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Shen Chuwei carried Xuetuan toward the corner where stinky tofu was sold and from a distance, saw that the notice board was surrounded by people, all of them sighing and lamenting.

"I thought someone had gone missing with such a commotion, but it turns out it’s just a bird that’s lost."

"You’re just unsophisticated. The pets from the palace are very precious, more important than even your life. Of course, they must be found if lost."

Shen Chuwei, driven by curiosity, squeezed into the crowd and saw an Imperial Edict posted.

The edict announced that a colorful feathered bird had gone missing from the palace and offered a reward for its return, with an illustration of the bird attached to the right.

Its head resembled a parrot, yet its tail had elements of a phoenix, and its body somewhat resembled a pheasant. ..

With such an ambiguous drawing, finding it would be a miracle!

Shen Chuwei was just there for the spectacle. After watching, she held Xuetuan and went to buy stinky tofu.

The stinky tofu stall was still in its original location, possibly set aside because of its odor.

When Shen Chuwei arrived, the Stall Owner immediately recognized her, mainly because girls as pretty as Shen Chuwei who loved stinky tofu were truly rare.

Moreover, with Shen Chuwei’s sweet looks and pleasant speech, the Stall Owner remembered her instantly.

"Miss, would you like some stinky tofu?" the Stall Owner greeted warmly.

Shen Chuwei sniffed and replied with a smile, "Give me ten pieces of stinky tofu."

"Alright," the Stall Owner said, taking out a piece of oiled paper and packing freshly-cooked stinky tofu, sprinkling it with spicy sauce and cilantro, and then cheerfully handed it to her.

Shen Chuwei looked down at Xuetuan in her arms; eating while holding Xuetuan was a bit inconvenient. Xuetuan, seeming to understand, deftly climbed onto her shoulder to continue lying there.

Only then did she free her hands to take out her purse. Just as she was reaching into it, she heard the Stall Owner say with a laugh.

"No need to pay, your servant paid plenty a few days ago."

"In that case, thank you very much," Shen Chuwei put her purse back into her sleeve, took the stinky tofu from the Stall Owner, and started eating the very flavorful freshly-made tofu with a bamboo stick.

Shen Chuwei ate the tofu while continuing to stroll, looking for other delicacies to try.

Just then, a bird with multicolored plumage circled above her head.

Xuetuan looked up at the colorful bird overhead, perked up, and meowed provocatively at it.

The meow was slightly defiant.

Eating her stinky tofu, Shen Chuwei didn’t notice the bird circling overhead. She glanced up at Xuetuan and cautioned, "Be careful not to fall."

Xuetuan turned its head to look at Shen Chuwei as if to remind her with a meow.

But Shen Chuwei, preoccupied with the stinky tofu, didn’t understand the meaning of Xuetuan’s reminder.

Feeling a bit thirsty all of a sudden, she headed toward the sweet soup stall.

The colorful bird flapped its wings, circling lower after several turns, following behind Shen Chuwei.

Xuetuan stood watch, its deep blue eyes fixed on the bird, as if seeking an opportunity to pounce on it.

Shen Chuwei bought a bowl of sweet soup to quench her thirst; after sipping a few mouthfuls, she peered into the bowl at the mung beans and suddenly craved a Green Mood, a mung bean-flavored ice pop...

Unfortunately, ice was only available in the Imperial Palace; otherwise, she would have definitely gotten her hands on a few mung bean ice pops to satisfy the craving.

Originally soaring at a high altitude, the colorful bird suddenly fluttered its wings, descending in its circling.

A Guard spotted the colorful feathers from afar and shouted, "Look, there’s the bird! Hurry over there."

Dozens of Guards rushed towards the direction of the bird upon hearing this.

The Chief Guard then ordered, "You, go back and report that we’ve found the bird."

"As commanded, sir," the junior Guard turned and ran back.

People on the street made way for him willingly.

After finishing her sweet soup in one go, Shen Chuwei continued eating her stinky tofu. Before long, she saw a group of Guards in armor coming toward her and instinctively stepped aside to the edge of the street to give them space.

Retreating to a safe area, Shen Chuwei continued to lower her head and eat her stinky tofu, catching a glimpse of several black boots suddenly appearing in front of her...

Puzzled, she raised her head to discover a group of Guards standing before her.

A look of confusion flashed in Shen Chuwei’s eyes. She had been in Nanzhao Country for a few days and hadn’t done anything wrong, had she?

Perhaps it was a misunderstanding?

Shen Chuwei tried moving to the right.

The bird above followed her, flapping its wings as well.

The Guards, seeing the bird move, quickly adjusted their positions, fearing that it would escape and they would fail to report back.

Suddenly, Shen Chuwei stopped in her tracks, and a curious scene unfolded: the Guards also halted.

She tried several times; each time she moved, the Guards moved too. They were clearly coming for her.