Forced into slavery
"Your Highness!"
Gu Yu greeted her, and Rong Jing had no choice but to turn her gaze to him. Guan Lan's good fortune was due not only to Wen Ruo, but also to Gu Yu's contributions during the trip to Yan'an Temple. Thinking of this, her expression softened a bit. "And who is this?"
The boy next to him had a similar look to Gu Yu, but his lips were always upturned and his face was easygoing.
"Dongxuan, why haven't you paid your respects to the princess yet?"
Gu Dongxuan bowed and made a gesture of respect. His demeanor was youthful but not timid, and his poised and generous manner clearly showed that he was very well-mannered.
Qi Guanlan glanced at Gu Yu's face, then smiled upon seeing Gu Dongxuan's serious expression. She strode over, put her arm around his neck, and said, "Dongxuan, it's been a long time. Come on, let's go for a drink."
Caught off guard, Gu Dongxuan nearly flew away, his face flushed red. "Uncle?"
Gu Yu looked at Rong Jing, who waved her hand helplessly.
The two ran to a distance, and Qi Guanlan let go, leaving him only with his back to her. "Go play, little brother."
Gu Dongxuan looked completely bewildered.
In a corner of the palace, several painters sat behind a screen, with various colors of paint laid out on the table. Whenever the royal family celebrated a festival, there were always painters accompanying them.
Qi Guanlan turned to the painter's side. The paintings on the table mostly depicted his uncle and aunt, while the civil and military officials were numerous but small, and the female relatives were only shown in small detail.
"Old man, don't favor one over the other. You've painted so many for my uncle, paint something different this year."
He looked around and said, "Take Lord Sun and his second wife, Lady Yue, for example. They are a loving couple with both a son and a daughter. They look like a painting. What do you think?"
The painter nodded quickly, "The prince is right."
After a while, Qi Guanlan added, "The hairpin on this lady's head is truly exquisite!"
Under his guidance, the Sun family's New Year's painting was finally completed. In particular, the paintings of Mrs. Sun and Miss Sun were so lifelike that it was as if the real people had stepped into the painting.
Qi Guanlan took out a piece of gold with satisfaction. "It's a good painting. I'll take it to my uncle to take a look."
Qi Guanlan simply hid the painting in his sleeve, and Sun Xuerong subtly withdrew her gaze. Qi Guanlan had asked Sun Yueyou for a painting; the implication of a man collecting a woman's portrait was self-evident.
"Sister Xue Rong, I have good news for you."
Sun Yueyou walked with light steps, wearing a long dress with a cinched waist, her waist slender and graceful. Her face, flushed with wine, had two rosy blushes, adding a touch of charm to her beautiful and dignified appearance.
Sun Xuerong suppressed her jealousy and couldn't help but feel melancholy. If she had been born beautiful, things would have been different from the start.
"I have a way to deal with Wen Ruo; she will never try to take her away from you or me."
Sun Xuerong got off the swing, gently covered her mouth, and whispered, "Little sister is drunk."
Sun Yueyou pulled her to sit on the swing, lifted her foot, and the swing swayed gently. She said nonchalantly, "Don't worry, since you helped me, I'll return the favor by helping you get revenge. I'll marry Young Master Fu, so you can pursue the Prince without worry."
Sun Xuerong was now glad that she had done something unnecessary back then. Sun Yueyou was clearly deeply in love with Fu Jingjiang. "Isn't Young Master Fu and Wen Ruo in love?"
"Young Master Fu is already mine!" Her blushing face was full of joy. Sun Xuerong was stunned for a moment before she understood what she meant and was so surprised that she couldn't speak.
Seeing her awkwardness, Sun Yueyou opened up even more, leaning close to her ear and saying, "Sister, let me teach you a trick, how to make something out of nothing."
Sun Xuerong's ears turned completely red. She pursed her lower lip, suppressing the flutter in her heart.
"My sister is really brave."
After staying under the tree for a while, Sun Yueyou gradually came to her senses. Remembering what she had just said, she blushed and said, "Sister, remember to keep it a secret. My mother told me not to tell anyone."
On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, Wen Ruo quietly sewed her sleeves. With a snip of the scissors, the excess thread was cut off. There was another knock at the door. All the dowry in the shop had been moved away today, but the knocking continued.
Invitation from Mrs. Yue!
Ever since she met Madam Yue on New Year's Eve, Shiliu Niang has been getting up at four in the morning every day to burn incense and pray. She is quick and efficient at sprinkling water and cooking. When she wakes Wen Ruo up, she has a smile on her face and doesn't seem to be acting strangely at all.
It wasn't until the fifth day of the first lunar month that the sounds of debt collectors began to rise.
Knock knock knock!
"Go open the door!"
Wen Ruo darted through the crack in the door to the backyard and knocked, saying, "Mother, Miss Yue is here."
Shi Liu Niang quickly stood up, almost tripping over the stool in her haste. Wen Ruo supported her and said seriously, "I'll go with you."
"You stay put and don't get involved."
Wen Ruo was pressed onto a stool by her. Shi Liu Niang closed the door and locked it. She tried to lock it, but could only pace back and forth in the room. Fortunately, a guard informed her afterwards.
"Miss Yue!"
Yue Li entered with a cold face and sneered as soon as she stepped in, "Aunt Hong is living a very good life!"
Hong Shiliu dropped her pretense of the past few days, knelt on the ground with her knees bent, and kowtowed three times, her forehead turning bloodshot. "It was my fault. Miss Yue can take my life at any time."
"Pick?"
Yue Li chuckled lightly, a hint of cold malice in her voice, "How do you intend to take her? My guards can't beat the ones around you. You're really lucky to have picked up such a fine daughter, even better than the one I've carefully raised."
Hong Shiliu's expression changed repeatedly, tears of guilt welling up in her eyes, for Miss Yue, and even more so for Wen Ruo. She knelt on the ground and begged, "It has nothing to do with Wen Ruo. Whether you want my leg or my life, Miss Yue, you can have it."
"You're quite the schemer. Now, what's your worthless life worth anyway?"
Yue Li tapped the table lightly, his tone chilling. Hong Shiliu's ears rang, as if a bronze bell was striking her incessantly, making her whole body numb.
"Want to atone for your sins? Fine, ten thousand taels."
After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Shiliuniang pushed open the door and entered. Wen Ruo hurriedly ran to Master Yi's room, applied medicine to her, and wrapped her with bandages. "What does she want from you?"
Shi Liu Niang calmly let Wen Ruo sway her, remaining quiet for a while before slowly opening her mouth, her throat tight and hoarse, "Your dowry is gone, what are we going to do?"
Wen Ruo was taken aback, "You just want money?"
Was Sun Yueyou unaware of the situation? Or did the Sun family not approve of Fu Jingjiang?
Shi Liu Niang's cloudy eyes trembled slightly, and her expression became even more unpleasant. "I'm sorry."
Wen Ruo grasped her hand. "Didn't I say I supported you? The shop was sold."
"I also have a box of Miss Yang's gold jewelry."
Shiliu Niang's lower lip trembled, tears streaming down her face. "What are you going to do? Young Master Fu was never rich to begin with. With your dowry, the two of you could have lived a good life."
Wen Ruo lowered her eyes and forced a smile, "It's alright. If he minds, then he's not the one I'm looking for. There are plenty of good men in the world."
"Easier said than done."
"Yang Shen left, and Fu Jingjiang came. Mother, how do you know the next one won't be better? I have no family ties, no wealth, no children. Heaven can't just keep squandering my luck. Maybe all my luck is in my love life."
"But if you don't fight or compete, aren't you just doing all the work for someone else?"
Wen Ruo patted her hand reassuringly, "Then I promise, I'll fight tooth and nail for the next one to be your son-in-law, okay?"
Pomegranate Girl nodded, sobbing.
This preparation took ten days. With the Lantern Festival approaching, Mr. Yi and Achu both left.
Pomegranate's mother personally ran errands, leaving Wenruo alone at home. The house was eerily quiet, and she felt uneasy. The way to forget her troubles was to pack her bags; she couldn't stay at the shop anymore.
Good things don't come true, but bad things do. Madam Yue invited her to be a guest at Yunjin Tower.
Madam Yue demanded ten thousand taels of silver, while as far as she knew, Shiliuniang's savings over the years amounted to no more than a hundred taels. Madam Yue was no pushover, yet Shiliuniang didn't seem to think it was excessive.
Wen Ruo arrived at Yun Jin Lou and chuckled self-deprecatingly, "I've actually become a regular at Yun Jin Lou."
"Young Master Sun? What are you doing here?"
"This is the first time we've met since New Year's Eve. Please have a seat, Miss Wen." Sun Changfeng stood up and pulled out a chair for her, then blushed as he poured her a cup of tea. "I came with my mother; I didn't know you would come, Miss."
Wen Ruo sat down and explained, "Madam Yue asked me to talk to her about something."
Sun Changfeng nodded and smiled, "Just as Brother Fu said."
"You know Young Master Fu?" Wen Ruo frowned slightly and asked softly, "What did he say about me?"
"My classmate said that the girl is intelligent and graceful, and she does good deeds without expecting anything in return, which is admirable."
Wen Ruo lowered her eyes slightly, her expression shy yet unable to suppress her curiosity, "Aunt Fu hasn't come for a long time, I wonder how she is? Has Young Master Fu told you about her?"
"I guess he's busy with Brother Fu's family affairs." Sun Changfeng's tone was vague. After speaking, he fell silent, sipping his tea as if he were very thirsty.
Half an incense stick later, Madam Yue still hadn't arrived. The tea in her cup had cooled, and the aroma had dissipated into the air. Sun Changfeng stood up awkwardly. "My mother tends to lose track of time when she meets friends, so she might be a little late. Please don't take offense, young lady."
Sun Changfeng replaced her cup and handed it to her, saying, "Have some tea!"
"No rush, Madam Yue is worth the wait."
Wen Ruo covered her mouth with her long sleeve, tilted her head slightly, and took a sip. The tea slowly soaked the cotton pouch inside her sleeve. She gently put down the teacup and said, "Good tea."
Yun Jin Lou was the second time Madam Yue had invited her alone; the first time, she had declined a banquet at home. In her letter, Madam Yue said that she was asking for too much, but facing Shi Liu Niang, the old grudges were still vivid in her mind, and she really couldn't give her a good look. So she invited her to discuss the money she owed.
Better safe than sorry. Wen Ruo sat for a while longer. Young Master Sun kept glancing over, and he seemed a little uncomfortable. "Miss Wen, please wait a moment. I'll go and urge my mother."
After Sun Changfeng left, Wen Ruo had time to observe the private room, which turned out to be quite ordinary.
The floor tiles were smooth white marble, and antique shelves on both sides of the doors and windows displayed vases and porcelain. Behind the screen was a daybed, and a purple-gold carved incense burner on the square table was filled with the fragrance of incense. The floor was covered with warm yellow felt, and a charcoal fire burned on a brazier.
There's nothing wrong with it.
When Sun Changfeng returned, he said, "I'm sorry, something came up at home, so I'm afraid we won't be able to eat today."
Wen Ruo nodded, indicating her understanding.
As they parted, Sun Changfeng pondered for a long time, then said with a complicated expression, "Miss Wen, you deserve better."
Brother Fu was only a guest at the Sun family's house for one night, but he went into the wrong room and was caught red-handed by his father. Since it concerned his sister's reputation, he couldn't make things clear and could only let Miss Wen and her mother suffer.
Hong Shiliu found several young and strong porters, and several wooden boxes were carried into the Sun family's gate. Miss Yue was nowhere to be seen, but the Fifth Miss was sitting in the front yard.
"Fifth Miss, this is all I have. I've written an IOU," Hong Shiliu said, taking out a piece of paper. "Could you give me some time?"
"Can."
Hong Shiliu was deeply grateful and couldn't think of anything else. All her words boiled down to one: I'm sorry.
Sun Yueyou tore off the IOU, a sense of satisfaction spreading through her as she read the words on it. She sneered, "But there has to be something to settle the debt, right?"
Pomegranate Girl was stunned.
“Use Wen Ruo as collateral.”
"What?"
"Is it hard to understand? If you can't pay back your debt in a day, Wenruo will be your maid for a day."
What can Wen Ruo compare to her now?
"Someone, please put your handprint here."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com