Imperial City CBD No. 13

"Ah—!" Wanwan cried out loudly as her master lifted her into the air, clinging tightly to Pan Yueyang, her little face burying itself fearfully in his chest.

Feeling the woman in his arms holding onto him for dear life, Pan Yueyang was quite satisfied with Wanwan’s reaction. The tension in his face eased, and he lowered his head to gently soothe the skittish little deer in his embrace. “Be good, I’m taking you flying. Look up and see.”

Hearing these coaxing words, Wanwan only clung tighter, shaking her head and burrowing further into his arms.

Pan Yueyang let out a hearty laugh, tightening his grip as his laughter echoed around Wanwan’s ears.

Perhaps it was curiosity, or perhaps it was her instinctive sense of safety with her master, but as she listened to his laughter, Wanwan peeked up at him—how handsome he was! Flying through the air was much cooler than being on the ground, the warm breeze caressing them, and the master’s innate confidence and noble aura left Wanwan utterly dazzled.

“What are you staring at?” Pan Yueyang caught her gaze, glancing down at the woman in his arms.

“You’re handsome,” Wanwan gazed at him with infatuated admiration.

“Look at the scenery below,” Pan Yueyang said, relishing the rare feeling of holding a woman while using his lightness skill. The adoration in her eyes made him feel quite pleased.

“Alright,” Wanwan reluctantly turned her head, obediently peeking down. Having traveled at the same speed for a while, she was beginning to get used to it, though her body still clung tightly to her master out of self-preservation.

“Master! It looks so different from what I usually see!” Wanwan exclaimed, her voice full of surprise and delight as she gazed down at the houses and streets she was so familiar with from a new perspective.

“Call me Yueyang. Good girl,” Pan Yueyang coaxed her.

There was quite a height difference between Wanwan and Pan Yueyang, and with her exceptionally light frame, carrying her as he flew felt to him like nothing more than carrying a small bundle.

Soon, Wanwan saw the bustling marketplace ahead, streams of people moving through it. She reached out, pointing excitedly. “Yueyang! Is it over there?”

He landed steadily with Wanwan in his arms—there was no need for him to show off his martial skills by making a flashy landing in a crowded place.

The next moment, his large hand took her soft little hand, a gentle smile on his lips. “Come, let me take you to get something to eat first.”

Looking at the marketplace still a fair distance away, Wanwan pouted, but going out shopping was better than just basking in the little garden all day. A walk was a walk.

The imperial city was truly magnificent; the cries of hawkers rose and fell across the marketplace. Wanwan dove eagerly into the crowd, only to be pulled back into a firm embrace by the force behind her. “Let’s eat first,” Pan Yueyang said without looking at her.

Unable to break free from his grip, Wanwan resigned herself to being led along, looking longingly at the various shops they passed, all so lively and bustling. A woman’s love for shopping could not be concealed!

Before them stood a grand restaurant, its façade alone exuding style and class. Wanwan followed along, soon arriving at the entrance to the Qilin Restaurant.

She let out a “wow,” looking every bit the country girl entering the city for the first time, craning her neck to take in the sight.

The restaurant had three floors, the building adorned with blue dye and glazed tiles of various colors. The carved beams and painted rafters were mostly blue, set off with ornate glazing that highlighted the elegance of the place. The four large characters above the door—Qilin Restaurant—were written in bold, unrestrained cursive.

“Senior Sister, look, there’s Wanwan!” Baili Mubai came running over, excited.

“Wanwan, Wanwan~” he called cheerfully as always.

The four of them entered, and immediately a server came to greet them. “Honored guests, we have elegant seating on the second floor.” The server was skilled at reading people.

The four looked impressive—two men and two women, the man in the center especially tall and imposing, his stern face exuding a commanding presence like a general on the battlefield. He wore a dark purple silk robe, simply embroidered at the edges, but the craftsmanship was flawless, even upon close inspection. His boots were spotless.

The woman in his right arm wore an orange dress, a shade not found in common dye houses. Her accessories were simple, but the single large ruby set in her hairpin was enough to suggest her status. The light outside the shop had made the ruby’s quality obvious.

The woman to the left wore a pale pink dress embroidered with a hundred birds, its spirit almost leaping from the fabric. She wore little jewelry, her demeanor gentle yet spirited.

The man on the far left, though less extravagantly dressed in a gray-white robe, had a face even more pleasing than the stern man’s—warmer and friendlier.

The server led the four distinguished guests upstairs, sizing them up as they went.

Once seated, the glutton among them wasted no time. “Waiter, bring out all your signature dishes!” Baili Mubai said unceremoniously. After all, he’d been freeloading off his senior brother for ages.

Pan Yueyang said nothing, letting Mubai order as many expensive dishes as he liked. Such small sums were nothing to him.

From the moment she entered, Wanwan couldn’t stop exclaiming in awe. Their table was near the balcony, half-open to the bustling street below.

As for Wanwan, a little country girl with a great appetite, Pan Yueyang paid her little mind. Beside him, Xueqing quietly poured his tea and set out the utensils. The food was soon served, and aside from the glutton, the other three ate quietly.

The meal cost several dozen taels of silver. Mubai burped contentedly, “Wanwan, let’s go shopping.”

They strolled until they reached a silk shop. Wanwan and Mubai went in, and the shopkeeper, noticing their elegant attire, immediately came over. “Honored guests, take a look at our specialty silk—this is Golden Phoenix Brocade, unique to the Heavenly Phoenix Kingdom.”

He spread out before Wanwan a bolt of pale yellow, soft and supple to the touch, shimmering with golden threads in the light.

“This Golden Phoenix Brocade is rarely seen. Ordinary folk have only ever heard of it. From your bearing, I can see you are no ordinary people. If used for clothing, it would only enhance your status.”

The shopkeeper was so adept at flattery that they felt almost obliged to make a purchase. Pan Yueyang tossed over a banknote, the denomination unclear, directly into the shopkeeper’s hands.

The shopkeeper accepted it with trembling hands—two hundred taels? No matter how rare, the fabric wasn’t worth that much. “Sir, that’s far too much, far too much.”

“Just take it. My senior brother has money to burn,” Mubai rolled his eyes. Who was his senior brother if not the classic tall, rich, and handsome type?

“Very well,” the shopkeeper beamed as he accepted the note and quickly instructed a clerk to package the fabric for the guests.

As they were about to leave, the old shopkeeper respectfully presented the fabric, along with another package. Mubai couldn’t help but ask, “Shopkeeper, we only wanted the silk. What’s this?”

“Oh, honored guests, seeing your distinguished manner, I’ve included some fine gauze for the two young ladies, matching the color of the brocade.”

Without looking at the goods, Pan Yueyang took the quietly silent Wanwan and prepared to leave, leaving Mubai to carry the packages.

“The shopkeeper is so nice,” Wanwan remarked as she looked back at the shop—Tianhe Silk.

“He’s not nice, just a shrewd businessman,” Pan Yueyang replied. For the money he’d just spent, the shopkeeper could have sold him ten bolts. No matter how exquisite the brocade, it was still just something for the wealthy. Serving in the palace as long as he had, what hadn’t he seen? The dark purple robe he wore today was worth many times more than anything in the shop.

Discretion was, in itself, the highest form of showing off—how fitting.

Noticing Xueqing’s silence, Pan Yueyang frowned. “Xueqing, are you unwell today? You haven’t said a word.”

Wanwan was always quiet, her mind mostly blank, so Pan Yueyang didn’t wonder at her silence. But Xueqing’s quietness was unusual.

“It’s just that, hearing the shopkeeper’s praise, I found it amusing he didn’t notice the general’s robe was of far superior quality,” Xueqing replied calmly. Ever since they’d left the residence, Yueyang hadn’t let go of Wanwan. She and Mubai felt almost superfluous.

“Sugar figurines?” Wanwan slowed her steps.

Pan Yueyang looked at her. “You want one?”

Wanwan said nothing, but stopped still in front of the sugar figurine vendor, staring as if her soul had left her body, fixated on the vendor’s skilled hands shaping the candy into various forms.

Baili Mubai and Xueqing noticed her reaction, as if she were struggling to remember something. Mubai stepped up and waved a hand in front of her eyes, finally bringing her back to herself.

Her gaze, interrupted, gradually returned to normal. “Little Fish…”

“What little fish?” Mubai leaned in close.

“No, nothing. I just felt that seeing the sugar figurines suddenly made me think of Little Fish,” Wanwan stepped back.

“Oh? Is Little Fish a fish, or a person?” Mubai tilted his head.

“I don’t remember,” Wanwan resumed her usual smile. “Look! Why is there such a big crowd ahead? Is something fun happening?”

Everyone looked where she pointed.

“A tournament stage,” Pan Yueyang said, his tall frame giving him a better view. It looked like some kind of contest platform.

“Let’s go see!” Mubai, ever the one for excitement, suggested. Though he was worried about Wanwan, seeing her recovered, his playful spirit returned.

“Dear neighbors and friends, I am Li Xuanfu of the First Manor Under Heaven. I have no sons, only a daughter named Moqing…” Even before they reached the stage, they heard the clear, confident voice of an old man bowing deeply on the platform.

The crowd erupted in discussion.

First Manor Under Heaven? Who’s ever heard of that?

Yes, indeed. My family’s been in the capital for three generations, and I’ve never heard of it.

Who’s Li Xuanfu?

Who cares—what does his daughter look like, I wonder? Hahaha!

I’ve roamed the martial world for years, but I’ve never heard of a Master Li of the First Manor Under Heaven.

Look at you, dressed like a beggar—roamed the martial world, indeed.

Exactly. You probably just roam the capital!

Enough bickering—looks like this is a marriage contest.

Not that it matters to us. We can’t fight anyway.

The crowd was a cacophony of chatter and jeers, urging Li Xuanfu to continue. Most of the marketplace abandoned their business to join the growing crowd, some vendors closing their stalls to join the fun. The area around the stage quickly filled with layer upon layer of spectators.

Li Xuanfu looked out at the sea of faces packed tightly around the stage, clearly pleased. He continued, “Today, I have set up this martial arts contest to seek a son-in-law. The winner will have the chance to see my daughter’s face, but…”