The moon sets, crows caw.
Gong Qichi and Brother Jiang, who had recently been promoted to father-in-law status, sat talking by candlelight late into the night.
Their conversation stretched into the wee hours.
Jiang Mianmian had gone to bed early.
When she got up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night, she heard her father still chatting with someone in the courtyard.
People in ancient times really knew how to talk.
Perhaps it was because true confidants were hard to come by.
She caught snippets of their conversation.
Something about a crisis in the Provincial Capital.
But she was still drowsy.
After using the bathroom, Jiang Mianmian went back to sleep.
She had eaten too much salty food at the banquet and drank a lot of water.
The next day, Gong Qichi, Zi Xiaochong, and Zi Ganjiang all left.
Jiang Mianmian's family was also preparing to depart.
At first, Jiang Mianmian thought they were just going to the county town. But when she saw her mother start to prepare her winter clothes, including a very thick flowery cotton-padded jacket, she belatedly realized they were going somewhere far away, somewhere they'd need to spend the winter. Were they going on a long journey?
Having never been further than the county town in her life, Jiang Mianmian felt inexplicably excited.
Jiang Yu hadn't expected such good fortune either - to visit the Provincial Capital right after getting married.
She had been longing to try the delicious food there for ages.
Meng Shaoxia was also very happy.
His parents had bought him a house, land, and even a mountain in the Provincial Capital.
Going to the Provincial Capital meant he might be able to stay on his own property.
Living at his father-in-law's place for over a month had caused him to gain weight.
He had put on more than six jin, and his square face had become rounder.
His mother-in-law loved to make noodles, and whenever she saw him eating well, she would treat him especially kindly, giving him extra-large bowls, worried he might be too polite to eat his fill.
Each time, he would finish everything with tears in his eyes.
He didn't dare refuse such overwhelming love from his mother-in-law.
Jiang Feng was quite busy. Although they were going to the Provincial Capital, he couldn't neglect his troops. He had to train and drill them.
Fortunately, with Meng's help, things were going smoothly. Jiang Feng was self-taught, while Meng Shaoxia was formally trained in military affairs.
The two complemented each other's strengths and weaknesses, integrating their methods, which made their troops even more formidable.
They had also recruited many new soldiers.
Jiang Changtian had accepted the offer of amnesty and was to send Commander Jiang to take up an official post in the Provincial Capital.
Mother wouldn't feel at ease letting Father go alone.
And if the parents left, they certainly wouldn't feel comfortable leaving the children at home.
In the end, after discussion, the whole family decided to go.
Aunt Yin hadn't expected that she would be returning to the Provincial Capital so soon after coming to Kan'er Village.
But this time, her feelings were different from before.
When she had left, it felt like she was making a desperate gamble, abandoning everything and heading towards an unknown future.
Now, as she prepared to return, her mindset had completely changed.
She had truly become this family's great-aunt.
She now had a big family to worry about.
"Great-aunt, should I bring my shoes?" Jiang Mianmian held up several pairs of her pretty shoes, soft embroidered slippers.
Children's embroidered shoes were always soft, prioritizing growth and comfort for their developing feet, wide and pliant.
Young ladies' embroidered shoes, on the other hand, were also meant to shape the feet. Though they looked soft, some were not unlike modern high heels, with an internal frame that bound the feet.
The pursuit of beauty has always required dedication, both in ancient times and today.
"You don't need to bring so many. Take one pair for walking, one for indoors, and one thick pair. We can buy the rest in the Provincial Capital; they have more variety there."
However, looking at the little one's luggage, Aunt Yin realized there were some things that indeed couldn't be found in the Provincial Capital.
Toothbrushes, slippers, bath sponges, bath soaps, shampoos, various spices, tea leaves, ants, ants, ants, ants...
After helping the little girl pack, she felt she should also advise the older girl.
Sure enough, in the older girl's room, she found her unpacking dried rats, dried rats, and more dried rats from her luggage...
"You don't need to bring these; there are even more in the Provincial Capital."
Jiang Yu didn't believe it, saying these were caught in the mountains, and the Provincial Capital had no mountains.
"There are, dear. Just outside the Provincial Capital, there are mountains even bigger than the ones here. The rats there are much larger too, don't worry." It took a lot of persuasion from Aunt Yin before the older girl agreed to take out the dried rats.
As for the various oddly-shaped mushrooms, Aunt Yin pretended not to see them.
She just asked the older girl to label them clearly: which were poisonous, which were lethal, which were delicious, and which would cause hallucinations, to avoid any mix-ups.
After sorting through the older girl's belongings and reducing them by more than half, Aunt Yin still couldn't rest.
She still needed to check what Qin was bringing.
Qin had packed mostly her husband's clothes, very few of her own.
Just a long spear and two sets of clothes to change into.
Some jewelry, but not much.
Very simple.
She was someone who didn't need much looking after.
After the whole family had finished packing, they prepared to set out.
On a crisp autumn day.
Early morning.
Just as the sky began to lighten.
The carriages started to roll forward with a clatter.
Jiang Mianmian, yawning softly, was carried onto the carriage by her great-aunt.
She saw many, many people behind them, a dense crowd.
It seemed they were all going to the Provincial Capital together, which startled her a bit.
Without realizing it, had their household grown to include so many people?
Aunt Yin was also surprised.
When Jiang Mianmian fully woke up, the carriage had already hit the main road.
The bustling Kan'er Village gradually faded into the distance.
Jiang Yu also felt a moment of melancholy.
She wouldn't be able to see A'cui give birth now, not knowing if it would be a boy or a girl.
But she could send gifts from the Provincial Capital; A'cui would surely be happy, after all, things from the Provincial Capital must be very nice.
Jiang Yu hadn't changed much after marriage.
Only in one small way - she had become shy.
Before, when Jiang Mianmian saw her sister smile, it was always a bit silly. Now her sister's smiles were sweet and tender.
Sometimes she would look at her brother-in-law with the same eyes that Mother looked at Father.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. As for her square-faced brother-in-law Meng, Jiang Mianmian thought he was far from handsome, but as a brother-in-law, he seemed very reliable.
In the carriage, Jiang Mianmian played with Jiang Xiaoshu, telling him they were going to a new place where he could meet new ants.
Qin Luoxia and her husband both rode horses at the front.
Qin Luoxia wore all red, and her husband also wore all red.
They both looked very handsome, a perfect match.
...
At the Provincial Capital.
At the city gate.
Some officials were waiting.
They were preparing to welcome the newly arriving Commander Jiang.
According to the schedule, he should arrive today.
Even though he was bringing his family and had been traveling for several days, he should be here soon.
The two officials had been waiting for a long time and were getting bored. They sat in front of their carriage chatting.
There was another carriage nearby.
It was decorated garishly, with an overpowering fragrance.
Waves of perfume wafted from inside the carriage.
But the curtains were tightly drawn.
"This rebel fights for a year and gets promoted, given wealth, a mansion, and women. We study hard for half our lives and only end up with minor official positions. Tsk tsk, different people, different fates indeed."
"Exactly. Ah, that Little Phoenix Fairy is such a beauty, yet she's being given to such a country bumpkin. What a waste."
Inside the fragrant carriage sat a woman with large eyes, a high nose bridge, and red lips. Her appearance was enchanting, and her figure exuded a delicate, pitiful charm.
She was a rare beauty indeed.
Two maids were kneeling in front of her, massaging her legs.
An old woman sat beside her, smiling ingratiatingly.
"Miss, why bother greeting him personally? With your beauty and figure, do you really think that Jiang fellow won't fall at your feet?"
Little Phoenix Fairy tilted her beautiful neck and said, "For those nouveau riche country bumpkins, you have to bow low at first sight. Show your humility and vulnerability, and that's how you move their hearts. Mama, what do you think of my outfit?"
The old woman looked at her attire and thought it was a bit too white. For greeting someone, it seemed too plain.
But she couldn't understand the young miss's methods with men.
After all, half the powerful men in the Provincial Capital were under her spell.
There were plenty of lords who had abandoned their wives and children, ruined their families for her - enough to circle half the Provincial Capital if lined up.
She could only praise it as good.
After a long wait.
But not too long.
As the sun began to set in the west.
The caravan of carriages slowly approached.
Little Phoenix Fairy lifted the carriage curtain; the light at this time was perfect.
She was very satisfied.
The evening light would make her appear even more dazzling.
It would further highlight her delicate beauty and vulnerability.
Watching the approaching procession, Little Phoenix Fairy finally stepped down from her carriage.
This caught the attention of everyone around.
The autumn wind blew, the sunset was beautiful, and the falling leaves were like her dancing clothes. She stood in front of the city gate like an otherworldly being.
When Jiang Changtian and his group arrived at the city gate, what they saw wasn't the grandeur of the Provincial Capital.
But a woman dressed in white.
Several officials came forward to welcome Commander Jiang.
The woman gracefully stepped forward to bow, bending her supple waist and raising her snow-white neck.
With a fragrant breath, she said, "My lord, you've arrived. Phoenix has been waiting for you for a long time."
When Little Phoenix Fairy saw the newcomer's appearance, she was also very surprised. She felt she had struck gold and made her posture even more gentle and beautiful.
"Who are you?" Jiang Changtian looked at the woman, then at the officials in front of him.
Little Phoenix Fairy's voice was soft and coy as she gave Jiang Changtian a flirtatious look, saying charmingly, "Phoenix belongs to you, my lord."
The other officials all felt a shiver run through their bodies. Little Phoenix Fairy's manner, her tone, her figure - who could resist?
This Commander Jiang was also quite handsome.
Tsk tsk, what a volatile combination.
The officials kept their eyes downcast, waiting for yet another country bumpkin to fall at Little Phoenix Fairy's feet.
Though Little Phoenix Fairy was venomous, dying under a peony flower would still make for a romantic ghost.
Suddenly, a guard beside Commander Jiang thrust his sword, impaling Little Phoenix Fairy clean through.
"How dare you! The commander has just arrived in the Provincial Capital, and you dare to impersonate his family member."
Commander Jiang sidestepped the bloodstains and wiped his hands with a handkerchief, saying, "Feng, you were too hasty. You should have waited to kill her when no one was around. It's a bit too bloody to do it in front of these gentlemen."
