Noodles with gravy

Xiao Yu grew a little unhappy when Emperor Jinyuan failed to answer him for a long while.

He turned his head away. "What, I can't?"

Elder Imperial Brother really is a big liar! He just said I could do anything...

Emperor Jinyuan hesitated.

He awkwardly averted his gaze.

"Isn't staying in the palace good enough?" he replied quietly. "You can do whatever you like. No one restricts you, and no one dares bully you. You even have the Crown Prince keeping you company himself. Isn't that enough?"

"The palace is too stuffy," Xiao Yu said. "I just want to go out, see some excitement, and get some fresh air!"

He raised three fingers in a pledge. "Elder Imperial Brother, I promise I'll be back before the palace gates close."

"Please?"

Hearing that he still intended to return, Emperor Jinyuan relaxed a little.

He gave Xiao Yu a disdainful look.

In the end, he tossed him a token. "Go, and come straight back!"

Xiao Yu happily caught it at once. "Thank you, Elder Imperial Brother!"

He turned to leave.

"Remember to return before sunset."

Emperor Jinyuan could not help reminding him, "And remember to take the hidden guards. All sorts of people mingle outside the palace. Mind your safety!"

"I know, I know!"

Xiao Yu waved. "I'm off, Elder Imperial Brother!"

Watching him hurry away, Emperor Jinyuan's eyes held a trace of helplessness.

He was still just a child who loved to play.

Then, as though something had occurred to him, his gaze darkened.

He knew.

Qi'an was free. He did not belong to the imperial family.

He was the one who had selfishly confined Qi'an to the palace.

Even if he had now acknowledged him as his sworn younger brother.

Eventually, Qi'an would grow up.

He would leave.

When that day came, what excuse could he use to keep him in the palace?

He gazed at the sky.

An endless melancholy filled him.

The Eastern Palace

Xiao Ba: "Chirp, chirp, chirp!" Let me go!

"Shut up, you ugly little black worm-"

Qinggeng pinned the snake beneath his claws and said indignantly, "Stop chirping and acting cute to win Master's favor! I'm Master's favorite spirit pet!"

He had only hibernated for a few days, and his master had taken in an ugly black worm as a spirit pet behind his back.

His heart was broken!

Xiao Ba: "Chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp! Chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp!" When I see Master, I'm going to tell him you bullied me!

Qinggeng snorted. "Only children tattle!"

"What are you two doing?"

The moment Xiao Yu returned, he saw a blue bird standing on a little black snake and scolding it.

It was rather bizarre, yet strangely harmonious.

"Master!"

Qinggeng turned and spotted Xiao Yu, then immediately tossed Xiao Ba aside.

He flew over and circled him. "Master, Master, you're back!"

"Qinggeng..."

Xiao Yu had no idea why he was suddenly so excited.

"Calm down," he soothed. "You're making me dizzy with all that circling."

Qinggeng immediately folded his wings and settled on his shoulder.

Then he remembered the little black snake, and a wave of hurt welled up in him.

"Master... don't you want me anymore? Why did you take in another spirit pet, especially such an ugly black worm?"

"No, Xiao Ba has a master of his own."

Xiao Yu stroked his feathers and explained, "He's been separated from his master, so I'm taking him in for now. When we meet his master, I'll give him back."

Hearing that the snake was not his master's new spirit pet, Qinggeng immediately brightened.

So he was only a temporary guest.

He patted his chest and told Xiao Yu, "Don't worry, Master. I'll take good care of him from now on."

Xiao Ba, who had been tossed onto the ground, protested repeatedly. "Chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp!" I don't want you looking after me!

Hearing his cries, Xiao Yu went over and picked him up.

Then he asked, "Qinggeng, can you understand what he's saying?"

Once he recovered a little more of his cultivation, he would be able to activate his divine sense.

Then he would understand the thoughts and language of all beings with spiritual awareness.

"Of course."

Qinggeng promptly replied, "He was just thanking me for looking after him!"

Furious, Xiao Ba chirped back at him. "Chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp!" I never said that!

Xiao Yu gently patted his head to soothe him.

Seeing him head outside, Qinggeng asked, "Master, where are we going?"

"I'm taking you both out of the palace for some fun," Xiao Yu replied.

Ever since arriving in the capital, he had lived in the palace.

He had yet to properly explore the capital's streets and markets.

Qinggeng's eyes immediately lit up at his words.

He assumed human form and grabbed Xiao Yu. "Master, let's hurry!"

The streets of the imperial capital

The sunlight was warm and gentle. People bustled to and fro, and the street vendors' cries rang out incessantly. It was wonderfully lively.

"Candied hawthorn skewers! Two coppers for one, three coppers for two!"

"Young master, buy a skewer!"

"Fragrant steamed buns! Piping hot and fresh out of the steamer!"

Qinggeng's eyes lit up. He tugged at Xiao Yu. "Master, Master! Buns! Meat buns!"

Back on Spirit Mountain, his master had focused solely on practicing swordsmanship, leaving him to cultivate alongside him.

He often heard his master's junior fellow disciples talking about how delicious the meat buns down the mountain were.

They made his mouth water.

He had wanted to taste them himself for ages.

"Two baskets of meat buns, please!" Xiao Yu said as he approached the stall.

"Coming right up! Just a moment!"

The vendor immediately opened the steamer, spread out some wrapping paper, and deftly gathered the buns into a parcel.

Once both baskets were wrapped, he handed them to Xiao Yu. "Here are your meat buns, sir. Take care!"

Xiao Yu accepted the two large bags brimming with buns. Without even asking the price, he handed over two silver ingots.

He was just about to leave when someone called out, "He hasn't given you your change yet. Why are you leaving?"

This was Xiao Yu's first time shopping on the street in either of his two lives. He knew nothing about prices and had little concept of money.

After all, he truly had no shortage of it.

He was about to say there was no need when the man said something to the vendor and returned the silver to him.

He also told him, "Twenty buns at three coppers each come to just sixty coppers. You handed him twenty taels outright. How do you expect the vendor to give you change?"

"I've paid for you this time. You can pay me back when you have some small change."

"Thank you."

Xiao Yu looked at him. "May I treat you to a meal?"

The man looked at Xiao Yu, then at the ten large meat buns in his hands, his face full of surprise. "Are you sure you'll have room after eating those?"

Xiao Yu looked down at the large meat buns in his hands and fell silent.

"Master, I could eat another twenty!" Qinggeng said, his eyes sparkling.

Xiao Yu immediately handed the buns to Qinggeng and looked at the man. "Now can I treat you to a meal?"

The man froze for a moment.

Then his brows drew together despite himself.

He could not understand why the person before him was so determined to buy him a meal.

Xiao Yu simply did not want to owe anyone a favor.

Since this man had helped him, it was only right to treat him to a meal.

That was called returning a kindness.

"All right. Let's go to the Ruyi Noodle Stall up ahead. Two bowls of noodles with gravy and two small side dishes will come to exactly sixty coppers."

Shen Zhijie was easygoing by nature.

Seeing how insistent this young fellow was, he decided to oblige him.

"I have money," Xiao Yu replied, a hint of displeasure in his voice.

The man seemed decent, and he had intended to treat him to a meal at a restaurant.

"Still, I can't take advantage of you just because you have money, can I?"

Shen Zhijie sat down at the noodle stall and beckoned to Xiao Yu. "Don't let the roadside location fool you. The owner is a skilled cook.

"His noodles have a wonderful bite. Once you finish one bowl, you'll definitely want another!"

That piqued Xiao Yu's curiosity, and he sat down opposite him.

"All right, let's try two bowls of noodles with gravy."

Seeing that he did not put on the airs of an aristocratic young master and turn up his nose at the place for being dirty, Shen Zhijie's eyes held a flicker of appreciation.