Dad, don't be greedy! My brother climbed into the emperor's bed, and I became famous overn

Chapter 212 Emergency Palace Intrigue Mission

Gu Mingli quickly put down the wooden board and pen in his hand and rushed down the platform in three steps.

I jogged through the crowd to this side.

The emperor was followed by Geng Zhi and six plainclothes bodyguards.

Liu An also changed into an ordinary long gown and followed beside him.

"Second Master?"

Xiao Ye stopped and turned around when he heard Gu Mingli's voice.

Looking up, I saw Gu Mingli looking surprised.

Gu Mingli put his hands on his hips and took a breath.

After looking Xiao Ye up and down, who had changed into casual clothes but still stood out from the crowd, she thought to herself.

When you're traveling incognito, at least tone down that imperial aura, bro!

"What brings you here? Would you like to do some shopping too?"

Xiao Ye nodded with a normal expression.

"What a coincidence, Gu Qing is here too?"

Gu Mingli: "..."

Xiao Ye turned his gaze away and said casually, "I finished my official duties and just stopped by to take a look."

Gu Mingli: "?"

You are returning to your bedchamber from the Imperial Study, passing through the outskirts of the capital.

That's really convenient!

Xiao Ye glanced at him, then his gaze finally settled on Gu Mingli's muddy arm.

"You've missed two days of duty, and you're just hiding here playing in the mud?"

Gu Mingli: ヽ(#`Д´)ﾉ┌┛〃

What the hell are you talking about?!

I'm working overtime on the construction site every day, eating dirt!

Calm down! Stay calm!

If the other party wasn't the client, he would definitely smear mud all over Xiao Ye's face!

Gu Mingli took a deep breath and reported his work with a smile.

"No, no, I'm surveying the terrain. I'm busy with important matters."

Xiao Ye looked away and said nothing more.

He glanced at the bustling food street in front of him.

The sheds are neatly arranged, and the stalls are densely packed.

Steam and cooking smoke mingled and drifted into the sky.

The air was filled with the aroma of charred flatbread and the rich smell of braised meat.

Lively and bustling.

It exudes a vibrant and upward-looking spirit.

Such a large-scale gathering of stalls was unprecedented in Dayong.

Gu Mingli peeked at him.

"Would Second Master like to take a stroll?"

Xiao Ye remained calm, his hands behind his back like an old man taking a stroll.

"Okay. Lead the way."

Gu Mingli immediately put on a professional smile and began to greet the client.

Yi Shi, who was originally following behind Gu Mingli, saw the situation and wisely took two steps back.

They joined Liu An and Geng Zhi at the back.

The group strolled leisurely along the main street.

Gu Mingli talks a lot.

Which stall sells what, which vendor has the best craftsmanship, and which spot has the longest queue.

Like a seasoned local, he kept muttering to himself the whole way.

Xiao Ye listened quietly, his gaze occasionally lingering on a particular stall for a moment longer.

When Gu Mingli arrived at the stall selling roasted chestnuts, he slowed down.

The chestnuts in the iron pot were sizzling and crackling, their golden flesh peeking out from their split shells, steaming sweetly.

Gu Mingli took out a few copper coins and called out to the stall owner.

"Boss, one order, please."

"Alright! Young Master Gu!"

The stall owner smiled and handed over a bag of roasted chestnuts wrapped in oil paper.

Gu Mingli took it and opened the paper package.

I picked the one with the biggest crack in the shell, broke it open with my fingernail, and revealed the whole kernel.

Then he turned around and handed the peeled chestnut to Xiao Ye.

"Try it, it's fresh out of the pot, it smells especially good."

Xiao Ye looked down at the bright yellow chestnut.

Before Liu An could even examine the poison, he had already reached out and taken it, putting it into his mouth.

The smooth texture is coated with the sweetness of caramel.

It's completely different from the exquisite chestnut pastries made in the palace.

Gu Mingli peeled one himself, popped it into his mouth, and chewed it.

Sweet and delicious! These are top-quality chestnuts!

"How is it?"

Gu Mingli values the client's experience.

Xiao Ye's expression didn't change much.

"Hmm, acceptable."

Gu Mingli chuckled.

He was used to Xiao Ye's hypocrisy.

Emperors, they're all pretty good at putting on an act!

The group continued walking forward.

Gu Mingli explained.

"This is the main road, with a total of 300 stalls on both sides. The left side is more about local snacks, while the right side is more about main dishes and staple foods."

He raised his hand and pointed to the steaming steamer stall at the corner ahead.

"Have you ever tried mirror cake?"

Xiao Ye glanced at it.

There was a queue of about ten people in front of the stall.

Mirror cake is made by steaming glutinous rice flour in a small steamer. It is round and small like a mirror and is eaten by sticking it on a bamboo stick and dipping it in powdered sugar.

It's a child's toy; he's never eaten it before.

Gu Mingli stepped forward, bought one, and handed it to him.

"Try it."

Xiao Ye looked at the mirror cake in his hand.

Then look at the few gap-toothed children next to them holding the same kind of mirror cake.

The little children stared at him with wide eyes, looking up at him, and licking the powdered sugar off the surface of the mirror cake with their tiny mouths as if showing off.

Slurp~~

Xiao Ye: "..."

I really want to hit Gu Mingli on the head with a mirror cake.

Gu Mingli didn't care at all about "saving face for the emperor".

He then pointed to the noodle stall across the street.

"That place's fried spring rolls are pretty good too, golden and crispy, filled with shredded bamboo shoots and minced meat. Would you like to try some, Second Master?"

Xiao Ye remained mostly silent.

My gaze fell on the street stalls, on the vendors who were busily working.

He watched them knead the dough, flip the pan, and greet the guests.

Every face wore a busy yet joyful expression.

The satisfaction of making money and the happiness of a hopeful life touched everyone on the street.

If such expressions could be seen on the faces of the people in every prefecture and county of the land, then it would be a time of peace and prosperity for the Great Yong Dynasty.

Xiao Ye silently clenched his fist.

As the group reached the end of the main street, the crowd became even denser.

Ahead lies the city's famous "Maze Duck Catching Area".

The crowd completely blocked the four corners of the platform, with cheers and laughter rising and falling.

Gu Mingli was preparing to turn around the crowd.

Suddenly, a figure darted out from the side in front.

A young woman, wearing a light gray blouse, with a slender figure.

Her steps were somewhat hurried, as if she were hiding from someone.

A few strands of her hair fell loose and clung to her cheeks, her almond-shaped eyes glistening with tears, giving her a pitiful appearance.

"Young master, save me!"

She ran towards Xiao Ye and Gu Mingli, her voice trembling.

Almost at the same time, two young men wearing hats askew caught up from behind.

He was clearly some lowlife scoundrel, shouting with a smirk.

"Don't run away, young lady! I'll buy you a drink!"

"Why are you running away! I'm not going to eat you!"

The woman plunged headfirst into the space between Xiao Ye and Gu Mingli.

Several bodyguards quickly stepped forward and kept the person outside.

The woman, as if she had found a powerful backer, refused to leave, lowering her head and sobbing softly.

"Young master... please help me..."

Gu Mingli frowned and turned to look at the two thugs who had caught up with him.

Before he could even speak, Geng Zhi behind him had already taken a step forward.

The two thugs stopped in their tracks when they saw Geng Zhi's face, which was so cold it could freeze someone to death, and the bulging muscles on his arms.

"Ugh, what a disappointment..."

The two chuckled awkwardly, then turned and slipped away.

The woman peeked out from behind the shadow guard, glanced around timidly, and confirmed that the two men were gone.

She raised her head, revealing a delicate face still streaked with tears.

"Thank you for saving us, gentlemen."

As she spoke, she took a half step back to Gu Mingli's side.

They followed at a distance that was neither too close nor too far, as if they hadn't yet recovered from the shock.

Xiao Ye glanced at her indifferently and said nothing.

Gu Mingli didn't pay much attention to it.

With people coming and going on the street, it's normal for them to lend a hand to a girl who's being harassed.

He was preparing to continue walking forward with Xiao Ye.

Then suddenly a "ding" sounded in my head.