471, Confident Plan (5 updates)
Just as she thought of stealing, Jiang Hongyan immediately dismissed the idea.
She considered herself a gentleman, and a gentleman should not stoop to theft.
Yet, seeing Li Hengyi swaggering around, flaunting the cloak a woman had given him, and making everyone in the military camp aware of it, she felt very jealous and angry.
Hiding in a corner, she had cried for a long time, her eyes swollen from the tears.
Li Hengyi had already strutted around the camp a few times, basking in the admiration of his fellow bachelors, before he returned to his own small courtyard.
He had no idea that the military courtesans that had come with the army were living in utter misery today.
Riding his horse back to the entrance of his courtyard, he saw Jiang Hongyan lingering by the door.
Almost at the instant Jiang Hongyan raised her eyes to him, Li Hengyi felt that he needed to keep his distance from this girl.
This sense of distance wasn’t because she might become clingy, but rather an indescribable odd feeling, something he was experiencing for the first time.
“Your Highness!” Jiang Hongyan called out softly.
A beautiful girl, her eyes red and swollen from crying, looking at him with a pitiful expression.
“Hmm?”
No matter the reason, he couldn’t ignore Jiang Hongyan.
This girl was very capable, well-read, and highly skilled in deploying troops-far more ingenious than many seasoned generals. She was a talent fit for command, and even as a woman, he couldn’t deny her brilliance.
“Your Highness, may I touch your cloak?” Jiang Hongyan asked softly.
“…” Li Hengyi,
“…” Yuanbao.
Both thought, is that all you aspire to?
Reject or accept? Li Hengyi thought for a moment, and in the end, he agreed.
He dismounted and walked over to Jiang Hongyan, “Just one touch, and never mention it again!”
“Oh!” Jiang Hongyan replied nonchalantly, thinking to herself that the cloak had been personally sewn by Miss Xie, that Li Xi said she had worked on it for several nights under the lamplight, imagining a stunning beauty with needle and thread…
She gently placed her hand on the fabric.
She couldn’t help but admire it sincerely, “This cloak is really nice!”
She was extremely envious.
Then, just as Li Hengyi was about to say something, Jiang Hongyan quickly ran away.
“This girl…” Li Hengyi frowned.
Watching Jiang Hongyan’s retreating figure, Yuanbao spoke seriously, “Master, I think it’s better not to let her have any future contact with Miss Xie!”
“Hmm, that makes sense!”
Jiang Hongyan, however, was thinking that she also wanted a cloak like that.
Returning to her room, she pondered for a moment, then immediately began rallying her troops; she was going to lead them on a hunting expedition into the mountains.
Jiang Hongyan was an extremely clever and capable girl. Her martial arts skills were already quite impressive from an early age, and after taking medicine pills that almost entirely cleansed her marrow, her martial prowess improved dramatically. She also grew much stronger, her archery accurate and sure.
The ones she chose to accompany her on the hunt were the cream of the crop. After selecting twenty people and notifying the Great General, she rode into the mountains.
The Great General stood at the entrance of the camp, watching the departing figures, and sighing, “How will you find someone in the future? How will you ever get married!”
It wasn’t until late, on the edge of darkness, that Jiang Hongyan returned with a full load. She personally took care of skinning and cleaning the hides before leaving them to dry. After washing her hands, she began to write a letter.
In the letter, she mentioned how good the cloak of Prince Hengyi looked and how it had made her envious. She had hunted some furs and hoped that Xie Zhinuan would help her make a cloak. She would be extremely grateful…
Fengping County
Night had fallen.
Xie Yi had already gone to sleep with Uncle Mute, while Xie Zhinuan was still sorting things out. She knew that her trip to Gaocheng County wouldn’t be as smooth as her time in Fengping.
Firstly, she didn’t know the county magistrate, and secondly, her patron Li Hengyi was not there.
The merchants would surely object to her opening a shop.
So, just because it wasn’t going to be smooth, she shouldn’t go? Of course not. So, Xie Zhinuan had prepared many things in advance.
As she listed each item, Rourou and Dong Sheng took note of it, while Aunt Chen ticked each item off the list, ready to load them onto the boat and leave early the next morning.
Mu Rourou brought her maid over, “Miss Xie, I’ve packed up all my things and came to see if there’s anything I can help with on your end?”
Chapter 472