A husband found in the village? I bought a regent for a penny!

Meng Chengping was about to knock on the door when he heard Gu Xixi's last words, and his raised hand froze in mid-air.

Eavesdropping on girls' private conversations is certainly not the act of a gentleman.

But he really wanted to know what kind of trouble He Jinglan was unwilling to tell him.

Is that the real reason she's been throwing tantrums lately and refusing to leave the Northwest?

After a short while, He Jinglan's voice was heard. "No."

"I can't decide my own marriage. Even if I talk about these things, it just turns one person's troubles into two people's."

“That day he came to convey General Huo’s message to me, do you know his expression?”

He Jinglan recalled Meng Chengping's appearance at that time, and a gentle smile appeared in her eyes.

"He stammered several times before finally managing to finish a simple sentence, and he didn't dare look me in the eye while he was speaking."

“I know what he’s thinking. He doesn’t want me to leave, but he has to let me go. He’s the one saying these things to me because he feels guilty towards me.”

"So in these last few days, I don't want him to feel more pressured when he faces me. It's better to have some bickering and arguing, which might lessen his guilt."

Gu Xixi looked at He Jinglan with heartache.

Others only see the young lady being willful and throwing tantrums, but who understands the bitterness in her heart?

Meng Chengping stood outside the door with his head down, and his hand slowly lowered to knock.

His elder sister, Madam Meng, used to say that he was a carefree, optimistic person who wouldn't cry even if you stabbed him with an awl.

But at this moment, it felt as if an invisible hand was gripping his heart.

A fine, persistent pain spread up his body, not intense, but like waves on the water, one after another, making it hard for him to breathe.

Pain, she understood him so well.

He was in pain, and he was powerless to refute the reasons she gave.

Inside the room, Gu Xixi looked at He Jinglan, her thoughts racing.

As a transmigrator, she shouldn't interfere with anyone's choices.

but……

Calculation and weighing options are no match for sincerity.

Gu Xixi said seriously, "Jinglan, I will not judge how you choose between General Meng and me."

"But I disagree with your statement that you have no other skills."

He Jinglan looked up at Gu Xixi with some surprise.

Gu Xixi continued, "For the sake of your family, and for the person you chose to marry, you, a young woman, dared to venture alone to the Northwest. This courage alone is something many people don't possess."

"You are very smart. You can see many things clearly, yet you are worldly-wise without being cynical."

"In matters of the heart, you are clear-headed and independent, able to let go easily. If you say you don't like Mu Nanzhao, then you don't like him."

"Honestly, I really admire you!"

He Jinglan stared blankly, her cherry lips slightly parted, clearly surprised.

I never expected that I would have so many good qualities in Gu Xixi's eyes.

Gu Xixi turned around and pressed her hands firmly on He Jinglan's shoulders, facing her face to face, their eyes meeting.

"So Jinglan, you can do this to Mu Nanzhao, and you can discard someone you have no feelings for without regret. Why then do you want to marry someone else you don't like?"

He Jinglan was still immersed in shock and emotion, but her expression froze when she heard the rest.

Her eyes darted around as she said, "Well... besides what you said... there are actually other reasons."

Gu Xixi blinked. "Another reason?"

"Mm." He Jinglan nodded.

She looked at Gu Xixi again and said, "Firstly, considering how much he has taken care of me and my brother since we were little, I can't let him fall into the same trap of arranged marriage as me."

"Secondly," He Jinglan smiled and pursed her lips, seemingly with a profound meaning.

"If both of my friends can find happiness in the future, then my choice will have been well worth it."

"I'll sit at the head table at the wedding!"

"Your two friends?" Gu Xixi repeated, as if she understood something.

Gu Xixi let out a short breath and said, "So you didn't want him, but gave him to me?"

You should speak frankly in front of your friends.

Gu Xixi waved her hand and said, "To be honest, I have no such intention at all."

"If you want to sit at the head table, why don't I wait until I have farmland all over the world, full granaries, and piles of gold and silver, then I will definitely host a banquet for you in my mansion, and I will even set up a table just for you."

He Jinglan burst out laughing.

She clutched her stomach and collapsed onto Gu Xixi, only sitting up a while later, wiping away tears of laughter from the corners of her eyes.

"Oh, I'll be waiting then,"

"Since you'll be so rich and have an endless supply of rice and grain, if I don't want to live with my future husband anymore, I'll divorce him, and you can support me for the rest of my life."

Gu Xixi glanced at her and smiled, "You're too modest. With your generous dowry, Miss He, why would I need to support you? However, I would be happy to."

The two hugged and laughed until they were done.

He Jinglan suddenly pointed to the door and winked at Gu Xixi.

Then, while talking, she tiptoed toward the door.

"Xixi, you still haven't told me why you came this time?"

“You’re not as free as me, so you must have something important to do if you’ve made this special trip.”

Seeing He Jinglan's actions, Gu Xixi understood and said, "She originally came to check on my fruit trees."

"Unexpectedly, I took on other jobs."

"I would be grateful if you could help me tomorrow."

He Jinglan nodded to Gu Xixi without saying anything more, then quickly ran to the door and opened it.

The light from inside the house poured out, illuminating the distraught man outside the door.

Meng Chengping subconsciously looked up, "Jinglan..."

He Jinglan looked at him with a half-smile, "Don't you like to be straightforward and honest? How come you've learned to eavesdrop?"

Meng Chengping stared at her blankly, unable to utter a single word.

He Jinglan's smile turned cold as she asked, "Since you heard everything, what are your thoughts?"

“I…” Meng Chengping clenched his hands tightly at his sides.

He kept his head down, not even daring to look He Jinglan in the eye.

He Jinglan naturally understood. Seeing that Meng Chengping couldn't bring himself to say it, she gave him a choice: "Do you want to come inside and let me stay, or do you want to leave now?"

Meng Chengping clenched his teeth, then suddenly loosened his grip and looked up at He Jinglan.

"I'm sorry."

The new emperor and his faction of ministers had long coveted the northwest.

If something happens to the He family's daughter in the Northwest, these people will use the pretext of unrest in the Northwest and the poor defense of the Huojiang border to plant spies in the Northwest.

Huo Jiang secretly told Meng Chengping this reason only when he instructed him to pass on the message.

Between personal feelings and the greater good, Meng Chengping could not ask the general to change his mind because of his personal feelings.

Logically speaking, military orders are absolute, and generals must obey them unconditionally.

Meng Chengping did not offer any explanation to He Jinglan; he simply said he was sorry.

Any reasons given are just weak and feeble excuses.

He gave He Jinglan one last deep look, and then gave Gu Xixi, who came out after him, a pleading look.

"I'll be on night watch outside. Just call me if you need anything."