CHAPTER 430: 426

Zhou Li asked Director Zheng and learned they could go out for a stroll in the afternoon; it was even fine if they didn’t return for dinner. The level of "do as you please" was much higher than he had imagined.

Director Zheng also arranged a car for them, which dropped them off at Qianmen Street.

Actually, at first, he had wanted to accompany them, claiming he could act as their tour guide. Ridiculously, by now, Zhou Li couldn’t tell if Director Zheng’s company was a routine matter or if he had been won over by Mr. Huai Xu’s personal charm. Either way, he politely declined.

"Thank you, Mr. Chen," Zhou Li said with a smile to the driver standing by the car. "We’d like to explore on our own now. You can take a break."

"I’ll find a parking spot and wait there. Just give me a call or send me the address when you need the car," the driver said, pulling a business card from his pocket and handing it to Zhou Li and Huai Xu. "This phone number is also my WeChat account. You can find me through either."

"Alright, thank you."

"You’re welcome."

Zhou Li pocketed the business card but remained standing in place, watching the car drive away and disappear around the street corner before he turned his gaze back to his surroundings.

The Capital was nothing like he had imagined. He had pictured it filled with skyscrapers, broad streets, and bustling traffic, with the sky gloomy due to smog. But what he saw before him were low, even old, houses. To his left was a narrow alley where two dogs stood, a bicycle was parked, and children chased each other.

Looking up, he could indeed see tall buildings.

So there was this strange feeling of a time warp, a crossing of worlds.

"What are you looking at?"

"Just looking around."

"Where shall we eat?"

"Let me check the map..."

Zhou Li stood by the roadside, pulled out his phone with one hand, and held Tuanzi in the other, checking Dianping.

It was a bit difficult to operate with one hand.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Huai Xu squatting by the street, chin propped in both hands, staring blankly at the ground. Following his gaze more closely, Zhou Li saw several ants puzzling over a grain of rice someone had dropped.

"It’s egg-fried rice," Huai Xu said, seeming to notice his gaze. "I smell it. There’s still liquid egg on the rice."

"Dog nose."

"This is my specialty."

"Mr. Huai Xu, please stand up. If someone sees you like this, you’ll make Master Ming lose face," Zhou Li said.

"That won’t happen," Huai Xu replied without lifting his head. "The driver has already driven to another street, and no one is following us. As for cameras, one of the three on that pole beside us is pointing this way. But we’re at the very edge of its line of sight. If I squat, it can’t see me."

...

Bullying this old monster really wasn’t easy.

"Got it!"

Zhou Li, imitating Brother Nan, quickly made his decision without hesitation. He prayed that fate would stand behind him, just as it did for Brother Nan. "Let’s try this well-rated Zhajiangmian place first. It’s very close, just over there."

"Let’s go!"

Huai Xu put down the little wooden stick in his hands and sprang up.

Zhou Li glanced down. The grain of egg-fried rice had been nudged with the little stick in the opposite direction, making the ants even more frantic.

The restaurant was just a few hundred meters away, and they soon arrived.

The restaurant was quite large, spanning a double storefront and even having a second floor. Apart from Zhajiangmian, they also served roast duck. As soon as they entered, they could see the duck roasting oven; ducks were hung inside, smoked and roasted to an enticing, glistening color, sizzling with oil.

Huai Xu kept giving Zhou Li meaningful glances.

Zhou Li frowned.

He had also seen reviews praising this restaurant’s roast duck. Yet, the roast duck he’d had at lunch today was already unbeatable, not just as roast duck, but as his favorite dish of the entire banquet. While the state banquet might have made compromises on some dishes, on others, it had achieved near perfection. The lunchtime roast duck, however, had been served simply as crispy-skinned duck, without the thin pancakes, sweet bean sauce, or scallions and cucumbers. That was because it had been roasted so perfectly—crispy skin and tender meat—that it didn’t need those accompaniments to cut the richness; in fact, they would have negatively affected the taste. So it was different from the roast duck found everywhere else.

Considering the old monster hadn’t eaten much at noon, barely reaching out with his chopsticks a few times, Zhou Li softened.

"Then let’s try the roast duck at this restaurant. Half a duck should be enough."

"A whole one!"

...

"The Great Devil King is so moved!"

So, they ordered a whole roast duck and two bowls of Zhajiangmian.

As Zhou Li waited for the dishes to be served, he took out his phone and browsed. The map showed that the Forbidden City was particularly close by, reachable quickly by walking or biking.

The Zhajiangmian came first.

Zhou Li first looked down at Tuanzi. "Lord Dumpling, do you want to eat? I’ll put some on a small plate for you."

Tuanzi lay on his lap, paws rapidly swatting at his dangling tie, completely engrossed in her play, as if she hadn’t heard him.

True enough—she had just eaten lunch and must still be full. This Little Trash Cat was always eager for any food before she ate, but after a few bites, she would cast delicacies aside like worn-out shoes.

Zhou Li was also still full.

So, he poured the toppings and sauce into his bowl and mixed them. Then, he pushed the bowl in front of Huai Xu, who sat opposite him, and began to transfer portions of noodles into Huai Xu’s bowl. All the while, Huai Xu watched his hands, chopsticks at the ready, waiting obediently.

"Done."

Zhou Li left a small portion for himself. "I’ll just try a bit," he said. "I want to take a look around the Forbidden City later."

"Not going for lamb spine hotpot?"

"After you’ve had this bowl... no, these two bowls of noodles and a whole duck, that should be more than enough, right?" Zhou Li said, speechless. "We’ll have lamb spine hotpot after visiting the Forbidden City."

"That’s a big difference." Huai Xu took a large mouthful of noodles, chewed thoughtfully, then nodded vigorously, gesturing with his hand for Zhou Li to eat too. After swallowing, he said, "Besides, isn’t the Imperial Palace just a house where the Emperor lived? What’s so interesting about touring it? Let me tell you, it’s not fun at all inside. I’ve been there before, and it’s not even as pretty as our home!"

"Lord Dumpling has been too!"

"Then you can be my tour guide."

"The last time I came to the Capital, I think it was still called Chang’an..." Huai Xu blinked. "Anyway, all Imperial Palaces are the same!"

"Zang An!" Lord Dumpling corrected.

...

「Two hours later.」

The two men and the cat walked through the Forbidden City.

Zhou Li looked around, inevitably a bit disappointed. He had to admit, the Imperial Palace was quite different from what he had imagined, especially the Imperial Garden and the consorts’ living quarters.

Seeing his mood, Huai Xu couldn’t resist mocking, "Told you so. It’s not as pretty as our place. People in ancient times didn’t know how to enjoy life like modern people do. Think about it—Ultra Rapid Fire mode comes out several times a year these days. If they’d had that in ancient times, it could’ve made an emperor skip the morning audience..."

Zhou Li continued to look around, saying quietly, "There’s no trace of Spiritual Power."

"There used to be," Huai Xu replied.

"Hmm?"

"The Imperial Palace used to have various arrangements, with many mechanisms," Huai Xu explained. "For instance, these stone lions were once alive. There were also many defensive arrays that would automatically activate if a demon intruded. Now you know how impressive it was for me to come and go freely in the Imperial Palace, right?"

"Why are they gone now?"

"It could hardly withstand such ravages of time," Huai Xu said. "Besides, you humans are constantly warring; it might have also been destroyed by your own hands."

"So..."

"That bell and the Jiang Family’s ancient tomb are creations from the peak era of Heavenly Masters, representing the pinnacle of their abilities. This Imperial Palace, though, doesn’t look that old. It must be from the end of an era, right?" Huai Xu sneered. "I guess there weren’t any impressive Heavenly Masters left by then."

"I see..."