They had spent quite a bit of money coming out this time, with only Pingting managing to come out without spending any, and even making a profit.
This move had astonished Gan Jiaojiao and Gan Yaoyao, who praised her for being smart and good at managing the household, which made Pingting feel a bit embarrassed.
She waved her hands repeatedly, "No, this story was told to me by my eldest sister-in-law. I just felt that the story in the tea house wasn't as good as the one my sister-in-law told. I couldn't help but retell it. If anyone is impressive, it's my eldest sister-in-law."
They all heartily agreed with what Pingting said. Their eldest sister-in-law was indeed intelligent, as well as gentle and kind, someone worthy of their learning.
After strolling around, they all felt a bit hungry. They found a small eatery. Regardless of their status, they were not fussy.
The five of them ordered five different fillings for their steamed buns, one cage of each, with eight buns per cage, and a bowl of soup to accompany it. They ate just as well as they would in a restaurant.
While eating, Su Ya said, "I heard there's a Lover's Lake in the capital. The scenery around the lake is beautiful, and you can even take a boat ride to enjoy it. How about we go there for a stroll later?"
Lover's Lake?
A flood of questions filled Zhao Jiaqi's mind. When she was in the capital before, she had never known about such a place. Perhaps this place was newly emerged.
Zhao Jiaqi felt a little expectant, so she nodded in agreement, "Okay."
Since she had agreed, the other girls were not picky either and looked forward to the outing.
"I also heard that there are many snacks and accessories sold along the shore. If you get tired from playing, they also provide places to eat and stay. It's said to be very good, and many people go there every day," Jiaojiao said, having heard it from Huangfu Xian.
Yaoyao also nodded repeatedly, "Yes, I've heard my husband mention it too. However, the behind-the-scenes boss is very mysterious, and no one knows who it is, but no one dares to provoke them."
Zhao Jiaqi was surprised, "So mysterious?" She paused and then added, "No matter who the behind-the-scenes boss is, we're just going to have fun, not to cause trouble."
The girls thought about it and felt that it made sense. Renting a boat and eating all cost money, it wasn't free.
After eating, they headed straight for Lover's Lake.
Upon arriving, they were stunned. It was packed with people, like a busy market from years ago. Not only was the ground crowded, but the boats on the lake were also lined up one after another. The scene was quite spectacular.
Just as they were looking for a place to rent a boat, Su Ya excitedly tugged at Zhao Jiaqi's sleeve, "Madam, look over there. The costumes are so peculiar! They're colorful, and they have so many hair ornaments on their heads. I wonder if their necks are tired."
Hearing Su Ya's words, Pingting also became curious. She craned her neck and looked in the direction Su Ya was pointing. What she saw startled her.
"My heavens, are they wearing a pile of silver on their heads? It's not about whether their necks are tired, it's about whether their heads are strong enough. If they fall, I don't know if their necks will hit the ground first, or the pile of hairpins."
Pingting's words made everyone laugh, but upon closer thought, it made sense.
Zhao Jiaqi nudged Pingting, "You dare to say anything. Be careful they hear you and come to fight you."
Pingting stuck out her tongue and became obedient, "I was just curious."
"What's there to be curious about? Every country has its symbols. Take us, for example. Women almost always wear long dresses, while men wear long robes, brocade robes, and so on."
"In Zongsheng Kingdom, men and women wear similar styles, both long robes and short outfits, which are convenient for movement."
"People in Xue Kingdom have short summers and long winters, so they generally wear animal skins to resist wind and cold."
"In the neighboring Liang Kingdom, they produce cotton, so their clothes are mainly made of white pure cotton. They wear very pure colors. Occasionally, one might think it's a funeral procession, but that's not the case."
After Zhao Jiaqi's explanation, they all understood much more.
"Don't be fooled by the peculiar attire of those women. They are very skilled in raising poisonous insects and using poisons, so you should not approach them or provoke them casually."
Seeing her serious tone, they suddenly felt that these seemingly lovely people were not so lovely anymore, and they no longer found the things on their heads amusing.
They averted their gaze, not even looking.
Zhao Jiaqi looked at the Miao girls. Although she didn't believe in superstitions, the Miao people had always lived in environments where poisonous creatures were rampant. If one didn't know how to make poison, it would be a laughing matter.
The matter of poisonous insects was even more bizarre. Cute little insects could turn into deadly weapons. No one would believe it if you told them, but once poisoned, you had no choice but to believe it. Therefore, it was best to avoid provoking them.
The few men not far behind overheard their conversation and were astonished, opening their mouths in surprise. They never expected that Yun Kingdom would have so many talented individuals.
They knew so much about their imperial secret techniques, even more than their own people.
Murong Mingyu, fanning himself, walked forward. His sharply defined face, with what he considered a harmless smile, approached them to strike up a conversation, "I heard this young lady talking about poisonous insects, and I'm curious. Where did you hear about it?"
Wrong, she hadn't heard about it; she had seen it.
But why should she tell a stranger?
The man before her had deep eyes that seemed bottomless, like a profound abyss.
Zhao Jiaqi shook her head, "I accidentally saw it in some miscellaneous book. I've forgotten which book it was. If you're curious, you can look for it in the bookshops."
Murong Mingyu raised an eyebrow. This woman was indeed very cautious in her words.
However, he was quite certain that Xuanyuan Kingdom would absolutely not spread this secret technique. Furthermore, this secret technique had always been exclusively learned by the legitimate imperial princes of the clan.
No legitimate imperial prince who learned the secret technique in any generation would be foolish enough to spread it outside. They would be too busy guarding against it and would never proactively promote it.
Yet, this woman before him had accurately pinpointed the poisonous insects within the secret technique, and could even describe them as small insects. This indicated that she had not only heard of it but also seen it.
Since he couldn't get any information by asking, he decided to change his approach.
He smiled and said, "The reflections on Lover's Lake are beautiful. I've rented a large boat that can accommodate twenty people. Seeing as you ladies also seem to want to rent a boat, how about we share one?"
Calling them "young ladies" repeatedly felt somewhat flirtatious, but the man before them was well-dressed. Although not luxurious, his aura was evident.
Even the guards behind him had sharp eyes. If anyone came within five meters of them, their eyes would dart over.
This suggested he was not an ordinary person, exuding a subtle dominance.
Zhao Jiaqi refused without a second thought, "Women in our Yun Kingdom are very conservative, especially after marriage. We cannot talk too much with unrelated men, and being alone is even more forbidden, as it would bring shame to our husbands' families. I'm afraid I must decline."
What kind of man would invite others to tour a lake together right from the start?
Either his brain was waterlogged, or he had been kicked by a donkey.