When a box of silver notes was placed in front of her, Jiang Yu was stunned.
“There’s a total of ten thousand taels here. When I first came to Zhangjia Village, I intended only to stay a short while, so I brought only this much. The rest is deposited at the bank.”
“Exposing wealth easily brings misfortune, so I’ve always appeared modest—not intentionally hiding it. Do you blame me, Qingqing?”
Jiang Yu’s mind was entirely on the box of silver; she didn’t hear a word he said.
“Not at all, not at all!” she replied perfunctorily.
Money… so much money!
Having been transmigrated for nearly three years, this was the first time she had seen so much silver at once.
“You just said… all of this is for me?” Her excited voice trembled with disbelief at her sudden wealth.
Xiao Lingzhou’s thin lips pressed together, his clear voice smiling softly: “All yours.”
“Accepting rewards without merit… isn’t this a bit improper?”
She voiced politeness while her hand stealthily reached for the box.
Seeing her little maneuver, Xiao Lingzhou smiled faintly: “Qingqing, your willingness to marry me and become my wife is your greatest ‘merit.’ This is just a small amount of silver; take it with ease.”
“Well then, I won’t be polite!”
In life, nothing should come between a person and money.
Almost immediately after he finished speaking, Jiang Yu snapped the lid shut, hugging the box to her chest, her grin stretching nearly to her ears.
If only she had complained earlier, she could have gotten all this silver!
No need to risk digging for ginseng.
Speaking of ginseng, now that the bridge was repaired, she had to hurry and sell it—every little bit counts.
And the fake travel permit she had made should be ready too.
This trip to the city would settle everything, making her eventual escape much smoother.
Watching her fidget with the box, placing it under the pillow and then moving it to the bed’s base, Xiao Lingzhou couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Qingqing, relax. No one else is here besides us. No one will steal your money.”
Hearing that, Jiang Yu didn’t even lift her head.
“People are unpredictable. How do I know someone with dirty hands won’t sneak in while we’re gone?”
“Just the other day, Aunt Zhou in the village lost ten eggs. With such a large sum of money, I must hide it securely.”
Xiao Lingzhou only smiled silently.
She wandered around with the box in her arms, finally hiding it under the floorboard and placing a small stand on top.
“All done!” she clapped her hands, pleased: “No one would ever guess I hid it here.”
Then she tilted her chin thoughtfully, fixing her gaze on him.
“What is it?” he asked, a little unsettled under her stare.
“Borrow your hair for a use.”
Before he could react, she picked up scissors, stepped forward, and snipped a strand from his head. Her peach-blossom eyes gleamed brightly:
“I’ll place this hair under the small stand. If anyone touches it, it’ll be obvious at a glance.”
She deliberately said this for him to hear.
Even the hiding place of the silver box was intentionally revealed to him.
He knew her miserly personality; if she left, she wouldn’t leave the box behind.
This was a ruse to make him think she was only stepping out for a few days, buying more time for her eventual escape.
Xiao Lingzhou watched her tuck the hair under the stand, lips curved in a smile: “Not a bad trick. Clever, Qingqing.”
“Not at all, you’re clever too,” Jiang Yu replied humbly, pleased with his compliment.
Jiang Mo wagged its tail and approached, eyes bright and expectant.
Jiang Yu crouched, rubbing its head, eyes crinkling in a smile: “Alright, alright, you’re clever too.”
Receiving praise, Jiang Mo happily wriggled into her arms.
Startled by its weight, Jiang Yu exclaimed: “Jiang Mo, have you gotten fat again?”
Jiang Mo barked in objection: “Woof, woof!”
She scolded playfully: “Move! You’re too heavy!”
“Woof!”
Jiang Mo: O(´^｀)O Dog is wronged, but dog says nothing.
Seeing the tender scene of woman and dog, Xiao Lingzhou’s phoenix-like eyes brimmed with warmth.
He and Ah Yu had been married over six months.
Master Li had warned that the Her Shang poison he carried could affect children, so he had been taking contraceptives.
Now, with matters settled, he no longer needed the medicine.
Once they returned to the capital safely, it would be time to have a child.
…
As summer faded, the weather cooled slightly, carrying a hint of freshness in the wind.
Entering the city required an early start. Jiang Yu rose early and took Ling Qi with her, dressed in simple clothes.
After the Xiao Zuiyue incident, Xiao Lingzhou didn’t even pretend. He told her that Ling Qi had once been a servant and would follow her as a bodyguard.
With the ten thousand taels as background, his explanation carried some credibility.
He spoke, knowing full well Jiang Yu would cooperate.
After clarifying Ling Qi’s role, she only asked a few questions to avoid raising suspicion.
Previously, Ling Qi had acted in secret while she was in the open, requiring stealth for every action.
Now, both were in the open, making it easier for her to act.
In the city, Jiang Yu spent most of the day shopping with Ling Qi until he could carry no more.
She glanced at the blazing sun and entered a teahouse, requesting a private room.
When the tea was ready, she raised her voice: “Do you have Ruyi Zhai’s honey walnut cake?”
“Sorry, madam. The honey walnut cake is Ruyi Zhai’s signature. Each customer is limited to one per day. Our small teahouse cannot provide it. You’ll need to queue at Ruyi Zhai yourself.”
Jiang Yu discreetly glanced at Ling Qi, feigning disappointment: “I’ve been craving it for a while, thinking I could enjoy it with tea here… never mind then.”
The waiter, perceptive and warm, suggested: “Madam, you have a servant. Why not enjoy tea here while he buys a portion for you?”
Service at its finest.
Jiang Yu silently approved of the waiter.
She looked at Ling Qi briefly, then returned to sipping tea.
After a moment’s thought, she spoke softly, enough for Ling Qi to hear: “No need. It’s just a bite of food, and with this sun, standing in line is too much trouble.”
Ling Qi, responsible for her protection, dared not ignore her wishes.
“Please wait here, madam. I’ll fetch it immediately.”
Jiang Yu eyed the glaring sun outside, pretending reluctance and desire, swallowing her saliva: “Never mind, I don’t need it.”
Ling Qi, understanding her concern, bowed to the waiter: “I’ll go at once. Kindly watch over my lady.”
The waiter nodded energetically: “Of course, of course.”
Jiang Yu went to the window and watched Ling Qi head toward Ruyi Zhai.
She then feigned a stomachache, asking the waiter where the restroom was, and quietly slipped out through the back courtyard.