"Hmph, I raised you! I can tell how many turds you're about to poop the moment you wiggle your tail!"

Grandma Li's hair almost came undone from her granddaughter's shaking. She quickly gathered it up with one hand and gently pinched her granddaughter's tender cheek with the other. "I said no, and that's final! Don't pester me, I'm not letting you into the city!"

Jiayin deflated, pouting and drooping her head, looking pitiful. Even the golden butterfly pinned to her head seemed lifeless.

"Sigh, fine, I won't go then. I know Grandma means well, but..."

"Being cooped up at home every day is like being a caged bird, without freedom. It's so pitiful!"

As she spoke, her voice choked with emotion, "If bad people keep trying to hurt me, am I supposed to just hide at home forever?"

"One year, two years, five years, or ten years, when will it end? I might as well not live at all..."

Grandma Li couldn't bear it; she felt heartbroken.

Her granddaughter has been pampered and raised since birth, and she has given her everything she wants. When has she ever been so wronged?

She didn't care about her hair anymore and hugged her granddaughter tightly, coaxing her.

"My little Fu Niu'er, don't cry, don't cry, it's Grandma's fault! Grandma doesn't know how to talk, she made you sad!"

"Grandma is doing this for your own good. She's afraid you'll be taken advantage of by bad people when you go out. If you get even the slightest bit hurt, let alone a bruise or bleeding, or even a single hair falling out, Grandma wouldn't want to see you like that!"

Jiayin snuggled closer to her grandmother, her voice trembling with even more grievance and tears welling up in her eyes.

"I know my grandma means well, but I've been at home for over half a month and haven't gone out at all."

"I didn't go out to play. I just wanted to check out the two new shops. There will be someone in charge of the renovation and operation. I definitely won't go there again. Is that not allowed?"

"Can't I disguise myself as a maid or servant and secretly follow my brothers?"

"Or, I could hide under the carriage and sneak into the city..."

Grandma Li was initially heartbroken, but as her granddaughter's words became increasingly outrageous, she came to her senses.

Sure enough, she pulled her granddaughter out of her arms. There were no tears on the little girl's face at all; it was just empty rumble without any real rain!

Old Mrs. Li was so angry she didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She scolded, "You brat, all you know how to do is play tricks on an old woman like me!"

"Hehe," Jiayin gave herself away, and quickly switched back to her coquettish ways with a silly grin. She hugged her grandma tightly and begged, "Grandma, please say yes, I really won't cause any trouble!"

"I'm about the same size as Zheng Qi, so I disguised myself as him and was back in two hours!"

Cat Brother usually bickers with his sister the most, but he really dotes on her.

He stepped forward to help plead, "Grandma, please let Fu Niu go out for a bit."

“My brothers and I followed him, and she disguised herself as a servant. There were a dozen or so of us, and no one would suspect anything. We went together and came back together, so nothing would happen.”

"Fu Niu'er has always made her own decisions since she was little, and she's used to running around outside every day. If we keep her cooped up at home all the time, she might get sick from feeling stifled, and you'll be heartbroken!"

It must be said that the last two sentences really frightened Grandma Li.

Previously, her granddaughter pretended to be sick. Although she knew it was fake, she would feel so sad every time she saw it that she couldn't eat.

She simply couldn't imagine what she would do if her granddaughter really got sick...

Seeing her grandmother hesitate, Jiayin immediately jumped up, "Grandma, wait a minute, I'll dress up as Zheng Qi and show you."

As she spoke, she ran back to her bedroom, slipped into the space, and quickly began to dress up.

The time difference between inside and outside allowed her to be very relaxed, and she took care of herself from head to toe...

Grandma Li hadn't taken her granddaughter's little tricks seriously, but when the door opened and she turned around, she was stunned.

A young man, about half a teenager, came in. He was dressed in gray clothes, thin, and had dark skin. He walked with a slight forward lean, appearing very humble.

At first glance, no one would doubt that this is Zheng Qi, Cat Brother's servant!

With a little more caution, no one would suspect that she was a woman disguised as a man.

"You know what, it really does look like her!" Grandma Li was extremely curious. She pulled her granddaughter up and looked her over from head to toe, asking repeatedly, "Why are your neck and hands so black? Did you smear some soot from the bottom of a pot on them?"

Jiayin chuckled and spun around triumphantly a few times, taking the opportunity to tempt the old lady, "Grandma, whenever you have some free time, I'll dress you up as a man too, and then you'll see."

She has learned quite a few miscellaneous skills over the years.

Changing clothes and dressing up as a kid is a piece of cake.

She pressed her advantage, saying, "Grandma, Seventh Brother and I will accompany you back to the old house now. If anyone discovers our disguise on the way, I will not go into the city."

"But if no one notices, it proves that the disguise is successful and will not be exposed. In that case, please allow me to go out for two hours, okay?"

Grandma Li, unable to bear her granddaughter's nagging any longer and feeling sorry for her, said, "Alright, let's go back now."

The three of them tidied themselves up briefly and then left the princess's residence.

Cat Brother helped his grandmother walk in front, while Granny Chang followed a step behind.

Jiayin carried a basket containing two bunches of bok choy and seven or eight pears.

She walked at the very back, her back slightly bent.

At this time, the village was just about to have lunch, and the women were all carrying firewood or going down into the cellar to dig out potatoes and cabbages.

Occasionally, when they saw Old Madam Li and the others passing by, a woman would stop what she was doing, greet them with a smile, and ask, "Old Madam, are you going to the Princess's place?"

"Yes!" Grandma Li replied with a smile, "I have nothing to do, so I came out for a walk. I spend all day doing needlework on the kang (a heated brick bed), and my body is aching."

As she spoke, Old Lady Li called out to Jiayin, "Zheng Qi, give two pears to your Aunt Wang."

Jiayin quickly stepped forward and handed over two pears.

The woman was very happy, but also a little embarrassed. She took the pear and ran back into the house to bring Old Lady Li a small bowl of mustard tubers.

"Madam, I heard that we didn't pickle any mustard tubers this year. If you don't mind, please try some of ours!"

"Great!" Old Mrs. Li handed it to Granny Chang and said with a smile, "Lately, I've been craving mustard greens with chili oil when I get up early for porridge, and you just happened to bring it to me. What a coincidence!"

The woman was overjoyed and said repeatedly, "I've pickled a whole vat. Once the old lady has finished eating, just have someone come and get it!"

After exchanging a few more words, Grandma Li and her group continued walking home.

Then I ran into another mischievous boy who was carrying a big bowl of mushroom and chicken stew.

Upon seeing Old Lady Li, he stepped forward and bowed. Before she could ask any questions, he said, "Madam, my family killed a chicken, and my mother asked me to take a bowl to Grandpa Zhao and the others."

"Oh, my good child, that's right! Back when we were fleeing famine on the road, your Grandpa Zhao and the others took care of you children, and they suffered a lot because of it."

"Now that you're all grown up, you know how to be filial, which is a good thing!"

Grandma Li patted the naughty boy on the back with a smile, and then called out, "Zheng Qi, get Niuwa two pears!"