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

Gu Xixi had never spoken in such a tone before.

Mu Nanzhao finally looked at her, "It's just a failed purchase order, how much loss can there be?"

"Nothing?!" Gu Xixi laughed in exasperation.

She simply stopped walking and said, "You were born a man, so naturally you don't know how difficult it is for women to survive independently in this world."

"She sincerely wanted to buy pearls and saw hope in you, but you were just using her."

"So, you can still describe how much loss there is?"

After Gu Xixi finished speaking, she stormed off in a huff.

Mu Nanzhao frowned and asked, "Where are you going?"

Gu Xixi didn't even turn her head. "Change back into my own clothes!"

"Wearing this piece of junk that's useless for working in the fields back in the village, people will laugh their heads off!"

Mu Nanzhao looked down at himself and followed.

After leaving the county town, Gu Xixi and Mu Nanzhao hitched a ride with someone who was hauling firewood.

They got off the bus halfway and continued walking.

Gu Xixi remained silent, her face cold as she ignored Mu Nanzhao.

Perhaps out of boredom, Mu Nanzhao asked, "Are you angry?"

Gu Xixi calmly replied, "I wouldn't dare."

There was a moment of silence.

Mu Nanzhao said in a deep voice, "Madam Meng's younger brother is the garrison commander of Qingtian County. He is young and promising, and reports directly to the General of the Northwest Army. He is deeply trusted by the General."

Gu Xixi understood, "You plan to meet the person you really want to see through Madam Meng."

Mu Nanzhao nodded. Now that Gu Xixi was involved, he no longer hesitated to speak out.

"The imperial court is now dominated by powerful relatives of the empress, who are using the young emperor to wreak havoc on the government."

“The princes and their relatives from various regions will certainly not accept this.”

"It won't be long before the world enters a period of great chaos and great order."

Gu Xixi said indifferently, "I'm just a farmer, why are you telling me all this?"

Mu Nanzhao gazed intently at her.

"When the nest is overturned, no egg remains intact. With your intelligence, you should understand this principle."

"Otherwise, why did you tell Aunt Zhang that after the autumn harvest, you should at least save enough food for the whole family for two years, and sell the rest to buy gold and silver?"

Gu Xixi raised her head unhappily, "You were eavesdropping on me?!"

Mu Nanzhao said calmly, "We live in the same house, so even if you don't want to hear it, you've already heard it."

Gu Xixi looked at Mu Nanzhao, then suddenly sneered, "You speak so eloquently."

"Didn't you have your own selfish motives in that?"

Mu Nanzhao stared into her eyes. "Go on."

Gu Xixi knew the consequences when she agreed to help Mu Nanzhao.

But only when you actually get involved do you realize how chaotic and confused you are.

Her frustration had reached its peak, and she decided she had to vent.

"You want to regain power and be adored by the masses again. You want to take revenge on those who framed you and drove you out of the capital, and make them taste twice as much of the suffering you have endured."

"For this reason, you can even exploit children."

"For example, today, you deliberately arranged for someone else to lure Qing'er away, and then you led me to find Qing'er."

“If you come with me to escort Qing’er back, Madam Meng will consider us her benefactors and won’t be too wary of you.”

"I'm really scared when I'm with you."

"I'm afraid that one day I'll be used by you without realizing it, hurting others and myself without even knowing it."

Mu Nanzhao's eyes darkened, like thick black clouds before a storm.

"you are right."

"I am the kind of person who will stop at nothing and has no bottom line."

His expression was extremely angry, like a wild beast about to erupt.

Gu Xixi looked around and found that there was no one else on the road except for the two of them.

She stepped back warily, reaching one hand into her small cloth bag.

"What are you planning to do? Don't forget what you promised me."

Fortunately, she asked the old doctor for some sleeping potion.

If Mu Nanzhao dares to make any rash moves, she will no longer let him do as he pleases as she did in the past!

However, the anger in Mu Nanzhao's eyes gradually subsided, returning to endless indifference.

Just like the look in Gu Xixi's eyes when she first met him.

Mu Nanzhao walked forward alone.

He didn't walk too fast, keeping Gu Xixi within three to five steps of him.

The two returned home one after the other, and neither of them spoke again.

Aunt Zhang sensed something was wrong, stopped Xixi, and asked in a low voice, "What's wrong with Xiao Chen? He seems unhappy. He didn't say a word and went straight back inside as soon as he came in."

Gu Xixi forced a smile and said, "It's nothing, I'm probably just tired."

She thought for a moment and then said, "Auntie, why don't you bring the food to his room later? He might not want to come out to eat."

In the evening, Aunt Zhang went to the west room to deliver dinner.

Under the lamplight, Mu Nanzhao lay on the bed, while the old doctor cleaned the silver needles beside him.

Hearing footsteps, the old doctor turned around and made a shushing gesture, "Shh, keep your voice down."

"He just had acupuncture and fell asleep."

Aunt Zhang nodded, gently and slowly placed the tray on the table, and whispered, "Let him sleep, you come and eat first."

The old doctor washed his hands, sat down, and sniffed contentedly.

"What a lucky day! We get to eat meat."

In the very center of the table, a plate of roasted pork smelled delicious.

It's served with a plate of vibrant green water spinach, a few soft flatbreads, and a bowl of mung bean and millet soup cooled to a lukewarm temperature.

Aunt Zhang said with a smile, "This afternoon I traded some wild boar meat with a hunter. Everyone's been working hard lately, so we need to replenish our bodies."

There's still some in the pot, eat as much as you want.

She took two steps toward the door, then turned back and said, "Please take good care of Xiao Chen's health."

“Our Xixi has had troubled relationships with her family since she was little. So, we need to find her a husband who can be with her for a long time.”

The old doctor grinned. "I know you're most worried about that girl."

"Don't worry, with me here, this kid is still alive."

Gu Xixi was still busy in her room and didn't notice that it was already dark.

Until Aunt Zhang knocked on the door, "Xixi, dinner's ready."

Gu Xixi hurriedly opened the door, took the tray from Aunt Zhang's hand, and said, "Just call me when it's time to eat, there's no need to trouble you to bring it over."

Aunt Zhang laughed and said, "You're so busy you don't even realize you're hungry, so I can only come over and eat with you!"

The two sat facing each other under the lamp, eating.

Aunt Zhang said, "I just delivered food to the west room. Little Chen is asleep. He must be really tired from walking around."

Gu Xixi was taken aback.

Despite having just argued with Mu Nanzhao, she had no intention of caring about him.

But after a moment, she asked in a calm tone:

"Is he... feeling unwell again?"

Aunt Zhang took a sip of soup. "The old doctor gave him acupuncture, but didn't say anything else. He should be fine, right?"

Gu Xixi hummed in agreement and buried her head in her food.

For the next two days, Gu Xixi either locked herself in her room or ran out for most of the day and disappeared without a trace.

The same goes for Mu Nanzhao.

The two rarely saw each other, and even when they occasionally bumped into each other at home, neither of them spoke.

Even though they sat at the same table for lunch, Aunt Zhang and the old doctor started chatting.

Gu Xixi and Mu Nanzhao each spoke their own words, but they didn't exchange any words with each other.

Aunt Zhang secretly asked Old Doctor Zhang, "Have you noticed that Xixi and Xiao Chen are acting strangely?"