Chapter 194: To Yangzhou

Finally, Yan Ning's grand wedding was set for the eighteenth of the eighth month.

This was an auspicious date, and by then, the Capital would no longer be so stiflingly hot.

Seeing that the date had been set, the ministers said nothing more.

Only Yan Ze sighed; his precious daughter was about to be married off... oh no, that was wrong, it was marrying Xiao Huaijin.

Whenever he thought about how his daughter might be pregnant and giving birth at eighteen, he felt somewhat restless.

Especially in ancient times, if things went wrong, it could mean two lives lost in one.

At this moment, Yan Ze discovered that his trading partner had refreshed again.

It seemed to be from the Modern Plane!

Yan Ze did not go to check immediately; instead, he dismissed the morning court, skipped the Imperial Study, and pulled Yan Ning toward the Qianqing Palace.

Yan Ning was a bit puzzled, "Father, what is the matter?"

Yan Ze whispered, "The trading partner has refreshed, it seems to be from the Modern Plane."

The two went to the Qianqing Palace, had the palace servants withdraw, and closed the doors and windows.

A moment later, Yan Ze's gaze became vacant.

The person on the other side introduced himself: "Hello, my name is Yu Ziyang, I come from Huaxia, the year 2100. May I ask what you need to trade?"

Yan Ze then said, "I want materials on Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and so on, as well as various academic papers."

The person on the other side agreed immediately, "If you need them, I can provide you with paper copies."

Yan Ze's eyes lit up: "If there are paper copies, that would be best, so we don't have to copy the books ourselves."

"However... do you have contraceptives on your side, the kind that are harmless to the body?"

Yu Ziyang said, "Yes, I can buy some for you as well."

Yan Ze asked, "What do you need?"

Yu Ziyang gave him a long list, on which various books were written.

Yu Ziyang said, "If you have the books on the list, please trouble yourself to make a copy for me... also, do you have any antiques? Judging by your attire, you should be able to provide some porcelain and ornaments?"

Yan Ze said, "Yes, we do. But apart from the items I just requested, I also need some daily necessities."

Yu Ziyang told him to go make a list.

While writing, Yan Ze also asked Yan Ning, "Do you see any other daily necessities we need?"

Yan Ning's sharp eyes spotted the contraceptives.

Yan Ze explained, "Let's wait until you are in your twenties to consider having children; you are still young now..."

Yan Ning nodded.

Afterward, Yan Ning and Yan Ze, the father and daughter, along with Xiao Huaijin and Yan Qing who had been pressed into service, searched for books in the Library Pavilion together.

And it must be said, they really found quite a few.

Yan Ning had people make copies of these books using Simplified Chinese Characters, to be sent over later along with some porcelain and ornaments.

From the beginning of the seventh month, preparations for Yan Ning's wedding had been underway.

Yan Ning was preparing to get married.

The Bureau of Imperial Attire had sent over the Phoenix Coronet and Rosy Cloud Cape early on.

However, unlike weddings among the common people, Yan Ning did not wear a red bridal veil, but instead went to offer toasts together with Xiao Huaijin directly.

After the toasts were finished, the two entered the bridal chamber together, and the officials and palace servants did not dare to tease the newlyweds.

Yan Ning was not very tired from this wedding banquet.

Two days later was the ceremony of opening the altar to worship the ancestors.

Once all the rituals were completed, Yan Ze said, "I am giving you a month's vacation; go wherever you want to go."

Yan Ning's eyes lit up, "I still want to go to Yangzhou."

Yan Ze brought her a small squad of elite guards, so there was no need to worry about safety issues while taking the Train.

Come to think of it, the Train had already opened two months ago, and it was said that the Train to Lingnan would be ready soon too.

That very day, Yan Ning went to Yangzhou with Xiao Huaijin.

They boarded the Steam Train during the day, slept in a sleeper berth, and arrived in Yangzhou the following afternoon.

What surprised Yan Ning a little was that the Train to Lingnan had already opened half a month ago.

Yan Ning thought about playing in Yangzhou for a few days, and then they could go to Lingnan afterward.

Xiao Huaijin pulled her to the market in Yangzhou, and as soon as they entered, they saw people selling lychees.

Yan Ning liked to eat them, so she hurried over to buy some.

Back when she was in Lingnan, Yan Ning had liked eating lychees and longans, and now there just happened to be some for sale.

It was just that the price was a bit expensive.

In Lingnan, fruit covered the mountains and plains; one could just pick them, and for the ones taken to town to sell, the prices were also very low.

But the lychees in Yangzhou actually cost five hundred wen per jin, which could be considered quite expensive.

However, even with such expensive lychees, there were still people buying them, and Yan Ning also hurriedly crowded in, lest the lychees be snatched up by others.

After Yan Ning bought the lychees and longans, Xiao Huaijin helped her carry them, and the two returned to the inn.

Xiao Huaijin peeled the lychees for her.

The sweet and sour sensation burst in her mouth; it was a bit tart, but the taste was delicious.

Yan Ning asked him, "Do you want to go anywhere to look around?"

Xiao Huaijin shook his head, "No, I will go wherever you go."

Yan Ning looked at the face in front of her that was excessively beautiful, and said with a smile, "Then let's go boating on Slender West Lake."

Xiao Huaijin nodded, "I see you are a bit carsick from the ride; why not rest for a while first, and later we can go out and take a look; I heard there are people performing plays."

Yan Ning nodded: "Then we shall go together when the time comes."

As she spoke, she washed her hands and lay down on the bed.

She felt a bit motion-sick from the train, so once Yan Ning lay on the bed, she fell asleep before long.

Xiao Huaijin, on the other hand, ate something and packed some for Yan Ning, so she wouldn't be hungry when she woke up.

In the evening, Yan Ning didn't wake up until around six o'clock.

After sleeping for a while, Yan Ning felt very refreshed.

After eating the steamed buns handed to her by Xiao Huaijin, the two of them went to Yangzhou together to take a look.

Yan Ning and Xiao Huaijin went to watch a play together, and after it finished, they went shopping and bought quite a few strange and curious trinkets.

The two of them wandered around here for two days; having seen the prosperity of Yangzhou, they wanted to go and see the towns and villages under its jurisdiction.

Yan Ning's arrival alarmed the Prefect of Yangzhou.

Upon hearing that the Crown Princess had arrived, the Prefect of Yangzhou hurried to the inn to try and find them.

Who would have thought that he would arrive to find it empty; they hadn't checked out, but there was no one inside.

The Prefect of Yangzhou asked around and only then learned that the two of them had already gone to the towns and villages below.

The Prefect of Yangzhou felt a bit panicked; the Crown Princess must have come for an unannounced inspection this time, otherwise why would she go to the countryside?

The Assistant Prefect beside him said to him: "Our towns and villages have also planted the high-yield seeds, and the commoners are prosperous, so presumably His Highness will not be able to find anything amiss."

The Prefect sighed, "It would be fine if the Crown Princess is in a good mood, but what if she is in a bad mood and deliberately looks for trouble? Have you forgotten the late Emperor..."

The Assistant Prefect also felt his scalp tingle; after all, he had also been to a brothel, even if it was only that one time, and he hadn't done anything.

The Prefect also felt quite distressed, "His Highness was just here two months ago, and now she has come again; she must be dissatisfied with me."

The Assistant Prefect asked: "Is there a possibility that the Crown Princess came to Yangzhou specifically for fun?"

The Prefect: "If she came for fun, why would she go to the towns and villages below?"

The two of them began to spiral into internal anxiety again.

Yan Ning was completely unaware, only feeling that the scenery in the countryside was indeed quite nice.

After playing for a few days, they finally returned to Yangzhou City.

The next day, the Prefect of Yangzhou came looking for them.

Yan Ning asked with a smile: "Is there something the matter?"

Prefect Xia asked cautiously: "Your Highness, this humble official has organized a banquet on a painted boat, wishing to host you and the Imperial Consort."