When Xiao Jingcheng returned to Jiang Mian's side with Taoist Yuanzheng, everyone was sitting around getting ready to have breakfast.
Jiang Mian was looking at Mo Zhizhang eagerly, hoping to get an answer from him. When she saw Mo Zhizhang shaking his head slightly, her heart tightened and she quietly clenched her fists.
Li Zhao and Jiang Zhiqing were sitting together. He placed a bowl of bean curd jelly in front of Jiang Zhiqing and very considerately picked up two chopsticks full of side dishes for her. His care and love for Jiang Zhiqing were obvious to everyone.
But why didn't Father agree?
As if sensing Jiang Mian's gaze, Li Zhao looked over at her. Seeing that she was in a bad mood, he said, "As Mujin said, we'll stay in Guangdu County for one more day. We'll replenish and buy all the necessary supplies today and set off again tomorrow."
Setting off tomorrow meant that Father hadn't agreed to her proposal and wasn't going to hold a wedding ceremony for Mother here in Guangdu County.
But...
Why?
Mother's words from last night rang in her ears again—
[Don't you trust your father yet?]
Jiang Mian tried hard to suppress the disappointment welling up in her heart. She lowered her eyes, picked up the bowl and drank the soy milk in it. The sweet soy milk full of bean flavor seemed to be sweet enough to seep into one's heart, but as Jiang Mian drank it, the back of her tongue felt a bit bitter.
Of course she trusted Father. Father didn't agree to her proposal probably had his own considerations, right?
For example, her wanted posters were plastered all over Guangdu County. Xiao Yixuan was hunting her down in the name of a female thief and wanted to capture her. Staying in this place for too long was not good for her.
For example, their purpose of going north was to send Xiao Jingcheng back to the capital. This was their most urgent task at present. Only after completing this could he consider her proposal.
Or perhaps, holding a wedding wasn't that simple. They needed to prepare a lot of things, make a wedding dress for Mother and decorate the house. In fact, it wasn't as simple as she had imagined. But Father wanted to give Mother the best...
After breakfast, Jiang Mian had figured things out. When she looked at Li Zhao again, her eyes had returned to their usual state.
"Since we're going to stay in Guangdu County for one more day, Father should accompany Mother for a walk today," Jiang Mian said with a smile. "Brother and I also have other things to do today. We'll set off tomorrow."
Her expression and tone were the same as usual, so Li Zhao knew that she had already figured things out.
He smiled faintly and said, "Yes, yes, yes. I'll follow the order of little Miss Jiang. I'll definitely accompany your mother well today."
Noticing the yellow dog approaching, Jiang Mian bent down and ruffled its head forcefully. She complained, "Dahuang, you're finally awake. You slept so soundly last night. I called you but you didn't wake up!"
She snorted angrily, "You have no defenses at all around Xiao Jingcheng. People who don't know might think you're his dog."
Sensing a probing gaze on him, Xiao Jingcheng immediately handed over the control of his body to Dahuang. Dahuang happily wagged its tail, circled around Jiang Mian several times and affectionately nudged Jiang Mian's palm with its snout.
Jiang Mian was tickled by it. She grabbed the yellow dog's ears and ruffled them forcefully. Then she picked up a meat bun. She was about to break it and feed it to the dog, but Dahuang snatched the bun in one bite and hid under the table to chew on it.
After breakfast, Jiang Mian went back to her room to get her veil hat and put it on. Mo Zhizhang was waiting for her outside the door.
Noticing that she was going out with Mo Zhizhang, Dahuang hurriedly caught up with her steps. It bit her sleeve and wouldn't let go, making a "woo woo" sound.
Jiang Mian bent down to stroke its head and said, "Dahuang, Brother and I are going out to do some business. It might not be convenient to take you with us. You should stay in the inn obediently today, okay?"
The yellow dog whined, seemingly very dissatisfied.
[Mother, follow Mother, protect Mother]
It wanted to follow Jiang Mian and protect her. This was its instinct as a protector.
Xiao Jingcheng said in its body, [Let her go. We also have other things to do today. Don't worry. Mo Zhizhang will protect her well.]
Waking up halfway last night and seeing with his own eyes how worried she was about him, Xiao Jingcheng no longer guarded against Mo Zhizhang like before. On the contrary, he knew that Mo Zhizhang had feelings for her, so he wouldn't let anything happen to her.
Seeing that the yellow dog didn't pester Jiang Mian this time and obediently lay back in the room again, Mo Zhizhang was also a bit surprised.
The two walked downstairs side by side. Mo Zhizhang casually said, "Dahuang seems much more sensible today than before."
Jiang Mian didn't notice the implication in his words at all. She said quite proudly, "Dahuang has always been very sensible. It's the best dog in the world."
She even sensed Mo Zhizhang's inexplicable hostility towards Dahuang and asked, "Brother, don't you like Dahuang?"
Mo Zhizhang paused for a moment and smiled, "I don't dislike it. I just mentioned it casually."
The two walked out of the inn. The bright sunlight poured down, making people feel warm all over.
It was still early. There were only a few pedestrians on the street. Mo Zhizhang asked, "Where does little sister want to go today?"
Jiang Mian said, "First, we'll replenish the dry food for the journey, buy some clothes to change into and take a stroll around by the way."
The two walked eastward side by side. Mo Zhizhang said, "I mentioned it to your father last night, but he didn't agree to our proposal."
Jiang Mian had already figured things out. She said, "It was my lack of consideration. This isn't the most urgent thing at present. I believe Father won't let Mother suffer. After we return to the capital and have a real place to settle down, it's not too late to consider this matter."
Mo Zhizhang didn't say anything more.
He just sighed in his heart that their family really trusted each other.
It was really an enviable relationship.
On the other side, Li Zhao and Jiang Zhiqing also went out together, but they took a completely different path from Jiang Mian.
This was not only the first time they were alone together since they reunited, but also the first time they walked side by side on the street openly.
In the past, Li Zhao was the eldest legitimate son of the Li family, the heir of the Li clan and also the youngest Zhongshuling in the State of Chu.
And she was just a concubine's maid in the Li Mansion.
In the past, she could only follow behind him and look up at his back.
But now, the two could walk side by side and enjoy the prosperity of the world together.
But all this came at the cost of the destruction of the entire Li family.
They were just a little bit, just a little bit away from being separated by death.
But why did she still feel scared?
Li Zhao looked back and found that Jiang Zhiqing was two steps behind him. He smiled, grabbed her wrist and pulled her to his side.
"Yingniang, you're not concentrating. When you're strolling with me, why are you in a daze? Why, don't you want to?"
Jiang Zhiqing shook her head and said truthfully, "I'm not reluctant. I just feel that the scene in front of me is a bit illusory. It's so beautiful that it's like a dream. I feel it's not real."
She looked deeply into Li Zhao's eyes and asked, "My lord, we'll never be separated again, right?"