"Auntie, you look so beautiful today. Do you like the gift I gave you?" Xiao Langtou whispered, leaning close to Ling Manshuang, her small head tilted up as she asked.
She knew her auntie loved flowers the most. Her mother had even built a large greenhouse for her auntie.
Xiao Langtou called Ling Manshuang "auntie" not out of politeness, but because three years ago, Qin Junyao and Ling Manshuang had become sworn sisters.
That greenhouse was built after they became sworn sisters; it was the sisters' golden goose.
Desertification control was incredibly costly. The existing supplies of Cistanche, grain, and camels simply couldn't cover Qin Junyao's expenses, and the medicinal herbs within her spatial dimension were too conspicuous.
Finally, Qin Junyao set her sights on flowers and plants. Any flower or plant that grew casually in her spatial dimension could make Ling Manshuang's maternal grandfather ecstatic.
As the war spread north, Ling Manshuang's maternal grandfather returned to Jiangnan two years ago. Due to consistently drinking the spatial water Qin Junyao provided, his mind gradually cleared, and he was now able to recognize his family and old friends again.
Naturally, being fond of flowers and plants, he praised Qin Junyao's cultivated flowers as celestial wonders. Consequently, the number of people wanting to buy flowers and plants from Qin Junyao increased daily. Unfortunately, she had insufficient manpower and few connections, leading to slow deliveries.
Ling Manshuang was also a feudal lord with her own fiefdom. Though not vast, it still required significant silver for development.
Coincidentally, she had connections and manpower, while Qin Junyao had the supply source. The two hit it off immediately, forming a partnership for mutual benefit.
"Auntie loves it very much. Come, Auntie will carry you," Ling Manshuang reached out to lift Xiao Langtou but was dodged.
"I'm very heavy, Auntie can just hold my hand," Xiao Langtou took Ling Manshuang's hand proactively and continued, "If Auntie likes it, can you put in a good word for me when Mother punishes me later?"
Ling Manshuang lowered her head and whispered to Xiao Langtou, "How will your mother punish you?"
Xiao Langtou stood on tiptoe, looking up, and whispered back, "Mother won't let me eat meat..."
Qin Junyao heard everything they were saying clearly.
Over the past few years, whether it was Zhao Liangcai fighting battles abroad, Qin Sen and Bai Qing traveling extensively, or Ling Manshuang venturing far and wide, everyone who arrived at a new location would collect local, unique seeds and have them sent to the Northwest to Qin Junyao.
Although they didn't know what Qin Junyao wanted these seeds for, if she wanted them, they would find them.
Qin Junyao's spatial dimension had been upgraded twice. Not to mention the two conversing right beside her, even if they whispered from a mile away, she could hear them if she wished.
"Mother, Tie Guo was bullied by Hu Wa from the village and didn't dare to fight back. I've already taught him boxing; if he acts like this, it will disgrace Father's reputation as a great general."
Upon entering the house, Xiao Langtou stood before Qin Junyao obediently, speaking first.
Qin Junyao first had a servant serve tea to Ling Manshuang, then had someone fetch a cloth tiger for Tie Guo to play with, before finally turning her gaze to Xiao Langtou, who stood with her head held high, looking as if she had done nothing wrong.
"You siblings should resolve your own matters. What I want to talk about is you moving the flower pot."
Tie Guo, who was leaning against Qin Junyao and waiting for his sister to be scolded, suddenly looked stunned. The cloth tiger in his hand dropped to the floor, and tears welled up in his eyes.
Ling Manshuang felt a pang of sympathy and pulled him into an embrace. Although Tie Guo didn't remember who this auntie was, it didn't stop him from seeking comfort and crying about his grievances.
Seeing Tie Guo resorting to his usual dramatic tactics, Qin Junyao shook her head and ignored him. This boy would accuse his sister one moment and then sneak into the kitchen for snacks for Xiao Langtou the next.
In the end, Qin Junyao was always the one who played the bad guy.
"Oh, about moving the flower pot~~" Xiao Langtou scratched her head.
Her auntie would send people to ask her what gift she wanted every year, and her auntie would send whatever she asked for.
She hadn't seen her auntie in over a year, and she thought of giving her auntie a flower she liked. If her auntie was happy, perhaps she would give her a dagger. But she had forgotten that her mother had forbidden her from lifting heavy objects for fear it would stunt her growth.
Actually, that flower pot wasn't that heavy.
"Zhao Yuqi," Qin Junyao said, seeing Xiao Langtou lower her head and fall silent.
"Mother, Qi'er is wrong," Xiao Langtou held her hands up high and admitted her mistake to Qin Junyao. "But, Auntie has come all this way, please spare Qi'er, Mother. If you punish Qi'er, Auntie will feel bad."
After saying this, she looked at Ling Manshuang pitifully.
Ling Manshuang clutched her chest. Xiao Langtou's watery eyes looked at her, and her heart melted. Just as she was about to speak, Tie Guo, in her arms, let out a whimper.
"Auntie, my sister hit me."
Heaven forbid, she couldn't resist Tie Guo's childish, tearful voice either.
"Alright," Qin Junyao stifled a laugh, put on a stern face, and made a swift decision. "Yuqi, you violated the thirty articles of agreement with Mother, so you're forbidden from eating meat for three days. Qi Rui, you failed to supervise your sister, so you're punished to clean the wooden houses of Da Mei and Da Li (the rabbits Qin Junyao first raised)."
"Someone, take them both away. And furthermore, anyone who helped move the flower pot to the Young Lady's head should go and receive their punishment."
Regardless of the two little ones' protests, Qin Junyao pulled Tie Guo out of Ling Manshuang's arms and handed him to the wet nurse. Xiao Langtou could only be led away by Liu Rong and Liu Yu.
She exerted her full strength, and four or five burly maids couldn't get near her.
"Heh, he he he," Qin Junyao and Ling Manshuang exchanged glances and burst into laughter.
"I was planning to give Sister a proper welcome today, but these two little ones..." Qin Junyao's expression was peculiar, unsure how to describe them to Ling Manshuang.
Ling Manshuang waved her hand and chuckled, "We're sisters, so don't be so formal. This child really changes every day. I haven't seen them for over a year myself."
"When did Xiao Langtou get so strong? And, hehehe, Tie Guo, why are you punishing Tie Guo?"
"I didn't mention it much in my letters to Sister," Qin Junyao took a sip of tea. "Sister already knows Xiao Langtou was stronger than her peers from a young age. The servants kept a close eye on her, so they didn't let her lift or carry heavy things."
"Last Lunar New Year, I took her to see her father. She could carry his long-handled hammer and walk with it. I couldn't even lift his hammer," Qin Junyao's eyes widened, still feeling the shock from that moment.
"Ah~~ Tie Guo came around that time then."
"Sister Manshuang," Qin Junyao stomped her foot.
"Alright, alright, continue. What about Tie Guo?"
Then, Qin Junyao began to recount Tie Guo's "deeds" to Ling Manshuang at length.
From birth, he couldn't stand any dirt. He would cry his heart out if his diaper was changed even a moment late.
The family couldn't keep animals, especially pigs, as he found them unclean. The pigs had to be kept at the farm.
The stables and corrals for horses and cattle were moved to the very back. Da Mei and Da Li, who were previously in cages, were moved into clean-looking wooden houses.
If any household kept poultry or livestock, he absolutely refused to enter.