Chapter 170 Grasshoppers on the Same Rope

"Miss, it's late." Lianxin yawned and saw that Xiao Jiuyue was still busy, so she couldn't help but remind her.

"What time is it?" Xiao Jiuyue looked up at the moon hanging in the night sky. It was almost the first day of the new year, and the moon was as thin as a curved eyebrow, almost invisible.

"It's almost midnight." Lianxin replied.

Xiao Jiuyue raised her eyes and saw that Lianxin's eyelids were drooping with sleepiness. She said, "Lianxin, go to bed first!" She was used to sleeping after twelve o'clock. Now that she was younger, she often stayed up until twelve o'clock without realizing it.

"It's okay, miss, I'm not sleepy." Lianxin shook her head, shook off the sleepiness, and continued to grind the ink.

Xiao Jiuyue snatched the ink stick from her hand and said, "I'm done, no need to grind the ink anymore."

"Then I'll clean it up." Lianxin said, and began to clean the inkstone with quick movements.

'Knock knock.'

There was a knock on the door, and Xiao Jiuyue said, "Come in."

Lian Xin was cleaning the inkstone carefully at the side. Director Jin said, "Miss, there's news from the Fang family. Master Fang met with someone again today and it seems he wants another assassin!"

Manager Jin was afraid that the other party was too defensive, so he didn't dare to approach. However, when Master Fang left, he took someone with him, and he saw it clearly.

"Well, given the failure last time and the booming business at Zhiyun Tower, the Fang family won't just sit there and wait for failure." Xiao Jiuyue knew what was going on and said, "Starting tomorrow, I must personally pick up Jia Yuan and the others to ensure everything goes smoothly."

"Don't worry, Miss." Manager Jin said affirmatively. Last time something happened, this time, he specially arranged two warriors. Whenever he was free, he would go to Huaixian Academy in person to pick people up.

"Is there any news from Shengjing?" Xiao Jiuyue asked.

Chief Steward Jin shook his head. "We haven't received any news yet. We may have to wait until County Magistrate Cheng steps down before we can get any news."

"Where is the Bai family?" Xiao Jiuyue asked about her second uncle's family. When the Xiao family left Beijing, neither the Bai family nor her second aunt Xiao Xia even showed up. Before leaving, her grandmother kept looking at the city gate, waiting for Xiao Xia. Unfortunately, Xiao Xia never showed up.

"News from Second Aunt's family..." Manager Jin said hesitantly, "Should I send someone to inquire about it right away?"

"Well, find out carefully." Xiao Jiuyue suspected that the "borrowing luck" Hua Qing mentioned was a good deed done by her second aunt!

Among the entire Xiao family, only Second Aunt Xiao Xia and her family did not even show up.

"Yes." Manager Jin responded, intending to find out all the information about Xiao Xia's family this time!

…

"Have you completely cured the poison?" Xiao Jiuyue looked at Hua Qing, who looked brand new. Even though she changed into the clothes of a maid of the Xiao family, tied up her messy hair, and stood next to Lian Xin, her presence was still very weak!

"Thanks to the young lady, all the poison has been eliminated." Hua Qing pursed her lips and smiled. After arriving next to Xiao Jiuyue, Hua Qing felt that the poison in her body was eliminated faster.

"Okay, then why don't you go out with me today?" Xiao Jiuyue asked.

Hua Qing nodded repeatedly. She wished she could follow Xiao Jiuyue closely. Now that she could go out with Xiao Jiuyue, Hua Qing was naturally eager to do so. She said enthusiastically, "Miss, I can drive the carriage!"

Hua Qing looked at Jin Wen, who was driving the carriage, and said, "Miss, I am very good at driving a carriage."

Jin Wen, who was holding the reins, looked at Hua Qing in confusion. What was wrong with him driving the carriage?

"Okay, you drive the carriage." Xiao Jiuyue stepped directly onto the carriage, Lianxin followed closely behind. Jin Wen said, "Miss, I can drive!"

"We can go together." Hua Qing jumped directly onto the carriage and looked at Jin Wen and said, "Are you still getting on?"

Jin Wen immediately jumped onto the carriage, pulled the reins and said, "Of course." How could he let someone else take away his job as a driver?

The carriage passed by the candy shop. Tang Tian went to the provincial capital. However, the candy shop business in the county was still booming. Tang Tian had been looking forward to it since she heard that Xiao Jiuyue was going to the provincial capital.

The bustling Zhiyunfang and the deserted Fang's Cloth Shop formed a sharp contrast. Xiao Jiuyue took a look and lowered the curtain directly. The carriage turned the corner and went directly into a teahouse.

Xiao Jiuyue took Hua Qing and Lian Xin directly to the teahouse. As soon as she sat down in the private room, a woman wearing a veil came into the next room and sat down in front of Xiao Jiuyue. "Miss Xiao, you are here on time as expected."

"Miss Fang is not bad either." Xiao Jiuyue looked around the quiet teahouse and saw the veil removed, revealing a delicate and beautiful face. If Fang Caiwei was here, she would definitely recognize that this was her sister, Fang Caifei, who was almost killed by her.

"This is a letter of recommendation. With this letter, he can become a disciple of the Tongzhi of Meicheng. As for whether he can pass the imperial examination and gain fame, it depends on his ability." Xiao Jiuyue directly pushed the prepared letter of recommendation in front of Fang Caifei.

A hand with flower-like hairpin-shaped calligraphy, like Xiao Jiuyue, is so charming that people will remember her deeply at first sight.

"How can I be sure whether this letter is useful?" Fang Caifei looked at Xiao Jiuyue with burning eyes. Ever since she was almost killed last time, Fang Caifei has been secretly contacting Xiao Jiuyue!

Fang Caifei knew very well that if she continued to stay in the Fang family, her marriage might not go smoothly, and she might even not be able to survive in the Fang family.

Fang Caiwei, the eldest sister, would not tolerate anyone being stronger than her. If she had not reacted quickly and asked Xiao Jiuyue to save her fiancé, she would probably have met Wang Lang in the underworld.

Xiao Jiuyue chuckled, tapping her slender fingers on the table, and looked at her steadily: "If I wanted to deceive you, would I have to go to such great lengths?"

"Don't blame me, Miss Xiao. This matter concerns my future, so I have to be careful." Fang Caifei apologized frankly. She reached out to take the letter, but Xiao Jiuyue's hand grabbed it. "Where is your sincerity, Miss Fang?"

If it weren't for the Fang family's assassins, Xiao Jiuyue would never waste a favor!

"My father brought back another assassin last night. I overheard that his name is Lord Kong," Fang Caifei answered in detail. "Those assassins are all very shrewd, so I didn't dare get too close."

"Master Kong?" Xiao Jiuyue searched in her mind, wondering which family had the last name Kong. Her mind was completely confused, but she remained calm as usual. She looked at Fang Caifei, her lips slightly raised as she said, "If this is all I have, it's not enough to repay this favor."

"The Fang and Cheng families have collaborated. They're secretly doing something in the mountains to the east, so much so that the Cheng family wants to make Fang Caiwei their legal wife." Fang Caifei continued, "Now the Fang and Cheng families are like grasshoppers on the same rope. If Miss Xiao wants to move against the Fang family, she must move against the Cheng family first."

"The Fang family is your mother's family." Xiao Jiuyue tapped the table lightly and said, "Aren't you afraid that I will leave the Fang family with nothing?"

"The Fang family has nothing, what does it have to do with me?" Fang Caifei chuckled and said, "I know you think my words are a bit cruel, but my aunt was killed by the Fang family. If it weren't for the accident, I wouldn't have been engaged to Wang Lang. I've had enough of escaping death."