Climbing over walls was something one became familiar with after the first time.
She had scaled countless walls in her previous life.
Stepping onto the trunk of a tree near the wall, Nan Shiying effortlessly climbed over, her movements so agile she looked like a seasoned criminal.
Compared to her, Bai Zhi and Lu Wan seemed more like sheltered young ladies who rarely ventured beyond their chambers.
"Princess Consort, where are we going~"
Bai Zhi and Lu Wan, with her help, also climbed over. It was their first time scaling a wall to leave the manor, and Bai Zhi appeared somewhat excited.
Nan Shiying glared at her and corrected, "What Princess Consort? Call me Big Brother!"
"Big Brother, where are we going!" Bai Zhi readily changed her address, her call of "Big Brother" carrying the spirit of the heroes of Mount Liang.
"Where is the most prosperous place in the capital?"
"That would definitely be Yunlan Street!"
Nan Shiying clapped her hands and declared, "Let's go there!"
Yunlan Street was the most bustling thoroughfare in the capital of Lin Yuan Kingdom. Its eastern end connected directly to the central avenue leading to the imperial palace, and its western end met the official road that led to the west city gate. Prominent establishments like Guangfu Tower, Guishan Zhai, and Dongbo Tower, some of the most renowned restaurants and pastry shops, were all located here.
In addition, there were jewelry stores, silk shops, cosmetic boutiques, and countless others.
The vendors lining the street were even more numerous.
A turn eastward from the central avenue, the crowds suddenly surged, the air filled with the mingled scents of perfumes and other aromas. After just a few steps, the fragrance of food drifted over from somewhere else.
Nan Shiying's stomach rumbled.
Following the scent, she spotted a breakfast stall.
"Come, let's have breakfast first."
Nan Shiying was not particular about street-side stalls, directly finding an empty table and sitting down. She then turned to call out to the proprietor, "Boss, what smells so good here?"
The boss, scooping wontons, turned around with a simple, honest smile. "Big-filled wontons, our family's ancestral craft. Would you care for a bowl to try, esteemed guest?"
"Three bowls!"
"Certainly!"
The boss responded, ladled out the wontons that had just gone into the pot, sprinkled them with chopped scallions and seasonings, and served them to other customers. Then, he said to Nan Shiying, "Please wait a moment, esteemed guest, I'll cook yours right away."
A bowl of wontons, garnished with chopped scallions.
The filling was fresh meat.
With one bite, the savory juice flowed into her mouth, both fresh and fragrant. Nan Shiying and Bai Zhi's eyes immediately lit up.
Having devoured the wontons in no time, Lu Wan opened her purse and took out a piece of silver.
Instantly, countless gazes were drawn to the purse at Lu Wan's waist.
The boss looked at the silver and seemed a bit troubled. "Esteemed guest, I cannot make change for this silver!"
Bai Zhi quickly put the silver back, took out a few copper coins from her belt, and placed them on the table. She looked up and asked, "Is this enough?"
"Yes, yes, it's enough."
The boss accepted the copper coins, thought for a moment, and then advised, "Esteemed guests, there are many people on this street, please be careful."
"Thank you, Boss." Nan Shiying expressed her gratitude for the boss's good intentions, and the three of them got up and left the breakfast stall.
Seeing the three of them looking like clueless rubes, the boss shook his head helplessly.
...
"You little brat, don't you run..."
An angry shout came from behind, followed by a somewhat childish, hurried cry: "Get out of the way, everyone get out of the way!"
Bai Zhi quickly shielded Nan Shiying behind her, but Lu Wan was bumped by the fleeing child.
"Consider yourself lucky you ran fast. Don't let me see you again, or I'll kill you!" Seeing that he couldn't catch up, the pursuer stopped, panting, and unleashed a torrent of threats before spitting a glob of phlegm onto the ground.
"Are you alright?" Nan Shiying saw that Lu Wan's face had turned quite pale.
Lu Wan endured the pain and shook her head. "Princess... Big Brother, don't worry, I'm fine."
Nan Shiying nodded. This interruption had dampened her desire to continue exploring. She said to the two, "Let's go to Dongbo Tower."
"Alright~"
Bai Zhi's face lit up with joy.
As it neared noon, all the private rooms at Dongbo Tower were occupied, leaving only seats in the main hall. Nan Shiying and her two companions found a street-facing table and sat down.
"Waiter, besides the braised pork knuckle, what other signature dishes do you have?"
The waiter glanced at the three of them.
Although they were dressed in coarse linen, the young man leading them carried himself with a clear, refined, and noble air, clearly indicating he was not short of money.
'Another young master on a private visit in disguise,' the waiter mused. He slung his rag over his shoulder and introduced them with great enthusiasm, "Esteemed guests, is this your first time at our Dongbo Tower? Apart from our Crystal Pork Knuckle, we have many other delicious items, such as the Fu Lin Shrimp Balls, Crispy Fried Pork, Abalone Sauce Salmon, and the Seven-Colored Vegetable Hearts..."
The waiter rattled off a long list, and Bai Zhi's eyes practically turned into bright light bulbs.
Nan Shiying waved her hand generously, "Then one of each."
"Certainly!"
He turned and called out to a free waiter, "Serve a pot of the finest Longjing tea to the guests at table Ya Two!"
Then, smiling at Nan Shiying, he added, "This tea is complimentary. We hope you won't find it lacking."
Nan Shiying nodded faintly, "Thank you."
"Not at all, not at all."
For some reason, the waiter felt a little overwhelmed. He bowed slightly and retreated, saying, "Please wait a moment," before turning to place the order and hurry the kitchen.
Dongbo Tower served food at a brisk pace, and soon, all the dishes were served.
As the three of them ate, a few guests arrived at the neighboring table. After ordering their food, they began discussing the latest gossip.
"Don't you think the gap between Nan Yuan'er and Nan Shiying is so huge, despite them both being daughters of the Prime Minister's mansion? One shines like the sun in the sky, while the other is as lowly as dust underfoot. If I had a daughter like Nan Shiying, I would have strangled her at birth. She's simply an embarrassment."
"Who says otherwise? Poor Prime Minister, his lifelong reputation has been ruined by such a shameless wretch."
"Did you hear? The Prime Minister has also been punished by the Emperor with confinement to his estate."
"Tch, truly a family misfortune."
"Princess Consort!"
Lu Wan looked at Nan Shiying with concern, while Bai Zhi was so angry she nearly threw her half-eaten custard bun at their faces.
However, Nan Shiying, the subject of their discussion, showed no outward reaction, as if she were listening to someone else's gossip.
Lu Wan couldn't quite fathom her thoughts and asked, "Princess... Big Brother, shall we go try the pastries at Guishan Zhai?"
Nan Shiying gestured to the dishes on the table and said, "No rush, let's finish eating first."
Lu Wan and Bai Zhi exchanged glances, daring not to say more. They merely shot the guests at the neighboring table fierce glares, losing their appetite for the delicious food.
After they finished their meal quickly, Lu Wan called for the waiter.
"Esteemed guest, are you settling the bill?" The waiter approached the table, glanced at the food, and asked with a smile.
Lu Wan was about to nod when her hand, reaching for her purse, met emptiness. She quickly looked down, saw her waist was bare, and her expression instantly changed.
The waiter, possessing a discerning eye honed by experience, immediately noticed something was amiss.
'Could these people be trying to dine and dash?' the waiter thought.
The smile on the waiter's face vanished instantly. With a dark expression, he was about to urge them forward when he heard the young man at the head say, "No, another portion of walnut shortbread."
The waiter looked at him, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Esteemed guest, it's not that I'm rushing you, but rather..."
Nan Shiying looked up at him, her sharp gaze making the waiter immediately flinch and stop speaking. Nan Shiying waved a hand at him and said calmly, "You may go. Your money will not be shortchanged."
"If you're not short on money, then pay now!" the waiter muttered under his breath. He yanked his rag forcefully, sending dust flying across the table.
"What are you doing!"
Bai Zhi's face turned red with anger.
The waiter sneered, turned, and left. However, he didn't go far, instead lurking behind a pillar, seemingly plotting something with another waiter.
Only after the waiter had gone did Nan Shiying pick up her teacup and ask Lu Wan, "What's wrong?"
Lu Wan said, her voice trembling with tears, "Princess Consort, my purse is gone."