Upon hearing this, Madam Ji felt both angry and worried, but she dared not confront him directly.
So she softened her tone and said, "Okay, I don't have to sell her, but you absolutely can't act like that again! What you need to focus on right now is..."
Ji Yinli quickly interrupted her, "Alright, alright, I understand. I will definitely study hard and make sure I pass the next imperial examination with flying colors. Mother, what brings you here today? If there's nothing else, I'll continue studying."
At this moment, Madam Ji remembered her purpose: "Do you have any money? I want to buy some dried vegetables. You study so hard, I can't let you not eat well."
Ji Yinli replied, "Where would I get the money? Aren't all the family's funds in your hands?"
Madam Ji was well aware that Ji Yinli was not well-off. "Is your wife's dowry also empty? Go to her and get some for me first. When our family's situation improves, I will compensate you."
Ji Yinli was slightly surprised: "Mother, this... doesn't seem quite appropriate?"
Madam Ji gave him a disdainful look: "What's wrong with that? Isn't everything she has yours too? When you pass the imperial examination with flying colors, won't she be able to share in your glory and fortune? What's wrong with you using a little bit of her money now?"
After hearing this, Ji Yinli felt that it made sense, so he got up and went to Gu Qinlian's wardrobe to search carefully.
Soon, he pulled out the money bag full of silver from the depths of the wardrobe.
There were only a little over a hundred taels of silver in the bag.
Ji Yinli took out a few pieces of silver and handed them to Madam Ji: "That's all. If you take too much, she might be unhappy if she finds out."
Madam Ji didn't mind the small amount. After accepting the silver, she instructed, "If she asks any questions, remember not to say that I did it. Otherwise, if she makes a big fuss, where will I put my old face?"
Ji Yinli casually replied, "Don't worry."
After receiving the silver, Madam Ji repeatedly urged Ji Yinli to focus all his attention on his studies before slowly leaving.
After Madam Ji's figure disappeared, Ji Yinli sat back down at his desk and continued reading, but his heart was not at peace.
He turned to look at Gu Qinlian's wardrobe, got up again, took out the money pouch again, and secretly grabbed a few more pieces of silver and hid them in his pocket.
After putting the money bag back in its place, Ji Yinli hurriedly left home.
...
As the sun set, the vegetable stalls at the Duan Prince's residence closed up shop, and the servants swept away the rotten vegetable leaves and dirt scattered in front of the door. Fuyu, accompanied by a young maid, carried the heavy money box into Gu Qinlan's courtyard.
Xiaoman directed several maids to lay out bamboo mats, while Fuyu and Cuiying worked together to overturn the money box.
"Splash—"
A box of copper coins and silver coins cascaded onto the bamboo mat like a waterfall. The maids gathered around, excitedly counting today's earnings.
After counting the large pile of loose change, Fuyu picked up the ledger and carefully recorded the details. She then checked the total accounts and said with a smile, "Miss, we have already made money."
The vegetable stall had only been open for three days when it had already collected all the money that had been prepaid to the tenants.
From then on, every time he set up a stall, he would make a net profit.
Those who once mocked Gu Qinlan for being foolish can now only shut up.
Gu Qinlan remained calm; this meager income was nothing to her.
Hongye stepped lightly into the room, her steps as nimble as flowing water. She leaned close to Gu Qinlan's ear, her voice low and urgent: "The Ji family has sent the latest news. Ji Yinli has actually stolen the eldest young lady's money and gone to a brothel to enjoy himself."
Gu Qinlan remained unmoved by this sudden intelligence, as if she had already expected it.
In the past, Ji Yinli was a dashing and romantic figure. However, the entire Ji family worked together to cover up his outrageous behavior so perfectly that she once mistakenly believed that Ji Yinli was a gentleman who was dedicated to the imperial examinations and official career.
In that era, she was not the only one who was deceived by such an illusion. Even the emperor favored Ji Yinli. Otherwise, with his talent, how could he have won the second place in the palace examination?
In order to maintain his image of deep affection, Ji Yinli had no choice but to restrain himself. He wore that mask of deep affection and devotion until the new emperor ascended the throne.
After the new emperor ascended the throne, Ji Yinli did not take any concubines in his household, but he secretly had an affair with Gu Qinlian and even had an illegitimate child with her...
Thinking that Gu Qinlian still firmly believed in Ji Yinli's character, Gu Qinlan couldn't help but feel a surge of interest in watching the show.
She gently beckoned to Hongye: "Go, have the people in the manor spread this news to Gu Qinlian as soon as possible. Tonight we will go and watch this good show."
A sly glint flashed in Hongye's eyes, and the corners of her mouth turned up: "Please look forward to it, Miss. The Second Miss will surely find out about this soon."
Gu Qinlan smiled and said, "Let's go, change our clothes, and witness this scene together."
Xiaoman and Cuiying eagerly followed: "Madam, please take us with you. We also want to witness this grand event."
They usually saw that when the lady went out, she only took Fuyu and Hongye with her, and they had no objection to this. But on such an unusual occasion as tonight, how could they suppress their curiosity?
Gu Qinlan smiled and agreed, "Alright, let's prepare together then."
And so, the master and servants busied themselves changing their clothes. A moment later, the group, along with Sang Qian and his three brothers, marched out of the mansion in a grand procession.
The place Ji Yinli went to was the Xiaoxiang Pavilion, known as the "Number One Pavilion in Jiangnan".
The Xiaoxiang Pavilion was not only grand in scale and luxuriously decorated, but also home to exceptionally talented and gentle women. They were not only literate but also skilled in composing poetry and couplets, displaying unparalleled elegance.
Therefore, local heroes, tourists from other places, and even literati from surrounding prefectures would all come to admire the splendor of Xiaoxiang Pavilion.
Scholars like Ji Yinli became increasingly drawn to Xiaoxiang Pavilion. Many students considered gathering there a great joy in life.
Ji Yinli naturally longed for it, but he was short of money and had no silver to spare.
Therefore, the image he cultivated in the outside world was always as gentle as a breeze and as bright as the moon, maintaining an extraordinary and pure moral character. It was precisely this image that made the uproar caused when his passionate scandal with Gu Qinlian in the bookstore was exposed to be unprecedented.
The group arrived near Xiaoxiang Pavilion and quietly parked the carriage across the street in front of the pavilion.
This carriage had no obvious markings and blended in with the many other carriages that came to seek pleasure, as if it were invisible to the crowd.
The maids, dressed in men's clothing, gently lifted a corner of the carriage curtain to peek outside. The three-story Xiaoxiang Pavilion was brightly lit, with strings of lanterns hanging from the roof, illuminating the surroundings as if it were daytime.
"It's truly magnificent."
The maids couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.
Gu Qinlan smiled calmly and said, "Xiaoxiang Pavilion makes a fortune every day. Such expenses are just a drop in the ocean for them."
After observing for a moment, the maids hurriedly lowered the carriage curtain. They had witnessed numerous scantily clad women being embraced and groped by men who were either fat and ugly.
They found it unbearable to look at with just a glance.
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