Looking at Liu Ji’s face that was about to burst into laughter, and the surprised expressions of Yin Le and the Da Lang brothers and sisters, Qin Yao calmly picked up the floral tea,

"This is just a gimmick. Didn’t the teahouse we chose today claim that the current Emperor had visited incognito?"

Liu Ji asked in surprise, "Isn’t it true?"

Qin Yao looked at him as if he were a fool, "Do you think the Emperor would come to drink this floral tea that’s only two hundred cents per pot?"

Liu Ji had already figured it out in his heart but still responded skeptically, "Even though this tea is cheap, wouldn’t the Emperor really come?"

Ah Wang couldn’t stand it anymore, "Mr. Liu, the shopkeeper said the Emperor had visited incognito. If he was in disguise, how could the shopkeeper recognize him as the Emperor?"

Liu Ji was stunned for a moment, then realized, and slammed the table, ready to go confront the shopkeeper—how dare they deceive Mr. Liu!

But wait! Why was no one stopping him?

Qin Yao sighed softly, "Sit down!" She really didn’t know what to do with this man~

With an easy way out, Liu Ji immediately sat back down, chuckling as if nothing had happened. "This tea is really fragrant, the pastries are delicious, my wife is so good to me."

They settled their lunch at the teahouse. The business at the boutique was booming, and Qin Yao was really too lazy to squeeze in, so she gave the teahouse’s waiter ten cents to send a message across the street.

After waiting for about half an hour, they finally saw Liu Fei, dressed maturely as a shopkeeper, coming out from the corner door behind the boutique.

As soon as he appeared, Ah Wang noticed him and waved his hand in front of the teahouse. Liu Fei looked over, full of surprise, and rushed over in a few big steps.

"Third Sister-in-law!"

The Da Lang brothers and sisters were also excited and stood up, "Uncle!"

Liu Fei patted each of their heads, pinched their cheeks, and patted their shoulders. It was truly joyful and touching to see his family in this unfamiliar Capital City.

After bonding warmly with the four children for a while, Liu Fei gave each of them twenty cents as pocket money to buy some snacks from the street, then sat down across from Qin Yao.

Seeing the smug face of his third brother, Liu Fei reluctantly called him.

Yin Le and Ah Wang took the children out to buy food, leaving only Qin Yao and her husband with Liu Fei at the table.

"I was going to send a worker to wait at the city gate for you tomorrow. Didn’t expect you to arrive so soon, Third Sister-in-law."

Qin Yao: "We traveled quickly and arrived early. How’s the store doing?"

Liu Fei pointed across the street. The lively scene was the best proof, with no need for more words.

Qin Yao had great trust in the strength of Fulong Trading Company. With the people over there managing the store, she really didn’t have to worry about anything.

However, when she went out this morning, witnessing a house seizure reminded her of Gongliang Liao’s situation, which made her a bit worried.

Liu Fei concernedly asked, "Third Sister-in-law, which inn are you staying at? When did you arrive, and what are your plans next?"

Qin Yao briefly recounted her journey of recognizing her relatives along the way. Liu Fei felt like he was listening to a storybook, full of amazement.

"So, does that mean you’re currently staying temporarily at your brother-in-law’s house, Third Sister-in-law?"

Qin Yao nodded, "Just for the interim. In a few days, when our home is set up, I’ll start looking for a house. You’re more familiar with this place than I am, so please keep an eye out, preferably for a good location that’s safe for the kids."

Liu Fei agreed, thinking that even if Third Sister-in-law hadn’t asked, he would have done it anyway.

Liu Fei was currently staying with the branch shopkeeper of Fulong Trading Company in the Capital City. After understanding the location of Qin Feng’s house, he seriously noted it down, planning to visit them directly if anything came up.

Having settled on a place to stay, everything else could be planned at a slower pace.

However....

Liu Fei frowned and glanced at his third brother, who sensed it and immediately turned to him, sat next to him snugly, and put an arm around his shoulder as if in a covert discussion, observing the surroundings while whispering,

"You’ve arrived a few days earlier, have you found out where the teacher lives?"

Of course, Liu Fei had remembered, tugging the arm off his neck before taking a deep breath to calm down, then whispered,

"I found out. The teacher is not in the palace, but lives at the National Master Mansion, within the inner Yang River area, at the foot of the Palace, a place not for people like us to enter..."

Liu Fei worriedly looked at Qin Yao, then at Liu Ji, whose eyes were filled with joy upon learning about the teacher’s whereabouts, cautiously reminding him,

"Third Brother, the State Preceptor is in seclusion for a month to perform rituals for Sheng Country’s national fortune. You probably won’t even be able to knock on the door of the National Master Mansion."

There was another thing Liu Fei didn’t say for fear of hurting Liu Ji’s delicate heart. That was, in this Capital City, they were just the lowest of civilians, with low status and little influence. Even if they managed to meet Gongliang Liao, what of it?

That person was a dignified State Preceptor, a favorite at His Majesty’s side, with all the influential figures in the Capital being his followers. A mere breath from him could obliterate them.

Although Liu Fei didn’t personally witness the Black Cavalry forcibly taking Gongliang Liao away in the Liu Family Village, he clearly remembered the fearful expressions described by the villagers later.

Taking someone away against their will—how is that an invitation? It’s clearly detention!

The rumors sounded nice, claiming that the Crown Prince respected his teacher, bringing the Old Grand Tutor back to the Capital to spend his twilight years in comfort.

This even led to the scholars in the Capital City jointly denouncing the Princess for causing such a miserable end for the great scholar, appealing multiple times to the Holy Emperor and Holy Empress to order the punishment of the Princess.

In his first two days in the Capital, Liu Fei found himself inundated with more news than he could digest, all stirred up by those scholars seeking justice for the teacher.

Having seen the world, the current Liu Fei was no longer the naïve Liu Fei from the Liu Family Village. Especially after having spent time with Gongliang Liao, who was the center of attention, he knew well whether the old man felt wronged or wanted to denounce the Princess.

Liu Fei was almost certain that the old man was utilized thoroughly by someone as a pawn.

In his opinion, those scholars were foolish too. They hadn’t even met the great scholar; just a few words of instigation were enough to arouse their anger, blindly charging forward and shouting louder than those directly involved.

As the atmosphere fell into silence, Liu Fei stood up and said, "Third Sister-in-law, the store is busy today. If there’s nothing else, I’ll head back first and come to Yongtong Square after I’m done."

Qin Yao glanced at the long queue at the boutique’s entrance, smiled lightly, and nodded, "Go ahead with your work."

The rest is Liu Ji’s own concern.

Watching Liu Fei enter the store, the couple sat quietly at the tea table for a moment before Ah Wang and Yin Le returned with the children.

Qin Yao asked Liu Ji, "We’re planning to visit the general store area to buy some furniture for each room; how about you?"

Liu Ji suddenly stood up, saying to himself, "I’m going to find my little senior brother!"

Qin Yao, unsurprised, cheerfully replied, "Alright, I’ll have Ah Wang accompany you."

Liu Ji looked at her with surprise, almost wanting to kiss her right there, but... he didn’t dare.