Chapter 23 Zhou Congxian, why are you only arriving now?
"Madam Duchess, please wait."
Lady Wen stepped forward, "I have a favor to ask..."
Madam Zhao was in a good mood. "Please speak freely, madam."
Wen Niangzi glanced at Jiang Shiyao, "Having seen Jiang Niangzi's embroidery, I am truly itching to learn from her. Today, I would like to humbly ask Jiang Niangzi for guidance."
Zhao turned and glanced at Jiang Shiyao. "Jiang, if you'd like, you can stay and take a look."
Jiang Shiyao said, "It's rare to find someone who understands me so well. I'm willing to help the shopkeeper's wife take a look."
The two returned to the second floor.
The maidservant replaced the teacup with a new one, and white steam rose from the teacup in front of her.
Jiang Shiyao gently swirled her teacup, not in a hurry to speak.
Lady Wen was not in a hurry to speak.
The two sat facing each other and drank their fill of tea.
"Shopkeeper, the young man who sells pearls is here."
The little maid stood at the door and said.
Lady Wen glanced at Jiang Shiyao and said with a light laugh, "Please invite him up."
Ji Xiaoman was completely confused. "I told you I won't see anyone. If the item is sold, I'll get my money back; if not, I'll return it to me."
"You've got such a big shop, you're trying to embezzle it all?!"
Hearing the noise upstairs, Jiang Shiyao narrowed her eyes slightly.
Then, it's unclear what the maid said to Ji Xiaoman, but a moment later, she was brought up.
"Sister Jiang, you're here!"
Ji Xiaoman was very happy. Now he not only had something to do and a monthly salary, but he and his younger brother no longer had to suffer from hunger and cold.
A few days ago, when Sister Jiang had someone deliver things to him and his brother, he wanted to thank her in person.
The next day at the side gate of the Duke's mansion, Sister Jiang asked him for help.
So he agreed without hesitation.
Jiang Shiyao's lips curled into a smile. "Xiaoman, you should go back first. In a couple of days, I'll have Shuangjiang send you some food."
Ji Xiaoman waved her hand as she walked out.
"Sister, you don't need to see us off. We brothers are doing just fine. The adults even found Xiao Fu a private school. We're doing very well now!"
After Xiaoman left, Jiang Shiyao looked at Madam Wen and asked, "Madam Manager, are you threatening me?"
Having worked her way up through so many years, Lady Wen naturally possessed a certain amount of courage to serve under Prince Cheng.
"I find Jiang Niangzi's words surprising, but I just want to tell Jiang Niangzi that we are now in the same boat."
"To be frank, it's always better to cooperate with people from our own community."
Lady Wen raised her hand and waved it, and the maid behind her pulled out a stack of silver notes from her sleeve.
“Madam Jiang, according to the rules of the martial arts world, since your pearl was sold using the name of my Jade Treasure Pavilion, I should take a cut as usual.”
"But I'm more interested in Jiang Niangzi's cooking skills."
Wen Niangzi pushed the silver note in front of her, "I won't take the commission, but I'll pass on Jiang Niangzi's skills to the embroiderers in my brothel."
Finally, she added, "Of course, I won't let Lady Jiang's efforts go to waste."
Jiang Shiyao looked at the silver notes on the table, and the fingers on her knees couldn't help but slowly curl up.
They're not on the same boat; she's clearly from the shore!
If Lady Wen were willing, she could capsize a boat in the river with a single bamboo pole.
Jiang Shiyao's dream of demanding an exorbitant price was shattered.
She looked up at Madam Wen, smiled, and then put the silver notes away.
"She still couldn't escape Lady Wen's sharp eyes."
"However, the embroiderers who sit in front of the embroidery frame every day know that embroidery is not something that is easy to learn."
As she spoke, she stood up and said, "I am just a woman confined to the inner quarters, and I'm afraid I cannot grant your wish, Madam Manager."
Lady Wen didn't stop her and watched her walk out.
The embroiderer standing behind her hesitated as she watched Jiang Shiyao's departing figure.
Wen Niangzi got up and stood by the window, watching the figure of the person getting into the car downstairs. "Don't worry, she will come back."
The embroiderer was puzzled, but Lady Wen had already turned and gone downstairs.
On the way back to the manor, Jiang Shiyao clutched the silver notes in her sleeve, her brows furrowed.
Wen Niangzi exposed her to her face, but then gave her the money directly.
It was clearly a threat to her.
Yet, they let her go like that...
Jiang Shiyao bit her lip, feeling that she still had some tricks up her sleeve...
"Madam Jiang, the road ahead is blocked."
The driver's voice could be heard from outside the carriage.
Jiang Shiyao's heart sank to the bottom!
It's the same as before...
She was summoned out of the house by Zhao Shi today without informing Wei Xun beforehand, and Wei Xun will not be at the mansion today.
Jiang Shiyao lifted the carriage curtain. This was a main road with many pedestrians.
On both sides of the road ahead, city guards were hanging lanterns.
The middle path is left for pedestrians to pass through, while carriages have to take a detour.
"Madam Jiang, I just asked around, and lanterns are being hung along this road and Xuanwu Street next door."
"The only way is to go around to the riverbank road along the Fengshui River."
If this is another trap, will she have another Ji Xiaoman to help her?
"Madam Jiang?" The coachman received no response and turned around to see Madam Jiang's pale face.
"What's wrong, Madam Jiang?"
Jiang Shiyao forced a smile, "I'm fine..."
"Why isn't this carriage moving yet! Don't they know that the Empress Dowager's birthday is approaching and the whole city is hanging lanterns to celebrate?"
"You've delayed my business, let's see how many heads you have!"
A young, pale-faced old man with a high-pitched voice walked over and patted the carriage with displeasure, urging the driver to hurry up and leave.
The coachman had been driving for the Duke's mansion for several years, escorting his master to banquets and court sessions, and had seen many people from the palace.
He nodded and smiled ingratiatingly, and quickly turned the carriage around.
“Madam Jiang, that man just now looks like a high-ranking eunuch from his clothes. We shouldn’t offend him easily.”
Jiang Shiyao looked back at the road she had turned around on, then patted the car and said, "Stop the car!"
"You drive back first, I'll go back later!"
The coachman watched as Jiang Shiyao jumped down from the carriage. "Where are you going, Madam Jiang? Should I wait for you?"
Jiang Shiyao: "No need, you can go back first."
The carriage belonged to the Duke's mansion; you could see it from a distance.
The main road is wide and has many shops on both sides.
Since arriving in Beijing, Jiang Shiyao has rarely gone out, let alone traveled this far.
Especially after becoming Zhou Congxian's concubine, she had even fewer opportunities to go out.
Each time, I could only look outside through the small car window.
Now, looking at the shouts of vendors from the shops on both sides, Jiang Shiyao felt as if she had returned to her days in Chuzhou.
"Sir, fresh spring tea!"
"Freshly baked Fatty's Sesame Seed Cake!"
As I walked past the pancake shop, a person came out of the shop, and the two almost bumped into each other.
"Be careful, lady."
It's that sucker again.
Xiao Shu was dressed in rich clothes, but he was holding a sesame seed cake that cost two copper coins each.
When he bumped into Jiang Shiyao, he instinctively reached out and grabbed her, his fingertips touching her sleeve.
There was something that looked like paper in his sleeve.
A glint flashed in Xiao Shu's eyes.
He glanced at her sleeve discreetly. "This lady looks familiar. Have we met before?"
Jiang Shiyao subconsciously pinched her sleeve pocket. This sucker had stuffed several hundred taels into her pocket the first time they met. Could it be that he remembered something?
“Last time we ate at Huaiyue Tower, my jade pendant fell off, and it was you who found it, young master.”
Xiao Shu feigned a sudden realization, "I remember now."
"I also met them once at the White Horse Temple; they were family members of the Duke of England's family."
"That jade is quite special. I was still wondering afterward whether that lady would be willing to part with it."
He paused, then continued, "It can be said that I had the good fortune to meet Lady Zhou..."
He deliberately misspoke.
Jiang Shiyao: "Young master, my surname is Jiang."
Xiao Shu asked, "Madam Jiang, if I may ask, would you be willing to part with that jade pendant?"
Jiang Shiyao said, "I apologize. This jade pendant was left to me by my father, so I will not sell it."
Xiao Shu nodded. "I was being presumptuous."
"I won't disturb you any longer, young master. I'll take my leave now."
Jiang Shiyao was unwilling to speak further. She took a step back, bowed, and left in a hurry.
Xiao Shu watched her retreating figure without moving, then lowered his head and took a bite of the slightly cool sesame seed cake in his hand.
A dark figure landed beside him. "Master."
"This road is close to Yanwei Camp. If Zhou Congxian uses his concubine to send a message..."
A shadowy figure said, "My men, go and capture her."
"She had something in her sleeve. When she was speaking just now, she subconsciously protected her left sleeve, and her eyes darted around."
"Don't kill it, bring the stuff back."
"Yes." The shadowy figure vanished in the next instant.
Jiang Shiyao clutched her pounding heart and quickened her pace.
Someone was following her!
Was this person a victim of a great injustice just now, or a member of the Song family?!
Jiang Shiyao's nerves were like a taut string.
It felt like a hand would grab her from behind at any moment!
"Hey!"
A sudden, loud explosion behind her shattered her heartstrings.
Jiang Shiyao took off running, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably.
The faster she ran, the harder she cried; tears blurred her vision, making it impossible for her to see the road ahead.
She was angry at herself for being useless, and also angry at herself for being so unlucky!
Zhou Congxian, who was behind, had just come out of the alley next to him when he saw Jiang Shiyao looking panicked.
He had barely called out when she immediately turned and ran like a startled rabbit!
"The young master has someone to follow Lady Jiang."
Wei Xun was very vigilant.
Zhou Congxian pursed his thin lips slightly, "You go catch that person, I'll go after her."
The woman in front ran faster and faster, her desperate escape making it seem as if a vengeful ghost was chasing her!
She ran away without a care, leaving her hairpin behind.
Zhou Congxian looked at a wheelbarrow on the side of the road ahead. He started, stepped onto the wheelbarrow, and used the momentum to turn around and land steadily in front of Jiang Shiyao.
Jiang Shiyao's vision blurred, and she bumped straight into a slightly cool embrace.
She jumped up in surprise, but was restrained by someone around the waist and couldn't move.
Why are you running?
A familiar voice came from above.
Jiang Shiyao raised her tear-streaked face, and the moment she saw Zhou Congxian, she burst into tears.
"It's you!"
"It's you! You scared me to death!!"
Zhou Congxian was caught off guard; the person in his arms cried even more fiercely than three-year-old Fu'er.
This was the first time he had seen Jiang Shiyao like this.
"Don't cry, no one is chasing you anymore."
Jiang Shiyao sobbed and wiped away her tears, "I'm so scared, so scared that it's the bandits from that day again!"
"I'm not lucky enough to meet another Ji Xiaoman."
Zhou Congxian's eyes darkened slightly as he gently pulled her into his arms. "It won't happen again, it won't happen again."
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