Throughout history, corrupt officials may run rampant for a time, but they will never run rampant forever.
Heng Tong remained silent, looking at Ye Panjiu, and said nothing more.
But my mindset is different now.
A short while later, Su Yan returned carrying a bundle on his back.
The bundle, like his clothes, was covered in patches.
Ye Panjiu put down her pen. "There's no one else in this room, so you don't need to hunch over like this."
Su Yan put down his bundle and slowly straightened up. He had always done it this way and was used to it.
After standing up, the soreness in my back and waist shot straight up.
"The coarse cloth clothes I bought are too new; they need to be aged more."
Ye Panjiu reached out and picked up the clothes. Both sets were black and vermilion, with a layer of cotton lining.
She thought for a moment, then said, "Lend me a knife."
Just as Heng Tong was about to take out the dagger, Su Yan had already placed a very small shaving knife in his hand.
“This knife is very sharp. You tell me, and I’ll make it.”
Ye Panjiu took the knife from his hand and used the tip to pick out the loose threads from the shoulders, cuffs, and other frequently used areas of the garment, revealing some cotton wadding.
He picked up his brush again and smeared some ink on the cotton wool.
After all that work, it's clear that this garment is worn regularly, and it even has a patina from all the wear.
Heng Tong admired, "This is even more real than the real thing."
Ye Panjiu picked up the cloak and draped it over her shoulders, then turned her around and looked at her.
"Some details are still missing."
She stepped forward again and crumpled the clothes, saying, "It's done."
Su Yan turned and went to the room next door. "You guys change."
He had originally planned to go to the Chiang Kai-shek residence alone.
But after seeing the information Ye Panjiu had gathered, he changed his mind.
She was extremely observant and could notice details that he missed.
Without hesitation, Ye Panjiu quickly changed into coarse cloth clothes.
Although it irritates the skin a bit, it's tolerable.
Heng Tong was somewhat disgusted; she was used to wearing fine silks and satins, and this garment made her feel uncomfortable all over.
After the two changed, Ye Panjiu looked at Heng Tong.
Heng Tong was already handsome, and when dressed in men's clothes, it was impossible to tell whether he was male or female.
She followed Heng Tong's example, tying all her black hair up on top of her head and then wrapping it with a tattered cloth.
Heng Tong shook his head. "No, the girl looks like a woman."
Ye Panjiu frowned. "My voice is also soft, so let's leave it at that."
She reached out and smeared some ash on her face, not even sparing her neck.
It makes the skin look yellowish, giving the impression of being unhealthy and sickly.
After she had tidied the two of them up, she opened the door.
Su Yan looked back and nodded.
"Very good."
Ye Panjiu pointed to the door, "Grandpa, let's go out and beg."
Heng Tong couldn't hold back and laughed.
"Yes, Grandpa."
Su Yan glanced at Ye Panjiu. If he had known she was there, he would never have pretended to be an old man!
There are still two generations between them now.
He hunched his back, picked up the broken bowl shakily, and after confirming that no one was at the door, walked outside.
The Chiang Kai-shek residence is not far from here; it's only a 15-minute walk to the back gate.
Within fifteen minutes, the three beggars appeared, each holding a white steamed bun.
These steamed buns were bought with money I had begged for.
Su Yan chewed on a steamed bun, with Ye Panjiu supporting one of his arms.
He moved his hand and whispered, "Jiang Le'an has many martial arts masters under his command. We absolutely cannot enter the Jiang residence. Let's go to the side gate, to the servants' quarters."
These grand mansions, with over a hundred servants, especially those they knew well, particularly those born into the family, were the most trusted.
Su Yan led the way, waving a ceramic bowl in front of them, saying, "Good people, please have mercy!"
It was a day off, and many old women were playing cards with the lights on inside their houses.
The women of the household, who work as maids, are washing clothes for their own family members.
A maid knelt on the ground, weeping, "Mother, I don't know when I'll be able to return this time. Please take good care of yourself!"
The maid washing clothes watched coldly, "Look at her crying so pitifully. When has she never been living a life of luxury while following the eldest young lady?"
They clearly didn't get along. Someone was gossiping, "It's strange, the master has never been willing to part with his eldest daughter, so why did he send her away this time when she was making such a fuss?"
A servant boy rushed over, shouting, "You little hussy, hurry up and get out of here! Just because you've gained favor with the master, you think you're something special! If you're late, you'll regret it!"
The maid who was washing clothes stopped. "I really don't know where this savage came from, he has no shame!"
He even spat on the spot where the maid had just been kneeling.
The maidservant glanced at her, but could only swallow her anger.
When she becomes a concubine's mother in the future, she'll make sure that wretched woman suffers the consequences!
An old woman came out to relieve herself and saw the three beggars. She picked up her bucket and splashed water on them, yelling, "Where did these stinking beggars come from? Don't you know where you are? Get out of here!"
She's having a bad night; she's lost almost a month's worth of wages.
Su Yan reacted quickly; as soon as he picked up the bucket, he moved it away with Ye Panjiu.
Heng Tong was a little slower, and the hem of her clothes got wet, making her look even worse.
She gave the old woman a cold look.
Ye Panjiu reached out and pulled her, and the three of them quickened their pace as they walked outside.
As Heng Tong walked out of the alley, he casually picked up a pebble and knocked it straight down onto the old woman's knees.
The old woman fell straight down, crying out, "Ouch! My damned knee! How did it twist like that!"
Heng Tong covered her mouth and laughed, "Hmph, this snobbish old woman deserves it."
Ye Panjiu swallowed the last bite of steamed bun. "Like master, like servant."
Su Yan gently squeezed her arm. "It must be because Wang Yichun has already shown that she wants Jiang Leyue that Jiang Le'an is in such a hurry to send her away."
Ye Panjiu said, "Jiang Leyue can't leave, so why don't we just rescue her and do as she wishes?"
An even simpler solution would be to send Jiang Leyue to the Prince's residence. That way, Jiang Leyue would surely hate Jiang Le'an, and even if Jiang Le'an were made of clay, he would still hate Wang Yichun.
It incited hatred among the three parties.
But she didn't want to go to such lengths.
Su Yan replied, "Okay."
He understood that Pan Jiu did not want to take advantage of a weak woman who had done nothing wrong, and that such a method of exploitation was rather insidious.
"Waaaaah! Let me out! I don't want to go! Let me out!"
Amidst the woman's sobs, a carriage sped out of the Jiang residence.
Su Yan looked up and saw six fast horses surrounding the carriage, with a single coachman driving them, a sword at his waist.
The carriage door was nailed shut with a wooden board.
Jiang Leyue's eyes were red and swollen from crying, and she kept pounding on the wooden board with both hands, shouting, "I want to go back! Can't you hear me!"
The horseman didn't even turn his head. "Girl, just calm down. I made a solemn promise to Brother Jiang!"
"If you don't let me go back now, when I see my brother again, I'll make sure he kills you all!" Jiang Leyue threatened, seeing that her soft approach wasn't working.
The driver scoffed, "Grandma, at least I've lived a little longer!"
Su Yan narrowed his eyes slightly. "This direction can only lead out from the east gate."
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