As the maternal grandfather, Zhao Xian admired Wei Jingzhuo's talent, skill, and sharp way of handling things. However, as the paternal grandfather, he knew that Wei Jingzhuo would not be a good husband, as he was too cold and ruthless.
Marrying him will only bring suffering to Xiyue.
Besides, Jinzhi has no feelings for Xiyue, so it can't be forced.
After running out crying, Zhao Xiyue returned to her room, chased all the servants out, and sat there alone, throwing a tantrum.
Seeing this, the maidservant serving by her side hurriedly went up to persuade her: "Miss, don't be angry. The general will definitely find you a suitable marriage. With the prestige of our general's mansion, you can choose any good man in the world. Look, the young master of Deputy General Ye is quite good."
General Ye not only earned military merit at a young age, but also gained the special appreciation of the general.
The key point is that General Ye treats the young lady extremely well.
Although General Ye is indeed no match for the Crown Prince, if the general intended to marry his daughter to the Crown Prince, the marriage would have been arranged long ago.
But as soon as Zhao Xiyue heard the name Ye Xiao General, she exploded, "Don't mention him to me! That guy just makes me angry. He's nowhere near as good as Brother Jin!"
The maid knew that there was no one in the world more outstanding than the Crown Prince, but the General wouldn't agree, would he?
Zhao Xiyue continued to list Ye Xiaojiang's faults, "Last time he actually said I looked ugly in that red dress!"
She spent over a hundred taels of silver to buy it, but he called it worthless.
The maid's eyebrows twitched as she listened, and thinking of that dress, she subconsciously glanced at the wardrobe.
Thankfully, the young lady no longer wears it.
The dress wasn't unattractive, but it was the clothing of the Western Rong people. The Western Rong people were different from the people of the Central Plains; their women's clothing was quite revealing.
With her arms, thighs, and waist all exposed, if she were to walk around the streets of Da Jin, her reputation would be completely ruined.
Although the young lady only wears these clothes in the general's mansion, the people of the Great Jin Dynasty are conservative, and if others find out, how will she get married in the future?
The young lady was young and didn't know any better. She had lost her parents at a young age, and there were many things no one had told her. As servants, they couldn't overstep their masters' bounds and teach her those things.
Therefore, young ladies always fall short in the proper separation of men and women and in etiquette from a young age.
The maidservant secretly glanced at Zhao Xiyue and, seeing that she was still angry, feared that she might really hate General Ye, so she quickly changed the subject, "Miss, the Lin family is going to hold a flower viewing banquet in a few days. It's a good opportunity for us to go and relax. It's been so long, doesn't Miss want to go out and have some fun?"
"Furthermore, I've heard that the Lin family has a distinguished guest from the capital, who is said to be the most beautiful woman in the city. Wouldn't you like to go and see the legendary most beautiful woman?"
Sure enough, when the maid mentioned Bai Zhiyi, he suddenly became interested.
It wasn't for any other reason than that Bai Zhiyi used to have feelings for Brother Jin, and she wanted to see just how beautiful he was.
Even the most beautiful woman in the capital couldn't catch Brother Jin's eye. I wonder what kind of woman Brother Jin would like.
——
Su Wan and Wei Jingzhuo rode their horses along the narrow paths, looking travel-worn.
Everywhere they went was desolate.
The Northwest is not as prosperous as the Central Plains; it is a barren wasteland as far as the eye can see.
The villages we passed through and the villagers we met were all emaciated and pale. Some of the children were so thin they looked like they were only three or four years old, but when we asked their ages, we found out they were already seven or eight.
The children stood by the roadside with longing eyes, hoping that passersby would give them some food.
Seeing this, Su Wan turned to Wei Jingzhuo and said, "Ah Jin, let's take a break."
She was in pain all over after riding a horse all day.
The two did not travel by carriage when they came out, but instead rode together on one horse.
She originally planned to ride her own little donkey, but Wei Jingzhuo said that the donkey was too slow, so she had to ride a horse with him.
Seeing that she looked tired, Wei Jingzhuo slowed down.
He wrapped one arm around her waist and held the reins with the other. When they reached a large tree, he reined in the reins.
Releasing the hand around her waist, Su Wan jumped off the horse and walked towards the children.
The children were a little embarrassed but looked at her expectantly when they saw a handsome young man coming.
Although Su Wan was wearing coarse linen clothes, they were at least clean and tidy, and had not been patched, so she obviously did not look like someone who was struggling to make ends meet.
Even though the children are young, they have already learned to read the room. Apart from the soldiers and wealthy merchants, no one passing by would dress ostentatiously.
So when they met Su Wan, they didn't think she was a poor person, but just a passing merchant.
If they're lucky, they'll receive gifts from kind-hearted merchants, preventing them from starving.
Su Wan approached the group of children and asked one of the thin boys, "Where are your families?"
He replied timidly, "My mother is dead. Are you here to find someone, little brother?"
In the past, the merchants would throw food over from a distance, and they would pick it up from the ground. This time, when they saw Su Wan coming over to ask questions, it was clear that they weren't offering her food.
A sense of disappointment immediately rose in their hearts, and Su Wan took in their expressions.
"I'm not looking for anyone, I'm just a little thirsty and want to find some water," she said, pretending to take some candy out of her pocket. "Here, these are for you."
Upon seeing this, the children's eyes widened instantly.
They stared blankly at what she was holding; what was that transparent bag?
The boy said it was candy, but they couldn't tell.
Su Wan almost forgot that these things were packaged. She tore open the bag, took out a piece of candy, and handed it to the boy in front of her.
"Here, try it, it's delicious."
The boy then reached out and took it, putting it in his mouth. His eyes lit up, and he then snatched the whole bag from Su Wan's hands.
Su Wan smiled and shook her head, not caring.
Seeing this, the other children rushed to grab it, and only after they had finished dividing it did they realize that Su Wan was still there.
The child walked over shyly. "Big brother, your candy is so delicious! I've never tasted such good candy before. Are you looking for someone?"
Su Wan smiled and asked him, "I'm glad you like it. I was just passing by and wanted to borrow some water."
Saying it was to drink water was just an excuse.
She just wanted to find out what was going on here.
"Big brother," the children perked up immediately with the candy, pulling Su Wan towards their homes. "I have water at home, come with me."
Seeing this, Wei Jingzhuo, who was not far away, tied up his horse and followed along.
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