Chapter 3, The Great Cities of the World

The expressions of the crowd also turned somewhat solemn

Although it was just a few sentences, he formed a preliminary impression of these individuals

The knife has no sheath, it is merely a cheap item that can be purchased for twenty wen at the blacksmith's shop, yet he still cherishes it and attaches it to his belt with care

"It's all right!" Qi Hu said, staring at the self-important official.

As they approached Xianyang, the once desolate thoroughfare gradually became busier with people and horses. Hu Ru'er watched these passersby with excitement, attentively listening to whatever others were saying.

He did not know what fate awaited him after leaving the Copper Palace, so he did his utmost to grasp something. Chen Shang might be unreliable, but he was currently the only person he could rely on.

The tiger cub opened its mouth to smile, revealing a set of very white teeth

The tiger cub smiled brightly again: "It is mine, the first thing that belongs to me"

"Teach me to distinguish various trees," said an old gentleman with a beard as long as this, who, during the daily leisure time, was busy planting vegetables and trees while others were preoccupied with chatting and basking in the sun. He said his name was Cai Pu..."

The tiger cub drew out the sword, still wearing a smile on its face

They asked again about the matters concerning the Tiger Milk Child in the Copper Palace, but the Tiger Milk Child was unwilling to speak

"Have you practiced swordsmanship?" Chen Xiang's horse slowly approached Hu Ru'er, as he looked down at her from a height.

Although Hu Ruer was young and weak, he was extremely intelligent. With just a few brief instructions, Hu Ruer was able to ride with considerable skill, which greatly surprised Qi Hu and made him even more amiable towards Hu Ruer

Their gazes were not fixed on the high officials beside the new emperor, nor on the imposing Tiger Ben army; only the gaze of the Tiger Ruer was focused on the new emperor in the palanquin

He is merely a child, confined within the Copper Palace. Even if he has heard some things while following the farmers at the canal head, how much can he truly grasp?

Former Grand Minister of Agriculture Cai Pu, the leader of the farming community, served as the Grand Minister of Agriculture in the thirty-fourth year of the reign of Emperor Liewu. In the forty-fifth year of the same reign, he was imprisoned in the Copper Palace, yet he was still alive.

From Tonggong to Xianyang, it is a distance of 40 li. If one were to walk, it would take more than half a day. However, with a horse, it would not take so long.

Are all the children locked in the Copper Palace like you?" Qi Hu asked as he approached

"Tsk tsk, I can do it too!" Yu Long couldn't help but say

Li Guo's expression immediately darkened

The Fierce Martial Emperor was fond of military campaigns, ruling for fifty-one years, engaging in battles year after year, yet there were no major famines among the people, relying on this individual. Yu Long stared at Hu Ru'er: "How much of his skills have you learned?"

The tiger cub was somewhat reluctant to part with the sword, but still handed it over to Chen Shang and went to pick up the knife of the Mangshan bandit.

It seems that you have not wasted your time in the Copper Palace

"Kid, what are you keeping this worthless thing for?" Qi Hu asked

I am in the Copper Palace, where there is a teacher. In the Copper Palace, he is a monster from the west, but it is said that outside, he is quite famous

The wide thoroughfare is made of rammed earth; although it is somewhat uneven, it is generally quite passable. On both sides of the thoroughfare, there are elm trees, poplar trees, and Chinese parasol trees, but these trees only have leaves remaining at the tips, as the lower leaves have all been stripped away by people

"Thieves are nurtured by officials; it was the same even during the reign of Emperor Liewu," Li Guo said coldly

Chen Shang widened his eyes, and in an instant, Yu Long, Qi Hu, and Li Guo were also momentarily stunned

Chen Shang pouted, gazing at those armored warriors: "The Tiger Ben Army is reputed to be the elite of the world, raised in the capital, and like the Xuan Jia Army of yore, ultimately has been rendered useless."

These trees are also planted in the Copper Palace, so I recognize them. Their leaves are all edible. Nowadays, even the leaves of the trees along the thoroughfare have been stripped by people. There are mountain bandits less than forty li from Xianyang, indicating that the world is not very peaceful

"Can you ride a horse?" Qi Hu asked him

His family was also one of the families punished by Emperor Liewu. Although he narrowly escaped death, very few of his direct relatives remained, leaving only some distant branches and a mess behind.

Their gazes coincidentally fixed on the hand of the tiger cub

He was aware of Li Guo's dissatisfaction with the late emperor who was given the posthumous title "Lie Wu," and therefore did not engage in a debate, but instead began to instruct Hu Ru'er in horsemanship

He is already dead, the tiger cub said

If the Fierce Martial Emperor were still alive, we would not have a good outcome for discussing him behind his back. Qi Hu waved his hand and said, "Stop talking nonsense, let's go, let's head back to Xianyang for some drinks!"

Under the call of Qi Hu, the three returned to the forest and brought out their horses. Together with the horse of the leader of the Mangshan bandits, they now had five horses.

Do you know why there are so few leaves on these trees? Seeing that Hu Ru'er was very interested in these trees, Chen Xiang asked

The leader of the bandits in Mangshan has a very gentle temperament, but the little tiger is quite small in stature, making it difficult for him to climb up. It was still Qi Hu who reached out and effortlessly lifted him, placing him directly onto the saddle of the horse.

The new emperor's procession was grand and imposing, stretching for a full ten miles. When they arrived, they happened to see the new emperor seated high upon his royal carriage

Oh? You might as well tell me, let me see if it is really so said Chen Xiang with curiosity

Li Guo stared intently, his hands trembling slightly, and several times he could not help but reach for the bow

While these individuals were conversing, the tiger cub was continuously observing

Perhaps there was some wrongdoing in the family... In the later years of Emperor Liewu, there were quite a few noble families that faced extermination and imprisonment like this, " Yu Long said slowly.

He found these few individuals even more interesting in his heart

I do not know, the tiger cub replied

"Return the sword to me, boy." He reached out again towards the tiger cub.

"It's quite boring, I originally wanted to scare this kid a bit," Qi Hu muttered.

He is the new emperor, the most esteemed person under heaven... But why does he frown, showing no sign of joy at all

They entered the city of Xianyang from Yong'an Gate in the southeast, and then turned towards the Imperial Road, but were stopped before reaching the Imperial Road

Yu Long is equally bold, speaking with a strong tone and daring to make pointed judgments.

Do you all know him?" the tiger cub asked again

Chen Shang is audacious and reckless, almost completely unrestrained

Everyone fell silent

"How can you be so sure?" Qi Hu asked again

"Well, everyone is like me," the tiger cub said with certainty

Let them be here; naturally, someone will come to clean up. After Emperor Liewu's control over the heavens, these officials have become increasingly negligent. There are even bandits less than 40 li away from Xianyang!

This child, the only little prisoner in the bronze palace, only received the first possession of his life when he reached his teenage years

Chen Shang once again scrutinized him carefully; this young man had tidied himself up very neatly, showing no signs of having spent over ten years in a filthy prison cell

This fellow is the one the Grand General instructed you to bring out. I always feel that this order is unreliable. You see, today is the day the new emperor ascends the throne; how could the Grand General still have the leisure to pay attention to such a minor character, especially since this fellow is quite peculiar

Then he saw the city of Xianyang

Chen Shang naturally searched through the bodies of the thieves, and Hu Ruer saw him stuffing several items into the cloth bag on his horse's back. Yu Long, Qi Hu, and Li Guo did the same.

These corpses?" He thanked Qi Hu, and Hu Ruer asked again

Because the new emperor has just returned from the earth worship ceremony and is currently passing through the imperial road

Chen Shang spread his hands, indicating that he was also unclear about this

The tiger cub gazed intently at the young man seated under the magnificent canopy of the palanquin, his expression solemn and unwavering. Beside him, a high-ranking official drove the carriage, exuding an extraordinary presence, surveying his surroundings with an air of self-importance

Just now, the young man, smiling, swiftly turned and with a single sword strike, killed the Mangshan bandit who attempted to take him hostage

That bandit from Mangshan underestimated him

They also underestimated him

"I cannot, but I can learn," replied the tiger cub

This young man is not simple; it seems that... the one brought out from the Copper Palace is a person without restraint

The towering city walls resemble a great mountain, with the lofty arrow towers vigilantly surveying the surroundings. Within the walls, the houses are lined up in an orderly fashion, and at the city gate, pedestrians come and go in a bustling manner

The Fierce Martial Emperor did not know what he was thinking, to throw such a small creature into the Copper Palace

Upon hearing these words, the four individuals were taken aback once again. Even Li Guo, who had been casting a cold and stern gaze at Hu Ru'er, softened his expression slightly.

Because I am the only child locked in the copper palace. The tiger cub tilted its head, revealing its white teeth once again, but the words it spoke amused Qi Hu.

The tiger cub understood that Chen Xiang's question was a test, and after a moment of contemplation, he replied, his eyes fixed intently on Chen Xiang

Li Guo carried a heavy burden in his heart, which is why he was taciturn; whenever he did speak, his words were invariably sharp and incisive

Not only the so-called Tiger Milk Child, but even those who refer to themselves as the Four Pests of Xianyang, such as Chen Shang and others, whenever they see this magnificent city from afar, they are filled with a sense of grandeur

That Qi Hu appears rough and unrefined, yet in reality, he is a cautious person who is very mindful of his words.

"A skilled hand." Li Guoxi values words as gold

Whether through coercion or temptation, this child merely smiles, as if he is capable of no other expression than laughter

The hands are pale and emaciated, appearing to lack any strength; however, they are extremely, extremely, extremely stable, whether being watched now or during the act of killing just moments ago

Qi Hu felt somewhat embarrassed, and then burst into laughter