"How do you know it's kesi?"

This piece of satin was brought on the day Mei Niang asked someone to deliver the message. As a person who traveled from modern times, Jian Ning didn't know much about fabrics. She could only distinguish between silk, cotton, and coarse cloth. This was the first time she heard of kesi.

But he also knew that the things Mei Niang specially sent would not be bad.

"I, I saw the head lady of Yishengtang wearing one. My mother who served her told me about it." Qiao Feng lowered her eyelids. "Master, keep it for your own clothes. I don't need it. This one I'm wearing is fine. I can alter it myself tonight. It's the same if it's smaller."

"Can you make clothes?"

"I haven't tried it myself, but I've seen others do it, so I think it's not difficult. If I don't know, I'll just ask my master."

Jian Ning smiled slightly, "If you want to change it, then do so. But we need new clothes for the New Year. Not only you, but Shu'er too. This piece of satin is enough for the three of us to make clothes."

"Aren't you going to do it for your two younger sisters, Jiajia and Yaoyao?"

"Yes, Sister Chang is very skillful, so I asked her to make it for them, using a different kind of fabric. They travel all day long, so they don't need such fine materials."

“Master…”

Qiaofeng's eyes reddened slightly, and she quickly lowered her head. Jian Ning pretended not to notice. When she was with her master, Grandma Wu, she would make her new clothes every New Year. Now that she had accepted Qiaofeng as her apprentice, she naturally couldn't treat her badly.

Moreover, last night at the dinner table, she noticed that Qiaofeng was very reserved at first, but then she gradually relaxed. Her every move seemed quite methodical, as if she had received a good education, unlike what she said, that she was a child who grew up begging.

This was the first time she had heard of this Kesi Jian Ning, which suggested Qiaofeng was of high birth, perhaps even from a wealthy family. Thinking back to her past life, Duan Xinning, the daughter of a general's family, had drifted to Baisha Town for unknown reasons, where she was taken in by Old Ding and raised as a child bride. She felt an incalculable amount of hardship and suffering in her short life, and she felt even more pity for Qiaofeng.

"mother."

Dabao came over and bowed respectfully to Jian Ning. "I wonder what you want me to do?"

"You go out first and take care of Jiajia and Yaoyao." Jian Ning nodded at Qiaofeng.

"Master, don't worry. I will keep an eye on my two younger sisters and won't let them run around." Qiao Feng turned sideways, knelt down and bowed, then turned away.

"Mom is feeling better now."

"Not so fast. Come here and let me take a good look at you."

Jian Ning smiled at Dabao, her mind replaying the day she first arrived, Dabao looking sickly, his hair tied in two small buns. Since he went to school in town, Jian Ning had tied his hair in a bun with a headband, leaving the back of his hair hanging down to his shoulders, with bangs still on his forehead, which would be fully tied up when he reached adulthood.

Dabao was a completely different person now. His features were as beautiful as a painting, and even though he hadn't fully grown, he possessed a certain air of elegance. Compared to Ding Youtian, he was even more aloof and proud. Jian Ning couldn't help but recall the poems she had read and memorized.

On a spring outing, apricot blossoms blow all over my head.

Who is this young man on the street, so handsome?

Jian Ning wasn't one for melancholy, and she'd never taken poetry seriously. She'd always relied on rote memorization for exams, only to forget them the moment they were over. But for some reason, she remembered only these few lines. Could it be that the young man on the street was writing about her precious child?

"Your father taught you how to use a gun. Did you learn it?"

"To answer your mother's question, I have learned it."

"There's no need to be so formal at home. It makes things seem awkward."

"Yes. Mom, drink the porridge first. It will be cold soon." Dabao was about to take a few mouthfuls of the rice porridge on the bedside cabinet, but Jian Ning stopped him. "It's still a little hot. It won't be too late to eat it after it cools down. Do you have that gun with you?"

Dabao shook his head, "No, I'll go get it and take it with me."

While he was getting his gun, Jian Ning took out another magazine from the armory. When he came back, Jian Ning asked him to practice with it. He did well, mainly because Ding Youtian had an excellent memory and remembered all the key points she taught him.

"This is the magazine. I'll teach you how to replace it. Remember, don't show your gun to anyone easily. I gave you this because I've been feeling uneasy since yesterday, always feeling that something bad is going to happen. You watch over the girls, don't run around, and don't use the gun to hurt anyone unless it's absolutely necessary, understand?"

"Son, I'll remember this. Don't worry, mother."

Jane Ning taught him how to load the magazine, explained the basics of shooting to him, and told him to carry a gun with him every day. Despite this, her uneasiness did not subside.

Yang Wuqi was even more uneasy than Jian Ning. He had been lying in ambush in the mountains behind Prince Zhao's mansion all night, but hadn't received a signal from Feng Qingzi. By noon, the soldiers were cold and hungry. They hadn't expected to hold out all night when they set out the previous day, and they hadn't even brought any food.

Several people sent out hunting were also quietly killed by the special capture team. The special capture team and the city defense soldiers had prepared three days of dry food and water. They could change shifts and retreat to the riverside camp to rest every hour and a half, so they had plenty of energy to fight them.

Several leading palace guards began to incite everyone. They originally only obeyed the orders of King Zhao. Some of them had long been fed up with Feng Qingzi's tyranny in the palace, and they clamored particularly loudly. One of them even raised his fist to hit Yang Wuqi, but was pulled away by everyone.

At first, Yang Wuqi relied on Feng Qingzi's influence and was fearless. But when he saw that he was losing control, he bowed and spoke kindly: "Listen to me, brothers. I also obey my master. We all serve the prince. Whether it's the Prince of Zhao or the Prince of Yong, they are all masters! Who will suffer the consequences if we disrupt the affairs of these two masters?"

"How about this, let me go down the mountain and ask my master for advice. I'll decide whether to retreat or not when I come back."

A leading guard shouted, "We'll give you half an hour at most. If you don't come back after half an hour, we'll return home. If the prince blames you in the future, you and your disciple will bear all the responsibility. It has nothing to do with us. If you want to go, go quickly!"

Everyone raised their arms in agreement and chased Yang Wuqi down the mountain like a dog.

Yang Wuqi had never been treated like this before when he was with Feng Qingzi in Prince Yong's Mansion, and he was even more arrogant in Prince Zhao's Mansion. In the past, if he saw any of the palace guards displeased with him, he would just slap them in the face, and no one would dare to say a word.

He cursed in his heart as he walked, secretly making up his mind that he would go back and give those leading soldiers a good lesson.

He quickened his pace towards Old Ding's house. When he reached the main gate, he bumped into Ding Zhu, whose hair was disheveled and whose face was covered in scratches.

Ding Zhu was beaten by Wu Fengfu's two concubines. Wu Fengfu was hit by Feng Qingzi's poison needle. The yamen runners carried him to Pu Ren Hall. After examining him, Old Man Yang shook his head and told him that his kneecap was broken. Although his life could be saved, his legs were crippled and he would never be able to stand up again in his life.

Wu Fengfu burst into tears upon hearing this, and when he returned home he cursed Ding Zhu as a jinx and threatened to have the yamen runners arrest Lao Wu. His two concubines, already jealous of Ding Zhu's favor, grabbed her and beat her severely. She struggled to escape, and upon entering the house, she burst into tears and yelled for Lao Wu to get out quickly!