Li Lao Er carried Jia Yin out of the car and said with a smile to everyone, "Everyone, pack up and go home early. You've all had a long day. The number of people patrolling the village will be doubled tonight, so be careful."

"Yes, yes, hurry home for dinner, then patrol tonight. Especially the melon patch, keep a close watch on it! Not to mention anyone who might sneak a bite or two, even if wild animals come down from the mountains and harm a few, it'll be a shame. That's all money!" the village chief instructed.

The villagers responded loudly and walked towards the village in groups.

Jingli and a few others came over to say a few words to the village chief, then packed up and went back.

In the Li family's courtyard, Tao Hongying was cooking in the kitchen with Dongmei and a few others.

Old Madam Li and Madam Wen sat under the eaves sewing shoe soles, while Granny He helped tidy the hemp thread. She couldn't help but keep peeking out of the courtyard, sighing, "It's all my fault for being so useless. Why did I have to get sick last night? Otherwise, would I have gone to the palace with the princess? It's the princess's first time in the palace. I wonder if she's forgotten the rules?"

Grandma Li was also worried, but she smiled and said, "Don't worry, Fu Niu'er is very clever. Even if she makes a mistake, she can cover it up. Besides, she's just a child, and no one can hold it against her too much."

Shuiling was fetching water in the corner of the courtyard when she exclaimed, "Madam, please let me go to the palace with Miss next time. In case anyone bullies Miss, I can protect her."

Old Mrs. Li was both amused and exasperated, and scolded, "Fine, never mind. Your temper is like a hot coal, it'll ignite at the slightest touch. If you were to enter the palace, you'd probably cause even more trouble than Fu Niu'er."

Everyone laughed, and just then, the carriage arrived at the door.

Jiayin jumped off the carriage, lifted her skirt, and ran into the courtyard. She jumped into her grandmother's arms with a big smile and cried, "Grandma, I haven't seen you for three years! Waaah, I missed you so much!"

Grandma Li was so overwhelmed by her granddaughter that she could hardly breathe. After finally managing to pull the little girl off her, she said, "Did you drink in the palace? Silly girl, what nonsense are you talking about! You've only been gone for less than a day, how can it be three years?"

“The book says that a day apart feels like three autumns! Three autumns is three years!” Jiayin hugged her grandmother’s neck and twisted back and forth.

Having witnessed the wickedness of people in the palace, she cherished the warmth of her own home even more.

Right now, I wish I could stay in my grandma's arms forever and never come out.

Grandma Li, unaware of her granddaughter's thoughts, was coaxed into smiling. She kissed the chubby girl and instructed, "Mr. Wen and your Uncle Liu are having tea inside. Go and pay your respects first."

"Okay, Grandma!" Jiayin replied happily, snuggled into Madam Wen's arms for a while, and then ran into the house.

Li Lao Er had already been drinking tea with Mr. Wen and Liu Zhiheng. The two had originally come to pick up the Jade Melon and Golden Fruit, but seeing how lively the garden was at the opening, they sat in the field and ate watermelon. Since it was getting late, they decided to stay overnight.

The front yard of the Li family is now dominated by men. The children are not at home, Li Zhensheng has gone to the south, and only Li Lao Er is left. It is convenient for them to stay here.

Mr. Wen didn't even plan to go back next door anymore, insisting on having a drink with Li Lao Er and Liu Zhiheng that evening.

Jiayin bowed to Mr. Wen and Liu Zhiheng, then ran back to the house in the backyard, pretending to have found the little fox, but actually released it from her spatial dimension.

The little fox was overjoyed and ran back to the front yard in a few leaps.

Women are naturally drawn to furry little animals.

Madam Wen hugged the little fox and smiled broadly.

Jiayin joined in for a couple of rounds before her grandmother pulled her away.

Grandma Li touched her granddaughter's dress, then looked at the golden crown on her head, and said helplessly, "Didn't you say you were going to the palace to deliver melons to the Emperor? How come you've brought back so many good things again?"

Jiayin smiled and replied, "It's not a robbery, Grandma. This is a birthday gift from my royal uncle."

Madam Wen interjected, "Isn't Fu Niu'er's birthday still a month away? Why is the Emperor bestowing gifts so early?"

Jiayin looked dejected and replied, "My royal uncle told me to play with the third princess, but she doesn't like me and we argued. My royal uncle was afraid I would be sad, so he gave me my birthday gift early."

Jiayin didn't want to tell her family what was happening in the palace, so as not to worry them. But if she didn't say anything, she was afraid that her family wouldn't know the inside story and would think that the Empress and the Third Princess were good people, so they wouldn't be on guard.

So, she said, half-jokingly, "And that Empress is no good either. She wanted my godfather to marry one of her relatives, but he refused, and she got upset. She's so petty!"

Sure enough, Grandma Li didn't think her granddaughter was being bullied, since her granddaughter was lively and didn't look like she was suffering.

She simply asked Madam Wen, "Does the Empress's family have any suitable daughters? Has she taken a fancy to the Marquis?"

Madam Wen shook her head and said softly, "For wealthy families like theirs, whether they have suitable girls or not is unimportant, and whether they are interested in the Marquis is also unimportant. What is important is that the Marquis now has military power and is highly valued by the Emperor..."

Old Mrs. Li understood immediately and couldn't help but sigh, "No need to say more, the Marquis is now a piece of fat meat that everyone wants to take a bite of."

Madam Wen laughed upon hearing this and advised, "Auntie, don't try to persuade him when he returns. He knows what he's doing!"

"I won't try to persuade him!" Old Mrs. Li quickly waved her hand and replied, "A man like the Marquis is not someone that an ordinary woman can match. Besides, a wife is someone who will spend her whole life with the Marquis, so the Marquis should at least marry someone he likes."

Madam Wen was relieved and lowered her head to tease the chubby girl, "Is our Fu Niu'er sad? Fu Niu'er is so cute, why doesn't the princess like to play with her?"

Jiayin shrugged nonchalantly, "If she doesn't like it, she doesn't like it. There are plenty of people who like me, I don't need her."

Everyone laughed again, but Old Lady Li sighed, looking slightly worried. She couldn't help but complain to Madam Wen, "I don't know what's wrong with Fu Niu'er. She's never been liked by the maids since she was little. There are a few girls in the village who are about the same age, but they never come to play with Fu Niu'er."

Madam Wen understood the situation to some extent and cleared up the old lady's doubts.

"Auntie, little girls are naturally meticulous. When they play together, they compare what skirts each other wears and what hair ties they wear."

“Our Fu Niu’er eats well, is well-fed and dressed nicely, and doesn’t have to do any chores. The other girls don’t dare to envy or be jealous, but they can’t help feeling inferior, so they don’t want to get close to her.”

Hearing this, Old Lady Li slapped her thigh and exclaimed, "That's right! I was wondering about it before, but now that you say it, it makes perfect sense! Let alone children, even in our daily lives, if the neighbors are doing well and we are doing poorly, we feel a bit awkward."

Madam Wen smiled and said, "Yes, Auntie. But don't worry, Fu Niu is still young. When I go out to visit other people in the future, I will take her with me. Maybe she will meet some girls she likes and make some friends to play with."

"Alright, let Fu Niu'er learn some manners again, so she won't be naughty when she goes out and make people laugh at her." Old Mrs. Li nodded, and after thinking for a moment, she said, "That princess in the palace is probably envious and jealous of our Fu Niu'er's eloquence and ability to please the emperor, which is why she doesn't like Fu Niu'er."

I must say, she was absolutely right.