Chapter 373

Outside the city gate, there was a convoy of seven or eight carriages preparing to enter the city. A two-horse brocade-tented carriage at the front was very flamboyant, and beside the carriage was a blue-robed gentleman riding a white horse, leisurely fanning a folding fan with a noble air.

At least twenty tall and powerful guards were accompanying the convoy, rudely driving the surrounding people who were originally queuing up to enter the city.

“Out of the way, all of you!”

“Can’t you see our young master is entering the city? Hurry up and get out of the way!”

“….”

The guards flickered their whips to drive the people away.

Those ordinary people watched these travelers dressed in unfamiliar clothes, looking arrogant, and immediately deduced that the master they were serving must be from a noble family, so they dare not to speak nor get angry or they might offend them. Instead, they all avoided them and retreated on both sides in fear, letting this envoy enter the city first.

Qin Jiu and Yun Jiao listened to those peddlers and passers-by who just arrived at the city gate, pointing their fingers at the group in front of them.

“Just who is that person acting all arrogant?”

“Hell knows! But look at the city gate guards, they don’t dare stop them, then it must be some kind of a prince or lord.”

“Are there still a few princes and lords in the capital? I haven’t seen anything like this before!”

“….”

The passersby whispered among each other, speculating about the identity of the blue-robe young man.

Soon, the guards cleared a lane. The square-faced head guard then spurred his horse to the blue-robed gentleman and the first carriage, cupped his fist and reported, “Third Master, County Princess, we can now enter the city.”

In the next moment, a fair plain hand slightly lifted the corner of the carriage curtain. From where Qin Jiu and Yun Jiao were standing, they couldn’t see the owner of the fair plain hand at all, and only saw that its fingernails were dyed with bright red cardamom, looking particularly gorgeous.

The coachman of the first carriage waved his whip and led the carriage to enter the city, the carriages behind followed slowly.

“County Princess?” Qin Jiu muttered softly, thinking: the county princess in the capital was said to be few and far between, to say, there were not many.

Yun Jiao also heard her and whispered. “I also don’t know which county princess she is, who has such a big attitude. What is she so proud of? The Princess and Princesses Consort don’t even have such a big air!”

Yun Jiao casually muttered a few more words, after all, she was just saying it. Anyway, different ways do not conspire with each other and she “couldn’t afford to climb high” like this county princess.

The carriage in front of them began to move, so Qin Jiu and Yun Jiao also paced their horses slowly to follow, heading for the city.

“Xiao Jiu.” Yun Jiao suddenly thought of something and suggested it excitedly. “A new play is coming out in Shuangyan Garden in five days, how about we go see it together?”

Qin Jiu shook her head, “Not that day.”

Yun Jiao: “?”

Qin Jiu said with a smile, “My big brother and the others are coming back that day, I’m going to pick them up, so I’ll have refreshments for another day.”

Yun Jiao wink in understanding, she said. “I heard my big brother say that the expedition in Minzhou is victorious. So, they’ll be coming back that day.” A playful light flashed in Yun Jiao’s eyes as her lips curled up.

Qin Jiu gave a “hmm” with a smile, her mood was joyous. Her eldest brother was coming back earlier than expected.

Yun Jiao steered her horse and moved another step to Qin Jiu’s side and elbowed her arm, she teased, “Are you really going to pick up your big brother? I think you have another motive!”

This young miss was not going to pick up Qin Zening but County King, right?

Yun Jiao wiggled her eyebrows at Qin Jiu, and her eyes and mouth curved into a crescent.

“Of course.” Qin Jiu nodded confidently when she said “big brother”, it includes two people!

Yun Jiao felt that Qin Jiu was just a duck with a hard mouth* as she laughed uncontrollably. She then said, “Since you’re going to pick someone up, you need to quickly book a restaurant or tea shop near the city gate. On the day the army triumphantly returns to the capital, many people will definitely visit.”

(*often use to describe a person who is stubborn, unyielding and unwilling to admit mistakes)

Qin Jiu blinked, “Are there going to be many people watching?”

Yun Jiao looked at Qin Jiu with a “you are naïve” look. “Don’t you know how lively it was last time when the top three of the first grade of the imperial examinations paraded through the streets? All the restaurants and teahouses on the streets they passed through were booked up and filled to capacity! Even some stores temporarily set up some tables and chairs, as a teahouse as there are still many people who couldn’t book a seat.”

Qin Jiu: “….”

Qin Jiu wasn’t aware of this, so she didn’t make any reservations at all. But according to Yun Jiao, the restaurants, and teahouses near the South City Gate might have been booked out long ago.

Yun Jiao smilingly patted her chest and said, “It’s okay, it’s okay, I’m here!”

“The Yunwei Restaurant on South Street ahead is my family’s property, my family’s restaurant always reserves a seat for me, I’ll save it for you.”

She pointed inside the city gate as she spoke.

The two of them were talking to themselves, completely unaware of the movement of a carriage in front of them.

A corner on the right side of the carriage was pulled open, and a pair of beautiful eyes that were filled with limpid autumn waters glanced in Qin Jiu and Yun Jiao’s direction before withdrawing her gaze.

“The expedition in Minzhou is victorious…” The young girl’s voice was as quiet as water with a lingering touch of few ebullient.

“Young Miss,” another voice whispered, “Could it be that the person who will be returning to the capital in triumph is Third Master Gu?”

“….”

“Young Miss, when we settle down later, this servant will go to inquire and find out the news.”

“Hmm.”

As the word fell, the curtains blocked the carriage again, followed the first few carriages into town.

***