Xu Jiao automatically grumbled on the inside at Granny Niu’s stinginess, but she still faked an embarrassed smile before taking the pouch of millet with her to make arrangements.

  Outside, the roads were piled with accumulated snow, making it difficult to tread on.

  Xu Jiao stood on the side of the street and weeded people out for half the day before deciding on an old beggar that looked to be on the verge of death. She gave the old beggar half of Granny Niu’s pitiful pinch of millet before hiding the remaining bit inside her pocket in case of unforeseen circumstances.

  However, no matter how much Xu Jiao was furiously scheming on this end, she had no idea that the old beggar wouldn’t even be able to step into Minshun Boulevard.

  It seemed that ever since Xu Jiao and company stirred up a commotion last time, the royal guard had started patrolling Minshun Boulevard. Loitering beggars, hoodlums, and the like would be chased away before they could even get close to the various estates’ entrances.

  Therefore, Xu Jiao was happily daydreaming of living the good life after returning to the marquis’s estate, yet she had no idea that Qiao Zhongbang and the rest had absolutely no clue as to where they had gone.

  Of course, Qiao Mu also wouldn’t pay attention to Xu Jiao and company again.

  To her, these people had already lost their significance in her life, and she regarded them as if they didn’t exist.

  After finishing breakfast, the crown prince draped a thick cloak over her shoulders and held her small hand as they walked to the garden together.

  It was only after seeing the drifting snow that filled the entire sky once she stepped out the door that Qiao Mu felt a chill hitting her in the face.

  Yet the crown prince’s hand was comfortably warm, like a ball of burning flames. Holding his hand was like holding a small stove, and she didn’t feel cold at all.

  As the two people ambled along, they left behind two lines of crooked, differently-sized footprints that were imprinted unevenly into the snow.

  After turning her head around for a look, Qiao Mu’s eyes brightened slightly as she curled her lips.

  “If this snow continues, it’ll become a calamity.” While holding up an umbrella for the two people, Shaoyao also treaded unevenly as she followed behind them.

  “There’s no need to worry about that. Two days ago, the Ministry of Works’ Sir He had already reported to His Highness the Crown Prince about the possibility of a calamity. All the large fortifications have already been alerted to give out orders to repair the roads,” Huifeng couldn’t help cutting in.

  “He Qizheng is a capable one,” The crown prince praised as he held Qiao Mu’s small hand. Soon, the two people arrived at a somewhat open area inside the garden.

  “Darling, you can summon it here!” The crown prince retreated two steps backwards.

  Shaoyao ran over to hold the umbrella over Qiao Mu and excitedly said, “Miss, it’s not going to summon some weak chicken again, right! Oh, that’s right, where’s the weak chicken?”


  Qiao Mu twitched her mouth.

  “Caw!” The weak chicken that Shaoyao was thinking of suddenly flapped its wings as it flew onto Shaoyao’s shoulder.

  Shaoyao stretched out a hand to hold it before laughing mischievously. “Miss, you don’t say. I don’t know if it’s because I’ve gotten used to seeing it, but I feel that this weak chicken is actually quite pleasing to the eye now. Look, does it seem prettier than before?”


  Huifeng rolled his eyes up at the sky!

  “Miss, may you summon out a large, ferocious beast this time!”


  Qiao Mu waved her hand at her, gesturing for her to walk farther away!

  Taking a deep breath, Qiao Mu took out an intermediate-level blue summoning talisman made from ebony. She muttered to the blue summoning talisman for a while before a faint glint suddenly flashed across it.

  A bright blue light suddenly pervaded the area.

  Everyone made sure to open their eyes wide as they waited with bated breaths. Shaoyao was even glancing around curiously, anxiously checking from where in the snow might a ferocious beast pop out.