Wasn't he supposed to be beaten to death? Why did this powerful cousin love him so much?

Xie Xun was stunned: "...A train?"

I've never heard of it.

Jiang Sese suppressed the urge to laugh and said, "This train is extremely long and made entirely of iron. It travels on specially made tracks and can cover a thousand miles in a day. Whether it carries a hundred or so people or a full load of goods, it can carry them steadily, crossing mountains and rivers. What usually takes half a month can be completed in just one day."

Jiang Sese just blurted out whatever came to mind; whatever the question asked, it was what Mr. Yunyou had said.

Xie Xun was dumbfounded, her mouth agape in a wide "O" shape. After a long pause, she managed to stammer, "Made of iron? And it can travel thousands of miles??"

What exactly is this thing?

Xie Xun was stunned, completely unable to imagine how such a thing was made or how it moved.

It felt like a fairy tale.

"There's something even more amazing," Jiang Sese continued with a smile. "That gentleman also said that there's something in the sky above Peach Blossom Spring called an airplane. It has huge iron wings and can take off with the wind, soaring straight into the clouds. People sitting inside can overlook the mountains and rivers below, taking in the vast landscape. Even if two places are separated by thousands of miles, they can meet in just a few hours by sitting in it."

Xie Xun listened intently, leaning forward and staring at Jiang Sese without blinking. His dark eyes were filled with shock and longing. He even forgot to drink his favorite lily soup and occasionally let out a soft exclamation.

"It can fly in the sky?" Xie Xun asked with longing. "Sister Se Se, is the airplane like a big bird? When it flies in the sky, can it touch the clouds?"

"Yes." Jiang Sese ruffled his soft hair and smiled. "That gentleman said that when he later led people to look for Peach Blossom Spring again, they couldn't find it no matter what they did."

Xie Xun cupped his face in his hands, lost in thought for a long while, then suddenly looked up at Jiang Sese earnestly and said, "Sister Sese, when Xun-ge'er grows up, he must go find that Peach Blossom Spring! I want to see trains and airplanes! I also want to ride an airplane and touch the clouds in the sky!"

Seeing Xie Xun's innocent and naive nature, Jiang Sese felt a warmth in her heart and replied with a smile, "Alright, then Xun-ge'er must grow up well."

Lark and Red Bean stood aside, listening to these unheard-of and rare stories, and couldn't help but show their surprise, thinking that there really was such a wandering master, telling the most mysterious experiences in the world.

When Wang heard that Jiang Sese was also going to offer incense, she immediately agreed, wishing that Aunt Sun and Jiang Sese would leave and never come back.

After finishing her horse training these past two days, Jiang Sese asked Madam Feng for leave.

As soon as Jiang Sese came out of the horse farm, a maidservant hurried over, curtsied, and said, "Miss Jiang, the Prince of Chu is at the Pine Breeze Pavilion in the outer garden. He specifically instructed me to come and invite you to come and see him."

Jiang Sese was taken aback at first, then refused without thinking: "Report to Prince Chu for me that I have just finished horse training and am covered in dust. It is really inconvenient for me to receive guests."

Chu Shaoyuan is different from Xie Yihua. She cannot refuse Xie Yihua's invitation, but she can accept Chu Shaoyuan's invitation because she lives in the Xie family's house and not the Chu family's house.

The young maid was taken aback at first.

When Jiang Sese first arrived at the Xie family, whenever Chu Shaoyuan came to visit, this cousin would always arrive uninvited, waiting early in the morning. Her clothes and appearance were always impeccable, and her words were always warm and attentive, as if her admiration was written all over her face.

Today's coldness and aloofness make it seem like she's a completely different person.

The young maid hesitated for a moment, then mustered her courage and stepped forward, her tone somewhat stubborn: "Miss, you can go back to your courtyard to wash and change first, then come to Songfeng Pavilion. It's no trouble at all."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Sese merely turned her head, glancing at her with indifferent eyes, and said, "No need. I really don't have time today. I still need to pack my bags when I get back, and I'm going to Panlong Temple with my aunt to offer incense tomorrow. I'm afraid I won't be able to find the time to see the young master. Let's talk about it another day."

After Jiang Sese finished speaking, she ignored the little maid and gave a wink to Lü'e beside her. The two of them turned around and walked quickly away along the stone path.

The young maidservant, watching Jiang Sese's retreating figure, was completely at a loss.

She had initially thought Jiang Sese was just making excuses, but she hadn't expected that even the offer of another day was just a casual remark, clearly indicating that she genuinely didn't want to see Prince Chu.

Were all those previous overly attentive and enthusiastic gestures just an act?

The young maid was full of confusion, but dared not chase after her to persuade her. She could only dejectedly return to Songfeng Pavilion, secretly thinking to herself, "This Miss Jiang is really quite different from before."

Inside the Pine Breeze Pavilion in the outer garden, Chu Shaoyuan, dressed in a moon-white brocade robe, stood by the pavilion with his hands behind his back, glancing back at the path he had come from from time to time, feigning composure.

Seeing his appearance, the servant beside him stepped forward with a smirk and flattered him: "Young Master, it is an immense honor for you to personally come to apologize to Miss Jiang. Miss Jiang is merely a relative of Aunt Xie, and it is usually difficult for her to even see you. Now that she has heard that you have come all this way to apologize, she must be overwhelmed with gratitude and tears of joy."

These words struck a chord with Chu Shaoyuan, and a sense of pride welled up within him. However, he quickly straightened his face, gave the servant a stern look, and scolded, "What nonsense are you spouting? Yesterday, I wrongly accused her without distinguishing right from wrong and said some unpleasant things. It's only right that I apologize today. Who told her to be so flattered?"

Although he spoke grand and respectful words, he was thinking that Jiang Sese, who had been so attentive and enthusiastic before, would be overjoyed to receive his apology today.

Didn't she mock his behavior yesterday, saying it wasn't gentlemanly?

Then he should apologize to her, right?

He's always the one looking down on others; when did it become the turn of an orphan girl to despise him like this?

But how dare Jiang Sese look down on him?

Chu Shaoyuan frowned, feeling a little uncomfortable, thinking that this must be another instance of her playing hard to get.

Just as he was pondering this, the little maid who had delivered the message came running back dejectedly. She curtsied and said in a timid voice, "Your Highness, Miss Jiang said she just finished practicing riding and is covered in dust, so she can't see guests. She also said she has to go back to pack her bags and is going to Panlong Temple with Aunt Sun to offer incense tomorrow. She really doesn't have time, so we can talk another day."

"No time?" Chu Shaoyuan's face instantly darkened, incredulous. "She actually said she's no time?"

The servant was also stunned, secretly clicking his tongue in disbelief. Had this Miss Jiang lost her mind? The young master himself had come to apologize, yet she was acting so arrogantly?

Chu Shaoyuan felt a surge of anger rush to his head, and all his previous smugness and anticipation turned into shame and annoyance.

He had come to apologize with the intention of humbled himself, thinking that Jiang Sese would be flattered and grateful to tears, but he was rejected so casually.

Chu Shaoyuan gritted his teeth, feeling that his sincerity had been turned into a joke.

Jiang Sese is nothing but an orphan girl living under someone else's roof. She has gained a little face, yet she dares to treat him like this.

She was clearly playing hard to get, putting on airs!

"Good, very good!" Chu Shaoyuan laughed angrily and kicked over a small stool inside the pavilion.

The maid and servant were both startled.

Chu Shaoyuan said in a deep voice, "I want to see how long she can keep up this act!"

After saying that, Chu Shaoyuan turned around and stormed out, feeling utterly humiliated.

The servant hurriedly followed, whispering as he went, "Young Master, please calm down. Perhaps something has truly happened to Miss Jiang..."

"Something wrong?" Chu Shaoyuan sneered, "She's clearly doing this on purpose!"

Chu Shaoyuan stormed out of Songfeng Pavilion, his anger simmering with nowhere to vent. Suddenly, he heard a burst of laughter coming from ahead, tinged with mockery: "Brother Shaoyuan, why do you look so upset? Did you suffer some mistreatment at my residence?"