Chapter 340: All or Nothing

Fifty thousand taels in exchange for a hope, and Zheng Huiyin must make the final decision before midnight tonight.

He was willing to gamble everything on it and spend the remaining 150,000 taels of silver.

Or should I just give up and accept the fate of falling into the abyss?

When Chunying saw that the young lady did not punish her, the huge stone in her heart finally fell to the ground and she breathed a sigh of relief.

Having grown up with the young lady, I know how much pride she has in her bones.

She even often sighed in her heart that if the young lady were a man, with her talent and the title of the eldest daughter, she would probably have already made a name for herself in the court.

He will become the rightful heir to the Duke of Zheng's Mansion and there is a high possibility that he will inherit the title in the future.

Even if the imperial examination for women is now opened, how can it be so easy to break free from the heavy burden of the Duke's Mansion?

"Miss, eat something first. If your stomach is empty, your mind will not be clear."

Zheng Huiyin's eyes slowly shifted to the cold food on the table and she nodded lightly, "Okay."

Chunying was about to turn around to prepare the hot dishes when her wrist was tightly grasped.

"Stop working..."

Zheng Huiyin's eyes fell on the glaring red on her forehead. She raised her hand and gently touched the gauze on the edge of the wound with her fingertips.

You can tell at a glance that this injury was caused by kowtow!

The personal maidservant beside her represents Zheng Huiyin's face.

The fact that Chunying suffered such humiliation shows how much anger the Sixth Princess had accumulated in her heart.

However, at this moment, there was a glimmer of hope in Zheng Huiyin's eyes.

The fact that the Sixth Princess was willing to humiliate her like this shows that she still cares about her and is still angry.

That means she might actually do the job for money.

If you completely ignore her, that would be truly hopeless.

"Does it hurt?" The voice was as light as a feather, carrying a hint of indescribable emotion.

Chunying forced a strong smile. "It hurts, but it's okay. I'm very strong. This little injury will heal in a few days and I can still protect the young lady."

Zheng Huiyin smiled sadly, took Chunying's hand, and led her to sit on the embroidered cushion beside her.

"Come with me and use some."

Zheng Huiyin forced herself to swallow a few mouthfuls of warm rice porridge. After feeling a little warmth in her stomach, she could not eat anything else.

My heart felt like it was being pressed down by a huge rock, and it was very blocked.

The maids and servants in the courtyard just thought that she was depressed because her name was not on the list, and no one knew the truth.

He sat down at the desk again, with the window lattice open.

The early autumn night breeze blew in with a cool breeze, ruffling her untied black hair, leaving a few strands of hair sticking to her pale cheeks.

She was waiting, waiting for her parents to come, even if it was just a nanny who brought a few words of explanation or comfort.

However, time is like sand, passing away bit by bit in the dead silence.

No footsteps, no communication.

The plain white silk handkerchief in her hand was twisted repeatedly until it was almost crushed in her palm.

"Bang... Bang..."

The gong sounds at the second watch penetrated the layers of deep courtyards of the Duke's Mansion and faintly penetrated into the boudoir.

"Miss, there are still two quarters left."

The spring oriole approached silently, its voice very low.

She had found an excuse to send all the maids and night watchwomen in the yard back.

The last glimmer of hope in Zheng Huiyin's eyes was completely extinguished, replaced by a determination to fight to the death.

Her grandfather viewed her as a commodity to be sold at a high price, and would discard her without hesitation if she could threaten the reputation of the Duke's Mansion.

After all, her mother cared more about the legitimate son who could inherit the title, and her daughter was just the icing on the cake.

And my father's silence at this moment is the clearest answer.

She was completely abandoned by the entire Duke Zheng's Mansion!

“Hu…Hu…”

Zheng Huiyin suddenly closed her eyes, as if to exhale all the resentment, resentment and coldness accumulated in her heart.

When she opened them again, the beautiful eyes that were originally empty had narrowed, flashing with sharpness.

Since no one sympathizes with her, she can only fight for a way to survive.

Huo Ran turned around, and at this moment he was terrifyingly calm, "Chun Ying, do me a favor."

At a quarter of an hour, two slender figures quietly sneaked out of the yard.

Chunying led the way with a dim lantern, the light of which could only illuminate the area below her feet.

Following closely behind him was a person wearing a plain cloth skirt of an ordinary maid, with a thick gauze scarf covering her face.

The two men chose secluded paths with few people walking on them. They walked hurriedly but tried to be as quiet as possible, and their target was the secluded corner gate in the northwest corner of the mansion.

"stop!"

A deep, sharp shout suddenly rang out, and a burly figure appeared at the corner of the path ahead.

The man who came with a sword hanging from his waist was none other than Liu Feng, the captain of the palace guards.

Chunying's heart suddenly sank. She forced herself to calm down and took a step forward, her voice filled with anxiety:

"Captain Zhao, it's me, Chunying.

The maid in the young lady's courtyard suddenly fell ill, suffering from vomiting and diarrhea, and looked in critical condition.

I didn't dare to disturb the palace doctor, so I decided to quietly take her out to find a clinic."

Liu Feng's gaze passed Chunying and fell accurately on the masked "maid" behind her, his brows furrowed.

"Miss," he clasped his fists and bowed, "It's late at night and the dew is heavy. Leaving the house rashly may be dangerous. Please return."

Since her identity was exposed, Zheng Huiyin simply raised her hand and pulled off the veil on her face, revealing her beautiful face.

His eyes were cold as he looked directly at Liu Feng: "I have something important to do and must leave the house. It's just a hundred steps east of the gate. I'll be back in a moment."

"Miss……"

"No need to say more!" Zheng Huiyin said in a firm tone, with a determination to burn his boats.

"Or, you can pretend not to see me now;

Otherwise, you can make a big noise and let the whole palace know, and keep me confined to this small place!"

Liu Feng fell silent.

The young lady may have forgotten it long ago, but he clearly remembers that winter day many years ago.

He was homeless at that time and couldn't even afford a thick cotton coat in the cold winter.

In the winter of Fengjing, several people die silently in the corners every day.

Just when he was hiding in a snowdrift waiting to die, a lady who happened to pass by sent someone to give him a half-new thick cloak.

He has always kept this kindness in his heart.

It was because I heard the news that the young lady failed the exam that I was worried that she might be depressed, so I specially patrolled the area and unexpectedly saw this scene.

"Since Miss is so determined, please allow me to escort you out of the house.

Protecting your safety is also my duty.

Besides, Miss, your appearance will definitely not be hidden from those experienced veterans at the corner gate."

Time is running out, midnight is approaching.

Zheng Huiyin looked at Liu Feng deeply, no longer hesitated, and nodded gently:

"In that case, thank you very much, Captain Zhao. I will definitely reward you handsomely after this."

Liu Feng clasped his fists solemnly and said, "Miss, your words are too kind. I cannot accept this position. Please follow me..."