Chapter 172 [A Fait accompli]

Streets of Kyoto.

It was a rare occasion for Li Chengqian to go on a secret tour.

He came to the world of Joy of Life, but rarely stepped out of the high walls of the palace.

Every time he left the palace, it was to attend to important matters, and he had never truly experienced the customs and culture of Kyoto.

Now that I’m married, I can finally take a break from my busy life.

Haitang Duoduo followed beside her.

The way she walked was a little uncomfortable.

"How does Qing compare to Northern Qi?" Li Chengqian asked.

"Each one is different." Haitang Duoduo bought a string of candied haws on the roadside, put it in her mouth and chewed it, her cheeks bulging.

At this moment, she no longer had the temperament and aura of a saint, and looked more like an ordinary secular person.

"This young man is truly extraordinary."

When Li Chengqian and Haitang Duoduo turned around, they saw a man holding a folding fan and smiling at them.

"My name is He Zongwei, how about we make friends?
It seems like you two are new to Kyoto, how about I take you around Kyoto?"

He Zongwei?
Take the initiative to be a pioneer?

"No need."

Li Chengqian said something and turned away with Haitang Duoduo.

Behind him, He Zongwei gently wiped the sweat from his forehead and sighed deeply.

"What a pity to waste such a good opportunity." He whispered and turned away.

"Actually, he knows you, but he's just pretending not to know you."

After walking for a distance, Haitang Duoduo suddenly said.

Li Chengqian smiled but didn't say anything.

Of course he also remembered He Zongwei.

And it didn't feel very good to him.

This person may have some talent, but it is very limited, and he has a lot of little ideas.

But it was not used in the right way.

Now that the diplomatic mission to Northern Qi is imminent, Li Chengqian takes Haitang Duoduo out of the palace for a tour, so that she can see the grand occasion of Qing Kingdom.

Kyoto is a prosperous city with numerous buildings.

Wine shops, tea houses and ancient pagodas complement each other, the streets are bustling with people and the cries of vendors can be heard one after another.

In the market, the dazzling array of goods is dizzying, from gold, silver, jewelry to silk fabrics, all of which show the wealth of the capital.

In teahouses and taverns, scholars and writers gather to recite poems, compose couplets and discuss world affairs.

As night falls, the lights come on brightly, the theater is filled with the sounds of opera, dragon and lion dances, and the place is bustling with activity.

The two of them strolled around for a day, ate delicious food and enjoyed the beautiful scenery.

In the evening, they arrived at Zuixianju.

At night, the most lively place in Kyoto is probably the banks of the Liujing River.

"Why did you bring me here?" Haitang Duoduo looked at Li Chengqian suspiciously.

After all, who would take his wife to a place like a brothel to fool around?

Even if you want to go, you must go secretly.

"Of course I'll take you to meet someone I know." Li Chengqian deliberately kept the secret.

"acquaintance?"

For a moment, Haitang Duoduo really couldn't remember if she had any acquaintances in the important capital of Qing Kingdom.

As they were talking, they saw a woman running towards them in a panic.

In the narrow alley, the woman's footsteps were hurried and chaotic, and her heartbeat was as intense as a drum.

She was wearing a simple cloth skirt that had several obvious signs of being torn.

It looked like it was torn violently. Her long hair was disheveled as she ran, with a few strands of hair sticking to her sweaty forehead, and her eyes were filled with fear.

Behind him, several burly men were chasing him closely, with fierce and greedy expressions on their faces.

Their footsteps were heavy and powerful, and every step seemed to leave deep marks on the ground.

Their breathing was getting closer and closer, like the whispers of death, which made the woman's fear reach the extreme.

The woman suddenly tripped, lost her balance and fell heavily to the ground.

Her knees and palms were scratched by the rough ground, and the pain made her tears flow uncontrollably.

She struggled to stand up, but fear and pain slowed her movements.

The footsteps of the big men were getting closer and closer, and the woman felt unprecedented despair.

She knew she might not be able to escape, but her survival instinct drove her to continue struggling.

She used all her strength to try to stand up, but every attempt ended in failure.

Just then, she heard a sharp whistle, followed by a chaotic sound of footsteps.

She looked up and saw several figures rushing towards her from the other end of the alley.

It was soldiers on patrol who spotted the chase.

A glimmer of hope surged in the woman's heart, she knew she might still have a chance.

The big men saw the soldiers, but did not stop immediately. They looked at each other and continued to move forward.

After seeing the few people, the patrolling soldiers hesitated for a moment and then turned around and left, disappearing into the night.

The woman who saw this scene lay on the ground, gasping for breath, feeling a despair she had never felt before.

Her skirt was torn to pieces, but she knew it didn't matter anymore.

Once she was caught, she would surely be faced with a hellish torture worse than death.

"Still want to run?" One of the big men snorted coldly and stepped forward to grab the woman's collar and drag her away.

"Tonight, you belong to us brothers. If you serve us well, we might even spare your life. Hahahaha..."

Five or six big men with their sleeves rolled up burst into laughter.

The playfulness in those eyes was not concealed at all.

"and many more."

Haitang Duoduo's voice interrupted the arrogant laughter of several people, and their eyes all looked over here.

The big men were not brainless people. Judging from the way they were dressed, one could tell that they had some background.

"This is our Zuixianju's business, please don't meddle in it."

One of the big men reminded "kindly".

"Why are you bullying a woman like this? What did she do wrong?"

Haitang Duoduo glanced at the poor woman lying on the ground covered in wounds.

"Bullying? Her indenture originally belonged to our Zuixianju. Now she wants to escape. We are just following orders to capture her."

Hearing this, Haitang Duoduo frowned slightly. It was indeed not easy to interfere in such matters.

"It's not like that. I was selected by the Tutu Army and was notified today to go and report. However, they wouldn't let me go." The woman hurriedly explained herself.

Hearing this, Haitang Duoduo glanced at Fan beside her.

Li Chengqian also frowned slightly, "Slaughtering the people? Since we have the military order, do you still dare to stop us?"

Five or six big men subconsciously shrank their necks, seeming to be somewhat averse to this.

"Stinky woman, stop talking nonsense here!"

After saying that, he was about to kick the woman in the abdomen.

But he was knocked away by Haitang Duoduo with one move.

Now that the wedding has taken place and the matter has been settled, Li Chengqian naturally restored Haitang Duoduo's martial arts skills.

"I advise you not to interfere in the affairs of Zuixianju. Do you know who is the boss behind Zuixianju?"

After hearing this, Haitang Duoduo immediately said:
"Oh, I want to know, how powerful are you, Zuixianju, that you dare to disobey the military order of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?"

(End of this chapter)