Exile Queen is Beloved
Chapter 4 - Traditional Markets

After Yuan Shi left, Qing Er immediately moved on and cleaned herself up. A happy aura emanated on his face, he was finally able to adventure out of the palace to taste various snacks of this ancient era. It was very excited, rather than die with the title of queen in the palace better he went around outside the palace even without purpose and title. Qing Er and the servant walked through the hallway of her house, accidentally passing her by her eldest brother, Liu Bai.

"Qing' Er, where are you going? Isn't your body still not good?" ask Liu Bai.

"Oldest brother, I'd love to go to the market. Waiter Chun will accompany me," Qing Er replied.

"Then let it be brother who accompanied Qing's sister Er to go shopping. You must have wanted this for a long time, you always asked to be invited to the market every once a week to me or to Liu Bao," Liu Bai said.

"The eldest brother is right, Qing' Er is so excited!" he said happily.

"Well, then let's say goodbye to mom and dad first!" the Liu Bai.

To Su Mian, Liu Qing's family was perfect. Both parents are complete, with two older brothers who are so attentive to him. In his old life, he didn't even have anyone to back up. Su Mian was delighted to be given the opportunity to feel this kind of intact family. "Greet to father!" both said.

"His Majesty the queen does not need to give such greetings!" replied the Prime Minister.

"Dad! Qing Er is my father's daughter. It's appropriate that I respect you, even if I'm titled queen, but in this house I'm just Qing' Er's daughter." Liu Qing smiled and moved closer towards his parents.

The prime minister's mistress was so touched by Qing Er's words that she could not help but hug her now grown daughter. "Qing' Our little Er, you must be in trouble inside the palace, Are you suffering? Even your body looks so thinner than before" said her mother sadly.

"I'm so happy Mom, although sometimes Yuan Shi always tested my patience but she never let loose in regard to my needs. So, I'll take it easy!" qing Er said as she hugged her mother.

"Thank God, son, what's wrong with you meeting us? Looks like you're leaving?" ask the Prime Minister's wife.

"True mother, Qing Er asked me to accompany her to the market to buy snacks," Liu Bai replied.

Qing Er nodded. "Right sister, Qing' Er misses the hawker market very much."

"Well then we allow, but you must be careful!" mother said.

On his way to the market, Qing Er couldn't ignore his thoughts about Yuan Shi's kiss earlier this morning. For him, this was the first thing he felt that made him feel something strange in his stomach like there were butterflies flying inside. Seeing Qing' Er daydreaming, Liu Bai pricked her by pinching the little nose of her sister while smirking subtly. "Qing' Er's sister what's wrong? Is there something that's bothering you?"

"Not the eldest brother, I was just thinking about what snacks I wanted to eat he-he." Qing Er smiled bitterly, it was a shame to think about it this morning let alone her brother realizing it. Qing Er walked ahead of Liu Bai after seeing the fruit sweets sold freely in the market.

"You want that?" ask Liu Bai.

"Yes, eldest brother let's buy that!" answered his little brother.

"Yes-yes, wait a minute for the slow road!" the Liu bai.

Bruck..

Sure enough, it was only commemorated to slow down his pace that Qing Er had already hit someone and almost made him fall. Luckily, the man he hit earlier swiftly caught Qing Er. "Sister, are you okay?" Liu Bai immediately ran towards Qing Er who was still fixated on staring at the man in front of her.

"An empress, is Her Majesty the Empress alright? Forgive me sassy servant, you can punish me!" The man immediately let go of his hold on Qing Er after the woman stood in balance and insisted on receiving forgiveness from the empress.

"Ehh.." Qing Er was so surprised to see the man in front of her instantly kneeling with her sword. He didn't even know who he was, yet he seemed to be a palace official when viewed from the clothes he was wearing. "Sister, who is he?" whispered Qing 'Er.

Liu Bai looked at Qing'Er in surprise, that man was General Ji who where since childhood grew up together with Qing'Er and Yuan Shi. The three of them were close friends, even Qing'Er and General Ji had more to do with it as children, seeing that Qing'Er did not recognize Ji at all, Liu Bai realized that his sister was indeed sick. "Qing' Er's sister, this is General Ji."

"Oh so he saved me that night?" inner Qing 'Er.

"General Ji need not be, I should thank you for saving me twice. Rise up!" the Pinta Qing 'Er.

"Thank you for the generosity of Her Majesty the Empress." Ji looked at the look on Qing Er's face, it was not an ordinary look but a worried and pitying look. Somehow Ji felt Qing Er was not at all this happy while inside the palace.

While Qing Er was amazed by Ji's unreasonable good looks. Not much different from Emperor Yuan Shi who was full of prestige, so did Ji see. "Where would the queen go? Servant is getting a royal assignment, I don't think the emperor will mind if I take care of the empress."

"General Ji, here I am with my eldest brother. No one would dare to bother me." Qing Er smiled subtly. "Even if anything bothers me I will finish him on the spot," Qing's inner Er.

"Alright then, may the empress enjoy this precious time. I'll say goodbye first!" said Ji.

"Yes, of course. Be careful General Ji," said Qing Er

After speaking with Ji, Liu Qing and Liu Bai resumed their journey. Liu Bai felt strange because his sister was very formal with Ji and not like a childhood friend. Before that, he was very familiar with the man. "Qing' Er's sister, don't you remember your happy time with Ji?"

"Happy times? Do I have something like that?" Qing Er was aware, according to history Ji and Qing' Er were lovers whose love was hindered by Emperor Yuan Shi when he was young. If it was true that it was as history had said, it meant that really Qing Er should be more familiar with Ji.

However, because now Qing's soul 'The original Er is gone and replaced by a new soul Su Mian who never wanted to be attracted to any man because he thought that love was not a priority to be obtained. Their relationship would be nice not to be reopened by Su Mian, it was better to keep their distance so as not to cause any other problems in the world he now lives in.

The era where all things were arranged by an emperor, by becoming the Queen of Qing' Er was also unable to act recklessly unless, she really wanted to give up her title and live like an ordinary people. But, will Yuan Shi let go?

"Qing'Er used to love Ji very much before she was married to the Emperor. I personally am also actually more supportive of your relationship with the general than the emperor, but the Emperor is still the emperor once issued an imperial decree so anyone can not refuse!" said Liu Bai.

"I see, I think my heart is getting used to it too. I don't want to make Ji even more hurt because being close to him means giving her hope. I don't want him to have false hopes that he shouldn't feel. Wouldn't it be better to break her heart now than to slowly hurt her?" ask Qing Er. "Even if it looks cruel, but it is effective to make someone move on faster," he continued.

"Move on?" Liu Bai furrowed his brows.

"That's a foreign term, the eldest brother should write it in Qing's big dictionary 'Er ha-ha!" Qing Er laughed in satisfaction at teasing the older brother. Indeed what Qing Er declared was true, it was better not to make any hopes at all for Ji.

"Did Qing's sister Er learn a foreign language in the palace? That's great! Is the class open to the public?" ask Liu Bai.

Qing Er only laughed lightly and did not answer Liu Bai's question. What he was thinking now was how to get him back to the future and complete the mission quickly.

In the middle of the journey, Qing Er saw a beautiful sparkling hair pin. Making his gaze diverted and focus on that sparkling thing. "How much is this thing?" ask Qing Er.

"It's worth 20 taels of gold madam" the seller replied.

Qing Er fell silent, she calculated the equation with the currency in the future and it made her turn her head. "20 taels of gold? Just be right! For a hairpin like this isn't that too expensive?" qing Er asked in surprise.

"Qing' Er's sister wants it? Don't worry, you'll buy it for you!" said Liu Bai gently.

"really? Alright then Qing Er will be very happy! Thank you Brother Liu Bai." even Qing 'Er was stunned by her brother's own good looks. The gentle-hearted man was his weakness until it felt like he wanted to wrap Liu Bai up and bring him to the modern world to be a real big brother.

After buying the hairpin, Qing'Er bought some fruit sweets as well as some other snacks such as peach cakes. While in the quiet alley of the market, Qing Er felt that something was wrong as well as the same feeling that Liu Bai felt, her eldest brother turned towards Qing Er.

"Qing' Er's sister, get the hell out of here. I feel something is strange!" pinta Liu Bai's.

Their premonition was right, it was not long before a group of armed bandits surrounded the two until there was no way to escape anymore. With silk clothes they would be easily recognized as nobles and now both of them were stuck in the middle of the wildly armed bandits.

"Qing 'Er, you must be able to secure yourself. Brother won't let them hurt you!" Liu Bai immediately pulled out the sword at his waist and performed a sword technique that belonged to their family.