"Sister, isn't Yan'er smiling a little too happily?"
Xie Yuancheng came over and put his arm around my shoulder: "Ying'er, your sister and Yan'er still have things to do, don't keep bothering them."
“My younger brother is really good at getting things done. He even thought of what I needed to do. But we’re just standing at the door for a while. We’re not doing anything.”
"Yes, Ying'er, let's hurry up, lest my sister change her mind."
Before I could even react, Xie Yuancheng dragged me away. When I looked back after mounting the horse, Li Ruowei and Yan'er were already gone.
"You two shouldn't always be arguing. Even if you have a good relationship, you should still give each other some face."
I turned around and said something to Xie Yuancheng, who nodded quickly and then fell silent. I touched the small hairpin in my hair; I could only wear men's clothing when I was riding a horse.
"Ying'er, we're just playfully bickering, we're not really angry."
Xie Yuancheng leaned closer and kept poking my waist. I really liked this belt, but he just wanted to mess with it and even fastened the broken jade pieces on it.
"Yes, I was worried because I saw you two fighting and I couldn't help. Your sister has done so much for you, and I was worried that I couldn't do anything for you. Your sister helped you, and you still got angry with her."
"Okay, I promise you, my sister and I will never fight again."
"Really? You don't need to worry about me. I just want you to give in a little. When a girl is busy, she has a lot on her mind. Her brother-in-law also needs to help with things. If you upset your sister again, she might scold you."
"Yes, Ying'er is right." Xie Yuancheng tugged on the reins, and I felt a little relieved.
Li Ruowei rarely mentions Meng Anshi. Last time I bumped into them, they seemed to be arguing. I'm really worried that Xie Yuancheng might provoke her. If the siblings really start arguing, it would hurt their relationship.
Autumn is truly wonderful. This time, when I passed through bustling areas, it wasn't as chaotic as last time. Many shops were open, and the vendors outside were very well-behaved.
Although some people are still struggling, the rules cannot be broken. Xie Yuancheng isn't a god who can take care of everyone. Besides, there are many people who want to take advantage of him.
This place is indeed a haven. If they don't want to stay, they won't be forced to. Once they leave, many more people will come in.
We didn't encounter anyone blocking our way along the way, most likely because we were on horseback. That's why the little ones didn't come running out with their bottoms sticking out, begging to be taken back and raised like royalty. That would be too difficult; I barely even brought Xizhi and the others with me, thanks to the help of the nannies.
The street vendors seemed to have changed a bit; they were all over eighteen years old. It would be better for younger people to stay at home, since they have adults around to support them.
When we arrived at the city gate, it really was different from before. I turned around and asked Xie Yuancheng, "How did you manage to do that in such a short time?"
"Surely, a few messages were sent out saying that Linyang was no different from before, that someone was deliberately spreading false information, and that Linyang still belonged to Dazhao, so no one came to cause trouble."
"That's strange. There's no difference between Linyang being a separate fiefdom and Linyang belonging to the Great Zhao."
Xie Yuancheng smiled without saying a word, pulling the reins as they walked along the official road. The roads here were all repaired, and there were trees growing along the sides; once they grew a bit, they would become big trees.
I thought it was just us going; there were cavalry and infantry following behind, carrying flags. No wonder he came out; he had planned it all along. I leaned against him to rest; I was worried that some people might suddenly appear.
“Ying’er, if we had completely independent fiefdoms, we would be like local emperors. As long as the girls could get into the Marquis’s mansion, they would have a chance to become the best of the best. But we belong to the Great Zhao, and we are not of equal social standing. None of our ancestors have ever held an official position above the second rank. We can’t even get into the Marquis’s mansion, let alone pass the checkpoint set up in front of us.”
"I didn't expect this incident to have this benefit. But who was that woman on the Double Ninth Festival? How could she be kneeling at the door?"
"Let her kneel there, it doesn't affect us. When you went out, did you see a pavilion with some fences around it? That's Jing Si. The fact that she can go there means her family has fallen on hard times, but that has nothing to do with us. She should go find someone she had connections with when her ancestors were officials."
"Then why is she staring straight at our carriage in the crowd? Is there something she wants to do, or does she want to go into the manor?"
Xie Yuancheng looked at me and smiled, which made me feel uneasy: "I'm not a prophet. How could I possibly guess what you girls are thinking?"
"I thought you knew everything. It's better if you don't. I just want you to know less, as long as you can understand my thoughts."
I took his free hand and we strolled through Ali. Along the way, we could already see some maple trees, just small ones, but their red leaves were very pleasing to the eye.
I kept pointing out the flowers that appeared to Xie Yuancheng. There were flowers planted along this road. Dazhao is a good place with excellent soil, but can his pockets really support so many flowers?
"Anyway, Ying'er will support me. Even if I squander all my money, you'll still have it."
Xie Yuancheng is really good at saving face for me. He's worried that I don't feel secure, so he put so much money in my name, which is part of his project to build the city.
"You're so good at making money, I'm not worried about this aspect."
"That's because there were more people helping out. It wasn't just me who earned it, but they also got a share. If one person wins, it's easy to be suppressed. But if there's a group of people, it's a different story."
I looked back at him, and he looked proud again. I tugged at his sleeve and said, "You think you're something special just because I praised you? Quickly put on that face."
"You asked first, and after I answered you, you started criticizing me. I'll make you pay when you get back."
He reached out and pulled at my beads again. I quickly held my hands still. I had waited half a month to get this belt, and I couldn't let it get damaged.
"Ying'er, I'm almost worth less than a belt. If you don't let go, I'll tear it off." Xie Yuancheng is easily angered, but he never shows it to others. In front of me, his bad temper is on full display.
"Okay, this is the drawing you made for me. I wore it twice when it was finished. I love it so much. Don't break it."
I pinched myself, and when I looked up, my eyes were wet. Xie Yuancheng finally stopped hitting me, lowered his face and kissed me before continuing to walk.
The maple forest he mentioned wasn't far away; it only took half an hour to walk there. When I got down, I could see layers upon layers of maple trees in the distance, with ginkgo trees on the side, and a large expanse of chrysanthemums as I walked closer.
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