Chapter 106: Flower girl and bard

Morning.

Red Fox Castle.

Xia Mingyu slowly woke up from his dream, and saw the morning light shining on the quilt through the thin gauze curtains, warm and comfortable.

He silently lifted the quilt, came to the window gauze with his upper body naked, and opened the window, feeling the coolness of the wind gently brushing his face.

"A beautiful day starts from this moment." Xia Mingyu looked at the castle that was already busy below, and said softly.

After enjoying a sumptuous breakfast, he decided to accept Rosa's suggestion to go to Twilight City for a stroll and appreciate the style of this Southern Region gem.

He didn't choose to take the carriage with the Masha family crest, and Xia Mingyu left Red Fox Castle on foot with only Boge.

Twilight Street.

This is the most prosperous street in the entire Twilight City. The street is crowded with people, and the edges of the road are full of vendors shouting loudly.

Their stalls are full of dazzling goods, from fresh fruits, fragrant roasted meat, various snacks and desserts to exquisite handicrafts, etc.

And on both sides of the street, there are also shops with gorgeous decorations, jewelry stores, blacksmith shops, clothing stores... everything.

"It's really lively!"

Xia Mingyu wore a black top hat and looked at the scene in front of him with great interest.

Although he had the Spark hidden protection, he no longer needed to wear the Crown of the Humble.

But his name as a sage had more or less spread to Twilight City, so wearing a top hat to cover his black hair was not impossible.

"It seems that Lady Rosa has really managed this place very well!" Boge behind him also sighed.

On the way to the street, he had already scanned almost every passerby with his eagle eyes.

The residents of this city were not skinny and sallow, but each one had normal skin, and although their expressions could not be said to be glowing, they also carried a few smiles.

For Xia Mingyu, it was fine, this was just a scene seen everywhere in the Blue Star.

But for a teenager who grew up in a barren village like Boge, it was very shocking.

So it turns out that there are so many people in the world who don't have to worry about food all day, and can be happy enough to hang smiles on their faces all day.

"Lord, is your ideal to let everyone on the continent live a life like the residents of Twilight City?"

Boge asked in a low voice. Having been with His Highness for so long, he had also heard His Highness mention his ideal.

"Not enough, not enough." Xia Mingyu shook his head with a chuckle.

"I want more than this, and it's more distant. Words cannot describe it to you, but as long as you follow behind me, one day you will see it."

"My honor, Lord." The teenager knelt on one knee on the busy street, regardless of the strange looks of the passersby around him.

"Respected young master, would you like to buy a bunch of flowers for your lover? It only costs one copper coin."

Not long after walking, a flower girl holding a flower basket full of blooming flowers gathered her courage and stood in front of Xia Mingyu, asking carefully.

Lover... Xia Mingyu froze, and he looked at the girl who looked only eighteen or nineteen years old.

A head of supple chestnut long hair, tied up casually with a faded ribbon.

Her eyes were clear lake green, and there were faint freckles on her cheeks, revealing a sense of innocence and resilience.

She was slender, wearing a white-washed linen dress, with a few small wild flowers inserted on the hem of the skirt, which had a bit of beauty.

A self-reliant poor girl, but a bit cute, Xia Mingyu made a judgment in his heart silently.

"Sorry, I disturbed you."

Seeing that the young man didn't open his mouth for a long time, the flower girl smiled apologetically. She bowed slightly to the young man, then turned and prepared to look for the next customer.

"Wait." Xia Mingyu called out to the other party.

"Have you changed your mind?" The flower girl turned back immediately, her pretty face full of expectation.

"No, I'm not ready to buy flowers yet." Xia Mingyu shook his head, then looked at the girl's disappointed expression and continued:

"I lack a guide. You should be a local of Twilight City, right? Are you interested in being my guide to take me around Twilight City for a day?"

Guide?

The flower girl secretly looked at Xia Mingyu's appearance again.

Obviously expensive clothing, fair and smooth skin, hidden protection status, the young attendant following closely behind... It was clear at a glance that he was a rich young master!

"Respected young master, I am indeed a local of Twilight City, having lived here since I was a child. If you can hire me as your guide, it will be my honor!"

The girl's tone carried a hint of cheerfulness, and then she looked at Xia Mingyu with expectation.

"Sir, if you hire me as your guide, it only costs four copper coins a day." The flower girl said uneasily.

Her income from selling flowers a day was about five copper coins, but being a guide was undoubtedly much easier than selling flowers, and she could save flower bouquets, so it was reasonable to be cheaper.

"If you can allow me to sell flowers on the way to take you shopping, then I only need three copper coins." The flower girl added.

"A very reasonable price, then I will hire you."

Xia Mingyu smiled slightly, and tried hard to find four Copper Sols from the money bag full of silver coins, and handed them to the girl.

And the flower girl looked at the Copper Sols he handed over, but her expression was tangled, and she didn't take them for a long time.

"What, not enough?" Xia Mingyu frowned slightly, his expression revealing a hint of obvious displeasure.

Although this little money, even if multiplied by hundreds of times, was still a small number to him now, he hated the behavior of temporary price increases.

"No, no!" The flower girl waved her hands in a panic.

"Respected Sir, you have just arrived in Twilight City and don't know yet. The copper coins I mentioned are the currency specifically issued for commoner transactions in the city. It takes ten copper coins to exchange for one Copper Sol issued by the kingdom!"

"You only need to give me half a Copper Sol." The flower girl explained.

"... I can't spend money by mixing it in half."

After clearing up the misunderstanding, Xia Mingyu coughed twice, and the expression on his face became gentle again.

"Take it, count this bunch of flowers, and give you one Copper Sol in total."

Counting as compensation for scaring the girl just now, Xia Mingyu pulled a bunch of forget-me-nots from the flower basket and put them into the empty arrow quiver behind Boge.

Clearly, he didn't let him bring weapons when going out, but this kid muttered something about the cultivation of an archer, and still chose to carry the arrow quiver when going out, which happened to be used to put flowers.

Boge: "..."

"Thank you for your generosity, I will definitely do my best to take you to visit Twilight City!"

The flower girl took a Copper Sol from Xia Mingyu's palm and put it into her dress pocket. Her eyes narrowed slightly, like a curved moon, and anyone could feel her happiness at this moment.

"What is your name?"

"My name is Anna." The girl said obediently.

"May I ask if you have any places you want to visit, Sir?"

"Take me to find a delicious snack to taste."

Smelling the fragrance of food on the street, Xia Mingyu thought about it and said.

"Freshly baked wheat cakes, you must taste them when passing by!"

A middle-aged couple was selling freshly baked wheat cakes. Although there were no spices and jam sprinkled on the cakes, the golden crispy crust and the wheat fragrance just out of the oven were enough to make people can't help but be hooked.

"Anna, selling flowers is hard work, let me give you a wheat cake."

Seeing the chestnut-haired girl walking close, the middle-aged uncle smiled kindly, and then picked up a wheat cake from the pile of wheat cakes and handed it to the girl.

"No need, Uncle Mike. I've already eaten my breakfast very full. This time I'm here to take the guest who hired me as a guide to shop."

"This guest asked me to find him a delicious snack in Twilight City, and I think Uncle Mike's wheat cake is the most delicious snack in Twilight City!" Anna praised.

"Haha..." Hearing the girl's praise, Mike narrowed his eyes very comfortably.

But soon, he noticed the young man following the girl.

Extraordinary clothing and temperament, and the top of the head that does not show protection!

This is definitely a noble, and even among nobles, he can be called a noble.

Just for a moment, Mike's experience of living in Twilight City for decades made a judgment.

"Respected Sir, it is my supreme honor for you to visit my stall. You don't need to pay, just enjoy it."

Mike picked out the largest wheat cake from the pile of wheat cakes and presented it to Xia Mingyu with both hands respectfully.

Although in Twilight City, the status between nobles and commoners is not as arbitrary as in the territory, after all, all commoners are the property of the Masha family.

But there will never be any commoner who dares to despise nobles.

Xia Mingyu took this wheat cake, the crust was still slightly hot, he took a bite, and could feel the granular feeling and fragrance of the wheat grains while chewing, mixed with a slight sweetness and flour fragrance.

"It is indeed very delicious."

Xia Mingyu nodded slightly, expressing approval.

He put a Copper Sol on the stall and picked up another wheat cake and handed it to Boge, then left satisfied.

"Anna, it seems your guest is a rare kind-hearted noble!"

Looking at the Copper Sol on the stall board, Mike was sighing and reminding.

"Grasp the opportunity, maybe you can fascinate this noble brother."

"What are you talking about, Uncle Mike? How could that adult look at a flower girl like me."

Stepping on the middle-aged uncle, the girl followed angrily.

"... Even if it's just a maid, it's good. After all, there's not much time left for the grain tax exemption."

Looking at the girl's back, Mike whispered, but soon he shouted again with a smile.

Along the way, Anna took them through the various stalls on the street.

Surprisingly, every time they arrived at a stall, the vendors there would always greet Anna kindly and want to give something, or snacks, or fruits, or a small bracelet.

"How come everyone here knows you?" Boge asked the doubt in Xia Mingyu's heart.

"I grew up on this street since I was a child, and my parents died early, so it can be considered that everyone on the street raised me." Anna replied.

"And also, I heard from Uncle and the others that my parents were a pair of good people. When the famine was most severe, they clearly didn't have enough food for themselves, but they shared the food with everyone, and finally starved to death before Lord Crimson Fire requested the grain tax exemption."

Anna held her chin and thought for a while, then replied.

Starved to death after sharing their food with others during the famine, leaving behind a young daughter?

Xia Mingyu froze, feeling that something was wrong.

But looking at the brilliant smile on the girl's face, he still chose to shut his mouth, because it was fine like this now.

Afterward, Anna took them to visit various scenic spots in the city-state, and finally came to the city square in the center.

The afterglow of the setting sun shone on the clean white stone slabs, and there were towering stone pillars at the four corners.

The square was crowded with people. A bard with a white poet apprentice protection on his head was playing the lyre emotionally by the fountain. The melodious piano sound didn't attract anyone, but attracted a group of pigeons to steal his straw hat.

And in the center of the square, there stood a huge knight statue.

The statue was more than ten meters high, cast in bronze, and covered with a layer of deep green copper iron after the baptism of time, but it looked more solemn and majestic.

The knight was wearing armor, holding a long sword, and the tip of the sword pointed directly at the sky, as if guarding the peace of this city.

However, unlike the solemn expression on ordinary sculptures, the knight on this statue had a very sunny smile. 【106-

Under the statue, many people were praying devoutly below, either with their hands folded or offering a bunch of blooming violets.

"My lord, look, that is the sculpture of the greatest knight in the history of the Southern Region, the Crimson Fire!"

Anna pointed to the statue, her tone filled with some excitement.

"I know." Xia Mingyu nodded slightly, thinking to himself that that kid was someone I watched grow up, how could I not recognize what he looked like.

"My lord, can you allow me to leave for a moment and go under the statue of Lord Crimson Fire to say a prayer?" Anna asked carefully.

"Go ahead, go ahead."

Xia Mingyu waved his hand, and Anna put the flower basket on the ground, then pulled out a bunch of violets and ran toward the statue with a series of silver-bell-like laughter.

"Your Highness, can I also go and pay my respects to the Crimson Fire?" Boge requested.

"Lord Crimson Fire requested the king to waive the grain tax in the Southern Region, and my father and I also benefited from his blessing, so since I am lucky enough to see that lord's statue, I also want to go and pay my respects." He explained.

After getting Xia Mingyu's permission, Boge also walked toward the statue, not forgetting to pull a violet from the flower basket on the ground before leaving.

"Leo, if you saw everything you left behind in Twilight City today, would you be happy?"

Xia Mingyu looked at the smiling face of the statue above and muttered.

"*Sigh*..." At this moment, the minstrel who had lost his straw hat and hadn't made any money earlier passed by dejectedly.

Xia Mingyu, whose train of thought was interrupted, glared at the other party with dissatisfaction, then took out two copper Thors and handed them to the other party, saying:

"I don't like people sighing here, can you smile?"

The minstrel took the coins, his previous mournful face quickly turned into a brilliant smile, and he even wanted to sing a song for his benefactor, but was driven away by the impatient Xia Mingyu.

"Respected my lord, my name is Aide, I often play the lute and sing here, if you have any needs, please feel free to find me." Leaving this sentence behind, the poet hurried away.

A moment later, Anna and Boge, who had finished their prayers, returned to Xia Mingyu's side.

"My lord, may I ask if there are any other places you want to visit?" Anna asked softly.

"Take me to the best tavern in this city." Xia Mingyu looked up at the yellowing sky and said.

The best tavern in Twilight City is called "Nightingale Tavern."

It is a magnificent stone building, with an ancient and elegant exterior. A wooden sign hangs in front of the tavern, with a nightingale spreading its wings carved on it, and a small blue sapphire is embedded in the nightingale's eyes.

Anna brought Xia Mingyu and the others to the front of the tavern, but she stopped and hesitated to move forward.

"My lord, this tavern usually only entertains nobles, so I won't accompany you."

Anna looked down at the cloth shoes stained with dust on her feet, and said in a tone of some inferiority.

"It doesn't matter, you've been tired all day, let me treat you to a drink."

After saying that, Xia Mingyu walked straight toward the tavern, and the young girl stomped her feet and could only follow.

"Respected guest, I am Feike, the bartender of this tavern. I represent Nightingale Tavern in welcoming your arrival. Your brilliance undoubtedly makes our tavern shine."

The bartender at the door immediately greeted them respectfully after seeing Xia Mingyu.

Although Xia Mingyu did not show a noble blessing on his head, his eyesight from working in the tavern for many years was not practiced in vain; this young man wearing a black top hat was definitely a noble with extraordinary status.

Therefore, he would not care about such a small matter as showing a blessing.

But soon his smile froze, because he saw Anna, who was timidly following behind Xia Mingyu.

Cloth shoes, a dress washed white, a flower basket slung over her arm... No, no, Nightingale is a high-end tavern, how can such a vulgar guest be allowed to enter?

"Respected guest, our Nightingale's rules usually only allow nobles and their attendants to enter, this lady is afraid..." Feike said cautiously and embarrassedly.

Xia Mingyu glanced at him and silently took out the crest Rosa had given him before leaving Red Fox Castle, with a vivid fox head mark carved on it.

The moment he saw the crest, Feike's expression instantly became extremely terrified.

"You are Martha..."

"Shh!" Xia Mingyu made a gesture to keep quiet, and the poor bartender immediately covered his mouth tightly, not daring to make any sound.

"Please come in."

Feike bent his waist as low as possible and opened the tavern door with utmost respect to welcome Xia Mingyu and his party inside.

Rules? To hell with the rules; in Twilight City, only Martha is the biggest rule!

The interior of the tavern was spacious and bright, with crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, complicated patterns and murals carved on the outer walls, and a stone fireplace burning with raging flames.

The air was filled with a warm atmosphere mixed with alcohol, spices, and a bonfire.

And in front of wooden tables with leather sofas, sat many guests with noble blessings on their heads, but a glance around basically only saw white, not emerald green.

"Cheers!"

Xia Mingyu raised his glass filled with ale and clinked it with the glasses of Boge and Anna.

*Gulp, gulp, gulp. *

Just one glass of ale down, and Anna's complexion turned rosy at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"My lord, thank you, I never thought that an orphan girl who makes a living selling flowers could come to the most high-end tavern in the city to drink..." Anna stammered.

"It doesn't matter, I just feel that it's too boring for Boge and me, two big men, to drink." Xia Mingyu said frankly.

*Ding, ding, ding. *

Just at this moment, a beautiful melody suddenly sounded in the tavern.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound, and saw a silver-haired young man on the stage in the center of the tavern, playing the lyre in his hand with full concentration.

And on top of the young man's head, there was a line of emerald green text—Minstrel.

(End of chapter)