In the early spring of the twenty-fifth year of Tianyu, the streets were particularly busy on this day, because the eldest son of General Yuan (now should be called Grandpa Yuan) came to Beijing today to wait for the title of general, and the Prince of Jing and the fourth young master of the Marquis of Loyalty and Bravery would also return together.
This news had attracted countless young women to book private rooms in restaurants early, hoping to admire the two talented young men up close. Many young men were also seen roaming the streets, their target the Xiao family's eldest daughter, Xiao Yao, who had been crowned the most beautiful woman in Kyoto a year ago but had become increasingly less visible. With the Fourth Young Master Xiao returning to the capital today, perhaps this young lady would make an appearance!
"Sister, how about you accompany us to the restaurant first, and then my cousin and I will accompany you to the embroidery workshop?" A slim, fair-skinned, smiling eyed beauty with a canine tooth showing in her mouth said coquettishly in a sweet voice. She was Xiao Yuan, who was very plump and greedy a few years ago.
"That's right, that's right. Let's go to the restaurant first. I've already booked a table, and I've brought plenty of guards with me today. If we run into that nymphomaniac like last time, we'll beat him to a pulp." An elegant, dignified, and beautiful girl lowered her composure, smiling and fawning at the man before her. Who would have guessed she was the once unsociable and introverted Princess Yi'an of Prince Jing's mansion?
"You two can just go. Today is the day I go to the embroidery workshop to settle the accounts. Can you please not make trouble?" The girl who spoke turned her head and said coquettishly and helplessly.
Her eyebrows were slightly furrowed, her eyes were like gems, her face was fair with a hint of pink, so delicate that even her pores were hard to find. Her pink lips opened and closed like the dancing of petals. There was no flaw on her face, which was surprisingly delicate and beautiful.
"That won't do." Yun Ruonan objected quickly. She came here on the orders of her father, just to bring her good friend, cough, maybe her future sister-in-law Xiao Yao, to watch her brother riding a horse across the long street. How could the protagonist not go?
"My brother is also my sister's brother! I have a special gift for him today and I need your help, so you have to go." Xiao Yuan took out a small sandbag that he had sewn himself, ready to give his fourth brother a surprise.
"Don't mess around! What if you hit the wrong person?" Xiao Yao weighed the sandbag. It was really heavy. These brother and sister must have been enemies in their previous life! They rarely see each other once a year, and they want to fight each other as soon as they see each other.
"I'm Miss Xiao Er. I'm the one who never makes a mistake. Don't worry!" Xiao Yuan patted his chest and promised.
It would be strange if they could feel at ease, Yun Ruonan and Xiao Yao looked at each other helplessly. The three of them had changed a lot in four years. Yun Ruonan became generous and cheerful, Xiao Yao became quiet and elegant, and Xiao Yuan became more and more active. Now he was pestering the old Marquis Xiao to learn martial arts!
"I don't have time to fool around with you." Xiao Yao originally wanted to use her private money to open a shop. After her family knew her idea, her grandmother first gave her a pastry shop, and then her grandfather bought her two newly renovated shops connected to each other. She could do whatever she wanted.
Later, Xiao Yao counted the shops given by her parents, her second uncle, her second aunt, and if she took them all, she would have more than a dozen. Given her limited financial resources, she only took over the shops given by her parents and those under her grandparents' names, opening an embroidery workshop and a pastry shop.
Worried about overworking his granddaughter, Old Lord Xiao asked his eldest daughter-in-law to help rent out the shop, saving the rent for his granddaughter's future savings. Others followed suit. So, on the surface, Xiao Yao only had two shops, but in reality, she now owned more than a dozen shops, all of which collected rent, but Xiao Yao was unaware of it.
"Why don't you go out? General Yuan will be coming into the city soon." Li Jiaoying saw the three girls still chatting and laughing there, and couldn't help but remind them.
"Aunt, it's not that my cousin and I don't want to leave, it's that my sister wants to go to the embroidery workshop and doesn't want to accompany us." Xiao Yuan hoped that his aunt could help persuade his sister, so he kept blinking at Li Jiaoying.
"Ah Yu is here, in Ninghe Hall." Li Jiaoying had indeed come to deliver the unfortunate news to Xiao Yao. Xiao Yu was the son of Xiao Jingyan and Princess Xiyue, and he was now in his mischievous prime. He had inherited Princess Xiyue's lustful nature, and whenever he saw Xiao Yao, he would cling to her, touching her everywhere, making her extremely embarrassed.
As soon as Xiao Yao heard the name of the little devil, she immediately stood up and walked out, leaving Yun Ruonan and Xiao Yuan behind.
"Seventh brother's action is more effective than both of us trying to persuade him for a long time. If I had known that Seventh brother's name would be so effective, why would I have bothered with it!" Xiao Yuan took Yun Ruonan's hand and was about to chase after them.
"Hat, bring Ping'an's hat." Li Jiaoying hurriedly asked the maid to deliver the hat. Xiao Yao can no longer go out without this prop, otherwise it will easily cause traffic jams.
The three girls sat in the car and headed towards the restaurant. Looking at the bustling crowd, Xiao Yuan lamented that her uncle was still so attractive despite his age.
"I heard that my uncle will escort the King of Lingnan and his family to Beijing." Yun Ruonan, who was well-informed, spoke at this time.
"Who is the King of Lingnan? I've never heard of him!" Xiao Yuan asked in confusion.
"I don't know much. I only heard that this prince's surname is Kong and he hasn't come to Beijing to meet the emperor for several years. It seems that there is also a young prince in his family. I'm not sure whether he is here to study or do something else." Yun Ruonan told all the information she had received, but unfortunately it was of little value to the Xiao sisters.
"My cousin is not as well-informed as I am! I heard that my cousin brought back the daughter of a city lord. She is said to be as beautiful as a fairy. Many people have been talking about it in private, and want to let my sister and her compare to see who is prettier! I am also very curious, am I going to have a cousin's wife?" Xiao Yuan shook his head as he talked about the gossip he knew.
"Impossible, my brother..." My brother has never personally admitted that he likes Ping An. Although the family knows that he feels a little differently towards Ping An, who can guarantee that everything will remain the same and nothing will change in four years?
Yun Ruonan was extremely satisfied with Xiao Yao. She didn't want a stranger she had never met to be her sister-in-law, but the decision was in her brother's hands. No one could tell what he was thinking except himself.
Xiao Yao also heard the news. She was not interested in competing with others in beauty. The world was so big that there must be people who were prettier than herself. If a girl was reduced to relying on her looks to please others, wouldn't it be sad?
Xiao Yao's current plan is to learn more, manage the shop well, and make enough money to live on. She will keep herself clean and avoid trouble. When she's old enough, she'll let her grandfather and parents decide and find her a husband. If she's lucky enough to meet someone like her father or grandfather, she'll have no regrets in her life.
"The restaurant we booked is just in front. There are really a lot of people here today." Yun Ruonan knocked on the carriage lightly a few times and the guards came forward respectfully, waiting for instructions.
"Send a few people to clear a path in front of the restaurant first, and then guard it tightly. If anyone rushes up again, you won't have to follow me anymore." Yun Ruonan ordered. If Xiao Yao gets frightened again, will she go out again? Her brother just came back, how could the two of them not even be able to see each other?
"As you command." The guard took his leave and went to do what the princess had asked him to do.
"I'm sorry that I always cause you trouble." This was also the reason why Xiao Yao was unwilling to go out with them. They mobilized so many troops just to protect herself. Although the princess didn't mind, what would outsiders say if they saw it?
"Look at what you said. Ruyi and I just like going out with you. We don't need to care about what others say or think." Yun Ruonan was afraid that Xiao Yao would be suspicious and refuse to go out with her again, so she hurried to persuade her.
"Princess, the two young ladies have arrived." Yun Ruonan's maid Xiuzhu reported in a low voice outside the car.
"Ping'an, put on your hat." Yun Ruonan also picked up a hat and put it on. The two of them had to dress like this, one because of their status and the other because of their appearance.
Xiao Yuan never wore that damned hat. Not only did it obscure the view, but it also made her feel stuffy and suffocating. Whenever this happened, she felt fortunate that she was luckier than the other two. She didn't have to worry about her status or her appearance, or have to worry about this or that when she went out. Fortunately, the Second Miss was blessed by heaven, and she had none of these worries. She was truly blessed.
Yun Ruonan got off the car first. Xiao Yuan wanted to jump off by herself, but she had to maintain a ladylike image in front of everyone. Nanny Ruan had taught her for so many years, so she couldn't embarrass her too much.
"Hey, Qianyu, can you help me down first and then watch the fun?" I'm looking down on myself so much that I'm almost like a monkey trainer. Qianyu, can you please cooperate with the performance for a while because I'm showing some restraint?
"I'm sorry, Second Miss. I was negligent. Please come in." Qianyu hurriedly helped Xiao Yuan out of the car.
Xiao Yao didn't say anything, nor did she pretend. She quickly got off the carriage and, before the onlookers could react, followed Yun Ruonan into the restaurant. Her movements were so smooth and swift that Xiao Yuan felt distressed. His sister's life was truly difficult. No wonder she was so reluctant to go out, so cautious and on guard at every turn. It seemed that being a beauty wasn't easy.
"That was Miss Xiao who just went in, right? I finally got her, but it's a pity I couldn't see her face." A man in fancy clothes danced and shouted excitedly.
"Have any of you seen Miss Xiao's appearance? I tell you, I have seen her. She is a beauty of heaven. Compared with those daughters of officials who boast of their beauty, she is really one in heaven and one in hell." A man described it in an enigmatic way. It was not known whether he saw it with his own eyes or heard it from others, but what he said sounded like the truth.
"Hmph, you're saying that because you saw her walking with the princess! She's a beautiful lady, who knows how much powder she puts on before going out!" Someone familiar with the situation recognized at a glance that the person who was speaking was Miss Han.
Han Yueyan, who already had her hair styled like a woman, accompanied a haughty and beautiful woman as she walked towards the restaurant where Yun Ruonan was.
It is said that this person is the most popular candidate for the new Princess of King Jing, Han Yueting, the youngest granddaughter of Duke Han Guo.
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