Visiting Friends and the Awkward Ninth Royal Uncle

After leaving Jiangnan, Prince Nolan and Serena Feng's next stop was the border city in the northwest.

Of course, this trip wasn't for official business either—they were here to visit old friends, and at most, check on the border conditions and get a sense of the local life.

Unlike Jiangnan's lush prosperity, the northwest was rugged and vast, with a hint of desolation. Looking out over the land, many places were empty and barren, completely different from Jiangnan, which was full of people and houses everywhere.

The houses here were nothing like those in Jiangnan, which favored elegance and luxury. Instead, practicality ruled. Near the outer city, all the buildings were made of stone—supposedly because enemy armies used to invade the border city often, and stone houses were sturdier.

As soon as Prince Nolan and Serena Feng arrived in the northwest, they changed into local clothing. Still, their delicate skin had none of the ruggedness or weathering of true border city folk.

"You must be coming from the south, huh?" The old farmer driving the ox cart spotted Prince Nolan and Serena Feng—two people walking alone outside the city—and kindly struck up a conversation, stopping his cart beside them.

Prince Nolan and Serena Feng had already noticed him, but since he seemed harmless, they didn't stop him. When he paused his cart, they also stopped walking.

As usual, Prince Nolan stood silently off to the side, while Serena Feng smiled and said to the old farmer, "Sir, we're from the Capital City, here to visit old friends."

"Oh... I thought so! You can tell at a glance you're not ordinary folk—turns out you're honored guests from the Capital City."

Old age brings a bit of insight, and this farmer was straightforward and unafraid of strangers.

Local officials in the border city were approachable, and the people here weren't afraid of meeting them. Even though Prince Nolan and Serena Feng carried themselves with elegant bearing, the old farmer showed no fear.

This was the border city—its people were tough and bold. Those pampered young nobles who tried to bully others here might get beaten to death on the spot.

Of course, killing someone was a crime, but once someone was dead, no amount of revenge could bring them back.

The people here had fiery tempers. There had been plenty of cases in the past where locals killed noble sons; although those who did it suffered misfortune, their families and children were taken care of by the clan.

A few incidents weren't much, but after it happened enough times, even the young nobles learned that the locals weren't to be trifled with. Losing your life over it just wasn't worth it.

Because of this, the atmosphere in the border city was actually better than in the Capital City.

At the old farmer's invitation, Serena Feng and Prince Nolan climbed onto the ox cart and listened to him introduce the local customs along the way.

Of course, when it came time to get on the ox cart, Prince Nolan was anything but calm—he stood there awkwardly for ages, unable to bring himself to sit down...

Was that black stuff really not cow dung?

Even if it wasn't cow dung, he still didn't want to sit—it was just too dirty!

Prince Nolan's displeasure was obvious—even the old farmer noticed. But the farmer didn't mind; he just chuckled and said, "Honored guest, you're worried about the dirt, aren't you? Don't worry... that's coal cinder, it's good stuff! We use it for fuel and paving roads. Don't fret, I'll put down a cloth for you."

The old farmer stepped forward, patted the wooden plank, and found a scrap of cloth in the corner—so dirty its color was impossible to tell. Prince Nolan's face darkened even more...

It would have been better without the cloth.

"Hehe..." Serena Feng stifled her laughter and cheerfully took the cloth from the farmer. "Don't worry, sir—he's just spoiled, that's all. It's fine, I'll handle it..."

Serena Feng used the cloth to wipe off the coal cinder from the wooden plank, then patted it and said to Prince Nolan, "Sit down!"

"I... could just walk."

"Hurry up! We're lucky the old gentleman is willing to give us a ride into town—if we had to walk, who knows how long it would take?" Serena Feng tugged at Prince Nolan, and he stopped resisting, forcing down his disgust and finally sat down, jaw clenched.

Serena Feng sat comfortably, but Prince Nolan was stiff and awkward, unable to relax. Still, his manners were good—though he disliked it, he didn't fidget, just pressed his lips together and gave Serena a mock fierce look.

It was Serena Feng who refused to take the carriage, saying she wanted to experience local customs. And now?

Now they're riding on an ox cart!

"An ox cart is an ox cart. What, you want to swap it for a clean one?"

"This cart’s covered in coal slag—how dirty do you think it is?"

Prince Nolan was thoroughly unhappy; his twisted expression didn’t just amuse Serena Feng, even the old farmer found it entertaining.

People from Capital City sure are fun.

"Miss, your man is really something—he treats you well." The old farmer drove the ox cart and didn’t forget to turn around, giving Serena a big thumbs-up.

"What’s so great about him?" Serena Feng asked, genuinely curious and a little amused.

Prince Nolan hadn’t said a word—she honestly couldn’t see what was so good about him.

The old farmer wasn’t shy, immediately replying, "Just look at his face and bearing—you can tell he’s from a grand family. He may not say much, but I can see it: he looks down on an old man’s ox cart."

In Capital City, people don’t talk this bluntly, especially to strangers. But the old farmer’s words were forthright, never offensive.

"It’s normal for a grand young lord to think an ox cart is beneath him. But your man—he doesn’t look down on people. Don’t get me wrong, even I feel this cart is no match for your man; he ought to be riding a fine horse, not this."

"If I hadn’t seen the two of you wandering here all alone, I wouldn’t have dared approach—worried you’d think I was meddling," the old man said honestly. He’d spotted Serena Feng and Prince Nolan from afar and hesitated before coming over to talk.

"You’ve got it wrong, sir. He doesn’t despise the ox cart, he’s just a neat freak—can’t stand anything dirty," Serena Feng chuckled, explaining on Prince Nolan’s behalf.

Cattle are crucial for common folk. Prince Nolan has always encouraged people to raise cows—how could he possibly look down on them?

In fact, in recent years, Prince Nolan set up special cattle farms. Every year, the calves born are sold to the common people at low prices.

Whether for planting fields or tilling land, a strong water buffalo saves a ton of labor. In the past, commoners were poor and cows were too expensive, but now, thanks to the emperor’s good policies, as long as you work hard and save for a year or two, you can buy a calf. Raise it a few years, and once it’s grown, it can work the fields better than several old men put together.

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The old farmer burst out laughing. "See? I told you, your man doesn’t look down on old folks. Miss, your man is really good—even if he doesn’t like it, he’ll compromise for you. With you two sitting in my ox cart, even the cart feels noble now."

"Miss, you really have to treat your man well. He’s not much of a talker, but I can tell—he’s good to you," the old farmer said, giving Prince Nolan another big thumbs-up.

That’s just how people are—sometimes, even though Prince Nolan hadn’t said a word from start to finish, the old farmer liked him more and more, the more he looked, the more he approved.

"Everything you said is true, sir. My man just isn’t talkative. That’s his only flaw—people who don’t know him think he’s hard to get along with," Serena Feng replied, straightforward and cheerful.