Xu Yao was exhausted. After being under intense mental tension, she suddenly felt uncomfortable all over after relaxing. Fortunately, after exchanging a few more pleasantries outside, the maid got into the carriage. The carriage slowly started moving, and Xu Yao simply leaned against the carriage wall and closed her eyes.

The journey from the fur shop to the Yongning Marquis's residence usually took more than half an hour, but now, with many people from other places taking the imperial examinations, the streets of the capital were crowded, and the carriage moved more slowly. By the time they returned to the Marquis's residence, it was already evening.

Xu Yao got off the carriage and went straight back to her courtyard through the side passage. After washing up with hot water, she applied ointment to her hand, wrapped it with gauze, and just then, the kitchen delivered her meal.

Normally, Ning was busy with her own affairs, and Xu Yao would go to pay her respects to the old lady on the first and fifteenth of each month. Sometimes, when she was in the mood, she would go to Ning's room to eat with her. Usually, she would eat in her own room. It was because of this that Xu Yao felt more at ease. Xu Yao knew very well that if her mother found out that she was injured, she would definitely be scolded.

Xu Yao lay on the warm kang (heated brick bed), and when she closed her eyes, the figure that had appeared in her mind that afternoon floated up. The maid had told Xu Yao on the way that the young man who stopped the carriage after leaving the fur shop and claimed to be Lin Zhining from Gaoqing County was the same young man who had stopped the carriage.

Xu Yao had long since reached marriageable age, but she didn't really care about her marriage. When she was young, she almost got hurt by a villain because of a mistake in her love. After so many years, Xu Yao felt that she had seen through love. She would just marry into whatever family her parents found for her and live a good life with them.

When Xu Yao saw Lin Zhining in the afternoon, she felt as if her heart had come alive all at once. The young man in his early twenties was handsome and so brave; he must be very popular with girls.

Xu Yao felt embarrassed and pulled the blanket up to her face. Then she felt hot covering her face and took the blanket off. Xu Yao felt ashamed. She had been heartbroken for several years, but who knew that she would have moments of lust again. She tossed and turned and didn't sleep well all night.

When Xu Yao woke up the next day, she had already come out of those fantasies.

After washing up, Xu Yao looked at the bright sunlight outside, which actually carried a bit of chill, and couldn't help but sigh softly. Young girls' love and admiration were things for girls who hadn't reached the age of marriage yet. As a woman who had already reached the age of marriage a year ago, she had no right to have such feelings.

Xu Yao had injured her hand and had been avoiding Ning Shi. Fortunately, Ning Shi was very busy these days, so Xu Yao sent someone to tell Ning Shi that she was busy making knee pads for Xu Di, and Ning Shi did not ask her to come and pay her respects.

Xu Yao's wound took two or three days to scab over, but she couldn't wait any longer, so she cut off the two pieces of wolf skin and sewed them up stitch by stitch.

Xu Yao's knee braces weren't finished yet when Chen Zhaoci returned with a group of children.

Chen Zhaoci's group was quite large, consisting not only of his own children but also the children Xu Zhi had trained. There were more than a dozen carriages carrying people. Since they were mostly elderly people, women, and young children, Xu Rao was very worried and hired a security escort agency in Liaodong to escort them to the capital.

Xu Di went to the post station outside the city early to wait. After picking up the person, Chen Zhaoci said reproachfully, "You could have just waited at home. What did you come here for?"

Xu Di's happy smile never faded when he saw his relatives. He gently patted Xu Bai's shoulder and said, "I'm so happy. I can't do anything sitting at home, so I might as well come here and wait for you. I feel at ease waiting for you to come back like this."

Xu Bai stood next to Xu Di, compared his height with his, and said, "Big brother, look how much taller I've grown!"

Xu Di, unusually, didn't mock his younger brother. Instead, he seriously compared himself to him and said, "You've grown quite a bit in the past year. It seems that regular exercise does have its benefits. You should keep it up!"

Xu Bai smiled and agreed. After Xu Di bowed to Wu Muyue, he said, "Uncle, Grandfather is waiting for you at the Shili Pavilion ahead."

Wu Muyue was the maternal uncle of Marquis Yongning. When Wu Muyue returned, Marquis Yongning naturally came to greet him. However, people in the city usually waited at a place called Shili Pavilion, about ten miles outside the city. Originally, it was just a pavilion for farewells. As more and more people came and went, many teahouses, taverns and inns were added. People would say goodbye here, and sometimes they could have a meal and a drink. Some of the more unrestrained people would drink too much and simply go to the inn next door to sleep for the night and leave another day.

Xu Di, impatient to wait there, led two men on horseback to the post station, which was more than 20 miles away from Shili Pavilion.

Xu Di accompanied them all the way to the capital. They met the Marquis at Shili Pavilion and naturally had another long chat. Afterwards, they hurried on their way to their home in the capital.

After entering the city, Xu Zhi arranged for her steward to send the children to her dowry residence in the east of the city, while she herself returned to the Yongning Marquis's residence with Chen Zhaoci.

The people of the Marquis's residence had been waiting at home for a long time.

The old lady got up early in the morning and started directing the maids in the room to change her clothes and try on different pieces of jewelry. She always felt that no matter what she wore, something was missing. In the end, it was Granny Shen who helped her choose the clothes and jewelry. The old lady was old and her energy was inevitably waning. She was too excited and tired at the moment. When the children came home, she was exhausted after saying only a few words.

After comforting the old lady, she ate breakfast and took a nap. When she estimated that it was about time, she woke the old lady up, dressed her, and sat on the kang (a heated brick bed) by the window to wait.