Before all the bones in her body completely fell apart, Wei Wei finally saw the gates of the capital city of Pradi.
This was the largest and most prosperous capital of the entire Pradi Empire. Along the way, although Wei Wei didn't have the chance to explore the cities they passed, comparing the city gates alone made it clear that none of the other cities could match the one before her.
The capital was also teeming with nobles, likely due to the Queen's birthday. The city gates were crowded with noble carriages, and the Sardinson carriage blended in without standing out.
Noble carriages obviously didn't require much inspection and had dedicated lanes to pass through, so it didn't take long for the carriage to smoothly enter the city gates.
"It's so big here!"
Dolores leaned against the carriage window, lifting the curtain to admire the scenery outside, her face filled with awe.
Wei Wei also found the city quite impressive. The roads were well-organized, and the buildings along the streets were made of brick and stone, showcasing a very typical ancient European style. Compared to other cities, it was much cleaner.
But cleanliness was relative to the standards of other cities in this era. To Wei Wei, it still fell short—she happened to see someone pouring dirty water from a second-floor window into a nearby alley. The main road into the city must have been specially cleaned, but the stench of garbage and filth piled up in the alleys still wafted faintly in the wind.
If it were summer, the smell here would likely be even more "impressive."
The Williams family originally had no property in the capital, as the previous Earl rarely came to the capital and had no need to purchase property here.
However after starting the perfume business, Felix anticipated that trips to the capital might become a regular part of their lives, so he asked a friend to help purchase a property. It was a mansion located in the noble district, with a large garden, valued at least at fifty thousand gold coins. Thanks to his friend's connections, Felix was able to buy it at the lowest price.
The carriage stopped in front of the mansion. Before Wei Wei could step out, she heard a loud, unfamiliar voice.
"Long time no see, Felix!"
"Long time no see, Allen!"
Wei Wei, holding her skirt, stepped down from the carriage and saw Felix happily embracing another man who matched him in height, build, and even looks. Their relationship was very close.
"Since you left the capital, I thought it would be years before I saw you again," said the man named Allen, vigorously patting Felix's back. "I didn't expect you to be so impressive, not only managing your territory well but also expanding your business to the capital. Come on, let's find a place to have a drink!"
Allen was about to drag Felix away.
"Wait!" Felix grabbed him. "I just arrived in the capital, and I haven't even settled my people yet. If you want to drink, let's do it after I'm done."
Allen, having not seen his friend for so long, had gotten carried away. Now, hearing Felix's words, he remembered that Felix was no longer a lone wolf but an Earl who traveled with a large entourage.
Allen let go of him and laughed. "Ah, my mistake. Let's wait until you're done. Do you need any help?"
Felix: "The others will handle those matters. Come, let me introduce you to my fiancée and sister."
"Fiancée? You're engaged?" Allen was stunned by the news.
As a close friend, Allen knew how clueless Felix was when it came to romance. Women from all walks of life, from commoners to noble daughters, had tried to catch his eye, but Felix had always been indifferent, making people wonder if there was something wrong with him.
Yet, after returning to Sardinson County for just over half a year, he was now engaged? The change was too sudden.
If it weren't for the fact that Felix's parents had passed away and there were no other elders in the Williams family who could interfere with his marriage, Allen would have suspected that Felix was forced into the engagement.
"Yes, not long ago. I was planning to send you a wedding invitation, but then I was suddenly summoned to the capital by His Majesty. I'm not sure if I'll make it back in time for the wedding."
As Felix spoke, he walked around Allen and offered his hand to Wei Wei.
"This is my fiancée, Wei Wei, and this is my sister, Dolores. Wei Wei, this is my good friend, Allen Devonshire, the third son of the Duke of Devonshire, also an excellent knight."
Wei Wei placed her hand in his and performed a perfect curtsy to Allen. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Devonshire."
Dolores, who had just stepped out of the other carriage, quickly followed suit with a curtsy.
After getting a clear look at Wei Wei, Allen was momentarily stunned before returning the greeting. "Hello, beautiful lady. Just call me Allen, like Felix does."
Wei Wei smiled. "Alright, you can call me Wei Wei too."
After the introductions, Wei Wei took Dolores inside to check out the house. Felix wanted to follow, but Allen held him back.
"Felix, what's the story with that lady?" Allen, using Felix's nickname, asked with a gossipy tone. "She doesn't look like she's from Pradi."
"Wei Wei is from the Eastern continent."
Allen's expression changed. "The Eastern continent? Mongolia?"
In this era, apart from silk, the most prominent memory of the East was the Great Mongol Empire.
It was the nightmare of all of Europe.
Although Europe wasn't clear about the exact situation in the Eastern continent, they were well aware of the might of the Great Mongol Empire.
After all, just over twenty years ago, the Mongol cavalry had launched two expeditions into Europe, nearly conquering the entire continent. At that time, the mere mention of the Mongols made Europeans tremble. If it hadn't been for the sudden death of the Khan, forcing the Mongol generals to rush back, Europe might have fallen under Mongol rule.
Felix and Allen were not yet born during the Mongol invasions, but they had heard the stories. Even though time had passed, Europe's fear of the Mongols had not diminished.
It was because of this that the Crusades had been forced to halt. With such a powerful empire entrenched in the East, who would dare to provoke them?
"No, she's from the Great Song Empire, further east than Mongolia, also known as the Silk Country." Felix habitually referred to the distant country as an empire.
Although he had never seen it, due to silk and other luxury goods from the East, the Great Song was quite famous in Europe.
So when Felix mentioned it, Allen understood. "That country."
He thought for a moment and then shared some recent news with Felix.
"Word just came from the East. About three years ago, Mongolia and the Great Song went to war."
"I know," Felix nodded. "Wei Wei told me. Her family left the Eastern continent to escape the war."
It wasn't uncommon for people to leave their homeland due to war.
"But she probably doesn't know that her country won," Allen said with a grave expression. "That's what I wanted to tell you. I heard the Great Song achieved a great victory, and Mongolia was forced to turn its attention westward."
After the previous two Western expeditions, European countries were very concerned about the Mongol Empire, sending spies far and wide to gather information, fearing a third invasion.
So when the news of the war between Mongolia and the Great Song, and Mongolia's defeat, reached them, it spread quickly.
However, due to the vast distance, by the time the news arrived, the war had already been over for half a year.
Felix couldn't help but take this seriously. "Is this information accurate?"
The Pradi Empire had nearly been conquered by the Mongols. If the Mongol army returned to Europe, who knew if they would reach their lands this time.
"Accurate," Allen said, seeing the concern on his friend's face. He tried to reassure him, "Don't worry too much. Although Mongolia was turning westward, they were severely defeated. The generals have discussed it and believe a Western expedition is unlikely. According to the reports, the Great Song won't let Mongolia off easily. Who knows if Mongolia can even hold onto its lands now."
Compared to the long-feared Mongol Empire, Allen was more curious and awed by the Great Song, which had always been more of a legend.
The might of the Mongol Empire was undeniable, so the fact that such a powerful nation could be defeated was almost unimaginable.
If the Mongol Empire had been in decline before its defeat, it wouldn't have been surprising. But Allen, who had joined the military and had some understanding of Eastern affairs, knew that the current Mongol Empire was no weaker than during its second Western expedition. In fact, over the past twenty years, the Mongol Empire had expanded to cover almost an entire continent, while the Great Song had been on the verge of collapse, nearly annihilated by the Mongols.
Yet, in just over a decade, a country that had been on the brink of extinction had turned the tables, forcing Mongolia to return the lands it had seized, with more territories being reclaimed.
If Allen understood Chinese, he might have exclaimed, "The tides have turned."
But this also proved that the Great Song was an even more formidable nation than Mongolia.
Because this news was so shocking, the countries that received it were both afraid that Mongolia might abandon its eastern territories and turn its attention to the western continent and worried that the Great Song, not satisfied with defeating Mongolia, might pursue them and launch an expedition of its own.
Either way, both nations seemed like forces not to be trifled with.
As a result, the various powers and the Church who received the news dared not make it public, fearing it would cause widespread panic.
Fortunately, for now, it seemed that the Great Song and Mongolia would need considerable time to settle their conflict. Based on analysis, it would be at least a decade before either nation turned its attention westward.
But Felix's expression didn't improve; in fact, it grew darker. His usual bright smile was gone, and his blue eyes were as gloomy as a stormy sky, ready to unleash a downpour at any moment.
Allen was startled by his expression. The last time he had seen Felix like this was when he received news of his brother and father's deaths.
"Are you okay?"
Felix snapped out of his thoughts and, seeing Allen's concern, realized his expression must have been unsettling. He forced a smile. "I'm fine."
Unlike Felix, who had always been a playboy, Allen quickly guessed what was bothering him.
"You're worried about your fiancée... Will she want to return after hearing the news?"
"How long are you two going to chat out here? Can't you continue inside?"
Before Felix could respond, a voice interrupted them.
They looked up to see Wei Wei standing not far away, her expression as gentle as ever, but unable to hide the joy in her heart.
She must have heard!
Even though nothing had been explicitly said, they immediately realized it.
Felix's hands, hanging at his sides, clenched into fists, the bones cracking from the force.
But the owner of those hands tried to remain calm as he told his fiancée, "Yes, we'll go in now."
Allen realized he probably shouldn't have brought this up here. He obediently closed his mouth and followed Felix inside.
Having heard the good news, Wei Wei was in high spirits. She busily directed everyone to move luggage and clean the house, clearly taking on the role of the lady of the house.
And indeed, she was the lady of the house, free to do as she pleased.
Her organizational skills were quite good, and having observed Butler Barton managing the castle, she quickly assigned all the rooms after familiarizing herself with the house's layout.
This wasn't Sardinson Castle. Although the mansion was large, it couldn't accommodate all fifty people with individual rooms. So only the ten knights in the carriage were eligible to stay in the guest rooms, while the remaining squires had to share servant quarters, two or three to a room. The conditions weren't great, but for these squires, whose highest birthright was being the descendants of knights, it was acceptable. Moreover, to reward everyone for their hard work on the journey, Wei Wei not only planned to give everyone three days off in rotation but also provided bonuses based on their status.
These arrangements had been discussed with Felix beforehand, but because of the sudden good news about her homeland (though not the same one), she was so happy that she doubled the bonuses.
After all, she had the money! She was happy!
First, the servants received their bonuses, and then they were told they could have two days off. Everyone was thrilled as if the hardships of the journey had melted away.
Especially when the maids informed them that after their days off, a grand feast would be prepared for them.
Anyone who had lived in Sardinson Castle knew the exquisite skills of the chefs trained by Wei Wei. Even the slaves received delicious flatbreads during major festivals, let alone the knights who had the privilege of dining with the Earl. When they learned that Wei Wei herself would be cooking, they began fantasizing about the delicacies they would enjoy.
After settling everyone in, Wei Wei returned to her room to organize her belongings.
The mansion was expensive, but the buyer had been generous. Most of the large furniture had been left behind. Though somewhat old, it had been well-maintained, giving it an antique, timeless feel.
With her change in status and the availability of the property, Wei Wei now truly occupied the lady's bedroom. What pleased her most was that the room had its bathroom, complete with a bathtub. This made the wooden bucket in the corner for relieving oneself much less objectionable.
After touring the room, Wei Wei sat down and told Penny, who was busy organizing, "Go to the kitchen and see how skilled the chefs here are."
The mansion came with its butler and servants, though not the previous owner's. Allen had helped Felix find new staff. As the son of a Duke, it was easy for him to find suitable servants.
However, given Sardinson County's current prominence, it remained to be seen whether these servants could be trusted.
But Wei Wei had Penny check the kitchen mainly to avoid any culinary disasters.
Penny had a talent for cooking. While she couldn't prepare grand feasts, her everyday dishes were quite satisfactory, which was why Wei Wei sent her to the kitchen.
Penny put down her work. "Should I call other maids to help organize?"
"No, Qin and I can manage."
Wei Wei's belongings were likely the most numerous among everyone. Not only did she have gifts for the Queen, but she had also prepared numerous outfits and accessories for potential upcoming banquets. She had brought her cosmetics, and the maids had packed what they deemed necessary. In the end, her luggage filled two entire carriages.
Once Penny left, Wei Wei got up to help Qin organize the luggage. As she worked, she said to Qin, "I wanted to give you two days off, but things might get busy soon. Can we make up the days later?"
Qin quickly replied, "Please don't worry about it. Even without days off, it's fine. Sitting in the carriage without having to do anything during the journey was already a good rest."
"That can't count as rest," Wei Wei shook her head. During the trip, the maids hadn't been idle either; they had knitted while riding in the carriage. They hadn't truly been at leisure.
She decided, "After preparing the feast for the knights, you'll take turns having days off. Once the break is over, we'll attend the Queen's birthday banquet."
They had been fortunate to avoid heavy snow and other bad weather during their journey, so they arrived in the capital faster than expected. This allowed them a few extra days to settle in, which was why Wei Wei felt comfortable arranging days off at this time.
Qin, of course, wanted the break. Seeing Wei Wei's determination, she gladly agreed.
"Wei Wei."
Wei Wei looked up to see Felix standing at the open doorway.
He didn't look happy.
She put down the clothes in her hands and walked over. "What's wrong? Weren't you chatting with Allen? Where is he?"
"He had something to do and left."
Realizing he might have caused trouble, Allen didn't dare stay. He quickly made an excuse and left, forgetting about their planned drink.
If he stayed any longer, he feared Felix, with his stormy expression, might challenge him to a sparring match.
They had been trained by the same knight instructor and knew each other's strengths well. Allen didn't think he could beat Felix in a fit of rage.
After Allen left, Felix stood there for a long time, lost in thought. Finally, he couldn't resist coming to find Wei Wei.
"I need to talk to you."
Wei Wei wasn't sure what he wanted to discuss, but she nodded and followed him out.
With the house bustling and nowhere quiet, they had to put on their cloaks and head to the garden.
The capital was much colder than Sardinson. By November, several snowfalls had already occurred. Though not heavy, the garden was now a frosty, snow-covered landscape with a thin layer of snow on the ground.
Wei Wei, still in her thick woolen dress that reached past her ankles, wore warm cashmere undergarments, wool socks, and a rabbit fur cloak. She also had earmuffs and leather gloves, fully prepared against the cold. She was excitedly stepping on the thin snow, thinking about building a snowman with Dolores when the snow grew thicker.
Having grown up in the south, she rarely had the chance to see snow.
With a rare girlish enthusiasm, she hopped around the snowy garden like she was playing hopscotch. After a while, she noticed Felix hadn't followed. Turning back, she saw him standing there, watching her, lost in thought.
Wei Wei finally realized he seemed upset today. She walked back, naturally linking her arm with his, and pulled him forward. "You said you wanted to talk? What about?"
Felix finally spoke. "You heard what Allen said earlier, right?"
"About Mongolia and the Great Song?" Wei Wei nodded. "He wasn't exactly quiet, and my hearing is good."
She hadn't caught everything, but she had heard that the Great Song had defeated Mongolia.
But this wasn't particularly surprising news. The system had already informed her that the current emperor of the Great Song was her predecessor, a military enthusiast with several advantages, following a path of conquest. If not for an accident during her time travel, Wei Wei would have arrived after the emperor had unified China and brought peace to its people. By then, the emperor's time would have been up, and the system would have taken him to the underworld, allowing Wei Wei to avoid detection.
"Then, do you want to go back?"
It took all his willpower to ask this question.
This was the question that had been gnawing at him since Allen mentioned the Great Song's victory over Mongolia.
He hadn't forgotten how Wei Wei had come to the Western continent—fleeing from war. If the war was over, would she return?
That was her homeland, with her familiar people and family. She had mentioned that her family had split into several groups to seek refuge. If Wei Wei returned, she might even find her relatives.
So, would she leave everything here, including him, and return to the more familiar and powerful nation?
Wei Wei hadn't expected him to bring this up. The smile that had appeared upon hearing the news of the Great Song's victory froze, making Felix's heart sink further.
He was anxious, fearing that the next moment Wei Wei would tell him their engagement was off and she was going back.
Could he let her go? Not!
If she wanted to return...
Then he would do everything in his power to keep her...
As Felix's thoughts veered toward a darker path, Wei Wei smiled wistfully.
She shook her head and softly replied, "No."
Because there was no way back to the homeland she could only dream of.