Chapter 395: A Wedding Gift

“Customer, your noodles.”

“Customer, here are five bowls. The other five will be brought over as soon as they’re ready.”

The Sword Maid and Fan Li sat facing each other at a table inside the noodle shop.

The noodles were served in scallion broth with no toppings, but they were pleasantly chewy and the soup was fresh and savory. It was deeply satisfying food.

Because the shop used the same enormous pot to cook both noodles and wontons, every so often a bowl of noodles would contain a few scraps of wonton skin. If you were lucky, you might even find one complete little wonton. That counted as variety.

Fan Li ate quickly.

His mouth was enormous. He would thrust his chopsticks into the bowl, lift, twist, and wind almost all the noodles around them at once, then stuff the whole bundle into his mouth.

Chew.

Swallow.

Lift the bowl and drink down the broth together with the last few strands.

*Clack!*

An empty bowl hit the table.

Then he attacked the next one.

The Sword Maid ate much more delicately. A small mouthful of noodles, then a sip of soup. She carried herself with something of the air of a well-bred young lady.

Every so often, she looked up toward the street outside.

Beyond the shop was a mule-and-horse market crowded with people.

Ever since leaving Snow Sea Pass, most of their road had been desolate.

But the farther west they traveled, the closer they came to Yan heartland, the more smoke from hearths and ordinary human bustle gradually returned. By the time they reached the outskirts of Yanjing, one truly felt that the imperial capital stood just ahead.

The Sword Maid was from Qian and had lived in Shangjing before.

In her eyes, Shangjing was naturally more refined than Yanjing. Whether it was the singing and dancing aboard pleasure boats or the poems and songs beneath willow groves, everything carried a kind of freehand romance.

Yanjing was different.

The place overflowed with a bold, heroic air.

It was not only visible in the people. Even the livestock here seemed to snort with arrogance, as though convinced they stood above the rest of the world.

Her first master had once jokingly told her that the people of Shangjing in Qian liked to appear modest and cultivated. They would smile politely to your face while privately mocking you as an ignorant country bumpkin—like girls in a brothel hiding their mouths behind red silk as they laughed, while actually calling you vulgar.

The people of Yanjing, on the other hand, would never despise you for being an unruly commoner.

Because they themselves took pride in being unruly commoners.

Fan Li had already finished his fifth bowl.

While waiting for the waiter to bring the remaining five, he looked up at the Sword Maid and said:

“It’s getting cold.”

The Sword Maid lowered her head and continued eating.

After the meal, Fan Li led her out of the shop.

He tied a small padded cushion to his right shoulder.

The Sword Maid climbed onto it and sat down.

They had not ridden horses on this journey.

The Sword Maid had simply sat there while Fan Li ran all the way from Snow Sea Pass.

As Fan Li put it riding a horse was troublesome.

They continued west.

Before sunset closed the city gates, they entered Yanjing.

After finding an inn and taking a room, Fan Li voluntarily squatted outside the door while the Sword Maid bathed inside.

Quite a while later, the door opened.

The Sword Maid stepped out with slightly damp hair hanging over her shoulders.

Nearly two years had passed.

She had grown a great deal.

In the past, she had not only possessed an innate sword physique but had also been a beauty in the making.

Now she could no longer be called merely a beauty in the making.

She had become a little beauty.

Her age remained somewhat awkward though already within the acceptable range of certain beasts.

“Walk around?” Fan Li asked.

They had come all the way to the capital.

Of course they should see it.

The Sword Maid nodded.

Then said:

“I want roast duck.”

...

A private room inside Quande Restaurant.

The Sword Maid ate a few bites of roast duck and put it down, too lazy to wrap any more pieces in thin pancakes.

Fan Li asked:

“Not good?”

The Sword Maid nodded.

“The meat is old.”

She was not someone unable to endure hardship.

From the time she could remember, she had followed the Second Sword of Qian across the land and often lived without knowing where the next meal would come from.

After following Zheng Fan, her life improved considerably. It could hardly be called a life of silk and jade, but if she wanted chicken, there was chicken; if she wanted fish, there was fish.

The roast duck disappointed her because she had come specifically for its reputation.

So she stopped eating.

Fan Li nodded.

His left hand grabbed a huge fistful of roast duck.

His right hand grabbed an equally huge fistful of pancakes.

He shoved them into his mouth one after another.

Then, the two went downstairs.

The Sword Maid returned to her place on Fan Li’s shoulder.

The girl liked sitting there.

Fan Li was very tall, and when she sat upon his shoulder, she became the tallest person on the entire street.

Fan Li asked whether she wanted candied hawthorn.

The Sword Maid said disdainfully:

“Only little children eat that.”

Then, she had Fan Li buy the entire straw rack together with every skewer stuck into it.

Fan Li held the rack in his right hand.

The Sword Maid could reach the skewers whenever she wanted and ate with great delight.

The two continued wandering like this.

Other than the candied hawthorn, they bought nothing.

They merely looked.

And Fan Li was a man capable of running from Snow Sea Pass to Yanjing on his own two legs.

Naturally, he was not going to complain about sore feet now.

Baixiang Street in Yanjing was being washed down.

Red lanterns symbolizing celebration had also been hung beneath the eaves of the shops on both sides.

People said the wedding procession of Great Yan’s Sixth Prince would pass through this street three days from now.

It would not use the imperial avenue.

Nor would it take one of the main streets.

Instead, the procession would travel down this narrow little road.

Compared with the Crown Prince’s interrupted wedding in the past, the grandeur and scale were truly worlds apart.

Rumor in the capital held that Great Yan’s Sixth Prince had never been favored by His Majesty, which was why his wedding was receiving this sort of treatment.

Some even said the Sixth Prince was marrying an ordinary commoner woman.

Look at that.

Look at that!

If he were truly favored, how could he possibly marry some ordinary woman from a common household?

Most ordinary people in Yanjing did not feel honored that an imperial prince was marrying one of their own.

Instead, they pitied the prince.

Fan Li and the Sword Maid also arrived on this street.

The Sword Maid had already finished her candied hawthorn.

She reached into one of the packs on Fan Li’s back and pulled out a slippery object resembling a fish bladder.

She put it to her lips and began blowing.

The bladder inflated into a ball.

The Sword Maid pinched its opening shut with her fingers, played with the ball, and asked:

“What’s this thing for? It’s kind of fun.”

Fan Li answered:

“Catching tadpoles.”

“Catching tadpoles? How? Why don’t you catch some with me?”

Fan Li shook his head.

“I can’t catch them.”

“It’s fine. I’ll help you.”

Fan Li frowned slightly.

Then he shook his head with absolute firmness.

“No need.”

Explaining the purpose of an ancient condom to a little girl—and teaching this sort of physiological knowledge besides—was an undertaking far too enormous for Fan Li.

If something was troublesome, Fan Li simply chose not to explain it.

“Then why did you bring this thing with you?”

The Sword Maid knew Fan Li carried two packs.

One contained miscellaneous little items.

The other was filled entirely with silver.

“It was a gift for the Sixth Prince,” Fan Li answered.

“From Master?”

“Yes.”

Then Fan Li added:

“Now there’s no need to give it.”

Because Yanjing and Snow Sea Pass were so far apart, letters traveled with a large delay.

When Zheng Fan received Little Sixth’s letter saying he was preparing to marry, he sent Fan Li to Yanjing in his place to attend the ceremony.

Snow Sea Pass’s basic construction work had reached a temporary stopping point. A’Ming was busy with the workshops, while the other Demon Kings all had their own work.

Only Fan Li happened to be free.

So he was sent.

The Sword Maid made a fuss about coming too.

In the end, she followed.

Apparently, when the Sword Saint discovered his disciple had been abducted, he became extremely angry.

Zheng Fan had simply not expected the He family girl to already be pregnant.

Which meant this specially prepared fish bladder had lost its purpose.

“Speaking of which, Master only gave you money and told you to buy the wedding gift after reaching the capital. Isn’t that a bit too casual?”

Fan Li nodded.

“Master said they’re close, so do whatever’s convenient.”

Snow Sea Pass certainly could have dispatched a ceremonial gift convoy, beating gongs and drums all the way to Yanjing.

But there was genuinely no need.

First, it would create many unnecessary complications.

Second, the distance was too great.

It simply was not worth the trouble.

Sending Fan Li alone with money so he could buy everything in Yanjing was the fastest and easiest solution.

“Then what are we buying? We’re delivering the gift tomorrow, right?”

“Mm.”

“Antiques? Paintings? Jade?”

Fan Li shook his head.

“Master said we should buy something down-to-earth.”

“Down-to-earth?”

“Yes. Master also said people should be able to see the sincerity at a glance. It has to be eye-catching too. Something that stands out from the flock.”

“Mm. Then what do we buy?”

...

A new pork shop had opened on Baixiang Street.

Its owner was technically an outsider, though not by much. Nan’an County was also part of Tiancheng Commandery.

But to native Yanjing residents, anyone who lived beyond the eastern, western, southern, or northern gates—even farmers living on estates just outside the walls—counted as an outsider.

The owner’s surname was He.

His son helped him run the shop.

Business had only just begun, so it was not exactly booming.

But the owner was friendly and knew how to deal with customers.

“Hey, hey, Chu. Move that lantern a little farther right. Yes, yes. Hang it straight. Straight!”

Old He stood below, directing his son as He Chu hung red lanterns.

Next door was a dried-goods shop run by a fierce widow.

She leaned against her doorframe cracking melon seeds and laughed at him.

“Aiya, Old He, look at how much effort you’re putting into this. Anyone who didn’t know better would think His Sixth Highness was marrying your daughter.”

He Chu, still hanging the lantern, grinned foolishly.

Old He replied:

“We’re outsiders who only just entered the capital. First time seeing this kind of imperial celebration. Naturally, we should join the fun a little. Back home we never got to see grand events like this.”

“That’s true. You’ll get used to it eventually. You’ve still got a long life ahead of you here.”

“Exactly, exactly.”

Old He turned, intending to sharpen his knife again.

Then he noticed an iron-tower-like figure standing in front of his stall.

Old He raised his head.

His neck actually hurt.

The man before him was simply too tall.

The widow next door immediately stared.

Then, almost unconsciously, she licked her lips.

The enormous man stood silently before the pork stall.

And seated on his shoulder was a young girl.

“Er... customer, buying pork?”

Old He asked with some apprehension.

Fan Li nodded.

Then he turned his head toward the Sword Maid sitting on his shoulder.

The Sword Maid tossed out a small pouch of silver.

*Thunk.*

It landed on Old He’s chopping block.

“Three large fat pigs.

“Tie red ribbons around them.

“Put red flowers on their heads.

“We need them for a wedding gift.”

————

Good night.

[End of Chapter 395]