Jiangnan, Xuzhou.

In the morning, the spring day was bright and the March breeze carried the fragrance of crabapple flowers into the room through the window.

The man in the room held the seal and stamped it. There were footsteps not far away, and soon a man who looked like a guard walked in, knelt down and saluted, saying, "Greetings, Your Highness."

Xiao Junzhan did not raise his head, and said, "Get up."

The guard stood up and bowed, saying, "I have already found out that the young lady was born in the Loyal and Brave Marquis's Mansion. She is the daughter of the second son Wei Heng and the ninth child in the family. Wei Heng's wife is the eldest daughter of Mr. Jiang. Miss Wei Jiu was raised in her maternal grandfather Jiang's family since she was a child and returned to the capital some time ago."

"I have returned to Beijing..."

Xiao Junzhan paused for a moment, then suddenly smiled: "Miss Wei Jiu."

The guard was stunned.

Xiao Junzhan said: "If there is nothing else, please leave."

"There is one more thing," the guard bowed again, "Mr. Gu, the governor of Xuzhou, is outside asking to see you."

"Send him in."

The guards took the order and left. After a while, a man in his forties with a square face came in and bowed, "Your Highness, Gu Xulin greets His Highness. Your Highness, I greet you."

"No need to be polite." Xiao Junzhan said, "What can I do for you, Lord Gu?"

"There is one thing I can't make up my mind about," Gu Xulin said, "Jiang Zixiu has committed a serious crime this time. According to the law, all members of the Jiang family must be taken to the capital for trial. However, Mr. Jiang is a veteran of two dynasties and is already old..."

At this point, Xiao Junzhan understood what Gu Xulin said. He said, "Let's talk about it on the way. The case has not been judged yet, and no one should be killed."

"Yes!" Gu Xulin's nervous expression eased slightly. Just as he was about to leave, he heard the Crown Prince at the top say, "Except for Jiang Zixiu's family, other members of the Jiang family do not need to wear shackles or chains."

Gu Xulin was slightly startled: "...Yes."

I thought this was a great honor. I didn't expect that even though Mr. Jiang had retired for many years, he would still be remembered by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

…………

The atmosphere in the capital is more open than that in the south of the Yangtze River. After finding out that Wei Hanzhang could ride a horse, Wei Hanshuang, who had taken her around the mansion several times in the past few days, went straight to the stables.

"Come on, the weather is so nice today, let's go for an outing in the suburbs."

Wei Hanshuang led a docile mare over, and watching Wei Hanzhang mount the horse skillfully, she said with a smile: "Looking at your posture, you must be a good rider. When you go out today, I will introduce you to a few more sisters."

After being in the capital for so long, except for the few banquets that Jiang had taken her to, this was the first time that she could go out and play with sisters of the same age. Wei Hanzhang was in high spirits. She smiled and said, "Then we must have fun."

But before that, he still had to talk to his mother. Wei Hanzhang got off the horse and went straight to Jingya Hall.

Jiang knew that the two sisters were going out, and she did not stop them. She just smiled and reminded them: "Don't ride too fast, be careful."

"I know, I know." These days after returning, Wei Hanzhang became more intimate and casual in front of Jiang: "Don't worry, mother. My riding skills are among the best in Xuzhou."

After saying this, without waiting for Jiang to say anything else, he turned around and left quickly.

"Ran Ran! Remember to wear your veil."

Wei Hanzhang had already walked a long way. When he heard this, he said loudly, "I know."

She murmured to herself, it’s okay to wear a veil hat in Jiangnan, but why does she have to wear it after returning to the capital?

There are so many noble ladies riding horses in parade in the capital, but I have never seen anyone riding a horse in a secretive manner.

As soon as he left the mansion, there were already three ladies of the same age waiting outside. Wei Hanshuang introduced them to each other with a smile. Then, Li Niang from the Liuhou Mansion called out, "Let's go and see who reaches Jiming Mountain first."

She took the lead and walked towards the city gate. The others behind her immediately caught up with her. Wei Hanshuang said to her sister, "Let's go, Ranran."

Wei Hanshuang was a good rider, but she didn't know the way, so she could only follow a few people out of the city on horseback.

The spring scenery in April is beautiful, and the young girls' riding clothes are even more beautiful. When we arrived at the destination, servants were already waiting there.

Li Niang saw an open area by the stream and suggested, "How about we play Feihua Ling here?"

"Well, I happened to bring a pot of peach wine." Ling Niang from the Ministry of Revenue said with a smile, "Whoever loses is not allowed to refuse to drink."

Wei Hanshuang was not stage-shy either. She sat down calmly and chatted with them freely.

As soon as she took off her veil, she attracted the attention of several noble ladies. They only knew that Wei Hanzhang was a girl who was fostered in the Marquis of Loyalty and Bravery and grew up in Jiangnan, but they never thought that she had such a beautiful face.

Li Niang stared at him for a while, then suddenly laughed and said, "This is terrible. If that person saw Ran Ran, he would be so panicked."

Wei Hanzhang didn't understand what was going on, but the others all understood and smiled at each other.

Seeing her puzzled expression, Ling Niang said, "After a while, the Yongle Marquis's residence will hold a birthday banquet, and you will be able to see him."

"Don't listen to their nonsense," Wei Hanshuang smiled and pulled her sister over: "The girl from the Duke of Anguo's mansion is famous for being gentle and virtuous."

Yingniang, who lived in the household of the Minister of Rites, said, "I haven't heard of Wenliang and Xianshu, but everyone knows that she is the most beautiful woman in the capital."

Wei Hanzhang suddenly understood. Speaking of Liu Wanning from the Duke of Anguo's Mansion, she was the biggest beneficiary after Wei Hanyue's accident. No one in the capital could match her in beauty.

When Jiang mentioned this matter before, the doubt in her eyes might have been due to her suspicion that the accident of her eldest daughter might be related to the Anguo Mansion.

It's just that there is no evidence.

Wei Hanzhang didn’t know much about the relationships among the aristocratic families in the capital, but those who could play with Wei Hanshuang should have good relationships with the elders in their families in the court.

From what they said, their existence could threaten the reputation of the girl from the Duke of Anguo's Mansion...

Wei Hanzhang just thought of it as them giving him some advice.

In the suburbs, they played drinking games and flew kites until the sun set, and then returned home having a great time.

After saying goodbye to Li Niang and others at the city gate, sisters Wei Hanzhang and Wei Hanshuang went to the pastry shop in the west of the city.

"The delicious apricot blossom cake you mentioned last time was made by the master chef in this shop." Wei Hanshuang was about to take her sister to the pastry shop when she saw the other person looking fixedly in one direction.

She asked curiously: "Ran Ran, what's wrong?"

"I seem to see a little sister I have known since childhood in Xuzhou," Wei Hanzhang looked at the familiar figure in the cosmetics shop opposite and got off the horse in a hurry: "Sister, go buy some cakes, I will be back soon."

Wei Hanshuang did not stop her. Since she had known Wei Hanzhang since childhood, he must be the descendant of an official. Perhaps his father was an official sent from the capital to report on his work after completing his term of office, or maybe she married and moved to the capital from Xuzhou. In short, it was normal for them to meet in the capital.

This street was extremely busy. Wei Hanzhang pulled his veil closer and walked into the cosmetics shop in riding clothes with high spirits, attracting many people's attention.

There were many customers in the shop. After she looked around, her eyes lit up slightly and she called out to the figure of a woman in pink, "Rouniang, is that you?"

(End of this chapter)