"Yu Yao and her party spent the night at a post station in Huainan. At the break of dawn, they were ready to set off for the capital."
Beijing, since ancient times, has been a place where dragons and tigers coexist, today even more so for the grand royal ritual that set the city abuzz.
Emperor Xuanwu led the imperial family and the officials to the ancestral temple for a grand royal sacrifice.
To appease our ancestors and announce to the world that the Sixth Prince Du Lonesome (Xuanyi) has returned to the imperial family with joy.
Xuanji wore the luxurious morning attire of a royal prince, standing at the center among his fellow princes. His brow showed a serene detachment from the mundane world, yet remained free from the disrespect and lack of dignity that would befit an imperial lineage.
On Zhuque Street, the crowd was surging like a tide, with the common people flocking to the streets just to catch a glimpse of this rare royal grandeur.
Children played and darted through the crowd, while vendors took advantage of the occasion to hawk various trinkets. The air was filled with a festive cheer and lively atmosphere reminiscent of a holiday.
At this moment, Yu Yao arrived in the capital just as she intended to head straight to her house on Wu Yi Lane.
Unforeseen, she was blocked from her intended path by the densely populated crowd.
"Madam, the crowd in front is too dense. The carriage cannot pass through, so we might have to wait a while."
The coachman's voice came from outside, tinged with a bit of helplessness.
Yu Yao gently drew aside the car curtain, a ray of morning light just grazed her face, highlighting her ethereal features.
She raised her gaze forward and saw a grand and imposing royal procession slowly moving ahead.
Looking straight ahead, she saw Emperor Xuanwu on the dragon litter. Although he was already quite old, he still exuded an air of vitality, with handsome features and a majestic presence befitting a ruler.
The dragon carriage was resplendent beyond words, shimmering brilliantly under the sun's rays.
Emperor Xuanwu's expression was grave, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon.
Du Lonesome followed closely behind, with the Crown Prince donned in imperial robes, his long hair tied back, a pair of slashing eyebrows, deep and mysterious eyes, a high and straight nose, and a lip curving into an evil smile. His features were exquisite, and his aura was sinisterly arrogant.
A host of princes followed behind, each displaying their own style and grace.
Xuanji was also among them.
He wore the imperial morning attire of a prince, with an unrivaled handsomeness. His face was as white as jade, his arched brows high, his eyes deep and clear like a cold pond, his nose straight, his lips thinly pursed, and his aura ethereal.
His bald head stood out among the princes, but it was not unattractive; instead, it added a sense of solemnity and dignity that deterred people from approaching.
Upon seeing Xuanji and Du Lonesome, she smiled slightly, her gaze following them both.
Zhou Bo alighted from the carriage and approached, about to speak.
Seeing Zhou Bo, Yu Yao spoke first, ordering, "Uncle Zhou, go find out what's going on."
"Yes, Madam."
Zhou Bo swallowed back the words he was about to say, nodded and turned around to find out the news.
Xuanji seemed to sense something, and his gaze pierced through the crowd towards this direction.
Just as he was looking, he caught sight of Yu Yao.
Yu Yao was also looking at him, and their gazes met in the air, intertwining.
Xuanji hesitated slightly, a mix of shock and joy, and a deep sense of confusion in his heart.
"Yao'er isn't in Liuhua County? How did she end up in the capital?"
He wanted to go over and ask what was happening.
But thinking that it was the way to the ancestral temple, and it wouldn't be appropriate to stop, he helplessly abandoned the idea.
Thinking about sending someone back to inquire about Yao'er's residence, and finding her after the temple ritual, he decided to leave that for another time.
Yu Yao winked playfully at Xuanji, and then made a funny face, making Xuanji laugh lightly.
Du Lonesome noticed that Xuanji's gaze was fixated on a certain direction and that he was laughing for the rare occasion, which puzzled him greatly.
He also turned to look in the direction that Xuanji was pointing. Unbeknownst to him, he encountered a heartless woman.
She was still making faces.
Du Lonesome was a mix of shock, joy, and confusion, with a generous dose of jealousy.
Although it was strange that Yao'er would be in the capital, he knew that it wouldn't be appropriate to go see her at the moment, so he resolved to ask someone to look into it later.
Yu Yao's gaze swept across, catching sight of Du Lonesome. She offered him a sweet and alluring smile.
Her smile instantly ensnared Du Lonesome's soul, making him wish to rush over and embrace that woman in his arms, then to kiss her fiercely.
Upon witnessing Du Lonesome's hungry and seductive gaze, she immediately understood his intention. Her face flushed, she looked away to avoid further eye contact.
Mostly because she was afraid of being discovered by Xuanji.
Because Xuanji had been watching her the whole time.
In this way, they looked at each other, and she looked at the air.
The royal procession finally slowly passed through Zhuque Street, and also by Yu Yao's carriage.
The crowd of people gradually dispersed, and the street returned to its usual tranquility and smoothness.
Zhou Bo arrived at just the right time and walked over to Yu Yao's carriage, reporting, "Madam, the servant has inquired about this. It seems that the King has retrieved the long-lost sixth prince and has appointed him as the Prince of Wei. He is currently on his way to the ancestral temple for a grand sacrificial ceremony."
Hearing Zhou Bo's report, Yu Yao's heart stirred slightly, but she said little, merely nodding lightly.
As the royal procession moved off into the distance, she then instructed Zhou Bo, "Go to the shop at No. 18 on Nan Street and find Liu Yun. Tell her that I have arrived in the capital. If she doesn't know the way, have her ask someone. As for us, let's head to the house in Wu Yi Lane and wait there."
Thinking of something, she added, "And remember to bring the key to the house."
Without the key, they couldn't get in.
"Yes, Madam."
Zhou Bo answered and left at once.
Yu Yao ordered the coachman to go to No. 28 on Wu Yi Lane.
The coachman nodded, asked for directions, and then drove the carriage slowly towards Wu Yi Lane.
Along the way, she was filled with thoughts, considering the unexpected encounter with Xuanji, Du Lonesome, and the ripples of emotion it stirred in her heart.
The carriage moved smoothly on the ancient cobblestone road.
Not long after, the carriage came to a stop in front of an unfamiliar mansion.
The mansion's main gate was tightly shut. The golden sunlight shone on the heavy gate, making it look ancient and majestic.
Yu Yao didn't get off the carriage. Instead, she sat in the carriage with An An and Yōu Yōu, waiting.
This mansion was purchased in the capital for her by Liu Yun, and she had no idea what it looked like inside.
The key was also with Liu Yun, so without Zhou Bo getting the key, they couldn't get inside.
Meanwhile, Xuanji and Du Lonesome arrived at the ancestral temple with the royal procession.
The sacrificial ceremony was solemn and reverent, with smoke swirling around and the melodious sound of bells.
Emperor Xuanwu stood in front of the altar, his voice deep and solemn: "Ancestors above, today I bring with me the Crown Prince Du Lonesome and my lost gem, the Sixth Prince Du Lonesome (Xuanyi), to offer sacrifices to our ancestors. May I wish for peace and prosperity in our great state of Yuxu for generations to come."
Crown Prince Du Lonesome's eyes were slightly lowered, his mind swirling with thoughts. He was filled with wonder about how Yao'er ended up in the capital.
Could it be that she missed him so much that she came to the capital specifically to look for him?
He glanced at the distracted Xuanji by his side, thinking about the funny face Yao'er made to him not long ago. His face instantly darkened with anger.
He quickly quenched the ridiculous thought.
Xuanji was unaware of Du Lonesome's thoughts. While he had concerns, he could only focus on the ceremony at the moment. In his heart, he secretly planned to find Yao'er as soon as the ceremony ended.
The sacrificial ceremony went on for a while before finally coming to an end.
Xuanji and Du Lonesome quickly instructed their attendants to find out where Yu Yao was staying.
Later, each of them made a lame excuse to leave by telling the Emperor, and after obtaining his permission, they all eagerly rode off at full speed.
Emperor Xuanwu watched the two of them hurriedly departing in the distance, his expression slightly frowning.
He felt that there was something secretive between the two brothers, but since they had already left, it wouldn't be appropriate to call them back for questioning. Thus, he led the ministers and officials back to the palace.
In front of the house at No. 28 in Wu Yi Lane, Yu Yao was growing increasingly anxious, and the two children were fidgety as well.
She decided to take the two children down to stretch their legs.
Aunt Zhou and Dog Egg were waiting at the gate of the mansion.
Some coachmen were taking a break by the corner of the wall.
After waiting for a long time, they finally saw Zhou Bo returning.
Zhou Bo was running back, drenched in sweat and panting heavily.
He quickly ran up to them, gasping for breath.
Once his breathing had settled, he said, "Madam, Miss Liu is very pleased to hear that you have arrived in the capital. She has asked me to tell you that she will be here shortly."
As he spoke, he had already reached the mansion with the key to open the door.
Yu Yao nodded slightly without speaking.
As the mansion's main gate opened, an ancient and simple mansion came into view.
She led An An and Yōu Yōu into the mansion.
As soon as she stepped inside, she saw a refined and quiet mansion. The walls were made of weathered gray bricks and stone, and the wooden door was thick and ornate.
In the yard, there was an ancient stone well, moss, a locust tree, and stone benches with carvings.
The main building was in traditional Chinese style, with tiles that had turned yellow and old-style lanterns hanging.
The interior of the house was simple and elegant. There were an eight-fold table, dry flowers, paintings, rooms that were simple and tidy, a desk by the window as if it were a paradise outside the world.
Yu Yao toured the house with An An and Yōu Yōu.
Dog Egg was curious about this unfamiliar place and was bouncing around, exploring every corner.
Zhou Bo, Zhou Chen, and some of the coachmen gradually brought their luggage inside the house.
Once their belongings were arranged properly.
She took out some banknotes from her pouch and walked over to hand them to the three coachmen.
"Gentlemen, thank you for your hard work. These silver pieces are your reward. Thank you for accompanying us all the way."
The journey to the capital was long, and these coachmen had helped by protecting them and putting in a lot of effort. Therefore, Yu Yao gave them more than enough as compensation.
The coachmen were very pleased to see that the amount of silver they were given was more than the originally agreed-upon price.
"Thank you, Madam."
The coachmen said their thanks and then returned the way they came.
Zhou Bo and Zhou Chen carried the luggage piece by piece inside the house and put it away neatly.
"Madam, this house is really nice. Miss Liu has been thinking about you."
Zhou Bo, busy as he was, couldn't help but smile.
Zhou Chen also chimed in, "Madam, the servant noticed that the house is very clean and all the necessary items are present. There's no need to buy anything else. It seems that Miss Liu truly cares for you."
Yu Yao smiled slightly and said, "Miss Liu is quite good. I'll have to thank her properly when she arrives."
Just as she finished speaking, a series of footsteps were heard at the door.
She looked up towards the door and saw Liu Yun walking in with a smiling face.
"Madam, why didn't you write to me before coming to the capital? I would have been able to make preparations in advance."
Liu Yun wore a light blue long dress, her figure swayed elegantly and her graceful. Her smile was genuine and inviting.
"I didn't want to disturb you since I thought you must be busy. That's why I didn't write to you. Just now, I was talking to Zhou Bo and Zhou Chen about you, and then you came by."
Yu Yao saw Liu Yun and was overjoyed. She also smiled and walked over to greet her.
