Reminded by his wife, Master Yin also realized the issue.
“Even if she didn’t manage to secure the Jiang family’s assets, a starved camel is still bigger than a horse. The Jiang family is so wealthy; she must have quite a bit in her hands.”
Madam Fan pursed her lips and shook her head: “I have looked at her dowry list. Compared to ordinary people, it could be considered generous, but if compared to the powerful families in the capital, it is just moderate. Moreover, most of the items on the dowry list are tangible objects, which are not easy to sell.”
Madam Fan then mentioned to Master Yin about seeking medical help from the divine doctor, Dr. Bai.
“I had thought that since the Jiang family has a friendship with Dr. Bai, I could rely on Jiang Li’s reputation to have him examine me. Who would have thought I wouldn’t even be able to see him? In my opinion, we should never have agreed to this marriage in the first place. If not for that, our Hezhou wouldn’t have to be unable to return home.”
Master Yin immediately raised his eyes and glared at Madam Fan: “Shut up! If anyone else hears you, that is a grave crime.”
Madam Fan shrugged her shoulders, lowered her head, and muttered softly: “Isn’t there no one else here?”
Master Yin sighed deeply and said: “I will have someone investigate to see whose name the Jiang family’s assets are currently under.”
…
Perhaps it was because Jiang Li’s performance in front of Master Yin had taken effect, but for the following two days, aside from the morning greetings, Jiang Li was able to stay comfortably in the courtyard.
In the blink of an eye, the day arrived when Princess Baoqing would meet with misfortune in her previous life.
Jiang Li had Wangyou and Baizhi stay behind to cover for her. She changed into the maid’s clothing she had prepared in advance and left the estate disguised as Baizhi.
Fortunately, she had only been married for a short while, and the Yin family servants were not very familiar with her. Combined with her deliberate disguise, no one paid her any mind.
After leaving the Yin estate, Jiang Li’s figure quickly vanished into the crowd. She walked into an inn by the street without attracting anyone’s attention.
It was still early, and there were no other guests in the inn.
Jiang Li walked into the back courtyard of the inn and met Rendong, who had been waiting there in advance.
Although Rendong did not know what her mistress intended to do, she would fully cooperate with whatever her mistress did.
Therefore, she had prepared the clothes Jiang Li needed to change into, as well as a mili (a veiled hat) to cover her face.
After quickly changing her clothes, Jiang Li looked at the mili, shook her head, and said: “The mili is unnecessary. Wearing it outside will only attract more attention.”
Jiang Li made some simple adjustments to her appearance in front of the bronze mirror, enough so that one could not tell it was her at a glance, but she was still herself.
Once prepared, Jiang Li took Rendong and left through the back door of the inn.
After Princess Baoqing left her home today, the people Jiang Li had sent had been following her the entire time, so Jiang Li could now head straight there.
Just as Jiang Li had guessed, Princess Baoqing was indeed disguised as a worker at a tofu shop, smiling brightly as she weighed tofu for customers.
It was clearly a task for ordinary commoners, yet when Princess Baoqing performed it, there was no sense of incongruity.
Watching the smile on Princess Baoqing’s face, Jiang Li could not help but feel momentarily lost.
It was such a young girl, full of smiles, who should have lived a good life, only to be abducted by those villains.
Whether she was a noble princess or a common girl, none should be harmed by those people.
Just as Jiang Li was thinking this, she heard a customer buying tofu speak up.
“I am a worker at a restaurant on the street ahead. Our restaurant needs to buy fifty catties of tofu. Could you help us deliver it?”
Princess Baoqing seemed to find it an interesting request; she was very interested and agreed without much thought.
“Alright, we can provide delivery. If the restaurant buys a fixed amount of tofu from our shop regularly in the future, we can offer a discount on the price.”
The customer appeared to have no ulterior motives. After discussing the price with Princess Baoqing, he paid for the tofu.
The tofu shop had a handcart. Although Princess Baoqing was not old, she was tall and had strength.
When the other workers in the shop loaded the tofu onto the cart, one of them asked hesitantly: “Shall I be the one to deliver it?”
Princess Baoqing waved her hand nonchalantly: “It’s not far, I’ll just go. Besides, you are more proficient at the shop’s chores than I am; it is most appropriate for me to go.”
With that, Princess Baoqing pushed the handcart.
She seemed to move the cart without any effort, clearly accustomed to heavy labor.
The customer followed alongside the cart, pointing the way for Princess Baoqing.
Jiang Li’s heart immediately tightened.
She was not certain how the human traffickers abducted Princess Baoqing, so as long as the princess left the tofu shop, she had to follow her.
Jiang Li exchanged a glance with Rendong, and the mistress and maid understood each other’s thoughts.
Immediately, the two separated.
Rendong chased after the front of the cart, and Jiang Li followed behind.
Every time she passed an alleyway, Jiang Li was extremely cautious.
But when the cart stopped in front of a newly opened restaurant, there had still been no sign of anything unusual.
Princess Baoqing parked the cart, and a restaurant worker came out to move the tofu inside.
Everything was as usual.
She greeted the customer and pushed the cart away.
Jiang Li gripped her fingers beneath her sleeves, staring closely at Princess Baoqing’s direction while following quietly.
She had her own men in the shadows, but this matter had to be absolutely foolproof.
Princess Baoqing was pushing the cart back when she suddenly stopped at the entrance of an alley.
A girl of five or six years old was wiping tears at the entrance of the alley.
Princess Baoqing set down the handcart and walked over warmly to ask: “Little sister, why are you here alone?”
The girl raised her eyes, her small face covered in tears: “My mother told me to go buy salt, but I lost the money and don’t dare to go back.”
“It’s not a big deal,” Princess Baoqing smiled, took a piece of silver from her sleeve and tucked it into her hand, then looked toward the alley and said: “Go back quickly. If you don’t go home soon, your parents will worry.”
The girl sobbed as she reached out a small hand and grabbed Princess Baoqing’s sleeve: “Can you take me home, sister? I’m scared.”
Princess Baoqing looked at the handcart, thinking that it was just walking into the alley and shouldn’t take too long.
Besides, the little girl was crying so pitifully that she could not bear it.
Therefore, Princess Baoqing nodded and agreed.
“Alright, I’ll take you home.”
The girl suddenly smiled, even though tear stains still hung on her face: “You are so kind, sister.”
Princess Baoqing led the girl into the alley. The moment she stepped inside, people who had appeared from nowhere pushed the handcart away.
Rendong walked over silently and whispered: “Mistress, the princess entered the third courtyard on the left.”
Jiang Li nodded slightly, looked at the courtyard wall, and then at the large, leafy tree in front of her.
“I will go check it out first; you stay outside and keep watch.”
Immediately, Jiang Li avoided the crowd, went around to the other side of the tree, and leaped up.
Using the height of the tree, Jiang Li was just able to see the situation in the courtyard clearly.
Because of the cover of the leaves, no one noticed her.
Princess Baoqing was sitting in the courtyard, and a young woman was serving her tea.
Although she could not hear what they were saying, she could see that Princess Baoqing did not intend to drink the water.
But the next moment, the little girl tugged on Princess Baoqing’s sleeve and shook it.
Seeming unable to bear rejecting the girl’s gesture, Princess Baoqing picked up the water on the table and drank it all in one gulp.