Repeatedly broken branches

"Xiao Su, let's go out and buy some meat to improve our meals. I'm turning into a rabbit from eating boiled cabbage every day."

Xiao Su scratched her head sheepishly, "I'm so sorry, Sister Xiao Mu, I forgot you probably wouldn't like these dishes. Let's go together."

Xiao Mu and Xiao Suzi arrived on the street, but there were hardly any meat shops. Fortunately, there was a restaurant. Since they weren't very good at cooking, they might as well cook some dishes to take back.

Xiao Suzi stopped her, saying, "Sister Xiao Mu, this restaurant is very expensive; only landlords can afford to eat here."

Xiao Mu smiled and said, "It's not like I'm short of money. Go in and order whatever you like, don't be shy, just make sure you're full."

Xiao Suzi still didn't dare to move. She had never even thought about going into such an expensive place. Just passing by it felt like it was out of reach.

How many boxes of rouge would she have to sell to afford a place like that? The cost of one meal there could probably support the four of them for several years.

"Okay, okay, let's go in together." Xiao Mu could tell that she was too embarrassed to order, so she could only lead Xiao Suzi inside by herself.

As soon as she entered, Xiao Suzi looked around like Grandma Liu visiting the Grand View Garden, glancing left and right.

"I'd like a serving of braised pork ribs, roasted lamb chops, a large pot of camel milk, a plate of goat milk cake, and a whole roasted lamb as well."

"There's so much, can we finish it all?" Xiao Su asked with some concern.

Xiao Mu smiled and said, "Don't worry, we can give the leftovers to your neighbors."

Xie Huai was just wondering if he was seeing things when he got closer and saw that it really was the brat Jiu Guang had met. He never expected to run into her in the Western Regions. Fate is truly mysterious and unpredictable.

"Hey, brat, what are you doing in the Western Regions? And where's your stinky little emperor guard? Did he abandon you?" Xie Huai mocked Xiao Mu's retreating figure.

Xiao Mu thought the voice sounded familiar, and when she turned around, she saw that it was Xie Huai, the jewelry master from the Western Regions. Hmph, no wonder he was so arrogant. Now that it was his territory, he was naturally extremely arrogant.

Xiao Mu glanced at him and said casually, "What's it to you? Do you own this place?"

Xie Huai chuckled. He didn't mean anything by it. It was just a greeting, why the big reaction?

"Where's that young emperor? Why didn't he come? Is he at ease?"

"What's it to you? Are you here to eat or to pry into other people's business? Xie Huai, you're way too nosy!"

Xie Huai was humiliated, but of course he wasn't going to swallow his anger like that. He raised the corners of his mouth slightly and said sarcastically, "Could it be that you were dumped and fled to the Western Regions?"

Xiao Suzi, standing to the side, was a little confused. What little emperor? What Xie Huai? Xie Huai, is he the Xie Huai who is the royal jewelry master?

He was so handsome; she had never seen such a good-looking man.

Xiao Mu ignored Xie Huai, grabbed the takeout container, and pulled Xiao Suzi to leave the restaurant. But Xie Huai kept following them, like a persistent ghost. What was someone like him doing in Hongzhen? Was he a government employee here to experience life in the countryside?

"I haven't eaten either, how about you treat me to a meal?"

Xiao Mu glanced at him and said without hesitation, "You wish! Why don't you treat me to a meal? You're so rich."

Xie Huai took out his money pouch and readily said, "Sure, I'll treat you to dinner at the best restaurant, just the two of us, is that alright?"

Xiao Su blinked, not daring to speak.

"Don't follow us anymore. We are all girls, and it's really improper for a man like you to follow us. If people find out, how will we get married?"

Xie Huai gave a forced smile and said, "Then I'll marry you all, and you can be the first wife, okay?"

Xiao Suzi's face instantly turned red, and her heart pounded wildly.

Xiao Mu glanced at him, her gaze sharp and cold. "Stop talking nonsense, okay? Big brother, we don't even know each other. Why do you insist on following us?"

Xie Huai smiled enigmatically. "It's enough that I know you. I know your identity, and I know your relationship with my employer. So, is it wrong for me to try and get closer to you?"

"Trying to get close?" Xiao Mu sneered repeatedly. "They don't recognize me. I think you've come to the wrong person." Xiao Mu handed the food box to Xiao Suzi and said indifferently, "You and your sisters eat first. I'll talk to this person for a bit and then go back. Don't wait for me. You eat first."

Little Su smiled sweetly, "Okay, Sister Xiao Mu, then hurry up." Clutching the food box, she dashed off and disappeared in a flash.

Xie Huai watched Xiao Suzi's retreating figure, a smile playing on his lips. "You're hiding your identity from them because you're afraid they'll use it for something?"

"No, please don't think of people in such a dirty way. What do you want from me?"

Xie Huai's voice was deep. "Didn't I just say that I wanted to get closer to you? You're my employer's granddaughter, isn't it normal for me to try to please you?"

"Trying to please? I didn't see that coming from her," Xiao Mu muttered.

Xie Huai took out a small jade pendant from his sleeve. It was made of mutton fat jade and had a phoenix returning to its nest pattern on it. It was decorated with pale yellow tassels at the bottom. It looked like something that the royal family would use. Someone like him couldn't just wear it casually.

Xie Huai frankly stated, "This is not mine; it is Princess Wei's keepsake. The old man wanted me to make a one-to-one replica, so it has been kept here with me. Your mother was his most beloved, and the place where she used to live has been preserved exactly as it was..."

Xiao Mu interrupted him, "Why are you telling me all this? Did he send you? Did you take his money?"

Xie Huai felt a mix of emotions. He had indeed taken the money, but seeing how indifferent she seemed to be, he really didn't want to say anything more. But taking money to do things was the rule, and besides, the employer was this girl's maternal grandfather. What could he do to her? Why wouldn't she mention him?

"He knows you've come to the Western Regions, so... he asked me to take you to see him?"

"How did he know?" Xiao Mu looked at Xie Huai in astonishment. "I've never even been to the capital. How did he know?"

Xie Huai hesitated for a long time before saying, "It was Yu Yanjing who sent someone to tell us. Otherwise, how could we have known? You've been hiding your identity, so I don't know why he would come to tell the old man this."

Thanks to Yu Yanjing, he could make a fortune again. It was Yu Yanjing who personally resigned to act as a persuader. Otherwise, why would he have sought out someone who had nothing to do with Xia Yunzhi this time?

What exactly does Yu Yanjing mean? Why is he telling his maternal grandfather all this? Is he in cahoots with his maternal grandfather? Or is he afraid that if he runs away, he will never come back?

She was furious at what he did. At least, she trusted him so much. Why would he betray her? Xiao Mu couldn't understand it, and she couldn't figure it out. Why?

Does her opinion not matter at all? She clearly said that she did not want to acknowledge her maternal grandfather and uncle, so why did Yu Yanjing tell them about her being in the Western Regions without any consideration?

She felt utterly desperate; in this world, who could she still trust?

"I don't want to see them."

Xiao Mu lowered her head, not wanting Xie Huai to see her sadness. She didn't want to see him because she had no feelings for them.

Furthermore, because of her mother, she was unwilling to see her uncle and maternal grandfather. If they hadn't sent her mother to Chen Kingdom for a political marriage, none of the subsequent events would have happened, and she wouldn't be a person without a home, without an identity, without relatives. Could she ever return to her former home, the palace? Her current home was just something she bought herself; there were no family members inside, only herself. It turned out to be true. Whether in this life or the previous life she returned to, she was always alone. She originally thought she could rely on Yu Yanjing, but didn't he betray her?

"Okay, if they're not going to see you, they're not going to see you. You should go back now. They're probably still waiting for you."

Xie Huai didn't want to pressure her anymore. He knew that children who had been separated from their families had no feelings for their relatives. Because he had been an orphan since childhood and had grown up in a state of constant displacement, he didn't even know what country he was from. Therefore, his feelings for his relatives were also a blank.

"Okay, I hope we never see each other again, Xie Huai." Xiao Mu's tone was resolute. She didn't want to have anything to do with people associated with those people anymore, so as not to make herself feel unhappy.

Xie Huai smiled with his head down, concealing the disappointment in his eyes. He lowered his voice and said, "I know. Go back now. I'll tell the old man that you don't want to go back, and we won't see each other again."

Xiao Mu nodded. That would be best. There shouldn't be any entanglement between them. They're from two different worlds. What would happen if they just ran away from here to somewhere else? Yu Yanjing would be furious. He was finally going to marry the Empress, but at the last minute, she ran away. Wouldn't that be interesting?

It's his own fault for telling his maternal grandparents. Besides, she didn't want to get married so early. If she had a mother, she wouldn't have to worry about these things at all.

Back at Xiao Suzi's house, she had already laid out the packed food. Her three younger sisters sat around the table, staring longingly at the delicious dishes, but they didn't touch their chopsticks.

"Sister Xiaomu, why are you back so soon?"

Xiao Mu smiled and said, "It's nothing, you guys eat quickly, why are you waiting for me? The food is getting cold."

Xiao Qingzi picked up her chopsticks to pick up a piece of pork rib, but before she could react, Xiao Suzi gave her a quick glance, and Xiao Qingzi immediately put down her chopsticks, staring longingly at the pork rib, looking extremely aggrieved.

"What are you doing, Xiao Suzi? Let Xiao Qingzi eat." Xiao Mu picked up a rib and put it in Xiao Qingzi's bowl, giving each of them a piece of rib.

The three younger sisters began to eat heartily. Xiao Mu picked up a small knife and silently picked off pieces of meat from the roasted whole lamb and put them into their bowls, but she didn't eat a single bite herself.

Xiao Su asked worriedly, "Sister Xiao Mu, aren't you hungry? Why do you keep giving us food but not eating any yourself?"

"I'm not hungry yet, you guys eat first. There's so much food, just leave some for me. Little Su, don't just eat rice, have some meat, come on..."

……

At night, after everyone had gone to sleep, Xiao Mu tossed and turned in bed. She wanted to escape, to run away to a place where no one knew her. But her shop was just starting out. What would happen to Xiao Shao and Ruan Cifeng if she wasn't there? Yu Yanjing would be furious and would probably find her and tear her to pieces.

However, for some reason, she was unwilling to face reality. She loved Yu Yanjing very much, and according to the proper procedure, she should have married him, had children, and been together for life. But at this point, she wanted to escape. Although she didn't know why Yu Yanjing would do this, she was no longer angry.

There must be a reason.

Why would he suddenly act like this?

I was drifting off to sleep when I smelled something burning, the smell gradually intensifying until it became strong and pungent.

Xiao Mu quickly opened her eyes and saw smoke billowing from the crack in the door. Turning her gaze to the window, she saw a blazing fire burning in the room where Xiao Su and her three sisters were.

Seeing that things were going badly, Xiao Mu quickly got out of bed and opened the door. The fire had already spread to the doorway of the room, and the surrounding area had been burned down. There was nowhere to put her feet, and she was surrounded by flames.

She quickly grabbed a cloth, soaked it in water, and covered her mouth and nose. She had to rush out; Xiao Su and the others were still trapped in the room, their fevers still raging, much worse than hers.

However, covering her nose and mouth with a damp cloth was of no use. Her eyes were so irritated by the smoke that she couldn't open them at all, and tears kept streaming down her face. The smoke seeped through the cloth into her lungs, causing her to cough violently.

Taking advantage of the weakening fire, she gritted her teeth and rushed out. She felt as if her shoulder was being burned by flames, and a large part of her clothes were burned off. However, she didn't have time to care about these things. She just wanted to rescue Xiao Suzi and the others as soon as possible.

However, when Xiao Mu saw what was in front of her, her heart sank. The place where Xiao Suzi and the others lived had been burned down to its frame, and all the frames had turned into charred charcoal, teetering on the verge of collapse. If the wind blew, it would surely be blown down.

How could this happen? Everything was fine before I went to sleep. How could there be a fire? The fire is too big; it's basically burned into a wall. No one can get in.

She screamed hysterically outside, "Help! Fire! Fire!"

"There's a fire, and my friend is still inside..." No one paid any attention to her; perhaps no one could even hear her.

She lay prostrate on the ground, watching helplessly as the house, once filled with laughter and joy, was burned to ashes.

After what seemed like an eternity, people finally arrived, carrying buckets, one after another. But their efforts were utterly futile against the raging fire.

Someone brought a waterwheel and sprayed water at the merciless fire. The fire finally subsided a little, but she knew that the people inside were definitely not going to be saved. Those four innocent and carefree girls with beautiful hearts were gone forever, swallowed up in the merciless flames, as if they had never been there at all.

When Xie Huai arrived, it was already the morning of the next day. The entire courtyard was filled with the smell of burning and some pungent odors. Xiao Mu stood in front of the ashes in a daze, staring blankly at something. Her fair face was covered in dust, and her hair was messy.

"What happened? How did it start a fire?"

Xie Huai draped a cloak over her shoulders and carefully examined her injuries. Fortunately, they were only superficial wounds. Her shoulder had been burned by a falling piece of wood, and a patch of skin had begun to turn red and rot. If not treated properly, it might even become infected and fester.

Xiao Mu shook her head blankly and muttered to herself, "When I found it, the fire was already raging. I don't know what happened?"

Xie Huai picked up a lily earring from the ground, held it up to Xiao Mu, and asked, "Is this yours? Or your friend's?"

Xiao Mu felt the earring looked unfamiliar; she had never seen it before. Xiao Su and the others never wore earrings either. So, the earring's sudden appearance must be suspicious. It was very likely evidence left by the arsonist. She calmly analyzed the situation. Xiao Su and the others couldn't have offended anyone. Four girls, penniless, what grudge could they have? Unless the arsonist was after her, and she was the one who killed Xiao Su's family.

“This earring… looks familiar… but it can’t be.” Xie Huai found it unbelievable. This earring belonged to Bai Jiaoyu, the eldest princess’s daughter. He had seen her wear it before because it was made by his master, Lin Bo’ou. He recognized it at a glance.

Bai Jiaoyu is the only daughter of Princess Qian. Qian married into the Liang Kingdom and died far from home. After the Liang Kingdom was destroyed, Bai Jiaoyu was left alone and helpless. She was taken back to the royal family by the King of the Western Regions and pampered like a precious gem. She was also arrogant and spoiled.

"Bai, Jiao, Yu..."

"How could she do such a thing? There's no reason for it."

Xiao Mu sighed, watching the coroner Xie Huai brought out four corpses covered with white sheets. She looked at them with teary eyes, not knowing why Bai Jiaoyu would do this. All she knew was that Bai Jiaoyu had killed the Xiao Su sisters.

The coroner said the body was in a terrible state and was no longer intact, so it was best to just bury it to avoid upsetting people.

Xiao Mu looked at Xie Huai, bewildered. Xie Huai said to the coroner, "Buy a few good coffins and give her a proper burial. Use the best tombstone, hire a few suona players, and a few old ladies to mourn." After saying that, Xie Huai gave the coroner a gold ingot, and the coroner went off to carry out his duties with a grin.

Xiao Mu said gratefully, "Thank you, Xie Huai, but I definitely need to go to the palace now. Can you help me make the arrangements?"

"it is good."