly appeared; it turned out that the Fourth Prince was showing off his cleverness.

It seems the Fourth Prince has made up his mind to change his mother.

Zhao Shiqing didn't know much about the Fourth Prince. The only two things she knew were that he tried to kill Xiao Zhen, but ended up with himself suffering from a unique leg length discrepancy, and that the box of weapons he buried in Tong'an County was full of flaws. He wanted to frame his brother, but ended up being confined to his quarters instead.

No matter how you look at it, this person is not flawless, and is even inferior to the Third Prince.

The more he does, the more loopholes he creates, and the more opportunities his own brothers have to exploit them.

Zhao Shiqing had a feeling that there was going to be a good show to watch.

Just as she was talking to her aunt, the stilt walkers started dancing.

I must say, stilt walkers imbued with a mystical aura are truly different. The stilt walkers from Liangdi perform stories like Nezha Conquers the Dragon King, Lady White Snake and Xiaoqing, Pigsy Carrying His Bride, and Liu Hai Playing with the Golden Cicada—either folk tales or characters from traditional operas.

But the stilt walking team from Daguo Village was different; it was a group of immortals.

Zhang Daoling tested Zhao Sheng seven times, Lü Dongbin's dream of wealth and glory was shattered, Hu Gong jumped into the heaven within a pot, Bixia Yuanjun suppressed Mount Tai, and there were also the Eight Immortals crossing the sea and Lady Wei ascending to heaven.

The Taoist atmosphere in Liangdi was far less than that in the capital. If it weren't for the fact that the onlookers knew all the gods by heart, Zhao Shiqing really wouldn't have recognized them all.

In short, Zhao Shiqing had a truly eye-opening experience; her trip was definitely worthwhile.

Coming to the capital is great! I've learned so much. I never knew stilt walking could be performed like this. I just wonder if there are any rules about dressing up as a deity. What if the deity himself doesn't agree? Does that mean the performance can't be done?

Zhao Shiqing decided that if she had the chance to see Zhao Xingzhou again, she would definitely ask him about it.

The stilt-walking team performed flawlessly without any mishaps. Although it was on the main street, the Five City Guards maintained order throughout the entire process, and no accidents occurred. Even after the stilt-walking deities had walked away, their wide robes billowing, the onlookers were still reluctant to leave. If it weren't for the Five City Guards, they would have all wanted to follow along.

"Isn't it supposed to run until the Lantern Festival? Where will it be performed tomorrow?"

"Should we go with these two places again today? Besides these two, there doesn't seem to be anywhere else in the capital that would be more suitable?"

After all, a place where stilts can be walked requires not only an open space, but also people to watch.

The remote location has a large enough space, but it can't gather that many people.

At this moment, someone received confirmation from an official of the Five City Guards: "These two locations will remain the same tomorrow, for three consecutive days!"

The people cheered. It wasn't even the first month of the lunar calendar yet, or even the Lantern Festival. The New Year celebrations weren't over yet. Nobody had the mind to start working, let alone anything else. As long as the family wasn't starving, the New Year was all about eating, drinking, and having fun.

"Little girl, are you going to Kui Xing Tower tomorrow morning? Want to come along?"

The one who spoke was the auntie from earlier. This auntie quite liked Zhao Shiqing. Although the girl was a bit rustic, she was quite well-behaved. Older people like well-behaved girls. She wondered if the girl had many brothers. If not, she could marry her off as a daughter-in-law.

If you have many brothers, that won't do. These people from the countryside come to the capital every few days with their families to beg for money. Who can stand that?
Zhao Shiqing was unaware that in just a short while, she was about to be asked about the price.

Also, she's so unsophisticated.
Zhao Shiqing thought that she could visit Master Bai while she was there, so she readily agreed and said, "Okay, let's meet at Kui Xing Tower then."

The aunt didn't leave immediately, but asked, "Young lady, where are you from? Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

Zhao Shiqing was an honest child who answered every question: "I am from Baihe Village in Liangdi. I have two older brothers and one older sister."

Aunt: From Liangdi or some other village, she really is a country bumpkin. Fortunately, she only has an older brother and no younger brother, so it's not too bad.

She was about to ask again when two boys, seemingly out of nowhere, appeared and escorted the honest and well-behaved girl away.

The aunt immediately understood that these two were the little girl's brothers, and the one about the same age next to her was her sister. As for Wan Ruyi, the aunt automatically ignored her.

This little girl's older brother and sister are obviously not married yet. Oh dear, when the brother gets married in the future, the sister will definitely have to pay for it.

This marriage won't do. That's what I mean. We can't bring these girls from the countryside in as daughters-in-law. It would be a huge loss!
Zhao Shiqing, who was beaming with excitement, was unaware that her aunt had already excluded her from the list of potential daughters-in-law.

When Zhao Shiqing returned home, Zhen Wuduo and Xiuxiu were already back. Today, Aunt Ji's in-laws were hosting a dinner party, so they didn't come over to cook. Zhen Wuduo booked a table at a restaurant and also invited a chef over to roast duck on the spot.

Everyone enjoyed a delicious meal, their mouths greasy from the food.

Zhao Shiqing suddenly thought of Xiao Zhen. It's the New Year, so it's unlikely that Dazhuang and the others will still be taking turns cooking.

Zhao Shiqing's lips twitched as she recalled the cold, deserted kitchen of Ruyi Pavilion. That place was really suitable for someone like Fatty Si, who was so muscular that he could go without food for a few meals without any problem.

She can't handle it; she can't even skip a meal.

Thinking of this, Zhao Shiqing rolled up another duck pancake, took a vicious bite, and made Uncle Xiao drool.

Xiao Zhen was also eating at that moment.

Having experienced countless hardships in his past life, he no longer cared about the pleasures of food. For him, filling his stomach was all that mattered, and as long as it wasn't poisonous, he would eat anything.

Tonight's dinner was cooked by Cai An. One dish of stir-fried cabbage was so salty it was almost sickening; the other dish of steamed fish was really bland, with no salt at all. Xiao Zhen poured soy sauce on it, but then there was too much, and it turned into soy sauce-soaked fish.

Xiao Zhen was eating when Li Xi returned from outside and said, "Young Master, Xiu Xiu, the young lady's maid, went to Fuping Inn today to look for someone, but she didn't find the person she was looking for. Instead, she ran into Scholar Yang."

Xiao Zhen put down his chopsticks and asked, "Who was she looking for at the Fuping Inn?"

Li Xi said, "After she entered, she inquired whether there was a guest named Liu Ping. The waiter asked and found out that there was indeed a man named Liu Ping, but he said he did not know Miss Xiuxiu and had not sent anyone to deliver a message to her. That man was obviously not a good person. Seeing that Miss Xiuxiu only had a child with her, he said a lot of lewd things to her."

Just then, Scholar Yang happened to come downstairs and, seeing the scene, stepped in to defuse the situation, reprimanding Liu Ping. Liu Ping tried to hit him, but was stopped by Scholar Yang's attendant. Scholar Yang ordered Liu Ping to apologize to Miss Xiuxiu, or he would have the Five City Guards arrest him. Liu Ping initially acted arrogantly, but after learning that Scholar Yang held an official position, he obediently apologized to Miss Xiuxiu.

Xiao Zhen narrowed his eyes slightly: "Did you have someone follow that Liu Ping?"

Li Xi nodded: "Xu Le is following along, and he will come back to report if there is any news."

Meanwhile, having eaten and drunk her fill, Zhao Shiqing pulled Xiuxiu aside to her room for a private chat. (End of Chapter)