Chapter 203: Prince Jia

The monk handed them a bundle: "Change into this; running around the streets like this is very conspicuous."

Mu Yuanzhi opened the bundle and saw two sets of ordinary male clothing.

"Do I need to change too?" Qilin asked.

"Your outfit looks like you're from the Miao Region at a glance; you're even more conspicuous than the Princess."

"Really?" Qilin muttered, "I thought my clothes would be hard to tell apart in a crowd."

After saying that, he glanced at the monk: "You monk, aren't you conspicuous walking down the street?"

"The poor monk will go his separate way; this is the address, you go there yourselves and meet up later." The monk said, handing them a piece of paper, then left.

Mu Yuanzhi looked; it was a tavern.

After changing into the male clothing, they indeed were no longer so conspicuous.

"Senior... senior brother, you look so handsome dressed like that!" Qilin praised.

"You also look very handsome dressed like that, junior brother." Mu Yuanzhi saw Qilin in Central Plains attire for the first time; it suited him very well.

But wearing Miao Region clothing is still cuter.

"Am I really not conspicuous like this? I feel weird." Qilin turned around in place, always feeling something was off.

"Or you could go find a set of female clothing to wear?" Mu Yuanzhi teased.

"... That's not necessary." Qilin quickly waved his hands: "I'm fine like this!"

"Let's go, to the tavern."

Mu Yuanzhi and Qilin carefully weaved through streets and alleys; the patrolling guards on the street were no more than usual, she guessed those stationed outside the Pingnan Wangfu had not yet noticed they were missing.

However, there were still various informants on the street—the emperor's, others'—they still had to be very careful.

"Senior sister, why haven't we arrived yet? Where is this tavern?"

"In Heaven River Ward." Mu Yuanzhi said: "It's a hidden ward, harder to find."

Heaven River Ward is the most secluded of the many wards in Jingcheng; inside, dragons and snakes mingle, so meeting there is actually safe.

Mu Yuanzhi had only heard of it; she had never gone inside.

The further they walked toward Heaven River Ward, the sparser the population; everyone seemed to avoid that area as if fearing it.

Mu Yuanzhi was very vigilant, guarding against being followed.

Upon reaching Heaven River Ward, the three large clerical-script characters covered in moss were not clear unless examined closely.

Mu Yuanzhi glanced inside; Heaven River Ward gave off an atmosphere that one should not casually approach.

Just as they entered, they saw many beggars along the way, standing or sitting; upon seeing Mu Yuanzhi and Qilin, they stared without restraint.

It seemed like an unwelcoming gaze toward outsiders.

Qilin wanted to pull Mu Yuanzhi closer to his side; Mu Yuanzhi whispered a reminder: "We're two grown men now; pulling and tugging would be even stranger."

"Oh." Qilin only then realized.

He subtly kept an eye on those unfriendly beggars, guarding against them suddenly causing trouble.

The tavern's address lay deep within Heaven River Ward; they still had to go further.

They passed a gambling house; a gambling addict had been thrown out, clearly beaten badly.

"Next time, if you're broke and dare to come, I'll chop off your lackey's leg!"

After cursing, that person also glanced at Mu Yuanzhi and them, full of scrutinizing eyes.

Mu Yuanzhi felt changing into male clothing was indeed wise; Monk Yuan Yan had thought it through thoroughly.

"Have we arrived yet, senior brother?" Qilin asked.

How could this kind of place allow the senior sister to come? That stinky monk really!

"Almost there, it's right ahead."

In the blink of an eye, Qilin saw a tavern bearing the sign "Precious Blessing Wine House."

"Why not 'Fortune Precious'?"

The tavern had many people; its lively atmosphere was completely unlike outside, but even with many people, upon entering they still drew everyone's sideways glances—the previously bustling tavern instantly fell silent.

"I doubt everyone in this tavern are old acquaintances, right?" Qilin whispered to Mu Yuanzhi in a voice barely audible.

"Feels like it."

From the moment they entered Heaven River Ward, Mu Yuanzhi, who had been constantly stared at, had grown accustomed to it.

"Who are you two customers looking for?" a person in enforcer attire asked.

"Don't taverns usually ask how many? Yet they ask who you're looking for."

"Who should we say we're looking for? Could it be we're looking for Master Yuan Yan?"

Mu Yuanzhi's inquiring gaze fell on Qilin; Qilin also didn't know how to answer, the stinky monk hadn't said.

"They're here to find me."

A clear voice came from the second floor.

As the voice came down, the people on the first floor scrutinizing began to whisper.

The enforcer glanced at the second floor, his attitude softened considerably, and said to them: "Please follow me, both of you."

Mu Yuanzhi couldn't see who was on the second floor or what they looked like, but Qilin laughed and whispered in her ear: "Senior brother, I know who it is!"

"Who? Could it be that Prince Jia?"

She went up to the second floor with Qilin, doubtful; at the innermost table she saw a guest of extraordinary bearing sitting opposite them, wearing a cyan-white brocade robe, features superior and profound, face like a jade crown.

Mu Yuanzhi immediately recognized him; indeed it was Prince Jia, exactly like the portrait Qilin had shown her.

The enforcer led them there and left; only this table on the second floor was occupied.

Mu Yuanzhi thought Prince Jia, in Heaven River Ward... at least in this tavern, held considerable status.

Upon seeing Prince Jia, Qilin happily waved; Prince Jia also waved back at him.

This person actually doesn't put on airs.

Although Prince Jia is the emperor's brother, she has never met him.

Qilin: "Turns out it's the Prince waiting for us; I thought Yuan Yan wanted to find a secret place to talk."

After greeting him, he introduced his senior sister to Prince Jia: "This is my senior sister, Mu Yuanzhi!"

"Greetings, Prince." Mu Yuanzhi nodded politely.

"Miss Mu, greetings." Prince Jia did not correct Mu Yuanzhi's form of address.

He seems to understand that she dislikes being seen as a royal.

Perhaps it was what Qilin said, Mu Yuanzhi thought.

"I brewed this tea myself; I don't know if it suits your taste, Miss Mu." Prince Jia smiled as he poured tea for Mu Yuanzhi.

Qilin: "Why don't you call her Lady Gu?"

"Qilin!"

"Senior sister, don't be shy—is it because hardly anyone uses that title? Others either call you Princess or Consort of the Heir Apparent; indeed no one would call you Lady Gu."

Prince Jia couldn't help laughing: "Well, it's not impossible."

"Prince, don't listen to his nonsense; just call me Miss Mu." Mu Yuanzhi pushed the tea cup toward Qilin: "Drink your tea."

"All right, all right, all right." Qilin took a sip of tea, his eyes lighting up: "This is brewed with the spring water from Juechen Valley, right?!"

Prince Jia nodded: "Because we are receiving guests from Juechen Valley today, I specially used their spring water to brew the tea, hoping you both like it."

Guests from Juechen Valley?

Mu Yuanzhi still heard from others that she was categorized as a person from Juechen Valley.

She indeed prefers being considered a person from Juechen Valley or from the Grand General's manor—anything but someone from the palace.