Chapter 26: The County Magistrate Has Come Looking

The Fang family still knew how to handle things; this time they brought Yan Ning quite a few pieces of jewelry and accessories, all suitable for a young girl to wear and of decent value, showing they had put in a lot of effort.

Yan Ning looked at the jewelry; it was all very beautiful, and she liked it very much. She also hadn't taken Fang Qiuling to heart at all, so she said, "Alright then, I forgive you all."

Before the Fang family could even heave a sigh of relief, they heard Yan Ning ask:

"I heard that your Fang Qiuling and the Heir have a betrothal from childhood?"

Fang Jiamu's expression was stunned, "What? When was this engagement made? Why do I not know about it?"

Yan Ning looked at him suspiciously.

At this moment, Lady Fang said, "No, there is indeed a betrothal, but the object of the betrothal is not the little Heir; we were just speaking casually."

Lady Fang began to explain that back then, she and the secondary consort were pregnant at the same time and went to Baima Si to burn incense. They happened to meet, and the two of them just made a casual joke, saying that if they were the same gender they would become brothers or sisters, and if they were of opposite genders, they would become husband and wife.

The one Lady Fang was pregnant with at the time was Fang Qiuling.

Xiao Chengtian frowned, "Since it was a joke, then it does not count."

Knowing that Fang Qiuling was the type of person who could stir up trouble, Xiao Chengtian did not want to let her come and bring disaster upon his own son.

Yan Ze and the others would not bicker with a young girl, but when Lady Fang saw her daughter, she gave her two hard slaps.

After the Princess Consort sent the Fang family away, Xiao Chengtian asked, "Lingnan is treacherous and the place is remote; why not stay in my Wangfu? I will go and handle those bailiffs."

Yan Ning was going to Lingnan to stir up trouble, so she smiled and said, "Many thanks, Uncle Xiao, but we should still make a trip to Lingnan."

Yan Ze then said, "Then we shall stay here for a few more days; it's a good chance to have some fun."

The Prince of Nanyang saw that they were determined to go, so he did not force them to stay, only saying, "If you feel that living in Lingnan is uncomfortable, come to my Wangfu at that time; with some coercion and inducement, one can always make them behave."

The Nanyang Wang Mansion took very good care of Yan Ning's family. Yan Ning lived comfortably and prepared to stay here for a while longer. Xiao Huaijin was very happy and suggested taking Yan Ning out to play.

Ji Lan followed the Princess Consort to learn embroidery, and Yan Ze, not feeling at ease with the two children, also went along.

What Yan Ning liked most in Ding'an City was going to buy rouge, powder, jewelry, and accessories.

There was a lot of jewelry in the warehouse, but it was all suitable for her mother to wear; there was basically nothing a 12-year-old child could wear.

Yan Ning bought whatever she saw that she liked.

Yan Ning took a fancy to a Jade Pendant with decent craftsmanship, engraved with a snake on it. Her father was born in the Year of the Snake, so Yan Ning bought one for her father. Seeing the little Heir to the side, Yan Ning casually picked out one with exquisite carving to give to him.

Xiao Huaijin revealed a smile, "I will treasure it well."

It was also at this moment that Yan Ning stood up, preparing to go try on other gemstones, but unexpectedly, a girl threw a banana near her feet. If she had stepped on it, she surely would have taken a fall.

Yan Ning kicked the banana peel away without changing her expression, and also snapped a few beads off her bracelet, letting them fall to the ground.

"Ah—"

One saw that the girl did not notice the beads and fell face-first into the dirt.

Yan Ning walked over and asked with a beaming smile, "It isn't the New Year yet, why are you performing such a grand kowtow?"

The expression the girl looked at Yan Ning with was full of malice.

At this time, Xiao Huaijin stood in front of Yan Ning, his protective attitude very obvious.

Yan Ning wanted to watch the show, so she squatted down and asked, "Why did you put a banana peel on the path I was passing? We have never met, why is your malice so great?"

The girl snorted coldly and ignored Yan Ning. She wanted to get up, but her knee landed on a bead, and it hurt like hell; no matter what, she couldn't stand up.

She looked at Xiao Huaijin, "Brother Huaijin, can you pull me up?"

Xiao Huaijin immediately took three steps back.

Yan Ze had a thousand thoughts in his heart. He originally felt that this little Heir looked good and had a good personality that was easy to handle, which was why he felt this marriage was alright.

But who would have thought he was too handsome and too popular.

If his daughter were with him, she would have to deal with other women. In ancient times, there were three wives and four concubines; what if the little Heir was soft-hearted and wanted to take concubines?

Yan Ze was having second thoughts in his heart; he should think of a way to dissolve the engagement.

At this time, Xiao Huaijin did not know what Yan Ze was thinking and pulled Yan Ning away, "My mother also opened a jewelry shop; I will take you to see it."

Yan Ze glanced at the little girl on the ground, thought for a moment, and still did not help her up.

"Hey, hey, where are you going? Wait for me!"

Yan Ning waited for her father at the entrance, but she no longer had the interest to continue shopping.

The father and daughter returned to the Wangfu and happened to see Xiao Chengtian burning a letter.

Seeing them look over, Xiao Chengtian smiled and said, "Lingnan is urging you to go over, but I will just pretend I didn't see it."

Yan Ze smiled and said, "That's perfect; we haven't had enough fun in Ding'an City and would like to impose on you for a few more days."

The main thing was that the medicine pills requested for resisting miasma would take a few more days to be made, and some medicinal herbs couldn't be bought for a while, so they could only drag it out.

Xiao Chengtian and Yan Ze had a pretty good relationship, and now that they were future in-laws, he naturally hoped they could stay at the mansion longer.

Not to mention, staying at the Nanyang Wang Mansion was truly comfortable. Every day, Ji Lan either learned embroidery or played mahjong with the maids in the mansion, so happy that she almost forgot she still had a daughter and a husband.

Yan Ning couldn't stay in the room; from time to time, she would go outside to listen to music and storytelling, and she would grandly tip them a floor full of Silver Melon Seeds.

There was no help for it; there was simply too much money in the warehouse. Those gold and silver pieces shaped like melon seeds were piled into a small mountain, and she would grab a handful to tip from time to time; even now, that small mountain still had many Silver Melon Seeds left.

Yan Ning became the top fan of Zhaoyang Guniang at Hongyan Ge. Every time she came, she would ask Yan Ning what music she wanted to hear.

Yan Ning, Yan Ze, and Xiao Huaijin were playing outside, and they also brought Zhuo Heng and another guard to protect their safety.

They were completely unaware that the County Magistrate of Shawan County in Lingnan had already arrived at the Wangfu.

At this time, a servant received the Prince's order and immediately went to notify Yan Ning and Yan Ze.

Yan Ning had finished playing and was preparing to go home when she happened to run into Shunzi, who had come looking for them. Shunzi hurriedly stopped them: "His Highness, it is not appropriate to return at this time; the County Magistrate of Shawan County has come looking for you."

Yan Ning frowned: "The County Magistrate is here? He doesn't care about the people's food, clothing, housing, and transportation, but he actually cares about whether our family has arrived in Lingnan?"

Shunzi was anxious and flustered, "This, shall we go back later?"

Yan Ning's face was gloomy, "Shunzi, how many people did they bring?"

"Just three people."

Yan Ning said to Zhuo Heng: "You go first and gather all your men. You go back first; in a quarter of an hour, we will return."

Shunzi's eyes widened, "You, you wouldn't..."

Yan Ning said with a beaming smile, "We wouldn't what?"

Shunzi only felt that Yan Ning's smile was bone-chilling.

He guessed that Yan Ning was, after all, a twelve-year-old girl, so she should not do something like murdering an Imperial Official...