After seeing Qiao Qingran off, Jin Shanyao went to the study in high spirits and dug the two little ones out from a pile of books.
"Would you like to go to the capital?"
Meng Anzhi looked confused. "Where are we going?"
Jin Shanyao cupped her small face and smiled, "I'll go buy you clothes."
"Auntie, my closet is almost overflowing!" Children grow up so fast, they look different every day. Over the years, what she and her brother have accumulated the most is all kinds of clothes.
Meng Anci the book, thinking that he had been so focused on reading lately that he had neglected his aunt, who was probably bored and restless.
"Auntie, let me go hunting with you at Hat Mountain. We can also bring back some dumplings for Uncle Xie."
"Hunting?" Jin Shanyao seemed to have somehow gotten onto this topic. She reached out and patted Meng Anci's head. "Have you gone mad? Hunting in the snow?"
Meng Anci looked up and asked, "Then what are you going to the capital for?"
Jin Shanyao and said, "Someone has invited me to the capital to catch ghosts. I've heard the capital is particularly lively. Why don't we take this opportunity to have a good look around? What do you think?"
It turned out to be important business. Meng Anzhi closed the " Compendium of Herbs) ". "When do we leave? I'll go pack my luggage."
"We'll depart at Chenshi (7-9 AM) tomorrow. Would you like to ride horses or an oxcart?"
Meng Anzhi thought for a moment, "Let's take an oxcart. I'm afraid my backside won't be able to handle riding a horse all the way to the capital."
Meng Anci still somewhat incredulous, "Are we really going to the capital?"
"Yes... hurry up and pack your luggage, make sure you bring all the clothes, shoes and socks you need," she said, pushing the two children out. " Anzhi... remember to bring plenty of money."
Meng Anzhi responded in a daze. Just a moment ago, her mind was full of medicinal herbs, but now she was packing her bags to go to the capital. She felt dazed and unreal.
Jin Shanyao called Qing He and Qing Yang, instructing them to watch over the house and to consult Su Wenqian if they were in any trouble. He then returned to the house, sat cross-legged on the kang (a heated brick bed), and instantly channeled his Spiritual Power to Hat Mountain.
Xie Chao had just fallen asleep when a familiar Spiritual Power pressed in before him, startling him so much that he nearly fell off a tree. A furious roar of " Jin Shanyao!" pierced the air.
Jin Shanyao chuckled, "I'm going to the capital. What do you want? I'll bring it to you."
Xie Chao suddenly stopped, a pang of sadness in his heart. Everyone else could come and go freely, but he couldn't leave this mountain. "When are you coming back?"
"It'll only be a little over a month. I need to be back before Meng Anci starts school. While I'm gone, you'll take care of the family."
Xie Chao hummed in agreement, and the familiar Spiritual Power vanished instantly. Xie Chao looked around in disbelief, realizing that bringing gifts was a ruse; his real purpose was to have him watch the house.
Xie Chao sat on the crooked tree, staring blankly at the silent mountain path!
The next day, Qiao Qingran stood in the backyard of the Anzhi Hall, watching Qing He carry things onto the oxcart again and again. She was completely dumbfounded. Let's not even talk about whether to use oxen or horses for the journey.
You need at least a carriage, right? Sitting on a flatbed in the dead of winter, everyone in Beijing would freeze by the time we got there.
Seeing Qing He place a small hand warmer on the oxcart, Qiao Qingran could no longer resist, "Miss Jin, why don't you ride in my carriage?"
Before she could finish speaking, she met the bull's eyes directly, and took a half step back in fright, feeling that the old bull's gaze was filled with murderous intent.
Jin Shanyao the fox fur coat on the carriage floor and laughed, "I have a lot of things; your carriage can't fit them all."
Qiao Qingran thought to herself, "How much stuff can you carry by yourself?" But the next moment, her smile vanished. Two children dressed in mink cloaks walked out of the courtyard gate, followed by cats and dogs...
They started scrambling up the oxcart, chattering away. Qiao Qingran was speechless for a moment before finally asking, "Are you bringing the cats and dogs too?"
Jin Shanyao the hand warmer into Meng Anzhi's arms and casually cast a spell of Spiritual Power onto the cart.
"These cats and dogs have been following me; I can't bear to leave them." With that, he got into the oxcart. " Madam Qiao, let's go... we'll follow you."
Qiao Qingran nodded blankly, her steps still a little unsteady as she got into the carriage. Nanny Qi couldn't help but grumble, " The Fu Household won't be fooled by this girl, will they? Who brings cats and dogs when catching ghosts? This is child's play!"
Qiao Qingran glanced at her coldly, her tone serious, "Watch your words! Old General Fu has fought on the battlefield all his life, and now he guards the border."
The wives of the Fu Household throughout history have all come from the Aristocratic Clan of officials and nobles. Do you think such a prominent Lineage would be deceived by a mere commoner?
Nanny Qi realized she had spoken out of turn and lowered her head, not daring to reply.
Jin Shanyao twitched her ears, having overheard every word of the conversation between the master and servant. A hint of mockery flashed in her eyes... She decided to add five hundred taels to the original price.
The carriage stopped abruptly after traveling less than a hundred meters. Qiao Qingran the curtain to ask what was going on, only to see Madam Su standing in front of the Jin Shanyao with her maidservant.
She handed a package to Jin Shanyao, "Miss Jin, I made two winter coats and would like you to take them to my mother. Also, please pass on a message for me: I'm doing well in Qingzhou Prefecture, so don't worry."
Jin Shanyao the package, looked at her suspiciously. "Have you been corrupted by Old Madam Su? Your expression and tone don't sound like you miss your mother; it sounds like you're scheming against me."
Madam Su quickly laughed it off, "Miss Jin, what are you saying... I just asked you to bring two outfits, what kind of scheming is this? I think you've picked up bad habits from your mother-in-law. Alright, hurry up and go, don't keep Madam Qiao waiting."
After saying that, he quickly left, almost running away.
Meng Anzhi stared at Madam Su's retreating figure, "Auntie, something's not right..."
Jin Shanyao narrowed her eyes slightly, "Bring out my ' Record of Admonishing Evil -- Prefectural Capital Chapter,' let me see if there are any relevant points."
Meng Anzhi quickly rummaged through the package and handed it to her.
Jin Shanyao swished through a few pages and actually found it: Item 73. When someone asks you to bring them something under some pretext, remember the key point isn't the "bringing," but rather that they want to tell everyone that you're in cahoots with them.
This one is incorrect... Please see below, annotation 73: Concealing personal items with goods, framing someone...
Jin Shanyao opened the package with a hint of disbelief. There was nothing there except clothes. She used her Spiritual Power to examine the inside of the clothes; they were all cotton. This one didn't seem right either...
At this moment, a small hand reached out and pointed to number 73, "Auntie, if I'm not mistaken, Madam Su wants to follow Old Madam Su's route and introduce you to her family."
Jin Shanyao looked at Meng Anci, "Are you sure?"
Meng Anci nodded... "Trust me, after all, I'm an educated person."
Jin Shanyao took out a charcoal pencil and added another line after the 73rd annotation, "Using someone else's flower to present to Buddha..." Meng Anci glanced at it, "Auntie, you used the wrong word."
Meng Anzhi said coldly, "My aunt is that flower..."
Meng Anci suddenly realized... her face darkened slightly, and she slammed her hand heavily on the car floor, "Damn it... my auntie is attracting all sorts of attention."
"Ouch... Sis, why did you hit me again?"
Meng Anzhi said unhappily, "You're the one who attracts attention."
Jin Shanyao comforted her, "It's not anyone else's fault, it's just that I'm too outstanding... Admiring the strong is human nature. I'm just too dazzling, there's nothing I can do about it."
Meng Anzhi and Meng Anci exchanged a glance, wanting to refute but unable to find an excuse, since their aunt was telling the truth.