After spending a leisurely day in the mountain stronghold, Wu Caiwei left with a little follower trailing behind her.
The two ambled slowly towards the capital, witnessing the hardships of the common people along the way, which only intensified Wu Caiwei's desire to do something for them.
After twenty-five days of arduous travel, they finally walked the streets of the capital. As expected of the capital, it was the most prosperous place in the entire Celestial Dynasty. Even in the afternoon, shops were still open, and customers bustled in and out, buying goods.
Raising her head, Wu Caiwei suddenly saw a building that soared into the clouds. In modern times, she wouldn't have been surprised, but this was ancient times. After traversing so many worlds, it was the first time she had seen such a magnificent structure.
Seeing their astonished gazes fixed on the Heavenly Palace, a passerby said proudly, "You must be from out of town. The Heavenly Palace was completed two years ago. It's said that from the top, one can see a sea of clouds, just like immortals. Unfortunately, only royal relatives can ascend. Ordinary folks like us can only hear about it."
"It's so breathtaking. The person who built this tower must be truly remarkable," Wu Caiwei exclaimed sincerely.
"The capital is the most prosperous place in the world. Stay here a while longer, and you'll find many more astonishing sights," the other person said, their pride evident.
The mistress and servant found everything novel. As expected of the emperor's domain, the variety of goods was dazzling. They had never heard of many things, let alone seen them.
"Heavens, if I hadn't come here with you, I wouldn't have known such a place existed. But I'm not happy. After witnessing the hardships of the common folk and then seeing how the wealthy spend money like water, my heart feels incredibly heavy," Li Dahu said, suddenly growing melancholic. If some of the money spent by these dignitaries could be distributed to the common people, why would they live such difficult lives?
Wu Caiwei patted his shoulder in comfort. The immense manpower and resources required to build such a tower brought prestige, but the lives of the common people grew increasingly difficult.
Out of curiosity for the capital, the mistress and servant spent several days wandering the streets, exploring every corner.
It also allowed Wu Caiwei to further understand the extravagant lives of the dignitaries. Everything indicated that the court was in disarray, perhaps this was the final period of prosperity.
Since they were in the capital, and these nobles enjoyed spending money so much, Wu Caiwei felt an unbearable itch to earn some herself. She took Li Dahu with her, visiting shops one by one, looking for profitable businesses. That day, as she entered a fabric shop, she saw two elegantly dressed ladies chatting and laughing while choosing fabrics.
Upon arriving in the capital, to find her birth parents and to meet him, Wu Caiwei had already changed back into her female attire. She vividly remembered when she had just stepped out of the room and approached Li Dahu, he had flinched back a few steps, thinking this woman was too bold to approach a strange man.
When he learned it was her, his jaw dropped in shock. From then on, he maintained a respectful distance, believing in the principle of gender segregation.
Wu Caiwei knew the deeply ingrained mindset of ancient people and didn't bother to argue. She continued to give him instructions as usual, which paradoxically made him feel more at ease.
Because their attire was very simple, and shopkeepers tended to favor customers who looked wealthy, no one paid them any attention while they catered to the other guests. Wu Caiwei didn't mind, browsing and touching the fabrics as she pleased.
One of the ladies glanced up inadvertently and then froze. She looked up again, unsure, at Wu Caiwei, who continued to browse as if nothing had happened.
"What's wrong?" the lady opposite her asked, following her gaze. She saw only a young woman selecting fabrics. She was quite pretty, but there were many beauties in the capital, so it wasn't particularly unusual. Why was her sister-in-law distracted?
"Nothing. Let's continue looking at the fabrics." The two women resumed their chatting and laughing. If Wu Caiwei hadn't been so perceptive, she wouldn't have noticed the other woman's occasional glances. It seemed she knew something about her background.
Leaving the fabric shop, Wu Caiwei instructed Li Dahu to follow the woman in the green dress.
She, however, returned to the inn to wait quietly. Night fell, and he finally returned in a hurry.
"I followed that young lady as you instructed. I saw her return to a small courtyard with two entrances in the east of the city. I heard her husband is a seventh-rank official named Li, and we're even of the same clan." Saying this, Li Dahu gulped down several mouthfuls of water. He had followed her for most of the day without eating or drinking, and now he was hungry and thirsty.
"And then? Where did she go?"
"How did you know she went out?"
"I guessed."
Wu Caiwei rolled her eyes. Having spent so many days with him, she had already figured out his personality. He was a simple-minded, brawny person, which explained why he had been so easily manipulated by his subordinates when he was a bandit.
"Oh." Li Dahu scratched his head sheepishly. He felt his mistress seemed to dislike him, but he didn't dwell on it. He continued to recall, "That lady was very strange. It was already noon, yet she went back, changed her clothes, and hurried to the Marquis of Dingyuan's manor. Isn't that practically asking to be fed?"
He thought the woman was very impolite. Even though he was from a farming family, he knew it wasn't proper to visit someone's home at noon.
Wu Caiwei smiled and shook her head, giving him a few taels of silver. She told him to go to the small tavern opposite, order a pot of wine and a few dishes, and have a good meal.
Li Dahu's face immediately lit up with a grin. His mistress always said drinking was detrimental to one's work and forbade him from doing it. Today, she was making an exception and allowing him to drink a little, which naturally filled him with joy.
Was her past related to this Marquis of Dingyuan's manor? Whose daughter was she? Since someone had already discovered her existence, she wanted to see how the other party would treat her.
The next morning, as soon as she stepped out of the inn, she saw the lady from yesterday.
Upon seeing her, the other woman smiled and walked towards her, "I've finally found you! When I saw you in the fabric shop yesterday, I felt a sense of kinship. I tossed and turned all night, regretting not asking your name or where you lived. I searched for a long time before finding this place."
"Are you looking for me, madam? But I don't know you," Wu Caiwei asked knowingly.
"It's you, it's really you. It doesn't matter if you don't know me. We'll get to know each other with more contact. After all, familiarity breeds liking. It's rare to meet someone so destined," Madam Li said familiarly and reached out to take her arm.
Wu Caiwei quickly took a step back, widening the distance between them. The other woman only paused for a moment before continuing to chat with her as if nothing had happened.