Somewhat unfortunately, as soon as Qi Shuo entered the family gate, he saw Qi Qiong walking toward him.

Drawing on his experience from the last time when his sister discovered him meeting Lin Hao to eat pickled cabbage and pork hotpot, Qi Shuo’s feet pivoted and he changed direction.

“Big Brother—”

The young lady’s affectionate call forced Qi Shuo to stop. “Little Sister is going out?”

“The snow finally stopped today. I’m going out for a walk, and while I’m at it, I’ll ask if A’Hao is home.” As Qi Qiong spoke, she detected something amiss. “Big Brother, why are you standing so far away from me?”

“I’m not.” Qi Shuo denied it with complete seriousness.

Qi Qiong tilted her head to look at her elder brother, and a guess flashed through her mind with sudden inspiration: Could it be Big Brother went to eat delicious food behind her back again?

Once this thought arose, she took two steps to approach Qi Shuo and sniffed.

Qi Shuo had a bad premonition.

“Little Sister, why are you circling Big Brother and sniffing incessantly like a little puppy?” Qi Huan walked over. Rarely having an opportunity to criticize his sister, he naturally couldn’t let it pass. “Look at you—where is there any semblance of a proper young lady from a good family?”

He should let Father Prince and Mother Consort see this, to save them from always scolding him alone.

Second Brother’s ill intentions failed to divert the young princess’s attention. “Big Brother went to eat hotpot again—this time it was lamb hotpot!”

Hearing this, Qi Huan immediately forgot about belittling his sister. “What? Big Brother, you ate alone again?”

Facing his younger siblings’ accusing gazes, Qi Shuo smiled calmly. “It wasn’t eating alone. I went with a friend.”

This answer didn’t make Qi Huan and Qi Qiong feel any better.

Qi Huan clutched his chest. “Big Brother, what friend is closer than your own flesh-and-blood siblings?”

Qi Qiong became curious about her elder brother’s dining companion’s identity. “Big Brother doesn’t really have any friends though.”

People all knew that Big Brother was frail in health and preferred quiet. Over these years she hadn’t seen anyone close to Big Brother.

Qi Shuo was silent for a moment.

Was this really necessary over a meal?

He told the two of them the restaurant’s name. “You can go try it. The taste is indeed quite good.”

Finally having dispatched his younger siblings, Qi Shuo walked quickly toward the study.

The capital was currently hotly discussing the Crown Prince’s assassination—it was the perfect time to spread the truth.

Qi Shuo’s subsequent arrangements need not be mentioned. Lin Hao, bringing Baozhu with her, arrived at the residence housing the beggar children and glanced at the two characters “Lin Residence” on the door plaque.

She had once thought of choosing a name that would make people immediately recognize it as a charity hall, but after careful consideration she abandoned the idea.

This place sheltered beggar children with conditions. If they used a charity hall name, people might misunderstand that all comers were welcome, which would instead be troublesome. “Lin Residence” clearly looked like a private residence, making operations more convenient.

Guarding the gate was a thin, wizened old man with graying hair who looked to be sixty years old but was actually only just past fifty. The old man had once been a wandering beggar on the streets. After being taken in, he was assigned the job of gatekeeper.

Though Lin Hao didn’t come often, she was firmly remembered in the old man’s heart.

“Miss Lin has arrived.” The gatekeeper greeted her warmly, inexpressible gratitude in his heart.

His son and daughter-in-law had both died of illness. After his grandson married, he didn’t care for him. With one lame foot, unable to find work, he had become a beggar. He never imagined there would come a day when he could eat his fill and dress warmly.

This was all thanks to the kind-hearted young lady before him.

“Is my older brother here?” As Lin Hao walked in, she asked casually.

Matters here were mainly A’Xing’s responsibility. A’Xing practiced martial arts with Steward Liu in the mornings, and after the afternoon meal would mostly come here to arrange things.

“Young Master A’Xing is here.”

Lin Hao nodded and walked into the courtyard.

“Miss Lin has arrived.” Someone shouted, and the little beggar children surged over from all directions, yet didn’t dare approach closely, their eyes bright as they gazed at her.

Lin Hao didn’t deliberately speak to any particular beggar child. She smiled at these children and walked unhurriedly inside.

A’Xing, hearing the shouts, came out. Upon seeing Lin Hao he frowned slightly. Once inside the room, he said in a low voice, “Don’t come here so often in the future. This place isn’t as safe as the General’s Manor after all.”

“Has someone caused trouble?” Lin Hao accepted the hot water Baozhu poured, asking in a relaxed tone.

Doing good deeds wasn’t that easy. She had been mentally prepared long ago.

The young lady’s relaxed appearance made A’Xing unconsciously relax his brow. “A few beggar children who didn’t meet the conditions came to cause trouble twice. It doesn’t count as major trouble.”

Lin Hao took a sip of hot water and smiled. “As long as there’s no major trouble, that’s good. I started this, so I should come check on it occasionally. I can’t leave everything to you.”

“But you’re a young lady of the General’s Manor. If people know you frequently associate with beggar children, they’ll gossip.” By now, A’Xing could finally confirm that Lin Hao was foolish and kind-hearted, so naturally he considered matters for her sincerely.

Lin Hao was unconcerned.

How little had their family been discussed by others? If she was really afraid of people gossiping, the safest course would be to do nothing at all.

“Don’t worry. That gossip won’t affect me.”

A’Xing was exasperated. “How could it not affect you? Are you not going to marry in the future?”

Didn’t they say that wealthy families had especially many rules for daughters, fearing that a bad reputation would affect marriage prospects?

Lin Hao looked at him with surprise.

“What?” A’Xing felt somewhat puzzled.

Lin Hao burst out laughing. “I’m just wondering—you’re only a few months older than me, yet you worry more than even my grandmother and the others.”

A’Xing gave her a sidelong glance. “I’m only thinking of you.”

Lin Hao waved her hand casually. “Don’t trouble yourself needlessly. Perhaps I really won’t need to marry.”

How did this become him troubling himself needlessly? A’Xing grumbled inwardly, then reacted. “Won’t need to marry?”

Lin Hao actually hadn’t thought that far ahead. She said offhandedly, “The General’s Manor only has me and Big Sister. Big Sister is marrying into Prince Wei’s manor next year. Perhaps Grandmother will consider recruiting a son-in-law for me.”

Recruiting a son-in-law?

A’Xing’s brow furrowed. Words of opposition slipped out. “Recruiting a son-in-law isn’t good. A’Hao, you’re inexperienced in worldly affairs and probably don’t know—nine out of ten men willing to marry into a family aren’t worth much.”

The young lady’s eyes were clear, her smile radiant like a flower, like a dewdrop rolling on a grass blade in the early morning—clean and beautiful.

A’Xing silently said in his heart: They wouldn’t be worthy of you.

“Have any beggar children meeting the conditions moved in recently?” Lin Hao skillfully changed the topic.

A’Xing was indeed diverted. “Three of them. One is very clever—after hearing the teacher lecture just once, he memorized several characters…”

Suddenly clamor arose outside.

A’Xing stood and walked to the doorway. He saw an eight or nine-year-old boy running over frantically. “Brother A’Xing, many people have come, so many people!”

The boy gasped for breath as he spoke, showing how fast he had run.

A’Xing’s expression darkened.

Without needing to think, it was those beggars who didn’t meet the conditions and weren’t willing to accept it.

“A’Hao, you stay in the room. I’ll go look.”

“Let’s go together.” Lin Hao walked over.

Baozhu looked around, picked up a fire poker from beside the stove, and silently walked to Lin Hao’s side.

A’Xing couldn’t help but glance at the fire poker in the little maid’s hand. Seeing Lin Hao had no reaction, he was greatly shocked in his heart: A noble young lady from a prestigious family was actually accustomed to her personal maid grabbing a fire poker to fight!

Well then… let’s go look together.

Lin Hao and A’Xing walked to the main gate and saw several youths pressing hard against the gate, while more children stood fearful and at a loss, with some frightened to tears.