"Cousin Liang, I see you've lost a lot of weight. How about my fifth sister and I go out and buy you some of your favorite foods?"
Today is the day the palace maids are released and allowed to return home.
She has to go pick up Aunt Lan herself!
On ordinary days, she could simply go out and fawn over her grandmother if she wanted.
But now, since the day my grandmother fainted, and learned that Liang Shaojie's left eye was ruined, she has been bedridden.
She couldn't possibly bother her grandmother any longer, so she could only use Liang Shaojie as an excuse to go out!
Liang Shaojie was surprised by Jiang Segu's sudden concern, but before he could speak, Jiang Zhihui took over the conversation.
"Sixth Sister is absolutely right! Cousin Shaojie, we'll go to Tianxiangju right now to buy you your favorite crab roe soup dumplings, squirrel-shaped mandarin fish, pearl glutinous rice balls, and lotus leaf-scented spare ribs, which are also your favorite!"
Thus, Jiang Zhihui excitedly pulled Jiang Segu out of the mansion.
Jiang Segu stopped the carriage just over fifteen minutes after it had started moving.
"Fifth Sister, I forgot to bring my money!"
"Oh? Then quickly turn the carriage around and go back to the manor!"
It's not that she's stingy, it's just that she doesn't have that much money!
Although her father was the heir of a marquis's family, everyone knew what the marquis's family was like and what their eldest branch of the family was like.
"No, that would waste time going back and forth! Fifth Sister, go to Tianxiangju to order first, and I'll hire another carriage to go back to the manor to get the money! Don't worry, I won't cheat you out of something like this!"
Jiang Zhihui, unsuspecting, nodded and said, "Then hurry up!"
Watching Jiang Zhihui's carriage depart, Jiang Segu and Qiaolian hired a carriage and headed to Shenwu Gate...
In front of Shenwu Gate, a large number of people had gathered, some crying and some laughing.
Some, because no one came to meet them, had expressions as gloomy and gray as the weather today.
Jiang Segu sat in the carriage, lifting the curtain to look outside, not daring to blink, for fear of missing Aunt Lan leaving the palace.
She had never met Aunt Lan, but Aunt Lan had a limp, so she should be easy to recognize!
But the next second, Jiang Segu felt a pain in his face!
The crowd in front of Shenwu Gate gradually dispersed, but there were still seven or eight people with mobility issues.
Qiaolian stepped forward and asked her questions one by one, finally getting the information from Aunt Lan.
Jiang Segu dared not presume, and dismounted from the carriage to personally greet Aunt Lan.
Aunt Lan looked to be in her early forties, dressed simply, standing there with a straight posture and a perfectly appropriate smile on her face, not at all flattered by my personal greeting.
"Greetings to the young lady!"
Aunt Lan performed the curtsy in a steady half-squatting position.
With just a simple greeting, he displayed the composure and decorum expected of someone from the palace!
"Aunt, there's no need for such formalities! I've come today to invite you to live in my household. I wonder if you would be willing?"
Aunt Lan showed no surprise or joy, nor did she ask which household Jiang Segu belonged to.
"I am grateful for your kindness, young lady, but my frail body can no longer serve you."
“Our household doesn’t have as many rules as the palace, and I don’t want you to sell yourself to me, Aunt. I’m here to sincerely ask you for help!”
I've inquired and found out that my aunt has no relatives or clansmen left, and no one from the Min family has come to meet her today. Since my aunt has nowhere to stay, why don't we go back to the mansion together first!
If you feel constrained in our household, I can arrange a residence for you outside, Aunt. I only ask that you help me when I have questions!
Aunt Lan still declined, saying, "If you only want someone to advise you, why don't you ask Aunt Ai, one of the palace maids who have been released, for help?"
Jiang Segu was speechless.
Can she say that she doesn't understand Aunt Ai at all?
"If Aunt has any requests, please feel free to make them, and I will do my best to fulfill them!"
"I have served my master for over thirty years, and now that I am finally free, I truly do not wish to serve anyone again!"
There's no room for negotiation here!
Jiang Segu regretted not asking more questions earlier, and inquiring about the conditions under which the Marquis of Nanlin had invited Aunt Lan.
She was somewhat irritable, but dared not show it on her face, so she had to settle for second best, "Aunt Lan, you've just left the palace today, why don't you let my carriage take you to find a place to stay?"
Once she found out where Aunt Lan lived, she went to her door every day to beg her, and she finally got Aunt Lan to agree.
"Then I'll have to trouble you, young lady!"
Living in the capital is not easy, and Aunt Lan has not been able to save much money over the years. When she left the palace, Consort Min gave her a lot of silver, but it was still not enough to buy a house in the capital.
Aunt Lan thought it best to rent a house.
Just then, I heard the little girl's clear voice.
"Aunt, why don't you find an inn to rest today? Tomorrow I'll accompany you to look for a house outside the city. Most houses in the city are expensive but impractical; you'd be better off looking outside the city."
Jiang Segu couldn't remember when the Marquis of Nanlin had asked Aunt Lan to leave. Now, he only wanted to hide Aunt Lan well so that the Marquis of Nanlin's mansion wouldn't find her.
"No need to trouble you, miss!"
"It's no trouble at all. I've got nothing better to do anyway, so Auntie, just think of me as someone who's been following you around because I had nowhere else to go!"
Since things had already come to this point, Aunt Lan couldn't refuse any longer, but she didn't say anything else.
Jiang Segu escorted Aunt Lan to Yunlai Inn before heading towards Tianxiang Residence.
Not long after her carriage left, Aunt Lan, who should have been resting at the inn, carried her bundle and left in the opposite direction.
She hadn't gone far when she realized someone was following her.
Having spent over a decade honing her skills in the palace, she certainly possessed this level of vigilance!
Thanks to the training she received in the palace, Aunt Lan quickly shook off the people following her.
She rented a small courtyard house in the chaotic western part of the city and settled down.
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