While Yan Wanqing and Huai Yu were chatting, Yan Hongzhao hurried over, with Cong Ge following behind her.
Anger flickered in her eyes, and upon seeing Yan Wanqing, her lips involuntarily curved into an expression of grievance.
"Elder Sister."
Yan Hongzhao called out softly.
With outsiders present, she couldn’t reveal her emotions and let others laugh at Township Manor.
Her aunt had already inford her that her elder sister had taken up for her, so Yan Hongzhao ca to check on her, not wanting her sister to have any unpleasantness with the second branch of the family because of this matter.
Yan Wanqing understood what her fifth sister was implying from her expression.
This young girl, who would only co of age next year, was so considerate it was heart-wrenching.
"Hongzhao, co here and et the Young Marquis from the Northern Border," Yan Wanqing beckoned to Yan Hongzhao.
Huai Yu saw a young girl in red rushing towards her elder sister, the two girls standing under the ginkgo tree appearing sowhat dazed in their gaze.
Only then did Yan Hongzhao notice Huai Yu, a man in a blue robe with a delicate appearance, different from the soldiers she usually saw, refined and erudite, which made her cheeks flush red.
"Hongzhao pays respects to the Young Marquis," she said.
Huai Yu returned the gesture politely with a nod: "Greetings, Fifth Young Miss."
They exchanged a few words, and seeing that the sisters seed to have sothing to discuss, Huai Yu offered to take his leave.
Yan Wanqing was surprised, "Won’t you stay for lunch? If mother knew you were here and I didn’t ask you to stay, she would be upset with ."
Madam Sun and the Marquise of the Northern Border were close, and because of the distance, they hadn’t seen each other in many years.
This ti, Madam Sun had specifically instructed her to take the Young Marquis of the Northern Border out to familiarize himself with the customs of the Capital City.
There had been no opportunity before, but today the weather was fine, so after only a mont of thought, Yan Wanqing added.
"After lunch, we could also visit the back streets. I wonder if the Young Marquis would honor , your new friend, with his company."
Huai Yu was sowhat flattered by Yan Wanqing’s invitation, "I must indeed honor it. I very much look forward to the Commandery Princess’ invitation."
"Agreed, then. When you arrived, my mother was still in prayer, but she should be out by now. I’ll have soone take you there first; my fifth sister and I have so things to discuss," Yan Wanqing said, calling Cong Ge over to lead Huai Yu away.
Watching Cong Ge escort Huai Yu away, Yan Hongzhao imdiately breathed a sigh of relief.
"Elder Sister, I’ve taken care of the task you assigned ," she said.
Yan Wanqing nodded. She had sent people to accompany Yan Hongzhao and knew before her return that the task had been accomplished.
Seeing the injuries on her face, she knew her younger sister must have exerted a lot of effort.
She pinched Yan Hongzhao’s cheek tenderly, "I’ll ask the kitchen to prepare a special al for you at lunch. My little girl is truly impressive."
Yan Hongzhao blushed at the praise, touched her head, and giggled foolishly, "It was okay, all down to luck. Those people were very strong. If I hadn’t applied so military tactics, I probably wouldn’t have won."
Those people had seen battlefields in their early years, and spent a period as bandits, accustod to living on the edge of a knife, naturally fierce. In recent years, they had gathered a number of old soldiers and veterans, ruled the mountains as kings, and Yan Wanqing had recently received news that they were gathering in the Capital City to choose a new leader, which prompted her to send Yan Hongzhao there.
As for the Jade Pendant, it was a token from one of those n with whom Yan Wanqing had an old connection; she had saved his life, and the Jade Pendant was his way of repaying the favor.
Yan Hongzhao carrying the Jade Pendant ant that the man would recognize her intentions, and naturally, he wouldn’t be too hard on her.
Still, even with this, the rest of the people were not to be underestimated, and it could be said that the battle Yan Hongzhao fought was not an easy one.
That’s also why she hadn’t returned all night, and only ca back close to noon.
Yan Hongzhao’s body was laden with bruises beneath her clothes, yet her heart was sweet. This was the first ti her elder sister had entrusted her with such an important task, a sign that her elder sister had started to trust her, willing to grow close with her.
Especially since her elder sister had just protected her aunt.
Yan Hongzhao swore to herself that she would be good to her elder sister from now on.
She must help her elder sister recover, at the very least until she stopped coughing up blood.
She pulled out a round bronze piece from her bosom, engraved with a fierce ghost face, "Sister, take this."
Seeing her pull it out without any precautions, Yan Wanqing was slightly stunned, but reacted quickly, covering it with a handkerchief, she said with a laugh, "This is for you, and those people will all be your subordinates from now on."
"But it was Sister who asked to go, Sister should be their boss," Yan Hongzhao said stubbornly.
Yan Wanqing shook her head, "Sister cannot multitask, and those people are so fierce, look at Sister now, unable to bear or lift, nowhere near a match for them."
"This..."
"Most of them are grassroots bandits; they only respect those who are stronger than themselves. Hongzhao, you defeated them, so you are their boss. There’s nothing wrong with that. Why must you insist it be ?" Yan Wanqing patiently explained, knowing the young girl’s thoughts, and could only gently persuade her.
Yan Hongzhao realized that this was true. Those n were extrely ugly and bad-tempered, and if they stood before her elder sister, they might even scare her, which would not be acceptable.
So she said, "I’m their boss, I’ll have them protect Sister!"
Yan Wanqing smiled indulgently, "Alright, alright, now go back and take a bath, apply so dicine, and get ready for the al later."
"Wait, the jade pendant that Sister gave has been taken away," Yan Hongzhao suddenly rembered this.
Yan Wanqing nodded, which was within her expectations.
The man had repaid the favor, and naturally, he would take the jade pendant back.
"It’s fine, go ahead."
Yan Hongzhao nodded and went back to her own courtyard to wash and dress.
The sun nearing noon was unusually harsh, and the temperature had also risen quite a bit. Yan Wanqing felt a bit hot and lost interest when she saw the courtyard door shut tight.
She waved to Cong Huan.
"Go and relay a few words to my second aunt for ."
A warning was still necessary, otherwise, they might really think this place was their own. If today they dared to hit the aunt, tomorrow they might dare to attack her mother.
Yan Wanqing blinked, concealing the fierceness that was about to spill from her eyes, and with one hand, she undid the clasp of the cape around her neck.
"Tell her, when in soone else’s house, one must abide by the rules and not overreach. This is the Capital City, and the people of the Capital City have rather bad tempers."
Cong Huan watched as Yan Wanqing finished speaking and left, her slender figure sohow exuding an air of casual grace. In the distance, she seed to catch a glimpse of her forr self.
Many years had passed, and ever since that night four years ago, the young miss seed to have had her backbone broken, her pride scattered to the winds. She no longer spent her days riding horses through the streets, but stayed at ho reading and sewing. The once vibrant and fiery young miss had beco increasingly gloomy and sullen... but since returning from Southern Mountain, she could clearly sense a change in the young miss.
Still, she didn’t know whether this change was good or bad...
Cong Huan was unsure and resolved to inform the ddleso second aunt after which she would find an opportunity to alert the Seventh Prince, so he would be prepared.
The young miss was determined to marry the Seventh Prince; only then could she ascend to great heights along with her.
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