The capital was truly bustling, far more so than the scenes depicted in dramas from her previous life. The streets teemed with people, countless vendors hawking their wares, their shouts creating a constant, intriguing din. Shops lined both sides of the road, exuding an air of sophistication. Shop assistants in short tunics stood at the entrances to welcome guests, no different from the greeters of later eras.
Li Man'er's feet trod on ancient bricks laid a thousand years ago, her eyes taking in sights and scenery from a millennium past. The feeling was wondrous, difficult to describe in words.
Upon returning from the Grand Princess's mansion last time, she hadn't paid much attention to the scenery. It seemed she had missed quite a bit of the streetscape.
"Young master, where are we going?"
Li Man'er simply said, "Just wandering around. Keep close."
"Yes." Ziyan responded and closely followed Li Man'er.
The mistress and servant walked and stopped, buying many small items. She bought hairpins and snacks for the maids, and hair oil for Nanny Wu. They weren't expensive, and it was a way to experience ancient consumption.
After walking for a while longer, Li Man'er felt thirsty and wanted to have some tea.
"Miss, where are we going?"
Li Man'er raised her chin. "Pin Ming Ju is just ahead. Let's go."
Ziyan knew it was her young lady's establishment and followed without a word.
The shop assistants didn't recognize Li Man'er at all, treating her as an ordinary customer. They led her to the main hall and busied themselves wiping tables with white towels, saying, "Esteemed guest, what tea would you like to drink? There's a menu on the wall. You can take a look first, and then call for me when you've decided."
Li Man'er said, "No need. Bring a pot of Yin Yu Man Tang and a plate of Yun Pian Gao."
The shop assistant quickly replied, "Certainly. One pot of Yin Yu Man Tang, and Yun Pian Gao, coming right up."
"Young master, why are we here?"
"Baiting the trap!"
Ziyan frowned, still not quite understanding. "Young master, what is baiting the trap?"
"I'll tell you when we get back."
"Oh." Ziyan, being sensible, stopped asking.
While waiting for the tea, Li Man'er surveyed the interior decoration of the building, feeling that while the establishment was lavishly decorated, it lacked a certain elegance.
Pin Ming Ju had two floors in total and was considered a mid-to-high-end teahouse in the capital. While not the absolute best, it wasn't a place that ordinary people could afford. The cheapest tea here cost one tael of silver per pot. Yin Yu Man Tang, which Li Man'er ordered, cost two taels.
The tea and pastries were served quickly.
Li Man'er took a sip and nodded. The tea was fragrant, and the water quality was exceptional, likely spring water boiled and steeped thrice before being served.
The Yun Pian Gao tasted decent, above average, worth the price.
The mistress and servant sat for about half an hour before paying and leaving.
Li Man'er walked at a leisurely pace, as if she were truly just out shopping. She paused at a stall selling calligraphy and paintings, pretending to admire them, but in reality, she wanted to use the opportunity to see what the people following her looked like. The person tailing them was quite sharp; upon noticing Li Man'er looking his way, he immediately turned his head, as if afraid of being discovered.
Li Man'er noted his actions, thinking that he had followed them all the way, not even seeming tired. Although he looked unfamiliar, he must have been sent by one of the masters in the manor.
Besides Madam Guo, Li Man'er couldn't think of anyone else.
Let him follow, she thought. It wasn't a big deal.
Li Man'er casually bought a fan painted with landscapes and inscribed with a poem, paid, and then moved on.
After another hour of wandering, it was almost dinnertime.
In the Great Zun Kingdom, well-off families ate three meals a day, while those with less fortunate circumstances ate only two.
"Young master, shall we go to Guang Sheng Lou to eat?" Ziyan had also realized that her young lady wanted to understand the situation of these establishments. Perhaps this was what the young lady called baiting the trap.
"No, a small eatery will suffice." If she only visited Pin Ming Ju, it could be considered a coincidence. But if she went to Guang Sheng Lou as well, she might alert the enemy.
"Oh, then let's go eat up ahead. This servant knows a small place that cooks well and is very clean."
"Oh, excellent! Then lead the way!" Li Man'er opened her fan in a practiced manner, as if she truly saw herself as a young nobleman.
Ziyan lowered her head and secretly smiled, then busied herself leading her to a small restaurant.
The restaurant had only one floor, and while it lacked elaborate decoration, it was kept quite clean. The waiter was very enthusiastic and quick-witted, rattling off the menu items in a few sentences. The place was small, and the selection wasn't vast, but the four signature dishes were renowned, attracting many patrons.
"Then, as you said, bring one Lion's Head, one smoked fish, and two cold dishes. No wine, and please be quick."
"Yes, sir." The waiter flicked his towel, calling out the dish names as he went to the kitchen to expedite the order.
Not long after, two meat dishes and two vegetable dishes were served, along with two bowls of plain rice.
"Young master, you rarely come to places like this. I don't know if the dishes will suit your taste."
Li Man'er wasn't actually that picky. Although she came from a good background in her past life, she had also experienced some hardships. When she was in distress, she had even eaten insects, let alone these steaming, fragrant dishes! Her pickiness was a lingering issue from the original owner's history, and no one would likely believe her if she explained it.
"It's fine, very good. We can have a change of pace occasionally. Ziyan, you eat too!"
Ziyan happily agreed. Although eating at the same table as her mistress still made her a little nervous, the joy and satisfaction she felt were much greater.
Since the young lady's awakening, the lives of them, the servants, had become increasingly better and more hopeful.
The mistress and servant ate happily, but it was tough on the little follower trailing them, who could only gnaw on a flatbread when hungry and still not be full.
After the mistress and servant finished their meal and paid, they immediately headed back home.
The sun was strong outside, and after being exposed to it all morning, Li Man'er's face was flushed red.
Nanny Wu was heartbroken and immediately ordered someone to fetch water for Li Man'er to bathe. She also prepared a thick paste and had a maid help her apply it to her face.
The paste had a pleasant herbal fragrance and felt cool and refreshing on her face, much like a facial mask.
"What is this?"
"Miss, you've forgotten. This is a recipe from Nanny Wu's family. You've applied it many times since you were little. It contains herbs, pearl powder, and other good things."
"Mmm-hmm." Li Man'er closed her eyes and said, "It's very comfortable."
"Just leave it on and take a nap. When it's time, this servant will come in and wake you."
"Okay."
The weather was too hot, making one feel drowsy. Even with ice basins to dissipate some of the heat, for someone like Li Man'er who had experienced air conditioning, the effect of the ice basins was not very significant.
Just as she was about to fall asleep, in a daze, a figure seemed to appear before her eyes.
Li Man'er suddenly opened her eyes…