Chapter 3.1

Summer nights always emerged slightly later in the day, but they also offered constant time. Xiao Youning, came out of her hiding place from another direction and discovered that the sky was already completely dark.

“Miss, where do we go?” Yuan Guo supported her by holding onto her arm, blankly sweeping the area around them with her two perfectly round eyes. Just now they heard some talk about the marquis residence being sealed by the imperial guards and, with the Li Family also having lost their conscience, now they truly had nowhere to go.

Xiao Youning hid behind a low wall, keeping half her body entirely covered by the darkness, seemingly in a trance.

On the extremely bustling street, there were lanterns hanging from the eaves of the stores, people came and went with hurried steps. Calm waiters beckoned with shouts for customers to enter many different types of stores. Regardless of what identity they had, in this street they all had a goal.

Xiao Youning stopped there. She was the only one without a goal, didn’t have a place to return to, and in that way she didn’t belong.

Yuan Guo didn’t hear what she said. With her head lowered, she was frowning while deep in thought. After a long time, she raised her head and probed cautiously: “Miss, perhaps we can go look for Second Master—”

Xiao Youning did not answer her question.

The Xiao Family’s Second Master was her step-uncle. After her paternal grandmother passed away, her paternal grandfather took a second wife. At that time, Xiao Youning’s father was only a young child, barely old enough to begin studying. Her father told her that since he was young, her step-grandmother had treated him quite coldly. Later, when he grew to adulthood and gained achievements, his father passed away. Her father then inherited the title and completely separated from the second branch of the family.

She had the impression that, even though they lived under the same roof, the head branch and the second branch were entirely different, as even during New Year family feasts they wouldn’t sit together. Well, all said and done, what Madam Li said was not actually wrong: she had indeed lost her support.

She now had no one she could rely on except herself.

Xiao Youning immediately started rummaging through her embroidered purse and sleeves but didn’t even find a tiny bit of anything. Eventually, she raised her hand to touch her hair coiled in a bun. When she felt a gold hairpin, her eyes brightened. Pulling out the hairpin, she said, “This hairpin is solid and has precious stones on it, it should be able to fetch us some money. Try to find a pawn shop. We must look for an inn where we can stay for the time being.”

“Stay in an inn?” Yuan Guo felt that an inn was not at all safe. What if, by any chance, that poisonous woman from the Li Family found them?

Her maid’s thoughts were entirely written on her face. Xiao Youning tightened her grip on the golden hairpin and tried to calm her. “Apart from that one in the palace, it’s improbable that someone will come looking for us. The inn is very secure.”

She had only just caused a ruckus at the Li Family Gates, the dowry wasn’t returned to her. The Li Family’s head of the household still had some brains, it was impossible that during this period he would allow anyone from the family to look for her to cause trouble. In the eyes of those hypocrites, reputation was worth ten thousand sacks of gold. If it were regarded worthless, presumably, she’d be just a stupid orphaned girl with no chance of living.

Xiao Youning reached a decision and prepared to sell the hairpin. She would try to find a place to stay, then she would think of a way to discreetly ask around about her father and elder brother’s circumstances, which was a matter of top priority. Just as she was about to step out, Yuan Guo pulled her back.

She turned her head and looked at her maid, puzzled.

Yuan Guo patted her stomach, lowered her voice, and said, “Miss, you need not sell the golden hairpin! I sewed some banknotes inside my clothes.”

Saying so, she faced her mistress and gestured with two fingers. “Two thousand taels!”

Xiao Youning gaped, distracted for a moment, then she clicked her tongue and asked, “You, how did you sew the banknotes onto your clothes?”

Two thousand taels is no small amount, where did it come from?

Yuan Guo laughed mischievously. “ I heard an old lady once say, a wife entering her husband’s family should conceal private savings. She cannot reveal the property she holds so as to not worry when using money. These two thousand taels, a long time ago I informed the master that the accounts should be directly sent to me, and I thought to tell the miss after today.”

Xiao Youning stared at Yuan Guo, her mouth opening and closing. Then suddenly, she laughed. “My family’s Yuan Guo is truly the cleverest.”

The two thousand taels were like sending charcoal to someone during snowy weather. It was like a beam of light, illuminating the darkness around her.

Yuan Guo, upon seeing her miss smile, immediately wiggled her eyebrows and laughed brightly. But, unexpectedly, she heard Xiao Youning say, ”Nevertheless, we should pawn the golden hairpin.”

“Ah?”

“Wealth should not be revealed so easily. One thousand taels in banknotes, going to convert that will be too conspicuous. Furthermore, the money must be used where it’s needed most.”

In the capital city, doing anything needed money, let alone her wanting to ask around about her father and elder brother.

——

Under the curtain of night, both sides of the palace roads had lamp stands that had been lit long ago. But the palace roads were deep and long, with rows and rows of lamp lights barely illuminating anything, half lit and half dark.

Ye Shen carried a lantern by himself and walked past the palace roads. At his side followed the young imperial bodyguard that had previously accompanied him by the sedan chair. Like the dark night behind him, following him step by step.

The pair of master and guard silently walked for a long time. The big palace roof in the distance where a carved sculpture of an auspicious animal stood slowly came into view. The young imperial bodyguard gazed at the light beneath his feet, then suddenly raised his head and asked, “Will you go to His Majesty and report?”

“Report what?” he asked rhetorically.

The young imperial bodyguard stared blankly at the question. He opened his mouth and let out an “Oh!”. Then, a moment later, he spoke again: “You … Was it not because of His Majesty’s words that you left the palace and went to the Li Family?”

So, wasn’t it obvious that he was going to report back?