“Okay, but sister, you have to come with me to tell Mother first.”
Tong Jiawanying, who hadn't expected to have to report it, rolled her eyes at Qingyin in annoyance and said, "Do you need to tell me? Of course I know."
After speaking, the two left their boudoir, walked through the covered corridor, and headed towards Madam Tongjia's Fanghua Courtyard.
When Madam Tongjia heard that her two daughters had come to the courtyard together, she assumed that the two had reconciled and happily welcomed them in.
Seeing the eldest daughter's one-sided indifference towards the younger daughter, she looked at Qingyin's hurt eyes with worry. Both daughters were her flesh and blood. Although she had to express more concern in her words because of the younger daughter's illness, she treated both daughters equally in terms of spirit and material support.
Tong Jiawanying said stiffly, "Mother, I want to go shopping for clothes and accessories with my sister."
Hearing her eldest daughter's curt words, Madam Tongjia assumed she was still thinking about what happened before she gave birth, so she didn't pay much attention. She said to the two of them with relief, "Alright, alright, you two go out for a stroll and relax. I have four hundred taels of silver here. You can each have half. Take it and spend it. If it's not enough, just send a servant back to the mansion to get more, okay?"
Tong Jia Wanying's smile became more genuine upon receiving the money, and Qingyin obediently accepted the silver from her mother.
Having made the arrangements, Tong Jiawanying immediately shook off Qingyin and returned to her own courtyard to prepare for her trip.
Watching the young lady's retreating figure, He Lu felt somewhat angry:
“Miss, the eldest young lady was all smiles when she came to see you just now, but now that she’s finished, she didn’t even wait for you.”
Qingyin comforted Helu, who was standing up for her, "It's alright, eldest sister probably has something urgent to deal with."
After being comforted and silenced by her master, He Lu knew she shouldn't speak ill of him, so she obediently remained silent.
The next morning, Qingyin was excitedly dragged by Helu to change into a delicate pink cheongsam with lotus patterns. It was rare for Qingyin to be dressed so pink, and with her hair styled in two small buns, she looked even more adorable in the fresh pink cheongsam, like a plump peach about to overflow with juice.
"Miss, as expected of the clothes chosen by Madam, they suit you so well." He Lu looked at the aloof young lady dressed in pink, which seemed to melt away her coldness and aloofness, making her feel approachable and achievable.
Especially after the young lady smiled, it was as if the snow-capped mountains were melting and all things were reviving in spring. Qingyin also praised the sweet-talking Helu a few times.
Tong Jiawanying arrived just in time to witness this scene. Looking at her carefully chosen and dressed outfit, she realized that even the still somewhat immature Qingyin couldn't compare to her. Her good mood of showing off her new dress vanished.
She snapped angrily, "Why aren't you ready yet? It's so late! I knew I shouldn't have waited for you!"
Qingyin lowered her head slightly, her thick, long eyelashes trembling, her eyes slightly red, and she choked up a little, "Elder sister, don't be angry, I'm all better now."
Seeing the wronged young lady, He Lu glared angrily at the eldest young lady. Tong Jia Wanying, who had received all sorts of resentful and angry stares, guiltily avoided their gazes, especially from her personal maid Cuihua, who was looking at her suspiciously. She softened her tone and said, "I was just thinking about leaving in a hurry, that's why I was in such a rush. Let's go, sister."
“I know, elder sister.”
The stagnant atmosphere that had prevailed all the way was broken once they left the mansion. The streets were bustling with people and vehicles, and shops lined both sides, creating a lively and vibrant scene.
The bustling crowd, shoulder to shoulder, mingled together with the sounds of hawking, bargaining, arguing, and laughter, creating a vibrant and lively scene.
Tong Jiawanying was captivated by the scene before her, her eyes filled with wonder. Although she had inherited the original owner's memories, this was the first time she had ever actually seen it. These streets in ancient times were quite lively indeed.
She grabbed Qingyin's wrist and led her towards the market.
"Sister, aren't we going to choose jewelry and clothes? Treasure Pavilion and Xuanyi Pavilion are over there." Qingyin guessed that this person's previous focus was no longer on clothing and jewelry stores, but she didn't expect that she would go to other places as soon as she left the mansion.
Tong Jia Wanying said impatiently, "Aren't you tired of going back to those Treasure Pavilion and Xuanyi Pavilion? What are you afraid of following the guards?"
Tong Jiawanying led Qingyin through various stalls, shops, and food stalls. Looking at the simple food, a flame of excitement ignited within her. She hadn't come out just for fun; these foods were so simple, if she used her modern ideas to open a shop, she'd make a fortune!
Qingyin looked at Tongjia Wanying, whose eyes were brimming with smugness. What good thing had this elder sister thought of now? She was standing there in a daze.
Qingyin called out to her to come back to her senses while smilingly declining the enthusiastic invitation from the red bean cake shop owner in front of her.
The shopkeeper who was refused was a middle-aged man in his forties or fifties. Looking at the two young girls in front of him, dressed in luxurious clothes and wearing veils, he tentatively greeted them. The two girls in front of him were obviously daughters of a wealthy family, and they were followed by guards and maids. He dared not offend them.
However, the slightly older girl standing in front of him seemed a bit silly, standing there without saying a word and just staring blankly. The other little girl, on the other hand, was really bright and clever, clearly a sensible and beautiful little girl. The man thought enviously, "If only my daughter could be as beautiful as this young lady."
Qingyin had no idea what the uncle in front of her was thinking. Looking at the uncle's kind eyes, she asked Helu to buy a big bag of pastries. She would share some with her father, mother, brothers, and servants when she got back, and that would be enough so that nothing would go to waste.
When Tong Jiawanying came to her senses and saw that Qingyin had bought such a big bag of pastries, she frowned. However, since it was all Qingyin's own money, she didn't say anything and just pulled Qingyin away.
After finding out about the food, she also wanted to see the styles of the clothing shops. Qingyin, who was being pulled along, did not struggle and obediently followed Tong Jiawanying's side.
"This is the largest and most famous Treasure Pavilion in the capital? It's not that great, is it?" Tong Jiawanying said with a hint of disdain as she stood in the shop, looking at the simple and ordinary hairpins and jewelry in front of her.
"Sister, these styles are all relatively simple. The prettier ones are upstairs," Qingyin explained softly.
"Miss is right. Our Treasure Pavilion is the number one store in the capital. All the styles here are the newest. If you can't find what you're looking for here, you won't find it anywhere else," the salesman said to Tong Jiawanying with a forced smile.
Seeing that no one had ever dared to glare at her so brazenly since she arrived in the Qing Dynasty, Tong Jia Wanying's face turned red with anger. "You!"
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