Mad Queen Leaves the Palace

During these long two weeks, Xiao Lan and Yan Nanhui traveled back and forth between Minglu Academy and Wutong Residence almost every day. They worked tirelessly, seemingly without ever getting tired.

After these days of hard work, Wutongju has undergone a complete transformation. The front building and backyard have been renovated to near perfection, with every detail showing traces of meticulous design. The pavilions and towers are arranged in a harmonious and orderly manner, the flowers, trees and shrubs are lush and verdant, and the winding paths are like a beautiful painting.

However, just when everything seemed to be going smoothly, Yan Nan Hui suddenly received an urgent summons from the Ministry of Rites, asking him to return to handle some important matters. Although he was somewhat reluctant, Yan Nan Hui knew the weight of his responsibility and had no choice but to temporarily put aside his work on Wutong Residence and rush back to the Ministry of Rites. Xiao Lan, on the other hand, remained alone at Wutong Residence, continuing to protect this beautiful home that was gradually taking shape.

After Yan Nan left, Xiao Lan stayed at Wutong Residence to carefully explain some important matters to Yue'er. Just then, a figure hurriedly came running from a distance. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Zhang Jiabao running towards them. He was covered in sweat and his breathing was somewhat rapid.

As Zhang Jiabao ran closer, panting, he said to Xiao Lan, "Miss, it's terrible! Young Master Mu An is here. Brother Yuan told me to come and take you back right away." Hearing this, Xiao Lan was startled and quickly asked, "What? Who's here? Is it my brother?" She looked at Zhang Jiabao with suspicion, seemingly unable to believe what she had heard.

Zhang Jiabao nodded vigorously, finally catching his breath, and hurriedly replied, "That's right, it's Young Master Mu An. He's already waiting for you at home." After saying that, he took a few more deep breaths, trying to calm his breathing, which had become disordered from running.

"Hurry, hurry! Yue'er, Dingding, Dangdang, quickly call Lady Xue to come with us and leave this place. We need to get home as soon as possible!" she shouted anxiously, her voice revealing a hint of urgency and panic. As soon as she finished speaking, as if suddenly remembering something important, she turned abruptly and called out to Uncle Zhang, who was not far behind her, "Uncle Zhang, please tell him that if the Fifth Prince returns later, I have already told him that my elder brother has arrived in the capital, and I have gone home ahead of him." With that, she reached out and grabbed the hands of the maids beside her, hurriedly getting into the carriage.

The carriage was quite crowded due to the large number of people. Just then, the clever Dingding noticed two fine horses beside Uncle Zhang and quickly borrowed them from him. She and Dangdang each mounted one and followed closely behind the carriage. At this moment, Xiao Lan secretly regretted not practicing her riding skills more, otherwise she could have seen her beloved brother sooner. However, she then thought, why would her brother be in such a hurry to come to the capital before autumn had even arrived? Could something unexpected have happened at home? Thinking of this, she became worried and quickly turned to the coachman, Zhang Jiabao, urging, "Dabao, speed up! Don't delay us!"

Upon arriving at the Xiao residence in Dingxiang Hutong, Xiao Lan looked around to make sure no one was there. Without waiting for Dingding to help her, she jumped off the carriage and headed towards the inner courtyard. In the inner courtyard, the handsome man with bright eyes and white teeth standing under the tree was none other than Xiao Mu'an.

"Brother!" Xiao Lan cried out excitedly, rushing over like a joyful little deer to tightly embrace Xiao Mu'an's broad and warm body. Since waking up in this life, she had never seen Xiao Mu'an, whom she longed for day and night. And the painful memories of her past life flooded back like a tide—deep in her memory, Xiao Mu'an's handsome face had been cruelly disfigured by the ruthless Cui Jiu and the treacherous Yue Ji, so much so that later, whenever he went out, he would always wear a black mask to conceal his heartbreaking scars.

So many years have passed, and Xiao Lan had almost forgotten Xiao Mu'an's original handsome appearance. Yet now, in this life, fate had changed. Without the past conspiracies and betrayals, Xiao Mu'an stood before her, unharmed and healthy. Looking at this familiar yet unfamiliar figure, Xiao Lan was overwhelmed with emotion, her joy indescribable. Her eyes welled up with tears, threatening to spill over at any moment.

Xiao Mu'an keenly noticed the slightly unusual expression on his younger sister's face. He smiled slightly, reached out and gently stroked Xiao Lan's soft hair, and said in a gentle tone, "Oh, my little girl, what's wrong? Why are you about to burst into tears as soon as you see your brother? Did someone bully you? Tell your brother, and I'll go and teach them a lesson for you!"

Upon hearing her brother's words, Xiao Lan quickly sniffed, trying to hold back the tears that were about to spill from her eyes. She looked up at Xiao Mu'an and said coquettishly, "Hmph, brother, you're just teasing me. I wasn't about to cry! I'm just so happy to see you." As she spoke, Xiao Lan reached out and tugged at Xiao Mu'an's sleeve, gently shaking it. She blinked her bright, watery eyes and asked curiously, "Brother, wasn't the imperial examination supposed to be next year? Why did you come early this year? Did something happen back in our hometown of Yuzhou?" After asking the question, Xiao Lan's face instantly showed a look of astonishment, her beautiful eyes fixed on Xiao Mu'an, as if she was very worried that what she had just said would come true.

Xiao Mu'an couldn't help but chuckle. He gently tapped Xiao Lan's head with his long, strong fingers, his eyes filled with doting affection as he said, "Silly girl, everything is fine here in Yuzhou! Father and Mother are in good health and high spirits, living peacefully and steadily. However, this time I didn't come directly from Yuzhou, but traveled all the way from Shaozhou. And, I have some good news to tell you—my aunt and cousin Yu Yu have also returned! Not long after I entered the city, I happened to run into my uncle on the street. So, I went with him to the General's Mansion to pay my respects to the elders. Everyone said they would come to visit you all later."

"Shaozhou, brother, why are you going to Shaozhou? Is something wrong with Grandpa?" Xiao Lan was relieved to hear that her parents were alright, but now that Xiao Mu'an had come to the capital from Shaozhou, she started to worry about her maternal grandparents again.

"The Jiang family has finally divided up! This division has caused quite a stir. The fields and deeds in Shaozhou, except for that old house, have all been given to your eldest and second uncles. As for our maternal grandfather, he used to own a manor and an estate in the capital. Well, that manor is now in our mother's hands, and the estate has been given to your aunt. I'm here today specifically to handle these deeds." Xiao Mu'an said, while keeping an eye on the people around him who were busy helping him carry his luggage. Seeing everyone busy with their own things, he lowered his voice and continued to speak to Xiao Lan: "Remember last time? You specifically told me to be careful of that guy named Cui Jiu. Hey, you were right! I observed him carefully for a long time afterward and found that he really does have some problems. I was thinking, what if he suddenly tries to harm me one day? Rather than living in constant fear of him, it's safer for me to stay far away from him. Besides, I still have to participate in the palace examination no matter what. Coming to the capital earlier will also allow me to familiarize myself with the environment here, right? In addition, you are just a girl after all. How can I, as your older brother, be at ease leaving you here alone? So I thought I should come over as soon as possible. At least with your older brother by your side, I can take care of you and protect you."

Xiao Lan's lips curled into a slight smile of relief as she softly said, "Home is the best! No matter what, my brother always thinks of protecting my safety first." She couldn't help but think of other families where daughters were often merely used as tools to help their sons climb the social ladder. She, on the other hand, was fortunate to have such a loving and caring older brother.

However, a trace of worry flashed through Xiao Lan's mind. Although she had already sold off the hateful roses, the cunning and treacherous Cui Jiu, like a venomous snake, was still lurking in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to strike. Moreover, this person seemed to have incurred a considerable grudge against her brother. Fortunately, her brother was now by her side, and as long as he was under her watchful eye, she would absolutely not allow Cui Jiu to have another chance to harm her brother in the slightest.

However, what her brother had just said wasn't without merit—it's easy to dodge a spear in the open, but hard to guard against an arrow in the dark. That Cui Jiu was also going to participate in the palace examination and would arrive in the capital sooner or later. It seemed she had to find a way to arrange several skilled bodyguards for her brother. Thinking of this, a series of ideas flashed through Xiao Lan's mind. Should she speak to Uncle Lin and ask Uncle Li to stay for now and not rush back? Or perhaps she could ask Yan Nan to help find some reliable and highly skilled men in the capital.

Just as Xiao Lan was racking her brains, her gaze suddenly fell on Dangdang beside her. She slapped her forehead, realizing, "Ah! Isn't this the perfect candidate? The Dingding and Dangdang sisters have been with me for a whole month now, and during that time, I've tested them thoroughly. Although Dangdang's martial arts are slightly inferior to Dingding's, she's proficient in hidden weapons. Lately, since I can only bring one maid with me at the academy, after much deliberation, Xiao Lan thought it best to let Dangdang serve Xiao Mu'an for a while, and then replace her when a more suitable person is found." Having made up her mind, Xiao Lan called out loudly into the courtyard, "Dangdang, come to me quickly!"

At this moment, Dangdang was diligently studying how to manage a shop with Yue'er and Xue Zhenzhen at Wutong Residence. While the young girl was indeed intelligent and quick-witted, her previous life of wandering the martial world, filled with sword fights and violence, had made her rather impulsive and impatient, unlike Yue'er and Xue Zhenzhen who could patiently settle down and learn. Therefore, Xiao Lan considered that it might be more appropriate to bring Dangdang back to her side, so that she could be responsible for protecting her brother.

"Miss, you wanted to see me?" Dangdang came running over, and after stopping, she first clasped her hands together and bowed deeply to Xiao Lan. However, she suddenly stopped halfway through the bow, as if she had thought of something. She scratched her head, a slightly embarrassed look on her face, and then quickly lowered her hands, instead raising her right hand slightly, bending her fingers slightly, and gently waving it from left to right, giving Xiao Lan a standard hand-waving greeting.

Xiao Lan saw all of this and couldn't help but smile. Her smile, as radiant as spring blossoms, instantly warmed the surrounding air.

“This is my elder brother, Xiao Mu’an. From now on, you will serve by his side and be responsible for his personal safety. In a few days, I will also arrange for Uncle Li to work with you.” Xiao Lan said slowly, her gaze fixed on Dangdang, as if trying to see into her heart through her eyes. After speaking, she continued to quietly watch Dangdang, waiting for her response.

"Yes, Miss!" Dangdang responded without hesitation upon hearing the order and quickly took a step forward, ready to carry out the task. She originally intended to give Xiao Mu'an an elegant wave of her hand to show her respect, but then she thought that such a gesture seemed a bit casual and not enough to show the respect and seriousness that should be shown to this young master.

After a brief moment of thought, Dangdang decisively decided to change her behavior to the more formal and solemn fist-and-palm salute. She clenched her hands into fists, bowed slightly, and then said loudly, "Dangdang greets Young Master!" Her voice was loud and powerful, revealing her utmost sincerity and reverence.

At this moment, Xiao Mu'an was quietly observing the scene before him. A complex mix of emotions welled up within him at his sister's meticulous and thoughtful arrangements. On one hand, as a grown man, he felt confident in his ability to protect himself and didn't need to rely on a woman for protection; on the other hand, he knew his sister was always meticulous and thoughtful, and there must be a reason behind her arrangements.

Thinking of this, Xiao Mu'an pondered for a moment, then nodded gently and slowly. His movements were elegant and composed, as if every slight sway contained profound meaning. Through this simple gesture, he indicated that he understood the matter and readily accepted his sister's well-intentioned arrangement.

At that moment, a fleeting, elusive look of satisfaction flashed in his deep, pool-like eyes. The light, like a shooting star streaking across the night sky, was brief, yet enough to convey warmth and joy. Simultaneously, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, forming a faint smile. That smile, like a flower blooming in spring, was understated yet possessed a captivating charm that drew people in.

Xiao Lan, who had been observing her brother's reaction, keenly sensed his subtle distrust of Dangdang. She quickly explained, "Brother, don't worry! This is a martial maid that Uncle Lin specially found for me. Besides, Dangdang has a twin sister named Dingding." As she spoke, Xiao Lan pointed to Dingding, who was not far away.

Following his sister's pointing finger, Xiao Mu'an noticed that the two women standing in the courtyard looked remarkably alike. At first glance, they seemed almost identical. However, upon closer inspection, subtle differences became apparent. The girl named Dangdang wore a light, pale yellow dress, exuding a fresh and elegant charm; while the other woman, Dingding, wore a dark blue martial arts uniform, looking dashing and spirited. Despite their different styles of clothing, their faces were so similar that Xiao Mu'an, relying solely on the colors of their clothes, found it difficult to distinguish them at first glance.

Xiao Lan covered her mouth and chuckled, her beautiful eyes curving into crescent shapes. She teased her brother, "Brother, look at you, so confused! Actually, it's quite simple to tell the difference between Dingding and Dangdang. Just observe carefully, and you'll see that the one with the mole at the corner of her right eye is Dingding, and the one without the mole is Dangdang. But this is only a temporary method. After you spend more time with them, you'll easily notice their very different personalities. Then, even without relying on the mole at the corner of their eyes, you'll be able to accurately distinguish who's who!"

Xiao Mu'an nodded seriously and replied, "Okay, I'll remember it." After he finished speaking, he first looked at Dangdang beside him, who was charming and cute with a bright smile. Then he turned to look at Dingding in the distance, who was standing gracefully with a gentle and quiet temperament.