"On this street, you can find all the shops you need. No matter what you're craving, or if you're looking for hair accessories, jewelry, furniture, decorations, or anything else, you can find it all on this street," Zheng Fan chimed in after Zheng Xiang finished speaking.
Shen Xiaoyan silently thought to herself, this must be like the bustling entertainment streets of the 21st century. It was surprising that such a place could exist in ancient times; it certainly saved a lot of trouble.
"There's a new cosmetic shop that recently opened on this street. Although it's new, it's incredibly popular. Your Highness, the Fifth Prince's Consort, might be interested in taking a look," Zheng Fan said, looking at Yue Qingxin.
"Brother, you're making too much of a fuss. She's the Fifth Prince's Consort; what kind of blush or powder could she possibly not have? Do you need to worry about her?" Zheng Caiying rolled her eyes and said. Was this really her own brother? She had just been slapped by that woman, Yue Qingxin, not long ago, and now he was fussing over her, wanting to take her to buy blush and powder. Thinking of this, Zheng Caiying grew even angrier and continued, "Besides, the Fifth Prince is standing right here, why are you saying so much? It wouldn't be that you've taken a liking to her..."
Before Zheng Caiying could finish her sentence, she felt another slap across her face. This time, it was Yue Qingxin who had struck her. Zheng Caiying clutched her face, looking at Yue Qingxin in disbelief. What was happening? Yue Qingxin had been standing several meters away just moments ago; how could she have appeared before her in an instant?
"I warned you just now to mind your own business. It seems you haven't remembered my words," Yue Qingxin said, her gaze towards Zheng Caiying suddenly turning cold. "If you truly can't control your tongue, perhaps I can keep it for you." With that, Yue Qingxin drew a short knife from her sleeve. She quickly unsheathed it, the blade gleaming coldly. Sunlight reflected off the knife, striking Zheng Caiying's face. As the short knife approached her, Zheng Caiying felt a surge of fear, forgetting even to dodge.
"Brother Wang Fu, save me!" As the short knife was about to reach her lips, Zheng Caiying closed her eyes and shouted. In a flash, a pair of large hands gripped Yue Qingxin's wrist, stopping the short knife's advance.
"My younger sister is mischievous. Please forgive her, Your Highness, the Fifth Prince's Consort," said the owner of the hands, Zheng Fan. As he spoke, he didn't loosen his grip.
Yue Qingxin scoffed and flicked her arm, breaking free from Zheng Fan's restraint. The short knife continued to dart towards Zheng Caiying's mouth. She spoke coldly, "With her level of mischief, if Aunt Yueguo knew, she would surely take her life. It might be better for me to help her now; by merely taking her tongue, I can save her life." As she spoke, the short knife in Yue Qingxin's hand had already cut through the skin by Zheng Caiying's lips. Zheng Caiying's skin was naturally delicate, and although it was only a small cut, blood immediately flowed down the corner of her mouth. Feeling the pain, Zheng Caiying began to cry softly. However, fearing that Yue Qingxin would truly cut out her tongue, she dared not open her mouth, only able to sob continuously.
"I beg Your Highness, the Fifth Prince's Consort, to show mercy and spare my daughter," Seeing that Yue Qingxin was truly about to act, Zheng Xiang could no longer remain silent. Although he disliked Zheng Caiying's thoughtless behavior just now, she was still his beloved daughter, cherished by the Queen Mother. He couldn't just stand by and watch her tongue be cut out. He had waited until this moment to intervene, precisely to teach her a lesson. Knowing one's daughter is a father's prerogative, but this was not entirely true for Zheng Xiang. If Zheng Caiying could truly change her ways with a little lesson, she wouldn't be in this situation today.
Although Yue Qingxin still wanted to cut out Zheng Caiying's tongue to avoid hearing any more annoying words from her in the future, they had only just returned to the capital. Regardless of what happened, Zheng Caiying was Zheng Xiang's legitimate daughter, and Zheng Xiang had already spoken. If she didn't give him face, it wouldn't benefit her or Sima Han. After considering various thoughts, Yue Qingxin sighed and withdrew her hand.
"Enough. You should be grateful you have a good father," Yue Qingxin's words were blunt, but she had to admit, they were very true. With Zheng Caiying's temperament, if she didn't have a good father, she would have died countless times over. Hearing Yue Qingxin's words, Zheng Xiang's face turned somewhat unsightly, though it was fleeting. Zheng Caiying, on the other hand, hadn't paid any attention to what Yue Qingxin had said. Her entire focus at this moment was on the fact that she was alive and could continue to live well.
"You should go back," Zheng Fan said to the still shaken Zheng Caiying, walking over to her side. Zheng Caiying took out a handkerchief to wipe her mouth and then said, "I'm not going back."
"You..." Before Zheng Fan could say anything, Zheng Caiying interrupted him. "I promise I won't cause any more trouble. Brother, I will control my own mouth," Zheng Caiying said, looking at Zheng Fan. Faced with Zheng Caiying in this state, Zheng Fan naturally didn't believe she would change. However, if she refused to leave, he was helpless. He looked towards Zheng Xiang. To his surprise, Zheng Xiang didn't even spare him a glance and had already walked ahead with Yi Zhixie and the others. Zheng Fan could only sigh heavily and say to Zheng Caiying, "Take care of yourself. If there's a next time, even a good father might not be able to help you." With that, Zheng Fan strode to catch up.
Zheng Caiying lowered her head and pondered for a moment. After thinking of something, she finally took out a small white porcelain bottle from her sleeve, took some powder, sprinkled it on the corner of her lips, and then covered her face with a piece of gauze before following. The group ahead wasn't walking fast, and Zheng Caiying quickly caught up. Hearing the footsteps, those in front all turned to look. Upon seeing her, no one reacted and calmly turned away. Zheng Xiang and Yi Zhixie, along with Namu Zhong, walked at the forefront, followed by Sima Han and Yue Qingxin, then Shen Xiaoyan, Zheng Wei, and Lu Taobao, and finally Zheng Fan and Zheng Caiying. The remaining attendants and servants who had come with Zheng Xiang and the others followed at the very end. The group, about twenty people strong, was quite conspicuous as they walked through the crowd.
"May I ask where the Grand Tutor wishes to visit first?" Zheng Xiang asked Yi Zhixie with a smile.
"This Grand Tutor will naturally follow the host's lead," Yi Zhixie replied with a smile. Hearing this, Zheng Xiang was not flustered or troubled. Instead, he naturally led the group forward. "Since we wish to witness the prosperity of the capital over the years, naturally, we should first visit that cosmetic shop that Caiying mentioned." "Not only can the Grand Tutor's wife see if there's anything she likes, but the Fifth Prince's Consort can also pick out a few items." As Zheng Xiang said this, he led everyone towards the cosmetic shop. Before they even entered, they saw the iconic crystal glazed display window. Through the window, they could see pink cabinets and various wooden boxes with different packaging and styles inside.