Chapter 078: The Lady Xi Descends from the Sky

The floods in Tiandu have finally receded, and everyone's lives have returned to normal. Those who run shops are running them, those who play ball are playing ball, and business seems to be even more booming than before.
Hua Qingkong really started to get involved in business, not because Liu Hanxi didn't want to manage it, but to spare her some worry.
Liu Hanxi's injury healed quickly; it was as if the water qilin's skin had been reborn on her arm, leaving not a trace behind.
“Prince! The weather is nice today!” Liu Hanxi transformed her body into a snake, sliding to Hua Qingkong's desk and resting her head on it.
The priestess can transform her body into animals or plants.
“Hmm.” Hua Qingkong's eyes were still glued to the ledger; he had just finished studying the numbers and calculations from Liu Hanxi and was practicing.
“I heard that…”
“Change your clothes, do your hair, let's go!”
"Alright then!"
Every day, wherever there was excitement, it was impossible not to join in.
Today is the day when the envoys from the Longyue Kingdom are visiting, and it is also the first group of foreign envoys to arrive in Tiandu after the new Minister of Rites has taken office. In the past, foreigners were only allowed outside the city of Tiandu and were never permitted to enter the city; even banquets were held outside the city.
Of course, for now, access is limited to the cities of Tianli and Tianxiu. Therefore, at the connecting point between the two cities and the outside, a large guesthouse has been built, named "Zhenghe Pavilion." Surrounding the guesthouse are four relay stations. When the relay stations were being constructed, Liu Hanxi's inn was also under construction, so by the time the relay stations were ready for use, her inn was also ready to welcome guests. To enter the relay station area from the official road, one must pass in front of the inn.
Today has already seen a flow of guests like clouds.
Liuhan Xi wore a peony-colored dress, while Hua Qingkong donned a bamboo green robe. The two sat on the second floor of their inn, waiting for the passing of the envoy.
It’s not just the two of them who are watching the excitement; the official road in the outskirts, which usually only sees merchants and nearby residents from the two states, is bustling with people today. If you didn’t know better, you might think it was the city center!
By the post station, some wooden houses have sprung up nearby, forming a small commercial area with various shops.
“This seems to be our 2nd lot, right?” Hua Qingkong recalled the map.
“Yeah!” Liu Hanxi was leaning on the window looking outside.
“I remember it being quite big, not just this inn, right?” Hua Qingkong thought for a moment and asked.
“Hmm, come here,” Liu Hanxi turned and waved at Hua Qingkong. Hua Qingkong then leaned his head toward the window, and Liu Hanxi reached out to wrap her arm around his neck. After laughing for a long time, she pointed at the commercial area across the official road and said, “Over there, besides the post station... it's all Area 2!”
Hua Qingkong turned around in surprise to look at her, only to find her lips waiting for him to turn back, and they just happened to kiss.
“The rent from each shop goes into the treasury of the Yin King, but I do pay taxes to the government as well! I actually pay more than others, so it’s a legitimate income.” Liu Hanxi released him, and Hua Qingkong noticed that the two of them had caught the attention of the people downstairs, so he pulled her away from the window, landing her in his arms.
“So you already knew that an inn would be built here and bought the land in advance?!” Hua Qingkong asked.
“Others know too, but some don’t have the money to buy land, and some can’t see the business opportunity. I just happened to have both, that’s all,” Liu Hanxi raised an eyebrow at him.
Hua Qingkong could only sigh and feel inferior.
The two were chatting when they suddenly heard a commotion outside on the street.
Liuhuanxi leaned forward again, resting her hand on the windowsill, looking outside.
Hua Qingkong stood behind her, not looking outside but admiring her profile. Today, her hair was styled in a tossed-up bun adorned with a gold peony hairpin, with two hairpins on the left and a delicate tassel on the right, graceful and elegant.
Today I applied a light makeup. The floral decoration is a flame pattern, and my lips are not using bright red lipstick, but a color that matches my dress. Now it looks even lighter; he couldn't help but dab a bit on his own lips, and indeed, some color came off onto his lips. No wonder it tasted like peach blossoms just now.
“Here they come.” He was lost in thought while looking at Liu Hanxi when she turned her head, meeting his affectionate gaze, and couldn't help but smile gently.
At the front of the procession was the guard team of the Yu Shen Kingdom, followed by the horseback rider Ran Xingtugang, who was the ceremony official sent to welcome them. Behind him were three horse-drawn carriages, then the guard team of the Longyue Kingdom, and finally the carriages carrying gifts.
“Pretty impressive, huh?” Liu Hanxi leaned halfway out the window.
“Although Longyue Kingdom isn't on par with the Yushen Kingdom, among the various nations, its national strength is considered strong,” Hua Qingkong explained from behind her.
“Oh, it’s the third prince who has come? Quite a big deal, not sending someone like the seventeenth or eighteenth...” Liu Huanxi nodded, not forgetting to take a jab at Hua Qingkong.
“You! Yes, yes, yes, I’m the seventeenth or eighteenth in line, hardly worth mentioning, how embarrassing for you.” Hua Qingkong's words were barely finished before his jaw almost dropped.
Only to see Liu Hanxi has already leaped out of the window.
“Xi'er!” He reached out but couldn’t catch Liu Hanxi’s dress.
Liu Hanxi called out from the air, “Brother, give me the horse!”
Ran Xingtui and the guards had already spotted the pink and bright peony-colored figure in the air, thinking it was an assassin. Upon hearing the voice, Ran Xingtui immediately stopped everyone and jumped off his horse.
Liu Hanxi first landed on the first carriage behind Ran Xingtou, her dress brushing past the man who was looking out from the carriage. Then she leaped onto Ran Xingtou's horse and rode away.
“I’m chasing the criminal!” she shouted back at the stunned crowd while riding her horse.
“It is Madam Xi...”
"Yes, yes!"
The guards of the Divine Kingdom recognized the person.
What surprised them even more was that another person jumped down from the sky, but instead of landing, they leaped over the street, chasing after Madam Xi.
“The Crown Prince?”
"Yes, yes."
The convoy was forced to stop as Pei Yi, the third prince of Longyue Kingdom, got out of the car, still dazzled, with only that bright red skirt in his sight.
Just now, he had seen that splash of color from a distance; when he opened the window to look outside, he spotted it on the second floor of a building by the street—such a vibrant hue belonged to a stunningly beautiful woman, the most breathtaking color he had ever seen.
When she jumped down from the window, her expression went from delicate to serious, and then I heard her calling out, "Brother."
Given the situation, it's likely that she is Ran Xingtou's younger sister. With his looks, it's not difficult to picture him having such a beautiful sister.
“Please forgive me, Third Prince, what just happened was...”
“Is she your sister?” Pei Yi asked.
“Ah… no, that person is the Princess Consort of Zhen and the Prince of Zhen,” Ran Xingtou replied, “They must have seen it from upstairs…”
“Well, it’s fine. She said to chase the suspect,” Pei Yi replied for him, looking as if he wasn't angry at all.
He returned to the car, and the convoy headed back to the post station.
“The Lady of the Prince... the man who jumped down behind her is her husband, the Prince.” Pei Yi lightly read aloud in the carriage.
“Xi’er!” Hua Qingkong softly called, and he also landed behind her.
“Zhong Moji! I see him!” Liu Hanxi shouted, “Hurry!”
Zhong Moji was advancing at a very high speed, but the horse seemed unable to catch up, so Liu Hanxi urged Hua Qingkong.
Hua Qingkong also saw the soon-to-disappear terminus at the intersection of the commercial area, so she used magic to follow.
In Liu Hanxi's spells, if quick action is needed, it relies on divine beasts, like Bai Lie. The Witch sect does not have spells such as Lingbo Step or Tiangang Step. Now, during the day, summoning divine beasts would likely cause quite a stir, especially with the envoy nearby, so she could only ride a horse.
It seems that the horse cannot be caught, but Hua Qingkong will definitely be able to catch up with him.