Chapter 211: What Is She Doing?

The convoy clattered to a halt at the doorway of Qiao Ji Snack Puzi, the guards disembarked and watched the surroundings warily, guarding the carriage on both sides.

Two Wang Jiaru's Servant Girls, an old woman, and a splendidly dressed, beautiful, delicate young lady got off the carriage!

In the remote Beifang, a barren region, a young lady like this is rarely seen; judging by her clothing and bearing, she must be from Jingcheng, right?

The young lady, supported by the two Wang Jiaru's Servant Girls, arrived at the Qiao Ji Snack Puzi.

The old woman wiped the chair repeatedly with a Handkerchief before asking the young lady to sit down.

At that moment the shop assistant came over, and seeing a female guest, kept a little distance.

"Young lady, what would you like to purchase?"

"Do you have anything to drink?"

"We have iced milk tea, fruit juice, boiled peanuts, boiled edamame, boiled corn, boiled eggs, popcorn, rice crisps, and fruit among other snacks."

"Ah, so it's a General Puzi."

"Seems like it!" the shop assistant replied.

"Then bring a few glasses of fruit juice, and include the guards over there as well."

The shop assistant entered, and after a short while began carrying trays out; the young lady saw the cups and straws.

Could it be her, the princess who has taken a liking to him, arriving?

"My god, what is she doing here? Doesn't she know she has a wife and children? She's shameless, utterly without a face; she can set her sights on anyone, but she insists on me. So brazen, she even chased me all the way here."

"Um, thank you, young man, how much is it? Let's settle the bill."

"Sir, sir!"

"Momo, do you think Yuan Jiaqi will be angry with me for coming here so recklessly?"

"Go give each guard a cup."

Such incidents aren't unheard of in history; when the emperor's daughter wants to marry you, it means she holds you in high regard.

Qiao Mai shot the old man a withering glance, making him appear petty.

She is the splendidly dressed young lady who just drank fruit juice at the Qiao Ji Snack Puzi.

"Momo, Shexian is so poor and barren; Father Emperor, to avoid me seeing him, actually transferred him here as County Magistrate."

"You are a Princess; your humbling yourself to seek him out gives him face; he should be pleased."

"How much farther until we reach Shexian?"

Under heaven, all lands belong to the king; this realm is the Emperor's. Though he now appears a wise ruler, will he one day, when this Princess threatens with her life, remain indifferent to his own daughter?

"Heyi Princess has arrived."

The old man watched Qiao Mai's composed silhouette and said, "Let's wait and see; it's too early to discuss this now, nothing is certain."

Without a word, the other party slipped Yijian to the shop assistant, finished the fruit juice, and boarded the carriage to continue heading north.

He had been busy all this while, never finding time to go back; remembering what the master had said, his heart warmed.

The splendidly dressed young lady also took a sip; it was sweet, icy, very tasty, and she drank several big gulps in one go, feeling better as the surrounding irritability subsided considerably.

"Master, it's delicious. Aren't you thirsty? Have a drink, no problem."

While thinking that, a horse galloped toward them from afar.

In his mind, he had already cursed this unseen Princess countless times, and without even meeting her, he had already dismissed her.

"No, I came just to ask what has happened to Yuan Jiaqi in Jingcheng?"

"Here's the story: Yuan Jiaqi topped the provincial exam, was appointed top candidate by the Emperor in the palace exam, rode through the streets and was noticed by the Princess. Later Yuan Jiaqi refused the marriage, and the Emperor sentenced him to this remote place as County Magistrate. That's how it went; I think since he refused marriage, nothing else happened, and I didn't mention it when I came back."

Yuan Jiaqi looked bewildered, then his hand clenched tightly as he recalled the words the Emperor had spoken to him in the Yushufang.

If only my wife were here, she has many ideas; we could open a few Zuofang here to utilize idle labor, and I could also consult her about what crops suit this land—she's an expert, whatever she plants thrives, nothing defeats her.

A young lady from a respectable family, yet even knowing his background, she persistently pursues him.

"She truly has a hard fate; just when she finally rose, someone tries to take her husband away—infuriating! If it were someone else, perhaps we could help, but she's royal, sigh~ truly willing but powerless."

"I'm not worried about him; I'm afraid this matter will disturb the household."

Qiao Mai lingered nearby, watching leisurely; it's already so far north, and they still intend to go further north—won't they be looking for Yuan Jiaqi?

Qiao Mai cracked her nails, tossed a handful of sunflower seeds onto the table, rose with hands behind her back, entered Jixiang Yuan, and walked straight to the old gentleman's courtyard.

Hearing this, the old gentleman and the old lady fell silent.

"What is the matter that causes such panic?"

Yuan Jiaqi was at this moment leading the yamen guards to patrol around the outskirts of Shexian; the land here is half stone, half sand, half soil, unsuitable for grain cultivation, so only side industries can be developed.

But since the other party is a Princess, he suppressed his anger, led his people back to the residence, where Heyi Princess was sitting in the Keting, resting.

"Is something wrong at home?"

"Sixteen cups in total, fifty Wen each, nine hundred Wen."

"Earlier on Guan Dao, I saw a carriage, especially magnificent, not comparable to ordinary officials'—six guards in front, six behind, escorting a splendidly dressed young lady to Shexian. Don't you think that's odd?"

Refusing to marry is a crime of deceiving the ruler; refusing is also a grave offense of defying imperial decree.

"Why ask like that?"

Old Mr. Wang looked at her, unsure how to speak, thought for a moment and organized his words; this Wang Jiaru's Servant Girl is too clever to be coaxed.

The two Wang Jiaru's Servant Girls lifted a cup to sip, and their eyes lit up.

"It does seem very convenient."

At that moment, the old woman asked the shop assistant.

"Servant Girl, Yuan Jiaqi is sincere towards you; he doesn't covet wealth or power, he doesn't chase status—men like him are rare; you should be lenient, not nitpick details."

He has great confidence in Qiao Mai; even this spontaneously appearing puddle, he believes it was made by that Servant Girl, just that she didn't want anyone to know.

"This place lies at the northernmost tip of Beifang; winters are extremely cold, and only one harvest per year, naturally making it impoverished."

The shop assistant, startled, quickly bent over and answered, "From here heading north, it's about a hundred li, I think."

Thinking about it makes his anger flare up; he no longer has to take exams, has time and energy to be with the person he likes, just as he's about to nurture the relationship, an eyesore appears.

"I know all this, but have you considered—if this Princess clings to him and won't let go, can our little arm twist past their big thigh?"

We must find time to go back; no matter what we say, we have to be thick‑skinned and invite the wife to Shexian to stay for a while, properly nurture the relationship, and also ask her how he can make the people become prosperous.

"Heyi Princess? How did she end up here?"

"This is called a straw; you sip with your mouth."

Then she got up and left; the elderly lady wiped away a tear.

The old couple were drinking cool tea in the shade, chatting, and were startled when they saw Qiao Mai.

"It doesn't look like it to me; I have a hunch she's gone to find Yuan Jiaqi. Speak up, what exactly happened in Jingcheng, that the top scholar was transferred here as County Magistrate; there must be a reason."

The old man's lips twitched, "Probably it's a family visit."

"Alright, please wait a moment!"

"So that means that lady in splendid clothes could be the Princess; she went to find Yuan Jiaqi?"

"What is this?"

"Yes!"

"No need to worry; trust that Yuan Jiaqi can handle it."

Seeing the two fall silent, Qiao Mai sighed, "Everything is left to fate!"

"Momo, I'm a bit nervous!"

"Princess, actually this old servant thinks he's nothing special."

"Shut up, the man this Princess has chosen is the best in the world; you may not speak ill of him."

Yuan Jiaqi had by now arrived outside the Keting; he wore a stern face and glanced inside. The Princess is the Princess; besides being beautiful, she radiates noble aura.

(End of chapter)