"Today, we count as a white dragon dressed in fish garb!"
Late autumn in Ying City carried a distinct chill.
On the bustling street, Zuo Guangshu wore a dogskin cap, an ill-fitting padded linen jacket, and a pair of broken leather boots with turned-down cuffs. A coarse wind scarf covered his noble, handsome face.
Jiang Wang beside him was dressed much the same: a bamboo hat, a face covering, a black robe, both hands tucked into his sleeves. Longing, renowned throughout the land, lay hidden in his Storage Box.
Today, he and Zuo Guangshu had come out for a stroll. They were both well-known figures, so to avoid being mobbed, they had to disguise themselves a little. True Person Jiang could certainly directly alter what passersby saw and heard, but this was Ying City after all, where powerful figures gathered and rules were strict. He could not be bothered to cast spells all the way, lest he accidentally touch someone's sensitive nerve—Duke of Huai Mansion could naturally settle any trouble, but there was no need to create it.
At that, he smiled. "You're the white dragon. I've always been the fish."
Zuo Guangshu chuckled. "Then I'm a white dragon fish. Either way, we're on the same road!"
"I finally understand why Shunhua is so utterly devoted to you." Jiang Wang shot him a sidelong glance. "You little brat really know how to do this!"
"Then you're wrong again." Zuo Guangshu looked immensely proud. "I learned it all from her."
Jiang Wang said earnestly, "Quit showing off. You'll get beaten up easily."
Ying City was a place of flourishing splendor, where fish and dragons mingled and crowds surged like tides. A breath turned to clouds; towers and terraces floated in a sea of mist.
The two were not wandering without purpose.