Surviving in the General's Mansion - Chapter 19: Leaving the Mansion

Chapter 19: Leaving the Mansion

Later, as the two sisters grew older, they fortunately took after their mother in looks. Gradually, people began to notice them-but gradually, people also began to covet them…

She had to protect her younger sister, and she had to protect her mother.

She learned how to put on airs, how to ingratiate herself, and how to use others to achieve her own ends.

Little by little, they had enough to eat and good clothes to wear.

They no longer had to starve, but their mother still habitually planted vegetables in the courtyard.

That father of theirs planned to send the two sisters away early to pave the way for his own future.

She did not want to marry a sixty-year-old man, so she brought her younger sister and volunteered to come to the General’s Mansion.

Zhao Die clenched her fists.

She had to! She absolutely had to rise above everyone else!

The hard days of the past-she and her sister had had more than enough of them!

==========

Xia Heng returned to her room, washed her hands, sat down by the bed, and opened the Check-in System.

After using up her points last time, she had bought more seeds today. At the moment, she had only eighteen points left.

Points really didn’t go far…

She eyed the shop with envy. These were the very capital she needed to survive!

Ah! She had seen Cang Chuli today and forgotten to ask him for a dagger! The crossbow could only be given up; there was no way to explain that one.

But now that her identity was out in the open, as a spy, it should be perfectly normal for her to have a dagger on her, right?

Lying down, Xia Heng began to review the “territory” she had conquered today.

Turning soil was seriously hard work! Her waist was about to snap. But Zhao Die had truly surprised her!

For some reason, Zhao Die had been so good at turning the soil. She looked so delicate and graceful, yet unexpectedly, she had quite a bit of strength…

As Xia Heng thought and thought, she drifted off without realizing it.

The next day-

“Ah Heng~ Ah Heng!”

Chuqing called from outside while knocking on the door. There was no need to guess; the person inside was definitely still asleep.

When Xia Heng finally wrapped herself in her quilt, rubbed her eyes, and opened the door, the chilly autumn wind made her shudder.

“Hurry and get up! Get yourself ready! The General is leaving the mansion!”

Chuqing stepped inside and shut the door, pushing Xia Heng with one hand to make her change clothes quickly.

“So he’s leaving… Doesn’t he leave the mansion every day?”

“Today you’re attending him! Otherwise, would I have come to wake you? Hurry, hurry. The General ordered you and Qiulin to attend him together today.”

“Huh?”

“Don’t just ‘huh’ at me. Hurry up and change!”

Chuqing felt like she’d worried herself gray. Next door, Qiulin had already gotten up ages ago and was currently practicing moves in the courtyard.

When Chuqing had told her, Qiulin had said she could leave at once.

In truth, it was only because there really wasn’t much going on in the General’s Mansion, and there was no mistress of the household. The male master also didn’t particularly care about these things.

Otherwise, how could maids like them possibly live so easily?

Xia Heng heard that the coachman of the General’s Mansion was already hitching the horses. She threw on her clothes in a few quick motions, rushed out of her room, and washed up.

Once she was ready, she flew to the entrance and had just settled into place beside Qiulin when she saw Cang Chuli emerge with Mo Bai and another pretty boy following him.

Did this man choose his manservants by looks too? Tsk.

Xia Heng was silently grumbling to herself, unable to understand why she had been called to attend him.

She still had not seen whether the sprouts from her seeds had come up today. Who knew if they had grown a little taller?

==========

The other pretty boy was named Mo Qing. He and Mo Bai were both Cang Chuli’s manservants, as well as something like his personal guards.

Cang Chuli turned slightly and said something to Mo Qing and Mo Bai behind him.

When he turned back, he saw Xia Heng still standing dazed in front of the carriage, while Qiulin beside her wore an expression that was difficult to describe.

Seeing Cang Chuli look over, Qiulin saluted while not forgetting to tug Xia Heng, whose mind had clearly wandered off somewhere.

Cang Chuli had no time to concern himself with these matters and went straight into his own carriage.

Xia Heng and Qiulin sat inside the carriage facing each other, staring at one another.

“Do you know where we’re going?”

Xia Heng finally could not help asking.

“No idea. Just follow along. Wherever we end up is wherever we end up.”

Qiulin said it with bold confidence. Then, glancing at the wilted Xia Heng in front of her, she said helplessly,

“Your seeds won’t die just because you don’t water them for one day.”
It really wasn’t anyone else’s fault that they knew what she did every day. Because the weather was cold and a charcoal brazier had been lit, Xia Heng had to open all the doors and windows every morning to air the room out.

Her little room was exposed for all to see. Every day, she tended those seeds as if she were tending her own son.

She had even buried some lumpy things under a layer of sandy soil, and whenever she had nothing better to do, she would sprinkle them with water. The sight was truly hard to describe.

If it hadn’t all been in her own room, Zhao Die would have thrown the lot out for her.

As for the seeds that had already been planted in the ground, Xia Heng practically wished she could run over three times a day to check on them.

From time to time, she would ask the two Zhao Family sisters how dry the soil had to be before it needed watering.

Zhao Die was clearly annoyed to death by her, yet there was nothing she could do.

Scold her, and Xia Heng would just smile sweetly. Then, the next time she had a question, she would ask it all the same, not the least bit bothered.

In the end, Zhao Die could only give in…

Xia Heng rubbed her nose and gave a simple, sheepish laugh.

The carriage rolled along leisurely for less than half an hour. At first, Xia Heng was still in high spirits, lifting a corner of the curtain to look at the scenery outside.

But the cold wind outside felt like it was slapping her across the mouth, and there were hardly any people on the streets either.

After looking for only a little while, Xia Heng lowered the curtain again and cupped her frozen-stiff cheeks with both hands to warm them.

When she finally felt the carriage come to a stop, their party had arrived at the largest restaurant in the capital – Lehua Tower.

Xia Heng got down from the carriage. Seeing the three gilded characters on the signboard, she gained a whole new understanding of the phrase “every inch of land is worth its weight in gold.”

Mo Qing and Mo Bai attended to their general as the manager welcomed them in, and the group strolled unhurriedly into Lehua Tower.

Xia Heng and Qiulin hurried to follow.

They went up to the second floor, then turned and continued to the third, finally stopping before the innermost private room.

The waiter leading the way pushed open the carved double doors.

Whoa!

Xia Heng exclaimed inwardly. This private room was as big as a modern three-bedroom apartment with a living room!

A room this large was still only a private dining room. Lehua Tower really had something going for it!

Once they entered the room, only Xia Heng and Qiulin remained inside to serve. Mo Qing and Mo Bai stood guard at the door.

Cang Chuli lifted the hem of his robe and sat down on the couch. Xia Heng and Qiulin carefully attended him, pouring tea and water.

Before long, Mo Bai knocked on the door from outside.

“Enter.”

Cang Chuli’s voice was cold.

Mo Bai then led a man who looked like a scholar into the private room.

“This humble commoner, Mu Sheng, pays respects to the General of Northern Pacification!”

The scholar dropped straight to his knees as soon as he entered.

There was not the slightest hesitation in his movements. His complexion was pale and gray, and the dark circles beneath his eyes were rather heavy.

Cang Chuli slowly finished tasting a cup of tea. The scholar showed not the least bit of resentment.

“Your second brother should be at the Ministry of Revenue. Coming to me means you’ve likely sought out the wrong person.”

Only when Cang Chuli said this did the scholar’s expression turn slightly agitated.

“My second brother has always devoted himself to serving the imperial court. Since childhood, the person he admired most was the Marquis of Northern Pacification!

“When Father told him to study properly, he refused and insisted on serving under the Marquis of Northern Pacification!

“In the end, the family told him that even if he wanted to enter the Zhenbei Army, he would still have to be literate before he could be of help to the Marquis. Only then did my second brother settle down and study!

“After great difficulty, he entered officialdom. Though he never joined the Zhenbei Army, he was able to dispatch grain and provisions for them!

“My second brother already regarded that as the highest honor! How could he possibly withhold grain and provisions for himself? General! This is clearly a frame-up! I beg you, General, please investigate it thoroughly!”

Mu Sheng’s words came with tears and emotion. Xia Heng could not tell whether what he said was true or false.

But there were always some people who, at a single glance, just looked like walking patsies.

“Since you say your brother is innocent, then once the Ministry of Revenue completes its investigation, it will naturally release him. There is no need to worry too much.”

Cang Chuli did not change his attitude just because the scholar’s brother was an admirer of his father. He continued unhurriedly to toy with the teacup in his hand.

The scholar slammed his forehead against the floor in a resounding kowtow, tears streaming down his cheeks.

“General! My elder brother is upright by nature and does not know how to bend with the times! Even within the Ministry of Revenue, he is a marginal figure.

“This time, when he learned the grain and provisions were being dispatched to the Zhenbei Army, my brother could not sleep for entire nights!

“He was terrified of making even the smallest mistake! This matter must be someone from the Ministry of Revenue framing him! And now the Ministry of Revenue is the one investigating the case! My brother-he is in mortal danger!”

The kowtow had been so loud that Xia Heng felt pain on his behalf. Yet the man himself seemed not to notice at all. Having seized the faintest thread of hope, he refused to let go.