Yunniang had a request for Concubine Min, so she was extremely humble at first. However, she had the upper hand and was here to discuss a win-win cooperation. Although she didn't have any evidence at the moment, she was displeased by Concubine Min's condescending attitude.
None of them are real masters, so who is superior to whom?
She sat down on the chair opposite Concubine Min, "Concubine Min, do you want me to stand while talking?"
After she finished speaking, she picked up the teapot on the table and poured herself a cup of tea.
Concubine Min raised her eyebrows, but she suppressed her anger and said in a deep voice, "What on earth do you want?"
Yunniang sneered, "To be honest, I'm no longer a concubine of the Huo family."
"Were you kicked out?"
"So what? My today is just your tomorrow, Concubine."
"How dare you!" Concubine Min stood up angrily, staring at her intently, and said, "Even if I am a concubine, I am no match for you, a concubine who commands a mansion, let alone a concubine who has been expelled from the mansion. Where do you get the courage to speak to me like this? Are you seeking death?"
"Yes, where do I get the courage from?" Facing her fiery eyes, Yunniang smiled and said, "How about Concubine, think about this for me? I haven't been drugged or had any ambition or courage. Where does my courage come from?"
"To be honest, Concubine, I am also very puzzled."
Their eyes met, and the two engaged in a silent game of sight. In just a few seconds, Concubine Min's eyes were truly brilliant.
After a moment, she sat down again.
Yunniang secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and before she could say anything, she spoke first, "Where has your brother, Shopkeeper Wang, gone? Do you want to know?"
"You know?" Concubine Min asked subconsciously, realizing her mistake and losing her composure in a moment of panic. She poured tea to calm herself and said casually, "I haven't seen him around for a while. I don't know where he went, without even saying hello. I guess he doesn't take me, his sister, seriously."
"If he had a family, I wouldn't have to worry about him. But he's too old to have one."
"Ah, I have to worry about this for him."
Yunniang sneered inwardly. She wasn't here to nitpick. Before Hua's birth, she'd bought medicine from Shopkeeper Wang, who had then died of postpartum hemorrhage. Shopkeeper Wang had used this as leverage to blackmail her into giving Jian Ning the drug. Similarly, she could use the fact that they were plotting to murder the mistress and the legitimate daughter to coerce them into doing her bidding.
So, she said directly, "I have a good sister who has experienced the same thing. Before coming here, I told her everything. If anything happens to me, she will go to see the prince when he returns to the capital."
"Ask for an audience with my prince? What does that have to do with me? Even if there is something, it's between you and my brother. It has nothing to do with me."
"Really? Concubine Min is so sure? Then it seems I've come to the wrong place today. Farewell." Yunniang pretended to stand up, and Concubine Min panicked. "What exactly do you want to do?"
In the past, Concubine Min was a person who could keep her composure. It was Jian Ning's return to the capital that disturbed her mind. In addition, the unexplained disappearance of Manager Wang and Duan Xinyan's marriage made her extremely confused.
"Wouldn't it have saved us all the trouble if you had asked earlier?" Yunniang slumped back down into her chair. "I have no grudge against you. What could I possibly do to you? I'm only looking for you because we both want to get rid of someone."
"I am now alone and weak, so naturally I would like to join forces with you. After this is done, we will owe each other nothing, and from now on, we can each live our own lives. How do you say that?"
Concubine Min stared at her for a while and said in a deep voice, "Where is my brother?"
"Where else could he be? He's probably just being held captive at Huo Jincheng's farm on the outskirts of the city. If we rescue him too late, I'm afraid he'll confess everything."
Concubine Min secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Her brother was no pushover. It was not easy to pry open his mouth, but it was not difficult to rescue him if she knew his whereabouts. Since the emperor had promised Xin Yan to Prince Yong, with the help of Prince Yong's men, why would she worry about not being able to rescue him?
"See you here tomorrow at 3 p.m."
Concubine Min stood up and prepared to leave, and Yunniang also stood up. She wanted to stop her, but hesitated and took a step back.
Without her saying anything, Concubine Min could tell from the embarrassment that she was currently short of money by looking at the look of embarrassment on her face. "Why, you haven't even managed to get enough money to support yourself? Go to the counter and withdraw ten taels of silver."
Sixiyuan was a shop owned by Concubine Min without the knowledge of Prince Pingnan. During her years in charge, she had secretly pawned much of the wealth bestowed upon Prince Pingnan by the Emperor, including Huichuntang, to buy the shop. Even if she were ever expelled from the palace and lost her status and position, she would still have no worries about food and clothing. Hence, she mocked Yunniang for not even having enough money to live on.
With the money, Yunniang went back and hired a carriage. She and Meixiang had already agreed that if Meixiang was the only one at home, a cloth ribbon would be hung on the door, and she just had to knock on the door without worry.
In order to win over Meixiang and use her for her own benefit, she was not stingy. She used the silver to buy a new set of clothes and a pair of new shoes for herself and Meixiang, and also picked out a veil hat for herself. When she came back in the carriage, she saw that the alley was very lively. Not only were there luxuriously decorated carriages coming in and out, but there were also many young men in bright clothes and riding horses coming and going.
Yunniang knew a few words. She hid behind the curtains in the car and saw the carriage sign hanging next to the gate of the former Huo Mansion's villa. She sneered in her heart.
Work hard to make money, otherwise how will you redeem the people?
Before she got out of the car, she glanced at the servant greeting her at the door. She didn't recognize him. At the Crown Prince's request, Huo Jincheng had specially transferred a skilled clerk from the Ding brand in the capital. Fortunately, he had never confided a single word of business matters to Yunniang. Otherwise, if Yunniang had told Concubine Min and then Prince Yong had heard, it would have been a real nuisance.
When Yunniang knocked on the door and went in, Jian Ning, who had changed into men's clothes, was teaching several sons of officials in the court how to ride bicycles. Ding Youtian and Cai Bo were registering people in the flower hall. Ever since Jian Ning came back from the palace on his bicycle, there was almost no shortage of people coming to pay their deposits and buy bicycles.
There were also some people in the city who came to him wanting to make wooden bicycles by themselves. Ding Youtian explained everything to them one by one by showing the drawings.
He and Cai Bo were busy when Huo Jincheng hurried over from the moon gate, his brow furrowed, as if something was bothering him. Seeing him coming, Jian Ning helped someone hold the back seat of the car with one hand and waved to him with the other, "Come on, hold on for a while, I'll go get some water."
Huo Jincheng didn't recognize Jian Ning at first glance, who was wearing men's clothes. When he recognized her, he glanced at her and went straight to the flower hall without saying a word.
What's wrong with this guy?
Jian Ning said drinking water was just an excuse. Ma Fuquan sent a message. First, he asked Jian Ning to get some spiritual spring water to put in the armory. Second, he informed her that he would personally escort the convoy to the capital, and by the way, he also planned to bring Ma Xiaomai and Ma Xiaodou to the capital to see the world. He asked her if she wanted to bring the big girl along?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com