In front of the carriage were four magnificent horses, exuding an imposing presence.
Though the carriage itself appeared ordinary, the interior, as revealed by the rustling curtains, was decorated with utmost luxury.
Outsiders rarely visited Dashui Village.
Apart from Kong Xingzhuo and his crew building houses, hardly anyone set foot here.
Little Xi Tian, perched on the dog's back, stood by the roadside, watching.
The villagers also gathered around, murmuring amongst themselves.
"Are they just passing through?" Huang Xiangyun asked.
Liang Yue Shui shook her head, "Doesn't seem like it. Look at the people who entered the village first; they've all gone to the big house!"
"Oh! So, the people in the carriage are Master Kong's employers?"
"It's truly strange, what's so special about our Dashui Village that nobles from the capital would come here to live!"
"You don't understand; the more status people have now, the more they like to come to the countryside!"
"..."
Little Xi Tian pouted her lips, quietly observing the spectacle.
"Little Aunt, shall we go back?" Yun Jin He whispered, urging her.
If they were late, Grandpa and Grandma would scold him.
"No, watch the fun!~" Little Xi Tian called out crisply.
Just as she finished speaking, a large black dog suddenly darted out from behind the carriage.
Whoa!
This dog was taller and sturdier than Xue Ling.
Its black fur was curled, and its fierce eyes were even more ferocious than a tiger's.
Little Xi Tian's eyes lit up.
It was a Tibetan Mastiff.
She hadn't expected to see a Tibetan Mastiff in this other world; it was truly a rare sight.
"Woof woof!" Xue Ling retreated a couple of steps, seemingly a little timid.
Yun Jin He was also scared. He quickly scooped up Little Xi Tian and glared fiercely at the Tibetan Mastiff, "Don't come any closer! Get lost!"
Little Xi Tian squirmed her small body, two dark lines appearing on her forehead.
"Seriously, big nephew, is this how you hold a child?"
Head down, feet up, she almost ate dirt!
The big black dog meant no harm. It sniffed around Xue Ling.
Then, with its tongue lolling out, it came to lick Little Xi Tian.
"Slurp, slurp!~"
"Heh heh, cackle cackle cackle......"
Little Xi Tian giggled.
She secretly wondered if this big black dog and her own Xue Ling were to have puppies,
Would they have a litter of black and white spotted Tibetan Mastiffs?
Little Xi Tian got up. She wanted to ride the Tibetan Mastiff...
At this moment, the moving carriage slowly stopped.
The dark purple curtain was gently lifted, revealing the face of an old woman.
She had a kind and benevolent face, a gentle smile, and her hair was styled in a simple bun befitting a common woman.
After carefully observing Little Xi Tian, the old woman was momentarily surprised.
This little girl was so exquisitely beautiful.
So cute and adorable, like a large porcelain doll.
The old woman doted on her, and fearing that Da Hei might bite the little baby, she quickly got out of the carriage.
"Oh my, whose little girl is this? Where are your parents?"
As she spoke, the old woman reached out to hug Little Xi Tian.
Yun Jin He, sensing danger, quickly snatched his little aunt back and said with a stern face, "You're not allowed to touch my aunt!"
"Aunt?"
The old woman was stunned for a moment, then she came to her senses.
This little girl had quite a senior title.
Then her parents must be quite old as well?
"Ride... ride Hei Hei!" Little Xi Tian said in her tender voice. Her eyes were now only on the Tibetan Mastiff.
She wanted to ride the big black dog to catch butterflies.
The old woman chuckled at her words.
So, this little girl had a peculiar preference.
She liked riding dogs.
The old woman kindly advised, "Little girl, this dog is kept by our master. You can't ride it!~"
"It's alright, let her ride!" a young boy's voice came from inside the carriage.
Little Xi Tian and Yun Jin He turned their heads to look and saw a delicate little face peeking out.
Although he looked young, his face was very handsome, with sculpted features and an elegant demeanor like jade.
Especially his clear eyes, which conveyed an innate nobility and coolness.
The old woman's expression turned flustered. She bowed to the little boy, "Master, Da Hei has a changeable temperament. It wouldn't be good if the little girl fell!"
The little boy curved his lips into a shallow smile, "If she falls, she falls!"
If she gets hurt, she'll learn her lesson.
Little Xi Tian heard this and puffed out her cheeks, hands on her hips, "Get out of the car car!~"
She wanted to beat him up!
"Hmph, a mere village child, how dare you expect this Emperor... this young master to get out of the carriage?"
What a joke!
Were all the people of Dashui Village this ill-mannered?
He still planned to sightsee and stay here for a long time.
Yun Jin He was indignant and shielded his little aunt, "You come down, I want to challenge you one-on-one!"
As soon as he said this, the guards behind the carriage swarmed forward, surrounding the aunt and nephew.
"Woof woof!~" Xue Ling bared her sharp teeth, her fur standing on end.
Little Xi Tian was not flustered at all. She pointed her chubby finger at the boy and scolded, "Bad bug!"
"What did you call me? A bug?" The little boy's face turned pale, and anger surged within him.
Seeing that the situation was getting out of control, the old woman quickly rubbed Little Xi Tian's head, "Little girl, hurry home!~"
"Hmph!~"
She was so angry!
Little Xi Tian took her little legs and climbed onto Xue Ling's back, "Divine beast, gallop, gallop!~"
The little boy: "......"
Yun Jin He: "......"
Since the big house was built next to the Yun family's residence, Little Xi Tian was heading in the same direction as the carriage.
"Little village child, why are you following me?" the little boy asked, glancing at her with his eyes.
Little Xi Tian pointed to the Yun family's courtyard, "Going home home!~"
The little boy gazed over, his head full of question marks, "Ah? That's your home?"
"Nyah nyah!" Little Xi Tian stuck out her tongue at him, making a funny face.
The little boy was extremely vexed.
How did Kong Xingzhuo find such a neighbor for him?
He would deal with him properly later!
A group of guards escorted the little boy to Dashui Village and then departed one after another.
Their arrival caused Dashui Village to explode with chatter again.
"So Master Kong's employer is a little child! Tsk tsk, how peculiar!"
"What's so peculiar about it? That little child must be a prince from the palace!"
"How do you know?"
"It's written in the storybooks! Aren't fallen princes always ending up in the countryside, falling in love with village girls?"
"Don't spout nonsense, which prince would live in our shabby village?"
The villagers chatted and laughed, carrying their hoes, and went home for dinner.
Little Xi Tian rode the big white dog back to the Yun family, in a rather unhappy mood.
Her sister-in-law, Zhao Gui Hua, was so startled that she dropped her basin and rushed over, "Oh dear, little ancestor, why are you riding a dog?"
What if you get hurt?
Little Xi Tian giggled, and patted her sister-in-law's face, "Don't be scared!~"
Zhao Gui Hua breathed a sigh of relief and kissed her sister-in-law, "You're not allowed to do that anymore, understand?"
"Mm-hmm!" Little Xi Tian nodded obediently.
She'd do it again next time!
Today, there was a rare visitor at home, Yun San Man.
A large wooden chest filled with all sorts of books was placed in the main hall.
There were biographies of famous people, records of rural oddities, herb encyclopedias, and the Four Books and Five Classics.
Although he was a live-in son-in-law, he had always thought of his family.
Upon thinking that his elder nephew, Jin He, was also of age to attend school, he brought over the family's unused books.
"Oh, little sister has grown so tall!"
Yun San Man's eyes disappeared as he saw Little Xi Tian, and he happily picked her up.