Xuanqing Guard

The next day, Shen Hao decided to slack off. He sent a guard to the Thousand Households Station to let Wang Yiming know he was taking a rest day and wouldn’t report for the Upper Emissary today.

This was a habit Shen Hao picked up back when he was a Small Banner Officer in Li City. At that time, after completing a case, you’d always get three days off to decompress, all for the sake of easing the frontline soldiers’ nerves. After all, a frontline soldier doesn’t just sit in the Public Office sipping tea and solving cases—they have to risk their lives most of the time, so proper rest is a must.

Now, Shen Hao felt he also needed a little break. Even if it was just for a day.

But even with a rest day, Shen Hao didn’t get a chance to sleep in. Whether he liked it or not, the biological clock works its magic on cultivators too. Before dawn, he woke up right on time from his dreams.

He turned his head; his right arm was still serving as a pillow for a pointy-eared little head, whose pouty lips showed she was sleeping soundly.

Shen Hao pinched that pointy ear, earning himself a couple of sleepy whimpers.

This silly slave had the bad habit of hogging the covers, but luckily the nights were hot, so it didn’t really matter whether that thin silk blanket was on or not. The sight he woke up to these days was quite a feast for the eyes, though, which made Shen Hao chuckle as he pressed himself down again, waking this slave—who could out-sleep her master—in his favorite way.

By the time he was refreshed and had finished dressing and washing up with the help of Brocade and Hong Chou, it was almost mid-7 a.m. Meanwhile, Xia Nu, who’d been woken up too roughly, was now bright red and curled up, still asleep in bed.

After breakfast and going through his daily exercises, Shen Hao took a cup of hot tea and lounged under the shade in the courtyard, idly thinking about the "Great Five Elements Technique." One hand holding his teacup, the other rolling an invisible "Black Cut" between his fingers.

This counts as rest? At least for Shen Hao, it did. Leisurely, relaxed cultivation—what’s more restful than this? Besides, he wasn’t planning to stay home all day. He’d head out in the afternoon.

By lunchtime, Xia Nu had composed herself and come out. She wasn’t walking with that awkward gait like before, but instead smiled sweetly while serving Shen Hao rice, then obediently sat with the two younger maids, waiting on him nearby.

"What’s the word from Liu Hengyi?" Shen Hao asked Hu Tian, who was standing beside him as he ate. If he remembered right, today was the agreed day to meet Master Liu Hengyi of Hengshun Carriage and Horse Company.

"Master Shen, I was just about to tell you. This is an invitation Master Liu sent over yesterday afternoon. He said the delay was due to the food ingredients, and asks your pardon for the late delivery."

"Food ingredients?" Shen Hao finished his bowl of rice, and before he could set it down, Brocade was already piling a fresh bowl in front of him.

Today’s main dish was braised lamb leg, and Shen Hao loved mixing the soup and meat with his rice. Brocade knew his habits well and filled his bowl nearly to the brim, then ladled meat and soup from the pot out front, making it a piping hot, hearty meal.

Hu Tian continued, "Yes, Master Shen. According to Second Young Master Liu, who brought the invitation, it’s a kind of fresh fish called ’Cold Moon.’ You’ll only find it in the Bai River during this season, and even then, there are very few—sometimes the fishermen don’t catch a single one all month. Because the meat is so tender and delicious, it’s known here in Jingxi as the ’Number One Delicacy.’ Tonight, Master Liu is hosting a banquet at Hong’en Hall to let you have a taste."

"Hong’en Hall? Why there?"

"Well... they say the chef who’s best at making Cold Moon Fish is at Hong’en Hall." Hu Tian thought for a moment—he vaguely remembered someone mentioning that.

Shen Hao didn’t say more after hearing that and just ate in silence, though he couldn’t help thinking about that irksome "fairy" at Hong’en Hall.

After lunch, with plenty of time before the feast that night, Shen Hao gave a shout, gathered Xia Nu and the two girls, and set out—they were going for a stroll around the city. Come to think of it, he’d lived in Fengri City for two years and had never really strolled the streets before.

Even though he’d put on casual clothes and his guards had switched out of their Xuanqing black robes, their aura was impossible to hide. They stuck to a garrison formation around Shen Hao and Xia Nu, making it obvious they weren’t ordinary folks—the pedestrians all hurried out of their way.

"Master, that’s Yuhua Street over there. I used to go there a lot! Ms. Xin’Er’s dress shop is just down that way."

Ever since Shen Hao told her to stay home more for safety, Xia Nu hadn’t gone out much. She’s always loved lively places, and especially obsessed over all the colorful dresses, jewelry, and trinkets women like. But she was the ultimate window shopper—she rarely bought anything, pinching pennies to the extreme. Lately, she was even saving up to buy Shen Hao a fur coat for winter, saying other people looked so handsome in them. But where did her money come from? Didn’t Shen Hao give it to her?

The two little girls, though, weren’t interested in Yuhua Street at all. They pouted in protest as Xia Nu dragged the master here—they’d much rather go to the East Market, where all the snack stalls, street performers, and the theater stage were! Way more fun than Yuhua Street!

Shen Hao didn’t mind; he was just there to stroll around, so he followed Xia Nu into Yuhua Street. After a few steps, he understood why she was so attached to the place.

Because the entire Yuhua Street was filled with shops selling clothes, shoes, cosmetics, jewelry, ornaments... In another world, this would definitely be called a "shopping street."

Shen Hao’s taste in clothes hadn’t changed much—he always thought all the clothes here were "more or less the same," and only cared about the quality of the fabric. He never fussed over his own wardrobe. Back then, he wore only garrison-issued black robes. Once he had his own household and servants, the butler Hu Tian handled it, and later Xia Nu took over. Now whenever he opened his wardrobe, he always found a few new outfits inside.

But Xia Nu immediately got into shopping mode. She was like a bird returning to the forest, happily chirping away. Even the two little girls forgot about the snack vendors and street shows once they saw all the colorful dresses. Like two chicks, they trailed behind Xia Nu, darting from shop to shop along the street.

Shen Hao found all the bustling quite amusing and didn’t mind at all. He followed along with a smile.

The maids and aunties in the shops were all sharp as a tack—the man who escorts the ladies into the store is always the walking money bag. And with guards bristling with evil qi in tow, this crowd was clearly above the norm. So right off the bat, the best goods in the store were brought out for Xia Nu to pick through. As for the price... Tacking on an extra ten percent seemed only reasonable.

"Do you like it?"

"Huh? Of course I do! It’s just too expensive, so I just look every time." Xia Nu smiled, completely open about her thoughts.

Shen Hao nodded—he knew Xia Nu’s personality well. So he turned to the shopkeeper and said, "Pack it up." At the same time, he slapped a one-thousand-tael silver note onto the counter.