“Miss Li, we’ve arrived.” Jiang Yuanchao stopped in front of the Li residence, jumped down from the carriage, and handed the whip back to the coachman.

The coachman said nothing.

As long as he wasn’t shortchanged his fare, he was quite happy to help others.

The carriage curtain lifted, Binglu emerged first, then reached out to help Qiao Zhao down from the carriage.

“Thank you for your trouble, Big Brother Jiang.” Qiao Zhao curtsied slightly, signaling Binglu to pay the fare.

Binglu pulled out several copper coins from her purse and handed them to the coachman, then rummaged around some more, pulled out a few more copper coins, and placed them in Jiang Yuanchao’s hand.

Jiang Yuanchao: “…”

Qiao Zhao hadn’t expected Binglu to do this. Suppressing her laughter, she bid farewell to Jiang Yuanchao: “Big Brother Jiang, I’ll be going in now.”

Jiang Yuanchao couldn’t bring himself to return a few copper coins. He watched helplessly as the master and servant entered the Li residence gate, looked down at the copper coins in his palm, and smiled wryly.

He had voluntarily driven the carriage for them, so the little maid really treated him like a coachman and even paid him. How much did that maid dislike him?

The coachman stood to the side, watching coldly, very displeased.

Sure enough, this young man had stolen his job; otherwise, all those copper coins should have been his!

The resentment in the coachman’s eyes was too obvious. Jiang Yuanchao stuffed the copper coins into the coachman’s hand and strode away.

Forget it, he shouldn’t do such thankless tasks in the future, as long as that little lady doesn’t have any more strange behavior.

The personal guard who had secretly followed saw that Qiao Zhao and her servant safely returned home, so he went back to report.

“General, that young lady has arrived home safely.”

“That’s good, you’ve worked hard.” Shao Mingyuan, who had just returned home after escorting Qiao Mo to Minister Kou’s residence, nodded after hearing the report.

“Go rest, it’s dinner time.” Seeing the personal guard not moving, Shao Mingyuan waved his hand.

The personal guard still didn’t move: “General, this subordinate has one more matter to report.”

“Speak.”

“That young lady was escorted home by Lord Shisan of the Jinlin Guards.”

Lord Shisan?

Shao Mingyuan raised his eyebrows in surprise.

The new Commanding Vice-Commissioner who had replaced Jiang Wu? That young man who seemed about his age?

That person had appeared in the crowd today and even followed them up the mountain, which had puzzled him greatly.

Even if the one above had become wary of him as the Northern Conquest General, was it necessary to send someone to be an eyesore on the day of his wife’s funeral?

What was Jiang Yuanchao doing following Miss Li?

Shao Mingyuan pondered briefly and came to a conclusion: Could it be because of the divine physician? Otherwise, why would a dignified fourth-rank Commanding Vice-Commissioner of the Jinlin Guards bother with a young lady?

It seemed he should pay more attention to that Miss Li, otherwise if something really happened, it would be difficult to explain to the divine physician.

So Shao Mingyuan instructed the personal guard: “Pay more attention to Miss Li’s movements from now on. Report to me if anything happens.”

The personal guard straightened his back and legs, loudly declaring: “General, rest assured! This subordinate will not fail in this mission!”

The general’s happiness depended on him—never mind the Commanding Vice-Commissioner of the Jinlin Guards, even if it were the Commissioner himself, he wouldn’t be afraid!

Shao Mingyuan was quite puzzled.

The personal guard’s behavior—why did it seem like he was about to assassinate a Tatar chieftain?

“Don’t get too close either. Miss Li is, after all, a young lady, and the situation is different from before.”

“Yes, yes, this subordinate understands.” Of course, he would be tactful to avoid displeasing the general.

Even after the personal guard left as if injected with adrenaline, Shao Mingyuan still felt something was off, but couldn’t figure out exactly what was wrong.

After a tiring day, both physically and mentally, he didn’t even eat dinner, hastily took a bath, and went to sleep.

When Jiang Yuanchao returned to Grand Commander Jiang’s residence, the sun had already set, leaving only the afterglow illuminating the sky.

Jiang Tang was sitting in the hall waiting for him.

“Foster father.”

Because he was sitting, Jiang Tang’s general’s belly was even more prominent. What should have been a kind and benevolent appearance was instead stern and cold.

“Shisan, where did you go so early this morning? You didn’t even go to the office.”

Jiang Yuanchao’s heart tightened, and he answered truthfully: “I went to observe the funeral procession at Marquis Guanjun’s residence.”

He naturally knew that anything his foster father wanted to know couldn’t be hidden, but he hadn’t expected his foster father to pay such close attention to his whereabouts.

Seeing that Jiang Yuanchao hadn’t lied, Jiang Tang’s expression softened slightly as he asked: “Why?”

“Just to watch the excitement.”

“Watch the excitement?” Jiang Tang raised his eyebrows. “A funeral could be worth your going out so early in the morning and only returning at this hour?”

Jiang Yuanchao lowered his eyes: “Shisan has always been quite curious about that ever-victorious general.”

“That’s still no reason for you to follow their funeral procession up the mountain!”

Jiang Tang was simply helpless. His adopted son was usually quite reliable—what evil had possessed him today?

“Look at what you’ve done! Following their funeral procession up the mountain and getting caught red-handed by Marquis Guanjun—what do you think Marquis Guanjun would think? You tell me it’s curiosity, but others won’t think so. They’ll think our Jinlin Guards have some designs on Marquis Guanjun!”

The Jinlin Guards had offended many people, officials of all ranks, but offending people so inexplicably was completely unnecessary, especially Marquis Guanjun!

Although the emperor was obsessed with cultivating immortality and too lazy to concern himself with court affairs, large and small, he had never relaxed his control over power. Their Jinlin Guards were the emperor’s eyes and hands—following their master’s wishes, they could act wantonly toward anyone, but if they went against their master’s wishes, that would be troublesome.

At least for now, the emperor had no intention of moving against Marquis Guanjun, and even—

Thinking of the several unmarried princesses, Jiang Tang sighed inwardly.

The emperor’s plans went much further than the world imagined.

“Shisan was reckless. Please punish me, foster father.” Jiang Yuanchao knelt on one knee.

“Big Brother Shisan—” Jiang Shiran, in a pink dress, stepped in, and seeing the scene in the hall, couldn’t help but freeze. She lifted her skirt and ran over, helping Jiang Yuanchao up while complaining to Jiang Tang: “Father, what are you doing? Big Brother Shisan just returned and hasn’t even eaten yet.”

Jiang Tang frowned: “Ran Ran, we’re discussing serious business.”

Jiang Shiran reached out and tugged on Jiang Tang’s beard: “Serious business, serious business—tell me, what’s more important, serious business or eating?”

With his pearl-like daughter’s almond eyes wide open, Jiang Tang’s heart softened, and he laughingly tried to save his beard: “Eating is important, eating is important.”

Only then did Jiang Shiran let go, smiling sweetly: “That’s more like it. Big Brother Shisan, get up quickly—”

Jiang Yuanchao kept his eyes lowered, his thoughts unreadable, but he didn’t avoid Jiang Shiran’s outstretched hand.

Jiang Tang observed this and nodded inwardly with satisfaction before saying, “Get up. Let’s eat first.”

Jiang Yuanchao obediently stood up.

Girls always had delicate thoughts. Sensing Jiang Yuanchao’s subtle change, Jiang Shiran was very happy, smiling as she said: “I had the cook make Buddha Jumps Over the Wall. Father, Big Brother Shisan, wait here—I’ll go hurry them along.”

After the girl’s pink figure disappeared at the doorway, Jiang Tang looked at Jiang Yuanchao meaningfully: “Yuanchao, Ran Ran lost her mother when she was young and doesn’t have the composure of those noble young ladies. It’s my fault as her father for not giving her that, so I inevitably dote on her. You’ve been under my watch since childhood—in the future, please also help me cherish her more.”

Feeling Jiang Tang’s substantial gaze, Jiang Yuanchao was silent for a moment, then nodded: “Foster father can rest assured, this is what Shisan should do.”

“That’s good.” Jiang Tang smiled with satisfaction.