A knock sounded at her door just as morning light spilled through the window.
"Princess," Ruhan's voice came from the other side. "We still have some time before heading to the capital. Want to explore a bit?"
Xiao Zhi blinked sleepily, then sat up. "Explore?" she replied, her voice still rough from sleep. "You mean... we can actually go out?"
He smiled faintly when she opened the door, her hair tousled and her eyes still drowsy. "Yes," he said. "And I think you'll like this place in daylight."
She told him to wait a moment so she could freshen up. He chuckled at her girlish behavior.
A few moments later, Xiao Zhi stepped out, looking beautiful in her new Tughril dress. Ruhan smiled. "You clean up well," he teased.
She rolled her eyes, but she could feel her face heating up. "Okay, enough. Let's just go before you say more weird things."
Ruhan just laughed, looking way too pleased with himself, and followed her out.
The streets were already a zoo. The morning market was a chaotic mess of noise. People yelling over prices, wagons rattling over the uneven ground, and stalls packed so tight it was like a jigsaw puzzle.
As they wove through the alleys, Ruhan started acting like a tourguide. He pointed out the different patterns on the merchants' sashes to show which tribe they belonged to, showed how Tughril women bargained by pretending to walk away, and how people here liked their noodles extra spicy.
Xiao Zhi listened to every word attentively. For an NPC, the guy was surprisingly good at making a history lesson feel like a real conversation.
"You see?" he said, watching her smile at his explanation. "Not so different from Hua markets after all, just louder."
Xiao Zhi laughed, her cheeks pink with excitement. "And the vendors are terrifying. That old lady almost stabbed me with a spoon just to make me buy her tea."
"That's called enthusiasm," Ruhan said with a grin.
Xiao Zhi tried to keep up with Ruhan's long strides when something shiny caught her eye. She stopped so quickly she almost tripped.
On a wooden table at one of the stalls lay a silver hairpiece. Shaped like a thin crescent moon and set with tiny turquoise stones that sparkled in the light. It wasn't flashy, but it caught the eye.
"It's beautiful," she murmured.
She reached out her hand, hesitating for a moment before touching it. The silver felt cool against her skin, and the gemstone glimmered as she turned and lifted it under the sunlight. Without thinking much, she tucked the moon into her hair.
Turning to Ruhan, she suddenly felt self-conscious. "Does it… look nice?"
Ruhan didn't answer immediately. His gaze lingered on her for a beat too long before he spoke, "It's beautiful."
Her face warmed. Caught off guard by the intensity in his eyes, she quickly pulled the hairpiece out and set it back on the wooden stall.
"Actually, we shouldn't," she said, her voice a little rushed. "We've already lost everything to those bandits. We can't be wasting money on pretty things right now."
But before she could even step back, Ruhan had already taken the piece and pulled out his pouch to pay the vendor. He turned and handed it to her with a teasing smile.
"A gift," he said. "For our princess bride."
Her mouth fell open. "Our what—?"
Before she could protest, the merchant behind the stall squinted at them, grinning. "Ah! Such a handsome couple! May your marriage be blessed with many sons!"
Xiao Zhi's face turned crimson. "We're not—!"
Ruhan raised a hand, cutting her off. "Thank you." He smiled at the vendor before gently taking her arm and leading her away.
She huffed, glaring. "You could've just corrected him!"
"Too much trouble," he said with a small shrug. "Besides, he gave us a discount."
Her glare softened into laughter. "You're impossible."
"Maybe," he said, amused. "But at least I'm useful."
"How did you even have money? Didn't the bandits take everything?" she asked.
"They didn't take the pouch I kept on me. Did they take yours?"
"I didn't have my money pouch with me," She said, "I left it in the carriage, so yeah, they took it." Her face turned into a pout
Ruhan chuckled, amused by her expression. "Then it's settled. From now on, leave the spending to me. Whatever you like, I'll get it."
She blinked, surprised. "Oh? So generous all of a sudden?"
He leaned a little closer, his voice dropping just enough to make her heart skip. "Well, someone has to keep our princess happy."
Her cheeks turned pink again. For a moment, she really did feel like one of those pampered girlfriend with their rich boyfriend. The thought made her blush even more.
"Princess, since we lost our carriage, I'm planning to ask the mayor of the city to grant us one," Ruhan said, leaving the teasing tone behind.
"Oh? Do we have to?"
"It would only be proper for a princess bride to ride in a proper carriage, instead of on a horse with a servant. If the prince hears otherwise, I'll lose my head." He said half jokingly.
"I guess so." She didn't really mind riding with him, but a carriage wasn't a bad idea either. It would save her from the heart attacks caused by having Ruhan's face so close to hers.
By midday, they reached the mayor's residence. The moment they stepped in, they were greeted by a grand courtyard. Palm trees surrounding the building, and a fountain with tickling water stand in the middle of it all.
The mayor, a round man with kind eyes and a booming laugh, greeted them warmly.
"It's an absolute honor to host the future Princess of Tughril," the mayor said, giving Xiao Zhi a bow that was just a little too deep, like he was trying to impress her. "You have to stay for lunch! I won't take no for an answer." He waved his hand, basically ushering them toward the dining area before they could even protest.
Xiao Zhi felt a bit overwhelmed. Future Princess? The title sent a chill down her spine even as the smell of the food tempted her.
The spread was mouthwatering. There was spiced lamb that smelled heavenly, hearty vegetable stew, and warm flatbread dripping with honey. Xiao Zhi enjoyed their meal at the inn before, but this looks even more luxurious.
As they were enjoying the meal, the mayor kept talking, eyes lighting up as he bragged about Tughril's festivals and traditions.
"Tonight," he said, leaning in like he was sharing a massive secret, "is the Festival of Lights. Every city in Tughril has its own summer celebration, but ours? Ours is special. And it just happens to be tonight."
He looked between Ruhan and Xiao Zhi, his expression hopeful. "The streets will glow brighter than the stars themselves. You really should stay one more night to see it. Leaving now would be a total waste!"
Ruhan hesitated. "We should leave for the capital soon."
But Xiao Zhi was already leaning forward, eyes sparkling. "A festival? With lanterns and dancing?"
The mayor chuckled. "And fireworks that light up the whole night sky!" He said enthusiastically.
She turned those pleading eyes on Ruhan. "Please? Just one night. We've had enough sand and snakes, haven't we?"
Ruhan sighed, defeated. "You're impossible to refuse."
The mayor smiled, satisfied with his sales pitch.