Chapter 11 You Can Tell I Just Had My Heart Broken Too?

Ji Huo stood by the lake for a long time until the sky grew dim, then dejectedly patted his cheeks.

He muttered to himself, "No matter what, life has to go on, doesn't it?"

With that, he began walking toward the imperial capital. As he walked, he suddenly cursed under his breath:

"Damn it! Why does this feel like a breakup?!"

On the cliff above, two young emperors silently watched the retreating figure. Ji Junhong let out a sudden chuckle.

"Your brother's entire face is screaming 'My heart is broken,' and you seem quite pleased?" Xia Wuji asked.

Ji Junhong smiled and said, "Usually, I find this second brother of mine always trying to act too mature for his years, lacking a bit of childlike innocence. Right now, this is just about right."

Xia Wuji shrugged, noncommittal.

Ji Junhong glanced at him and casually remarked, "Brother Xia, don't celebrate too soon. Miss Xia might be hiding somewhere crying right now. Aren't you going to go over and check on her?"

Xia Wuji's face instantly darkened. He wanted to say something, opened his mouth, and then sighed softly instead.

"With her temperament, even if she were crying, she wouldn't let me know. Instead of going over, it's better to let her cry in peace for a while. She'll feel much better after getting it out of her system."

Ji Junhong nodded, stroked his chin, and said, "Based on my years of romantic experience, that is indeed true."

"Oh?" Xia Wuji asked with considerable interest. "Is Brother Ji's romantic experience all that rich?"

"Naturally."

Ji Junhong put his hands behind his back and said with haughty pride:

"To be honest with you, ancient mountain temples, desolate wilderness shrines, West Lake's Broken Bridge, and even sheer cliff faces—all have born witness to my romance. By now, those stories have long since become romantic legends passed down among the common folk."

"Ooh!" Xia Wuji immediately offered a small round of applause, his face full of admiration.

Meanwhile, Ji Huo figured there wasn't much waiting for him back anyway, so he simply couldn't be bothered to use his lightness skill and strolled back at a leisurely pace step by step.

By the time he returned to the capital, the sky had completely darkened.

The stars twinkled in the clear moonlit night. Though many had perished in the capital, destruction often heralds rebirth, and a steady stream of merchants pulling heavy carts of goods were rushing to the city.

Even homeless refugees and commoners hoping to carve out a future in the capital were hurrying toward this rising city.

In this day and age, while the notion of haunted houses certainly existed, even in Ji Huo's original world such houses still found tenants, let alone during this chaotic era.

As long as one was bold enough, it wasn't much of a problem.

Besides, the people here had ultimately been granted liberation by the Emperor's Sword, which could be considered auspicious—far better than many haunted estates out in the wild.

Those arriving in the capital were registered and could initially stay in prepared quarters. Later on, through paying money, performing labor, or securing employment, the houses would ultimately become their own.

In a sense, this newly rising city represented opportunity and rebirth.

Because of this, even at this late hour, quite a crowd remained at the city gates. In the past, a curfew would have long since been in effect. It was precisely because the curfew had been lifted that such a lively scene was possible.

It almost felt like home from his past life... Ji Huo sighed inwardly.

Guards from the Flying Bear Army were currently on duty at the city gates, inspecting the cargo of passing travelers one by one.

As they checked, they chatted about something, causing the travelers to wear looks of astonishment and curiosity, gossiping with beaming faces and bursting into hearty laughter from time to time.

It was a complete display of harmony between the military and the civilians.

Seeing Ji Huo approach, those soldiers immediately saluted respectfully:

"Marshal!"

There was a strange tone hidden within their voices.

Ji Huo nodded and walked into the city with an expressionless face.

After taking only a few steps, he heard a shout from behind.

"Marshal, wait!"

A commander hurried over, holding a few roasted chestnuts wrapped in oiled paper, and said with a smile:

"Marshal, these are freshly roasted sugar-coated chestnuts. They're quite sweet. Please have some."

Without waiting for a response, he shoved them directly into Ji Huo's arms.

He wanted to say more, but the words died on his lips. He simply shook his head with a sigh and turned back to resume his watch at the gate.

Ji Huo: "???"

Feeling bewildered, he picked up a roasted chestnut and took a bite. Well, it was indeed quite sweet.

The streets were packed with pedestrians, brightly lit with lanterns, and bustling with activity.

As Ji Huo looked around, a wave of regret suddenly washed over him. If he had realized earlier, he could have brought Xia Ningchang along to stroll through the streets. But now...

Damn it!

What on earth am I thinking?

While wandering, a group of people suddenly hurried past ahead. Judging by their attire, they were constables from the Six Fan Doors, though who knew what kind of case they had run into.

The leader, who had originally been preparing to leap over a wall, froze when he caught sight of Ji Huo, forced himself to a halt, broke away from the formation, and hurried over.

"Second Young Master," Tie Ying said with a beaming smile, then suddenly remembered something and chuckled, "In a few days, I suppose I'll have to call you Prince."

Ji Huo shrugged and smiled, "I make friends regardless of status, Brother Tie can call me whatever he likes."

Tie Ying smiled, his expression somewhat strange as he asked, "What brings the Second Young Master here?"

"Just took a stroll outside the city walls," Ji Huo replied casually while eating a roasted chestnut.

Tie Ying uttered an "Oh," drawing the sound out quite a bit, before pausing to ponder and finally patting Ji Huo on the shoulder.

"This too shall pass."

Ji Huo: "???"

Before Ji Huo could reply, a shout came from the direction of the Six Fan Doors, prompting Tie Ying to cup his fists and say, "The Second Young Master may continue your stroll. When I have some time, we shall get thoroughly drunk together."

"...Alright."

Ji Huo watched him leave with utter bewilderment.

For some reason, ever since meeting those two groups of people earlier, he felt that everyone on the street was looking at him with the strangest expressions.

Ji Huo didn't know most of these people, but they certainly knew him—after all, he was considered quite a celebrity now.

As the commander of the Flying Bear Army, the newly appointed Flying Bear General, and a martial artist whose strength had reached the peak of the First Rank, his performance during the Battle of the Capital had been nothing short of dazzling and brilliant.

The name Ji Huo had spread across the rivers and lakes, the Central Plains martial arts world, and even beyond the borders in just a few short days.

Coupled with the fact that Ji Huo had previously frequented the streets to buy groceries—completely unlike the legendary figures of lore, often seen carrying bundles of vegetables and scallions—it created an inexplicably endearing contrast that made him feel remarkably approachable.

As a result, even more people in the capital recognized him.

There were even quite a few unmarried young ladies who specifically staked out the places where Ji Huo usually went to buy vegetables, all just to catch a glimpse of him.

"Brother Ji Huo,"

A little girl of five or six, with a snot bubble hanging from her nose, trotted over clumsily, holding a small white flower in her hands and offering it out:

"Here~ for you!"

Ji Huo took the flower with a smile. Before he could say anything, the little tot had already scurried away just as clumsily, leaving behind a parting declaration:

"Don't be sad! If Brother Ji Huo really has no one else to marry, I'll marry you when I grow up."

The neighborhood women around them burst into laughter.

Damn it! Who leaked the news?!

Ji Huo's face darkened. He hurriedly covered his face and quickened his pace, ducking into an empty alleyway and leaping over a wall to escape.

He could tell that staying in the capital for the next few days was simply out of the question!

Just as he vaulted over a second wall, a voice called out:

"Second Young Master?"

Ji Huo turned around with a blank expression, his tone unfriendly as he asked:

"What? Can you tell I've been dumped too?"

Li Zhi looked stunned and instinctively replied, "Well, no."

Ji Huo let out a sigh of relief.

Then Li Zhi added one more sentence: "However, Scholar Wen drank too much and has been telling everyone that the Second Young Master was dumped. Everyone already knows about it."