Sold immediately after wearing it? I took my family and fled the famine.

Pei Jingshi didn't speak, but his mind was suddenly filled with many thoughts.

He recalled that after he left the Southwest, A Yu had made a great contribution by capturing a spy from a foreign tribe in the Southwest, which made him look good in front of the emperor and also earned him a good reputation in the court.

Later, he, Ayu, and Ahan had a rare reunion in the capital. After a few rounds of drinks, Ahan kept talking about Miss Jiang.

He kept praising her, and even mentioned how the three of them joined forces to break the scheme at Chunfeng Tower, bring down the Yang family, and defeat County Magistrate Yang.

His tone and words were more familiar. Although Chu Yu didn't talk much and only occasionally responded with a few words, every sentence he said was biased towards Jiang Xing.

Pei Jingshi sat to the side, holding a wine cup, listening without interrupting. The wine that night wasn't strong, but he felt a tightness in his throat and a feeling that something was slowly seeping into his heart, something he couldn't quite put his finger on—whether it was sourness or something else.

At this moment, Jiang Xing asked about the border again in front of him, and she even knew that Chu Yu was holding the line at the front. She even knew that Chu Yu was at the border.

Were they already so familiar with each other that he didn't need to know? These thoughts raced through Pei Jingshi's mind, leaving him momentarily speechless. His grip on the riding crop tightened, his knuckles turning white.

Seeing that he remained silent, Jiang Xing called out again, "Young Master Pei?"

Pei Jingshi snapped back to reality. He let out a soft sigh, suppressed his turbulent thoughts, and said, "The border war is not as intense as it was before."

"Ayu received the provisions sent by the court, which solved the problem of food shortage for the soldiers. In addition, two senior doctors appeared in the army with a medicine called penicillin. This stuff is extremely effective. After applying it to the wounds, there are fewer festering and festering wounds, and the wounded soldiers are healing faster than before. Many of the lightly wounded can return to the battlefield in just a few days."

"They were skilled in suturing, and even the seriously wounded could survive. The soldiers recovered quickly and naturally became more and more courageous in battle. The soldiers all called them miracle doctors."

He paused, his gaze lingering on Jiang Xing's face for a moment before shifting away: "As for A Yu... you don't need to worry too much. I believe he'll be able to lead his troops to repel the enemy soon."

After hearing this, the last trace of worry in Jiang Xing's eyes disappeared.

She nodded: "That's good. As long as they are safe and sound, I'm relieved." She only mentioned them in her words and didn't respond to Chu Yu's words at all.

But when Pei Jingshi saw her relieved expression, he still felt a slight clench in his chest, as if something had gently squeezed it.

He couldn't tell whether her relaxed demeanor stemmed from hearing that the border was secure or from hearing that Chu Yu was on the verge of victory.

Could it be that during the time he was away, she and A-Yu had already confessed their feelings for each other?

Thinking of this, Pei Jingshi felt a pang of sadness, but he still forced a smile at Jiang Xing and said, "Then I'll head back now. If Miss Jiang is free tomorrow, please come to the Pei residence for a chat, and bring Xiao Niu with you."

"My aunt told me when I came today that she misses you a bit lately and wanted to ask if it would be convenient for you to go and talk to her."

Upon hearing Pei Jingshi's invitation, Jiang Xing instinctively wanted to refuse, but then he mentioned Madam Pei, and after thinking about it, he agreed. Perhaps Xiao Niu also wanted to meet his teacher.

"Alright, I'll bring the calf over tomorrow. Good luck on your journey, and please give my regards to those gentlemen."

Pei Jingshi agreed, turned around and got into the carriage, giving her one last look. Jiang Xing stood at the village entrance, watching his horse leave the village road before turning back.

The next morning, Jiang Xing had Xiao Fang prepare the car.

The gifts had been prepared long ago. Jiang Xing even picked out a bolt of fabric he had received as a reward. The fabric was fine silk, perfect for making underwear for his unborn child.

Today, Xiao Niu was wearing an indigo-blue scholar's robe. Jiang Xing wondered why he wasn't wearing the academy's clothes. Xiao Niu chuckled and said, "Sister, I passed the scholar's exam, but the teacher doesn't know yet. I'm going to give him a surprise today."

Jiang Xing smiled and shook his head: "Then your teacher will probably be very happy."

The carriage traveled at a leisurely pace for an hour and a half before stopping in front of the Pei residence.

Upon seeing Jiang Xing, the gatekeeper of the Pei residence hurriedly welcomed her inside, leading the way while smiling and saying, "Miss Jiang has arrived! Madam has been talking about you all morning, eagerly awaiting your arrival."

Jiang Xing nodded and followed the gatekeeper inside, with Xiao Niu beside her, looking around.

His last visit to the Pei residence was last year, and now that he's come back, he finds the flowers and plants in the courtyard much more lush than before.

Passing through the hanging flower gate, one sees Madam Pei standing under the eaves, wearing a light-colored cloak, looking in this direction.

As soon as she saw Jiang Xing, a smile bloomed on her face. She took a few steps to greet him and reached out to grab his wrist: "Xing'er, you've finally come! It's been so long since you last visited your aunt. I asked you to come and visit when you had time last time, but I never saw you. I thought you didn't want to come and visit your aunt."

Jiang Xing smiled and squeezed her hand back: "Auntie, you're joking. How could I not want to? It's just that I really couldn't get away these past few days. Several high-ranking officials from the imperial court have come recently, and I have to go to the fields every day. I haven't even had a chance to catch my breath."

Madam Pei led them into the house, saying as they walked, "I've heard about this. Jing Shi told me last time that several officials from the Ministry of Revenue will be staying in town until the potato harvest. You're really busy this time."

Upon entering the main room, Madam Pei took a seat and then invited Xiao Niu to sit down. Xiao Niu bowed respectfully before sitting down on a small stool beside her, placing his book box on his lap and keeping his back ramrod straight.

Madam Pei looked at him in his scholar's robes, her eyes full of smiles: "Little Niu, you look so smart in this outfit. I was so happy for days when your uncle told me you passed the prefectural examination. Now that you're a scholar, you must study even harder from now on."

Xiao Niu nodded earnestly: "I will follow my aunt's teachings and dare not slack off. Now I am studying at the Fucheng Academy. The teachers teach carefully, and my classmates are all diligent. I complete my lessons on time every day."

"Are you settling in well in the city? Are Uncle Qian and Madam Song taking good care of you?" Madam Pei asked again.

"Everything is fine. The courtyard is large and close to the academy, so I can walk there every day," Xiao Niu said, then paused and added, "It's just that I haven't seen the Master for a long time, and I've been thinking about him. I'm very happy to see him today."

Looking at his well-behaved yet expectant appearance, Madam Pei's heart softened. She turned to Jiang Xing and said, "This child is truly sensible. When Jing Shi was in the capital, he always talked about him, saying that Xiao Niu was the most diligent student he had ever taught."

Jiang Xing smiled and said, "He is indeed hardworking. He doesn't need anyone to urge him; he just knows how to study on his own. Sometimes, when I see him sitting for too long, I have to urge him to go out for a walk."

Madam Pei nodded, and was about to ask a few more questions about the Fucheng Academy when she suddenly hissed softly and unconsciously placed her hand on her lower abdomen.

Jiang Xing immediately asked, "What's wrong?"

Madam Pei waved her hand: "It's nothing, the little one just kicked me. He's getting stronger lately, always stretching his arms and legs." As she spoke, she looked down at her bulging belly, a warm and satisfied smile on her face.