Chapter 1382: 671 third watch Chapter 1382: 671 third watch The two approached Gu Jiao.

Seeing that Gu Jiao was acquainted with Mu Qingchen, and both were wearing Tianqiong Academy’s uniforms, the crowd looked unsurprisingly astonished.

A scholar said, “I told you it was Young Master Qingchen, right? Only his articles could catch Elder Yang’s eye.”

In the second-floor private room, Elder Yang was kneeling on a cushion, several fresh eight-legged essays collected from the Grand Hall laid out on the desk before him.

Sitting opposite Elder Yang was a refined middle-aged man.

“Elder, you’ve read them several times already,” the middle-aged man said with a smile. “Are they really that stunning?”

Elder Yang stroked his beard and said, “Since Prince Jing, I haven’t seen such outstanding talent and brilliant writing.”

“Nowadays he is the Duke of An,” the middle-aged man chuckled. “Comparing someone with the Duke is quite high praise, don’t you think? Who exactly is it?”

Elder Yang looked at the signature on the paper and said somewhat oddly, “Long Yi.”

…

Gu Jiao and her companions walked on the bustling street. She now had two lanterns, a pink peach blossom lantern and a golden gourd lantern, drawing the eyes of many passersby.

“Liulang, your lantern is really nice!” Yuan Xiao said, pointing at the gourd lantern in Gu Jiao’s right hand.

Of course, it was a gift from my darling.

Mu Qingchen cast a suspicious glance at Xiao Hen. Who in the world was this man?

“Dried meat! Fresh and delicious dried meat!”

The hawker’s cries came from not far away.

Xiao Hen said to Gu Jiao, “You go ahead and browse. I’ll buy some dried meat.”

After he left, Mu Qingchen blurted out, “Do you like dried meat?”

It was a strange question, so much so that even Mu Qingchen furrowed his eyebrows in surprise. Why did he subconsciously assume that everything the man called Long Yi did was for Xiao Liulang?

Gu Jiao felt she had to be cautious in answering this question.

Just then, Mu Chuan spotted a new lantern riddle stall and waved at the others, “Fourth Brother, Liulang, come over here!”

“Liulang, let’s go, let’s have a look!” Yuan Xiao urged.

Gu Jiao was successfully led away by the two, and Mu Qingchen was left asking a lonely question.

The dried meat stand was not far, just across at the doorway of a Ready-Made Clothes Shop. The dried meat was popular, with quite a queue. Xiao Hen stood at the end of the line.

Xiao Hen waited patiently.

He was still not quite used to wearing a mask. He pushed at it with his hand but accidentally knocked it off.

He bent down, long fingers picking up the mask that had fallen to the ground, gently dusting it off.

Meanwhile, a woman carrying an embroidered basket walked out of the Clothing Store.

The woman’s attire was not overly luxurious but her demeanor and grace were beyond what ordinary women possessed.

She passed by the dried meat stall and got into the carriage parked by the roadside.

Perhaps the aroma of the dried meat was too enticing, for the woman couldn’t help but glance at the stall.

With just one look, her whole body stiffened.

The carriage started to move.

The woman, not seated securely, fell backward, and the curtain in her hand dropped with a slap.

“Stop the carriage! Stop the carriage!”

She yelled.

The coachman brought the carriage to a halt.

The young maid inside asked, “Auntie, what’s wrong? Did you leave something in the shop? Shall I go fetch it?”

The woman did not answer her question but, instead, quickly got down from the carriage, her dress picked up hurriedly.

She approached the dried meat stall, pushing through the men in line one by one.

“What are you doing?”

“Are you sick or something?”

The crowd cursed.

The woman muttered in a daze, “Where is he? Where is he?”

The young maid came over, “Auntie, who are you looking for?”

The woman said with a sense of loss, “Your Highness Changsun… I saw Your Highness Changsun…”

The young maid glanced around and said in a low voice, “Auntie, you must be seeing things. His Highness Changsun has long since left Shengdu; he went with the Princess to guard the Imperial Mausoleum.”