Chapter 260 Remember this sorrowful taste

Another long silence followed.

Zhou Zhining lowered her head even further.

Prince Xin turned his head slightly to look at her.

It must be said that Zhou Zhining seems to have some outstanding qualities compared to others.

He looked up, hands behind his back, and gazed ahead: "So what did you see?"

Zhou Zhining said, "Lin Shiyuan was impartial and incorruptible towards Yao Qingling; he did not let her go. But it cannot be ruled out that Lin Shiyuan did this on purpose to avoid gossip."

"So I think we should expand things a bit more."

Prince Xin looked down at her: "A little older?"

...

On the fourth day of the search, Yao Qingling's rice shops in four markets, as well as her estate, were also searched.

People are filled with anxiety.

In the Mulan Courtyard, Yao Qingling held the child and played with him, making him play with a rattle drum and a cloth tiger.

The cicadas also calmed down.

She held the needle and thread, concentrating intently on sewing tiger-head shoes and a tiger-head hat.

However, the moon in the building could not be still.

She carried the burnt food back to the courtyard.

Nie Yun picked up her chopsticks, frowned, put them down, and ate her rice plain.

Seeing that Yao Qingling and Xia Chan were both so calm, Lou Yue asked, "Aren't you two worried?"

“The shop is closed, we’re staying indoors, and Sister Taoye is trapped in the manor. With so many people searching, aren’t you afraid they’ll dig up the fact that we sheltered those bandits—” She looked around, lowering her voice, “and bring up the fact that we took in those bandits?”

Xia Chan looked up at her, then at Yao Qingling.

Qingling shook the rattle drum loudly: "They're investigating corruption. Besides, after nearly a year, those people are no different from the villagers. The interests of the village and the households are closely intertwined, so the villagers won't speak out of turn."

"Also, you should believe in your sister Taoye's abilities."

The current Taoye is a completely different person compared to the timid and cowardly Taoye of the past.

You learn from experience; having more experiences helps you grow.

Tao Ye, who became independent and took on responsibilities, earned Yao Qingling's trust and served as a role model for other maids such as Xia Chan and Lou Yue.

She had the highest monthly salary and also received bonuses, yet no one envied her or said she didn't deserve it.

Xia Chan glanced at Qing Ling and added, "Miss forgot to mention, with Lord Lin here, he won't let things get out of control."

Yao Qingling tapped her with a rattle: "You've gotten bold, daring to make fun of me."

Xia Chan stuck out her tongue. Lou Yue said, "You guys can still tell jokes. If you're not in a hurry, then I'm not in a hurry either."

"But if we keep investigating like this, will it really take until after the New Year? Miss, haven't you thought of a solution with the Censor's wife?"

"The Lady of Xincheng...can't we even go to her?"

Why can't these powerful backers work when it really matters?

Qingling said, "The Censor's wife is a shareholder of Hui Bafang, and she is also under suspicion. If she makes a scene now, Censor Cao's position will be in jeopardy. Do you think the Censor's family is doing well right now?"

This is the downside of forming cliques based on shared interests.

If one is harmed, all are harmed.

In order to attract business from all directions, the censor's wife interacted more with the wives of officials.

If she hadn't invested in Huibafang, she could have remained the fearless lady she used to be, living a carefree life.

Yao Qingling felt guilty whenever she thought of the Imperial Censor's family.

Once this matter is over, she plans to have the Imperial Censor's wife withdraw from Huibafang.

"...This whole affair started because I told the Lady of Xincheng about the fake medicine, which stirred up a storm in the palace. At the same time, the Empress was also testing me. If I can't even handle this matter well, then I will lose the opportunity to cooperate with the Empress."

In the Empress's eyes, Yao Qingling was just an ordinary young lady from an official's family. She wasn't even as good as the palace maids who served her.

If something really happens, the Empress won't do anything; it just means Yao Qingling isn't qualified to be her person.

Only when the Empress defeated her rival could Yao Qingling be considered to have crossed this threshold.

Before this, Yao Qingling could only be responsible for all her actions.

Lou Yue thought for a moment, but still couldn't help asking, "Miss, was it worth it to expose the fake medicine in order to stop the Marquis from requesting the title of heir apparent, only to end up like this now?"

Before Yao Qingling could answer, Xia Chan replied to her.

"Lou Yue, if we don't fight, we'll only be trampled underfoot like before, without even the right to complain. Even if we die, people will just say, 'It's fate.'"

"Only by fighting for it and winning can we have a bright future. If the position of heir apparent is taken away, the Marquis's mansion will no longer belong to our young lady. Even if we fight for it again in the future, we will only pay a greater price."

If Yao Qingxu secures his position as heir apparent, Yao Qingling will only have two options.

First, she would be used as a bargaining chip to be married off. She would become a second wife to an old man, or a concubine to a powerful and morally corrupt man.

Second, Yao Qingxu died. The position of heir apparent was lost again, and the struggle began anew.

Neither of these paths is the one they want to take.

Rather than waiting for things to become more uncontrollable, it's better to seize the opportunity and always take control of your destiny.

“If Miss were in charge, the rest of the Marquis’s household would be better off than they are now. Miss is different from them; as long as they don’t cause trouble, Miss won’t take their lives. But if those people were in charge, none of our lives would be safe.”

"Think about that golden feather silk again. If we hadn't discovered it first, we would already be prisoners, waiting for the knife to fall at any moment."

Lou Yue couldn't help but shiver.

Yes, how could she forget what kind of life she used to live? After a period of comfortable life, she felt that everyone around her was kind and friendly.

She didn't want to live a life of scheming against others, but others were scheming against them all the time.

If she's unprepared, and others try to take advantage of her, does she think they'll forgive her just because she kneels down to save them?

Lou Yue nodded: "You're right... Sigh, I always forget how I was treated."

She can't keep eating like this.

They eat well, dress well, and are not abused or beaten, so they feel like they are living like human beings. But in this world, in the place where they live, it is a place that devours people.

Xia Chan pushed the burnt braised fish in front of Lou Yue: "Then you should eat all of this fish, and you'll remember the taste of this sorrow."

Lou Yue pouted: "You're going to eat everything?"

Nie Yun, who had finished eating her rice, suddenly spoke up: "Eat."

This food is so awful. If I don't make her remember this terrible food, then there won't be any good food to eat in the future.

Yao Qingling looked at Xia Chan, then at Lou Yue, and suddenly said, "Lou Yue, once this matter is over, I plan to open a restaurant and have you manage it."

"Huh?" Lou Yue choked in fright, pounding her chest as she asked, "Me?"

Her eyes widened in disbelief; she never imagined she would be becoming the head manager.

She had once dreamed of being able to stand on her own like Xia Chan and Tao Ye. But seeing how busy they were, managing their subordinates, greeting customers, and dealing with merchants, made her scalp tingle.

She just likes to eat and cook.

I thought being a young lady's trusted maid was pretty good. I had enough money to spend each month, enough to eat, enough to sleep, and little work to do.

Xia Chan watched her as if she were watching a play.

Yao Qingling said, "If you're not made to take responsibility, you'll never know how difficult it is to run a household. Once you become a manager, you'll gain more experience, mature, and learn to consider things more carefully."

"But Miss, do you believe I can do it?"

How will you know if you don't try?

Lou Yue swallowed hard and obediently ate the whole plate of burnt fish, remembering this distressing taste.

Xia Chan helped her remove the fish bones, and said to Qing Ling, "Miss, Lord Lin is making a big commotion, shouldn't we start making a move too?"

"With the entire Hui Ba Fang sealed off, the Marquis's mansion is eerily quiet. It's strange that Aunt Zhao and the Marquis haven't made a single move."

If it were the Ma family of the past, they would have been jumping around trying to snatch Hui Ba Fang away.