After learning that his little cousin and Li Shuchen had gone to the farm together, he followed them secretly out of concern.
To his surprise, when his little cousin discovered him, she pointed with her delicate hand and instructed him to help a lonely old widow on the farm finish husking the corn in this field...
On the ridge between fields.
Qi Huan, wearing a little pig mask, walked alongside Li Shuchen who wore a puppy mask, chattering away to him about corn.
"Shu, I plan to divide the harvested corn into three parts. One part will be left for the tenant farmers as food, another part will be used by Xiu Yuan to open a grain seed shop to sell high-yield seeds throughout Li Country, so that no one in the world will go hungry or cold again."
She had never forgotten her original intention - while earning points and money, she would help the common people of Li Country as much as she could.
"The last part, I'll store in my space."
"I don't lack money now, so there's no need to sell it. The borders are restless these days. In case war breaks out again, I can donate grain and fodder to you."
Seeing that her heart and eyes were full of him, Li Shuchen's brows and eyes were filled with smiles beneath his mask.
"Thank you, Huan."
"No need to thank me. We're family, there's no need for formalities."
At that moment, the tenant farmers on the farm were all busy husking corn, and no one paid attention to them.
Qi Huan quietly took out a bottle of ice-cold cola and took a sip.
In the September weather, the late summer heat was fierce. The cold cola flowed down her throat and into her stomach, instantly making her feel comfortable all over. She smiled brightly and offered the cola to Li Shuchen, "Do you want some?"
After Li Shuchen took it, she tilted her head and looked at him with a smile, "You take a sip, I take a sip, and then we'll be a couple."
"......"
Li Shuchen hastily swallowed the cola, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly, "Huan, we're still outside."
If they were indoors, he wouldn't be able to resist tasting why her words were so sweet, saying all the things he wanted to hear.
Qi Huan blinked mischievously, "I heard from Xiu Yuan that you turned away the Cavalry General at the door. I'm in a good mood~"
The Cavalry General had five concubine-born daughters, each a beauty. The eldest daughter married Prince Zhong, the second married Li Yuanshan and had already committed suicide.
For the remaining three daughters, he wanted Li Shuchen to choose one as a secondary wife.
Thus casting a wide net to catch a big fish.
It was said that he was now working hard to conceive a sixth daughter, to marry her to the Second Prince who was still young at the moment.
He had always envied the Marquis of Xuanping, who had been made a marquis thanks to Imperial Consort Yao.
The Marquis of Xuanping was wary of him sending his daughters into the palace to compete for favor, so he married his daughters to princes and royal relatives, intending to become the father-in-law of the next emperor.
In fact, his fence-sitting behavior was quite despicable.
It's just that his daughters were quite good-looking, so Prince Zhong and Li Yuanshan at the time didn't refuse and took them as concubines.
The Cavalry General had been unstoppable all the way, but he hit a wall at the Duke of An Manor, not even getting past the front gate.
When Xiu Yuan learned of this, he exaggerated the story in praise of his master, making Qi Huan beam with joy and agree to bring Li Shuchen along to the farm.
Coming back to her senses, she naturally took the cola from Li Shuchen's hand.
Just as she was about to take another sip, Li Shuchen snatched it back.
"Your monthly period is coming soon. You can't drink cold things."
Qi Huan pouted. She knew he meant well, so she didn't try to grab it back, just mumbled, "How old are you to be so fatherly already?"
Li Shuchen was amused by her reaction. He raised his hand to pat her head gently and coaxed in a low voice, "Be good, darling. Listen to me."
The deep, magnetic voice fell on her ears, making her feel tingly all over. Qi Huan lowered her eyes and said "Oh" softly, then suddenly felt her small hand being held.
"If you're hot, hold my hand."
Due to the effects of the cold poison, his body temperature was low, and his palm was cool and refreshing.
Li Shuchen held the umbrella with one hand and held her hand with the other, carefully telling her about the hidden agents in the palace, in case she encountered any unexpected situations at the palace banquet in a few days.
A gentle breeze blew by, making the corn tassels dance, dispelling some of the heat and bringing a hint of coolness.
Through the gaps between the cornstalks, Ximen Ye's eyes were glued to their clasped hands in the distance. The dagger in his hand gleamed coldly as he quickly peeled corn.
The old lady next to him saw how capable he was and smiled so widely her mouth almost reached her ears.
"Young sir, I have a niece who is quite pretty..."
"Oh, then you should ask your niece to come help you husk corn."
Ximen Ye had long wanted to stop. He didn't want to husk corn; he wanted to go and pry apart their clasped hands!
...But he had no right to do so.
The corners of his mouth lifted in a self-mocking smile.
The apothecary once said he could provide various drugs to help him force the issue.
After hearing that, he threw the apothecary into the kitchen and made him cook for a month.
He had been forced since childhood to be cold-blooded and ruthless, to kill without blinking an eye, to use any means necessary to achieve his goals. But he didn't want to use any dirty tricks on her.
Ximen Ye casually wiped the dagger on his sleeve and sheathed it.
Chasing after his cousin was too exhausting. He'd take a break for today.
He really didn't want to husk any more corn!
Moreover, Li Shuchen was guarding his cousin like a dog with its food. Whenever he got close, Li Shuchen would say sympathetically, "Old Lady Shi has no children. It's so pitiful for her to husk corn all alone..."
Then his cousin would say to him, "Since cousin is so free, why don't you go help?"
He was truly afraid of them now.
Ximen Ye left in a huff.
After the corn harvest, Qi Huan had earned quite a few more points. She now had over 20,000 points.
"System, open another 1,000 points worth of packages! I want to reward myself for working hard to earn points!"
Whoosh whoosh—
Two packages dropped down.
The small number meant the packages were valuable.
Qi Huan was very curious about what was inside. She quickly opened them and found that the first package contained a pair of high heels, while the second contained a long-sleeved, floor-length red formal dress.
The system kindly said, "Host, aren't you attending the palace banquet the day after tomorrow? Clothes make the man, just as a saddle makes the horse. This system specially subsidized 101 points to select these items for you, to help you outshine all the other beauties."
"...I'm truly grateful."
She didn't actually want to outshine anyone; she just wanted to blend in inconspicuously.
Since it was rare for the system to offer a subsidy on its own, she didn't return the items. Instead, she sent the dress and high heels to be auctioned on the black market.
But she hadn't expected to see this dress again so soon.
*
On the 10th day of the 9th month in the 17th year of the Longshun Era.
Early in the morning, the Song Mansion began to bustle with activity.
Elder Madam Song put on her new clothes, confidently thrust out her chest, and strode with her head held high to Qingsong Court.
She hadn't been seated for long when An An arrived as well.
Her jet-black hair was styled in a hanging bun, and she wore a set of crimson-colored robes. Her every movement was delicate and charming.
The only flaw was that An An always had a habit of keeping her head down, looking timid, which made her seem a bit unsophisticated.
Elder Madam Song thought to herself: Should I buy An An an expensive bra too?
So she could be confident and graceful like herself!
Just as Elder Madam Song was deep in thought, Qi Huan arrived with Yan Qing.
She wore the official robes of a County Princess of the second rank, looking noble and radiant.
However...
"Huanhuan, what's wrong with your face?"
Qi Huan raised her hand to touch the makeup that a certain someone had applied for her early in the morning, and spoke in a pretend dejected tone, "Aunt, I ate too much spicy hot pot and Mala Xiang Guo recently, so I'm a bit inflamed."
The reputation of spicy hot pot and Mala Xiang Guo suffered collateral damage. Elder Madam Song secretly wondered if she should eat less of those dishes.
Looking at Qi Huan again, she said worriedly, "Should we apply more powder to cover it up?"
Qi Huan hurriedly waved her hand.
"No need, Aunt. I heard that today is the bride selection banquet. I don't want to stand out."
Elder Madam Song belatedly remembered the lecherous old emperor and the "disabled" Prince An...
Clearly, neither was a good match.
If An An liked to keep her head down, let her keep it down.
If Huanhuan had pimples, let her have them.
After all, their Song family had no intention of sending their daughters to the royal family...
As the morning sun rose higher, it was getting late. After a brief conversation, the Song family women boarded their carriages to enter the palace.
