As they chattered excitedly, Su Ya on the other side was somewhat crestfallen, eating so absentmindedly she could have coughed food into her nostrils.
That evening, Su Ya pretended to wait outside for Xiao Ce, who was supposedly out for his nightly run to lose weight. However, she waited until dawn without seeing him return, which only deepened her disappointment.
The group set off again, this time heading towards the Axi tribe. She had never been to the grasslands before and wondered if the Axi tribe's grasslands were like those of her past life, with herds of cattle and horses under a blue sky and white clouds.
They traveled and stopped intermittently, enjoying the scenery of various places and indulging in local delicacies. Zhao Jiaqi meticulously recorded the local customs, people, and landscapes.
Seeing this, Su Ya asked her, puzzled, "Madam, why are you recording all this?"
After all, these were just local snacks and customs. Even if offered for free, others might not treasure them.
"Reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles. By recording the local specialties along the way, I can explain what I've seen and heard to my children when I return, allowing them to know a little about the outside world. Stocking up on knowledge is a good thing!"
Zhao Jiaqi pointed to the records and said gracefully, "When I get back, I'll add some illustrations and weave some short stories. Wouldn't that make a picture book? As long as the stories are engaging enough, even children who are reluctant to learn will remember the tales they hear. Therefore, nurturing a child's interest depends on the right methods, doesn't it?"
Fan Zehao listened to his wife's explanation and chuckled, a hint of sarcasm in his voice, "My wife is gaining knowledge, even learning how to cultivate children's enjoyment. It's a pity, our children are all grown up, and your well-intentioned efforts might not be needed anymore!"
Hearing this, Zhao Jiaqi rolled her eyes at him, "No matter how old they are, they are still children in my eyes!"
"Besides, the sea of learning is boundless, and there is no end to learning. One learns until they are old. It's never too late to learn, even if you're eighty or ninety!"
This man, as soon as they left the inner city, started to provoke her, picking at her nerves whenever he could. It was as if he needed a beating every three days to keep him in line. He was utterly spoiled.
Seeing his pouting expression, Zhao Jiaqi straightened her neck and declared, "If that doesn't work, we'll have a fourth child, and I'll personally educate them and see if I can succeed!"
Upon hearing this, the man immediately softened, grinning as he sidled up to her, chattering incessantly, "One can learn even at eighty or ninety. I'm only in my early thirties, a strong man in his prime, and I happen to have little knowledge. Wife, you'll have to work hard to teach me first, and then we can discuss raising a fourth child!"
Zhao Jiaqi ignored him. With his disposition, he wouldn't learn even by eighty or ninety. The idea of having a fourth child was out of the question!
Educating him would be less effective than raising a pig; at least then, they could have some meat to satisfy their cravings during the New Year!
The couple's bickering amused those around them, but Prince Xiaoyao found it so grating it felt like his teeth were hurting. He simply turned his head away, unable to watch them any longer.
He muttered to himself, "Showing off affection leads to a quick demise!"
He had eaten his fill of "dog food," yet he felt an inexplicable emptiness. Now, he thought, finding a princess consort and settling down might not be a bad idea.
Prince Xiaoyao's little scheme began to click and whir. Once the idea took root, it sprouted like a seed in the ground, its seedling rapidly growing.
Lunch, served outdoors, was simple. A few wild chickens and ducks were caught from the mountains, cleaned, and roasted on a rack. Dipped in sauce, the roasted meat was a delicacy.
The rich aroma drifted for miles on the wind, attracting two mountain men. They emerged from the woods looking disheveled, their faces smudged with dirt, only their eyes shining brightly.
The guards, seeing the two scrawny figures who resembled young pheasants, stopped them about ten meters away. "Our master and madam are dining. Please take another route," one said politely.
The two men's eyes widened as they stared at the roasted meat on the rack. One of them said, "We've been hungry for two days. Can you give us something to eat? We're willing to exchange something for it."
As he spoke, he pulled out a jade hairpin from his person, made of fine white jade. Disregarding its value, he pressed it into the guard's hand!
The guard and the man were in a hushed exchange, their conversation unclear.
Fan Zehao said, "Shi Lei, go see what's happening."
A moment later, Shi Lei returned with the information. "It's two young gentlemen who are lost and have been hungry for two days. They want to exchange this jade hairpin for some food."
Shi He handed the jade hairpin to Zhao Jiaqi, but Prince Xiaoyao had already intercepted. He felt the white jade hairpin in his hand, its texture smooth and lustrous, utterly flawless. It was clearly a high-quality item!
"Something this good would fetch at least a thousand taels of silver at a pawn shop. Yet they want to exchange it for food. I suspect there's something amiss here!" Huangfu Xu handed the item to Zhao Jiaqi.
There was indeed something amiss, Zhao Jiaqi did not deny that.
What man would carry something typically used by women when traveling?
She might believe they wanted to exchange items for food, as young gentlemen wouldn't care about a little money. If they had offered a jade pendant or something similar, it would have made sense. However, what they produced was clearly a woman's accessory.
Without revealing her thoughts, she stood up and walked over with the jade hairpin. She placed it in front of the two men and asked, "Whose is this?"
"It's mine. My younger brother and I are truly starving and just want to exchange it for some food!" The man, afraid she wouldn't agree, quickly added, "This hairpin is one of the treasures of the Jewelry Pavilion. It would sell for at least several hundred taels. You're not losing out by exchanging it for food!"
Hearing this, Zhao Jiaqi asked, "Then why don't you sell it in Hedong Prefecture instead of offering it to us so cheaply?"
The man faltered, then lowered his head, unable to meet Zhao Jiaqi's gaze. He weakly replied, "We are lost and cannot find the prefectural city. Besides, we are too hungry to walk anymore."
Is that so? Zhao Jiaqi didn't believe him.
Who gets lost and ends up with such dirty faces? More importantly, while their faces were dirty, their exposed hands were incredibly clean, with fair, slender fingers, perfectly resembling a lady raised in seclusion!
She glanced upwards and indeed, she saw ear piercings, confirming her suspicion. These two were disguised as men, not lost at all, but afraid to enter the prefectural city!
They were also afraid to travel openly in broad daylight, likely fearing pursuit.
Zhao Jiaqi did not expose their identities. "This item is too valuable. You should keep it safe and only use it when truly necessary. As for some food, I'll give it to both of you free of charge!"
The two were very grateful upon hearing this, "Thank you, Madam, for your generous gift of food!"
They were still well-mannered, knowing to say thank you, unlike the haughty demeanor of some young ladies. Zhao Jiaqi's good impression of them grew even further!
As they ate, everyone chatted and laughed. They planned to stay in Hedong Prefecture for two days, buy some winter clothes, sample local delicacies, and do some sightseeing. Just as they were conversing animatedly, they saw dust rolling in the distance.
The sound of horse hooves echoed, and soon, five men in black martial attire stopped before them, looking down at them from their mounts.