Drive to the Tang Dynasty, where supplies are refreshed daily!

Chapter 13 Is Xiao Ran lying?
Third Sister put down the basket and picked up a calcium milk biscuit with one hand.

After looking at it, I took a small bite.

His previously dull eyes suddenly lit up.

She looked at Xiao Ran with surprise.

"Like it?"

Third Sister nodded vigorously, "I like it, it's sweet and delicious."

After saying that, he took another bite.

Xiao Ran gave the remaining calcium milk biscuits to Third Sister, saying, "Eat slowly, I'll help you pick them up later."

It was clear that Third Sister was a little embarrassed.

But the taste of calcium milk biscuits was irresistible to San Niang.

How could a child who struggles to get enough to eat possibly refuse something sweet?

Third Sister looked at the calcium milk biscuits, and at that moment, the way she looked at Xiao Ran was different.

"Thank you, young master!"

Xiao Ran patted the little girl's head. "You're welcome."

Tai Chi Hall

Seeing Li Shimin put down the last memorial, Zhang Anan said, "Your Majesty, I went to the Ministry of Justice to check the records of the past two years, and there is no record of Xiao Ran."

Li Shimin frowned. "No?"

"After checking all the records of the trip, there was nothing there."

Li Shimin nodded. "Yes, I understand!"

Li Shimin walked out of the Taiji Hall and returned to the Lizheng Hall.

I could hear the laughter of the two little princesses from a great distance.

"Sizi, Second Mother!" Li Shimin called out.

"Yes, ya~"

"Father is here!" The little princess ran towards Li Shimin.

Empress Zhangsun and Li Lizhi, who were sitting in the front hall, also got up to greet Li Shimin.

The little princess snuggled into Li Shimin's arms, crying, "Daddy~ Take me to play~"

Li Shimin picked up the two little princesses, "Good, good, Father will take Sizi to play!"

"Daddy, shall we go play with Little Nangjun?" The little princess hugged Li Shimin's neck, "And the big dog too!"

So many fish~

The little girl wanted to go find Xiao Ran, and Li Shimin actually wanted to go too.

"Father is busy right now. How about we take Sizi when Father has time?"

"Hmmmm~"

“Father, me too, I want to go play too,” Princess Chengyang quickly added.

"Okay, okay, we'll all go, we'll all go."

The two princesses were delighted to receive Li Shimin's promise, even though he did not specify a time.

“Xiao Ran said before that he had returned from the Western Regions, but Anan could not find any record of his past in the Ministry of Justice.” Li Shimin pulled Empress Zhangsun to sit down.

"It seems the young master is holding back, or perhaps he came back secretly," Li Lizhi said thoughtfully.

Either he came back secretly, or he lied.

"Yes! That's interesting!" Li Shimin was very interested in Xiao Ran's cooking skills, fishing techniques, and a whole host of other things.

"Father, what should we do if the young master returned secretly on his own?" Li Lizhi asked Li Shimin.

"Then we'll see if he's valuable. If he's talented and useful to the Tang Dynasty, even if he doesn't have a registered household and is of lowly status, I won't mind giving him an important position."

Li Lizhi nodded. She could now sense that Xiao Ran's fishing skills and cooking abilities were amazing, but these were not enough to make Li Shimin value him.

To gain Li Shimin's attention, one must demonstrate other abilities and value.

Li Lizhi returned to her study in Fengyang Pavilion.

"Yu Shu, grind the ink!" "Yes, Your Highness!"

Everyone now knows that Xiao Ran was either lying or that he sneaked back.

This matter is actually quite serious. To put it mildly, he is a vagrant without a registered residence; to put it more seriously, Xiao Ran is even deceiving the emperor.

It could be a big deal or a small deal; the key is how Li Shimin wants to handle it.

Even if Xiao Ran had no other talents, just based on his cooking skills alone, Li Lizhi wanted to keep him.

Li Lizhi is currently unmarried and can only stay in the palace. Xiao Ran cannot enter the palace to follow Li Lizhi. However, Li Lizhi is the eldest daughter of the legitimate wife and has considerable power. She can arrange a reasonable identity for Xiao Ran and a suitable place for him.

With her excellent cooking skills, Li Lizhi was willing to keep Xiao Ran and support him as an advisor.

Yu Shu laid the Xuan paper on the table in front of Li Lizhi, and Li Lizhi picked up the brush and gently dipped it in the ink.

After a moment's thought, I began to write:
[Xiao Langjun Zhan Xin Jia'an:]

[We met by the water yesterday, and although we didn't have a chance to talk much, my younger sister mentioned you several times, and your cheerful and smiling demeanor seems to be right before my eyes.]

I recall you fishing, your rod casting a shadow across the water, fish swimming into your net. My father once remarked, "This boy's culinary skills are exquisite, and his fishing technique is especially masterful," demonstrating your refined taste.

The cakes and pastries bestowed upon me were sweet but not cloying, truly the first I had ever seen before; their exquisite aroma still lingers on my palate; the delicious flavors of the dishes remain on my tongue, and even now, thinking of them, I feel their lingering charm resonates.

[You, with whom I have only met by chance, have generously given me your entire fortune; I have always felt indebted to you.]

If you require any assistance, please do not hesitate to let me know.

Although I am of humble birth and limited knowledge, I will do my utmost to repay the kindness shown to me the other day.

As autumn winds begin to blow, I humbly request that you take good care of yourself.

After finishing writing, Li Lizhi put down her brush and waited for the ink to dry completely before putting it into the envelope.

He wrote on the envelope: [To be opened by Young Master Xiao Ran!]

"Yu Shu, arrange for someone to send them out, the sooner the better. The location is rather unusual; they might not be able to find them. There's a pond east of Kaolao Village; they're near the pond."

Li Lizhi also described Xiao Ran's appearance. Xiao Ran was quite unique and actually quite easy to identify.

Yu Shu accepted the letter with both hands. "It's Your Highness. This servant will make the arrangements immediately!"

"Don't let anyone else know about this!" Li Lizhi reminded him.

"Yes, this servant understands!"

Because of the calcium milk biscuits, Xiao Ran and San Niang became much closer.

Although he still didn't talk much, he wasn't as afraid of Xiao Ran as before.

I really like calcium milk biscuits, but I can't bear to eat them, so I put them in a rice cake.

Xiao Ran also accompanied the little girl to pick up millet ears in the fields where others had finished harvesting.

San Niang would glance at the Samoyed next to Xiao Ran every now and then.

"Little Black isn't fierce, it's very well-behaved. Do you want to pet it?" Xiao Ran knew what Third Sister was thinking.

"Young master, is it alright?"

"Sure." The Samoyed beside her smiled like an aunt, sticking out its tongue.

Third Sister then gently reached out and touched it, touching it very carefully.

"So soft and white!"

Noticing someone approaching, Xiao Ran turned around to look.

A young man, still holding a sickle,

At the age of eighteen or nineteen, his shoulders and back were somewhat hunched, and his coarse cloth shirt was soaked black with sweat, revealing clearly defined muscles in his forearms, a testament to years of hard work.

The most striking thing was the thick linen cloth wrapped around his forehead—the edges were frayed, but it was tightly bound at his hairline, as if it were digging into his flesh.

The wind between the ridges of the fields stirred up dust, making him squint. His face, tanned bronze by the sun, originally exuded the honesty characteristic of a farmer, but now his brow bones were high, his eye sockets were deep, and his pupils seemed to be filled with ice. Especially when he swept his gaze over Xiao Ran, his two eyes suddenly became sharp as knives.

Xiao Ran was startled; it seemed like they were hostile!
"Brother!" Third Sister called out.

"Third Sister, come here!" Zhang Dalang beckoned.

Third Sister glanced at Xiao Ran, then walked up to Zhang Dalang.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Zhang Dalang shielded his younger sister behind him, gripping his sickle and staring intently at Xiao Ran.

(End of this chapter)