"Whoa—" The driver outside the carriage let out a long sigh, and the carriage slowly came to a stop.
"My lords, we have arrived—"
The slightly shrill voice sang with intonation, and anyone with a bit of knowledge would know that this person was a palace eunuch.
"We shouldn't have brought Zhao Zhongchang today..."
Gu Zhong muttered something.
"Only when Your Highness is constantly by Zhao Zhong's side can Your Highness's safety be guaranteed, and only then can I feel at ease and give an account to Your Majesty."
Zhao Zhao was brought along at Lingyan's request, for no other reason than to ensure her safety.
The Grand Attendant Zhao Zhao was not an ordinary eunuch, but a Grand Palace Attendant kept by Emperor Gu.
With the country newly pacified and remnants of the rebellion not yet eliminated, and given that he is traveling incognito today, no amount of precautions is excessive.
The two princes were still young and at a very lively age, and they were most interested in new and interesting things. They couldn't wait to lift the curtain and jump down, leaving Lingyan behind.
Unlike the others who changed into men's clothing, Lingyan, still dressed in a silk robe, slowly bowed and moved to the carriage door.
"Please, sir, get off the car!"
Gu Zhong stood under the car with a grin, extending an arm towards her.
"Where's the bench?"
Lingyan looked down and saw there was no seat. The bicycle frame was too high, making it quite difficult for her to get off, given her attire.
"Please forgive me, sir, I left in a hurry today and forgot to bring it..."
Zhao Zhao stood to the side and bowed to apologize.
"I'll set up the frame for you, sir. Just come down!"
Gu Zhong waved his arm at her again.
"Then Your Highness must hold on tight."
Ling Yan didn't put on any pretense. She stretched out her right hand and placed it on Gu Zhong's strong arm before leaping down.
Unexpectedly, the cobblestone road where the carriage stopped had become slippery due to moisture.
Lingyan lost her balance and fell backward.
"Sir, be careful!"
Gu Zhong quickly reached out his other hand and wrapped it around her waist from behind. In the chaos, Ling Yan wrapped her arms around Gu Zhong's neck.
As Gu Zhong pulled her up, the momentum nearly caused their faces to collide. Ling Yan hurriedly turned her head away, and Gu Zhong's lips barely brushed against her cheek. That area felt as if it had been scorched by fire, becoming hot and burning.
"Are you alright, sir?"
Gu Zhong also felt a little uncomfortable. He released his hand from Ling Yan's waist, took half a step back, and asked softly.
"It's nothing."
Lingyan also took half a step back, and for a moment she didn't dare to look at Gu Zhong. She just turned her head to the side and replied.
"Brother Wang...!"
Gu Yang, who had just run off to the side doing something, came running over, breaking the strange atmosphere.
"What is it?"
Gu Zhong then turned to look at Gu Yang.
"I just found out that there will be fireworks at the temple fair tonight!" Gu Yang said excitedly.
"Fireworks? I recall that Your Majesty issued an edict banning fireworks within the city after entering the capital. When was this ban lifted?"
To ease her embarrassment, Ling Yan casually picked up where Gu Yang left off.
"Sir, have you forgotten? This year is already the sixth year of the dynasty, and the ban has only been in effect for five years."
Gu Zhong looked surprised, as if wondering why the all-knowing gentleman would forget such an important regulation.
"...I must have misremembered."
Lingyan was speechless for a moment. Her mind was in such a state that she had completely forgotten about the time limit.
"Sir... well, when traveling, there's no need to refer to yourself as 'your subject' or 'Your Highness' for now,"
Perhaps finally noticing the inappropriateness of Lingyan's address, or perhaps to change the subject, Gu Zhong hesitated before speaking, "Sir, you can just call me Zizhong."
During the reign of Emperor Gaozu, there was no taboo against using the names of members of the royal family, and many people shared the same name. Even if outsiders inquired about it, there was no risk of their identities being exposed. Adding "zi" before a man's name was always a term of endearment.
"I obey Your Highness's orders, yet Your Highness still addresses me as 'sir'."
Lingyan was delighted and responded with a slight bow.
"A gentleman is a gentleman, and there is nothing wrong with it!"
Here, Gu Zhong is unwilling to change the way he is addressed.
"Does Na Yang also address the Grand Tutor as 'Sir'?" Gu Yang interjected.
"You wish! No way!"
Gu Chongjian raised his eyebrows and glared at Gu Yang. She seemed particularly insistent on using the title "Mr.", which Ling Yan couldn't understand.
"How should I address Yang?"
Gu Yang was used to his older sister Wang's domineering nature, and his expression remained unchanged. He simply pushed the difficult question back to her.
"Think for yourself!"
Gu Zhong frowned, seemingly unsure how to respond, and simply retorted.
"Miss Ling..." After a moment's thought, Gu Yang called out hesitantly.
"The Grand Tutor is truly different from ordinary young ladies; to address him in such a way is an insult to him..."
"It's just a title. There's no need to look down on other women in the world. Why should Your Highnesses be so troubled? This is fine."
Lingyan shook her head, wondering why a simple form of address could cause them to deliberate so much.
As the capital of a dynasty, Xijing was undoubtedly extremely prosperous, and the activities brought about by the temple fair added another layer of excitement to this prosperity.
Musical troupes, accompanied by the sounds of gongs and drums, paraded through the streets and alleys, while casually set up roadside vending stalls drew cheers from onlookers.
The vendors carrying their wares on shoulder poles hawked their wares with boundless enthusiasm, attracting women on the go to buy items and food.
Ordinary people tirelessly weave through the bustling crowds or follow behind the parade, adding to the fun.
Every now and then, rows of armored guards would pass by; these were likely the Imperial Guards protecting the capital, and they would certainly increase their patrols during the festival celebrations.
People are easily influenced by the atmosphere of a group, and even someone as calm as Lingyan couldn't help but have the urge to make a scene.
"What a wonderful day it is today? I haven't heard of any new edicts from the imperial court. It's been a long time since I've seen such a large temple fair. The whole city seems to be bustling with activity."
Lingyan hadn't asked Gu Zhong about the reason for the temple fair in detail beforehand, and followed along without really knowing why.
"Today is the day of the shamanic preaching. As you can see, the first thing in the procession is the shaman statue."
Gu Zhong pointed to the parade that had turned back and said.
Lingyan looked in the direction she was pointing and saw a statue with three heads and six arms, displaying all emotions from joy to anger. At first glance, the statue seemed extremely sinister and made her feel very uncomfortable.
Chapter 4 The Imperial Tutor and the Crown Princess (Part 3)
==========================
As for the shamanistic religion, it was said that the Gu family's success was inseparable from it, so after the establishment of the dynasty, Emperor Gu allowed them to spread their religion widely.
Today's event, though merely a sermon, has garnered a grand spectacle that subtly rivals both Buddhism and Taoism.
"His Majesty has always believed in witchcraft and religion. I wonder what Your Highness... what your opinion is on this?"
Lingyan suddenly wanted to find out Gu Zhong's views on religion.
"I've never been interested in these kinds of churches. Success is always up to people, so what does it have to do with them? But the Father likes it..." Gu Zhong's tone was quite dismissive, with a hint of belittling.
For no apparent reason, Ling Yan breathed a long sigh of relief.
“It’s good that Zizhong thinks this way.”
She nodded slightly. Having met her today, she felt no liking for witchcraft, not even mentioning the evil and unsettling nature of the shamanic statues. Theocracy, in particular, has always been in conflict with monarchical power, making it the most unpredictable force.
The temple fair was extremely lively, but there was one downside—if you weren't careful, you could get lost in the surging crowd and lose your companions.
So, like taking care of a child going out, Gu Zhong tightly held onto Ling Yan's sleeve, while Gu Yang on the other side tightly held onto Gu Zhong's hem, and the three of them trudged together and moved with difficulty through the crowd.
"I think that magic trick over there is quite interesting!"
Gu Zhong acted as if he had never left the palace, showing great interest in everything.
"I remember you two used to go out and play all the time, how come I've never seen you before?"
"It's always new and interesting! Even if you know what the trick is, it's still quite fun every time you see it!"
Lingyan was amazed by Gu Zhong's ability to maintain a sense of novelty. With a personality like that, he must always be extremely happy.
"Hey? Wait a minute! Where's my purse?"
He spotted another small ornament and was about to pay when Gu Zhong's expression changed.
Such lively and festive days are not only beloved by those who come to join in the fun, but also by thieves. In a single day, one can steal countless purses, enough to earn several months' worth of money.
"It's likely been stolen..."
Gu Yang looked around, seemingly trying to figure out who the thief was.
"With so many people, it's probably hard to find them all. Besides money, is there anything else?"
Lingyan frowned slightly. Money was no problem for them, but it would be a big problem if there were important things left in their purses.
"It's alright..."
Gu Zhong searched his body again, unwilling to give up, but in the end he could only shake his head helplessly and say, "It's just some silver."
Ling Yan's tense heart instantly relaxed; she had been too nervous. Gu Zhong was always meticulous and would never make such a basic mistake.
"But Ah Yang, it's time to empty your wallet!"