Chapter 53: Maple Shadows Enter the City, A Fortuitous Encounter with a Grand Celebration

Sunlight, like fine golden gauze, gently cascaded over the ancient and mottled city walls.

At the city gate, crowds bustled like weaving threads; hurried travelers, loud-voiced peddlers, and laughing, playing children intertwined into a vibrant picture of mortal life.

"A-Du, we've finally arrived!" Xiaofeng and A-Du stepped side by side into the bustling city gate.

The prosperous and magnificent scenery inside the city unfolded before their eyes like a slowly unrolling scroll. Shops lined both sides of the street, and shop banners fluttered merrily in the gentle breeze, as if warmly beckoning to passing pedestrians.

Not far away, a crowd of people had gathered densely like ants, as if deeply drawn by some mysterious and invisible force.

In Xiaofeng's lively eyes, which flickered with the light of curiosity, a burning and intense flame of curiosity instantly ignited, resembling a brilliant shooting star streaking across the night sky. Her footsteps drifted involuntarily toward the direction of the crowd.

Like a nimble little fish, she maneuvered with difficulty through the densely packed, impassotble layers of people, finally managing to reach the front like a butterfly breaking out of its cocoon.

There, a large and striking notice was squarely posted on an ancient wall covered in the traces of time. In the crevices of the bricks around the wall, a few slender wild grasses swayed weakly in the gentle breeze, as if curiously peering at the contents of the notice.

The notice was densely packed with Central Plains characters resembling a colony of ants.

Filled with doubt, Xiaofeng furrowed her delicate brows and turned to look at a kind-faced, rustic-looking woman standing beside her. At that moment, the warm and bright sunlight fell precisely upon them like a spotlight on a stage, forming a bright and dazzling patch of light.

Xiaofeng tilted her head slightly, parted her rosy lips, and asked:

"What does it say on there?"

The woman raised her eyes, looked Xiaofeng over carefully, and then said in a soft voice:

"It says the Crown Princess has gone missing, and the Crown Prince has issued an official notice. Anyone who provides information about the Crown Princess will be rewarded with a hundred taels of gold; if someone finds the Crown Princess, the reward will be ten million taels of gold, along with countless cattle and sheep."

Upon hearing this, the corners of Xiaofeng’s mouth curved up slightly, and a proud yet playful smile bloomed like spring flowers across her delicate, flower-like face.

Placing her hands on her hips and puffing out her chest slightly, she spoke with a childlike playfulness and smugness:

"That's more like it. I should be worth this much. No! I am priceless!"

Her crisp, melodious voice, like silver bells, echoed lingeringly among the crowd, causing many people around to turn their heads, their eyes filled with astonishment and curiosity.

Xiaofeng, however, paid no attention to the gazes of others. Like a proud peacock, she swaggered all the way on her own. Under her merry steps, the bluestone pavement emitted a faint, rhythmic sound, and from time to time she hummed a few lines of an unknown yet cheerfully rhythmic little tune, the lively melody sounding like an agile spirit trying to break through the clamor and noise of the marketplace.

After a while, as if suddenly awakened to her memories by a gust of cool wind, Xiaofeng turned to A-Du and said:

"A-Du, let's go to the county office to find a place to stay. This journey has been exhausting, like a lonely boat drifting in wind and rain; it's time to find a good harbor to rest and anchor."

With that, the two walked steadily toward the county office.

The county office was located in a relatively quiet area at the center of the city, resembling a patch of pure land amidst the noisy mortal world.

Around it stood several towering old locust trees, their thick trunks requiring several people to embrace them, and their dense foliage acting like giant green umbrellas, casting large shadows on the ground and adding a touch of coolness and tranquility to the county office under the scorching sun.

At the entrance of the county office, guards stood tall and imposing. Stone lions beside them glared with wide-open eyes, like loyal guardians solemnly protecting this place of authority.

The moment Xiaofeng and A-Du approached, the guards cast sharp, arrow-like gazes of vigilance toward them.

Xiaofeng held her head high and moved with light steps. The innate, bone-deep noble temperament she possessed did not diminish in the slightest, even after a somewhat disheveled journey—much like a night-shining pearl covered in dust that could still not conceal its brilliant luster.

She walked straight up to the guards and said with a voice like an oriole: "I want to see your magistrate."

Seeing that Xiaofeng possessed an extraordinary bearing, the guards, despite some lingering doubts, dared not show the slightest negligence and hurried inside to report like a gust of wind.

Upon hearing the news, the county magistrate hurried over. The moment he laid eyes on Xiaofeng, a shock ran through his heart as if struck by lightning; the charm between her brows and the demeanor in her every gesture bore an uncanny resemblance to the legendary Crown Princess, just like the moon reflected in water, making it hard to tell the true from the false.

Daring not the slightest bit of carelessness, the magistrate quickly stepped forward and bowed respectfully:

"Unaware of the Crown Princess's honorable arrival, I failed to welcome you from afar. I beg the Crown Princess to forgive my offense." Xiaofeng nodded slightly in acknowledgment, her posture elegant and composed.

Following that, the magistrate hastily arranged for attendants to serve Xiaofeng as if facing a formidable enemy.

Xiaofeng was led into a room of exquisite and peerless decoration. Inside the room stood a carved wooden bed whose delicate engravings seemed to tell an ancient story; fine tables and chairs that appeared to be the painstaking crystallization of master artisans; and various precious ornaments that emitted a charming luster under the play of light.

The window of the room looked out upon a small courtyard, where a clear spring sparkled with shimmering silver under the sunlight, resembling a smooth mirror. The stones by the spring were covered in moss, as if draped in green velvet garments.

In no time, maidservants trooped in like colorful butterflies. Some carried steaming hot tea, the wisps of rising vapor diffusing in the light like clouds in a fairyland; others held exquisite pastries that exuded an enticing sweet fragrance, as if beckoning to one's taste buds; and still others carried brand-new garments.

Xiaofeng sat contentedly on a chair, watching the busy figures of the maidservants with a heart full of joy, as if floating on a dreamy cloud.

She casually picked up a piece of pastry and popped it into her mouth. The sweet flavor spread across the tip of her tongue like a sweet, warm current instantly sweeping through her entire body, causing her to narrow her eyes in pleasure and immerse herself in the marvelous taste.

A-Du stood to one side. Although she maintained her vigilance like a statue, seeing Xiaofeng so happy made her heart melt like thawing ice and feel somewhat relieved.

Xiaofeng turned to A-Du and said, "A-Du, you should sit down and eat something too. This journey has completely worn us out, and now we can finally enjoy ourselves properly."

A-Du gently shook her head to indicate that she still needed to maintain guard, her resolute gaze conveying steadfast loyalty and protection toward Xiaofeng.

Xiaofeng smiled helplessly, seemingly long accustomed to A-Du's persistence, and continued to savor the pastry by herself, looking utterly adorable.

After finishing the pastries, Xiaofeng stood up and paced around the room, the hem of her skirt swaying gently like waves.

She walked over to the window, extended a hand as delicate as mutton-fat jade to push it open, and a fresh, faintly chilling air rushed toward her, mingling with the fragrance of flowers from the courtyard like a feast of scents.

Outside the window was a small courtyard filled with various flowers and plants, their colorful blossoms swaying gently in the breeze like fairies dancing gracefully.

Xiaofeng took a deep breath, savoring this hard-earned peace and comfort, as if her soul had undergone a gentle baptism.

Night fell, and a curtain like ink enveloped the county office. Moonlight spilled like water over the tiled roof of the county office, casting a cold and bluish radiance that draped the building in a thin veil.

Xiaofeng lay on the soft bed, gazing at the exquisite carvings on the canopy above, while her thoughts drifted far away like a wild horse unbridled.

She thought of the moments spent together with Li Chengyin—the past laughter and tears, sweetness and pain, all of which had now transformed into complex and tangled emotions in her heart, winding through her like a ball of tangled yarn.

She did not know where the future between her and Li Chengyin would lead, feeling as though she were lost in a vast fog. Yet at this moment, she only wanted to rest well and temporarily forget those vexations and sorrows, like an injured bird hiding in its nest to seek a fleeting moment of peace.

The next morning, golden sunlight like a mischievous child spilled across Xiaofeng's face through the window, its golden rays outlining her contours with exceptional softness, as if crowning her with a sacred halo.

She slowly opened her eyes like a sleeping beauty awakening, stretched lazily, and possessed an indolent charm all her own.

The maidservants had already been waiting outside the door. Seeing that Xiaofeng was awake, they filed in smoothly like flowing clouds, carrying washing utilities.

Once she had freshened up, Xiaofeng put on the luxurious attire prepared for her by the magistrate. The vibrant and brilliantly embroidered garments made her look even more stunningly beautiful, resembling a fairy descending from the heavens who eclipsed everything around her.

Xiaofeng stepped out of the room and into the courtyard. The magistrate had already been waiting anxiously like an ant on a hot pan; seeing her emerge, he hurriedly stepped forward to pay his respects and asked if she had any other requests, his posture humble and deferential. Xiaofeng thought for a moment and said:

"I'd like to take a walk around the city. Arrange for a few people to follow us."

The magistrate nodded repeatedly in agreement, then instructed his subordinates to make proper preparations as if receiving an imperial decree.

Surrounded by an entourage, Xiaofeng stepped out of the county office like the moon surrounded by stars and entered the bustling marketplace.

The market was lined with all kinds of goods: exquisite handicrafts such as wood carvings whose every knife stroke seemed etched into the texture of time; embroideries where the embroiderer's emotions were threaded through needles, gleaming with a unique and charming luster under the sun; fresh vegetables and fruits with vibrant, mouth-watering colors that still bore the morning dew, as if newly plucked from an ethereal orchard and garden; and aromatic delicacies.

Like a cheerful little bird, Xiaofeng flitted freely through the crowd, full of curiosity toward every novel thing, her eyes sparkling with the light of exploring the unknown.

At one moment, she picked up an exquisite sachet whose delicate and smooth silk threads felt like a lover's gentle caress, studying it intently as if deciphering an ancient love poem; at another, she was drawn to street acrobats and stopped to watch, while the cheers of the surrounding spectators rose one after another like surging waves.

A-Du followed closely behind Xiaofeng like a shadow, constantly keeping an eye on the surrounding movements to ensure her safety, her focused expression resembling that of someone guarding the most precious treasure in the world.

After walking for a long time, Xiaofeng grew somewhat tired and, as light as a feather, found a teahouse to sit down and rest.

People came and went in the teahouse, making it very lively. The tables and chairs were arranged somewhat haphazardly, tea leaves were scattered on the floor, and the air was filled with a rich aroma of tea.

Sitting by the window, Xiaofeng sipped her tea while the tea fragrance lingered between her lips and teeth, listening to the casual chatter of the people around her. Hearing them discuss the disappearance of the Crown Princess, she couldn't help but find it somewhat amusing, as if listening to an absurd joke.

She thought to herself, "How could they ever imagine that the Crown Princess is right before their eyes?"

Just at that moment, a familiar figure appeared at the doorway of the teahouse like a phantom.

Xiaofeng looked closely and saw, to her astonishment, that it was Li Chengyin. Fatigue and anxiety were visible in Li Chengyin's eyes; his clothes were somewhat disheveled and his hair slightly loose, as if he had been traveling through wind and rain for a long time.