Chapter 385: The Lady of the Marquisate vs. the Younger Prince 128
Ji Yunhuan sat on the green hillside, and Shiqin placed the cakes and fruits on the low table one by one.
Wan Niang leaned sideways on the table, with a hint of charm between her brows. She looked at the children in the distance, her thoughts drifting far away.
She had had a very hard life in the first half of her life, so she couldn't bear to see these children suffer.
The troupe was getting bigger and bigger, with the Empress directing the troupe from behind, and they were making more and more money. Logically, the Empress's dividends should have also increased. But in fact, the Empress had been pouring money into the troupe over the years, and had never received a penny in dividends.
Wan Niang was getting poorer and poorer. Other opera troupes adopted orphans in order to train them into famous actors, and at worst they could sell them for some money.
But Wan Niang did not let all the children learn to sing opera. Singing opera could not support so many people, and how could all of them become famous actors?
She raised these children for nothing, sent them to school, or taught them a skill to make a living, which cost a lot of money.
Wan Niang diligently peeled a grape and handed it to the Queen's mouth. She then pushed Shiqin aside, knelt down beside the Queen, and massaged the Queen's shoulders and back.
Her skills were acquired since childhood, and the people she serves feel particularly comfortable. Not only men like it, but women too.
Ji Yunhuan finished enjoying himself comfortably. He caught a glimpse of Wan Niang's flattering smile from the corner of his eye and said helplessly, "Well, if you are being nice to me for no reason, you are either a traitor or a thief. Tell me, how much silver do you want?"
Wan Niang gestured a number, walked around to the front and gently pinched Ji Yunhuan's arm. Her eyes seemed to have hooks, and her gentleness could drown people.
"I promise this is the last time. When the first batch of people who came to the garden grow up and can earn money, they will be able to support themselves. There will also be several famous actors in the garden. When the time comes, I will definitely give dividends to the queen."
Ji Yunhuan almost believed Wan Niang’s lies!
Even if the troupe can make money, all the money earned goes into the bottomless pit.
There are too many abandoned baby girls in the world. If some of them are sick due to cold or hunger, the cost will be even greater. Most of the baby boys who are picked up are sick and it is not easy to treat them.
She couldn't ask her children to wait and give her dividends first, so she would never get any dividends in her lifetime.
Fortunately, Ji Yunhuan didn't expect to make money. She sighed helplessly, "You turned a good opera troupe into a charity, and deliberately led the children to me, fearing that I would be hard-hearted and ignore them, right?"
Wan Niang lowered her head feeling somewhat guilty. She had deliberately chosen someone who was about the same age as the little princess, just to soften the queen's heart.
All she knew was the Queen Mother, a wealthy and kind-hearted person, so she could only take advantage of the Queen Mother to get some money.
Ji Yunhuan held Wan Niang's hand and said with a smile, "Since we are opening a charity hall, there is no reason for you, a theater owner, to pay for it. I have already chosen a place, and Yaoyao has helped to take care of all the trivial matters. Now we are in need of a hall master, a female official of the fourth rank. Are you interested?"
Wan Niang was stunned. She had never thought that she could become an official. She had no father or mother and was born a prostitute. Now she could live freely and adopt so many children. She was already very content.
"Empress...Empress, I...I can't do it. There are so many noble ladies in the capital, let them take the position. And Princess Yaoyao, the princess is both virtuous and talented, let her teach those children, I can't bear it..."
Qiqi came running over on horseback like a gust of wind, with many squeaking pheasants and ducks tied to the horse's back. She held the reins with one hand, and without getting off the horse, she waved at Ji Yunhuan and shouted, "Wait for me, mother. I'll go grill some meat for you. I'm a great cook!"
Ji Yunhuan inhaled a mouthful of dust, and the chicken feathers blowing in the wind floated onto her face. She sneezed, and Shiqin next to her covered her mouth and laughed.
Ji Yunhuan glared at Shiqin and said unhappily, "Go and take a look. Even the maids and nannies can't keep an eye on her. I don't know if she's good at cooking, but she's an expert at burning hair."
Shiqin left with a smile. Ji Yunhuan rubbed his brows, feeling quite helpless. "Children are all debts. They are always making trouble and never have a moment of leisure. I don't expect her to have any future. Just don't cause trouble for me."
A group of little kids came over, pushing and shoving each other. They were wearing coarse clothes and were very neat. Their eyes were sparkling and their little faces were rosy.
The oldest girl ran up to Wan Niang, stuffed a bunch of wild flowers into her arms, and said shyly, "Mother, these are for you. We will also grill meat for you."
The little girl didn’t know Ji Yunhuan, nor did she know that the gentle and beautiful aunt in front of her was the Queen. She called her “Auntie” obediently and left with a group of little kids.
Wan Niang held the bouquet of flowers, tears flickering in her eyes.
Ji Yunhuan sighed, "I raised four children. The eldest is bad overtly, the second is bad secretly, Yaoyao is devoted to painting, painting is the most important thing in the world, and the fourth... forget it, let's not talk about it. Oh~ I really want another soft and well-behaved little princess."
"Wan Niang, those children really like you, and only you can understand their suffering. You have saved so many children, and they all sincerely call you mother. If you can't take on this position, no one in this world can."
Wan Niang's tears fell one by one, landing on the wild flowers she had just picked, like crystal clear dewdrops, glowing in the spring sunshine.
"I'm not as good as the Queen said. I just... I just can't accept it! When I wake up in the middle of the night, I am always trapped in a dark dungeon. Ah Qing is very good, but he can warm my cold body, but he can't warm my dead heart."
"I often wonder why I ended up here, why fate was so unfair, why didn't anyone save me in the first place? My biological parents abandoned me like a burden, and those people hurt me and used me as if I were a heartless object!"
"The past was like a maggot on my tarsal bone, entangled with me day by day, and pressed me to the point of suffocation, until Ah Qing brought home a thin girl. I thought, if someone had been willing to adopt me and teach me, I would not have fallen into such a place."
"Even if life is a little harder, even if I have to run around every day just to earn a living, it is better than being sent around like an object. When I look at them, it's like looking at my past self. How can I bear to abandon them? I am not saving them, but they are saving me!"
Ji Yunhuan hugged Wan Niang tightly. She patted Wan Niang's thin back and said softly, "You have done a good job. In the future, we will open charity halls all over Jingguo together. Wan Niang, I only believe in you. Only you can do it."
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