Chapter 215: Chapter 214: DesertedQin Tangyue felt a deep sense of shame for her earlier thoughts.


    "But just that."


    Four words entered her ears.


    Qin Tangyue gave a sideways glance and realized it was her handkerchief friend who had spoken, while she was looking jealously towards the direction of the flower boat. That look was definitely something she had never seen before.


    Suddenly, she remembered what that woman had told her—the heart knows the person!


    It was Wang Yun who had urged her to express her admiration.


    It was also Wang Yun who had asked her to join in solving the lantern riddles.


    Even Wang Yun had deliberately ridiculed that woman’s veil as ugly!


    All the pieces came together.


    If she still didn’t understand, she must be extremely foolish!


    "Yueyue, why are you looking at me like this?"


    Wang Yun saw Qin Tangyue’s look, quickly composed her expression, and looked at her innocently.


    Qin Tangyue clenched her teeth, "Pretending and posturing! You’re setting me up! What about it if you make me lose face? Your Wang Family is still no match for our Qin Family!"


    "Yueyue, what are you talking about? I don’t understand."


    Wang Yun’s heart pounded with panic, her gaze shifty.


    When had this fool caught on?


    "We don’t need to associate with each other anymore. I, Qin Tangyue, can’t afford a friend like you."


    Qin Tangyue didn’t want to deal with her any longer and turned away angrily.


    On the flower boat, Sang Yan noticed the situation onshore with Qin Tangyue and chuckled, then looked up at He Ying, "That Miss Qin, she’s quite pretty too, isn’t she?"


    He Ying: "..."


    Was Ah Yan feeling jealous?


    He paused, then nodded seriously, "Yes. Pretty."


    Sang Yan: "..."


    Damn man!


    She got angry, turned her head away, and didn’t want to acknowledge him.


    The next moment, a warm touch came from behind her.


    Sang Yan deliberately shifted forward.


    Humph, rejecting the hug, thank you!


    He Ying, watching her childish act, chuckled softly and pulled her into his embrace, "I was just teasing you. How could I pay attention to others when I have you?"


    Sang Yan was also intentionally teasing him.


    He was allergic to women, and she knew that better than anyone.


    "That’s more like it."


    Despite this, Sang Yan still cocked her chin proudly, looking spoiled.


    The atmosphere was very warm.


    He Ying rested his chin on her shoulder, smelling her fragrant hair.


    Sang Yan, looking at the candlelights onshore and the lanterns on the sea, excitedly pulled He Ying’s hand now and then, pointing out which lanterns looked good and which had unique designs.


    Until they reached another dock—


    "Boss, why is this dock so deserted?"


    Sang Yan looked at the dock onshore: it was dark and barely visible. A few boatmen were sitting on the shore, utterly dejected. A few people were walking with a strange posture, holding their stomachs as if they were in great discomfort.


    He Ying also felt something was off and turned to the owner.


    The piercing gaze made the owner break out in a cold sweat: this young man’s imposing presence was too strong!


    He dared not hesitate and quickly shared what he knew, "Miss, this dock is private for small fishing boats, surrounded by low houses. The people living here are boatmen, very poor. Recently, they seem to have caught a cold at sea, with vomiting and diarrhea. The dock smells of medicine, so naturally, no one comes here anymore."


    Sang Yan, realizing this, likened the dock to the urban villages in modern first-tier cities. Happy songs and laughter at one end, while desolate silence at the other.


    She smelled the strong scent of medicine in the air, feeling heavy-hearted: regardless of the era, the gap between the rich and the poor was always vast. The lives of the people at the bottom were always filled with suffering. Sёar?h the N??eFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He Ying, knowing she was worried about those who had caught colds, drew her into his arms, smoothed her furrowed brow, and whispered, "Don’t worry. When we get back, I will ask Gao Wenliang to allocate some Silver and medicine for them."


    "Mhm."


    Sang Yan, reassured by his words, nodded and smiled gently, letting go of her worries.


    He wouldn’t have cared about these minor details in the past, but now he was increasingly embodying an Emperor’s compassion.


    Ah, more and more, he was becoming a good Emperor who loved his people like his children!


    The flower boat continued forward.


    Another quarter hour passed.


    The shopkeeper shouted, "Two honored guests, we are ashore now. Ahead is the commercial street of Quanzhou City, with storytellers and opera singers all around."


    The lights along the shore were brightly lit.


    Far more impressive than the dock from which they had set off.


    Sang Yan thanked the shopkeeper and then pulled out a silver ingot from her purse to hand to him.


    After disembarking with He Ying, they walked quite a distance but could still hear the shopkeeper’s congratulatory words.


    "Thank you, two honored guests. I wish you both everlasting happiness and joy."


    Such auspicious words lifted their spirits.


    Hand in hand, they walked along, stopping now and then to look at various novelties.


    Nearly an hour passed when they stopped in front of a teahouse.


    Business along this whole street was booming.


    But this teahouse was clearly doing the best.


    Customers wanting to have tea were lined up in a long queue.


    Even those not interested in tea squeezed inside as if something exciting was happening there.


    Sang Yan, who loved lively places, stopped and looked up at the sign with golden letters on a wooden background—Qingfeng Tea House.


    This name?


    It seemed familiar.


    It seemed there was also a similar teahouse in Capital City where people told stories.


    Thinking this, she took a few steps forward and faintly heard cheers from inside.


    "It’s so lively in here."


    She stood at the entrance, craning her neck to peek inside.


    But there were too many people; she couldn’t see what was happening inside.


    Fortunately, an old man standing in front provided her with some insight, "Miss, do you also enjoy storytelling? Inside, Mr. Feng is telling a story about something that recently happened in the He Family. Ah, who would have thought Doctor He’s family could be so cruel? The He Family’s reputation has completely been ruined!"


    The old man shook his head and thumped his chest, his face full of regret.


    He had previously seen the glory of the He Family, and now... alas, he could only say that fortunes are unpredictable.


    When Sang Yan heard the words "He Family," she instinctively glanced at He Ying: the He Family had also produced such a wicked woman!


    "Let’s go inside and listen."


    He Ying’s voice was stiff, carrying a hint of displeasure.


    He wanted to hear how the common people viewed the He Family.


    "Xinyuan—"


    Sang Yan grasped He Ying’s hand, calming him, "Don’t get agitated. The common people simply don’t know the real situation."


    They had to send someone to investigate before they knew that He Zhongwen and others were not direct descendants of the He Family.


    Not to mention these naive common people.


    Storytellers always tended to stir people’s emotions and inevitably made some improper remarks.


    "Alright. I know."


    He Ying patted her hand twice and then called Lu Zijin to clear a path.


    There were too many people; forcing their way through was both difficult and undignified.


    "Make way, please."


    Lu Zijin and his subordinates soon opened a path.


    He Ying guided Sang Yan inside where many people were gathered, with no empty seats available.


    He chose a table near the front, offering ten silver pieces per person to vacate their seats.


    The eight people at the table, surprised by their luck, happily took the money and made way.


    He Ying pulled Sang Yan to sit down.


    Then he called for a waiter and ordered some tea and snacks.


    Just then, the storyteller struck the gavel and exclaimed, "Speaking of Miss He Hongzhao from the He Family, she was a woman of uncommon intelligence. Unfortunately, during her childhood, she was fed poison by her parents..."


    Sang Yan finally calmed down to listen to the storytelling.


    Upon listening, she found the storyteller’s voice strangely familiar.


    The hand that was pouring tea stiffened, the pot hovering mid-air.


    "What’s wrong?"


    He Ying, noticing her reaction, sensed something amiss.


    Sang Yan looked towards the storyteller’s platform, "Xinyuan, listen, this storyteller’s voice—"


    She felt it was a voice she had heard somewhere before.


    Reminded by her, He Ying listened carefully, his brows soon furrowing tightly: it couldn’t possibly be him!