"Yo, everyone's busy, huh!~" Xiao Jinfeng sauntered over with a smile, his eyes darting towards Shangguan Fang'er and Jin Huaihua.
Old Man Yun was diligently digging, the frozen winter ground proving difficult to work with a shovel. He needed to use a pickaxe to loosen the soil before he could dig a hole and drive in the wooden stakes.
Hearing the commotion, he glanced back at Xiao Jinfeng and asked irritably, "What brings Young Master Xiao here again?"
Hmph, he claimed to be a businessman, but he didn't have a trace of a merchant about him from head to toe.
Just as the old woman had said, this person was clearly here for Young Master Xiao Xiao.
Xiao Jinfeng smiled faintly, "Uncle Yun, I just wanted to ask if you needed any help. You see, my men are all quite idle and have nowhere to put their strength. If you need them, I can have them help you with the work..."
Upon hearing this, Old Man Yun snorted, "No need. We are just humble villagers, how could we dare to boss around Young Master Xiao? You should go back inside and rest!~"
Xiao Jinfeng's expression turned a bit awkward.
Seeing Shangguan Fang'er staring at him intently, Xiao Jinfeng cleared his throat, casually took off his cloak, and began helping Old Man Yun move the wooden logs.
"Tch, a wolf in sheep's clothing!~" Shangguan Fang'er pouted.
Xiao Jinfeng: "..."
Seriously, Your Highness the Princess, what have I done to offend you?
He then looked dejectedly at Jin Huaihua, and seeing that she was completely ignoring him, Xiao Jinfeng felt his heart was about to break.
What had he done wrong to be disliked by everyone in the Old Yun family?
Old Man Yun glanced at Xiao Jinfeng and, seeing him clumsily helping, quickly stepped forward to stop him. "Hey, hey, hey, Young Master Xiao, what are you doing? This work is dirty and messy. If you get tired, we can't afford to take responsibility..."
"I-it's fine, I'm idle anyway!~" Xiao Jinfeng replied.
If he didn't build a good relationship with the Old Yun family, how could he stay here in the future?
Seeing that His Highness Prince Ming was personally working, Er Longzi felt it wouldn't be right to just stand by and watch, so he also came to help.
Xiao Jinfeng saw this and kicked him, "You, immediately send someone to the county town to buy some pig's head meat and fine pastries. Buy more good wine and dishes too!"
Er Longzi: "..."
It's just building a cowshed, and you're acting like you're hosting a banquet.
"Y-yes, I understand!~" Er Longzi replied, and then, with two subordinates, he led the sled out.
Many hands make light work. In just one morning, a spacious cowshed began to take shape.
Although the roof wasn't on yet, it was clear that it could accommodate at least twenty cows, and even a place to store fodder had been reserved.
"Huaihua, Shanshan, you two go to the kitchen and prepare some dough. We'll have noodle soup for lunch. Also, pick some mustard greens, shred them, and stir-fry a plate of pickled vegetables!~" Gu Shi instructed.
The entire family, young and old, had been working all morning and were already hungry.
At this pace, it would be completely finished before the afternoon was over.
When Xiao Jinfeng heard this, he quickly stopped Jin Huaihua and Du Tieshan and smiled at Gu Shi, "Madam, please don't trouble yourself. Er Longzi will bring the food back later..."
This darn fellow, why can't he be more efficient? It's been almost an hour and he still hasn't returned.
Gu Shi curved her lips, "It's no trouble, Young Master Xiao. We country folk don't have high demands; simple food is enough to fill our stomachs!~"
Xiao Jinfeng: "..."
So, she was giving him the cold shoulder?
"Then, if it's convenient, I'd also like to have lunch with everyone!~" Xiao Jinfeng stammered.
As soon as he said this, he successfully made the Yun family members laugh.
Shangguan Fang'er clutched her stomach and laughed heartily, "Hahaha, lunch, he actually called noodle soup lunch! Oh, I'm dying of laughter!~"
Du Tieshan and Zhao Guihua also couldn't help but chuckle.
They, as farmers, didn't have the custom of "dining." When they were hungry, they ate. Three meals a day, as long as they were full.
There was no such thing as breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Xiao Jinfeng: "..."
Is this princess a bit too much!
Laughing and laughing, what's so funny.
Gu Shi said expressionlessly, "If you want to eat, come in together!~"
After all, he had helped them with a lot of work, so she couldn't continue to give him a hard time.
"Yes, yes, Madam, please!~" Xiao Jinfeng cupped his hands, showing proper etiquette.
He swore that when he was in the palace, he had never been so attentive to his own mother.
Gu Shi: "..."
This kid is glib-tongued, a little fox at first glance.
After finishing their respective tasks, everyone gradually returned to the main house, washing their hands and getting bowls.
Little Xi Tian milled around the entrance for a moment. Just as she was about to go in, Ru Yue suddenly popped out from a corner and beckoned to her, "Sweetie, Sweetie..."
Little Xi Tian turned her head and blinked her big eyes, "Hmm? Sister Ru Yue?"
"Sweetie, come here, come here quickly!~" Ru Yue looked around nervously.
Little Xi Tian: "???"
What's going on...
Ru Yue and Ru Hua were the maids of the "brat." Ever since Xiao Jinfeng had moved into the Old Yun family's home, these two young maids had rarely gone out to avoid encountering him.
Little Xi Tian put on her pink mittens and walked over with her short legs.
"Sweetie, this is a letter written to the young master. Can you help us deliver it?" Ru Yue said, pulling out a letter from her embrace and stuffing it into Little Xi Tian's hand.
Little Xi Tian paused for two seconds before she understood.
It seemed Sister Ru Yue wanted to warn the brat that his enemies had found him...
"Sure!~" Little Xi Tian agreed immediately, then pulled Ru Yue to the back garden and whispered, "Sister Ru Yue, who exactly is that Young Master Xiao?"
Upon hearing this, Ru Yue lowered her head, "H-he is His Highness the Second Prince. Ever since the young master was born, Consort Xian had been instigating him to oppose the young master!~"
Little Xi Tian sighed, "So, he wasn't born to the Empress?"
If he guessed correctly, Xiao Jinfeng's painstaking effort to find Da Shui Village must have been to contend for the position of Crown Prince.
But the Emperor had already appointed a Crown Prince. Was he planning to kill the brat?
"Maids, maids have been away from the palace for too long, and some things are not clearly remembered, but Sweetie just needs to know that the Second Prince is not a good person!~" Ru Yue murmured.
Little Xi Tian said "Oh," she had already seen it.
As a modern person, she understood the palace's internal strife and deceit better than anyone.
It seemed she also needed to write a letter to the brat.
Just then, a "crunch" sound of footsteps on the snow came from behind them.
Little Xi Tian turned her head, and her small face instantly darkened.