Chapter 15

It wasn't their fate to die. In the distance, the sound of horseback riding came, and a large group of people were coming. The county magistrate was a little anxious, "Quick, kill them quickly."

With the arrival of reinforcements, our morale was lifted. Soon, the reinforcements surrounded the place.

The county magistrate had fallen to the ground with his legs weak, and a group of people had knives at their necks.

"Your humble servant greets the county lady." The visitor bowed.

My brother and I went forward to return the greeting.

The officials in the prefecture were aware of the incident, but they hadn't expected a county magistrate to be so bold. For something like this to happen under his administration was already a failure. So, he could only make amends.

My brother and I followed the governor back to the city to rest for a while.

I declined the invitation to dinner from Lord Fudu in the evening and took two baths in the house.

When I was planning to wash it for the third time, my brother came over.

I just wore it simply.

"Are you okay?" My brother looked at me worriedly while sitting at the table.

"I'm not injured, there's nothing wrong with it. I'm just a little tired." I raised my eyebrows.

"You don't have to force yourself in front of me." My brother grabbed my hand.

My eyes turned red instantly and my hands kept shaking.

I knew my brother must have ordered me to stop going to the battlefield. It wasn't because he was worried about me getting hurt, but because we couldn't get over the hurdle of having blood on our hands.

My brother stood up and hugged me. I buried my head in his and still couldn't help crying.

Until I was tired of crying, my brother watched me go back to bed and fall asleep.

I woke up from a nightmare in the middle of the night and my brother was still there. He patted me and said, "Go to sleep. It's okay, brother."

Then I slowly fell asleep again.

When I woke up the next day, my brother was sleeping next to my bed.

I quietly got out of bed and wanted to carry my brother to bed. As soon as I touched him, he slowly opened his eyes.

"Brother, go to bed and sleep for a while." I whispered.

My brother squeezed his arms and legs, then stood up on the bed. I hurried over to help him.

"No, I'll go back to my room and sleep for a while. We'll leave after lunch." My brother helped me out the door.

Kong Qing and the others have gotten used to the intimacy between my brother and me. But outsiders might not accept it, so we still have to keep it up.

Back in the room, I sat quietly for a long time.

I am really getting more and more adapted to my current life. Maybe in the near future, I will be completely assimilated.

I lazily finished my breakfast and went to visit Lord Fudu again.

After a thorough investigation of the case, it turned out to be more than just a simple robbery of civilians. The men who were taken back were often tortured to death. The victims were all powerless or from outside the area, and the county magistrate had been permissive.

I told him not to report this to my brother, and the governor nodded in agreement. However, we still needed information from the capital to determine how to proceed.

He gave further instructions to the people around him. As for the third princess, her guards would report to her.

After lunch at noon, my brother and I said goodbye and left.

I was worried that my mother would hear bad rumors, so I wrote a letter early and truthfully.

My brother sat in the same car with me on the way. I couldn't help but persuade him, "Brother, don't worry about me. I can handle it and adapt. You didn't get enough rest last night, go back and rest."

My brother just replied leisurely, "We used to travel in the same carriage, but today we can't."

I couldn't help but choke, and there was nothing wrong with it.

"Is the itinerary changing?" My brother put down the book in his hand and looked at me.

I thought for a moment and said, "Let's not change. I can't expect to only encounter weirdos."

My brother nodded and continued reading.

We traveled until almost the New Year, when my mother's letters became increasingly irritable, and she finally decided to return.

Although transportation is indeed inconvenient, traveling slowly can also be a lot of fun.

In half a year, I have seen beautiful scenery that I had never seen in my previous life and experienced a life that cannot be described in books.

Once, I suddenly asked my brother, if I leave early in this life, will I still have so many regrets?

My brother smiled brightly, "Why, don't I deserve to live longer?"

It also made me speechless about myself.

Traveling in the twelfth lunar month was so frustrating that I couldn't help but suggest returning after spring arrived in the south. My brother laughed at me and said, "If you weren't worried that Mother would send someone to force you to go back."

Slowly, on the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth lunar month, I finally saw the gate of the capital. Before I even got close, I saw the Third Princess and her group already waiting at the gate.

My brother got out of the car and greeted, "Sister Chenxi."

The third princess hurriedly asked her brother to get into the car, as it was indeed too cold outside.

After that war, the Third Princess felt as if she had been forced to grow too fast, and she became sharper and more mature.

After entering the city gate, people from Jing'an Marquis' Mansion came to greet us, and the third princess and the guards said goodbye to us.

I whispered to my brother in the carriage. "War is indeed a testament to the toughness of life. Even the Third Princess, with her reckless nature, has been mellowed by the training."

My brother couldn't help but laugh at me, "Who is as reckless as you?"

I pouted and said, "You haven't even gotten married yet, and you're already protecting me?" In return, my brother made a twist with his hands.

I was very unwilling to accept it, "Didn't you say your ideal type is cool and mature?"

My brother took a deep breath and said, "Ideal types are just empty talk until you meet the right person. I don't know how I could accept her."

I quickly tried to make amends, "Actually, the Third Princess is quite nice. In this era, she's able to withstand pressure and is waiting for you. She's also a sincere person..."

My brother glanced at me and couldn't help but smile, "There will be a day when I hear you praise her."

My father was already waiting at the gate of the Marquis' Mansion, so my brother and I hurried out of the car and went forward.

The father hugged his brother and touched his face. "You've lost weight, my child. How come you've lost so much weight?" The brother hugged his father back and said, "I'm just growing up. I'm doing well. I'm sorry to have worried you."

The two of them hugged for a while longer, and finally it was my turn. I opened my arms, "Father."

My father stepped forward and hugged me as well, patting me with his hands from behind. "You stupid kid, why did you take so long to bring your brother back?"

My face was filled with black lines. Excuse me, are they your biological children? You treat them differently!

I patted my father back gently to comfort him.

The mother also came over and looked at her brother first, "You're back. You must have been tired from the journey. Go back and take some rest." The brother agreed.

Mother looked at me again and frowned, "Come with me!"

My brother said goodbye to our mother and father, smiled at me, and left.

I rubbed my nose and followed my mother to the study. This attitude was too different.

My mother sat on a chair and looked at me without saying a word. I stood trembling by the table, not daring to make a sound.

"You are so bold that you took your brother to the battlefield without saying a word. Ah, that's a battlefield, do you think you are joking? Ah! You didn't even say hello. Your brother is a man, what if something happens to him? How can you be so bold?" The mother was so angry that she slammed the table.

I didn't dare say anything.

"Later, when the accident happened, you didn't even come back. What's wrong? Didn't you learn your lesson? Why didn't you come back when I asked you to? Did you pretend not to see me? Speak!" The mother stood up.

I was so scared that I stepped back and reached the edge of the door.

"Come here!" my mother pointed at me and yelled. I stared at her, stroking my neck and shaking my head.

I really dare not.

Seeing my mother turn around to get the stick, I turned and ran.

I don’t know who prepared it.

"Dad, save me." I ran to my father's yard and almost knocked Little Radish Head down.

As an older sister, I must be authoritative. I quickly stopped, straightened my clothes, and cleared my throat. "Is my sister this big already?"

Yu Anqi edited in a serious tone, "Sister." Oh my god, a four-year-old child is so cute, with a round face that feels like tender tofu, and trembles when she speaks.

I wanted to hug you, but after looking at my body, I gave up and said, "Sister, your body is not clean. I must hug you next time. I am so cute!" You must say it when you like someone!

My father walked out the door and glared at my mother who was running behind him. "Go back to the yard and rest for a while."

I turned to look at my mother and slipped out the door. Hey, I got some help from my sister.

After I left, my father smiled and shook his head, "Why scare her?"

"If you don't scare her, I think there will be nothing she dares not do!" The mother put down the stick, took her sister's hand and went into the house.

"You know that the brother and sister have the right idea. Lanlan never refutes Ranran's words."

"It's good that the two children have a good relationship. I think Ranran will get married this year." The mother sighed.

"You, stop worrying about nothing. I think Ranran has agreed. Today, the third brother went out of the city to pick her up." Father blinked.

The yard was just as it had been when I left. After I showered and changed my clothes, I didn't want to go out anymore. I asked Zhixia to arrange for someone to greet my mother and father, then I had a quick meal and rested.

This year, red lanterns were hung in the mansion again. After everything was tidied up, it was time for the New Year's Eve banquet in a blink of an eye.

My brother was dressed up a bit too much today, which I wasn't used to. I circled him a few times, and his face turned red. "What the hell are you doing? Are you running around like a puppy?" he said, annoyed.

I asked curiously, "Does your head feel heavy?" I looked at the hairpin and touched my neck.

"It sinks, why not?" The brother also frowned.

There is no way. My father insists. What can I do?

"This craftsmanship is really beautiful. If it were made in modern times, it could be displayed in a museum." I couldn't help but sigh. "Father, is he going to make you outshine everyone else?"

My brother's voice dropped. "I guess if I'm not married at my age, I don't know what will happen. My father will be very angry."

I nodded, but with such a big breath, my brother was about to turn into a human display stand.

Anqi was still young, so we didn’t bring her along, so we were a family of four.

When they got to the palace, it was the same old routine. The only difference was everyone's surprised expressions when they saw my brother.

The uncle from Anguo Mansion stepped forward and said, "Oh, our Lanlan is so beautiful. I haven't seen her for a few years and I didn't even recognize her."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone recognized her. "It's An Lan. She's grown up like this. I'm not afraid to recognize her."

Brother Xiu also came with his wife. He stepped forward to rescue his brother and also circled around his brother.

My brother was helpless. “Is the change that big?”

Many of my old friends gathered around me and asked, "I really can't recognize you. Why have you lost weight again?" "That's right. Besides, I've never seen you dressed up properly."

That group of close friends are all married and have kids now, but things are still different from before.

"This is really enough to make those who were just waiting to watch the fun out look down on us." Someone chuckled.

"Huh?" My brother looked puzzled.

Brother Xiu pulled his brother's sleeve and said, "Don't worry about it. It's not because you are not in the capital, so is there anyone rushing to help you?"

Oh~ It’s about the Third Princess.

My brother couldn't help but frowned and glanced at me.

I stood up and said, "Brothers, I'm going to meet my friends."

After I left, I could still faintly hear, "An Ran, your sister An Lan still likes to follow you. She hasn't changed even though she's grown up." Then there was a burst of laughter.