Chapter 21 Part 2

 

The restaurant owner, who had just been standing at the door looking around anxiously, saw this and hurriedly led the lane principal into the lobby.

The Lane Principal ran to the middle of the two groups of people, bowed repeatedly to both sides, and said: “Honored guests have come here to enjoy yourself; I am but a lowly official with little influence and do not dare to disturb you. However, just a few days ago, I received strict orders from the general of Jinwu Guard. The emperor’s longevity celebration is approaching, and we must all be united in ensuring the safety of the neighborhood. The general’s words still ring in my ears, and I dare not disobey. So, I humbly ask both sides to sheathe your swords, prioritize peace, and comply with General’s command to maintain the peace!”

After saying this, he kept bowing and gave a wink to the servants he brought with him. The servants rushed forward quickly, lined up in the middle, and immediately separated the people.

If most of the two groups of people were drunk and impulsive a moment ago, now many of them sobered up immediately because of the lane principal’s words.

The ban had been tightened recently. Just a few days ago, the son-in-law of Shenwu General, Chen Sida, was punished like that, and it was all because he forcibly broke into the gate. If there was a fight here tonight, and the matter got out of hand, the punishment would be even more severe.

Although Chengping often acted wildly, he was not a brainless person who only knows how to fight and kill.

Tonight was supposed to be a welcoming dinner for his good friend, and he also had just arrived. If Chengping made a big fuss, it would not be a good thing. Besides, the lane principal had arrived and brought out Han Kerang’s words as well. If he didn’t stop, it would mean that he didn’t take Han Kerang seriously.

He didn’t want to see blood first, but if the other party didn’t care, he would fight to the end. How could he be afraid? He stared at Yuwen Zhi.

The people behind Yuwen Zhi also looked hesitant and looked at the sharp sword in his hand.

“I implore Shizi to consider the overall situation. Since it’s General Han’s words, I dare not disobey!” the lane principal knelt on his knees and began to kowtow.

The corners of Yuwen Zhi’s eyes were red as if blood was about to drip out. After a moment of deathly silence, he let go of the sword with a clang, then closed his eyes, went downstairs, and staggered out alone.

When the young men who were traveling with him saw this, they put away their swords and followed him.

A fight that might have been bloody was finally averted. As soon as Chengping relaxed, the alcohol rushed up again, and he could no longer hold the knife in his hand, which also slipped down. The person leaned back, but after all, he was still furious, and said, “You have to be careful! I think this bastard is even crazier than me, and I’m afraid he can do anything!”

Pei Xiaoyuan calmly withdrew his gaze from Yuwen Zhi’s back, reached out to take the knife, and supported Chengping as well.

“Thank you all for your kindness tonight. I will send His Highness back. Next time I will host a dinner in return. I hope you will do me the honor then.” He said to the people around him with a smile.

After the commotion just now, everyone’s original interest was gone at this moment. After hearing what Pei Xiaoyuan said, they all agreed and went their separate ways without saying anything more.

—

That night, Xuyu slept a long and deep sleep. When she woke up, it was already the next morning. The sky was bright and even the sound of the morning street drums did not wake her up.

She slowly opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling above her head, which was mottled with mold in the morning light. She concentrated for a long time, then got out of the bed and cleaned up.

She remembered someone.

That person’s name was Wei Yinniang. Her father, Wei Minghui, had been the companion of Crown Prince Jingsheng and was a Shenwu General of the imperial army at that time. Xuyu’s fate with her began because they had the same wet nurse.

Since Xuyu was adopted by Grandpa at the age of five, for many years, except for the fever three years ago after she was drenched in cold rain for too long, she had always been in good health. She traveled with Grandpa everywhere and had almost never been sick. But before that, when she was still a county princess, maybe because she was taken care of too carefully, she often got various minor illnesses. Her body was delicate, and often made her mother very worried. When she was three years old, they heard that the children raised by the wet nurse of the Wei family were very strong, and now that she was free, she could take people in. In this way, Xuyu met Wei Yinniang.

Perhaps they just got along well. Xuyu liked Wei Yinniang the first time they met. She was eight years older than Xuyu, gentle and quiet. Xuyu called her sister, and she also treated Xuyu like her own sister. Because Xuyu liked to stick to her, she often stayed at the Prince Mansion after getting permission from Wei’s parents. Two years later, when she was older, at the age of thirteen, she was selected to be the inner woman of Imperial Grandson, Li Yan. It was because Xuyu was reluctant to separate with her, and Li Yan doted on Xuyu, his cousin, that after discussion, they postponed the matter for half a year so that Xuyu could have more of her company.

However, no one would have thought that half a year later, a rebellion would occur and Wei Yinniang’s entry into the Imperial Grandson’s courtyard would have to be suspended again.

On the eve of the fall of Chang’an, Wei Yinniang was also in Prince Ding Mansion.

Soon after the rebellion broke out, Prince Ding followed Pei Ji to the northern Central Plains where the chaos was most severe at the time. He did not lead the army from afar, but personally commanded the military camp. Whenever there was a battle, he would charge into the front alone. He was once hit in the chest by an arrow, and would have met with an accident if he had not been protected by his armor.

As a prince, he was not afraid of death, and his actions inspired the frontline troops. However, correspondingly, only Princess Consort Yin and her daughter were left in the prince mansion, and the princess consort was not favored by the Empress Dowager in the palace, so Wei Yinniang took the initiative to stay with the princess consort and Xuyu.

That night, the prince mansion’s chief guard Guo Zong rushed back and hurriedly left the mansion with Zhao Zhongfang and Xuyu, and Wei Yinniang was also hurriedly sent back to the Wei family.

If Xuyu could find her, or someone from the Wei family, she might be able to find out more information about Zhao Zhongfang.

During the day, Xuyu found Fuxing Lane near the palace. Relying on her remaining memory, she walked and stopped, searching in the lane for most of the day. Finally, she found the house she remembered, with an old willow tree in front of the gate.

After knocking on the gate, the gatekeeper appeared, looked her up and down and asked what she wanted.

“Excuse me, is this the Wei Mansion?”

The other person shook his head, “You’ve come to the wrong place! What Wei Mansion? My master’s surname is Bai!” He waved his hand and was about to close the gate. Xuyu raised her hand to block him: “Excuse me, I’m here to look for an old friend. I remember the previous owner of this place was surnamed Wei. If he has moved away, do you know where he moved to?”

“How long ago did he own the house?”

“About twenty years ago…”

The man sneered, “Twenty years ago? My master bought this house three years ago. I heard that it has changed three to four owners before that. Twenty years ago? It was still the old emperor’s Jingsheng dynasty!”

The gatekeeper ignored her and slammed the gate shut.

Xuyu stood silently under the old willow tree outside the gate for a long time, then turned around and left. When she reached the southeast corner of the lane, the smell of burnt food wafted in the air with the wind.

Deep in her childhood memories, the smell of Chang’an, apart from the ubiquitous scent of agarwood, camphor, frankincense and jasmine in the prince mansion and the imperial palace, it seemed to be left with only this kind of rich burnt aroma that could go straight into people’s stomach.

She stopped involuntarily and followed the direction of the wind. After turning a few corners, the number of pedestrians gradually decreased.

At the end of an alley, she saw a place that seemed familiar.

A low hut, a yellow clay stove, a dozen neatly stacked sesame cakes, and charcoal piled in the corner. There were few guests in the afternoon, and a scabby old yellow dog lazily slept against the wall under the bright spring sun. An old woman who took a nap was leaning on a small stool for guests.

Xuyu stared at the scene. The old yellow dog spotted her and whined twice, waking up the old woman. The old woman quickly stood up her withered body, smiled and asked her if she wanted to eat some cakes, revealing a set of missing yellow teeth in her sunken mouth.

She was the former sesame cake lady, and the mole at the corner of her lip was still there. But when Xuyu was still Li Hao’er, the sesame cake lady had a plump figure and full cheeks. When she smiled to attract customers, she would reveal a pair of beautiful white teeth that looked like woven shells.

“Young Master?” Seeing Xuyu staring at her in a daze, the old woman called out again.

“Yes. I’ll have some cake.” Xuyu nodded.

The old woman smiled happily and hobbled over to get the cake for her. Xuyu sat down and took a bite. The cake was just out of the oven, still hot, fragrant and crispy. It seemed to be the taste that Xuyu had once remembered, but it seemed different.

Xuyu chewed slowly.

The old woman stood by and watched her, her eyes full of expectation. After Xuyu took a bite and chewed for a while, she asked cautiously, “How does the guest like it?”

“Delicious!” Xuyu swallowed the cake and took another big bite.

The old woman smiled comfortably, hobbled to her old dog, sat back on the stool, and sighed softly: “But no one in Chang’an likes the cakes I make anymore. They all go to a Hu woman in the West Market to eat them, saying that hers are the best. If there weren’t some old customers who knew me since I was a kid and still came, my cake shop would have been closed long ago.”

There was a hint of sadness in her cloudy old eyes.

“Why do they think my cakes are not tasty after I came back? They are obviously the most famous here. Even Ye Zhongli came to eat them. I remember that there were many people at that time, and you had to queue up to get a turn, but when he came, everyone would make way and let him buy first. He also drew a picture for me, and people pestered me every day, wanting me to sell them the painting. After a few years, the world changed. The rebels attacked Chang’an, and the old emperor ran away. I also ran with my painting. On the way, I met a group of rebel soldiers. They were really bad. They robbed everyone. I saw a woman who refused to give her bag, so they cut off her hand. My painting was also robbed. They then robbed each other again. One person chopped off another person’s head, and his neck was shaking like a lantern, half of it fell on his shoulder, and blood spurted all over the ground, but he was still alive. He tore the painting in his hand and stuffed it into his mouth, not letting anyone take it, and then he died…”

The old woman’s eyes were half open and half closed. She kept chattering to herself. Her tone was flat and even, as if she was reciting some scriptures.

Xuyu listened silently and asked, “Old Aunt, do you know about the old owner of the house in the southwest corner during the reign of Jingsheng? Where have they gone now? The family that had the old willow tree in front of their gate.”

The old woman thought hard for a while, and just when Xuyu thought she had forgotten it, she suddenly made a “Ah” sound.

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