Qi Zhenzhen was a little surprised, not expecting Qi Yi to have befriended Amuer. It seemed fate was truly a peculiar thing.
"Does he know you're from the Changping Marquis's household?" Qi Zhenzhen asked.
Qi Yi shook his head. "He shouldn't."
No wonder. Given Amuer's straightforward nature, if he knew Brother Yi was Xuanxuan's brother, he probably would have rushed to the Marquis's mansion long ago.
Qi Zhenzhen then told him about the dagger. Qi Yi was taken aback. "I know. That dagger he always carries is his mother's遗物 (yíwù - memento). He also said a pretty little sister returned the dagger to him. So that's it..."
Qi Yi decided he would have a good talk with Amuer next time he saw him.
"What do you think of Amuer?" Qi Zhenzhen asked.
"Didn't I just say?" Qi Yi asked in confusion. "Eldest Sister, weren't you listening to me just now?"
"I mean, not how he is as a friend," Qi Zhenzhen glared at him.
"Then what is it?" Qi Yi was puzzled.
"He likes Xuanxuan," Qi Zhenzhen said.
Qi Yi's mouth fell open slightly. "Eldest Sister, are you serious?"
"At the Lotus Appreciation Banquet, if Zhao Qingcheng hadn't stopped him, he probably would have confessed," Qi Zhenzhen recounted Amuer's behavior at the banquet.
"That's too reckless!" Qi Yi was indignant. "Is that kid's head not screwed on right?"
Qi Zhenzhen gave him a look. "Their customs in the frontier are open. The separation between men and women isn't as strict as in Da Feng. They directly express themselves to people they fancy. If they like someone, they get together; if not, they refuse."
Qi Yi recalled the miscellaneous notes he had read describing frontier customs. It seemed they mentioned their fierce customs, but he had assumed "fierce" referred to horsemanship and archery, not...
"Does Xuanxuan know about this?" Qi Yi asked.
"I haven't seen Xuanxuan since I returned. Grandmother said she was invited out by her girlfriends," Qi Zhenzhen said.
"Eldest Sister, I don't think this is appropriate," Qi Yi hesitated.
Qi Zhenzhen chided him. "What are you thinking? It's not a secret rendezvous. It's just to let Xuanxuan know about this, and then she can observe Amuer secretly. You know Xuanxuan, she longs for romance and wants to find someone she clicks with, not marry someone arranged by her parents."
"But marriage is a matter of parental arrangement and go-betweens, Eldest Sister. You should advise Xuanxuan," Qi Yi frowned slightly.
"Marriage is like a second birth for a woman. It determines the kind of life she will have. If she's lucky, she marries into a decent family. If she's unlucky..."
"But..."
"You are good friends with Amuer, inviting him to the mansion is normal. And Xuanxuan is your sister. When your brother has a friend over, offering some tea and snacks is not against the rules," Qi Zhenzhen added. "Look, in Taohua Village, we weren't so concerned about these issues."
Qi Zhenzhen knew that a true lady of a prominent family wouldn't act this way, but for Xuanxuan's future happiness, it would be a shame to miss such an opportunity. Moreover, Xuanxuan had a good impression of Amuer, and the sisters had even privately speculated about Amuer's identity.
In short, getting to know Amuer was simpler than getting to know those young masters from noble families.
Amuer was sincere and didn't pretend. In some ways, he was indeed more suitable for Qi Xuanxuan than those noble sons.
Qi Yi looked conflicted. "Then I'll listen to Eldest Sister."
"If it's inconvenient, I can take Xuanxuan with me when I go to Taihe Temple. Then you can invite Amuer to Taihe Temple for a chance encounter? You can rest assured with me accompanying Xuanxuan, right?" Qi Zhenzhen suggested, recalling the common tactics used for matchmaking among noble families.