Compared to the clear blue sky here at Zhucui, the sky over at Yanhong is a bit gloomy and misty.
Bai Shinian quickly took out the silver, a total of twenty taels, and handed it to Yanhong.
"Miss Yanhong, you only have half a day."
Bai Shinian's kind reminder made Yanhong's already pale face turn as pale as paper. If it weren't for her willpower, she would have fainted long ago.
"Sister Yanhong, I don't want to leave." Yao Huang grabbed Yanhong's skirt and begged desperately. "If I leave, Master Li will sell me to the deep mountains and old forests. I beg Sister Yanhong to have mercy on me and let me go."
Cheng Yi cried, "Sister Yanhong, we sisters agreed to live and die together. How could you go back on your word? If we leave the prefectural government, where can we go? We'll still be dragged into the water and trampled to death. I don't want to live a miserable life like pigs and dogs."
Lan Yi was crying so hard that she couldn't speak. She grabbed Yanhong's sleeve tightly, and her eyes contained all she could say.
They have been passed around several times. Even if the prefect is kind enough to give them money to let them go out to make a living, they have no skills and their looks can't protect them. It is obvious where they can end up, and that is a brothel.
Rather than going to a brothel to sing and dance, it would be better to stay in the prefectural government and be a maidservant to Lord Jiang. At least there would be enough food and clothing, and I would only have one master to serve.
Lan Yi heard that Jiang Zhizhou's backyard still had no mistress. Compared to the bloody storm outside, his backyard was like a palace in the sky, a place that could never be achieved even after several lifetimes of cultivating merit. How could she bear to give it up?
If she stayed and was favored by Jiang Zhizhou and had a son or daughter, she would have enjoyed endless happiness for the rest of her life.
Even if Jiang Zhizhou were to marry in the future, she would be better off marrying than those peddlers. At least when others saw her, they would call her the wife of an official instead of the wife of a farmer.
How could Yanhong not understand what they were thinking?
Not to mention Magistrate Jiang, even Master Bai was considered a high-ranking official in their eyes. If they could get close to him, they would have someone to rely on for the rest of their lives. Even if it meant becoming a slave, they would be happy.
However, there is only one person who can stay with Lord Jiang.
That was the opportunity Yanhong had worked so hard to secure. Seeing the Dragon Gate right before her eyes, how could she bear to sacrifice herself for someone else?
Yanhong thought for a moment and gave each of them five taels of silver. "You guys can go."
Yao Huang stopped crying. "Where are we going? Sister Yanhong, we've been homeless for a long time."
"I don't care where you go. Didn't you hear what the adults said? If I want you to stay, then we all have to leave."
Yanhong gritted her teeth and continued, "Five taels of silver is enough for you guys to live on for half a year. After you're denaturalized, you'll be good citizens. Wouldn't it be nice to start a small business?"
Yao Huang taunted her, "Sister, so this is what you were planning. You want to drive us all away and take over the position of prefect. Sister, do you really think you can win his heart? I think you are just wishful thinking."
"Pa." Yanhong slapped her and said, "Don't blame me, it's all your fault for being mean."
"Sister Yanhong, do you think you will have a good life after we leave? Don't be silly. You are a pawn of Mr. Li. How could Lord Jiang take you seriously?" Seeing that there was no hope of staying, Lan Yi simply dragged Yanhong into the water.
Yanhong bit her lip and glared at her. "None of your business. Even if I become a dog for Lord Jiang, it's better than being a pig in the Li Mansion."
Seeing that they were still unwilling to leave, Yanhong gritted her teeth and ordered the servants who were watching the fun. "Come here, kick them out."
"Sister Yanhong, you're so cruel." Cheng Yi was pushed out, tears streaming down her face. "We sisters agreed to stand together. How could you betray our friendship?"
Damn friendship! They were all gifts from Li He to Lord Jiang. Where did the affection between the gifts come from?
Even spending some time together couldn't change Yanhong's hardened heart. She remembered Master Jiang's words firmly. Either they left, or she left alone.
Being kind to them is being cruel to yourself.
She just follows the path that suits her best.
As for the life and death of others, it is none of her business.
In the evening, when Xu Jing was having dinner in the study, he heard Bai Shinian say that Yanhong had already dealt with the other three people.
There was really no dragging of their feet, they all were driven away.
Afterwards, Bai Shinian sighed and said, "How could there be such a cruel woman who has no regard for sisterly love at all? It's better for you to send her away, sir."
"Why did you send him away?" Xu Jing finished his meal and called Zang Yun over. "There's a letter from home on the table. Remember to deliver it tomorrow. By the way, the angels are leaving tomorrow. You should follow them back to the capital. If anything happens on the way, you can tell me your name."
Zang Yun responded and said, "Sir, have you accepted the marriage that the old master ordered?"
"When did I agree?"
This left Bai Shinian and Zang Yun confused. Didn't the letter from home say that they agreed to the marriage?
Xu Jing explained with a smile. "My master already has someone he loves in Jianzhou, but Yanhong is of low status, so I can only take her as a concubine. I couldn't bear to take her as a concubine, so how could I bear to let another woman climb over her?"
"Sir, do you want to challenge the Jiang family?"
Xu Jing knocked on Bai Shinian's head and said, "Stupid. I pushed Yanhong out as a shield to keep all my peach blossoms away. I'm already impotent, how could I bear to let other girls suffer?"
Bai Shinian glanced down and murmured softly. "Really?"
"Do you want to try?" Xu Jing hooked his arm around Bai Shinian's neck and leaned closer. Bai Shinian was frightened and got goose bumps all over his body. "Master, I, I love the girl."
"Go away. You look like a rat and you are not worthy of me." Xu Jing thought of his legal wife who was still in jail. He missed her a lot after not seeing her for a long time.
"Zang Yun, how is General Luo doing in prison?"
Luo Xianyu had long lost his dream. It was understandable that a senior advisor had more screen time than him, but it was absurd that Bai Yong, a dead eunuch, had more screen time than him.
"In reply to your Excellency, Shi Dianli is following your orders to tidy up the prison and has imprisoned General Luo in a luxurious private room."
In Xu Jing's stunned eyes, Zang Yun explained: "Everything is fine now except that he has lost his personal freedom."
Xu Jing didn't believe it. "Master, you're free tonight. Take me to see it."
"He hasn't showered in a few days. I'm afraid the smell is too strong for him to bear."
Xu Jing smiled slightly and said, "It's okay, it's okay. I just like strong flavors."
Bai Shinian and Zang Yun were petrified. "Master, where is your moral integrity? Is it gone?"
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