Su Zixuan left reluctantly amidst the farewell of his younger siblings.
It took Wang Meng at least three days to travel to the county town, and with no older siblings around, Su Qingluo became the eldest sister.
The nine-year-old girl, leading her four well-behaved siblings, closed the door to enjoy their little life together.
With nothing to do, they sunbathed in the courtyard, played with crickets, or spent time with Huya. With no worries about food or drink, their days were filled with contentment.
On the seventeenth day of the first lunar month, news came from the royal residence that two Masters and ten companions had returned from their hometown after celebrating the New Year.
The Imperial Guards who guarded the residence have also arrived, with many new faces added to the roster.
On the evening of the seventeenth, Little Kingfisher flew back from the riverbank excitedly, bringing Su Qingluo a piece of unexpected news.