Not far ahead, we reached the border between the two kingdoms of Great Zhou and Northern Lu.
Shi Mei and Shi Lan were particularly excited, but Hai Ling felt nothing; Bei Lu was a completely unfamiliar place in her mind.
During dinner, the three of them ate in the hall, and because they wanted to avoid attracting attention, they chose to sit in a corner.
After the food was served, the waiter withdrew.
Shi Mei didn't see Qiuqiu, who liked to stick to its master, and said knowingly, "Qiuqiu has gone to find a place to sleep again."
Hai Ling nodded. She didn't tell Shi Mei and Shi Lan that Little Lion Qiuqiu came from her Seven Star Glazed Bracelet space and was sleeping inside it now. She just casually mentioned that Little Lion would find its own place to sleep, and Shi Mei and Shi Lan didn't suspect anything.
The three of them ate quietly, while the hall was filled with the lively sounds of conversation.
Some say it's the Great Zhou Dynasty, others say it's the Northern Lu Dynasty.
Suddenly, a man rushed in through the door, excitedly shouting to the people inside, "Do you know that things have changed in Beilu? The old emperor of Beilu is dead!"
"The old emperor of Northern Lu is dead. Who has succeeded him? Who has succeeded him?"
"Is it the Fifth Prince or the Sixth Prince who appeared later?"
Gossip has always been a popular topic, especially when it involves royalty, which makes it even more appealing to many.
This time, not only the people in the shop, but also Shi Mei and Shi Lan listened intently to see if the new emperor of Bei Lu was indeed their master.
As for Hailin, she didn't care too much, but since she was eating, there was nothing she could do about listening.
Everyone in the store stared at the person in front of the door. Seeing that everyone was looking at him, the person was very satisfied with the effect he had created, grinned, and finally gave the answer.
"The Sixth Prince, Ye Lingfeng, is the Sixth Prince who suddenly appeared and succeeded to the throne of Northern Lu. He is known as Emperor Xie."
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone in the shop cheered and started talking about the Sixth Prince, Ye Lingfeng. There were many things to say about him, such as how resourceful, unfathomable, and ingenious he was. In short, everyone was excited.
At Hailing's table, Shimei and Shilan were also extremely excited. The emperor had finally ascended the throne. This was wonderful, wonderful! In their joy, they looked up at Hailing and found that she didn't show much emotion and remained indifferent.
Although Shi Mei and Shi Lan did not directly tell Hai Ling that the new emperor of Bei Lu, Emperor Xie, was the Left Prime Minister Xi Lingfeng of the Great Zhou Dynasty, Hai Ling could guess to some extent. This was because the two maids, Shi Mei and Shi Lan, were most concerned about the affairs of the Northern Dynasty along the way. Whenever they heard anything about the Northern Dynasty, they would prick up their ears to listen. So how could she not guess that the new emperor of Bei Lu, Ye Lingfeng, was the Left Prime Minister Xi Lingfeng who had helped her several times?
But now he has become the new emperor of Beilu, and he is far removed from her. She has no affection for the royal family whatsoever.
If she hadn't been a pawn in the Great Zhou Dynasty's royal family, her mother, Du Caiyue, wouldn't have died, and Yanzhi wouldn't have disappeared.
Now her biggest concern is Rouge, whether she is still alive.
"Mei'er, I asked you to send someone to investigate Rouge's matter. Have you heard anything?"
Shi Mei was still Xi Lingfeng's subordinate, and Xi Lingfeng was the master of the Cold Demon Palace. The Cold Demon Palace's information was naturally top-notch, so Hai Ling once asked Shi Mei to investigate Yan Zhi's whereabouts. She wanted to know if Yan Zhi was still alive and where she was now.
Upon hearing Hai Ling's question, Shi Mei hurriedly stood up respectfully: "Young Master, there is still no news."
Hailing nodded, certain that Rouge would be alright. As she thought this, she stood up and said, "Let's go upstairs and rest. It's getting late, and we have to travel tomorrow."
"Alright, young master."
The three of them stood up, immediately attracting the attention of everyone in the store. Many people looked on with amazement, staring intently, or stunned, until the three of them went upstairs and they could faintly hear people downstairs speaking.
"These three are so handsome."
"Yes, yes, especially the young master in front, he is truly elegant, generous, and exudes nobility, few can match him."
"I've heard that Emperor Xie of the Northern Lu Kingdom is also a man of few equal ability. I wonder who is better between him and this young master from earlier?"
There were all sorts of opinions, and Hailing led her two maids, Shimei and Shilan, into the room.
Looking at her aloof and distant mistress, Shi Mei couldn't help but ask, "Miss, don't you want to know who the new emperor of Northern Lu is?"
Hailing couldn't help but turn back to look at Shimei, and smiled gracefully and elegantly.
"Isn't he your grandfather?"
After she finished speaking, she no longer looked at the two people behind her. Shi Mei and Shi Lan stared with their mouths open, unable to react for a long time. So Miss knew all along, she had been watching all along. But why didn't she react at all? Shouldn't she be happy that the master became emperor? Did she not understand the master's intentions, or did she not think that way at all?
Shi Mei and Shi Lan wanted to ask more questions, but seeing that their young lady was only concerned with taking off her clothes, washing up, and tidying herself up to rest, they didn't dare to be presumptuous. The young lady now was not as easygoing as before; she had a cold and ruthless nature, and her temperament was even more icy, so they would better be careful.
Nothing happened that night. Early the next morning, Little Lion Qiuqiu appeared, clinging to Hailin's arms, sitting in the carriage, and heading north to Lu.
Although there were patrols at the border between the Great Zhou Dynasty and Northern Lu, the crossing was much more relaxed.
Now the Great Zhou and the Northern Dynasty are allies, and the princess of the Great Zhou Dynasty has been married off to the Northern Dynasty as part of a political alliance. This is common knowledge throughout the world.
Hai Ling and her companions successfully entered Bei Lu. The carriage traveled smoothly to Bianliang, the capital of Bei Lu. Along the way, Hai Ling and her companions gained some understanding of the local customs and traditions of Bei Lu.
The people of Beilu revered meat, enjoyed horseback riding and hunting, and had a very open-minded culture. Noblewomen could be seen riding horses recklessly on the streets without anyone saying a word. Moreover, the weather in Beilu was very cold, and these people liked to wear fur cloaks over their inner brocade robes. Because of their tall stature, wearing these fur cloaks or capes made them look extremely noble.
Hailin was naturally taller than the average woman, with a slender figure that made her appear graceful and delicate. Even when dressed in men's clothing, she did not look effeminate; instead, she was strikingly handsome.
However, once she entered Beilu, her height was described as petite and delicate, because the women of Beilu were mostly tall and strong, valuing a robust figure as beauty. They liked to wear riding attire and adorned their hair with flower feathers, giving them a distinctly foreign and local flavor.
After another half month of travel, they finally arrived at Bianliang, the capital of Northern Lu.
Bianliang was a bustling metropolis, with stone houses and stone roads, exuding grandeur and solidity. Stone lions and stone carvings were everywhere, and everything was made primarily of mountain stone. The streets were bustling with people, and the city was filled with colorful decorations and a festive atmosphere. The new emperor had just ascended the throne and issued his first edict, which reduced all taxes by 30%. This made the people very happy, and they hoped that under the leadership of this new emperor, the Northern Dynasty would become stronger and more prosperous.
Little Lion Qiuqiu, though an animal, is the most lively of all, even more excited than Hailin. He peeks out from behind the carriage curtain, making little squeaking noises.
Hailin was both amused and annoyed, and gently tapped its forehead.
"Qiuqiu, why are you so excited? Do you have someone with you here?"
After hearing Hailing's words, Qiuqiu seemed a little embarrassed and stuck out its tongue, which was very cute. Of course, this was Hailing's own feeling. If an outsider saw a little yellow lion sticking out its tongue, they would probably think it was going to eat someone.