The maid who came to deliver the message had arrived with an aggressive air, knowing that her mistress was angry and guessing that Jiang Xuening wouldn’t have anything good coming to her, so she had been quite discourteous when speaking to her. However, when she left, her face was deathly pale and her entire body weak, frightened by Jiang Xuening’s undisguised threat, and even more terrified about how she would relay these words to Meng Shi when she returned.

Lian’er and Tang’er had both thought that their Second Young Miss’s temper had improved during this period, becoming increasingly reasonable and increasingly peaceful.

How could they have expected her to suddenly say such things?

Both were startled, and when they attended to her again, they inevitably had a few more points of trepidation, and also some worry: “Second Young Miss, Madam is the household’s mistress after all, this way won’t it…”

Jiang Xuening pulled off the face cloth draped over her face and casually tossed it into the copper basin in front of her. Her face, untouched by powder or rouge, was flushed with a slight redness from the steaming heat, making it even more tender and smooth like a freshly peeled egg. With her face bare and her natural beauty shining through, without the concealment and modification of makeup, the delicacy and excellence of her features became even more obvious.

She said, “Isn’t this my home too?”

Besides, she still had to enter the palace for half a year. No matter what, she was currently a study companion by the Grand Princess’s side. Although she didn’t like this identity, and didn’t like her current circumstances, what could Meng Shi do to her even if she was furious?

Meng Shi doted on Jiang Xuehui and would surely be wary of acting rashly for fear of the consequences.

After washing up, she had Lian’er brew a pot of tea, and instructed Tang’er: “In a while, Miss You from the Earl’s residence will come over. Find someone sharp and tight-lipped to keep watch at the gate, don’t let anyone just block her outside.”

This time leaving the palace, she could only stay home for two days.

To guide You Fangying again and clean up the loose ends left from the last time she instructed her, there wasn’t much time left for Jiang Xuening.

Not to mention there was still the matter with Yan Lin.

Originally, although the time for the incident at the Yongyi Marquis’s residence was gradually approaching, there was still a while. She could slowly utilize it, laying sufficient groundwork and preparation for Yan Lin, and then explain everything clearly to him. Perhaps he could accept it better.

That way he wouldn’t come to hate her like in the previous life.

But all her plans had been disrupted by this matter of entering the palace as a study companion.

Once in the palace, it would certainly be inconvenient to act, and not everything could be said within the palace walls. But the next time leaving the palace would be ten days later. If she didn’t make things clear this time, going forward, there might not be another chance to speak.

Early in the morning, You Fangying quietly slipped a small piece of broken silver to the gatekeeper she was familiar with. With her simple dress and hairpins, she didn’t need to disguise herself much—she already looked like a maid from the residence.

And the less respectable kind at that.

She slipped out from the residence, deliberately looking around carefully in all directions when she walked out the door, as if afraid someone was following her.

But actually, this kind of looking around had no meaning whatsoever.

If someone was truly following her, how could they be discovered so easily?

For example…

The moment she walked out from the Qingyuan Earl’s residence, at a wonton stall that had just opened not far from the roadside, there was an unremarkable young man in blue clothes who gently set down his chopsticks, fumbled at his waist for a few copper coins, placed them on the greasy little table, stood up, and trailed after her from a distance.

At this moment, Daoqin was already cursing in his heart: That surname Lü, when he can’t order around the master, he orders around the master’s subordinates all day long, can’t stand seeing them idle. He actually found him this bitter task of following someone!

What was worth following about a small concubine-born daughter from an earl’s residence?

If the brothers all found out, wouldn’t they think that Master Dao was one of those lowly, wretched types from the poor streets and alleys?

You Fangying crossed two streets and entered a silk fabric shop.

Watching from upstairs not far away, Daoqin soon saw her come out holding a bolt of finest Hangzhou silk.

At this point, he didn’t feel anything particular.

But before long, You Fangying walked into a brush and ink shop and bought two fine brushes and a decent inkstone. Next was rouge and powder—she went in and bought some of those too, coming out with the shop owner seeing her off with a smiling face. Then there were jewelry and hair ornaments, and various other trifles…

Finally, she even went to a temple to request a peace charm?!

The corner of Daoqin’s mouth finally couldn’t help but twitch.

This concubine-born daughter from the earl’s residence had always lived a poor and frugal life. Suddenly, because of the raw silk business, she had obtained a large sum of money and must want to reward herself well. And looking at all these things she bought, every single one was for a young lady’s use.

That surname Lü had said with certainty that she would definitely go find her employer.

Did this look like she was going to find her employer?

For a moment, he wanted to abandon the task, turn around and go back to the residence to complain to the master: saying that surname Lü’s mouth spouted nonsense all day long, and not a single thing he predicted had ever been accurate.

But the next moment he discovered something was wrong!

You Fangying had already hired a carriage halfway through, and after coming out from the temple, she got on the carriage and said something to the driver. Logically, she should be returning to the residence. But Daoqin’s archery was extremely skilled, and his pair of eyes had excellent vision—he could see the feathers on a bird’s body from ten zhang away. He effortlessly made out the shape of You Fangying’s lips when she spoke—

Those absolutely weren’t the four characters for “Qingyuan Earl’s residence”!

Daoqin’s heart grew alert, immediately putting away his previous contempt for this task. He silently observed the direction of that carriage, sometimes walking quickly, sometimes taking shortcuts. Before long, he saw that carriage make a wide turn around a residence and stop in front of that household’s side door that opened to the east.

You Fangying stepped down from the carriage.

Daoqin looked up at the plaque hanging above this residence’s gate and nearly shocked himself into biting off his tongue: “Good heavens…”

The master’s head was probably going to grow a full size larger.

“Miss You, please come in.”

Having received Jiang Xuening’s instructions earlier, the gatekeepers had been prepared. So when Tang’er received news of You Fangying’s visit, she hurried to receive her and bring her to Jiang Xuening’s room. She first stepped forward to lift the curtain, then reported inside.

“Second Young Miss, she’s here.”

The place where Jiang Xuening lived was far more beautiful than You Fangying’s shabby room. After this period of tidying up and adjusting since her return, she had removed some unsuitable furnishings and added some more appropriate items, giving it increasingly the feeling of a fragrant, soft boudoir.

The Boshan incense burner on the table was still burning incense with a clear and distant fragrance.

When You Fangying walked in, she nearly stared with fixed eyes.

In her own room, Jiang Xuening wore no shoes, going barefoot. She hadn’t even put up her hair, but maintained a casual and lazy posture, sitting cross-legged on the heated platform by the window, drinking tea while reading a book.

Though thinking about meeting Yan Lin in the evening, she hadn’t turned a single page in half a day.

Hearing someone arrive, she looked up.

Sure enough, just as she had instructed yesterday, You Fangying was dressed quite inconspicuously and had bought quite a few things. Jiang Xuening nodded and smiled, only saying: “You came quite early. Sit.”

You Fangying first performed a courtesy to her, but absolutely refused to sit opposite Jiang Xuening no matter what.

Tang’er had no choice but to move an embroidered stool for her.

Only then did she sit down on Jiang Xuening’s lower side, saying: “Second Young Miss is my life-saving benefactor. It’s fine for me to sit here.”

Jiang Xuening wanted to persuade her, but thinking that she was already completely uncomfortable in her presence, if she sat across from her, she might be so nervous she couldn’t even speak, so she let it go.

She only asked: “How was it coming here?”

You Fangying said: “I did everything as Young Miss told me. When I left, I looked around left and right, but indeed didn’t see anyone following me.”

“If you could discover them, that person following would be too stupid.” Jiang Xuening couldn’t help but laugh, gesturing for Tang’er to serve her tea, and continued, “Anyway, you did as I said, that’s enough. As for what will happen after, we still need to wait and see. I called you here today because I saw you had an enterprising heart yesterday. Since you want to earn more money, naturally you must have methods to make money beget money. So before you came, I prepared a bit and have several methods I want to tell you.”

You Fangying’s eyes immediately widened in surprise.

At this moment, Tang’er brought up the tea.

While thinking about how she should respond, You Fangying also hurriedly reached out to receive it, but forgot for a moment that her hand was still injured. When she took the tea cup, she accidentally touched it, and the sudden sharp pain made her unable to suppress trembling hand, nearly crying out!

“Crash!”

The tea cup wasn’t held steady and immediately overturned to the ground, shattering.

The tea splashed everywhere, wetting her dress and skirt.

Tang’er was startled and looked at You Fangying with an astonished gaze: “Miss You, are you alright?”

“No, no, no, I’m fine.” You Fangying gripped the fingers of one hand with her other hand, her face full of panic and awkwardness. She hadn’t expected that at someone else’s home, due to her careless clumsiness, she would overturn the host’s tea cup. For a moment she was extremely ashamed. “It’s all my fault, I was distracted just now.”

Distracted?

She didn’t look like she was distracted just now.

And when she had reached out to receive the tea Tang’er passed over, it was clearly as if she had touched something painful, as if she’d been scalded.

Jiang Xuening was not someone easy to fool nowadays. After staring at her for a moment, she only said: “Come here.”

You Fangying was somewhat afraid and didn’t dare move.

Jiang Xuening merely extended her hand toward her, still saying: “Come here.”

You Fangying finally walked over.

Jiang Xuening then lowered her eyes without looking at her, directly pulling over the hand she had just been gripping, and immediately saw that at the tip of her finger there was actually a gaping wound, with the outer skin on her fingertip completely turned up, exposing the flesh and blood inside. Though the wound wasn’t large, it looked painful.

You Fangying instinctively tried to pull her hand back.

She was already sufficiently wretched and didn’t want this Second Young Miss who had already helped her so much to see more. She said timidly: “Yesterday when I went back, I was too happy and accidentally fell on the steps in the residence, scratching my hand. It’s nothing serious.”

But Jiang Xuening gripped her hand firmly, not letting her withdraw it.

Fell down?

You Fangying seemed clumsy enough that something like tripping and falling could indeed happen to her.

But…

Without responding at all, Jiang Xuening simply rolled up her long sleeve that tightly covered her arm. On an arm that already had many mottled scars, with old wounds not yet healed, there were actually streaks of blue, purple, and red—many new injuries added!

Tang’er and Lian’er beside her both gasped, feeling somewhat unable to bear watching.

You Fangying deeply lowered her head.

Jiang Xuening finally slowly raised her head again to look at her, only asking: “Yesterday, your second sister You Yue also returned from the palace to the residence, didn’t she?”