The Royal's Cute Little Wife

1.1

Chapter 1.1

After a ride of about a month, the carriage finally reached the boundary of Qing Zhou City.

Summer had arrived, and with it the sound of lively cicadas in the trees, causing people to feel drowsy as they listened.

Just past the moat, a delicate and tender voice sounded from the carriage. " mother, will be we living here from now on?" A corner of the embroidered gold curtains were lifted, revealing a round and defined chin, before they were quickly shut tight by the person inside. The curtains tightly blocked off the earlier, fleeting view of snow-like skin。

A woman's voice called out, "Little lamb, don't move too much, we'll only draw the curtains when we reach home."

The carriage was silent for a while, and the driver drove through the city gates, reaching the main street.

Qing Zhou could not compare to the prosperous and bustling capital; after all, it was a small place, so the streets were not as wide. When driving two carriages on the street, there was undoubtedly some congestion. Only after making several turns did they manage to successfully leave the place. After reaching the south of the city, there were fewer carriages, as most of the dignitaries and nobles lived in the south, and ordinary people did not dare to visit.

Beside both banks of the river grew many willow trees, providing shade in the sweltering heat. On the carriage, apart from a beautiful woman, there was also a maidservant and three young children. As it was incredibly spacious, there was more than enough space to easily accommodate all of them.

The three children were all asleep. There was one boy and two girls. The one who spoke up before was the eldest daughter Xie Lisa, who was five that year.

Xie Lisa inherited her mother's beauty, and from a young age she was already beautiful beyond words, with an appearance of precious jade, like a young girl standing at the feet of the lotus seat of Guanyin. Her hair was combed into an elaborate bun, decorated with strings of small beads. She wore a cherry-coloured embroidered overcoat, and underneath she wore a gauze skirt embroidered with a hundred butterflies and flowers. Paired with a five colour auspicious lock pendant, she looked even more innocent and adorable.

At that moment she held a green feathered handheld fan and imitated Dara shi's way of fanning herself. "Mother, when will we reach?"

Dara shi glanced at her meaningfully, and she stuck her tongue out, returning her fan to its original position.

"In another half-hour or so," Dara shi said as she patted her head.

They were travelling from the capital in order to find the Second Master of Duke Ding's household, Xie Jiyong.He had been sent to Qing Zhou to be a magistrate, and having reached earlier than Dara shi and his children by a month, he had long ago finished preparing everything and was waiting for their arrival.

Hearing that there was only half an hour left, Xie Lisa's limpid eyes curved upwards, and she cheered excitedly, "We're going to see Daddy soon!"

She turned to look at Xie Hanbin "Brother, aren't you happy?"

Xie Hanbin calmly agreed, "Happy".

Xie Hanbin was older than her by five years, and was also much more mature than her. He rarely expressed his emotions freely, and unlike her, he did not chatter and tweet nonstop as though he were a sparrow. On the way there he made sure to take care of his younger sisters. As the saying goes, the eldest brother is like a father, and Xie Hanbin had understood that since a long time ago.

On the bridge, the carriage bumped a little, and happened to wake up the youngest daughter Xie Yeri. The three children together talked incessantly, and soon they reached the gates of Xie Fu.

At the front of the gates there were already people waiting to receive them. At the head was Xie Jiyong. He was dressed in a light green robe, his stature tall and lanky, and with a bright smile on his face he looked in their direction. Behind him there were dozens of servants respectfully bowing their heads to welcome them. A few were curiously examining the people in the carriage, wanting to see what the Madame looked like.

The curtains were lifted, and the first to exit was a ten year-old adolescent, tall and slim, with a pair of defined and high eyebrows, making him seem upright and honourable.

Next stepped out Dara shi, carrying Xie Yeri. The moment the crowd saw her, they couldn't resist sighing, this whole family's appearance is really so good.

Dara shi was 25 years-old that year, and had preserved her looks well, without too much powder, her face was soft and smooth, like a teenage girl's. She wore a five-colour light plum skirt and a muslin jacket. In her arms was a three year-old doll-like child, looking even more delicate than her mother with cherry red lips and white teeth. Her sparkling eyes swept over the gates, making everyone delighted with her appearance.

Originally they thought that was all, but they never anticipated that behind, there was still one more person.

Accompanying a tender cry of "Mother, wait for me," a small form followed the maid down the carriage. Everyone turned to her, only to see Xie Lisa holding up her skirt to jump down from the footstool, crossing over to Dara shi's side in a few steps before looking towards Xie Jiyong and smiling sweetly as she said, "Daddy."

She was clearly only five to six years old, yet she had such an outstandingly beautiful appearance.

Her face was flawless, with a cute little nose, snowy white skin, and eyes that curved up as she smiled, effortlessly stealing away peoples' hearts and souls. No one knew for sure whether her beauty was a good or bad thing.

The Xie couple did not put much thought into that. Seeing his daughter, Xie Jiyong was immediately happy, and stroking her head, he asked, "Little lamb, did you miss daddy? Did you behave during the trip; did you listen to your A niang's instructions?"

Little lamb was Xie Lisa's pet name. At a young age, her physical condition was not good, and she often got sick, like a helpless lamb, causing people to treasure her.

Xie Lisa smiled happily, without an ounce of fear, and said, "I missed daddy! I was really obedient, and listened to Mother!"

With the family reunited, Xie Jiyong hugged his three children tightly, and grinned from ear to ear.

Looking towards his wife, he held out his hand, saying, "This trip must have been hard on you."

Throughout the years, the couple's feelings never wavered. Instead, after enduring various difficulties together, they grew more deep and intimate. After not seeing each other for a month, Xie Jiyong naturally missed her very much, but could only restrain himself in public.

As she followed her father to the main hall, Xie Lisa curiously glanced around. The hall was not as big as Duke Ding's residence, but every corner was meticulously designed, most likely due to Xie Jiyong's efforts. Compared to Duke Ding's residence, this place seemed even more tasteful, and Xie Lisa liked it at first sight. Together with Xie Yeri, she ran two rounds around the trees, with their laughter lingering on peoples' ears.

Xie Jiyong laughed along with his two children, while Madam Dara could only shake her head fondly as she made Xie Hanbin stop them.

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Definitions:

1. shi 氏: A term used to address a married woman

2. fu 府:Household, Residence