Su Xiaoqi smiled and explained, "Although we are ordinary citizens, we also have a sense of justice in our hearts.
The frontier soldiers shed their blood and sacrificed their lives to guard the borders for our country.
It is because of their sacrifices that we can live in warm houses and enjoy peace by the fire in the cold winter.
There is so little we can do for them, and these winter clothes are just a small token of our affection."
Su Xiaoqi did not forget her partners Yun Nishang and He Qiulei at this time.
She introduced their names to Xu Shijie one by one.
Xu Shijie was deeply moved. After all, ten thousand taels of silver was not a small sum.
He expressed his intention to memorialize their achievements.
This time, Su Xiaoqi did not decline. After bowing and thanking Xu Shijie, she pushed a large package forward:
"There are also four sets of clothes inside that I specially prepared for the Duke and the Heir Apparent."
Upon hearing this, Xu Shijie hesitated and said, "This, the Duke is not like others. He probably..." wouldn't casually accept clothes from others.
Su Xiaoqi smiled and said nothing. Shen Yun explained, "No, my wife is giving these clothes as a filial gesture to her uncle and cousin. They are relatives, and I believe they won't refuse."
This reminder suddenly made Xu Shijie recall Su Xiaoqi's relationship with the Duke of Yu's mansion.
He laughed heartily, "Ah, this official was indeed muddled. I forgot about this relationship.
It is natural for a junior to give gifts to an elder, and for a sister to give gifts to a brother. It is only right, only right, hehe."
As he spoke, Xu Shijie thought to himself, why didn't he have as good an eye as Madam Gu, to recognize such a capable and intelligent goddaughter?
Xu Shijie regretted it and signed the delivery order provided by Su Xiaoqi.
Su Xiaoqi told him not to rush to pay the full amount.
"Pay fifty percent first, and then the remaining fifty percent after the goods arrive at the border."
Xu Shijie immediately stated that it was unnecessary. He trusted them and was willing to pay now.
After all, their Ministry of Revenue was accustomed to paying in advance.
Xu Shijie quickly settled the payment and went to pick up the goods with the warehouse exit order personally signed by Su Xiaoqi.
After Xu Shijie left, Du Yiyi, whom they hadn't seen for a long time, arrived.
As soon as she came, she sent Shen Yun away, saying she had some private sisterly chat with Su Xiaoqi.
Shen Yun then went to the study.
Meanwhile, Su Xiaoqi led Du Yiyi into her room.
She asked Ziling to make some delicious pastries and serve them.
Du Yiyi picked up a piece of walnut crisp and put it in her mouth, saying, "Ah, it's still so comfortable here.
By the way, during the Winter Solstice festival, someone sent my father a sheep. My mother knew I was coming and asked me to bring some over for you to stew for soup."
Su Xiaoqi thanked her and asked what she had been busy with recently, and why she hadn't come to see her for so long.
Du Yiyi beckoned her closer and whispered,
"Xiao Heng has already recaptured half of Yan Yuge. I helped him."
Su Xiaoqi praised her and blinked, "What do you mean by half of Yan Yuge?"
"Let me put it this way, I've been with Xiao Heng recently. He investigated the cause of his father's death.
It's related to his half-brother. In front of the evidence, many people in the pavilion fell out with Xiao Xin on the spot.
Now they no longer obey him but have sworn allegiance to Xiao Heng."
"So it's half the people?" Su Xiaoqi understood.
It seemed that martial arts sects were like the imperial court, splitting into two for their own interests.
Of course, Du Yiyi didn't come just to tell Su Xiaoqi this news.
What she really wanted to tell her was that Xiao Xin of Yan Yuge was suspected of being involved with an organization called "Wang."
"Wang?" Su Xiaoqi muttered.
Why again? It really is everywhere.
"You know?" Du Yiyi said with joy, saying she knew it. When she encountered something she didn't understand, coming to her was the right thing to do.
"I'm not very clear, just... do you remember the woman who tried to assassinate Bao Ge'er on the Dragon Boat Festival and fell into the river and died?
She was from the 'Wang' organization.
Even Mei Xin, who lives here, is also from there."
Su Xiaoqi also mentioned the peddler named Ruan Xiao San whom they had apprehended earlier.
Zhao Xiaoju and Ruan Xiao Er's family.
They were all related to the "Wang" organization.
Du Yiyi tilted her head and said,
"Heavens, is this organization that powerful? They have people everywhere.
But they don't seem very powerful.
They only recruit people who are not very good."
"It's not that the people they recruit have low status, but that they have people in every stratum. So they are really terrifying, really terrifying!"
One must know that sometimes the decisive factor is not the big figures at the top, but the small figures doing chores below.
Su Xiaoqi's heart grew cold.
She was surprised by the breadth of talent the "Wang" organization recruited, and even more by their extreme secrecy.
As a former reader of this book, she had never read about it.
She didn't know if this organization had never appeared in the original plot, or if it was indeed too deeply hidden.
Perhaps now that she was in it, the plot had changed due to various unexpected events.
Thus, it was no longer controlled by the original plot.
Many things were now uncertain to Su Xiaoqi.
The benefits she could enjoy were becoming fewer and fewer.
But so what? Many people don't know the subsequent plot, and they still live their lives.
She believed that whatever kind of life she wanted to live, she had to create it with her own hands.
For example, she and Shen Yun did not follow the original plot.
The two of them now have deep feelings and are exceptionally affectionate. Aren't they living very well?
Su Xiaoqi figured it out. No matter what, she still had Shen Yun behind her!
Seeing that she was silent, Du Yiyi looked worried and thought for a moment, "Sister Xiaoqi, tell me, if Xiao Heng proposes to me, will my parents agree?"
Su Xiaoqi came back to her senses and smiled sweetly. She had noticed something from Du Yiyi's constant mention of Xiao Heng.
However, this was Du Yiyi's major life event. Since she hadn't actively spoken about it, it was not appropriate for her to say anything.
But now that she had mentioned it, she was happy to discuss it with her.
"Should I quietly ask your aunt?"
Du Yiyi was briefly shy, but quickly and cheerfully said, "No, no need. I'll ask myself. Mother is quite approachable."
Su Xiaoqi burst into laughter, thinking that Du Yiyi already had the answer in her heart.
Previously, Du Wenqian and his wife, unable to cast aside family ties, had sent a matchmaker to arrange a marriage with the Heir Apparent of Prince Duan.
Originally, Du Yiyi, being a standard face-lover, was attracted to Liang Jingning's looks.
But later, she discovered that Liang Jingning was such a philanderer.
Later, she even heard that he often frequented Chongming Garden with Gongzi Yu Liang Jingyu, who liked men, for pleasure.
How could such a man be worthy of Du Yiyi?
When Du Wenqian and his wife found out, no matter how much their family members persuaded and pressured them,
And how much pressure Prince Duan and his concubine exerted, he flatly refused.
He even directly told Prince Duan that their family was different from others.
He had only one beloved daughter, Yiyi, and her marriage must have her own permission.
If she liked him, he would agree to the marriage, but if she refused, he would never yield.
Prince Duan valued Du Wenqian's abilities and naturally did not want to bind him through marriage.
He even comforted him by saying that marriage was a union of two families, and if the young couple couldn't get along, then it truly couldn't be forced.
Otherwise, they wouldn't be a good match but a pair of resentful couples.
Thus, the marriage between the Du family and Liang Jingning was called off.
"I've heard what Uncle said from your brother-in-law, you haven't forgotten, have you?" Su Xiaoqi reminded her with a smile.
Du Yiyi blushed. No matter how free-spirited she was, she still felt shy when it came to her own marriage.
Especially given Xiao Heng's current status, he was somewhat unworthy.
He had no official title, no property, and was someone who could be hunted at any time.
Furthermore, Yan Yuge engaged in unsavory business in the martial arts world...
Thinking of this, Du Yiyi sighed. She was sure that with Xiao Heng's talent, he would definitely pass her parents' test.
But as for other aspects, it was hard to say!
"Where there's a will, there's a way!" Su Xiaoqi encouraged.
In this era, being able to fall in love freely and end up happily married was extremely difficult, and she was happy to help.
After thinking for a moment, she had an idea and intended to show Du Yiyi a way. She said seriously,
"Yiyi, I have something to tell you.
But you must know that what is said today stays between us and must not be revealed to outsiders."
Seeing how serious Su Xiaoqi was, Du Yiyi immediately sat up straight and assumed a posture of attentive listening.