You can't only love the Qing Dynasty when you're eating the fruits of others' labor.

Chapter 16 Simple Marriage Fundamentals
Half an incense stick later, Jiangnan, dressed in women's clothing, returned in a huff.

Jiang Qingyun was greatly surprised: "So fast?"

A red single-layered blouse, a black pleated skirt, and pink trousers worn underneath.

Ah ~
She definitely wasn't wearing makeup!

Looking again, hmm, the Jiangnan Plain has turned into the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. Thankfully, it means it's a woman.

Jiang Qingyun nodded in satisfaction, ending his scrutinizing gaze.

"Jiangnan, how old are you?"

"16."

"Are you married?"

"No."

Have you considered the issue of marriage?

"No."

Jiangnan's cheeks flushed instantly, as soft as a mosquito's buzz.

Jiang Qingyun nodded in satisfaction again. When discussing personal marriage, a young woman should be shy! If she isn't shy, then something is definitely wrong.

……

How many people are in your family?

“My mother died early, and I still have my father and brother at home.”

Have you been to school?

"Knows one or two thousand characters! Can write them!"

Jiang Qingyun nodded in satisfaction again.

"How old were you when you started practicing martial arts? What weapons are you good at?"

"I started practicing martial arts at the age of 5. I am best at archery, but I also practice with a spear."

"Stand up. On behalf of the court, I will examine your physique. We plan to establish a female bodyguard team to protect the families of officials in the future."

Jiangnan's surging anger vanished instantly, and he obediently stood up.

"Turn left, turn right, squat down, horse stance, raise both arms, punch, jump in place, turn and kick backward!"

Jiang Qingyun nodded in satisfaction once again!
This young man is worth befriending!

……

“I am actually a man with ideals, ambitions, and a bright future, about the same age as you. I want to do some good for the people, so that they have land to cultivate, food to eat, and clothes to wear, and can live with dignity, without being killed or bullied at will.”

"Sir, you are indeed a good person."

Having traveled through the Jiangnan region by escorting goods, one naturally understands the hardships of the common people.

"Hmm~ But this road is very dangerous. Many corrupt officials and villains have tried to assassinate me. Do you understand?"

"clear."

"Therefore, when I am out saving the people, I need a woman like you by my side to feel safe."

"What do you mean, sir? I don't understand."

"Follow me, protect me."

Jiangnan looked visibly uncomfortable, twisting her fingers and looking down.

Jiang Qingyun calmly recounted what he had seen and heard at the Huaziying Orphanage that day.

Jiangnan listened and wept uncontrollably.

Jiang Qingyun silently handed her a handkerchief and told her about his grand plans to build an orphanage, wells, smallpox prevention facilities, and dredging ditches in the southern part of the city.

Such patience stems from practicing a simple marriage doctrine: a wife who is healthy, kind, vibrant, faithful, shares in her husband's success but never tries to interfere, and always chooses to stand by him.

It's also quite pretty.

……

"I want to change this terrible world, will you come with me?"

"I am willing."

Jiangnan raised her head, her eyes swollen like peaches.

"But I am, after all, a woman."

“It’s more convenient for a woman to provide 12-hour close protection. If it were a rough man, it would be less convenient, wouldn’t it?”

Jiang Qingyun smiled and extended his fist. Jiang Nan also tried to extend his fist. They touched fists together and burst into laughter through their tears.

"By the way, tomorrow you will take six men to escort me to Dingxing County, Baoding Prefecture."

……

After Jiang Qingyun left, Jiangnan Boots Hidden Short Knife went alone to Huaziying Alley. How could a bodyguard not know the dangers of society and the wickedness of human nature? She wanted to test it out!
The couple in charge of the orphanage personally confirmed that Jiang Qingyun had indeed come, and if friends were included, he donated a total of 220 taels of silver.

Gazing at the pitiful abandoned infants, Jiangnan left all the money she had on her, weeping as she left the courtyard. Though the sun was blazing, she shivered with cold. She spent a sleepless night, her mind filled with countless thoughts.

The next morning~
Jiang Deshun couldn't help but ask, "He didn't bully you yesterday, did he?"

“Father, Lord Jiang is an upright and virtuous man. You should not slander him without reason.”

……

The journey from Nancheng to Huangzhuang in Dingxing County, Baoding Prefecture, wasn't far. But in this era of slow travel, it still took the group four days.

"My lord, the county town is just ahead, and I would like to purchase some items."

"Go."

Zhao Zesheng was clearly a man who knew how to make a living. He bought four donkeys, ten pigs, 50 catties of pastries, and some oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar in the county town, and then continued on his way with the heavily loaded donkeys.

Dingxing County may not be well-known, but it has produced many cultural figures, such as Gao Jianli, Jia Dao, and Wang Shifu.

Along the way, there were few people around.

The Qing army committed too many killings when they entered the pass, and the area around Beijing has not recovered to this day.

Looking around~
The fields are crisscrossed, but there are not many privately owned farmlands; most of them are imperial estates or banner farmlands.

……

Xiaohuangzhuang.

Upon seeing a group of strangers dressed in fine clothes and riding spirited horses enter the village, a shirtless man at the village entrance hurriedly stood up.

"Sir, I'll go and call the head of the household right away."

Jiang Qingyun waved his hand: "No need, we're here to visit relatives."

The shirtless man asked cautiously, "Sir, which family are you related to?"

"Green Pearl, you tell the story."

"Green Pearl~"

When she turned around, she found that Green Pearl was already in tears.

"Dad~"

The shirtless man was dumbfounded.

"Madam, who are you?"

"You're my father."

Green Pearl was only seven or eight years old when she left.

Now, all these years have passed, and her appearance has been completely transformed. Add to that a brand-new light green silk jacket, silver hairpin, earrings, and painted eyebrows and lips, and her father would never dare to recognize her.

……

During the awkward family reunion, many villagers from the surrounding area gathered around.

The father and daughter were finally reunited, drawing sighs of relief from the crowd. They remarked, "The Huang family has hope now. The girl has a conscience; even as a concubine to a wealthy man in the capital, she still thinks of her family. It wasn't a waste of their time raising her!"

The group set up an iron pot in the wheat drying yard to cook meat.

The pork was bought in the county town, and the vegetables were from our own land. No cooking skills were needed; we just stewed it in a big pot.

Huang Dawu, who had just put on his new coat, felt very uncomfortable and kept stealing glances at his unfamiliar daughter, whom he could hardly recognize.

"Time to eat meat."

The head of the household banged the pot rim with an iron ladle, and was instantly surrounded by people. Eating meat was truly a very happy thing.

Huang Dawu took a bowl of meat and vegetables with a noticeably larger portion and ate heartily. It was so delicious that he couldn't stop eating.

The team leader patted him on the shoulder affectionately: "Please take care of me in the future~"

……

The Juma River is located 50 meters away from the large-scale meat-eating scene.

"Young Master, I belong to you in life and in death."

Green Pearl slowly leaned her head against Jiang Qingyun's shoulder.

"Green Pearl, what was your name before?"

"Can not remember."

How did you end up at my house?

"That year, my family suffered a disaster and we had no food. My parents sold me to a slave trader, and then the lady bought me from the slave trader." Green Pearl wasn't very interested in talking about her background. She glanced back at Jiangnan, who was patrolling about seven or eight feet away with a bow and arrows on his back.

"That female bodyguard?"

"You'll share a bed with her tonight and check her out inside and out."

"Hey."

Green Pearl's eyes crinkled when she smiled, like a little fox.

(End of this chapter)