High-class Spring Joy

"We've finally come to such a wonderful place, Your Highness, would you like to go out and take a look?"

"Of course, Fifth Brother is thinking of going out. Although it's a bit cold in such a nice place, the local customs and culture must be very different from Bianjing City. Since we've come all this way, we should take a good look around and not let Father down. We want to let you and your brother experience the local customs and culture and understand the hardships of the people."

The Third Prince and the Fifth Prince were talking, and it was unclear whether they had arranged to go out together or if they had met unexpectedly. All that was known was that as they were talking, their eyes turned towards the door and they bumped into Princess Jing'an and Qinghe, who were about to go out.

Because of this, the most tired from the long journey were not the masters, but the maids and eunuchs. The servants were already exhausted. Princess Jing'an was always a very understanding master, so this time she only summoned Qinghe and told the maids and eunuchs to get a good rest.

Surprisingly, neither the Third Prince nor the Fifth Prince brought any attendants. The sudden encounter of the four was quite unexpected. Their first thought was to bow to the two princes, but Princess Jing'an immediately helped Qinghe up.

When he felt the warmth on his hands, Qinghe realized that he was no longer the little maid in the palace who would immediately think of anyone he saw. If he were to bow to the two princes now, such a grand gesture would be beneath the dignity of the Northern Frontier Kingdom. Therefore, Princess Jing'an helped him up in time, and Qinghe stopped in time as well.

Princess Jing'an smiled, looking at her two imperial brothers with obvious delight: "Are you two imperial brothers also planning to go out of the city for some fun? I've only just heard that although this northern town is rather small, it does have a few decent restaurants. Would you two like to try them out?"

The Third Prince was notorious for his straightforward and arrogant ways, and his lack of concern for details. Everyone in the court knew this, and his thoughts were always written on his face: "Being a playboy is natural. I've heard that although this place is small, the beauties here are quite different from those in Bianjing. They have a unique charm. I saw them yesterday when I entered the city. They are tall and slender, quite different from the water-like girls in Bianjing. Of course, I, your royal brother, have to go and see them. I can't have come all this way for nothing."

The Fifth Prince immediately picked up the conversation, speaking in a slightly gentler and more tactful manner than the Third Prince, and his words were even more pleasing:

"My dear sister is indeed wise. She said that although we are princes, it is not easy for us to have such an opportunity, especially coming from a small northern town. We may not be able to come here many times in our lives. Since we are here and have the time, we should naturally take a good look around. Isn't that exactly what my dear sister wants to do? You are dressed so beautifully. It must have taken a lot of time. Even I am amazed when I see you. How much more so for a small northern town. If you go out like this, I'm afraid you will charm many of the unsophisticated men in this northern town."

The Fifth Prince always spoke with a smile, giving him an air of friendliness, but the Third Prince, who was standing nearby, was displeased with what he had just said:

"You're good at saying such nice things to amuse the princess. It's really pointless to come out with someone like you. You're making such a fool of me. I'm afraid the two young ladies will think I'm some kind of vulgar person."

The Third Prince spoke directly, glancing at the Fifth Prince beside him; his expression didn't seem particularly friendly.

The Fifth Prince smiled, looking refined and scholarly. "Third Brother, what are you saying? We were both born into the royal family, and the education we received, the food, clothing, and the rights we enjoyed are all obvious to everyone. There's not as big a difference as Huang Shuang makes it out to be. It's just that there are girls watching offline, so you care a little more. Actually, there's not much difference. Perhaps it's because Princess Minglong is here today that you care so much. Usually, when you joke around with me, I don't see you caring at all."

The Fifth Prince was indeed not very direct in his speech; he gently and tactfully steered the conversation toward Qinghe.

After these words were spoken, the gazes of both the Fifth Prince and the Third Prince naturally fell upon Qinghe. The Third Prince's gaze had already been on Qinghe from the beginning, and Qinghe could only feel a slight discomfort and pressure.

As soon as she finished speaking, the Fifth Prince naturally turned his gaze to Qinghe. Qinghe had an inexplicable feeling, as if she was being watched by something.

But it was only in that instant.

Qinghe looked up at the Fifth Prince beside her with some uncertainty. Their eyes met in the air, but his gaze seemed quite ordinary, carrying a gentle and distant quality, quite different from the Third Prince's gaze.

It was as if the chilling feeling of being watched by a wild beast that Qinghe had just experienced was merely a momentary illusion.

It was obvious at a glance who these two princes were after.

Even if Qinghe didn't think much, she had more or less figured it out by now. Not to mention Princess Jing'an, who had grown up in the palace, how could she not have noticed?

Princess Jing'an, standing nearby, chuckled upon hearing this, "I say, aren't you two being a little too obvious, my brothers? Usually, when I want to go out and play, I've never seen you two so enthusiastically offering to accompany me, with all the eating, drinking, and entertainment, and constantly trying to make me happy. But today, it seems like the sun has risen in the west for you two! Judging from what you've said, it all seems to be for Princess Mingrong?"

Princess Jing'an spoke very directly, showing no mercy to the two princes: "Originally, I asked you two princes to keep me company and help me relax, but you always said you had important business to attend to or were too busy. Now that there's another princess, you two are so eager to please me. Do you even care about your own sister? I was always very kind to you two. Whenever you said you were busy with important matters, I never forced or pestered you to keep me company. But now, I'm really a little sad."

As she spoke, Princess Jing'an clutched the handkerchief in her hand, feigning sadness as she covered her face, appearing genuinely heartbroken.

"My dear imperial sister, my dear imperial sister, what are you saying? As your elder brothers, we would naturally be happy to play with you. Our imperial sister is so outstanding, a model of a noble lady, clever and sensible, and is the most beloved by Father and her brothers. How could we not be happy to play with you? It's just that we were truly busy before, and we brothers always had to share Father's burdens. Father is getting old now, working hard every day for the sake of the country and its people. As sons, we naturally have to share Father's worries. My imperial sister is the most understanding and sensible, and surely she can understand our good intentions and empathize with our difficulties. Now that we have some free time, we brothers have come to accompany you on your outing. Besides, I'm sure you're already tired of the scenery and things in Bianjing City. Now that we've come to this small northern city, it's a different kind of sight. Aren't you curious, imperial sister?"

The Third Prince, standing beside him, also offered an explanation with a wave of his hand, but his tone was completely different from that of the Fifth Prince: "It was my fault before, I truly neglected you, my sister. Today, whatever you want, buy it for me, put it all on my tab. Would that appease you?"

"Third brother is sincere, but fifth brother always knows how to say pretty words to make girls happy. I don't know how many girls he has flattered. His mouth is as sweet as honey, which makes me not dare to believe him. I wonder how many girls he has said such words to."

Qinghe, listening from the side, somewhat understood what Princess Jing'an meant. Firstly, the Fifth Prince had a reputation for being a womanizer, although he wasn't as unrestrained as the Third Prince. It was obvious that one was the most sweet-talking, while the other was very direct.

Princess Jing'an is pointing out the differences between the two people to Qinghe, their characteristics, and their problems.

Qinghe felt a little grateful, after all, the two princes in front of her were Princess Jing'an's brothers, along with Qingyuan's brother. However, in this situation, Princess Jing'an still chose not to give face to the two brothers and helped Qinghe instead.

In terms of personal relationships, even if Princess Jing'an were to speak up for the two princes, Qinghe would understand perfectly well.

What's most precious is this moment, when Princess Jing'an protects Qinghe, which warms Qinghe's heart.

The Fifth Prince was somewhat embarrassed by Princess Jing'an's words, but he quickly recovered and smiled, saying:

"My dear sister, your words have truly saddened your brother. No matter how many girls are outside, none can compare to you. Why should I feel jealous of them? Besides, the situation isn't as you describe. Perhaps someone is gossiping behind your back, causing you to misunderstand me. Those girls are pitiful. I've always been the one who can't bear to see people suffer, and I've only helped them a couple of times. Moreover, Father has always taught us that since we enjoy rights and status that ordinary people don't, we should naturally consider the people in everything we do. Those girls, though they are girls, are still ordinary people. As long as they are any citizen of Bianjing or Song Kingdom, I have an obligation, a duty, to help them. If I don't even have this much responsibility, wouldn't I be failing Father's teachings, wouldn't I be bringing shame upon you, and how could I be worthy of being your brother?"

After saying this, the Fifth Prince's gaze inadvertently fell on Qinghe beside him, his eyes sweeping across Qinghe's face.

For some reason, Qinghe felt a chill in her heart.

The Fifth Prince seemed to be observing her expression. Qinghe suppressed the urge to frown. Princess Jing'an, hidden under her sleeve and concealed by the fabric, gently squeezed Qinghe's hand.

Princess Jing'an silently supported Qinghe.

It was not appropriate for Qinghe to speak in this situation, and she wisely refrained from speaking.

It was between siblings, and Qinghe was an outsider, not to mention a newly appointed princess from another country.

Princess Jing'an had no intention of giving her two imperial brothers any face. Although the siblings had always been amicable, she, as the imperial sister, knew very well what kind of people these two imperial brothers were.

The Third Prince was notorious for his arrogance and lack of critical thinking. He was incompetent in both literary and military arts, barely literate, and hated reading. He was uneducated and could not offer any profound insights. His thoughts were always on his face, and his emotions were readily apparent. Ironically, such a person was also ambitious, and his ambition was written all over his face, making him the easiest person to read. To put it nicely, he was straightforward and unpretentious; to put it bluntly, he was just a brute and a good-for-nothing.

Her fifth brother was the complete opposite of her third brother. He always had a smile on his face, even the corners of his eyes would smile when he spoke to people. He was good at using his smile to cover up many things. He was also very good at speaking. It was possible that he would later find out that this person was not Han Xu. He was very smart, but such a person hid himself too well, always hiding himself behind that smile. It was unknown whether he really had murderous intent or was just smiling. And smiles and murderous intent are two extreme things.

Such a person smiles, but you never know what they're thinking. One second they might be smiling and talking to someone, and the next they might be smiling while stabbing someone in the back. They are unpredictable, and all their emotions are hidden behind a smiling face.

Actually, compared to her two elder brothers, even though the third brother was arrogant and domineering, he never showed his emotions. If we're being honest, Princess Jing'an would actually prefer to deal with the third brother. The fifth brother was too cunning, as were the other two.

But it's just a choice between these two imperial brothers. You only choose one if you have to make a choice. If you choose both, then you can choose neither of them, and neither of them can be considered a good person.

"Alright, alright, my two elder brothers, you are men, big and burly, how could you understand the thoughts of a young lady? Wouldn't it be troublesome for us young ladies to go out and play with men? If there is anywhere you two brothers want to see, you can go there yourselves. Since you two brothers have the honor of accompanying your younger sister to play at night, then please be generous. It is your freedom to go and play on your own. But since you two elder brothers have this intention, I naturally cannot refuse you. I will accept this favor. When we return, we will have someone send the bill to you two elder brothers, and please settle it all at once."

After saying this, Princess Jing'an didn't give the two princes a chance to speak again, and ran away with Qinghe.

This small northern city occasionally sees snowflakes, and its climate is much better than that of Mohan City. Although it is still considered a cold winter compared to Bianjing City, these travelers from afar had probably never seen such heavy snowfall before.

Snowflakes, shaped like goose feathers, drift lightly down from the sky, seemingly lighter than a feather, yet they still manage to land on the ground, contributing their own touch of white to the vast expanse of snow.

Mohan City is also covered in ice and snow, but it is mostly ice. When you walk on the ground, there is only a layer of snow on top, while the bottom layer is mostly ice of unknown depth.

The northern town is different. Although the ground in the northern town is covered with ice and snow, the layer beneath the snow is solid soil. The soil is black and even has a hint of purple, so it must be extremely fertile and very suitable for growing crops.

Although this small northern town is often covered in ice and snow, the people nurtured by this land are surprisingly warm-hearted, as warm as fire.

The small town, covered in ice and snow, has nurtured a people as passionate as fire.

It's actually quite an interesting thing.

This northern town wasn't too small, but it wasn't too big either. When Qinghe and the princess came out, they didn't bring any attendants or drive a carriage. The two of them changed into the everyday clothes worn by the local people and mingled among the crowd.

Qinghe felt that everything around her was new and exciting. Even the trinkets and snacks sold on the streets were different from those in Bianjing City. Princess Jing'an next to her felt a sense of relaxation.

At this point, she no longer needed to be a princess or a princess with a princess-like air; she could simply be a little girl strolling and playing with her handkerchief.

The passersby included men, women, and children, and everyone spoke directly and frankly.

Some vendors had attracted a large number of people, and naturally, the noise and chatter came over. At this time, Qinghe and Princess Jing'an did not find it noisy, but rather lively and full of human warmth, just like when it was New Year's or lantern festival in Bianjing.

Perhaps it was because Mohan City was too cold and too desolate, like a cruel and silent city in the snow and ice, driving away countless people while he himself stayed behind on the northernmost frontier, protecting countless people behind him.

Qinghe and Princess Jing'an were quickly infected by the lively and noisy atmosphere around them, and the two of them strolled around hand in hand.

"Guoguo, look! This jewelry looks different from what you see in Bianjing and Chengdu. I've never seen these patterns before. Hey, what kind of patterns are these? I've really never seen them before!"

Princess Jing'an immediately took a liking to the jewelry on the stall, picked up the one that interested her the most, placed it in front of the two of them, and asked the stall owner about it.

"Oh my, young lady, you must be from out of town, right?"

The stall owner, seeing two well-dressed and pretty young women approaching, clearly knew his business was about to begin, and smiled very enthusiastically.

"How did you figure that out?"

Princess Jing'an thought for a moment, then looked at Qinghe: "Could it be because of my accent?"

Qinghe smiled and said, "I didn't detect any accent."

Even if she has an accent, it's the accent from Bianjing City. Qinghe grew up in Bianjing City and has lived there for so long. If Princess Jing'an has an accent, then Qinghe must have one too. How could someone with an accent tell you what accent you have?

The stall owner smiled and explained, "The two young ladies don't have much of an accent. Although our place is a bit small and has fewer people, due to the climate and geography, some plants can only grow here. You can only see plants here that outsiders haven't seen before. For example, the hairpin you're holding—the flowers on it can't grow anywhere else. Everyone in our small town, from 70-year-old grandpas to three-year-old children, recognizes this flower. Since the two young ladies don't recognize it, then you must be from out of town."

Hearing the boss say this, Qinghe and Princess Jing'an exchanged a glance, both seeing the interest in each other's eyes and their curiosity piqued.