Su Rong truly wanted to hide her head somewhere and not stand beside Hui Lan.
However, what her friend did was simply smile teasingly at her. This girl! She was already a married woman ah. How could she be acting like this?
Su Rong could not bear to think what Hui Lan's parents would think of her. No matter how shy she was feeling, she was also worried for this friend's safety and quickly pulled Hui Lan away from the eyes of the Head Royal Guard into the crowd of people.
Eventually, both ladies were blended among the crowd and were no longer into anyone else's range of sight.
Outside the palace, Su Rong was also the one to take Hui Lan around. She held Hui Lan's hand tightly and took Hui Lan to many different twists and turns. All Hui Lan did was simply enjoy the historical view that she was seeing. At last, after one last turn, they finally arrived at a traditional warehouse that looked like it stored different kinds of rice and barley.
Everyone that was working at the warehouse simply took one look at the two ladies and then went back to their own work. They did not bother with the two ladies and completely ignored them as if they were not there. Everyone was minding their own business and were doing their work despite having a guest to their warehouse.
Meanwhile, Su Rong simply walked straight inside the warehouse and took Hui Lan along with her as if she was the owner of the place. She walked carefreely inside and brought Hui Lan to the deepest part of the warehouse.
In the last storeroom, it was a spacious room which consisted of chairs and tables. No signs of crops being stored here, but it looked more like a resting place and a working office at the same time. There was also a stove in the middle of the room for cooking and warming up the entire warehouse.
After seeing Su Rong walking in, an elderly man got up from his seats and quickly came up to greet her, "Su Gu Niang is here."
"En. Lao Po have you got what Su Jou asked for?" Su Rong treated the old man as if he was her own uncle.
"Yes, Gu Niang. This old man has prepared everything young master Su had asked for yesterday."
Su Rong revealed a wide smile and nodded. The old man then went to retrieve a bundle of cloth and on top of the bundle were two black hats stacked together.
Hui Lan watched with her arms crossed leisurely on the sideline as Su Rong handled everything in front of her, "What's this place?"
Su Rong turned around and happily replied, "One of the Su family businesses, why?"
"Your what?" Hui Lan released her arms and stood up properly.
To that, Su Rong smiled even wider, "Well, you know, just going around here and there before I entered the palace with you."
Before Hui Lan could speak more, the old man was already back, "Here you are Su Gu Niang."
Su Rong turned around and took the bundle from Lao Po, "Always on time, many thanks Lao Po. I'll leave for now."
"Yes, Gu Niang. May Gu Niang stay safe." Lao Po sent his farewells to the young lady and went back to his table that was full of papers.
Meanwhile, Hui Lan was slightly speechless. It was just that she could not comprehend such a possibility. Moreover, this girl, instead of flying freely in this world, chose to stay behind with her friend in the palace. Such...
Su Rong turned back to see a slightly stupefied Hui Lan and shook her head slightly, "What is there to be surprised of ah? Uncle Feng and Aunt Feng had taken over my parents' business since they passed away and when we grew over, both passed on the business to us happily. However, Su Jou was never that interested in these things, so I had to take over it, but most of the work is done by Lao Po, so I have the rest of my time to take care of your butt ah!"
Hui Lan was deeply touched and so must have Empress Feng if she were here.
Seeing Hui Lan's sparkly eyes, Su Rong could not help but shake her head and handled the bundle in front of her friend, "We don't have all the time ah. The palace gates will close at sunset. Here's what you asked for."
Hui Lan looked down at the bundle and took it from Su Rong's hands. Slowly, she opened the bundle and could see clean robes within the bundle. She looked up at Su Rong with a cheeky smile on her funny face, "Very well."
After some time, the young ladies in light purple dresses had yet to come out from the warehouse, instead, two young masters walked out from the warehouse. Both young masters were in dark tone robes which gave a sense of mystery to their demeanours; one in a blueish-grey and the other in light grey.
They both walked out with great upbearing as if they were from a wealthy family. Nevertheless, both had a clean looking face, but both of them had much softer features on their faces. If they were to dress as women, they would definitely pass as one.
However, the two masters were not the first two masters to have such beautiful features, so no one was sceptical or would have thought that there was a possibility that both were girls.
The two young masters came out of the warehouse and walked along the road silently towards the main streets. Once they were out from the small road that they had been walking, they arrived on one big street that was filled with rows and lines of stores.
Hui Lan came closer to Su Rong and whispered, "Wei, Su Rong, is this the Si Wu street?" From what Hui Lan had been reading yesterday and in this owner's memories, it seemed to be none other than this street.
"That's right. Where your parents are resting at is in that big building over the middle of this road." Su Rong pointed over to the red building that stood high and tall amidst the rest of the buildings around it.
As both walked closer, a big sign wrote two very sharp yet elegant strokes, "Da Fu."
"Da Fu?" Hui Lan tilted her head as she read the two words.
"En. Da Fu, one of the capital's renowned inn that you read yesterday. Come on, let's go inside. Your parents must be waiting; I've sent them a notice already."
Su Rong took the lead and took Hui Lan to another road that had a big gate standing in front of it. Su Rong showed her personal shop stone to the guard at the gate. When the guard saw the shop's name, he quickly let the young master in.
"Young master Su, welcome."
"Hm." Su Rong then walked in calmly.
However, when it was Hui Lan's turn, the guard quickly stopped her, but before he could ask any questions, Su Rong's deep voice sounded from behind, "He's with me."
The guard's brows unfurrowed as the other's identity was nothing suspicious since he was with young master Su.
Hui Lan went up to Su Rong and asked, "Young master Su?"
"That's just how I go by around here, you know, borrowing my brother's name since he's too lazy to do anything but use his strength and fight."
Su Jou's ears twitched as he heard his older sister badmouthing him for him to hear. What a good sister he had ah.
Nevertheless, the two young masters were now in front of a big building which wrote…
"Hm, this Da Fu seemed to be working hard to please just everybody. One for the officials and one for the commoners." Hui Lan crossed her arms.
"What you said is also right, they've been going strong for 7 years straight and their services are one of the best around here. Let's go in shall we?"
Hui Lan took one last look at the big sign before making her mind as she entered to meet her parents or more like someone's parents.
Both Su Rong and Hui Lan were led by a staff boy to the floors upstairs. The entire inside of Da Fu was decorated extravagantly yet welcomingly towards the customers that were looking for a room to rest.
"This floor young masters," The young boy spoke and led the two young masters to the floor that had a few soldiers walking around the entire floor. It was as if the Feng family had rented out the entire floor...
Before a big door, four big scary looking guards stood in front of it with long spears in their hands.
Although they were not at war, their general's safety came first. Moreover, Da Fu was always respectful towards each customer's interest and had let the Feng family and their soldiers rent the entire floor. They left all the guests doing whatever they wanted. However, if anything were to happen, Da Fu was famous for collecting their fees, no matter how big or small you were, you would have to pay up.
Walking closer and closer, Hui Lan could feel her heart start beating faster and faster.
...Soon.
One of the guards stopped the young boy that led the two young masters and spoke, "Young master Su?"
"En, Da Ge." Su Rong replied with her manly voice.
The guard revealed a small smile before shooing the staff boy away. The staff boy bowed to all the masters and quickly left.
"What a young master you are ah." The guard greeted Su Rong with a tired voice at her.
Su Rong patted the other's shoulder casually, "Liu Ge, it's not like it's the first time ah."
"Because it is not the first time ah. How many times has it been ha?"
"Tch, forget about it Liu Ge. I've brought someone with me as well."
Lieutenant Liu turned his head to look at the other person behind Su Rong and furrowed his brows.
...Who was this young flower boy that was with his Su Rong?
...However, wasn't the Empress supposed to visit the general and furen today? Or could it be?
"That's right, he's the one. Ge, you should probably stand up and keep your posture together ah." Su Rong quickly teased. On the other hand, Hui Lan could not help but giggle from behind.
Lieutenant Liu took one big gulp before doing exactly what Su Rong said and spoke with a respectful tone, "Greetings…"
"Young master Hong, nice to meet you." Hui Lan quickly stopped the Lieutenant from revealing who she was.
"Ah? Oh, greetings young master Hong." The Lieutenant was quick to understand the Empress' intentions and immediately followed.
Su Rong looked at Hui Lan with a teasing smile, "Oi, now we're both young masters now."
Hui Lan smiled and replied, "I learned from the best."
"That is of course. Let's go in young master Hong." Su Rong happily spoke and put her arms around young master Hong.
The two young masters walked in with Lieutenant Liu's disapproving eyes. Aiya, what to do when all the young ladies are dressing like this ah…
Finally, the big door to the Feng family's room was open.
Once the door was gone, a big long table was revealed with the Feng masters sitting on the table respectively. General Feng sat at the head of the table and on his two sides was Feng Furen and the other was Feng Lin.
Feng Furen's hand that was halfway to her lips halted for a brief moment before she took a small sip.
Seeing everyone in the Feng family was in the room, Hui Lan took a deep breath as the door behind her was shut.
...It was finally time.