Chapter 2
The following day, Yunwan got married.
When the Minister's family marries off their daughter, the procession is naturally extraordinary. Red silk has long been hung up in the mansion, and the servants are all wearing red sashes around their waists. Everyone has a smile on their face, and there is a festive atmosphere everywhere.
However, all the excitement had nothing to do with Yunxi.
She got up early in the morning and was dressed up as a maid to escort her to the wedding.
She wore her hair in a double bun, dressed in a blue robe, with a festive red sash around her waist.
She was slender with fair and delicate skin, and had beautiful eyebrows and bright eyes. Even in the simplest of outfits, without any makeup, she was still eye-catching and impossible to look away from.
Upon seeing this, the maidservant who was helping her with her washing and dressing couldn't help but curse her as a vixen in her heart.
With such a curvaceous figure and such fair skin, how could she possibly look like someone from the countryside?
What else could she be but a born fairy!
Jixiang glared at her fiercely and said with a long face, "When the young lady goes out later, you can blend into the group and go with her!"
Yunxi raised an eyebrow: "How can I blend into the team like this?"
In her past life, to blend in, she covered her exposed skin with a layer of yellow powder and deliberately bent her legs while walking to make herself less conspicuous. But now, she was unwilling to damage her image again, especially since she had other important matters to attend to.
Seeing that Jixiang's complexion was even worse, Yunxi smiled deeply: "Madam gave me a HSBC bank token yesterday. I'm going to withdraw some money to keep on my person. Would you like some soup?"
Jixiang was Lady Yun's person; ostensibly serving her, she was actually spying on her.
In her past life, Jixiang took advantage of Yunwan's kindness and not only beat and scolded her frequently, but also often snatched her food. As a result, while the servants were well-fed and watered, she, the nominal master, was always so hungry that she was about to faint.
However, she did not intend to deal with Jixiang.
After dealing with Jixiang, there will be Ruyi; Madam Yun has no shortage of people under her command.
She seized the initiative not out of momentary impulse, but to avoid creating further trouble for herself.
"What's the meaning?"
Yunxi's smile remained unchanged, but her eyes were icy cold: "You find a way to deal with Madam and get me out of here. Once I get the money, you'll naturally get your share of the benefits."
Once she entered the Marquis of Changping's residence, getting out would be incredibly difficult, so she needed to hurry and send some money back to her adoptive parents.
Ji Xiang looked troubled: "You want to go out? That won't be easy."
"Fifty taels."
Before the light, airy words had even finished, Jixiang immediately changed her tune: "I'll go right now!"
Her family member was seriously ill and they were short of money, so she naturally couldn't let this opportunity pass her by.
Fearing that Yunxi might change her mind, Jixiang quickly turned around and left.
After a while, Jixiang returned and said, "Madam has agreed, but we must go to the Marquis's residence before dusk."
If it gets any later, we won't be able to make it to the important business.
Madam Yun still trusted Jixiang and didn't suggest sending someone else to keep an eye on them.
Yunxi nodded and left the mansion with Jixiang through an inconspicuous side gate.
Even after a lifetime, Yunxi was still unfamiliar with the capital, so she asked Jixiang to lead the way.
Upon arriving at the money exchange, with the token in hand, things proceeded smoothly.
Since the money shop ultimately belonged to Madam Yun, it was quite conspicuous for her to suddenly withdraw a thousand taels of silver.
She then used the silver note as an excuse to buy a valuable set of jewelry, and then went to a pawnshop in the south of the city to pawn the jewelry for a thousand taels of silver.
Of the thousand taels, apart from three hundred-tael silver notes, the rest were exchanged for ten-tael and twenty-tael silver notes and loose silver, forming a thick stack.
After carefully checking and confirming that everything was correct, Yunxi and the shop assistant put their fingerprints on the accounts before leaving with Jixiang.
After leaving the pawnshop, Yunxi found a security escort agency, wrote a letter saying that she was doing well and that her adoptive parents could rest assured. Finally, she gave the silver notes and the letter to the agency, paid the escort fee, and asked them to send the items over as soon as possible.
After finishing the task, Yunxi breathed a sigh of relief.
She sent them four hundred taels of silver notes in the lowest denomination, which would be convenient for them to use. As for the two hundred taels of silver notes in full, they were for their emergency use.
She owes her adoptive parents a great deal; she'll repay them slowly in the future.
After walking all morning, the two were starving. Yunxi then led Jixiang into an elegantly decorated restaurant on the street and ordered all the most expensive and best dishes in the restaurant.
It was still early, and the food was served quickly. The table was full of delicious and beautiful dishes, making it a feast for the eyes.
Jixiang's eyes almost popped into the food.
Yunxi didn't rush to pick up her chopsticks. Instead, she glanced at her and said, "Now that you've been sent to my side by the Madam, can you tell who your master is?"
“My master is naturally the lady!” Jixiang said without hesitation.
How dare a country bumpkin ask such a question?
Yunxi chuckled and placed a hundred-tael silver note on the table: "I heard that someone in your family is seriously ill and urgently needs money. You are devoted to your master, but is she really this generous to you?"
Yunxi didn't feel any pain spending money that wasn't her own.
He could use money to persuade her to defect, and she would naturally defect back one day for the same reason. It was just for the sake of convenience.
When the time is right, it will have to be dealt with.
Hearing Yunxi's words, Jixiang gritted her teeth secretly.
No, of course not.
Madam Yun knew that her family member was seriously ill and was willing to give her fifty taels of silver, but not immediately. Instead, she asked her to stay by Yunxi's side for a while to find out if Yunxi had any other intentions. If she did, she would have to wait until she could dispel Yunxi's disloyalty before she could receive the silver.
Fifty taels of silver may be a lot, but how could her seriously ill family wait for it?
When she agreed to come to the mansion yesterday, she had already sent back ten taels of silver to cover the cost of medicine for the next two months. But her mother had been ill for so many years, how could she be cured in just two months?
She was already extremely anxious about this matter, but she never expected Yunxi to offer one hundred taels of silver so readily...
Ji Xiang's mind was not swayed.
Yunxi continued, "Now that you've been assigned to my side, it's not quite right for you to accept money from the madam's side. Besides, how many times would it take you to collect a hundred taels? Why don't you acknowledge me as your master from now on? As long as you don't betray me, I'll let you continue to accept the benefits from outside. I won't mistreat you either; at least I can guarantee your mother's medicine money."
As soon as she finished speaking, Jixiang's gaze became complicated.
How could someone from the countryside have such thoughts?
And he knew about his mother's illness...
Yunxi ignored her and picked up her chopsticks: "The food won't taste good if it gets cold. You should think of something quickly."
After saying that, Yunxi stopped paying attention to her and focused on eating.
Before she could eat more than a few bites, the silver note on the table was suddenly snatched away. Jixiang knelt down with a thud: "This servant Jixiang greets Master!"
Yunxi looked down at her, a dark glint flashing in her clear eyes.
"Get up," Yunxi said. "Bring another bowl and chopsticks for your meal."
"yes."
Jixiang got up, swallowed hard as she looked at the sumptuous meal, took another bowl and chopsticks, and stood aside to eat her meal properly.
The master and servant ate their lunch quietly, one sitting and one standing.
Since it was still early after lunch and Yunxi had nothing to do in the capital, she decided to go to the Marquis of Changping's residence ahead of time.
The Marquis of Changping's mansion was extremely grand and solemn. Today was a joyous occasion, and distinguished guests had gathered at the main gate. However, this had nothing to do with Yunxi.
She walked along the path and entered the mansion through an inconspicuous side gate.
As soon as she entered, a burly old woman approached her and said, "Madam has already arranged accommodations for the young lady. Let's go."
Yunxi hummed in agreement, her gaze lingering on the old woman for a moment.
It's another old acquaintance.
She followed the old woman discreetly to a place she knew all too well.
The rear building of Liuyun Garden.
This was originally the servants' quarters, cramped and narrow. Sunlight streamed in through the windows, revealing countless dust motes dancing in the air.
Yunxi had never lived in such a shabby house even in the countryside.
The old woman seemed oblivious to the terrible conditions and said in a cold voice, "This is the room closest to the main house. Miss, please tidy it up yourself."
After saying that, the old woman turned and left.
Jixiang coughed twice, covering her nose, and couldn't help but complain, "This is no place for a human to live!"
As Jixiang said this, he didn't hesitate at all. He hid the cloth bag containing the silver, turned around and went out. He returned a short while later with water and a rag and began to tidy up.
Jixiang worked quickly and efficiently, and soon the house was clean. Yunxi lay down fully clothed, pondering how to proceed that night.
Tonight is crucial for her.
Whether or not a seed of doubt can be planted in Shen Rang's heart, allowing her to make a successful comeback in the future, depends on tonight.
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