Chapter 1301: Chapter 781: General Xie’s Daughter, Xie Qianyun (Part 3)

The two of them walked to the backyard.

An Youyou watched a little girl practicing martial arts with a spear in the yard, her movements light yet powerful.

Sure enough, she was still the little girl who loved to twirl the spear; at a glance, she didn’t look like a girl at all.

Thinking that when she grows up, she would follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a formidable female general!

"Yun’er," Xie Ruotong called out to Xie Qianyun.

Xie Qianyun stopped twirling her spear and turned to look over.

Her fair skin was covered in sweat.

She casually wiped it with her hand, looked at her mother, and then glanced at An Youyou.

It seemed she didn’t recognize her, furrowing her brows slightly.

"This is Princess Youyou. She used to hold you when you were little," Xie Ruotong introduced, "Come over and pay respects."

Xie Qianyun swung her spear handsomely.

With that swing, she precisely placed the spear into the spear rack.

This maneuver, An Youyou gave it full marks.

Xie Qianyun walked up to An Youyou, cupping her fists and bowing, "Yun’er greets Your Highness the Princess."

"Your mother and my mother are like sisters; you and I are also sisters, so just call me Sister."

As An Youyou spoke, she carefully observed Xie Qianyun.

Although Xie Qianyun was dressed quite simply, in a white fitted martial arts outfit, with her hair neatly tied into a bun without any adornments, she looked a bit like a boy. Even so, her delicate features clearly showed her feminine beauty, truly inheriting the essence of Xie Ruotong and Song Yanqing. Wearing female attire would make her an incredibly beautiful girl.

"Sister Youyou," Xie Qianyun immediately changed her address.

Her personality was as dashing and straightforward as her spear.

"I haven’t seen you in a few years, and you’ve grown so tall," An Youyou measured Xie Qianyun’s height.

Xie Qianyun, not yet ten, was already at her ear level.

"I have a good appetite," Xie Qianyun said solemnly.

An Youyou was amused by her.

"Today I’m a bit idle. How about you keep me company for a day?"

"Sure," Xie Qianyun readily agreed, "How would you like to play? Cricket fighting, horseback jumping, pitch-pot, or I can teach you how to use the spear?"

"How about we do them all?"

"Really?" Xie Qianyun was a little surprised, "You really want to play what I like?"

"Why not?"

"My father said girls wouldn’t like what I like," Xie Qianyun said, sounding a bit upset.

"Your father doesn’t understand the joys of us girls."

"That’s what I think too," Xie Qianyun said, taking An Youyou’s hand.

The friendship between girls was established so easily.

Xie Ruotong was somewhat surprised to see An Youyou and Xie Qianyun walking away together.

Since childhood, Xie Qianyun hadn’t been good at making friends, whether in Xun City or the military camp. Her playmates were all boys, who were her little followers. Yet, now she and An Youyou got along so well at first sight. She had been slightly worried that Xie Qianyun might not accept An Youyou, and it would be difficult to force Xie Qianyun to do something she wasn’t willing to do.

She finally breathed a sigh of relief.

...

An Youyou and Xie Qianyun spent a delightful day playing at the Xie Residence.

She thought that if she got bored in the future, she could come to find Xie Qianyun. She really liked Xie Qianyun’s personality.

Of course, that was provided Xie Qianyun wasn’t taken to the border by her mother.

An Youyou checked the time and figured she should head to the Prince Jin Mansion.

If she returned to the palace too late, her brother would scold her again.

She bid farewell to Aunt Xie and Qianyun.

"Will you come to my birthday banquet?" Xie Qianyun asked An Youyou, clearly reluctant to see her go.

"Of course, I will," An Youyou agreed without hesitation.

"Then I’ll wait for you."

"Okay," An Youyou smiled softly, "I’m off."

Xie Qianyun watched anxiously as An Youyou departed.

An Youyou boarded the carriage and waved at them.

She drew down the curtain.

The smile on An Youyou’s face slowly faded away.

She had to see them again. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

She didn’t know how long it would be before her father and mother returned to the Imperial Palace.

Nor how long An Ji would stay.

She leaned against the carriage, swaying as it reached the Prince Jing Mansion.

Before she even got off the carriage,

An Ji came up directly.

An Youyou was a bit surprised, "Where’s Anqi?"

"Princess Anqi has already returned."

"..." An Youyou was even more surprised, "Did anything happen?"

"Nothing happened," An Ji replied, "Perhaps Princess Anqi felt it wasn’t proper to stay out for too long, so she returned to the palace early."