I am ruthless, I admit it.
Upon hearing that it was the second young master's order, the two gatekeepers immediately stepped out of the door and waved to shoo the two children away, saying, "Kids, go play somewhere else."
Jin Xiaoxiao originally only wanted someone to pass on a message to Yue Jia. But now, she was enraged by the triangular-eyed doorman who was abusing his position and fawning over Yue Xiao.
Jin Xiaoxiao showed the jade pendant Yue Jia had given her, "Look carefully, what is this?"
The two gatekeepers guarding the side gate of the Prince's mansion didn't recognize her and wanted to send her away quickly. "Kid, pack your things and go home."
The man with the triangular eyes, who was leaning against the door, was startled when he saw the jade pendant in Jin Xiaoxiao's hand; it was the prince's jade pendant.
He rushed over to snatch it, but Ji Yun pushed him away.
Jin Xiaoxiao waved the jade pendant at the triangular-eyed man, "It seems you recognize the young master's jade pendant. That makes things easier. Go in and inform him."
The man with the triangular eyes rolled his eyes, got up, and ordered the two men, "Go in quickly and inform the steward that someone has stolen the young master's jade pendant. Ask him to bring people over to catch the thief."
Jin Xiaoxiao and her companion were dressed and acted with distinction, and the two gatekeepers, not wanting to offend them, remained standing still.
The man with the triangular eyes glared at them. "Hmm? Are you trying to protect these two petty thieves?"
Not daring to bear the blame for covering it up, the two followed the instructions of the man with the triangular eyes and ran to the palace to find the steward.
The man with the triangular eyes originally intended to intimidate Jin Xiaoxiao and make her leave out of fear. However, seeing Jin Xiaoxiao's composed demeanor, he panicked first.
"Gentlemen, are you looking for the Crown Prince? He went out early this morning and hasn't returned yet. Why don't you leave your names and leave first, and I'll inform him when he returns?"
Jin Xiaoxiao sneered, "Didn't you say we were thieves? How dare you let us go?"
The man with the triangular eyes said with a forced smile, "It was my fault for being so sharp-tongued. I apologize. You must be tired of standing here. Why don't you go home and rest?"
Jin Xiaoxiao nodded. "I am a little tired." She paused, then changed the subject. "But I would like to go into the Prince's residence to rest for a while."
The man with the triangular eyes' smile vanished, and he pointed at Jin Xiaoxiao menacingly, "You tricked me!"
At that moment, a series of hurried footsteps came from inside the Prince's mansion, and the two gatekeepers returned with several people.
Walking in the center of the crowd was a shrewd-looking middle-aged man. He stood inside the door, waved his hand, and ordered without saying a word, "Bring the thief in."
Several tall and burly attendants emerged from the gate.
The man with the triangular eyes pointed at Jin Xiaoxiao and said, "Butler Zhou, the jade pendant is in the hands of this little thief."
Seeing that the people from the Prince's Mansion had ill intentions, Jin Xiaoxiao grabbed Ji Jun's hand and decisively said, "Let's go."
The side gate of the Prince's Mansion was right next to another house, with only a narrow alley between them. Many people were coming and going in the alley, so Ji Jun couldn't move freely. He could only hold Jin Xiaoxiao and fly to the roof of the other house.
"Who dares to act so presumptuously in the Marquis's residence!"
Several arrows came with the shouts, and Ji Jun had no choice but to retreat back into the alley with Jin Xiaoxiao.
Butler Zhou and his men blocked Jin Xiaoxiao's way, while several tall figures in armor flew out from the wall of another courtyard.
The leader had a pair of piercing, tiger-like eyes. He looked at Ji Yun with admiration and said, "This young man is quite skilled. Would you be interested in joining my ranks?"
Steward Zhou bowed to him and said, "General Han, these two are thieves arrested by the Prince's Mansion. They are of low character and do not deserve your praise."
Han Qing's eyes widened, and he pointed at Butler Zhou, cursing, "Bullshit! You're more believable than these two half-grown children being thieves!"
Butler Zhou wiped the saliva off his face, and Jin Xiaoxiao chuckled as she saw him get the short end of the stick.
Han Qing turned to look at Jin Xiaoxiao, "You're quite brave in the face of danger, young lady."
Jin Xiaoxiao's eyes crinkled as she accepted the praise without hesitation, "General, you have excellent taste."
Han Qing was amused by her, "You little one are quite interesting."
"Reporting to the General, the jade pendant that the Prince lost a month ago is the same as the one this child has. It's clear that they stole the Prince's jade pendant together." The triangular-eyed man interrupted, breaking the peaceful atmosphere between the two.
Jin Xiaoxiao looked up at Han Qing and explained, "General, he's slandering me. This jade pendant was a gift from the Crown Prince."
The man with the triangular eyes said sternly, "You still dare to argue? The young master doesn't know you at all. You stole this jade pendant."
Jin Xiaoxiao retorted, "How do you know the young master doesn't recognize me?"
“I guard the gates of the Prince’s mansion every day, and I have never seen the Prince bring you here.”
"Would the Crown Prince bring everyone he knows back to the palace?"
Triangular Eyes didn't fall into Jin Xiaoxiao's trap. He said clearly, "Of course not, but the young master only gives jade pendants to people he values, and those people he values have all been to the palace. Therefore, you stole this jade pendant."
Those triangular-eyed people are hard to fool. Jin Xiaoxiao asked again, "Since you're convinced I stole the jade pendant, then tell me, with so many experts around the young master, how did I manage to steal it?"
The man with the triangular eyes was taken aback, and stammered, "Perhaps, perhaps your methods of theft are more sophisticated."
Jin Xiaoxiao asked again, "Explain this again: if we are thieves, why do we dare to appear openly at the gate of the Prince's mansion?"
With triangular eyes, he was speechless and couldn't answer.
"Xiaoxiao is right."
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Prince Yue Jia, the heir apparent of Prince Yi, walking gracefully towards them.
Judging from the prince's tone, he knew the child. The man with the triangular eyes was so frightened that his legs went weak and he knelt down.
"Your Highness, you're back!" Jin Xiaoxiao ran up to him, tugged at his sleeve, and complained, "I have some good news to tell you, but the people in the Prince's mansion are so fierce. First they chased me away, and then they accused me of being a petty thief who stole your jade pendant and tried to arrest me."
Yue Jia raised an eyebrow; the little girl was really bold.
Han Qing clasped his hands in greeting, "Greetings, Your Highness."
Yue Jia nodded, "General Han."
After exchanging greetings, Yue Jia looked around and slowly walked up to Steward Zhou. "Steward Zhou, you brought so many servants just to capture Xiaoxiao?"
Steward Zhou forced a smile and pointed at the kneeling man with triangular eyes, "Young Master, this servant was deceived by him and misunderstood the young lady. This servant will apologize to the young lady right away."
Steward Zhou bowed deeply to Jin Xiaoxiao and sincerely apologized, "Miss, I misunderstood you. Please forgive me."
Jin Xiaoxiao ignored him and turned to Yue Jia, "Young Master, are you free these next few days?"
Yue Jia sensed something, "Xiaoxiao, you mean?"
Jin Xiaoxiao replied confidently, "I have succeeded in fulfilling my promise to the Crown Prince."
Yue Jia's eyes deepened. "Excellent!"
Steward Zhou was left standing to the side, his face turning red and then pale. If it weren't for the young master, he would never have bowed down to a mere maid.
But when he caught a glimpse of Yue Jia's expression out of the corner of his eye, he bowed his head again and begged, "Please, young lady, spare this servant this once."
Jin Xiaoxiao then turned her gaze to him, "What are you begging me for? I can't even get through the gates of your royal palace."
Butler Zhou gritted his teeth and knelt down before Jin Xiaoxiao, pleading, "Please, young lady, have mercy on me this once."
Jin Xiaoxiao dodged to the side.
The onlookers pointed and whispered at Jin Xiaoxiao.
"It's too arrogant for a young girl to force an elder to kneel before her."
"So petty and narrow-minded, let's see who dares to marry her in the future."
"They won't even say a word of forgiveness; how heartless."
Ji Yun turned her foot and took a step, but Jin Xiaoxiao grabbed her hand.
She turned to face the crowd. "First, I didn't force him to kneel. He knelt because he did something wrong and wanted to escape his master's accountability. Second, my family is rich, very rich. In the future, the number of people who want to marry me and support me could circle the capital twice. I don't need you to bother me. Third, if one is not forgiving others when one is bullied, that is heartless. I agree with this."
The crowd was silent. They didn't know the whole story. Seeing that Steward Zhou was forced to kneel, they subjectively thought that Steward Zhou was pitiful, while Jin Xiaoxiao, who was watching coldly, was hateful.
Han Qing slapped his thigh. "Well said! One should be clear about right and wrong. I like your personality, little girl. If anyone bullies you in the future, just mention my name. If anyone is dissatisfied, I will personally go to find him when I return to the capital after my rotation."
He took out a token and tossed it to Ji Jun, saying, "Young man, if you ever encounter any emergency, take this token to the Jingshan camp to find me."
After saying that, he smiled and clasped his hands in a fist salute to Yue Jia, "Your Highness, farewell!"
Jin Xiaoxiao watched Han Qing leave and quietly asked Ji Yun, "Is General Han's martial arts skill good?"
Ji Yun nodded, "That would be best."
Jin Xiaoxiao fell into deep thought. Ji Yun said that Han Qing's martial arts were the best, which meant that his martial arts were better than Yue Xiao's. Why was Han Qing not mentioned at all in the book?
"Someone come here."
"Your subordinate is here."
"Steward Zhou attempted to harm my sworn sister, which is an act of insubordination. He shall be taken away and flogged fifty times."
"Your Highness, Your Highness, spare my life!"
Jin Xiaoxiao was brought back to her senses by Yue Jiafa's dismissal of Butler Zhou's voice.
Yue Jia patted her head and said meaningfully, "Xiaoxiao is my adopted sister. She enjoys the honor of being a young lady of the Prince's Mansion. Anyone who dares to disrespect her will not be let off lightly by me."
The way people around Jin Xiaoxiao looked at her instantly changed. This little girl is too lucky. Not only does she have the support of a great general, but she also has a prince brother. Who would dare to mess with her?
Yue Jia resolved the matter with a few words, and then Jin Xiaoxiao and Ji Jun followed him into the Prince's Mansion. An hour later, Jin Xiaoxiao returned home in Yue Jia's carriage.
Ten days later, many children carrying papers appeared in the markets and neighborhoods of the capital.
They handed out papers to passing women: "The Jinjin Textile Factory in the north of the city is recruiting textile workers. They work four hours a day, and breakfast and lunch are provided. The daily wage is one hundred coins, and the monthly wage is three taels. Wages are paid monthly. There are limited places available, so please apply as soon as possible if you want to."
The crowd erupted in excitement, and the children were surrounded by people.
"Kid, who taught you to say that?"
"One hundred coins a day's wages, that's more than a grown man's daily wage, are you sure you're not lying?"
The noisy crowd fell silent for a moment, their faces filled with a mixture of doubt and anticipation.
The child wasn't afraid of being surrounded by so many adults. He spoke clearly, "What I just said was taught to me by the clerk at Rongguang Perfume Shop. Believe it or not, it's up to you."
Rongguang Perfume Shop only appeared a few months ago. Its perfumes and soaps are all the rage in Beijing, but only wealthy people can afford them. Ordinary people can't afford them and just listen to the hype.
But when the child told them that the job posting was related to Rongguang Perfume Shop, they looked at each other, unsure whether to apply for the job.
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