First, clean up Lin Qianqing. After Gu Youyou had finished cleaning herself, she found that Lin Qianqing had already cheerfully run off.
Gu Youyou led the horse, passing through the willow forest and onto the ridges amid the waves of wheat.
The path was quite narrow, making it somewhat difficult to walk while leading a horse.
She saw a broader road on the opposite side that looked like the main entrance to the village. She had taken the wrong path.
"Cousin, take the road on the right, it’s wider," she shouted at the top of her lungs.
"Hey, cousin, come quickly, what is this grass? It’s so pretty..."
Lin Qianqing plucked a handful of wheat.
Gu Youyou laughed and said, "This is not just grass; the scallion pancakes you ate this morning were made from the flour of this plant."
"Really? This is it?" Lin Qianqing said, surprised.
Gu Youyou thought to herself: Her maternal grandmother, who loved to garden, was not doing a competent job. She should plant some crops as well, so Lin Qianqing wouldn’t be unfamiliar even with wheat.
They had set out early, and although it was just past the hour of Chen (7-9 AM), the sun was already quite strong, and its rays were scorching, burning the skin.
Gu Youyou anxiously looked back at Jin Zijin, who was following far behind, wondering if the harsh sunlight could trigger his inflammation.
It seemed they needed to hurry along.
Gu Youyou turned back and urged Lin Qianqing, "Let’s walk faster, the sun is strong, and it’s making my head spin."
Lin Qianqing, remembering that her cousin was frail, didn’t dare delay and hurriedly quickened her pace towards the houses at the end of the wheat field.
From afar, they could see at the end of the crisscrossing fields, beneath a few clusters of willows, a lady holding a paper umbrella, expectantly looking out. It was Miss Du, who had been waiting inside the village.
Oh? The person standing beside her wasn’t Cuiya, but Xie Qinyun.
When did Miss Xie arrive? Gu Youyou looked at Lin Qianqing.
With her head lowered and an embarrassed smile, Lin Qianqing said, "I mentioned our visit to the village to Qinyun a couple of days ago. She, like me, will be in the grand selection next month."
Oh, the pair of troubled sisters were indeed pitiable.
"I’m just worried this might leak out," said Gu Youyou, pausing before lowering her voice. "Do you remember what happened last time we went to Jinxiu City? With the grand selection approaching, do you know how many young ladies will be competing with you for the role of the primary wife?"
Lin Qianqing’s face turned pale with shock, then darkened, "You mean our encounter with the attackers last time was..."
Gu Youyou quickly added, "As long as you are aware, anything is possible. Your aunt must have told you about the fearsome nature of the women in the Imperial Family’s harem. Often, their families start fighting on their behalf even before they are married into the same residence."
Lin Qianqing’s complexion paled further, but she nodded firmly.
Gu Youyou breathed a sigh of relief.
Of course, saying that their previous attack was orchestrated by her competitors was just a guess from Gu Youyou, but the reminder was genuine.
No matter what the future holds, being alive is what’s important.
Since it was destined that she would marry into the Crown Prince Residence, it was good to be more cautious and to prepare her for the reality ahead of time.
Xie Qinyun was still unaware of which residence she would enter. If by chance it was also the Crown Prince Residence... based on these past days’ understanding of Xie Qinyun, she was a fierce woman capable of ruthless actions. If she and Lin Qianqing were not in the same residence, all would be well. But if they unfortunately ended up together, it would be hard to say whether she would take their past affection into account.
When they approached, several servants came forward to take their horses.
"You’ve arrived, please come in," Miss Du, along with Xie Qinyun, came out to greet them and gave each of them an extra umbrella.
Lin Qianqing said with a smile, "The sun is so strong, we appreciate you personally coming to meet us, Miss Du. You could have just sent a servant."