After marrying the fierce god, her handsome young husband was pampered to the extreme.

Lin Nian sat in the carriage, somewhat puzzled, and asked, "Aren't we flying there?"

Yin Cheng handed him the red rose hidden in his sleeve, "Fly it after we leave the city."

Lin Nian took the flowers and sat obediently next to Yin Cheng.

"Ah Cheng, where did you pick this flower?" Lin Nian was extremely surprised. It was the first time he had ever seen a rose as big as his palm. "I've never seen one this big before."

Yin Cheng said, "It seems to be flower seeds that were presented as tribute from a foreign land. I'll ask Jingyi about it later."

"Are they grown in the Prince's mansion?" Lin Nian asked.

Yin Cheng replied, "Yes."

Lin Nian asked again, "Is it a very large plant? Are all the flowers this big?"

Yin Cheng realized what was going on and chuckled, "Why doesn't Prince Cheng go and see for himself?"

Lin Nian pouted slightly. This rascal, all he knows is how to tease him.

The next moment, the little beauty's cheek was pinched.

"Niannian smells so good." Yin Cheng felt that the little beauty was fragrant all over. He rubbed his fingertips against her soft skin and got a sharp look from her.

Lin Nian struggled to free her cheeks from the bad guy's grasp. "I used rouge and face powder, so I smell really good... Don't pinch me anymore."

Yin Cheng smiled and pulled the person into his arms.

After leaving the city, Yin Cheng unfolded his thick cloak and wrapped the little beauty up tightly. "If you feel unwell along the way, don't keep it to yourself. Tell me immediately."

"Okay."

"Come here." Yin Cheng opened his hands to the little beauty.

The pretty girl skillfully wrapped her arms around the man's neck.

Half an hour later, on the banks of the Clear Water River next to Peach Blossom Town.

The pretty girl, her legs trembling, grabbed the man's arm and said pitifully, "Ah Cheng, my legs are numb."

Yin Cheng originally planned to take her directly to the dock, but the little beauty was too shy to be carried by a man in public.

So he begged the man to put him down on a less crowded shore, and prepared to walk across.

Yin Cheng suppressed a laugh, "Shall I rub it for you?"

"No." Lin Nian quickly looked around. Small groups of pedestrians were hurrying towards the dock, and no one noticed them.

He finally caught his breath. "Let's hurry to the dock!"

"Are you tired?"

"Not tired." Lin Nian said enthusiastically, pulling Yin Cheng towards the dock. "Hurry up."

Taohua Town is located at the foot of Taohua Mountain. A three-mile-wide Shuiqing River runs through the center of the town, and then branches into two rivers in the southwest direction.

Taohua Town Wharf was the closest waterway wharf to the capital, which made Taohua Town particularly prosperous, and its scale was not much smaller than that of other prefectural cities.

The dragon boat race route is to row downstream from the Peach Blossom Town Wharf to the fork in the road, and then row back, which counts as one leg.

Lin Nian had heard about the dragon boat races on the Qingshui River long ago, and seeing them now, she was indeed amazed by the lively scene.

The Qingshuihe Wharf was packed with people, and there were countless vendors and laborers.

"I didn't see yesterday's race, and I don't know which teams are competing today." Lin Nian craned her neck to look at the riverbank, where dozens of dragon boats were neatly lined up, ready to go.

Yin Cheng carefully protected the pretty girl. "It hasn't started yet, do you want to look around first?"

"Okay," Lin Nian said. "I want to eat candied hawthorns."

Yin Cheng thought to himself, "What a stubborn little thing, he's clearly just a lively and adorable little rabbit."

I don't know why I thought the little beauty was dull and boring when we first met.

Because of the holiday, a large open space in front of the pier was rented out to vendors to do business.

Although the Dragon Boat Festival has passed, the smell of calamus, mugwort, and realgar is still strong on the streets.

The two walked over to the vendor selling candied hawthorns. Lin Nian picked out the plumpest and best-looking hawthorns and shook Yin Cheng's arm, "Ah Cheng, pay."

Lin Nian took a couple of bites, but her eyes were drawn to the sugar painting again. She immediately shoved the candied hawthorn into Yin Cheng's hand, saying, "Cheng, Cheng, I want to eat sugar painting."

It's obvious that his wife was really bored at home, and she showed her true colors as soon as she got the chance.

Yin Cheng happily accompanied his wife on her shopping spree, and before long, his hands were full of all sorts of snacks that his wife hadn't finished eating.

He summoned his bodyguard and handed him the item in his hand.

This was the first time Lin Nian had seen Yin Cheng's bodyguards, and she couldn't help but feel curious. "Have they been following you the whole time?"

"Yes." Yin Cheng nodded.

Lin Nian asked, "Are they very powerful?"

"Not bad, I'm the best."

"Shameless!" Lin Nian scolded him, "How can you praise yourself like that?"

Yin Cheng asked, "Don't you think I'm very capable?"

"You're the best." Lin Nian smiled, revealing small dimples on her cheeks. They were faint, but they added a touch of gentleness to her usually aloof face.

Yin Cheng was extremely satisfied with this answer, his eyes and brows beaming with joy.

Suddenly, a gong rang out, instantly drawing everyone's attention.

Lin Nian was also very curious, "Let's go take a look too."

Not far away, on a grassy platform, there was a frame that looked like a bulletin board, with twelve pieces of paper pasted on it.

Ruyi Zhai, Fangxiang Lou, Fulai Inn...

Each shop name was marked with a tally mark.

The man banging a gong on the platform announced loudly, "Ladies and gentlemen, I am a staff member of the Bright Moon Gambling House in the capital. Today, we are opening a dragon boat betting pool here, with odds of 1 to 3. If you wish to place a bet, please register over here."

Below the makeshift platform, several burly thugs glared menacingly at the crowd. Between them were two wooden tables placed side by side.

Two boxes of silver, totaling nearly five hundred taels, were placed on a wooden table.

On the other wooden table, a frail-looking accountant was writing notes.

Lin Nian had never seen a gambling game with betting tables set up in public before. "Ah Cheng, is this a bet on the dragon boat race?"

"Hmm, wanna bet?"

Lin Nian thought for a moment, then said, "Yes."

Yin Cheng pulled out a fifty-tael silver note. "Which one would you like to buy?"

Lin Nian was struggling with her decision when she heard the waiter at the gambling den on the grass platform say:

"Yun Jin Cloth Shop's performance yesterday was remarkable, and they should have no problem advancing today. However, Ru Yi Zhai has consistently ranked in the top three for the past few years, always a strong contender in dragon boat racing. As for Bao Yin Lou, their results are also quite impressive."

Upon hearing this, Lin Nian pulled Yin Cheng forward.

The accountant asked, "Young man, which bet would you like to place?"

Lin Niandao: "Hua Manlou!"

The accountant's pupils dilated in shock. "Young man, you want to buy Hua Manlou?"

"Is it not allowed?" Although Lin Nian didn't know what kind of business Hua Man Lou was in, she thought the name sounded quite nice and had a touch of elegance.

"Of course." The accountant gave Yin Cheng a meaningful look, then handed Lin Nian a slip of paper that read "Fifty silver notes for Hua Man Lou".

Lin Nian took the note and carefully examined its contents.

The gambling den must have done some special treatment on the paper, as it has a very faint herbal scent.

In addition to the lettering, it also features intricate patterns, which can be considered a simple anti-counterfeiting measure.

The accountant said, "Young man, you must keep the betting slip safe. If it is lost, the principal will not be refunded, and naturally, you will not receive any interest either."

"Thank you, sir." Lin Nian put the bill into the small brocade pouch at her waist and led Yin Cheng to the dock.

The dragon boat race is about to begin.