Several curious heads craned over.
A young customer sipped his tea, “Have you heard? The titles of both the most beautiful woman and the most talented lady in the capital of Dayu are about to change hands!”
Rong Zhou’s slender, pale fingers held a fragrant cake.
Yun Li leaned her small head over and took a bite with an “ao wu,” accidentally getting some crispy crumbs at the corner of her lips. The Regent Prince then freed one hand to gently brush them away.
The people at the next table continued whispering among themselves—
“Really? I thought both those titles belonged to the Commandery Princess personally honored by the Empress Dowager?”
“The legitimate daughter of the Marquis Wu’an’s Estate, right? Originally just an official’s daughter, but she was lucky enough to be adopted as a foster daughter by the Empress Dowager. Since then, she’s practically climbed into the royal family!”
“Over the years, everyone in the capital seems to praise her for both talent and beauty.”
Yun Li had been seriously savoring the pastry.
But upon hearing gossip about the Princess, her innate curiosity was instantly sparked, and she couldn’t help but perk up her little ears.
“Oh, that’s not it at all!”
The young customer who brought up the gossip pursed his lips, covering his mouth with his hand, “I’ll tell you secretly…”
Yun Li couldn’t resist leaning closer.
Then she heard the customer say, “Now in the capital, the newly wed Princess Consort of the Regent Prince is considered the most stunning beauty!”
Hearing this, Yun Li blinked her eyes innocently.
She quickly scooted back to Rong Zhou’s side, secretly tugging at his sleeve, “They said I’m the most stunning beauty in the capital.”
A faint smile shimmered in Rong Zhou’s eyes.
He looked down at his proud and delighted little Princess Consort, “Mm, Your Highness is indeed peerless in appearance.”
Yun Li shook her head contentedly, but even in her delight, she didn’t forget to keep listening to their praises.
“The Regent Prince’s Princess Consort? The legitimate daughter of the General’s Estate!”
“You mean General Yun? He’s a great hero; the legitimate daughter he raised must be extraordinary!”
And at the recent Spring Banquet, I heard the Princess Consort stunned everyone with her beauty as soon as she arrived—so captivating she could make fish sink and geese fall, outshining the County Princess completely!”
“Hey, I never heard before that the Princess Consort was such a beauty?”
“If she weren’t a beauty, would the Regent Prince have taken a liking to her? How else would he have forcibly brought her into his estate!”
The customers chatting about the gossip burst into laughter.
The incident of Rong Zhou abducting Yun Li back to his estate had spread throughout the streets and alleys. Most commoners didn’t know the truth but often treated it as after-dinner conversation.
“Shh—”
One customer quickly urged silence, “We shouldn’t casually discuss the Regent Prince; be careful of losing your heads!”
So they immediately stopped talking about the abduction.
Yun Li, however, was dissatisfied with this comment. She cupped her face in her hands, “A’Zhou, am I beautiful?”
The Regent Prince didn’t understand why she was asking this again.
He moved the empty plate aside and pushed the Crispy Qiong Leaf in front of Yun Li, “Hmm?””
“Didn’t I just praise Your Highness for being peerless in appearance?” Rong Zhou lazily lifted his eyelids to glance at her.
Little Li Hua unhappily slumped onto the table.
Resting her chin on the back of her hand, she asked, “Then if I weren’t beautiful, would Your Highness not have intended to marry me?”
Rong Zhou’s expression faltered for a moment.
He raised an eyebrow slightly, finally understanding why his little Princess Consort was confirming this question again…
The Regent Prince lowered his eyes with a soft laugh, “Why does Your Highness have so little confidence in yourself? This prince only wanted to marry A’Li—no matter what appearance or talents A’Li has.”
A hint of a smile curved in Yun Li’s eyes.In her delight, she quickly beckoned the shopkeeper over to add two more bowls of steamed milk curd!
While the shopkeeper was approaching, they were still chatting about the Princess Consort’s beauty.
He apologized awkwardly, “Please don’t mind me, folks. My little stall is tucked away in a corner where no one pays attention, so we dare gossip about anything without fear of losing our heads…”
Yun Li naturally didn’t mind hearing people praise her.
She curved her lips and said, “It’s fine.”
The shopkeeper brought over the two bowls of steamed milk curd, cautiously sizing up the two of them, then hurriedly and somewhat flustered, used his sleeve to wipe the tabletop twice more.
“My little roadside stall… judging by your attire, you both seem to be from a wealthy family. Please don’t mind the poor environment—the food is definitely clean and not dirty!”
This was indeed just a small, out-of-the-way stall.
But delicious food is often hidden in such humble places, which is why Yun Li had specifically dragged Rong Zhou over here.
She smiled brightly and said, “It’s fine. The shopkeeper’s skills are excellent. My husband and I both like it very much.”
The shopkeeper repeatedly said, “That’s good, that’s good,” and felt relieved.
He tidied up and turned to leave, but unexpectedly, the customer pulled him back. “Shopkeeper, don’t go! Chat with us a bit more about the Regent Prince’s Princess Consort, won’t you?”
Hearing this, the shopkeeper’s expression immediately turned panicked.
He could tell that the person sitting nearby had an unusual status—whether from a merchant family or some high-ranking official… Naturally, he didn’t dare gossip carelessly and risk getting into trouble.
“Don’t talk nonsense. How can we casually discuss matters of the Regent Prince’s Princess Consort?” the shopkeeper hurriedly said.
He also grinned foolishly at Yun Li and Rong Zhou. “I don’t really know much about these things, hahaha…”
However, his attempt to cover up was immediately exposed by the customer.
“Hey! That’s not true! I remember you praising the Regent Prince’s Princess Consort to the skies just the other day!”
The shopkeeper: “…”
“Hahaha, nothing of the sort…”
“You praised the Princess Consort for playing the qin beautifully! And said she beat the Changning County Princess at the Spring Banquet!”
“Hahaha, how would I know such things…”
“At the time, someone praised the County Princess for her superb qin skills but called the Princess Consort a good-for-nothing. You even publicly refuted it!”
“Uh, uh, you’re talking nonsense…”
“What did you say again? Oh, I remember.” The customer cleared his throat and imitated, “What good-for-nothing! How could a girl raised by such a heroic general be a good-for-nothing? I think all those rumors in the capital are bullshit!”
The shopkeeper: “…”
Alright, shut up! I’ll hit you if you keep talking!
He looked awkwardly but politely at Rong Zhou and Yun Li, wiping the cold sweat that had broken out on his forehead.
He was truly afraid that this handsome man might be some high-ranking court official whose identity he didn’t know, and that after hearing these words, he would turn around and report it to the Regent Prince…
He cowered, “They’re talking nonsense.”
Rong Zhou slightly lowered his eyes, his deep and calm dark pupils filled with solemnity. He didn’t immediately react but, after a moment, met the smiling gaze of his little Princess Consort.
His tone was calm and unhurried as he said, “Well said.”
The shopkeeper: “…”
He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead again, only to see this imposing figure take out a silver ingot, his slender fingers lightly tapping the tabletop.
“Come closer,” he raised an eyebrow slightly. “I… I’ll give you another piece of gossip about the Regent Prince’s Princess Consort.”
Yun Li: ?