This sister, isn't she...
It's only been a few years since they last met, but she's changed so much.
She's grown taller and slimmer, though her face is still as unappealing as ever.
Xiao Xinling was also completely bewildered. She pushed Yun Si Man aside and rushed to Xiao Jin Heng's side, grabbing his shoulders and examining him from head to toe, then from toe to face.
"Hoo, hahaha, little crybaby, what are you doing here? Little cry..."
Before Xiao Xinling could finish speaking, Xiao Jin Heng covered her mouth and pulled her towards the pigsty.
This imperial sister really had no filter.
He and Xiao Xinling were both born to the Empress, they were siblings.
It's just that when they were young, Xiao Xinling always liked to bully her younger brother. One day she made his face swell from kissing him, and the next day she fed him too much candy, making him choke...
While she clearly doted on and cherished her brother, wanting to play with him, her actions always backfired.
Over time, Xiao Jin Heng developed a sense of fear towards this imperial sister.
She simply didn't know how to take care of people...
"Little crybaby, why haven't you grown any taller? Imperial sister will count, how many years has it been since we last met? Sigh, why did Father Emperor send you out of the palace back then? How have you been these past few years?"
The barrage of questions from Xiao Xinling left Xiao Jin Heng unsure how to respond.
He crossed his arms and snorted, "Don't call me little crybaby!~"
As soon as he spoke, Xiao Xinling crouched down, hugged him, and planted a big red kiss on his little face, "Little crybaby, aren't you crying anymore? Do you miss Imperial Sister! Hehe!"
Xiao Jin Heng: "..."
He really hated it!
Why hadn't Imperial Sister changed at all?
Every time she saw him, she would either kiss or hug him. If the village children saw this, they would surely laugh at him...
"Imperial Sister!~" Xiao Jin Heng pushed Xiao Xinling away, his face red, "Heng'er is a big boy now, Imperial Sister, please don't be like this!"
In the past, after being made to cry by this unreliable imperial sister, he would wipe his tears and go to Father Emperor and Mother Empress to complain.
Xiao Xinling would then mock him as a little crybaby.
What was even more infuriating was that Father Emperor and Mother Empress also called him little crybaby...
Gradually, "Little Crybaby" became Xiao Jin Heng's childhood nickname.
"Alright, alright, Imperial Sister won't call you little crybaby!" Xiao Xinling ruffled her brother's hair, then looked around curiously, "Heng'er, did Father Emperor really send you to this little village? The conditions in Dashui Village are simple, how did you manage to endure it?"
Alas, it was truly hard on her brother, being sent out of the palace at such a young age. If only he had stayed in the palace to play with her...
Xiao Jin Heng gave her a sideways glance, "Imperial Sister, I actually think it's quite good here. The mountains are beautiful, the water is clear, and the people are very kind. Every day is fulfilling and interesting, and I don't feel it's difficult or boring!~"
"Is that so?" Xiao Xinling withdrew her gaze and looked at Xiao Jin Heng, "Then why are you living with the Old Yun family? No, why are they living with you?"
These two large houses were not small, and there was no wall in between. The courtyard was only separated by a well, divided into east and west suites. Behind them were gardens and ponds...
According to Xiao Xinling's calculations, the Yun family did not have the financial means to build such large residences.
Xiao Jin Heng looked at the large white pigs in the pigsty and smiled slightly, "Proximity breeds favor. If we didn't live together, where would the opportunity come from?"
"What did you say?" Xiao Xinling blinked her eyes, what he said was too profound, she didn't understand.
"It's nothing!" Xiao Jin Heng picked up a piece of vegetable leaf and threw it into the pigsty, clapping his hands, "Please, Imperial Sister, do not reveal this matter. When the court is stable, I will return to the palace..."
Xiao Xinling said "Oh" and nodded, "Imperial Sister won't say anything!~"
Even if she were foolish, she knew the meaning behind Father Emperor sending her brother away.
Once word got out, those treacherous factions would surely rush over and try to take her brother's life.
She could still distinguish between what was important and what was not...
Xiao Jin Heng took Xiao Xinling's hand, "Does Imperial Sister still want to arm wrestle with me?"
When they were little, this was Xiao Xinling's favorite game.
Seeing her brother's face turn red with effort, using both hands but still unable to defeat her, Xiao Xinling felt a sense of accomplishment.
"Ha, you brat, you want to try again? Come on, let Imperial Sister see if you've gotten stronger?" Xiao Xinling directly put her arm around Xiao Jin Heng's shoulder and walked to a stone table, where the siblings began to arm wrestle.
Granny Gao and Granny Jin also held hands, tears streaming down their faces...
The two sat in the kitchen of the west house, having a heart-to-heart talk.
Before Granny Jin left the palace, she and Granny Gao were very good sisters.
To take care of the little prince, Granny Jin had to secretly leave the palace with Commander Kong. She had missed her friends and family in the palace for many years...
"Old Gao, do you know, this family is extraordinary? Especially their little daughter, wow, at such a young age, she designed a waterwheel and drove away the rat plague, earning the Old Yun family the title of 'House of Glorious Achievements'. Isn't that strange?"
Granny Jin casually poured Granny Gao a bowl of tea and continued, "I heard that the Old Yun family were refugees. When they first moved to Dashui Village, that fellow was so poor, he could barely put food on the table. In just a few years, their lives have improved, and all of this is thanks to Sweet Treasure..."
Granny Gao looked towards the main entrance after hearing this and murmured, "No wonder I found that 'House of Glorious Achievements' plaque curious. So it was earned by their little daughter!~"
"Of course. And the little prince's asthma was also cured by that little girl. A while ago, I went up the mountain to pick mushrooms with them, and a flash flood suddenly occurred. I heard the little prince was also saved by Sweet Treasure. The credit is immeasurable, alas..."
Granny Jin finally found someone to talk to, and she chattered endlessly.
Granny Gao was also happy to listen to her rambling. As the two sisters chatted, they put the potatoes that Xiao Xi Tian had sent over to boil, talking and eating.
"This young girl is indeed very capable. It's probably impossible to find another one like her in our Daliang Kingdom!"
Granny Gao peeled a potato, dipped it in the stinky bean paste, and took a bite, "But I heard that Chen Kingdom also has a child prodigy, about fifteen or sixteen years old. She's also very capable. Have you heard of the bellows technology? That's the large bellows used by the Ministry of Works to build farm tools and weapons. It's as big as a granary, and it was invented by that young girl..."
Granny Gao picked up the bean paste jar on the stove and scooped another spoonful of stinky bean paste into her bowl, continuing, "And the multi-functional plow, as well as the glutinous rice glue used for building houses, were all invented by that little girl!~"
At this point, Granny Gao sighed, "Alas, her fate is truly tragic. After the fall of Chen Kingdom, the whereabouts of that young girl became unknown!"
"Unknown whereabouts?" Granny Jin was surprised.