When Wei Hanzhang changed her clothes and came out, Xiao Junzhan was already waiting for her on his horse.

Seeing her get off the car, he pointed to a reddish-brown horse next to him and said with a smile, "The place in front is where we will rest tonight. Ranran, get on and we will ride over there."

Wei Hanzhang stood on the ground, looking up at the man on the tall horse.

In the setting sun, his handsome features were a little dazzling, his dark eyes were looking at her steadily, his eyebrows were gentle, like rippling waves, always giving Wei Hanzhang the illusion that he could tolerate her without limits.

The moment this thought came to her mind, her heart suddenly tightened, like a bell that had been hit hard by a heavy object, the aftermath was still ringing, and an unprecedented feeling rose from the bottom of her heart.

It seems like joy, but also like anger.

...This damn insect made her become so unlike herself!

She blamed all this on the poisonous insect, calmed herself down, and got on her horse.

Having not ridden a horse for a long time and with mixed feelings, Wei Hanzhang grabbed the reins as soon as he got on the horse. Without even saying hello, he tightened his legs and galloped away.

Several guards who were ordered to accompany the emperor changed their expressions and were about to chase after him after confessing their crimes, but Xiao Junzhan gently raised his hand to stop them.

He smiled slightly and ordered: "You can just follow from a distance, no need to follow closely."

As he spoke, he tightened the reins in his hand, and the horse under his crotch immediately galloped away like a meteor.

He left the team far behind, leaving all the ministers and guards looking at each other in bewilderment.

The sun was about to set, and the early autumn evening breeze was no longer so hot. Wei Hanzhang rode his horse at a gallop, feeling very happy all the way, as if he wanted to leave all the troubles in his heart behind along with the scenery along the way.

Until the sound of horse hooves approached from the side and rear, Xiao Junzhan galloped over.

She glanced sideways and said nothing, but whipped the whip to speed up, trying to leave the man behind again.

But he said, "If Ranran leaves me again, then you can only ride with me."

Wei Hanzhang turned around and glared at him angrily.

Xiao Junzhan asked with a smile: "Ranran is a good rider. How about I take you to the hunting grounds after we return to Beijing?"

The royal hunting ground is located on the outskirts of the capital, covering a vast area and housing many species of birds and beasts. It is said that the scenery is also very beautiful. Even when the current emperor is in poor health, he will lead his officials to go hunting every year.

Firstly, the dynasty had enjoyed peace for a long time, and all the country was submissive. The high-ranking officials and nobles in the capital had long lost any sense of crisis, and they spent their days indulging in sensual pleasures in their rich and luxurious homes. The hunting ground was one of the few places, besides the military camp, that could add to the excitement.

Secondly, it is also a rare way to maintain the relationship between the monarch and his subjects away from court affairs.

Xiao Junzhan was in power for seven years, and he had only visited the summer palace once this year, but he visited the hunting ground several times every year.

Especially in spring and autumn when the temperature was suitable and government affairs were not busy, he loved to take his officials on a hunting trip.

This year, there were floods in several states in the south of the Yangtze River, so he went there in person and the spring hunting in the capital was put on hold.

As summer is passing and the temperature is no longer hot, it is time to plan the autumn hunt.

Wei Hanzhang grew up in the south of the Yangtze River. She had seen many misty pavilions, towers, and spring lakes, but she had never been to a hunting ground.

After hesitating for a few breaths, he finally said, "I'd better not go. My grandparents have already arrived in the capital. When I go back, I want to stay with my grandma and not run around."

Not wanting to be close to him was one reason, but the reason she gave was also true. She really missed her grandmother and the carefree and pampered days in Xuzhou.

Less than half a year had passed since I returned to the capital, and everything had changed. My childhood friend Gu Yunran had remarried, Cao Xinrou had jumped off a building and died, and my eldest cousin Jiang Zhiqin had been divorced by her husband's family and exiled with her father. I don't know if she has returned to the capital yet.

I heard that my second cousin Jiang Zhixue’s engagement was also rejected after she returned to Xuzhou. I wonder if that family will regret it after the decree of conferring the title arrives.

Now that she thought about it, both of her cousins ​​had unfortunate marriages. Even she, the cousin who grew up in the Jiang family, had her engagement broken off.

But they were implicated by their family, and she...

Wei Hanzhang sighed softly. Only after returning to the capital did he realize how happy he had been in Xuzhou.

Only her grandparents loved her the most.

The two old people are already very old, and she has already arranged a marriage. She will marry into the palace next year at the latest, and the days she spends with them are getting shorter and shorter.

Xiao Junzhan knew that this girl had deeper feelings for the Jiang family than for the Wei family, so he was not annoyed when he heard her refusal. He just asked, "Ran Ran, do you want the Jiang family to take root in the capital and continue to be passed down?"

"What do you mean?" Wei Hanzhang thought he was using the Jiang family to bribe him like he did at the beginning, so he frowned and said, "I may be close to the Jiang family, but I will never let you abuse your power for the benefit of the Jiang family."

None of her three uncles is capable of doing anything. It would be fine if they were just minor officials, but if they became officials with real power, it might not matter to the huge dynasty, but the people under their rule would suffer.

Wei Hanzhang could not do such a thing.

She was already satisfied that she could protect the Jiang family and prevent them from having the same ending as in the original novel.

In Xiao Junzhan's eyes, Wei Hanzhang has always been a spoiled and willful little girl, still a child, who needs to be pampered by him, but she always says something that makes him excited.

Just like now, he was slightly stunned when he heard it, and then he smiled and said, "Ran Ran misunderstood. I have already given the Jiang family a favor by giving them an favor, and I don't plan to promote your uncles anymore."

The two of them were riding side by side at this moment, with attendants following them from a distance. There was no one else around. His voice was carried by the autumn wind. Wei Hanzhang listened and nodded, saying, "That's good. If you really want to honor them, I'm afraid they will be unworthy of their positions and cause disasters such as confiscation of property."

Will she beg for mercy or not then?

Xiao Junzhan thought of the files on the three generations of the Jiang family that he had read, and he agreed with the girl's opinion.

He returned to the original topic and said, "What I mean is that the title of the Jiang family can only be inherited for three generations, starting from your grandfather and ending with your cousin's generation. Ranran thinks that any of your cousins ​​can lead the Jiang family to establish a foothold in the capital and pass it on."

Wei Hanzhang opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end he couldn't.

She is familiar with her cousin. Her uncle is the elder. Her grandmother seldom mentions the faults of the elders in front of her. But her cousins ​​are of the same generation and grew up together. She knows their personalities, academic performance, and abilities very well.

She didn't say anything for a long time. Xiao Junzhan smiled slightly and continued, "The Jiang family has no successor and has been away from Beijing for many years. They have no foundation. They can return to Beijing this time because of you. Ranran wants the Jiang family to quickly gain a foothold in Beijing, so we have to support them more."

(End of this chapter)