On his way back, he saw that the people who used to be forced to do corvée labor to build roads were now all full of energy.

They said they would provide three full meals a day, with meat in the dishes.

I can also earn thirty coins a day.

Although the money wasn't much, it came close to a string of cash after a month.

For ordinary people, it's practically like picking up money off the ground.

People who had been living off their savings during the winter were scrambling to sign up for work, fearing they would be rejected.

Because it saves the family enough food for one person, and they can still get paid, making money from both sides.

Such a good opportunity doesn't come every day.

Some women and children also applied, not expecting to get paid, just wanting to have enough to eat.

With the addition of a large number of people, sufficient supplies of stones, pebbles, sand, clay, etc., were prepared for road construction, and the road was built quickly and well.

The repaired road will greatly improve both speed and comfort, whether riding a horse or traveling by carriage.

Wanwan's donation was used very effectively.

When Xiao Bin arrived, Su Nan's expression changed drastically. She stood up abruptly, her sharp eyes fixed on him without blinking, clearly shocked.

"you……"

Xiao Bin remained expressionless: "This humble servant, Xiao Bin, greets Lord Su."

Su Nan gradually calmed down and returned to normal, then invited Xiao Bin to have tea.

The two started by talking about road construction, and gradually moved on to the situation in the Nine Borders, the movements of the Northern Desert Royal Court, and the urgent needs of the border troops. The more they talked, the more they clicked, and before they knew it, it was lunchtime.

Even after dark, the two were still not finished talking, so Su Nan decided to let Xiao Bin stay at the hotel and planned to have a late-night conversation by candlelight.

Su Wanwan had someone deliver a late-night snack, subtly reminding them to get some rest, and Su Nan finally gave up.

After going to bed that night, Su Wanying said with a smile, "It seems that Second Uncle has finally met a kindred spirit."

The next morning, Su Nan, who had originally planned to rest at home for a few days, changed her mind at the last minute:

"I'll take you to sit on an ice sled."

Su Wanying, being a child at heart, was so happy she almost jumped for joy.

Su Wanwan's feelings were complicated, and she didn't react for a long time.

Suddenly, I felt like a little girl again, enjoying a rare moment of fatherly love.

In the freezing cold of the north, ice skating is a rare form of entertainment during the winter.

The ice sled is made of wooden planks and placed on the ice. It can seat two or three people. One person holds the rope in front, and the ice sled moves as if flying. The snow and clouds are like a painting.

Many women, children, men, women, and children of all ages participated, creating a lively and joyful atmosphere.

Su Nan rented an ice bed, and the two sisters, Su Wanwan and Su Wanying, sat on it.

There was a shortage of people to pull the ice sleds, so Xiao Bin volunteered.

Su Wanwan laughed in surprise: "Guard Xiao, how come you know everything?"

Xiao Bin simply turned around and smiled faintly: "I've learned this before."

His face was backlit, and his faint smile was outlined perfectly in the backlight, as if the whole world had been illuminated.

She also called him "Guardian Xiao".

Instead of deliberately distancing himself from Lord Xiao.

Su Nan smiled and squinted her eyes, watching them happily playing on the ice under the blue sky and white clouds.

The ice sled glided very fast on the ice, and Su Wanwan and Su Wanying had a lot of fun, just like when they returned to their carefree childhood.

However, they always felt like someone was watching them.

Su Wanwan followed the gaze but found nothing.

She gave Xiao Bin a wink, and Xiao Bin immediately understood.

This frozen surface was originally a huge lake, with large fields on the opposite shore. Because it is a bit far from the road, fewer people go there.

Xiao Bin pointed to the fields over there and said, "We just bought some land over there. We can build ditches and divert lake water for irrigation later."

In the north, where water is scarce, fields near lakes are considered fertile land.

Such fertile land is usually considered ancestral property by most families and is rarely sold.

Su Wanwan became interested. "Can we go take a look?"

She built a small greenhouse in the house and cultivated some grains, hoping for a good harvest in the coming year.

Xiao Bin readily agreed, pulling himself along the ice sled and gliding across the ice like flowing water.

As the group sped up, Su Wanwan and Su Wanying couldn't help but scream.

This feeling is like floating on clouds, it's so exciting!

When the ice sled reached the other side of the lake, the two sisters still felt like it was all a dream, their faces flushed with excitement.

Su Wanying saw a small white thing moving in the snow and screamed as she chased after it: "There's a rabbit!"

Sure enough, there were little rabbits hopping and trying to escape, and there was more than one.

Su Wanwan scoffed, "This girl really is just a child."

Xiao Bin reached out and helped Su Wanwan off the ice: "Be careful not to slip."

As if what was said would come true, Su Wanwan's left leg was injured, and the weight was unevenly distributed between her two legs, causing her to slip and fall forward.

Xiao Bin reacted quickly, pulling her up and helping her walk towards the shore.

This scene was witnessed by a man standing on the roadside in the distance.

He held a telescope, a gift from a foreign land, in his hand, and gently turned the tube, his handsome face growing colder and colder.

Manager Li, who was waiting nearby, couldn't help but shrink back.

I don't know if it was the cold wind from beyond the Great Wall or the increasingly terrifying chill emanating from my master that made me feel this way.

"Bring me the bow."

The man simply gave a brief instruction.

He often used Zhang Liuli's strong bow, which had a long range and great power, and could penetrate the enemy's thick iron armor on the battlefield.

Manager Li's mouth felt a little dry.

If I had known this would happen, I shouldn't have reported to the Emperor that Miss Su was playing on the ice sled.

Who could have known that Miss Su would be so forgetful?

This guy... has quite a temper!

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!