"(Bitterly reading books) Fang Zheng glanced at Ji Yan's downcast head and turned to Jiang Wanru, saying with an unusually serious expression: "Miss, you don't have to be too brave. As long as you have enough patience, just wait for two and a half years, and it will be fine if you can safely leave the Lian Wang Fu. At that time, Miss, whatever you want to do, our two families will follow along." Mu Gen smiled and nodded after hearing this, saying: "Sister, when you were young, you often said that it's cold here and wanted to go to a warmer place to live for a while. Two and a half years later, we'll all accompany you there together.""

  Jiang Wanmu glanced at them, her head bowed to the ground, and smiled: "Good. It's just that it's rare for Jiyuan to be so bold once, listening to you guys say this, I won't dare speak from now on. You can go back, as long as there is a small profit in the store, it's fine. No need to make it too big, it will only attract envy and trouble." Fang Zheng and Mugen were used to Jiang Wanmu's cautious attitude, and they nodded. Fang Zheng joked: "Even if business is booming on that street, no one will be envious of your profits. You can rest assured."

  After Fang Zheng and Mu Gen left, Jiang Wanruo and Ji Yan slowly returned to the courtyard. Along the way, they encountered people who would silently bow to them before walking away. Some people directly ignored them as they passed by. Jiang Wanruo and Ji Yan would smile and return the courtesy to those who bowed, and similarly ignore those who ignored them.

  On a snowy day, snowflakes fluttered down one by one. Jiang Wanru and Ji Yan specially chose a quiet path to walk on, the accumulated snow on this road seemed not to have been cleared today. As they walked on it, they could hear the sound of "creak, creak" when their feet stepped on the snow. Jiang Wanru looked around and saw no one passing by. She trampled heavily on the snow, listening to the "creak" sound, she stretched out her hands. Then, one after another, snowflakes fell, a faint smile appeared on her lips.

  Ji Yan originally frowned, intending to stop her, but seeing the smile on her lips, she followed suit and stretched out her hand to catch the snow, asking: "Miss, are you very happy?" Jiang Wanru turned her head and examined her for a moment, smiling and nodding: "Happy. Brother can marry his heart's desire, Ji Yan can marry her heart's desire. I think it's a beautiful match, worth my happiness."

  Ji Yan stomped her feet heavily and said, "Miss, you're teasing me again." Jiang Wanru smiled and dodged the snowball Ji Yan had kicked up, saying, "Ji Yan, this is a big deal in life, and you can have your way. I'm happy for you." She looked at Ji Yan's face, which was red again, and quickly brushed off the snowflakes on her hands. After wiping her hands dry with a handkerchief, she saw Ji Yan's small face turn pink with shyness, and suddenly felt an urge to tease her. Smiling, she reached out and touched Ji Yan's face directly with both hands, causing Ji Yan to jump back in surprise, shivering with cold.

  After Jiang Wanru let go, she looked at Jiyuan covering her face and laughed so hard that she bent over. Her laughter was clear and carefree. Jiyuan stomped her foot heavily and said to Jiang Wanru in a low voice, "Miss, you're laughing at me." Jiang Wanru straightened up and immediately put on a serious face, saying, "Yes, sister-in-law, I'll correct myself and not laugh anymore." Upon hearing Jiang Wanru's words, Jiyuan stomped her foot again and directly stormed forward without looking back, saying, "I won't talk to the miss." Jiang Wanru nodded behind her, saying, "Okay, sister-in-law is right. Whatever you say goes."

  The two girls walked along the quiet road, laughing and joking. When they reached the intersection, they returned to their normal demeanor. Behind them, at the bend in the road, stood Lian Ang and Lian Hao, brothers. Lian Hao repeatedly said, "So clumsy and wooden, laughing so loudly. Why choose this road? You'll definitely run into her." Lian Ang glanced at his younger brother, who was staring intently at Jiang Wan's receding figure, and knew that he had been spoiled by their family. Fortunately, his nature wasn't bad, and when it came to important matters, he would listen to the opinions of his family members; in other things, he followed his own inclinations.

  The masters of the Wang Mansion all knew Lianhao, but only saw that woman on the second day after their marriage. Since then, he had not gone to see her again, and when mentioning her, his tone was quite disdainful, from appearance to speech, in Lianhao's mouth, she was reduced to dust. And that woman was also very obedient, except for going out every month, she stayed indoors all the time and never wandered around the Wang Mansion. This couple lived together under one roof like strangers who had no connection with each other.

  Lian Ang was initially worried, thinking that the woman had something from the palace in her hands, so he let his wife pay more attention to it. Who knew that after his wife went a few more times, she told him: "She is polite and courteous, looks easy-going, and listens carefully to whatever you say. She speaks with substance, not like an ignorant person. In fact, I think her temperament is too calm, feeling that she doesn't care about people at all. After sitting with her for a while, I feel much more at ease, and many trivial matters seem unnecessary to worry about."

  Lian Ang knew that his wife was always more intelligent, had better vision and calculation than other women. Although she seemed friendly and approachable on the surface, able to get along with anyone, in reality, she never flattered people randomly and wasn't as easy-going as others thought. That woman went out several times a month, but after half a year, outsiders still found the third madam of Lian Wang Fu to be an enigma. Lian Ang therefore looked up to this woman even more, and turned a blind eye to his wife's behavior of going to talk to that woman twice a month.

  Lian Hao stared at Jiang Wanru's back until she turned the corner, then turned to look at Lian Ang. Seeing his thoughtful expression, he reached out and pulled him, saying: "Big brother, you're accompanying your little brother for a while, but you're making such a sour face. Come on, I'll smile for you." Lian Ang turned his head and saw his own younger brother smiling at him with a flattering expression. He stretched out his hand and slapped him heavily, saying: "You look like this, causing trouble outside in October, wanting me to speak well of you in front of the king and queen. We've already walked around half of the palace, even if we're enjoying the snow, it should be enjoyable by now. If you have something to say, just say it straight out. If I can help, I'll help. If not, you should be punished, so just accept it."

  Lian Hao heard Lian Ang's words and immediately burst out laughing, directly pouncing on Lian Ang. Lian Ang didn't dodge and was hugged tightly by Lian Hao. His handsome face turned slightly red as he said: "You're so big now, can you still be like before? You get excited and pounce on people to hug them, quickly let go, this way of being seen by others is too unseemly." Lian Hao laughed and released his hands, saying: "What's there to fear? Others will only envy our deep brotherly love. Hmph, everyone knows my older brother is great, those who don't have it can just seethe with anger on the side."

  Lian Ang listened until his head hurt, looked at him and sighed: "The emperor told me privately a few days ago that he wanted you to follow him as a guard, so that you can be promoted in the future. I think your temper is not suitable for this position, I'm afraid when you're happy, you'll rush up to the throne and hug the emperor, which would be a big mistake for a subject." The current emperor was a carefree prince when he was young, with no one to discipline him much, so he often came and went from Lian's mansion.

  Lianhao was the youngest child in the mansion, and at that time, he loved to pester the emperor. The people in the mansion thought that the emperor was just a carefree prince, so they didn't discipline Lianhao much. As a result, during those years, two people with a huge age gap got along quite well, one quiet and one active. Often, it would be Lianhao's two older brothers going to school, while the young master would sit under a tree reading, with a restless little kid sitting next to him, occasionally looking up and making some noise, then the young master would reach out and touch him, and the little kid would continue playing on his own.

  Lian Ang thought the Emperor was still young and good at taking care of children. His own younger brother, Lian Hao, had a natural talent for causing trouble, but he behaved himself when he was with him. When Lian Hao heard what Lian Ang said, he immediately got a headache and looked at him saying: "Big brother, you didn't agree to it, did you? I really can't do that kind of thing. I like the life in the military camp, being with my brothers, it's lively and free. If I had to follow the Emperor around, I don't have the energy to put on airs like the Chu family, sooner or later I would worry the Emperor, I won't go."

  Lian Ang was speechless when he heard this, and the young prince was quite different from others. Fortunately, the emperor had known Lian Hua since childhood and understood his temperament, so he treated him differently and sometimes indulged him. Lian Hua had been exceptionally talented since childhood, learning anything faster than others, but unfortunately, he only applied himself to martial arts. The people in the palace were worried about his temperament and feared that he would cause big trouble in the future, so they didn't want him to take that path. At that time, Lian Hua directly asked the young prince to plead for him. As a result, Lian Hua had been receiving guidance from famous masters since childhood, and only a few people knew the truth about this matter.

  Lian Ang glanced at Lian Hao, who was unable to get up, and said: "The Emperor later said that 'your temperament is such that even if you go to his side, you will still need him to help you clean up the mess. It's better to wait a few more years until your emotions stabilize before considering it.' You see." Lian Ang couldn't continue speaking, but Lian Hao burst out laughing, and for a moment, his handsome appearance dazzled Lian Ang's eyes. After being looked at by Lian Ang, he only thought about this troublesome younger brother, wondering which young lady from another family he had provoked again, and now couldn't get rid of her, coming to bother him instead. Last time, he had provoked Princess Ya Zheng, and his family had no choice but to arrange a marriage with the Jiang family for him, fortunately, he was clever enough to know to nod in acceptance.

  Lian Hao smiled and said: "It's still the emperor brother who knows me, willing to let me do as I please. Humph, big brother and second brother, you two always think I love to cause trouble whenever you mention me. It's actually those women, like they've taken the wrong medicine, seeing me makes them want to cling to me, can't get rid of them no matter how hard I try. You don't allow me to use force, so I can only endure and endure again. Ya Zheng little princess, I originally thought she was the only understanding person among outsiders, who knew she's just as annoying as everyone else."

  Lian Ang heard this and glared at him, saying: "Fortunately, the Emperor believes you are innocent, otherwise, outsiders would think that the young master of Lian Wangfu is eager to marry Princess Ya Zheng. Now that Princess Ya Zheng's marriage has been arranged, don't bother her again if you have nothing important to do. If this marriage is ruined, no matter how much the Emperor favors you, he won't be able to withstand Empress Dowager's scolding and will not spare you either."

  Lian Hao couldn't help but laugh bitterly and said, "Big brother, when did I ever get entangled with her? You still don't know that since I was young, I've always found women to be annoying. It's just that it's rare for me to see her without being pestered by her, so I spoke a few more words with her, who knew she would start pestering me again, how annoying. Now she's having someone pass on messages to me, saying that during the New Year, she wants to come and take a look at that woman. Brother, when sister-in-law arrives, please help mediate for me, don't let that woman humiliate me."

  Thank you to book friend Tangerine for the gift of 99 starting coins, thank you to all book friends for your support! (If you like this work, welcome to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets on Starting Point, your support is my greatest motivation.)

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