Rong Li: "You even know this is the fifth time this month? And it's only been a few days into the month?"
Rong Qing shrank back, looking at her brother with a wronged expression, and hugged his arm, pleading, "Brother, please let me go. I've already made plans with Brother Xuan."
"Hmph, all they do is go out and play all day long, they don't do anything serious."
Rong Qing protested, "I didn't. Besides, if my brother finds a girl he likes later, I'll cover for him, okay?"
Upon hearing this, Rong Li felt that she didn't need it, but for some reason, she wanted to agree.
"Come back early tonight. If I find out you're late, you'll be in big trouble."
Upon hearing her brother's words, Rong Qing quickly stood up and ran outside.
"Thank you, brother. I'll be going now."
Rong Li watched her younger sister run away and shook her head helplessly.
What's so great about this love? He's never home.
Rong Li carried the remaining grapes out of the hall, preparing to return to her own courtyard.
Suddenly noticing his maid Jinxiu beside him, he hurriedly called out to her.
"Jinxiu, what happened? Why are you in such a hurry?"
Upon seeing her young master, Jinxiu quickly approached and bowed respectfully: "Please forgive me, young master. I did not mean to be rude. It's just that a message came from home saying that my parents are seriously ill and I need to take some money back to save them. That's why I was in such a hurry."
Rong Li knew Jinxiu's family; they were a bunch of ingrates who had sold Jinxiu to her mother's household as a maid when she was young. Her mother saw that she was pitiful, quick-witted, and intelligent, so she kept her by her side to raise her.
The current Jinxiu is even better than those young ladies from wealthy families.
So her parents and younger brother, seeing that she was doing well, kept asking her for money, and now the whole family is supported by Jinxiu. But they still became more and more demanding, constantly exploiting Jinxiu in various ways.
He's seen this countless times before, is he using serious illness as an excuse again this time?
Rong Li comforted her, "Don't worry, I happen to be free today, I'll go with you. Let's see how serious their illness is. Instead of going to see a doctor first, you're letting me take the money home first."
Jinxiu: "No need to trouble you, young master. I can go back by myself."
"No, I said I'd go, so let's go."
Rong Li took her hand and got into the carriage that had just been prepared.
Seeing her anxious look, Rong Li handed her the grapes in his hand: "Here, eat them. These are tributes, we can't throw them away. I can't eat any more, so you're lucky."
Jinxiu took it and tasted one: "Wow, the grapes are delicious! Thank you, young master."
"Hmm." Rong Li's lips curled slightly.
The beautiful scenery that was being conquered by grapes was not seen.
After a quarter of an hour's journey, the carriage arrived at Jinxiu's house. Rong Li instructed the carriage to wait at the alley entrance.
He pulled Jinxiu along, and just as they were about to reach the door, they suddenly heard voices coming from the courtyard.
Jinxiu originally wanted to go directly to them and give them the silver, but Rong Li stopped her.
Rong Li covered her mouth and whispered, "Shh, listen to what they're saying."
From the courtyard, Jinxiu's younger brother Jinhua's voice could be heard.
"Father and Mother, please ask for more this time. I need to take Xiaocui shopping these next few days. How can we manage without money?"
Jinxiu's father didn't say anything.
Jinxiu's mother, however, doted on her son: "Alright, what about the money I gave you last time? Wasn't it several taels?"
Jinhua protested, "Mother, what can a few taels of silver do? Besides, Jinxiu is living so well in the Rong Prince's mansion, she must have a lot of monthly allowance. If she doesn't give it to me, who will she give it to? I'm telling you, when she comes later, you must make her give me one hundred taels, or I'll never forgive you."
Upon hearing this, Jinxiuniang looked at her son in shock: "Do you know how much a hundred taels is? Why do you need so much?"
“I want to marry Xiao Cui. Her family said they want a dowry of one hundred taels of silver before they will let me marry Xiao Cui.”
At this moment, Jinhua's father spoke up: "One hundred taels is too much. Don't you even consider whether she's worth one hundred taels? Here, the maximum for a wedding is ten taels. Let her marry if she wants."
Jinhua started throwing a tantrum again: "No, no, I want one hundred taels! I want to marry Xiaocui! Besides, isn't my sister in the Rong Prince's mansion? How hard could it be for her to earn one hundred taels?"
When Jinxiu's mother saw her son crying, she immediately softened.
"Alright, alright, let your sister take it. If she doesn't, I won't acknowledge her anymore. Son, don't cry, it breaks your heart."
The people inside the courtyard were still talking, and Jinxiu, who was outside the courtyard, heard this conversation and felt utterly hopeless.
So, all that talk about being seriously ill was just a way to get money from her? And just because of her brother's crying, her parents didn't care whether she lived or died? Do they know that she would have to work for the Rong Prince's mansion for ten years to earn that much money?
Besides, they've given them far more than that in total. Do they really want to take another ten years of her life just by opening their mouths?
Jinxiu's tears streamed down her face, burning not only Rong Li's hand that was covering her mouth, but also her heart.
This girl's life is so miserable. She's his family's maid, and he can't let people bully her like this.
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