Chapter 99: It’s Been Over 1,000 Years

Chapter 99: Chapter 99: It’s Been Over 1,000 Years

The Imperial City was adjacent to Lingzhou and was known as the most magnificent city in Jing Country.

Over a millennium and a half ago, the Fifth Dynasty collapsed, leading to a two-hundred-year era of chaos where warlords vied for supremacy. More than thirteen hundred years ago, on a whim, the ancestors rose in rebellion with only seventeen people—including maids, servants, cooks, guards, and the washerwomen—and conquered Lingzhou City in their very first battle.

Using Lingzhou as their stronghold, the ancestors’ army won battle after battle. Ultimately, they founded Jing Country, ruling over a vast territory spanning thirty thousand miles from east to west. However, for some unknown reason, after the nation was established, the ancestors did not designate Lingzhou as the capital. Instead, they built another magnificent city three hundred miles away to serve as Jing Country’s Imperial City.

At this moment, Su Han was walking down the main street of the Imperial City. Su Xiao’Er led the way at the front. Su Han followed behind, explaining the history of the Imperial City to Su Yi beside him.

Seven days ago, shortly after Su Han returned to Prince Jing’s Residence and changed his clothes with Xi’s assistance, the Feng Family siblings also returned. When he saw them, Su Han noticed Feng Muxi’s gaze lingering on his white brocade clothes for a moment. Confused, Su Han looked down to check if he had worn his clothes backward or stained them. But as he was checking, Feng Muxi nodded in apparent understanding and bid him farewell.

Su Han hesitated but ultimately didn’t ask what was wrong with his clothes. He tried to make them stay several times, but the two seemed to have an urgent matter and were determined to leave. Left with no choice, he accepted their communication Jade Talismans. After accompanying them to bid farewell to Prince Jing and the Princess Consort, Su Han personally walked them out of the Prince’s Residence. He didn’t return to Prince Jing’s Residence until he watched their figures disappear outside Lingzhou City.

After seeing off the Feng Family siblings, he delayed for a few more days in Lingzhou City. It wasn’t until today, after arranging some matters, that Su Han finally set off for the Imperial City with Su Xiao’Er.

Su Han’s memories of the Imperial City were stuck in the past from several years ago, and he inherently had a terrible sense of direction. Therefore, while every street he walked past felt somewhat familiar, he couldn’t actually pinpoint any specific details if asked. Fortunately, he had Su Xiao’Er as a guide. Moreover, Su Yi didn’t seem as interested in these things as other girls might be. Along the way, Su Han would occasionally make a few remarks, and Su Yi would nod in response. The group of three strolled along the road, not feeling bored in the slightest.

After walking for a while longer, Su Han’s eyes lit up when he saw a familiar shop ahead.

"I can’t believe this shop is still open," he said. As he walked toward the shop, he began to introduce it to Su Yi.

"When I was little, I used to come to this pastry shop every few days to buy some treats.

"Their ancestral recipe for osmanthus cake is absolutely incredible. Their mung bean cakes, red bean cakes, and red date white jade cucumber cakes are also delicious.

"Speaking of the red date white jade cucumber cake, I’ve always felt that the cucumber here tastes a lot like papaya.

"Do you know what papaya is?

"It has miraculous effects like nourishing yin, boosting yang, enhancing the bust, and strengthening the body. It’s just that I haven’t actually seen a real papaya in all these years, so I’m not sure if this cucumber has the same effects.

"But if it does..."

Just as he was rambling on, he subconsciously glanced at Miss Su’s flat chest. Realizing what he had just said, Su Han abruptly clamped a hand over his mouth.

Walking beside Su Han, Miss Su had been quietly listening to his stories, occasionally nodding in agreement as if she wasn’t particularly interested in anything. However, when she heard his explanation of papaya, a gleam seemed to flash across her eyes. Before Su Han could react, a tender, pale hand grabbed his wrist. He found himself completely unable to resist as Miss Su dragged him right into the pastry shop.

"What can I get for you two? Our shop just made a fresh batch of osmanthus cakes. Would you like a taste?" the assistant asked.

Osmanthus cake was Su Han’s favorite. Normally, he would have impatiently grabbed a few pieces and stuffed them into his mouth to savor the taste. However, taking one look at Miss Su beside him, Su Han vaguely understood what was going on.

He shook his head at the assistant. "Hold off on the osmanthus cakes for now. I remember your shop has a secret recipe for red date white jade cucumber cakes. Do you still make them?"

The assistant nodded. "Yes, we do. How many would you like?"

Su Han turned to look at Miss Su. She glanced at him, her lips moving slightly. His legs went weak, and he hurriedly spoke up first.

"Um... we’ll take as many as you have. Pack up all the red date white jade cucumber cakes in your shop."

The assistant was stunned for a moment, but seeing that Su Han wasn’t joking, he calmly nodded. "Alright. Please wait a moment, sir. I’ll have someone pack them up for you right away."

Before long, over a dozen food boxes packed with red date white jade cucumber cakes were placed in front of Su Han. After storing the pastries in his Storage Ring and ordering a few more packs of osmanthus, mung bean, and red bean cakes, Su Han grabbed Su Yi’s hand and turned to walk out of the shop.

Seeing the two turning to leave, the assistant was taken aback and hurriedly stopped them.

"Sir, you haven’t paid yet!"

"Go to the imperial palace at the end of the month to collect it." Without even turning his head, Su Han waved his hand and swaggered off.

The assistant was speechless.

Collect it from the imperial palace? Who did he think he was? The Emperor? Even if he were the Emperor, he couldn’t just take people’s things for free!

Rolling up his sleeves, the assistant prepared to chase after him and argue. Before he could even step out the door, a hand grabbed him from behind and pulled him back. Turning around, the assistant looked surprised.

"Dad? Why are you stopping me?"

"Are you stupid? Didn’t you recognize who that was?"

The assistant froze. "Who is it? Is he a big shot? At the foot of the Imperial City, there are tons of Princes, Crown Princes, Dukes, and Marquises! No matter how big of a shot he is, he still has to pay for his purchases!"

The Shopkeeper shook his head. "That is Crown Prince Jing."

"I don’t care if he’s Prince Jing..."

The assistant was just about to say that never mind Crown Prince Jing, even if he were Prince Jing himself or the Emperor, he couldn’t buy things without paying. But the words died on his lips as he froze once again. His expression drastically changed as he looked at his father.

"Crown Prince... Jing? Dad, you couldn’t be mistaken, could you? Why is he back?!"

The Shopkeeper shook his head. "Your old man has lived in the Imperial City for... so many years. This young man looks exactly like Prince Jing did in his youth. How could I possibly be mistaken?"

GASP!

The assistant sucked in a breath of cold air. "The Crown Prince... he’s back? The Imperial City is about to get very interesting again."

SLAP!

The old Shopkeeper smacked the back of his son’s head. "Stop blurting out the truth! Are Royal Family matters something we can gossip about behind their backs?"

"The Li Family, the Wang Family, the Xiao Family, the Zhang Family of the Royal Family, Duke Zheng, Marquise Wen’s Residence..." Counting on his fingers, the assistant couldn’t help but chuckle. "Dad, how badly do you think this little... Crown Prince will wreck the Imperial City this time?"

The old Shopkeeper raised his hand to strike again, but the assistant rolled his eyes and dashed off in a flash.

"Dad, I’m going to the imperial palace to collect the debt! Have fun working!"

By the time the old Shopkeeper chased him to the door, the assistant was already out of sight.

"You little brat, don’t cause any trouble!"

Shouting angrily, the old Shopkeeper waddled back to the inner courtyard. Turning his head to glance at the shop sign behind him, he couldn’t help but chuckle to himself.

"It’s been over a thousand years..."

*PS: Even if I die of exhaustion and am burned to ashes and put in a box, I will use my last ounce of weight to type out the next update on the keyboard, and then pile myself up into four big words: Please give me monthly tickets!*