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墨書 Inktalez
"Is this really the Fate Stone?"
Bai Yujing looked at the ordinary stone and felt nothing extraordinary about it. However, this stone was filled with legend. The Fate Stone, also known as the Stone of Scone and the Stone of Destiny, was where the kings of Scotland had stood to be crowned. It was taken by England in the late twelfth century and became part of Edward's Throne. Since then, every new monarch of England had to sit upon it during their coronation ceremony.
It wasn't until the late twentieth century that it returned to Scotland, where it was placed in Edinburgh Castle. However, it was still mandated that when the English king held a coronation ceremony, the Stone of Scone would need to be returned to Westminster Abbey and placed under Saint Edward's Chair.
In addition, Bai Yujing saw many treasures from Scotland, including ancient oil paintings, handsome suits of armor, knightly swords, revolvers, and various commemorative badges. He thoroughly enjoyed himself until hunger finally stopped him.
After leaving Edinburgh Castle, Bai Yujing and Emma prepared to find a place to eat on the Royal Mile. However, they found all the restaurants packed. By afternoon, it seemed that more people had appeared; there were even more street performers. Many were playing guitars on the streets, and there were also local Scottish performers wearing Scottish Kilts and playing the Bagpipes.
The Bagpipes in Scotland resembled an umbrella. The young man playing them was quite handsome; he played while holding the bagpipe's air sac under his arm. It didn't make a sound while he blew into it; only when he squeezed did it produce music. The combination of blowing and squeezing made Bai Yujing feel like he was watching a puppet show filled with rhythm—it was very interesting.
After accompanying Emma for a while and listening to a tune, Bai Yujing turned to leave. He felt that this place was like a treasure trove, hiding endless fun and secrets.
"A San! Third Brother!" Bai Yujing exclaimed in surprise again. Emma followed his gaze and discovered an Indian Performance Team performing levitation tricks. One person in a large robe held a stick while another floated in mid-air, resting their hands on the stick and hovering above.
"A San?" Emma didn't understand this Chinese reference. Bai Yujing quickly explained that it was a term used by Chinese people to refer to Indian masters.
Emma looked at the two performers and agreed with Bai Yujing's description. He had heard others say that this levitation trick worked because the stick extended from inside the performer's sleeve, forming a chair-like support for the person floating above. Because of the large robe, it was hard to see how it worked. However, even so, the person supporting below must have great strength and balance—it wasn't easy at all.
After watching for a while without figuring out how it worked, they continued down the street. Almost every restaurant they passed was full. "There are so many people! Emma, do you have any good suggestions?"
Emma raised her eyebrows and immediately had an idea: "I already have a target in mind! Just follow me."
Emma led Bai Yujing along the street until they reached an area near Edinburgh's Main Train Station, where they finally stopped. To Bai Yujing's surprise, it was a Chinese Restaurant. Emma looked at him and said, "Didn’t expect this? There’s a really nice Chinese restaurant here! I think it will suit your taste perfectly."
Emma seemed to really enjoy Chinese food. However, Bai Yujing thought it felt odd to come all the way to Edinburgh just to eat Chinese food—much like those students who went abroad to study Chinese literature in England. Although he wanted to try some local delicacies from Edinburgh, he didn’t want to dampen Emma’s enthusiasm.
Thinking about it, trying out foreign Chinese cuisine could be interesting too. The two entered together; Bai Yujing ordered chicken soup, a serving of Spicy Blood Curd Hotpot, and some Corn Kernel, while Emma ordered Stir-Fried Beef.
Bai Yujing looked at the menu and noticed that the prices here were not cheap. However, when the dishes arrived, Bai Yujing changed their mind. The portions were very generous; in their home country, a typical meat dish would usually come with a small amount of meat and a lot of vegetables, but here, it was mostly meat. It felt like a paradise for meat lovers.
The Stir-Fried Beef seemed to incorporate some Western cooking methods, giving it a different flavor and style that felt refreshing. Emma tried the Spicy Blood Curd Hotpot that Bai Yujing ordered. This Spicy Blood Curd Hotpot was marked as a specialty dish, which is why Bai Yujing decided to order it. Back home, there was a restaurant nearby that made it very well, and every time Bai Yujing brought someone there for a meal, they would always order it.
"This is really good; the taste is amazing."
"Yes, but it's just too spicy," Emma said, her mouth puckering as she fanned herself with one hand. Bai Yujing quickly served her a bowl of chicken soup, which Emma drank down immediately. The warm soup settled in her stomach, making her feel much more comfortable.
"This is so comforting. I used to come here often because this dish looked a bit scary, so I didn't order it. I didn't expect it to be so delicious," Emma said eagerly.
Bai Yujing also took a taste of the Spicy Blood Curd Hotpot. It was primarily made with Duck Blood, and the flavor was spicy. Since different regions have different recipes and ingredients, the taste can vary greatly. Bai Yujing noticed that this version was quite unique; it included Eel Slices and Mao Du. Usually, it would have Squid, but after tasting it, Bai Yujing felt it tasted more like snake meat.
Bai Yujing kept this observation to themselves since Emma seemed to really enjoy the dish. If they mentioned it, it might ruin the mood; everyone knows that girls are often afraid of snakes.
Dishes with such strong flavors are not something most people dare to try. After tasting it, Bai Yujing thought this foreign restaurant did quite well. The numbing spiciness combined with the tender meat slices opened up their appetite instantly.
With their mouth full of red oil from eating, whenever the spiciness became overwhelming, they would sip some chicken soup or scoop up some Corn Kernel. The sweet and crunchy Corn Kernel, which had been specially processed and fried, provided an indescribable sensation in their mouth. It helped balance out the spiciness and eased the richness of the meal.
Bai Yujing glanced at Emma and found that she was just as eager to eat as they were, her mouth red from the spice as she chewed like a little hamster.
Despite the large portions of several dishes, the two managed to finish everything completely. Bai Yujing lay back in their chair without any decorum, while Emma felt very satisfied with the meal.
As they walked out of the restaurant together, Bai Yujing turned to Emma and asked, "So, my beautiful guide, where are we headed next?"
Emma rubbed her stomach and replied, "I can't walk anymore. Let's go to Princes Street Gardens to rest for a bit before we check out the Scott Monument. If you're still up for it, you can try climbing the Scott Monument. If you make it to the top, you'll even receive a certificate."
"Really? If I climb up there and get a certificate, that sounds like an honorable achievement! I definitely want to try that later," Bai Yujing said with newfound interest. They could show off the certificate when they got home and reminisce about today’s adventure as well as their trip to Edinburgh.
Emma smiled mischievously and said, "I'll cheer for you from down here."
"Huh? Aren't you going to try it out with me?" Bai Yujing asked in confusion.
"I'm too familiar with this place, so I won't go up. Don't worry, I'll be waiting for you down here!" Emma shrugged her shoulders.
At the street's furnace, Bai Yujing saw many performers again. Since Princes Street Gardens did not require an entrance fee, there seemed to be a particularly large crowd. People could be seen everywhere in the garden; many were lying directly on the lawn, and couples could be seen whispering together on the public benches.
In Princes Street Gardens, there were many travelers with children who had stopped here. Bai Yujing saw a father quickly running with a brat on his shoulder, causing the brat to scream all the way. Bai Yujing also noticed several Asian faces but couldn't tell if they were Chinese.
With big trees, green shade, and various blooming flowers, a black-haired loli ran wildly and bumped right into Bai Yujing's thigh, grabbing her pant leg and playing hide-and-seek with her mother.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Dahliana, come here quickly." Her mother was also a stunning beauty but had golden hair. Bai Yujing couldn't figure out how this happened. Could it be because the husband was too dark? Apologizing to her teacher for not understanding biology well enough, Bai Yujing felt a bit embarrassed.
"It's okay." Watching the mother and daughter walk away, Bai Yujing felt her mood lifted as well.
Finally, Emma and Bai Yujing sat down beside a pond. In the center of the pond stood a very exquisite bronze statue, adorned with expressions of affection that were exceptionally vivid and subtly crafted. It seemed that foreigners indeed had a knack for sculpture.
Having eaten too much, Bai Yujing and Emma lay together on the lawn, not wanting to move at all. The sun shone through the clouds onto them, bringing a lazy warmth. Bai Yujing stared at the sky, feeling that the clouds in Scotland seemed particularly low, as if she could reach out and touch them. The wind moved the clouds, changing their shapes.
Bai Yujing suddenly felt that this was the life she wanted.
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