Zhao Shuning had been walking for quite a while by now.
The letter had been written last night.
"I wonder if my heartfelt letter has touched Luo Qiu," she mused.
"Never mind. Now that everything is on the right track, I can finally do something for myself."
The first thing Zhao Shuning had in mind was to return to the Marquis Mansion.
She wondered how Luo Hao and Ye Qingluan were getting along. Had Ye Qingluan forgiven Luo Hao?
However, on her way back to the Marquis Mansion, Zhao Shuning planned to have a good time.
Now, she was neither Luo Feiyan nor Luo Qiu. She was just Zhao Shuning.
As she walked along, whenever she encountered something new and interesting, she would stop and have fun for a few days.
Spring was approaching, and the weather was gradually getting warmer.
Zhao Shuning didn't need to wear her fluffed clothes when walking on the street.
"Miss, would you like to try these sugar figurines made of dough?"
Zhao Shuning looked over.
The sugar figurine was somewhat similar to the clothes she had worn when fighting against Hundun in the Nether Valley.
After making some inquiries, she learned that Luo Qiu's name had spread far and wide in the streets and alleys, and many people had heard of her deeds.
Zhao Shuning gave the shopkeeper two copper coins and took a sugar figurine.
She skipped along the street merrily.
People along the way were chatting and laughing.
The peddlers in the market were shouting their wares, and the common people were living in peace and contentment, presenting a harmonious and happy scene.
Zhao Shuning wore a veil. When she got tired of walking, she found an inn to stay in.
Traveling alone was quite free, but sometimes, she still felt a bit lonely.
Zhao Shuning had sent many images to Yan Ruyu, but her master hadn't received any of them, let alone replied.
In half a month, she would have to go and give lectures to the students of Changkong Academy.
This time, she would still have to go in the name of Luo Qiu.
It was really ridiculous. So far, her master probably didn't even know that she was her disciple from five hundred years later.
The only ones who knew she wasn't Luo Qiu were Mo Yan, Luo Qiu herself, and the young prince Xia Qingyan.
"Waiter, bring me a pot of tea."
"Coming right up~"
Zhao Shuning sat in the private room, sipping tea and relaxing her tense nerves.
Looking down from the second floor, she could see a lot of the scenery in the market.
While drinking tea, Zhao Shuning leaned on the window and looked down.
Several young girls in the market were choosing rouge in front of a stall.
Not far away, a few young gentlemen were looking at the poems written on their folding fans and nodding constantly.
Looking further ahead, two old people were leaning on each other. Their expressions seemed worried, and Zhao Shuning wondered what they were thinking about.
Zhao Shuning was listless. She just watched the things happening in front of her to relieve boredom.
"Waiter, bring me some fruits and soft candies."
"Sure thing——"
"Miss, may I ask how much silver worth of soft candies you'd like?"
"For one spirit stone's worth."
The waiter was surprised and stood there without moving.
Zhao Shuning thought the waiter was afraid she would run away without paying, so she gave him the spirit stone first. Seeing that he still didn't move, she said, "Aren't you going?"
"I'll go right away, miss."
Zhao Shuning nodded.
This inn was of a high - class. It was quite a pleasant thing to sit here, drink tea, eat melon seeds, and watch the street scenery.
After a while, Zhao Shuning, who was leaning on the window, was called back by the waiter's voice.
"Miss, the melon seeds, fruits, and soft candies are all here. Where would you like me to put them?"
Because there was a large quantity, the innkeeper even gave some snacks as a bonus.
"So much?"
It took seven or eight people to carry the soft candies and melon seeds.
"This is the amount for one spirit stone. The innkeeper said that you're still at a bit of a loss, so later, he'll send some dried meat as well."
"I'm not complaining about it being too little. It's just too much. Well, I can't eat all of it. There are a total of eighteen plates of fruit soft candies. Just leave two plates for me, and give the rest to the other children in the inn."
Zhao Shuning thought there was nothing wrong with what she said.
However, the waiter and the women who were carrying the fruit trays all showed sad expressions.
Some of them even began to sob on the spot.
Zhao Shuning frowned.
She didn't know why they were acting like this. It seemed that she hadn't gotten angry with them, nor had she said anything humiliating.
"What's going on?"
"Go, go. Don't spoil the guest's mood. If you have any grievances, hold them in the back room."
The waiter's voice also sounded strange. It seemed that he knew something about this matter.
Hearing this, the women bowed and were about to leave.
Zhao Shuning reached out to stop them.
"Sir, these women are not fit to be seen in public. They've disturbed your enjoyment. Please forgive them."
Zhao Shuning waved her hand.
The waiter wisely stepped aside.
It seemed that this kind of inn trained its waiters quite well.
"You might as well tell me. What did I say wrong?"
"No, no, no. You're as kind - hearted as a Bodhisattva. You didn't say anything wrong. It's just that I'm too emotional. I can't bear to hear anything about children. When you said that, I couldn't help crying."
"Children? What's wrong with the children?"
Hearing this, the women all lowered their heads.
Zhao Shuning then remembered that since she stepped into this town, it had been filled with joy and harmony.
But under this joy, there seemed to be something missing. Thanks to these people's reminder, she finally understood the key to the problem.
From the time she entered the inn until now, not only were there no children in the inn, but there were also no children on the street.
"Waiter, you tell me."
The waiter quickly stepped forward.
"Sir, are you from out of town?"
"Yes."
The waiter waved his hand, signaling the women to leave.
As he poured tea for Zhao Shuning, he said, "Actually, this matter has been going on in Changle Town for a long time."
Changle Town used to be a happy and harmonious small town.
Here, men tilled the fields, women wove cloth, and parents enjoyed the happiness of family with their grandchildren.
The town was self - sufficient and had always lived in peace and contentment.
However, two years ago, a group of people from the martial arts world came to the town.
When they came, they said that the feng shui of Changle Town was excellent and that other industries could be greatly developed.
At first, the villagers in the town strongly opposed it. Later, the people from the martial arts world said that they would give each household two spirit stones as compensation.
The people in the town had never seen such generous people before, so they all nodded in agreement.
After that, those people built a palace on a mountain ten miles away from Changle Town. During that time, they also hired many men from Changle Town to do hard labor there.
Time passed quickly, and a year went by.
The palace on the mountain was almost completed.
Since the men who had worked on the mountain before had received compensation, many men in Changle Town also went to work there as time went on.
On the day the palace was completed, they all returned home.
But the next day, all the men who had gone to work there fell ill.