Upon arriving in the capital, she was utterly astonished by the magnificent and prosperous scene, which seemed like something out of the clouds, something she could never have dreamed of. Before she could even process what she was seeing, she was taken to this elegant courtyard, which was said to be her home.
She never dared to dream of such a home.
"Miss, the hot water is ready. Let me help you bathe and change," the nanny said as she came over.
"Miss, you must look beautiful in our Chinese clothes." The maid, a lively girl, said expectantly, "Here, you'll become even fairer."
“I—” Xida lowered her eyelids, feeling very uncomfortable.
The old woman smiled and said, "Miss is new here, so she's not used to it yet. Here, you can go wash yourself. We won't watch you. Just call us if you need anything."
Xida had come all the way here, covered in dust and grime, and needed a good bath.
After she finished washing, the maids and servants dressed her in new clothes and styled her hair in a traditional Chinese style.
Aside from having slightly darker skin and brownish-blue eyes, Xida now looks like a Daze person.
A woman in white wearing a veil entered the courtyard and dismissed everyone else.
Upon seeing the familiar figure, the restless Xida rushed over, hugged the person tightly, and nestled her head against him.
"Sister Shui, I'm so glad to see you! What brings you here? I thought I wouldn't see you for half a year or a year."
Qiao Lian'er patted her cute bun: "I came to see you, after all, you just arrived here alone. They are all your servants, they won't hurt you. If you need anything from them, just tell them, don't be shy."
“But,” Xida looked around, “a courtyard like this in the capital must cost a lot of money. Sister Shui, just arrange a simple place for me to live. Don’t hire any servants. I’m used to doing farm work since I was a child. I can do it myself.”
Qiao Lian'er closed the door, pulled her hand and sat her down, then opened her palm: "Look at this."
It was a crystal-clear ruby, sparkling brilliantly, about the size of half an egg.
She has removed the outer rough material, allowing the entire gemstone to be presented perfectly.
"It's a ruby, the one I found? But wasn't it dug up by Uncle In's men?" Xida couldn't believe it and reached out to touch it.
"Yes. The one they dug up was replaced with a worthless gem. This one is worth three million taels of silver. It is your and your brother's property, but you are too young to keep it on your person. I will keep it for you temporarily."
"The money for this house, as well as the wages of these servants, will all be deducted from the ruby. This three million taels is more than you can spend in a lifetime. You can use it to enjoy life, learn knowledge, and improve yourself."
Upon hearing such a huge surprise, Xida was stunned. After looking at the ruby again, she finally believed it.
She nodded solemnly.
"Sister Shui, I'll do whatever you say."
When Qiao Lian'er arrived at her fiefdom, she saw her uncles and brothers with somber faces, discussing matters in the central army camp. Pei Shijiu was also there, his fingers slowly tapping the table, his brows furrowed.
Outside the main camp, generals of various ranks were gathered, and everyone looked unwell, some pacing back and forth anxiously.
"What happened?"
Upon seeing her, almost everyone stood up at the same time.
Da Cheng said, "Lian'er, something bad has happened. The formation we figured out more than half a month ago has somehow been transmitted to the Da Nu Kingdom. Right now, they're training it on the border, as if they're showing off."
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