Two gold cakes weigh only four ounces, but if they were exchanged for silver, they would be worth more than forty ounces, enough to support my sister to recover from her illness and then travel from here to the capital.
The woman was very grateful. She remembered that the people who had saved her and her sister were from the Yongning Marquis's mansion. She decided to wait until her sister recovered before making any plans to go to the capital.
She hurriedly found a gold shop to exchange for silver, then went to a pharmacy to get medicine and bought a pot for decocting the medicine. When the woman returned to the inn, she saw that her sister, who had been unconscious, had woken up.
The woman placed the things on the table and said with delight, "Sister, you're finally awake!" Her voice trembled with emotion as she finished speaking, and she quickly helped the person in bed sit up.
The woman on the bed was very weak. Seeing the things on the table, she asked, "Tao'er, we've lost all our money. Where did you get the money to buy these things?"
Tao'er poured a bowl of warm water for the woman on the bed, helped her drink it, and then took out a purse from her sleeve. She poured the gold coins and loose silver coins inside onto the bed and said, "Sister Jinniang, after we were kicked out of the clinic because we had no money, we were fortunately saved by a lady. That lady was skilled in medicine and treated you. She left two prescriptions. This money was left by one of the lady's sisters. The lady said that once you recover, you can go to the capital to find your relatives."
If Xu Zhi were here, she would have recognized that the seriously ill woman was Zhao, the concubine of Chu Huaigui, whom she had met once before. Her maiden name was Zhao Jinniang, and the one who claimed to be her younger sister was Zhao Jinniang's maid, Yu Tao'er. However, in the Chu family, Yu Tao'er used a different name she had taken after entering the mansion.
Zhao Jinniang was sent away by Chu Huaigui before the people from the capital went to Miaozhou. Before Zhao Jinniang left, Chu Huaigui threw a tantrum in the mansion and had Zhao Jinniang beaten with twenty strokes of the cane. Then he arranged for someone to send her to her home in the capital.
Zhao Jinniang was beaten and developed a fever on the way. The person escorting Zhao Jinniang to the capital was Chu Huaigui's confidant. After giving Zhao Jinniang a letter, he hurriedly returned. On the day Chu Huaigui was arrested, this confidant was rescued from the Miao River, soaking wet. Upon seeing Chu Huaigui, he began to cry and say that the boat back to the capital had capsized halfway, and after his aunt fell into the water, he had searched along the Miao River several times but could not find her. He had no choice but to return to inform Chu Huaigui.
After reading the letter, Zhao Jinniang disregarded her physical discomfort and fled with Yu Tao'er. After disembarking from the boat, they found a small dock and went ashore. While passing through a small town, some of their luggage was stolen.
Zhao Jinniang and Yu Tao'er had no choice but to pawn some of their personal jewelry as they made their way to this slightly larger town.
Zhao Jinniang was injured and had something on her mind. After staying at the inn, she started to have a fever.
Thinking of the help she received from a complete stranger, Zhao Jinniang asked Yu Tao'er, "Tao'er, did you ask that lady's name? We should go and thank her in person when we have the chance."
Yu Tao'er then recounted what had happened at the dock. Zhao Jinniang listened, frowned, pondered for a long time, sighed, and said nothing more.
Yu Tao'er had many things to do. She had to prepare medicine for Zhao Jinniang and also arrange dinner. The inn did not provide three meals a day, so the guests had to take care of their own meals.
Zhao Jinniang sat on the bed, watching Yu Tao'er bustling in and out. She never expected that she would be saved by Xu Zhi's mother.
It's actually quite easy to guess. After Zhao Jinniang became Chu Huaigui's concubine, she came to Miaozhou. Zhao Jinniang's father was an old scholar who had failed the imperial examinations. Zhao Jinniang was intelligent from a young age and studied with the old scholar for several years. After Chu Huaigui arrived in Miaozhou, only Zhao Jinniang accompanied him. The two spent a long time enjoying a loving and harmonious relationship.
A few days ago, Chu Huaigui's wife returned to the capital with her family, but deliberately left Zhao Jinniang behind. This was because she still resented the years Chu Huaigui had spent with Zhao Jinniang. After Chu Huaigui's wife left, Zhao Jinniang felt sorry for Chu Huaigui and showed him concern. Chu Huaigui then told Zhao Jinniang many secret things.
It was at this time that Zhao Jinniang learned Zheng Boyuan and Xu Zhi's identities. Although Zhao Jinniang was just a young lady from a respectable family, she had followed Chu Huaigui in Miaozhou for so many years and knew that Chu Huaigui was doomed this time. Originally, she had prepared herself mentally to stay with Chu Huaigui after letting Yu Tao'er go. She never expected that Chu Huaigui would find an excuse to beat her up and then have her sent away.
Zhao Jinniang still remembers that after she was beaten and sent back to her room, Chu Huaigui came over alone and told her a lot of things. The most important thing was that he told her where the account book was hidden. Zhao Jinniang really didn't want to listen, but at that time Chu Huaigui had a blank face, and his eyes were lifeless.
“Jinniang, the account book is very important to me. I can’t let anyone find it now, but in the future, this account book can become evidence to bring down the Third Prince. I don’t trust anyone but you. Jinniang, someone will send you away from Miaozhou early tomorrow morning. Go back to your parents’ home, and you’ll have a place to stay in the future.”
Chu Huaigui pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket. It was a document releasing a concubine, dated more than a year ago. Zhao Jinniang looked at Chu Huaigui in surprise. Chu Huaigui smiled bitterly and said, "I already foresaw that I wouldn't have a good ending. You've been with me sincerely for so many years and suffered so much injustice. I have to do something for you. Remember, find an opportunity to secretly tell the Third Prince's rival where the account book is. My whole life has been ruined by this Third Prince. I only hope that you can escape and live a peaceful life in the future."
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