After the wrong flirtation, I became the villain's favorite

The sky was getting darker and darker, spreading like ink. It wasn't because it was late, but it was going to rain. The sky and the earth were in chaos.

Song Nihuan took Xiao Yuanlin for a walk and they could see the gate of Yunjing city from afar.

The guards at the gate had just been changed. A huge gauze lantern was hung up, swaying in the biting wind. The guards coming and going had solemn expressions, and their number was twice as many as usual.

The two of them couldn't help but speed up their pace, as it would be bad if the city gate was closed.

"Sister..." Xiao Yuanlin was about to say something.

Song Nihuan interrupted, "How do you know I'm...sister? Am I such a failure in dressing up as a man?"

"No. I was holding you when you fell asleep just now, and you were as soft as my mother." Xiao Yuanlin answered truthfully, his words sincere.

Song Nihuan sighed and asked, "What did you want to say just now?"

"I want to say that this mineral vein map should be presented to the emperor in public by my sister."

Song Nihuan glanced at him and understood in her heart that if the mineral was presented to the emperor in public, then it would belong to the Great Zhao Kingdom. If it was presented to the emperor privately as a way of seeking credit, then the owner of the mineral vein would just be an individual.

Xiao Yuanlin asked tentatively: "Is it okay?"

"Of course," she said.

She wondered who would be the best person to present the mineral vein to the public. She could not show up in front of everyone, and she had no idea how to enter the imperial city. If it was too late, she would have to stay at the Salesian Institute first and then make plans.

Xiao Yuanlin also knew this in his mind. He observed secretly and understood more and more the principles of his sister's actions. As long as it was the right thing to do, did not harm anyone's life, and was the right thing to do in the world, his sister would not refuse it.

"You..." The patrolling officer suddenly pointed at the two of them, "Stop!"

Song Nihuan and Xiao Yuanlin stopped and watched him walking towards them with a knife in hand.

As they got closer, they saw that it was a pair of lonely siblings. The officer looked them over and asked in a slower tone, "Why are you two coming into the city so late? Show me your identity documents!"

Song Nihuan looked at Xiao Yuanlin beside her. It was obvious that the two of them had no documents to prove their identities, but Xiao Yuanlin looked at these rough soldiers without fear. Instead, he straightened his back with a look of pride.

"It's almost dark. Do you have family members to pick you up when you enter the city at this time?" the soldier asked again.

Song Nihuan was about to lean over to reply when she was blocked by the child next to her. He turned back and said to her seriously, "Sister, your task now is to stay behind me."

Then Xiao Yuanlin said to the burly officer who was much taller than him, "I am the Marquis of An Ning. Please send us back to the Marquis' Mansion as soon as possible."

But the officer who was checking them frowned, looked them over and sneered, "Marquis of An Ning? You are so arrogant, little brat! How old are you, and you have been granted the title of marquis?"

"If you want to know whether I am the Marquis of An Ning, just send us to the Marquis' Mansion. If I lie, you can do whatever you want to me." Xiao Yuanlin said calmly, "You are new here, right? How could you not know that the young Marquis is missing from the Marquis of An Ning's Mansion?"

Now he speaks in a serious manner, like a little adult, and seems not the same person as the little kid with tears on his face just now.

Song Nihuan couldn't help laughing. If she could really go back to the Marquis' Mansion with him first and then find a way to enter the palace, it should be a convenient way.

Just as she was thinking about it, Xiao Yuanlin turned around and winked at her.

Hearing his serious words, this rough guy was frightened. He had just taken office not long ago. He hesitated and said, "Did you lose the young marquis...?"

A mere gate guard is a far cry from the precious marquis's mansion. I dare not make a decision casually. Besides, it seems that the Jinyiwei are really looking for someone these days.

After a moment's silence, the gatekeeper said, "I'll go ask. You wait here."

After a while, he turned back and gestured in the direction of the carriage in front, "The master on duty today wants to see you, please follow me."

The rain was getting heavier, the sky was foggy, and lanterns were lit everywhere. Song Nihuan and Xiao Yuanlin were soaked and supported each other as they followed the gatekeepers towards the carriage.

The ram-horn lamp hanging under the ebony hood of the green carriage lit up, swaying in the wind, sometimes bright and sometimes dim. The carriage door moved, and half of the curtain inside was lifted.

Song Nihuan wiped the rain off her face and looked into the car through the rain curtain. Under the swaying light, she saw a figure in green clothes and a jade belt sitting behind the curtain with her knees resting on them. The hand on her knee was clean and slender, which made the Hetian jade ring on her index finger look warm and lustrous.

The people in the car were silent. The two of them were getting wet in the rain. Just when Xiao Yuanlin could no longer bear it, he heard the people in the car talking.

"Are you Marquis An Ning?" The person in the car said in a gentle voice.

Song Nihuan frowned slightly. The voice sounded extremely familiar and she felt like she had heard it somewhere before.

"That's right." Xiao Yuanlin shouted, "Who are you? Why don't you come out to greet me!"

The people in the car said, "This demeanor shows that he is definitely the former crown prince."

There was a hint of sarcasm in these words, and Xiao Yuanlin's expression changed slightly.

The people in the car did not ask where Xiao Yuanlin had been, or why he had returned on his own initiative. They only instructed the soldiers, "Send someone to take them back to An Ning Marquis's Mansion. Don't be careless on the way. Make sure you see with your own eyes that the people from An Ning Marquis's Mansion take the young marquis in."

The next moment, he opened the car curtain, revealing his sharp jawline and half of his slightly boyish face.

"Yes, Sir Xie." The gatekeeper bowed and said to Song Nihuan and the others, "Please follow me."

Xie Yunjie.

Through the rain, Xie Yunjie saw his sister-in-law again. The rain had soaked her coarse cloth clothes, and the loose clothes made her look lonely and pitiful. Her exposed black hair was wet by the rain and stuck to her snow-white cheeks, revealing a pointed chin.

Only those eyes, like smoke and fog, were still faint and cool.

"It's you?"

He said at the same time as she did.

Xie Yunjie paused and said to the officers and soldiers, "Send the young marquis back to the palace. This girl is an old friend of mine. Please come up and tell the story."

Xiao Yuanlin looked at Song Nihuan in confusion.

"You go back to the Marquis' Mansion first. I will do what I promised you. Don't worry, it's useless for me to get this vein myself." Song Nihuan said, "I know this gentleman."

Xiao Yuanlin didn't dare to go against her wishes. For some reason, he had developed great trust in her after just a short acquaintance. He nodded and left with the gatekeeper.

"Come." Xie Yunjie stood on the carriage and stretched out his hand to her through the brocade handkerchief.

"No need," she said, jumping into the carriage.

After a moment of silence, Xie Yunjie looked at her delicate features in the rain and said with a smile, "Sister-in-law, there's no need to be so formal with me."

"I am no longer your sister-in-law. Please don't call me that in the future, sir," she said.

Xie Yunjie smiled and said, "Okay."

"In that case, please send me back to the palace, Master Xie."