She did have some business for Xiao Jin to run, but in the meanwhile, she also had the intention of testing Xiao Jin’s abilities. If he was qualified enough, she would keep Xiao Jin by her side.
She had intended to ask Xiao Jin to pay a visit to the South a few moments ago, but because of the cooperation with Prince Muyi, she believed that she could postpone the errand to the South. Instead, he could be dispatched to pay a visit to the Feather Mulberry Land.
Xiao Jin would not go there alone. She planned to arrange Sword Three to follow him, but Xiao Jin was going to be the person that dealt with the errands alone.
Gu Chaoyan said calmly, “You should pay a visit to the Feather Mulberry Land and check what the features of the 15 towns are. You have to take a very careful and close look at them. You should come up with how you deal with that yourself. I will have my men keeping your company, but he is only in charge of your safety, nothing else. He will guarantee your economic cost, so you don’t have to be too frugal about the money, which you should use well. The most important thing is to get the errand done well, got it?”
Xiao Jin nodded seriously. Xiao Jin had thought that he would only be entrusted with some small errands, but not this important one. And he understood clearly that it was a test for him.
“Elder Miss, don’t worry!” Xiao Jin said with seriousness, “I will do it well.”
Gu Chaoyan nodded. She said straightforwardly, “If you do it well, you will work with me from then on, but if you don’t, don’t feel stressed either. I will pay you a considerable amount of money which will be enough for you to buy a house and run a small business back where you come from.”
Xiao Jin was a man with ambition. It was good to have ambition, but he should have equally excellent abilities to match it.
She would keep him if he did. If he did not, then she would not keep him.
Xiao Jin said nothing to Gu Chaoyan any more. He understood that whatever he said would not work, the most important thing was to make it right. When he did his job well, he was proving himself as capable.
Gu Chaoyan told him about the departure time as well as his meeting with Sword Three, then she returned to the capital.
It began to snow, and Gu Chaoyan was in a hurry, so they went directly back to the mansion.
As they came to the mansion, Gu Chaoyan ran into Mr. Zhao who had just returned from outside as she got off the wagon.
Zhao Yiqiu had not visited the court for a long while, but he was still very busy. He was out every day, yet no one knew what he was busy with. Zhou Huaijin and Gu Chaoyan were not interested in interfering in other people’s business, so they did not ask him anything more.
When Zhao Yiqiu saw Gu Chaoyan, he ceased his steps. He seemed to have a few words to exchange with Gu Chaoyan.
When Gu Chaoyan and Zhao Yiqiu were walking shoulder to shoulder, Sword One and Qing took a few steps backwards, leaving space for them to talk with each other, but neither of them would hear the words.
Zhao Yiqiu and Gu Chaoyan walked for a while.
Then Zhao Yiqiu stopped and asked Gu Chaoyan. “Do you plan to tell Lord Huai the truth?”
Chaoyan cringed. It was a barrier inside her heart. She had to tell him the truth, but Gu Chaoyan would rather forget about it than confess. However, she knew one thing pretty well, she could not possibly hide the secret from Zhou Huaijin. They were getting married soon.
When the winter passed, it would be their wedding day and the day was approaching.
Gu Chaoyan opened her mouth. “Mr. Zhao…”