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Seeing the time, Xia Zheng’s eyes twinkled as he clutched his stomach and said to the Old Emperor, "In anticipation of your palace banquet, I didn’t eat anything at lunchtime.

Now I’m so hungry, my stomach is sticking to my back.

I won’t accompany you for this wretched tea anymore; I’m off to find something to eat at the banquet. "

"Off you go, and don’t bother me here," the Old Emperor said, waving his fists as if shooing away a fly, as though he wished never to lay eyes on this fellow again.

When a banquet was held in the palace, there were time constraints for entry. Once the time arrived, the palace gates would be closed, only reopening after the banquet concluded. Except under special circumstances, the gates were not to be opened during this period.

The palace banquet was about to begin, and one by one, numerous court officials and their families were still making their way in. Xia Zheng hid himself quietly to the side, waiting until he saw his parents’ sedan chairs enter the gate and move away before he breathed a sigh of relief.

From a distance, he even heard his family’s old man asking about him. Fortunately, everyone thought he was still with the Old Emperor drinking tea, or else the old man would have surely sent someone to drag him over to keep him by his side.

Previously receiving the Old Emperor’s oral decree, he had entered the palace early. Now that his family’s old man and Princess Anle were inside, he could finally leave openly and legitimately.

Xia Zheng timed it perfectly. Just a short while after he left the palace, the gates were closed, no longer allowing people to come and go as they pleased.

Xia Zheng chuckled and whistled, as Liuzi led out two horses from around the corner. Riding swiftly, if he left at this moment, whipping the horses into a gallop, he should reach his destination before midnight.

The cold wind whistled past his face, but Xia Zheng didn’t feel cold at all; on the contrary, he felt warm. After being parted for over half a month, he was finally going to see her again.

Inside the palace, the Old Emperor shook his head with a smile upon hearing the report from the guard, "That stinky kid, no wonder he was so obedient in coming to the palace; he had this cunning plan in mind."

Thinking of something, the corner of the Old Emperor’s lips curved up and he commanded, "Go to Zhuma Town and inquire about a girl named Lin Yuan."

The guard took the order and left. The Old Emperor’s weathered fingers caressed the edge of his tea cup, revealing a meaningful smile.

The effect of the new product launch indeed had been excellent.

The stinky tofu sold that evening could not merely be described by portions.

Fuman Building had been in business for many years, with delicious aromas wafting from it daily, but today, as soon as one entered the establishment, it was permeated with a pungent odor.

What was even more peculiar was that not a single person disliked the smell; instead, they kept coming for more after eating.

Shopkeeper Liu hastily calculated the accounts while urging the kitchen staff to work faster; his forehead was covered in a layer of fine sweat. Today’s business had been unexpectedly good. Who would have thought that such a stinky product would sell so well?

It was not just stinky tofu; the fortune wheel activity also attracted many people.

Shopkeeper Liu glanced at the spinning wheel, where there was still a line of people waiting to draw prizes. Everyone hoped to win a free meal, but as the grand prize, how could it be so easy to land on?

Thinking about it made Shopkeeper Liu admire Lin Yuan’s ingenious mind even more. The wheel was divided into several sections, with each portion designated for a food item. However, the sections for sticky rice balls and stinky tofu were the largest, while the ’free meal’ was as thin as a finger.

How could Ma Xiaonan miss out on such a fun thing?

In order to spin the wheel multiple times, she even volunteered to pay the bills for several tables nearby.

Ma Junying looked at his little sister with indulgence, and then at the several boxes of sticky rice balls and stinky tofu in his hand, finding himself caught between laughter and tears.

This silly girl, with more than a hundred taels of silver, could have bought a huge amount of sticky rice balls and stinky tofu, yet she insisted on playing with the wheel.

"Free meal! Free meal! Free meal!" Ma Xiaonan watched the wheel with bated breath, murmuring incessantly, but to her dismay, the pointer wobbled in the free meal section for a while before ultimately slipping past and landing on the stinky tofu section.

"Ah, stinky tofu again!" Ma Xiaonan’s face turned bitter as she received the tofu handed to her by the waiter, "I’ve almost turned into stinky tofu myself with all this tofu."

Ma Junying laughed out loud, "Alright, it’s time for us to go back."

Still feeling somewhat reluctant, Ma Xiaonan gazed longingly at the spinning wheel, sighing, "It seems I’m just not destined for a free meal."

"Miss Ma, don’t be sad, this thing is all about luck."

While Ma Xiaonan played with the wheel, Lin Yuan had been standing by her side, truly fond of this innocent and lovely young lady.

"Miss Lin, next time your shop has an event, you must tell me, I want to participate!

" Ma Xiaonan clutched Lin Yuan’s hand tightly, not wanting to miss out on such fun.

Afraid that Lin Yuan might forget, she reiterated, "You must have someone inform me at Ma Family Manor, and if that’s too troublesome, just tell my big brother at the school. "

Lin Yuan held back her laughter and patted her hand, "Okay, I definitely won’t forget."

With Lin Yuan’s assurance, Ma Xiaonan finally boarded the carriage at her big brother’s urging.

Ma Junying handed the sticky rice balls and stinky tofu to San Er and gave Lin Yuan standing at the door seeing off guests a tender smile, "It’s cold; you should go back inside."

Lin Yuan was warmed by his smile, nodding, "Alright, thank you."