Outside the government office, Wang Jinlian and Tiger's father repeatedly Meng Anci for saving them, while Xiao Huzi tugged at his parents' sleeves, shouting, "Give us money... give us money quickly!"
Wang Jinlian smiled awkwardly. Although she was an outsider, she knew that Anzhi Hall was not short of money. She didn't know what to say for a moment, but her son kept urging her on without any tact.
Wang Jinlian said awkwardly, "Thank you for saving me, young master. It's too late now, I'll come to thank you in person tomorrow."
Xiao Huzi cried out in disbelief, his voice piercingly mournful, "Mother... I'm worthless in your heart!"
Wang Jinlian gritted her teeth and laughed, "I'll deal with you when we get home!"
Xiao Huzi felt like the sky had fallen... He had just escaped one wolf's den only to fall into another; why was his life so miserable... But this time, he would never dare to run away from home again.
The two companies separated.
Jin Shanyao led Meng Anci back, and Dahuang puffed out his chest and held his head high, glancing at Jin Shanyao every now and then, looking like he was waiting for praise.
It really did a great job today, finally making up for the mistake it made three years ago, hehehe... Xiaoli still has a long way to go...
Are you scared?
"No... I just wanted to kill that beast at the time, I forgot I was scared..." Meng Anci wondered if he could have subdued Liu San without Dahuang's help.
I think so... After all, he learned his leg skills for a reason, but I didn't expect Dahuang to be so protective of its master.
A smile appeared in Meng Anci's eyes. "Auntie, don't worry. With Dahuang by my side, I'll be fine."
Jin Shanyao patted Dahuang's head, "Good job... I'll reward you when we get back."
Dahuang's eyes crinkled as it raised its head high. "Master, don't worry... As long as I'm here, I'll make sure nothing untoward happens when you repay my debt of gratitude."
The Jin Shanyao, transmitting its Spiritual Power, "You've all suffered because of me."
Dahuang protested, "What suffering... we're family!"
Jin Shanyao and said, "Yes... we're family, we'll never be apart."
Seeing that his aunt Meng Anci thought she was angry, so he took her hand and said ingratiatingly, "Aunt, I know that shouting for violence is not good, so I sent the person to the authorities."
"Our horse is so small, there's no room for me and Xiao Huzi. We can't let Guaizi ride the horse while Xiao Huzi and I run on the ground."
Jin Shanyao chuckled and poked his forehead. "You little rascal... Do you think I don't know what you're thinking? Your aunt isn't mad at you."
Her tone softened, tinged with a barely perceptible sigh, "I just feel that Anci has grown up."
When faced with a situation, they can make their own judgments, take action themselves, and even seek redress from the authorities. They did a... very well."
Hearing the praise, Meng Anci's eyes lit up. Just as she was about to puff out her little chest, her aunt changed the subject, "You're young, and the imperial examination is just around the corner. What if you get injured?"
Next time, remember to make some noise first to startle them, then shout for help... This way you can protect yourself and save the other person."
Meng Anci replied, "I understand, Auntie."
Jin Shanyao put her arm around him and laughed, "Come on... home, your sister's waiting for you..."
Meng Anci suddenly stopped in her tracks. "My sister... waiting for me?? Auntie, what was my sister's expression like back then?"
Jin Shanyao thought for a moment, pointed to her mouth, and gave Meng Anci a mocking smile, mimicking Meng Anzhi's tone, " Meng Anci is truly remarkable, daring to save someone all by himself."
Meng Anci as if she had fallen into an ice cave, her breath catching in her throat. "She called me by my full name?"
Jin Shanyao her head. "Hmm... I'm praising you."
Such praise was not a good omen; Meng Anci had a feeling that disaster was about to befall him.
When he got home, as soon as he opened the gate, Meng Anci saw his sister standing in the yard with her arms crossed.
That gaze was chilling... it sent a shiver down Meng Anci's spine.
"Auntie, you go inside first... I'll go feed the horses," he said, leading the Black Grand Marshal towards the stable. He caught a glimpse of his sister following him out of the corner of his eye, and he quickened his pace in fright.
Jin Shanyao took out a handful of ginkgo leaves and fed them to Dahuang, "Go play..."
Dahuang blew off a ginkgo leaf, leaving one in its mouth. It then came to Xiaoli and spat it out with a slurp...
He said smugly, "I saved the young master's life today, and this is a reward from him... You didn't get it, did you?"
Xiaoli's eyes held envy, but she said with disdain, "So filthy... you eat it and then spit it out."
Dahuang gave a soft hum, rolled up a ginkgo leaf with its tongue, and ate it. They could eat any ginkgo leaf their master gave them, but the ginkgo leaf bestowed by their master had a different meaning.
The Xiaoli was anxious. Its little masters were growing up and didn't need its constant supervision anymore, so the opportunities to make a name for themselves were becoming fewer and fewer.
In the stable, Meng Anci thought his sister would scold him, but instead, Meng Anzhi pulled him aside and carefully inspected the horse without saying a word.
Meng Anci felt uneasy under her gaze and forced a smile, "It's nothing... Look, I'm perfectly fine, aren't I?"
"... Hmm," Meng Anzhi's voice was muffled.
Meng Anci sensed something was wrong, turned his head and his heart skipped a beat. His sister's eyes were red and big tears were falling down her cheeks.
"Sister???" Meng Anci panicked completely, frantically wiping her face, "You... you don't cry, you can hit me or scold me, just don't cry, I'm scared."
Meng Anzhi hastily wiped her face, took a deep breath, and said, "The constable said... that man had a short knife, how dare you..."
Enraged, she slapped Meng Anci's arm, yelling, " Meng Anci, you've got some nerve! You were just a step slower back then..."
Meng Anci's arm burned with pain, but he dared not flinch, remaining rooted to the spot. "I'm alright, aren't I? Besides, that beast, I showed him mercy by not killing him with one blow."
"I'll teach you to be stubborn... I'll teach you to be argumentative..." Meng Anzhi grabbed his arm and started hitting him relentlessly.
"Sister... stop hitting him! If you keep hitting your brother, I'll die!"
"Pah, pah, pah... Nonsense."
Meng Anci saw his sister stop, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief. It hurt so much... she really hit him hard! He would never dare to say "you can hit me or scold me" again.
The following day, Xiao Huzi and his family came to express their gratitude.
Wang Jinlian pushed the cloth towards Jin Shanyao, her face beaming with gratitude.
" Shopkeeper Jin, please don't be disgusted... These are all hand-woven by my family, dyed with indigo and madder. Although they're not precious materials, they're thick and durable, perfect for making winter coats for children!"
As she spoke, she pulled out a few more bolts of silk. "These few bolts of emerald green fabric were specially brought by Hu Zi's grandparents. They are genuine fine silk from Jiangnan. The two elders have been saving them and haven't been willing to use them."
This color is difficult to dye, but it was very fashionable in our Sheng Dynasty; it's both refreshing and elegant. I was thinking, Anci is a scholar, and this summer is hot, so it would be good to make him a few cool clothes."
Although Wang Jinlian's gifts were all fabrics, it was clear that they were carefully selected and considered in every aspect.