The Song Dynasty was the king for thirteen years before he knew that he was Tianlong.

Chapter 358 New Clothes (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

Enjoying the beautiful scenery along the way, we unknowingly passed Yongxing and entered Huanqing, with the Hexi area already in sight.

Azi asked Azhu from horseback, "Sister, where are we going? It looks like we're heading towards Xingzhou."

Azhu said, "It is Xingzhou."

Azi asked in bewilderment, "Does the King live in Xingzhou? The first time I met the King, he only said that he was passing through Xingzhou on business."

Azhu laughed and said, "Now my family has moved to Xingzhou."

Azi asked in surprise, "You've moved your whole family here? Then Sister Wanqing and Sister Ling'er are also in Xingzhou?"

A'Zhu nodded: "That's how it is. Otherwise, what reason do you think the Prince of Zhennan would give to have you go and live with the young master?"

"He just wants to get rid of me, his unfilial illegitimate daughter. He can come up with any excuse he wants. He just wants me to die so I won't cause him any more trouble," Azi muttered.

A'Zhu shook her head without saying a word. Zhao Ti told her the two conditions he had proposed to Duan Zhengchun. The first condition concerned their background: to remove the illegitimate status of the sisters so that they would not be ashamed to face the world because of it.

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but look ahead. Zhao Ti was riding at the front of the group, his clothes fluttering, his figure straight, as stable and unshakable as a mountain.

"What are you looking at, sister?" Azi followed Azhu's gaze and said, "Sister is looking at the King. The King's posture is so elegant."

A'Zhu said, "Young Master is indeed unrestrained and unparalleled in the world."

Azi's eyes darted around: "Sister Yu'er, after we go back to Xingzhou, you won't be the only one by the King's side anymore. My sister Wan'er and sister Ling'er are both there, and they're bound to take away some of the King's favor from you."

A'Zhu asked, "Sister... what are you saying?"

Azi whispered, "I'm telling the truth, but don't worry, Sister Yu'er, I'll help you then. Even though Wan'er and Ling'er are my sisters from the same father, I'll still stand by you, Sister Yu'er."

A'Zhu chuckled, "How can you help me? Don't get any wild ideas. We're all sisters, there's no need to be so formal. You absolutely mustn't think of anything unkind. I won't agree to that. Besides, you're very perceptive, how could you not know? When the time comes, you'll take swift and decisive action. How will you deal with that?"

“Your Majesty…” Upon hearing this, Azi deflated like a punctured balloon: “I am barely able to protect myself right now, I shouldn’t be thinking such nonsense.”

"Once we arrive in Xingzhou, you must follow the young master's arrangements. Do not act recklessly or cause trouble, or even your sister will not be able to protect you then," A'Zhu said.

"I know, I know." Azi shook her head. "I just don't know if my master's wife is still in Xingzhou. Otherwise, I'll tell the king that I'd like to stay with her. Do you think the king would agree?"

“Li Qiushui?” A’Zhu shook her head: “Young Master will definitely have you stay at his home, how could he let you stay outside?”

“I…” Azi glanced at Zhao Ti in front of her: “That’s not my home, and I don’t have a home. I’d rather live with my nun in the temple.”

Azhu smiled and said, "How can it not be my sister's home? My sister is the young master's sister-in-law, and there are several of us older sisters here. Aren't we all family?"

"I don't want to be some kind of sister-in-law," Azi said angrily. "Wandering the world is so much better, I can do whatever I want, it's better than..."

Before she could finish speaking, Zhao Ti turned around and looked at her expressionlessly: "Want to go and roam the martial world?"

Azi immediately shrank her neck: "No, no, I don't want to go anywhere. I only want to follow the king and obey his orders."

Zhao Ti snorted and turned his head back.

A'Zhu laughed and said, "Sister, don't think about the affairs of the martial world anymore. Ding Chunqiu has been dead for many years now, and the Xingxiu Sect no longer exists. You should turn over a new leaf, start over, and live a good life."

Azi made two "hmm" sounds and said, "I asked my sister what the King's identity was, and she only said that he did some business dealings. Now she says that the family has moved to Xingzhou. But do they do business in Xingzhou? Is the house big? And they have so many people to support. I don't know if they can even live there..."

A'Zhu said, "You'll know when you get there, sister."

Azi blinked, her face full of displeasure, and muttered to herself, "I don't want to go..."

After traveling for a few more days, we exited Huanqing Road and entered Hexi. The scenery began to change, becoming spacious and magnificent. The sky seemed bluer and the white clouds more sparse.

As they gradually entered the territory of Xingqing Prefecture, the group slowed down.

Zhao Ti had already sent someone to inform them in advance that there was no need to greet them or report anything; they could simply be treated as ordinary merchants entering the city and should not cause any disturbance.

Another day passed, and they entered Xingzhou City. Seeing the bustling prosperity and thriving shopping, Azi looked around and said, "It's not much different from when I left."

Zhao Ti walked alongside her, saying calmly, "Isn't it more prosperous than before?"

Azi said, "It is indeed more lively in some places, but other things haven't changed much, and there's no sign of war damage. I wish I hadn't run away back then..."

Zhao Ti said, "I told you to stay put at Shuiyue Nunnery. Who told you to run away?"

Feeling guilty, Azi stammered, "Where does the King live? Why haven't we arrived yet?"

A'Zhu laughed and said, "We'll be there in the north soon."

“North City, isn’t that close to the Water Moon Nunnery of the nun?” Azi asked.

Upon hearing this, A'Zhu looked at Zhao Ti, who said, "Shuiyue Nunnery is in the northwest, and the house is in the northeast; they are not the same place."

He had previously written to Mu Wanqing from Wulahai about Azi, and later sent someone back from Xiaojinghu to tell Mu Wanqing to be prepared.

Since Azi didn't know her identity, she naturally couldn't be taken to live in the palace. So, they found a large house not too far from the palace and made it their home. Mu Wanqing and the others all came and lived in this house.

There were very few people living in the palace to begin with; if you exclude the guards and cooks, there were no more than ten. They didn't have much to carry, and it didn't take them an hour to move over.

The guards changed into servants' attire, while the maids Mu Wanqing, Zhong Ling, and Ruyi Youcao remained dressed the same. Tong Guan changed out of his official robes, and with almost no effort, he transformed the place into the residence of a wealthy family in Xingzhou.

They had arrived at the gate of the house and saw four guards in blue robes and small hats standing on either side. Mu Wanqing and Zhong Ling'er looked surprised and delighted in the middle, while Tong Guan bowed to the side.

Zhao Ti glanced around before finally fixing his gaze on Tong Guan, and frowned, saying, "How did you get so fat?"

Tong Guan looked noticeably fatter than when he left for the north years ago, as if he had been inflated.

Upon hearing this, Tong Guan hurriedly stepped forward: "Young master, young master, you don't know this, but if you want to cultivate the position of the Clean Altar Messenger, there is one auxiliary condition, which is to eat more. The more you eat, the more it will help your cultivation. This humble servant has become so fat because he has eaten too much."

Zhao Ti stroked his chin: "If we didn't have enough grain at home, we wouldn't be able to feed you."

Tong Guan's face twitched: "Young Master is making fun of this lowly servant again."

When Azi looked over and saw Tong Guan's figure, she exclaimed in surprise, "Who is this? Could it be a pancake that has come to life?"

A'Zhu said from the side, "Sister, be careful what you say. This is Steward Tong, the young master's right-hand man." "So he's the king's lackey. I know him. We went to Dali together last time. How... how did he turn out like this..." A'Zi suddenly covered her mouth with her hand and saw Zhao Ti turn around and look at her.

"I didn't say anything..."

Zhao Ti glanced at her and said, "From now on, Steward Tong will protect you. Once you leave the residence, Steward Tong must accompany you; otherwise, you are not allowed to go anywhere."

"He...he protects me?" Azi pointed at Tong Guan: "Your Majesty, look at him now, he's so fat and bloated, he probably has trouble even walking. How can he possibly protect me?"

Tong Guan looked at A Zi, bowed and said, "Young master, this humble servant understands. This humble servant will definitely protect Miss A Zi."

Zhao Ti made it clear in his letter that Tong Guan naturally knew what to do: keep an eye on the other party and prevent him from getting into trouble.

Azi asked, "Steward Tong, if I walk ahead now, can you keep up?"

Tong Guan said listlessly, "Miss Azi is as light as a swallow, I'm afraid... I'm afraid it will be difficult for her to keep up."

Azi suddenly laughed and said, "Then the head steward will protect me."

She couldn't help but think to herself, although this man surnamed Tong also knows martial arts, how skilled could a lackey be? And now that he's become so fat, it's the perfect opportunity to escape.

Mu Wanqing said, "Is this Sister Azi? She is indeed beautiful and charming. Come in quickly. The kitchen staff started preparing early this morning, just waiting for Sister Azi to arrive so they can prepare a feast to welcome her."

Azi blinked her eyes. She recognized Zhong Ling next to her, so this must be Sister Wan'er. She couldn't help but say, "Sister Wan'er, I am Azi. You are so beautiful, no wonder the King is so fascinated. I like you too."

Zhao Ti's face darkened as he said, "Get inside right now, and stop embarrassing yourself outside!"

Azi muttered something and took small steps forward. Mu Wanqing smiled and said, "Come here with your sister."

The group entered the house, and a banquet was set up shortly afterward. They chatted and ate for more than an hour before it ended. Then they began to arrange accommodations for Azi.

Originally, Mu Wanqing and Zhong Ling discussed having A Zi stay next to them, but A Zhu said that A Zi should stay next to her. Seeing A Zhu's expression, the two nodded and agreed.

This mansion is quite large. It was originally the residence of a prince of Western Xia. During the war, the prince took his family and fled Xingzhou ahead of time, heading west to escape for their lives. Their whereabouts are unknown, and the mansion has been left empty.

The inner quarters here were quite large, and Azi was dazzled by the sight. She said angrily, "Three sisters, how come there are so many rooms? Is the King not satisfied with the three of you? Does he want to take in more women?"

Azhu said, "Sister, don't talk nonsense. The house was bought later, and it was already in this layout when we bought it. It wasn't designed by you, young master."

Azi said, "I see. But this place is really too big. It's practically a house within a house."

Azhu was also unfamiliar with the house, so she looked at Mu Wanqing, who smiled and said, "Sister Azi, let's go and see your place."

Then they arrived at a place where Mu Wanqing said, "This is Yu'er's courtyard. Azi can stay next door."

A'Zhu understood and took A'Zi's hand, saying, "Sister, come with me."

There was a small courtyard right next to it, with a rather unique design and many flowers and plants planted inside. As we walked in, Azi exclaimed happily, "This place looks quite nice."

Then, after entering the house and looking around, Azi asked, "Am I going to live here by myself?"

Mu Wanqing and Azhu exchanged a glance. Azhu said, "I'll spend the night getting to know my sister. After that, you can live alone. But if you're scared, I can come and keep you company, or you can come and stay with me."

"I'm not afraid, I'm not afraid." Azi shook her head like a spindle: "I think Sister Azhu doesn't need to come over tonight, I can live by myself."

Azhu smiled and said, "I'll stay with my sister a little longer and tell her some of the rules of the household. Otherwise, if we cause trouble and the young master blames us, we'll regret it."

"There are rules within the household?" Azi asked in surprise.

"Of course there is." Mu Wanqing nodded: "Let Sister Yu'er explain it to you properly, so that you won't make a mistake and make the young master angry."

"Alright then..." Azi thought to herself, thinking, "Young master, young master, everyone is on the young master's side. What sister? Not a single one of them is on my side. You are all family with the young master. In your eyes, I am just an outsider."

Mu Wanqing said, "By the way, little sister Azi, your sister Ling'er and I have prepared some new clothes and shoes for you. I'll have someone send them over for you to try on."

"New clothes?" Azi was taken aback. She looked down at her slightly faded purple dress and the embroidered shoes with upturned toes, and asked excitedly, "Sister Wan'er, what kind of new clothes and shoes are they?"

Mu Wanqing smiled, then sent someone out to fetch it, and a moment later brought in several trays of clothes...

When dinner was served in the dining hall in the evening, Zhao Ti sat in the main seat, but noticed that Mu Wanqing and the others had not arrived yet, so he asked Tong Guan to go and call them.

A little while later, the girls arrived, chattering about how they were late because they had helped Azi try on clothes and shoes.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ti's gaze fell on A Zi at the very back. He saw that she had indeed changed into a new outfit, but it was not purple. Instead, it was a green base with several fresh colors, and she was wearing a pair of brand-new embroidered shoes, each embroidered with a delicate little yellow flower.

Her fair face shone with excitement, and with her embroidered clothes, she looked like a doll—both comical and adorable.

Zhao Ti smiled and said, "Come and eat, everyone."

After the meal, the women gathered in the back courtyard and talked for a long time before parting ways to rest.

Azhu and Azi made the bed together. Azi said, "Sister, I still think two beds are more comfortable. That way, I won't turn over and wake you up."

A'Zhu laughed and said, "It's not that easy to wake up. Tomorrow you'll sleep alone, and the whole bed will be yours."

Ah Zi said happily, "This bed is so big, it's really comfortable for me to sleep alone."

Then the two got into bed, and just as they were about to lie down, Azi suddenly said, "Sister, what's that around your neck? It looks familiar."

Upon hearing this, A'Zhu smiled slightly and subtly tightened her collar. Unexpectedly, A'Zi noticed the chain of the longevity lock.

She and Azi each wore a longevity locket, identical in design, except for the inscriptions on them. If Azi saw it, she would surely recognize herself as her biological sister.

"It's nothing, just a belt. Sister, please rest," A'Zhu said.

Upon hearing this, Azi lay on the bed, feeling somewhat suspicious. It didn't seem like a belt, but she couldn't quite place what it was.

In the study in front, Zhao Ti was practicing his martial arts. His body was surging with magical power, and he was already at the top of the White Tiger Blade on the fourth floor of the Twelve-Story Tower, showing great potential to break through to the fifth floor, the Fire Gate.

But at that moment, he suddenly felt a jolt in his body. He hurriedly looked inward and found that his body suddenly became light and airy. Upon closer inspection, he found himself in another place.

There, apricot blossoms were in full bloom, their fragrance filling the air; it was none other than Apricot Blossom Lane on Spring Rain Street in the Great Qian Dynasty's Jade Prefecture...

(End of this chapter)