Summer in the capital was still quite hot. Walking on the streets, one couldn't feel a breath of wind at all. Under the blazing sun, the pedestrians coming and going were all panting heavily and sweating profusely. Even Chunmian and Chuntan, who were walking on either side of her, had some sweat on their temples and noses.
In this setting, dressed in white, her hair casually tied back with a single white ribbon, her long, narrow, phoenix-shaped eyes, as black as ink, seemed like a deep well, impossible to fathom at a glance. With a high-bridged nose, thin lips, and a faint smile playing at the corners, Helan Ruo, a wine jar in one hand and a fine jade flute tucked into her waistband, was completely devoid of sweat. She was like a flawless piece of jade, meticulously sculpted, utterly out of place amidst the bustling street, the hurried pedestrians, and the blazing sun overhead.
The scene, which resembled an ink painting, was finally broken when two men with shifty eyes and pointed faces passed by him one after the other.
As Tang Ning walked along, she watched the man in front of her, who seemed to be in a hurry to do something. He was walking very fast, and before she knew it, a blue money bag slipped from his waist. The gray-clad man walking not far behind him immediately showed an expression of surprise and delight. He ran a few steps and hurriedly picked up the money bag from the ground. He subconsciously opened the money bag and poured out two large gold ingots.
Upon seeing the glittering gold, the man's eyes widened, and he quickly put the gold back into his money bag.
Before the man could even conceal the look of ecstatic joy on his face, he turned around and saw Helan Ruo leaning against the wall, having witnessed his entire act of picking up the money.
Upon seeing him, the gray-clad man who had picked up the money was startled. Then, a conflicted and reluctant expression appeared on his face. He hesitated for an unknown amount of time before finally walking slowly and deliberately to Helan Ruo's side.
"Young master, you just... just now, did you see... see me... Ah, well, consider this my good deed for the day. Everyone who sees something gets a share. I happen to have two pieces of gold in my purse, so let's each take one and split it. Of course, once we split the gold, you'll have to keep this a secret!"
The man spoke with a serious expression.
Upon hearing this, Helan Ruo raised her eyes with interest. "Oh?"
Seeing that Helan Ruo had taken an interest, a hint of barely suppressed excitement and greed flashed deep in the gray-clad man's eyes, and his gaze unconsciously lingered on the jade flute at Helan Ruo's waist.
"certainly!"
Unexpectedly, even in such hot weather, he and Lao Wu managed to stumble upon such a big fish. They've struck it rich!
While thinking this to himself, the man maintained a serious and solemn expression.
Unexpectedly, at this moment, the man who had lost his purse earlier returned in a hurry. Not only that, but when he saw the gray-clad man and Helan Ruo standing by the roadside, he specifically asked them if they had found a wallet. Almost as soon as he heard the question from the man who had lost his purse, a guilty look immediately appeared on the gray-clad man's face.
The man who lost the money bag discovered it immediately.
Now things have gotten really complicated. He immediately became adamant that Helan Ruo and the man in gray had picked up his money pouch, and said he would take them to see the authorities right now. In an instant, a commotion broke out over there.
Even Chunmian and Chuntan, who were supporting her because of her "stomach ache," were drawn to her, and the three of them subconsciously slowed down.
Meanwhile, the plot had progressed to the point where the gray-clad man, with his neck stiff, insisted on going, and secretly slipped the money pouch in his hand into Helan Ruo's hand. At the same time, he leaned closer to him and whispered righteously, "The yamen is not an easy place to enter. I know people in the yamen. Now I'm leaving the money pouch with you. As long as the money pouch isn't found, no one will know that the two of us picked up this gold."
It's not that I don't trust you, but if you run away with these two ingots of gold, where am I supposed to find you? You have to give me some collateral before I can finally go to the yamen with that brother to see the officials with peace of mind.
The man in gray spoke with utmost sincerity.
They must have cooperated with this kind of deception many times before. If it weren't for the greed in his eyes betraying him, even Tang Ning probably wouldn't have noticed anything amiss.
Meanwhile, Helan Ruo, who had heard what the gray-robed man said, raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? But I left in such a hurry today that I didn't bring any money with me... How about I pawn this jade flute to you first? Brother, you are so generous, I shouldn't be left behind. This jade flute is a family heirloom, it should be worth a gold ingot!"
Helan Ruo smiled and pulled out her jade flute from her waist, then handed it to the gray-clad man.
Upon seeing the jade flute, even the gray-clad man was taken aback by Helan Ruo's extravagant display. It was this high-quality flute that caught the attention of him and his accomplices, who concluded that Helan Ruo must be a big fish and were considering trying to make a quick buck from him.
Who would have thought this person would be so stupid yet so generous? What a day it is today that they would encounter such a dissolute spendthrift! They've struck it rich! They're really going to strike it rich! Once they sell this flute, he and Lao Wu will probably be able to live a carefree life in the Chunhong Brothel for quite some time.
Thinking of this, and looking at the jade flute in Helan Ruo's hand, the gray-robed man's breathing became heavy.
"Well... alright! Brother, you're so loyal, then I'll accept your offer..."
The man in gray forced himself to remain composed, cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Helan Ruo, and then reached out towards the jade flute.
But just as his trembling fingers were about to touch the jade flute in Helan Ruo's hand, a slender white hand suddenly reached out from the side and took the jade flute directly from Helan Ruo's hand.
"who?"
As soon as the jade flute he had been longing for disappeared, the gray-clad man immediately turned to look at the side with a fierce expression, and even Helan Ruo was drawn to look over as well.
Then, the two of them saw a slender woman wearing a white veil playing with a jade flute in her hand. Her voice was as melodious as a clear spring in a deep ravine. "You think you can exchange a jade flute of such good quality for a single ingot of gold? My friend, you really have a good plan! Besides, we don't even know if there's gold in that money pouch."
Upon hearing this, a flicker of panic flashed in the gray-clad man's eyes, but he remained composed with practiced ease. "How dare you speak like that, young lady? This is between me and this young master, what business is it of yours? If you dare to meddle again..."
He glared fiercely at the girl in front of him, intending to scare her away.
After all, just by listening to her voice, one could tell that the girl was young. The fact that she wore such a veiled hat suggested she was raised in seclusion. Such women are naturally timid; a slight fright would be enough to make them...
Before he could finish thinking, he watched helplessly as the girl in front of him snatched the blue money pouch from his hand without hesitation. Before the gray-clad man could react, she had already turned the pouch upside down, and two rough stones fell to the ground with two muffled thuds.
Yes, the gold in the purse had long been switched by these two swindlers, all for the sake of defrauding others of their so-called collateral.
"The trick of switching packages is something even the people in Xihe County have stopped using. I never expected to run into two swindlers like you in the capital, right under the emperor's nose!"
As she spoke, Tang Ning threw the money bag in her hand directly to the ground.
"You son of a bitch! You just wait!"
The swindler, whose trick was exposed by Tang Ning with lightning speed, watched helplessly as the priceless jade flute slipped away before his eyes. Even though he was filled with hatred and anger, his years of experience in the martial arts world reminded him that this was the capital city. Any slight movement would attract the pursuit of the city's soldiers. He and Lao Wu had only come to the capital on a whim, saw a fool, and wanted to swindle some money. They didn't want to end up in jail.
So after leaving behind only those words, the man fled immediately, and the man who had been working with him earlier had already disappeared without a trace when he realized that something was wrong.
Seeing the two escape, Tang Ning breathed a sigh of relief, then handed the jade flute in her hand to He Lanruo, who was dressed in white. "Young master, even under the emperor's nose, you still need to be careful, otherwise you won't be so lucky next time. You said this flute is your family heirloom, so you should cherish it even more, shouldn't you?"
Hearing Tang Ning's admonishing voice, He Lanruo, who could only see the blurry outline of the other's face through the white veil of the hat, subconsciously raised her eyebrows slightly.
"You don't recognize me?"
When those two swindlers spoke to him for the first time, he already knew they were not from Beijing. He couldn't think of anyone in Beijing who wouldn't recognize him, including the woman standing in front of him now. Judging from her clothes and appearance, she was probably a young lady from a wealthy family.
Upon hearing Helan Ruo's question, Tang Ning was taken aback for a moment, then tentatively asked, "Should I... get to know you?"
As soon as she finished speaking, a hint of interest flashed in Helan Ruo's eyes.
"No, it's alright if we don't know each other. I haven't thanked this young lady for her kind help yet, but I thank her in advance."
He Lanruo smiled and gave Tang Ning a slight bow.
Upon hearing the name Helan, Tang Ning didn't react much, but Chun Tan, who was standing to her right, immediately looked up in surprise.
Is Helan the young master Helan she's heard about?
However, Chun Tan's fluctuating expression didn't last long. As for Chun Mian, she had no idea how the name He Lan was related to the rumors she had heard, so she remained completely bewildered.
"It's alright, I'm glad I could help you."
Tang Ning's cheerful voice came from behind the veil. She then placed the jade flute in He Lanruo's hand, turned around, and continued walking forward with the two maids.
Just then, a gentle breeze suddenly blew in from somewhere, just enough to lift the white veil of Tang Ning's hat, revealing her rosy lips and delicate, fair chin.
Upon seeing the color of Helan Ruo, he raised the jade flute in his right hand and tapped it absently in his left palm.
Even from a great distance, he could still hear the conversation between the master and servants carried by the wind.
"Oh? Young lady, is your stomach pain gone?"
"Ah, yes, it seems like it doesn't hurt anymore."
"Since it doesn't hurt anymore, shall we hurry back to Tingli Tower now? We should still make it in time."
"Oh dear, oh dear, you were fine until you mentioned Tinglilou, now that you've mentioned it, I feel a bit of pain again..."
"Then...then let's hurry back to the manor and ask a doctor to take a look at you?"
"No! No, what I meant was, Chunmian, didn't you always say there's a place on Chunxiang Street that makes really good preserved vegetable pastries? How about we go there? I think I'd feel a lot better if I could eat something I've been craving!"
Tang Ning quickly offered this suggestion.
"Huh? Is that so?"
Chunmian scratched her head, somewhat confused as to why she should eat instead of seeing a doctor when she had a stomachache. She subconsciously looked up at Chuntan on the other side, only to see her sister Chuntan looking at Tang Ning, who was clutching her stomach. After a thoughtful look in her eyes, Chuntan agreed with Tang Ning's suggestion.
Seeing that Chun Tan and Tang Ning both said they were going to eat preserved vegetable pastries, Chun Mian, who had been craving that taste for a long time, immediately forgot all her doubts and started drooling uncontrollably.
Thus, the three, master and servant, who had reached a friendly consensus, happily headed towards Chunxiang Street.
Hou Helan Ruo, who had overheard almost the entire conversation between the three girls, found them extremely amusing.
He glanced down at the wine jar in his hand. He remembered the appetizers at the Taibai Restaurant on Chunxiang Street; they were absolutely delicious. Perhaps…
He Lanruo's current favorability rating: 8.
Unlike Tang Ning, who had temporarily established a friendly relationship with He Lanruo, Wei Jing and Qin Qianqian's relationship was not as harmonious as they had anticipated.
Well, the main trigger was the note that Tang Ning slipped into Wei Jing's hand.
Yes, Tang Ning chose the perfect angle, allowing Qin Qianqian, who had chased her to the entrance of Tingli Tower, to see her slipping the note right in the middle of the scene.
Furthermore, the doting and gentle smile that Wei Jing gave after Tang Ning left was like a sharp thorn deeply embedded in her heart, so swollen and painful that Qin Qianqian didn't even know how to pull it out, and could only let it pierce deeper and deeper.
Feeling extremely uncomfortable, Qin Qianqian didn't want to talk to Wei Jing, even though she was sitting in the private room on the second floor with him. No matter what Wei Jing said to her, she would only give perfunctory answers like "uh-huh" or "yes" or nod, or she would seem not to hear him at all, her eyes fixed on the stage downstairs.
This made it impossible for Wei Jinglian to find a suitable opportunity to explain his thoughts to her, and he felt frustrated and uncomfortable.
Wasn't it Qianqian who took the initiative to give up on him and relinquish the engagement? Why is she now showing no remorse towards him, and even being so...so indifferent?
Does she really no longer have feelings for him?
After thinking all this through, Wei Jing lost the will to make small talk and started staring at the stage on the first floor.
The private room fell silent immediately.
Qin Qianqian, who had been ignoring Wei Jing's earlier words because she was upset, felt even more distressed now that he wasn't talking to her anymore. Since childhood, no matter what happened or what conflicts arose between them, it was always Wei Jing who comforted her.
Because of the lack of information, Qin Qianqian was unaware that Wei Jing had overheard her giving up the engagement, nor did she know that he and Tang Ning had made such a private agreement.
She couldn't recall any of the good things Wei Jing had done for her in the past; she could only remember the smile on his lips when he received Tang Ning's note.
Feeling increasingly wronged and heartbroken, Qin Qianqian looked down at the stage and listened to the mournful opera singing. Unable to hold back her tears, her eyes immediately welled up with tears. After a wave of soreness, tears began to accumulate in her eyes.
Just as her tears were about to fall, she suddenly stood up and walked out without thinking.
Because she had grown up in the General's Mansion since childhood, Qin Qianqian, who could not shed tears and show weakness in front of Wei Jing, completely ignored Wei Jing's calls behind her and walked faster and faster, with tears streaming down her face without restraint.
While Qin Qianqian was silently shedding tears due to the shock, Tang Ning finally brought the two little ones, Chun Tan and Chun Mian, to the stall with the sign that read "Tan Po's Preserved Vegetable Pastries".
"I want three...no, six shortbreads! Grandma, please hurry up!"
Tang Ning made this request in a sweet and affectionate way.
"Alright!"
When the white-haired old woman heard Tang Ning, dressed like a young lady of high birth, speak to her so politely and gently, she immediately smiled broadly and began making shortbread for her.
Chun Tan, who wasn't particularly fond of these foods, was inexplicably infected by their anticipation as she watched her young mistress eagerly tending the stall and Chun Mian drooling.
So the three little girls stood in front of the pastry stall, watching Granny Tan make her pastries without moving.
He Lanruo, who had just arrived at Chunxiang Street following behind them, saw this scene. He was stunned for a moment, then couldn't help but cover his lips and chuckle softly.
Leaning against the wall, he watched the three little girls stare at the old woman making pastries, watching them excitedly accept the pastries wrapped in oil paper from the smiling old woman, watching them take a small bite without a care in the world as soon as they got the pastries, and then stomp their feet twice because they were burned, with the round-faced little girl even grimacing without any regard for her image.
Even so, the three of them did not let go of the pastries in their hands.
This made Helan Ruo's smile even wider.
He Lanruo's current favorability rating: 12.
Who would have thought that just as the two of them had taken a few bites of the pastry, Chunmian, with her excellent eyesight, immediately spotted Qin Qianqian and Wei Jing walking towards them from the street corner.
"Girl, girl, it's Wei Shizi, it's Shizi..."
Because she still had food in her mouth, Chunmian gently patted Tang Ning's arm and hurriedly reminded her in a muffled way.
Upon hearing her voice, Tang Ning turned around and, the instant she saw Qin Qianqian and Wei Jing, immediately pulled Chunmian and Chuntan behind a wall that was only one wall away from Helan Ruo.
Chunmian, who had finally swallowed the pastry in her mouth, looked at Tang Ning with a puzzled expression.
"Girl, why should we hide..."
Before she could finish speaking, Tang Ning quickly shoved the pastry in her hand into Chun Tan's hand and covered Chun Mian's mouth with her hand.
"Shh, don't speak, don't let Qianqian and Brother Jing find out about us!"
Hearing her say that, Chunmian's eyes showed even more doubt.
Chun Tan, on the other hand, didn't need Tang Ning to remind her; she didn't make a sound from beginning to end.
The three of them hid to the side, letting Wei Jing and Qin Qianqian walk past them.
Only after they had passed by did Tang Ning release her hand from Chunmian's mouth.
Finally able to speak, Chunmian immediately voiced all her questions.
"Why? Miss, aren't you clearly the Prince Wei's fiancée? Why are you avoiding them? Why are you giving up your fiancé to Miss Qianqian? She was the one who offered to give up the marriage in the first place, so what's the meaning of getting involved with the Prince Wei now? And what a coincidence that she's going to Tingli Tower with us. I'm telling you, she's doing this on purpose! She gave up the marriage to you in the first place and gained such a good reputation for being generous, humble, and sensible, which earned her the pity of the General, the Madam, and the Young Master. Now what? Does she want the Prince Wei to abandon you and insist on marrying her no matter what? What right does she have? Why should she get all the advantages in this world? Why should you bear all the bad things? You clearly love the Prince Wei too, Chunmian has eyes and can see everything... Why should you suffer like this?"
As she spoke, the maid Chunmian's attitude gradually changed from questioning to anger, then to distress, and even her eyes reddened as she spoke.
Upon hearing her words, Tang Ning was immediately surprised.
She knew before that Chun Tan was very smart and could see through many things but not say them, but she never expected that Chun Mian, who looked so cute and lovable and whose eyes were only on food, was also such a perceptive person.
Tang Ning hadn't expected that she could pinpoint all of Qin Qianqian's schemes so accurately.
Hearing this, Helan Ruo, who was only separated from them by a wall, finally figured out Tang Ning's identity. No wonder she didn't recognize her. It turned out that she was Qin Tang Ning, the real daughter of the Zhenbei General's Mansion, who had been recognized and returned to the capital in recent rumors.
Just as she was thinking this, Helan Ruo heard that gentle yet firm voice ring out again, "Silly girl, you haven't figured it out yet. You don't know what it feels like to like someone? If you truly love someone, as long as they're happy, I'm happy. I like Brother Jing, and he likes Qianqian, so I'll help him, help him win Qianqian back. Even if... even if he really chooses to break off our engagement and marry Qianqian, I... won't regret it... because I've already gotten what I wanted most!"
As she spoke, Tang Ning reached out and gently stroked Chun's soft little face, then perked up again, "Alright, alright, let's not talk about that anymore. Is there anything else you want to eat today? I'll buy it all for you, okay?"
"Hmm..."
Chunmian sniffed and gave a nasal "hmm".
Helan Ruo, who was leaning against the wall, listened as the footsteps of the three people gradually faded away until they disappeared from sight.
Suddenly, he raised the wine jar in his hand and took a big gulp.
If he thought like her, would his life be a little easier...?
But what can we do?
He still regrets it, every single day, he regrets not stopping Mu Qing from entering the palace...
Oh.
He Lanruo's current favorability rating: 20.
Upon hearing the system notification, Tang Ning, who had already walked some distance away, immediately raised an eyebrow.
The bait has been laid. He Lanruo, who is also a fellow sufferer but lacks her open-mindedness and cheerfulness, will eventually come to her on her own initiative.
That was her chance.
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