leave
Hua Rong led Granny Wang through the corridor and took her arm in a feigned affectionate manner. "Granny Wang, how has the Madam been doing these past few years? Why did you suddenly think of our young lady?"
"Bah!" She shook off Hua Rong's hand, the black hair on the matchmaker's mole trembling with anger. "How dare a lowly servant like you ask about the master's family? Let the second young lady come and ask in person!"
Hua Rong gritted her teeth secretly, but could only smile: "Please come this way."
Granny Wang followed Hua Rong to Ruan Yunsheng's residence. She had no respect for the young lady of the general's mansion at all, and her triangular eyes swept across the room like poisoned needles.
She sat down on the rosewood chair at the top, crossed her legs, and rubbed the mud on the toes of her shoes onto the embroidered cushion without any hesitation.
"Second Miss." She shook out a handkerchief from her sleeve and pretended to wipe the corner of her mouth. "The general will be returning to the court soon. The eldest lady, thinking that you have been wandering around for many years, has specially ordered me to take you back home to enjoy a good life."
She emphasized the word "enjoyment" very much and forced a hypocritical smile on her sallow face, as if she was giving alms.
Ruan Yunsheng naturally didn't believe such a high-sounding reason. There must be some conspiracy, but... she glanced at Song Tinghe who was perfectly invisible next to her. Perhaps this was also a great opportunity. She couldn't let him stay like this forever.
She suppressed her inner thoughts, without revealing any flaws on her face, and pretended to be touched, "I didn't expect that mother still remembered Yun Sheng."
She personally poured a cup of tea and handed it to her to show her respect, and tried to get a clue from her: "I don't know what the situation is like at home. Yun Sheng hasn't been home for a long time and can't remember anything about the past."
"Of course I live better than you." Granny Wang gradually forgot her limits under Ruan Yunsheng's care, as if she regarded herself as the master. She accused Ruan Yunsheng of not remembering the General's Mansion all these years, and not knowing how to repay her filial piety now that she has made money.
Ruan Yunsheng didn't say anything back, just took it as it came. "The shop is just starting to pick up, and there are a lot of things to do. I wonder if it can be delayed for a few days."
"Miscellaneous matters?"
Granny Wang suddenly put down the teacup, and the scalding tea splashed on the back of Ruan Yunsheng's hand. "How can a lowly person compare to the future of the General's Mansion? Don't you know what's good for you?"
She suddenly leaned forward, her matchmaker mole almost poking Ruan Yunsheng's nose. "The eldest lady means to leave immediately! There is no delay."
Ruan Yunsheng lowered his eyes to look at the red mark on the back of his hand, and suddenly chuckled: "Why is Granny Wang so anxious? Just let me pack my things. It's so rare to go back home, so I have to bring gifts."
She took out a heavy brocade bag from her makeup box. "Here's some silver for you to have tea with. I'm sure Granny Wang must be tired from the journey, so I'm giving it all to you as a filial gift. Would you mind picking me up in three days?"
Granny Wang's eyes lit up when she saw the large bag of silver. She grabbed the brocade bag and weighed it. The sound of the gold ingots clashing made her eyes clear a little. "Second Miss is so thoughtful. I'll give you three days."
As soon as Granny Wang's carriage drove out of the alley, the girls rushed into the wing room like a tide.
"Miss! How dare that old hag spill your tea!" Ah Luo held the back of Ruan Yunsheng's swollen hand, tears streaming down her face. "I should have pierced her mouth with an embroidery needle just now!"
Wan Niang wrung out a wet handkerchief and carefully wiped the wound, her voice trembling with anger. "This is how all the people from these high-ranking families behave! They abandoned you back then, and now they have the nerve to come and ask for you back? I can tell they have bad intentions."
Ruan Yunsheng sighed softly and slowly told Granny Wang the purpose of her visit. Before he finished speaking, the whole room was in an uproar.
"Three days?" Sister Qing stood up suddenly, indignant, "Do they think I'm an animal? They just take me away!"
"You can't go!" An Yue floated in front of Ruan Yunsheng, her translucent soul rippling with anger. "There must be a conspiracy."
Ruan Yunsheng smiled bitterly and held everyone back: "The General's Mansion is extremely powerful. We can't compete with it and can't escape it. After all, I am their daughter. They won't do anything to me."
What she was most worried about were these girls who depended on each other for survival. She held Sister Qing's hand in her palm and said, "Sister Qing, you are the most thoughtful person here. I entrust the haunted house to you."
"How can that be?" Sister Qing refused without thinking. Their lives were saved by the young lady, the shop was opened by the young lady, and the management method was also thought up by the young lady. How could she hand it over to them?
Ruan Yunsheng naturally saw what she was thinking: "I may not be able to come back after this trip. This shop is for your future life guarantee."
"No!" Ah Luo suddenly rushed over and hugged her waist, rolling around, as if she would not let go unless the young lady agreed. "Young lady, don't even think about running away from us. This time, no matter what, you have to follow us!"
The girls gathered around him, their eyes gleaming with determination. Wan Niang clenched the poisoned dagger tightly and said, "The General's Mansion is so cruel and ruthless. We can't let you go back alone!"
Ruan Yunsheng felt a warm feeling in her heart, but she had to harden her heart. She gently pushed Ah Luo away, her eyes sweeping across the anxious faces. "How long will the money we've saved last us in the capital? The general's mansion is huge, and if I return, I'll be imprisoned in the inner courtyard. You won't even be able to enter. Are you going to squat on the street every day waiting for me?"
She picked up the few bags of silver in her makeup box and said, "This money is only enough to live in the capital for half a month. The capital may seem prosperous, but in reality, it's full of powerful people. We are a few women with no one to rely on. How can we protect ourselves if we encounter a bully? What if we are targeted by a scammer?"
She walked to the window and pointed in the direction of the haunted house. "This Ye Mansion haunted house is something we've spent countless nights supporting. The third act hasn't even begun yet, and the reservations are already booked for three months later. Is it worth it to abandon everything and go to the capital now?"
Sister Qing suddenly knelt down: "Miss, we can sell the haunted house for money..."
"Then what?"
Ruan Yunsheng helped her up, his voice trembling, "Is money really everything? Here...power is everything. If we sell this shop, we will really have nothing."
In the silence of the room, only the candle wax dripped.
"It's always been considered shameful for women to start their own business, and we face many difficulties. But we can't let these gossips break our backs. You stay here and save money slowly, just in case I need it in the future, right?"
Ruan Yunsheng's words gave them some motivation, and they finally agreed to stay here, but they also suggested that An Yue must stay with the young lady, after all, she was the most powerful here.
Ruan Yunsheng looked at the group of girls who were giving her advice, and helplessly held her forehead and could only agree. If she didn't agree, she was afraid she would not be able to leave the room today.
Three days later, at the hour of Mao, the mist in front of the Ye Mansion had not yet dissipated. The girls gathered around Ruan Yunsheng, all with red eyes. A'Luo clutched the corner of her sleeve tightly, choking with sobs and unable to speak.
"Miss... you must be careful on this trip." Sister Qing put the packed bag into the luggage compartment and said in a hoarse voice, "I will ask the escort agency to deliver a letter every fifteenth day of the month. You must..."
"What are you dawdling about!" Granny Wang interrupted sharply, pulling Ruan Yunsheng onto the carriage. "Do you think we're going to perform a big show?"
She slapped A'Luo's hand away in disgust, "Don't touch the Ruan Mansion's carriage, you dirty bastard!"
The carriage rolled over the bluestone road, moving farther and farther away. The sun rose, and the sunlight penetrated the fog, illuminating the journey ahead. I don't know whether this journey will be a blessing or a curse.
The carriage was bumping along the official road. Ruan Yunsheng and Hua Rong were speechless, each with heavy thoughts in their minds. An Yue and Song Tinghe turned into faint shadows, curled up in the corner of the carriage to save as much space as possible.
Suddenly, the car curtain was lifted up and a figure nimbly came in!
"Ah--!" Hua Rong screamed in fright, thinking it was a robber on the road, but the man covered her mouth with his hand.
"Shh! Stop shouting!" The man lowered his voice, his face covered in dust but he couldn't hide the arrogance in his eyes and brows - it was Qi Mingxiu!
In another car, Granny Wang heard the noise and immediately asked loudly, "What's going on?"
Ruan Yunsheng quickly raised her voice, "Nothing! The road was bumpy, and Huarong accidentally bumped into something." After the muttering died down, she glared at the uninvited person, "Master Qi, what are you doing?"
Qi Mingxiu squeezed onto the cushion without hesitation, picked up the teapot on the small table and took a sip: "I heard that Boss Ruan is going to Beijing? It's on his way, so please give me a ride."
Ruan Yunsheng laughed in anger, "Master Qi is so wealthy, why doesn't he hire a carriage himself? It's not right to intrude on a woman's carriage like this, is it?"
"Oh, my monthly salary is being held back by the old man. I'm even poorer than a beggar on the street." He collapsed like a scoundrel, and with a stretch of his long legs, he almost kicked Hua Rong. "Anyway, your car is spacious, so one more person won't make much difference~"
Hua Rong was so angry that she raised her foot to kick him: "Get out!" But he dodged it easily.
Qi Mingxiu suddenly leaned closer to Ruan Yunsheng and lowered his voice, "My brother is quite wealthy in Shangjing. Boss Ruan, are you sure you don't want a helper?"
Ruan Yunsheng held up his chin with his hand, feigning curiosity. "If that's the case, it's not impossible to take you with me. But there must be a reason why Master Qi escaped in such a miserable state, right?"
She seemed to have smelled some gossip, and immediately moved closer to him and started treating him like a brother.
Qi Xiuming fell silent for a moment before muttering, "It's not impossible to tell you." He scratched his hair and said, "The old man forced me to marry Gu Nanzhi."
"It seems you're running away from your marriage!" Hua Rong's eyes lit up, and she almost grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds and started cracking them. "Tell me, isn't Miss Gu doing well?"
"What's there to say!" Qi Xiuming kicked the car wall in frustration. "She and I are sworn enemies. Marrying her? Absolutely impossible!"
Ruan Yunsheng chuckled: "I think you two are a good match."
"You are blind!"
Qi Xiuming sat up straight with a look of shock on his face. "That crazy woman, who spends her days fighting and killing people, how could she possibly be worthy of a handsome and suave man like me?"
As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly remembered the scene in the haunted house that day when Gu Nanzhi pinned him to the ground and stripped his clothes. Her eyes were astonishingly bright, and her hair brushed against his cheek with a faint scent of soapberry...
No, no, Qi Xiuming's ears felt inexplicably hot and his heart was in a mess, as if it was stuffed with a ball of wet cotton. He couldn't describe the feeling.
He was sure Gu Nanzhi had poisoned him, just like the disgusting bug Yao Niang had planted on him. He kept thinking back to that day. It was poisonous! He had to find a doctor to take a good look at him when he got to Shangjing.
Qi Xiuming brainwashed himself like this. Anyway, it was definitely not because he had a crush on her! He liked gentle, considerate, soft and amiable women!
Ruan Yunsheng saw his expression, smiled knowingly, and stopped asking questions. The carriage fell into a brief silence, with only the creaking sound of wheels rolling over stones.
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