On the first day of the Lunar New Year, the sky in Yicheng was clear and clear.
After working hard for a year, the people relaxed and went out on the streets with their families, visiting relatives and friends... enjoying the leisure and happiness of these few days wholeheartedly.
However, the Nanyan army was outside, watching eagerly, which made this relaxation and joy shrouded in a layer of panic and depression, like running under dark clouds, not knowing when it would rain.
But because of this, they must seize this precious time to get together with their loved ones and meet their friends to avoid regrets.
Yu Zheng, Jiang Shu and Zhou Boxu took to the streets with the generals to parade to comfort the people.
Yicheng is not as prosperous as Shangjing, there are not so many grand and tall buildings, the houses are simple and plain, and the shops and stalls on both sides of the street sell mostly cheap and crude goods, but the happy smiles on the faces of the people are the same.
What's more, Jiang Shu felt that the people in Yicheng were smiling more contentedly and purely.
Vendors shouting loudly, men and women shopping for dazzling items with laughter, children pestering adults for snacks...weave together into a picture of peace, prosperity and happiness.
"Is that the princess? I heard that the princess has come to our Yicheng."
"They are walking with General Liu and the others, and there are so many guards. They must be His Highness King Jing and Princess Jing."
"Then to the right of His Highness King Jing is Mr. Zhou..."
The common people noticed Yu Zheng and his party, looking at and speculating with excitement.
The children held the adults' hands and looked up curiously at the high-spirited group of people, their eyes full of admiration and envy.
Jiang Shu prepared a lot of candies, and ordered Zhuiyun Zhufeng and others to take them and let Lonicera forsythia distribute them to the children along the street.
"Eat the candy given by the princess." Lonicera gave the candy to the children and pinched their cute faces.
"Is she really the princess?" the child asked with an innocent face.
Ling Dong raised his eyebrows and said, "Of course, we in Yicheng can't raise such a beautiful person."
This beauty is not only a stunning appearance, but also a combination of mind and kindness, forming a dignified temperament from the inside out.
In the eyes of these children, Jiang Shu is like the Nine Heavens Goddess who stepped out of the New Year paintings, making them admire and marvel.
Looking at Jiang Shu who was about to walk away, the little girl swallowed her saliva and boldly asked: "Can I give this to the princess?"
Lonicera glanced at it and saw that it was a wind wheel made of red colored paper with auspicious wishes written on it. The little girl had just begged her parents to buy it for her.
This inconspicuous wind wheel was her New Year's gift and was extremely precious to her.
Lonicera asked: "Do you really want to give it to the princess? Aren't you going to cry?"
The little girl shook her head: "I won't cry."
"That's settled." With the consent of the adults, Lonicera took the little girl's hand and brought her to Jiang Shu.
"Princess, she wants to give this to you."
Jiang Shu lowered his eyes and saw a little girl of about fifteen or six years old raising her hands high, and the wind wheel in her hand slowly rotated with the wind.
"Princess, I'll give this... to you." The little girl was very nervous, her immature face was flushed, and her eyes staring at Jiang Shu were particularly bright. The warm sunlight fell on her eyes, reflecting the starlight, which was extremely beautiful.
Jiang Shu reached out to take it, smiled and said: "It's so beautiful, thank you."
After a pause, Jiang Shu asked warmly: "Why did you give it to me?"
The little girl pointed to the candy on her pocket and said crisply: "Thank you."
After saying that, she turned around and ran away, towards her parents who were waiting for her.
Jiang Shu's eyes followed her figure, and when he first saw her returning to his parents, he walked away with confidence.
The group of people continued to walk forward, Honeysuckle and Forsythia kept delivering candies.
The children in front who knew all this were eagerly waiting on the street for the handful of candies given by the princess.
People who were traveling to visit relatives also stopped to watch and admire the elegant demeanor of the nobles in the capital.
For them, it is great luck and blessing to see noble people on the first day of the Lunar New Year, which makes them firmly believe that this year will be smooth and healthy.
The children who got the candy were very happy, and their cheerful and joyful smiling faces were brighter than the sun and heart-warming.
The people who were originally depressed felt relieved after seeing Yu Zheng and Jiang Shu patrolling the streets in person.
They are in the city, protected by King Jing and the soldiers, so they will be safe.
Besides, the prince and princess are not afraid, so they have nothing to be afraid of.
Thinking of this, the people's hearts were excited. They didn't know who would take the lead and shouted loudly.
"His Royal Highness King Jing, Princess, Master Zhou, we are not afraid of the thieves from Nanyan, and we vow to coexist with Yicheng!"
Yicheng is a border town with a vast terrain and hundreds of thousands of people. It is impossible for so many people to evacuate, they can only hold on.
Moreover, Yicheng is the line of defense. Once it is lost, the cities behind will fall like children who have lost the protection of adults.
Therefore, Yicheng must not be destroyed.
Yu Zheng and Zhou Boxu understood this and came here in person.
The people's shouts were too loud, even louder than the firecrackers last night, clear and sweet.
Listening to these calls of trust and looking at the excited faces, Yu Zheng's heart surged.
They received support from the people, so they had to protect the people's peace.
The streets were long and crowded with people. The street is very short, but it only takes a quarter or two to reach the corner and turn into the next street.
The news spread that Yu Zheng and others were patrolling the streets distributing candy, and people came with their children one after another, just to see the glory and receive the handfuls of candy stained with the blessings of the nobles.
There were too many people, and Jiang Shubei didn't have enough candies, so he ran out after walking two blocks.
Looking at the waiting children on the street, Jiang Shu couldn't bear to disappoint them and quickly ordered Leng Xing and the others to go to the nearest candy shop to buy more.
General Liu and others looked at the increasing number of people who were getting excited and were worried that someone would lose control and crash into Yu Zheng and the others, so they ordered guards to surround them and clear the way, just in case.
The guards braced themselves to the hilt, tense up and watched the people around them with all their attention, to be on guard against emergencies.
The crowd was unpredictable, but some people who were overly excited and out of control wanted to get closer, but were blocked by the guards and persuaded to go back by General Liu and others.
It was obviously winter, so they were not walking fast, but General Liu and others were sweating on their heads. Not tired, but worried.
As noon approached, only the last main street remained. After patrolling this street, you can go back to the general's mansion.
When he reached the end of the street, General Liu breathed a sigh of relief, raised his sleeves to wipe the sweat from his forehead, and ordered someone to bring the carriage and escort Yu Zheng and the others back home from the secluded side street.
The carriage stopped, and Yu Zheng and the others were about to get on the carriage, when suddenly an old couple rushed out from the alley and walked towards the carriage tremblingly.
An old couple with gray hair, aged seventy or eighty, came supporting each other.
"Are you the prince or princess?" the old couple stared at Yu Zheng and Jiang Shu and asked.
The guards stopped them and reminded them not to get closer.
General Liu said to Yu Zheng and the others: "The prince, princess and your lords will go ahead and deal with it later."
Tens of thousands of people on several main streets have been able to cope with it. Now it is easy to send two old people away, but General Liu doesn't take it to heart.
"Are you really the prince and princess? Can we meet and have a few words? Please forgive me, sir." The old couple begged with their hands in hand.
