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To Hold One's Joy Chapter 30-2

Chapter 30-2: Foolish Princess

"We are just going to stroll around." Luo Sheng replied. They strolled from the street to the end of the alley, exploring different parts of Nanyang City. After traversing half the city, they came across a scene where a group of beggars was beating an old, gray-haired beggar.

"If you don't let go, I'll beat you to death, you old bastard!" one of the beggars threatened while the old beggar held something tightly in his arms and closed his eyes, enduring the blows and kicks.

"Hongdou, send those beggars away." Luo Sheng instructed. Hongdou rolled up her sleeves, ready to intervene, but Luo Sheng stopped her.

"Don't worry, Miss. I can handle five small beggars like them with my fists."

Luo Sheng shook her head: "I want you to send them away with a few copper coins. Remember, don't use fists to solve problems money can solve."

"I understand, Miss," Hongdou nodded.

Once the beggars received the copper coins and dispersed, Luo Sheng approached the old beggar. He struggled to lift his head, whispering with dry lips, "Thank you, Gongzi..." Luo Sheng gestured for Hongdou to assist the old beggar and then led him to a nearby teahouse to have some tea.

The old beggar eagerly devoured pastries, stuffing his mouth to the point of choking. His eyes rolled as he struggled to regain his composure, eventually drinking a pot of tea to soothe his throat. "They beat you just for this half-duck leg?" Luo Sheng asked. The old beggar held a broken porcelain bowl, inside of which was a dark-colored half-duck leg.

The old beggar nodded.

"My father once visited Nanyang City and told me that every family here lived prosperously, the city was peaceful and thriving, and beggars were rare. Why is it different now——"The old beggar glanced at Luo Sheng and sighed: "Your father must have been here many years ago."

"Yeah, it's been over ten years."

The old beggar wore a knowing expression, stuffed a pastry into his mouth, and mumbled, "The Nanyang City now is not the Nanyang City of ten years ago."

Luo Sheng inquired further, "What do you mean?"

The old beggar took a few sips of tea but remained silent. Hongdou stared at him and said, "You old beggar, why are you leaving us in suspense?" The old beggar replied with a sigh, "It's not that I'm deliberately withholding information. It's just... there are things that I can't say..."

Luo Sheng discreetly covered a piece of silver with her sleeve and pushed it toward the old beggar. She spoke calmly, "It happened over ten years ago. You can still speak about it now even if you couldn't speak about it then. Please satisfy my curiosity, old man." Zhennan Wang Palace was abruptly and tragically exterminated, so surely every older people in Nanyang City would have some knowledge of the incident.

The old beggar swiftly pocketed the silver and finally began to speak. "In the past, Nanyang City was under the control of Zhennan Wang. But one fateful day twelve years ago, Zhennan Wang Palace was besieged by government troops. They mercilessly slaughtered the people inside the palace, and the massacre continued throughout the night. Since then, Nanyang City... Well, let's just say the higher authorities neglected Nanyang City, and over time, it has become what it is today."

Luo Sheng listened attentively and understood what the old beggar meant.

Since the founding of the Great Zhou Dynasty, her ancestor had held the title of Zhennan Wang and governed their fiefdom for generations, ensuring prosperity and wealth, particularly in Nanyang City, where Zhennan Wang Palace stood. This earned them the respect and loyalty of the common people in Nanyang City, which, unfortunately, displeased the Imperial Court.

Therefore, it is inevitable for a neglected city to decline gradually.

The old beggar continued his story, sighing, "Everything was going well, so why did Zhennan Wang have to commit treason? Pity the hundreds of lives in the palace that were slaughtered, including the princess who had just been married that same day..."

Luo Sheng clenched her hands tightly within her sleeves and responded calmly, "How can one escape unscathed when their family commits crimes? Since Zhennan Wang committed a grave offense, it was only natural that they wouldn't spare the princess."

The old beggar shook his head. "It's not as you said. According to the law, a married woman cannot be held accountable for her family's crimes. The princess had already been married off to the Pingnan Wang Palace and had completed the wedding ceremonies. It's just that upon hearing about the disaster at Zhennan Wang Palace, she rushed back there. In the end, she was killed in front of the palace... They say she was still wearing her wedding dress. How foolish…"
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