I've seen enough of the playing hard-to-get act

Ren Tianye's eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at the imperial army encamped in the distance. They were a full five miles away. Even if the city gates were opened and these twenty people started a riot, there was absolutely no way the imperial army could charge over in a short time.

Their gates remained as steady as Mount Tai.

Therefore, he directly ordered, "Open the city gates and let them in."

"Yes!"

"Follow this general to the city gates to meet this person sent by the imperial court. This general would like to know what they are up to."

"Let's see how he plans to negotiate with this general!"

"Yes!"

After the gates of Yunji City were opened, Ren Tianye immediately led everyone down from the city tower. However, the city entrance was completely empty. The twenty or so people who had just entered were gone.

"Where are they?"

Ren Tianye asked in astonishment.

The soldiers guarding the gate next to him also looked bewildered and replied, "Great General, they... they were very strange. After entering the city gates, they immediately rode off on their horses."

"Listening to their words, it sounded like they were going to buy some gifts for someone."

"Now..."

"They've all ridden far away."

Ren Tianye was instantly left messing in the wind.

What the hell?

They ran away?

Weren't they here to negotiate?

Bringing twenty thousand imperial soldiers, looking so fierce and impatient, weren't they here to attack Yunji City or to negotiate with him?

What the hell is this going shopping?

What could possibly be more important than Yunji City?

Ren Tianye's head hurt badly.

He felt that he might have fallen into another cognitive trap, which was that he couldn't use the mindset of normal people to measure this female-oriented romance world.

This was just... everyone was completely absurd!

...

"Report, Great General..."

Inside the General's Manor, the soldiers sent to monitor brought back information about the twenty-odd riders who had entered the city wave after wave.

"Those people went to the East Market."

"General, those people went to the West Market."

"General, those people went to Linlang Street."

"General, those people are strolling around Linlang Street. They have all dismounted and look very relaxed."

...

As Ren Tianye listened, his brows furrowed deeper and deeper.

First the East Market, then the West Market, and finally Linlang Street. This obviously showed that they had no interest in ordinary streets like the East and West Markets.

Linlang Street, as the most luxurious street in Yunji City, had always been the gathering place for high-end merchants in the city. If the city gates hadn't been closed these past few days, it would have attracted a large number of businessmen trading between the Great Yu and the barbarians.

It could be considered the most famous shopping street in the Northern Frontier.

Since these people went to Linlang Street, it seemed they really were there to buy goods.

But damn it...

What kind of goods were they buying!

Bringing the imperial army here, shouldn't it be a clash between two armies?

How did it turn into a shopping trip?

Ren Tianye once again deeply felt that one shouldn't try to guess the minds of people in female-oriented romance novels; you simply couldn't guess it at all!

And who exactly was this leader?!

How... how could he be so brainless?

"General, from what they were saying, they kept calling him 'Young Duke', and this subordinate also heard someone call him 'Young Duke Lu'."

Young Duke?

Surnamed Lu?

Ren Tianye immediately had a guess in his heart.

The noble titles of the Great Yu, excluding princes and the like, were divided into five ranks.

They were Duke, Marquis, Count, Viscount, and Baron.

To be called Young Duke, his status must be similar to his predecessor's, definitely the legitimate son of a Duke's mansion.

And his surname was Lu, which almost made it certain.

"This is... the son of Duke Fuguo!"

"Young Duke Lu!"

Ren Tianye felt mentally exhausted and ordered, "Continue to monitor them. As long as they don't cause any trouble, don't touch them for now."

"This general wants to see what kind of mischief they are up to."

"Yes!"

...

Linlang Street.

Young Duke Lu Jun leisurely strolled down the street with his entourage. Beside him, a man who looked like his deputy general but was actually a steward assigned to him by the Duke's mansion couldn't help but say, "Young Duke, we should hurry up."

"The imperial army is withdrawing. If we delay, I'm afraid we will be impeached."

Young Duke Lu Jun didn't care at all and said lightly, "Impeach this Marquis? Hmph, who dares to be so unappreciative!"

Seeing that the Young Duke still wouldn't listen, the steward could only continue, "Young Duke, even if the courtiers don't dare to impeach you, there's no point in us being here!"

"That Second Miss of the Su family has already explicitly rejected you. You are the son of a Duke; what kind of woman can't you get? Why waste so much effort on the daughter of a lowly merchant?"

"How about we just go back."

Young Duke Lu Jun remained unmoved and instead said, "You simply don't understand."

"This is just Su Xiu playing hard to get."

"Ha, this Marquis has seen plenty of women playing hard to get, but..." Young Duke Lu Jun's lips curled into a wicked smile, "Su Xiu is the only one this Marquis wants to play with to the end."

Steward: "..."

"But, Miss Su really has said repeatedly that you and she are not destined to be together, and asked you to give her up!"

"Give her up? Heh, maybe in the next life."

"In this life, Su Xiu can forget about escaping the palm of my hand."

Steward: "..."

Young Duke Lu Jun ignored the steward. Seeing a shop nearby, he said, "I heard Su Xiu likes to write and paint. This Marquis will give her the best Four Treasures of the Study."

He led his men and strode in.

The shop assistant immediately greeted them.

Although there had been constant unrest in Yunji City these past few days, it was mostly concentrated in the military camps and didn't really affect these ordinary households, except for the lack of outside customers.

The Young Duke's group was the first.

This made the shop assistant, who already felt that the Young Duke's group was extraordinary, even more attentive.

"Sir, what would you like to see?"

"The Four Treasures of the Study in our shop are the best in the entire Northern Frontier. They are all top-quality and absolutely not inferior to those in the capital."

Young Duke Lu Jun nodded, casually picked up a few to inspect, and said, "You're not exaggerating; the items are indeed quite good."

"Then, Sir, would you like to pick a few?"

The Young Duke glanced over and then paused on a few of the Four Treasures of the Study.

"This one..."

"And that one..."

"Yes, and the one at the very bottom..."

He picked them out one by one, naming four or five in one breath.

This instantly excited the shop assistant and even the shop owner. The garrison had been making some unknown commotion these past two days, cutting off their outside customers.

They hadn't had a big sale for days.

They didn't expect a group of people to come today and be so generous, wanting to pick so many at once.

He quickly flattered, "Sir really has a good eye. These are all the treasures of our shop..."

"I don't want any of these!" Young Duke Lu Jun said leisurely.

Shop assistant: "..."

Shop owner: "..."

"Except for these..." The Young Duke didn't even blink as he continued, "Wrap up all the rest. I want them all."

Shop assistant: "???"

Shop owner: "???"

Then, reacting, the shop owner immediately came over, "Sir, do you really want all of these?"

"This price..."

"Money is not an issue, as long as the items are good and the Second Miss likes them." The Young Duke said coolly. With a wave of his hand, the two golden-armored soldiers behind him immediately pulled out a large handful of gold.

"Clang," they placed it on the counter.

The eyes of the innkeeper and the waiter nearly popped out of their heads.

This was freaking real gold!

So much of it?!

Holy crap, where did this rich sucker come from?