Ji Yan’an had nothing pressing to do, so he decided to take a walk to aid digestion after eating more than usual.
He walked ahead, glancing back from time to time.
Behind him, the little girl with her short legs was straining her face in concentration, doing her very best to keep up.
Ji Yan’an wasn’t walking fast, but his legs were long and everyone in the Ji family was tall. At just twelve years old, he already stood nearly one hundred and seventy centimeters.
Jiang Yun Sui had once been very good at escaping, especially by burrowing into the ground, but she hadn’t yet gotten used to these new short legs. Now she could only move slowly, and she could no longer slip underground.
She trotted along like a little tail behind him, and when he suddenly stopped, she couldn’t brake in time and bumped straight into his back.
Ji Yan’an looked down at her from his greater height and pushed her forehead gently with one slender, thin finger.
“That’s the second time.”
Thankfully he had been expecting something like this, otherwise he would have stumbled forward again from the impact of this little round ball of a child. He was the Young Master Ji he couldn’t afford to lose his dignity!
Jiang Yun Sui sniffled and held back the tears that naturally sprang to her eyes from the collision.
“Sorry…”
Her soft, childish voice sounded quite pleasant.
He huffed lightly. “This Young Master is magnanimous; I shall not hold it against you, little fool.”
Being called a fool didn’t upset Jiang Yun Sui at all. She knew she was rather clumsy right now; otherwise, she wouldn’t have gone looking for someone powerful to rely on.
Ji Yan’an sat down inside the open pavilion, looking out at the courtyard with a look of distaste.
“We could dig a fish pond over there, stock it with fish and plant lotus flowers. In summer, the blossoms are truly beautiful.”
Jiang Yun Sui followed his gaze, her face blank and confused. She didn’t know what lotus flowers or fish ponds were. But she did know what fish were.
Uncle Li spoke up: “Young Master, shall I have men come and dig the pond?”
“No need,” Ji Yan’an replied listlessly. “This is no longer the Ji residence in the capital. Water is hard to bring here, and it would only waste labor.”
He leaned back slightly against the pavilion pillar, twirling a folding fan in his hand.
“I can barely keep myself going; why bother raising fish?”
“Please don’t speak that way, Young Master!” Uncle Li said quickly. “Didn’t Physician Shen say there is still hope, as long as we can find those ingredients?”
Ji Yan’an lowered his eyes, his tone calm. “I know.”
He gave a faint, bitter laugh. “Who wants to die, if they can live? Even if it’s just scraping by.”
He couldn’t afford to die so easily. If he were gone, what would become of the women of the Ji household, Uncle Li and the other loyal servants, and the entire Ji army?
“Young Master, Commander Wang is here to call on you.”
Ji Yan’an’s eyes darkened. “So he finally comes.”
“Show him in,” he said calmly, not moving from his seat.
Jiang Yun Sui glanced at him, and seeing she wasn’t needed, wandered off to one side to daydream and amuse herself.
Soon, a servant led in a burly, bearded man clad in armor. He was built like a bear, and the air around him reeked of stale sweat.
Even Ji Yan’an found it unpleasant, and the little mushroom girl felt even more so.
Ji Yan’an’s face grew a shade paler. He gestured. “Granny Zhou, bring tea.”
“At once.”
“Has your health improved much, Young Master?”
Wang Hu laughed loudly, skipped the proper bow of respect, and sat down heavily opposite Ji Yan’an.
“I heard you called everyone together some time ago, but I was tied up with family matters and couldn’t make it. Surely you won’t hold it against a rough old soldier like me?”
Uncle Li glared at him in anger, but Ji Yan’an’s expression remained unchanged.
“Of course not.”
Granny Zhou set two cups of tea on the table. Ji Yan’an gestured politely, then picked up his own cup and sipped slowly.
“Tsk, tsk you certainly live in comfort, Young Master. True to form as a noble young gentleman from the capital! I trust you haven’t found life here in the far north too difficult? We are all rough, simple folk here. I’m not used to these fancy drinks, so I hope you don’t look down on me for being so uncouth, like some of those high-born lords.”