After the favored concubine remarried, the aloof and powerful minister forcibly took her away.

Chapter 115 Settling in Yangzhou
Seeing Xiang Ning's guarded demeanor, Pei Mingxiu shook his head helplessly: "If I happen to run into an old friend in a foreign land, it's not too abrupt of me to invite you for a cup of tea, is it?"

As he spoke, he stepped aside to make way for Xiang Ning, gesturing for her to go to the teahouse next door.

"Third Young Master, I have other matters to attend to."

Xiang Ning rejected Pei Mingxiu, just as Pei Mingxiu thought: she did not want to have any further entanglement with people from the past.

After saying this, Xiang Ning was about to leave when Pei Mingxiu reached out and grabbed her arm.

"Third Young Master?"

Xiang Ning's body tensed instantly, and Pei Mingxiu shoved the umbrella into her hand.

"The snow is going to be heavy, let's go back."

After saying that, Pei Mingxiu turned and left without saying anything more.

Before long, the heavy snow began to fall as Pei Mingxiu had predicted, and his figure quickly disappeared into the snow.

Xiang Ning held the umbrella in her hand; this was the second time Pei Mingxiu had given her one.

The last time was in the rain, when she stumbled upon Pei Mingxiu's true identity.

This time, in the snow, she encountered Pei Mingxiu again after fleeing to Yangzhou.

Xiang Ning gripped the umbrella tightly and eventually returned to the inn.

The snow fell for a day and a night, and what started as a light snowfall eventually turned into a heavy one.

Xiang Ning, wrapped in a cloak, sat by the window watching the thick snow fall gently.

She didn't have enough money to support herself staying in an inn in Yangzhou. She needed to find work, and even more so, a place to stay.

The next day, as she was about to leave, her gaze fell on the oil-paper umbrella leaning against the wall.

Xiang Ning looked away, put on her hood, and left.

As the largest embroidery workshop in Yangzhou, Huang's Embroidery Workshop practically monopolized the embroidery business in the city.

So Xiangning decided to go a little further away today, hoping to make some different discoveries.

"With your skills, you shouldn't bother showing off. If you ruin our distinguished guest's clothes, can you afford to pay for it?"

After walking a short distance, Xiang Ning saw that the road ahead was crowded, with a crowd blocking the way and there was nowhere to get out.

The woman's voice sounded somewhat familiar, penetrating the crowd and reaching Xiang Ning's ears.

"Since you say I broke it, I'll fix it for our esteemed guest."

The other voice was cheerful and magnanimous.

"Madam Yu, let her try. It'll be alright."

This Lady Yu is the one who looked down on Xiang Ning yesterday, and she is also the manager of Huang's Embroidery Shop.

Madam Yu was born into a collateral branch of the Huang family, and for many years she had been managing the embroidery business for the Huang family.

She was quite adept at business, so the Huang family respected her greatly.

No wonder he doesn't like Xiang Ning.

Xiang Ning listened to the discussions around her and squeezed into the crowd.

At the entrance of Huang's Embroidery Workshop, a woman squatted down, her embroidery thread flying in her hands. Before long, several lifelike lotus flowers appeared on the previously torn hem of her skirt.

The lotus pattern appears to sway in the water.

The noblewoman, who had initially seemed somewhat incredulous, now had a look of amazement in her eyes. She stepped forward, and the lotus flower seemed to come alive.

It truly became a case of "lotus blossoms appearing with every step."

"So lovely."

The noblewoman smiled, and the woman who had been squatting on the ground stood up, put away the embroidery thread in her hand, and prepared to leave.

"Hey, which embroidery shop are you from?"

"It's so beautifully embroidered, I want to make one too."

A cacophony of voices surrounded the woman, who waved her hands, remaining silent.

Anyone who dares to mention the name of their embroidery workshop in front of Lady Yu must have a death wish.

Shuanglu originally wanted to come to Huang's Embroidery Workshop to see what styles of clothing everyone liked lately.

I just didn't expect to accidentally step on the lady's clothes, which led to this scene.

With the skirt repaired, she naturally had no reason to stay any longer.

Xiang Ning watched her squeeze out of the crowd and couldn't help but follow in her footsteps.

Then, at the corner of the alley, she grabbed his hand and said, "You've been following me all this way. Are you here to buy my embroidery too?"

Shuanglu looked at Xiangning, somewhat puzzled, as she didn't seem to be looking to buy embroidery.

"I'm not buying embroidery; I'm looking for work." After Xiang Ning finished speaking, Shuang Lu let out an "oh" and released her.

"You can do embroidery?"

Shuanglu put her hat on and looked at Xiangning from left to right.

"I know a little. I came to Yangzhou as a refugee. If I can't find work soon, I'm afraid I'll starve to death."

Xiang Ning's eyes showed a hint of sadness. Shuang Lu looked at her and blinked.

Although she couldn't see Xiang Ning's face clearly, Shuang Lu felt for some reason that she was definitely a great beauty.

Only a beautiful woman could have such beautiful eyes.

"Alright, consider it a good deed I've done. Come with me."

After a long while, Shuanglu spoke up. Upon hearing this, Xiangning smiled and quickly followed Shuanglu.

Surprisingly, sometimes, playing the victim can be quite effective.

Just like how she always played the victim in front of Pei Yanzhi...

Xiang Ning shook her head and shook off Pei Yanzhi, who had suddenly appeared.

Shuanglu took Xiangning to an embroidery shop located in an alley.

"My name is Shuanglu, what's your name?"

She stepped forward and pushed open the courtyard gate, suddenly realizing that she didn't know Xiang Ning's name.

"Xiang'er, my name is Xiang'er."

Pei Yanzhi already knew the name Zhao Lan, so Xiang Ning casually used her previous name.

There are so many people named Xiang'er, how could Pei Yanzhi possibly know that this Xiang'er is her?

"come in."

Shuanglu nodded and let Xiangning go inside.

"Mother, I'm home!"

As Shuanglu spoke, she walked inside, and then a woman holding a ruler came out.

"Where have you been gallivanting off to this time? Did you get into trouble?"

“Mother, I’m not a troublemaker, how can I cause trouble every day? But I met a girl on the road who wanted to find embroidery work.”

After saying that, before the woman could say anything more, Shuanglu waved to Xiangning.

“Mother, her name is Xiang’er. She came to Yangzhou as a refugee.”

Xiang Ning stepped forward and bowed to the woman, saying, "Greetings, Madam."

Miao Niang looked at Xiang Ning and frowned: "Xiang'er, our embroidery workshop is not short of people."

"Mother? Aunt Wan didn't mean to..."

Shuanglu was somewhat surprised when she heard her mother reject Xiangning.

However, before she could finish speaking, Miao Niang glared at her.

"Miss Shuanglu, may I borrow your embroidery thread?"

Xiang Ning didn't say much, but instead borrowed embroidery thread from Shuang Lu.

Under Miao Niang's gaze, Xiang Ning took out her handkerchief, her wrists fluttering, the embroidery thread like a rainbow.

Before long, a cute little cat appeared on the handkerchief.

"Madam, I really need a job. I don't need money, just a place to eat and stay."

Xiang Ning's attitude was sincere, and her excellent embroidery skills indeed gave Miao Niang a lot of trouble.

Judging from her accent and the gesture of bowing she just made, she must be someone important.

"Where did you come from? You'd better explain your origins clearly, or I won't want you."

Hearing Miao Niang's hesitant and conflicted words, Xiang Ning lowered her head and replied, "She came from the capital."

"Mother, Xiang'er's embroidery skills are so good, let's take her in and let her live with me."

Shuanglu felt a pang of pity for Xiangning as she looked at her pitiful state.

The snow in Yangzhou this year is heavy. If they hadn't taken Xiangning in, she might have frozen to death outside.

"Alright, alright, I'll take you in. Since this girl is willing to let you live with her, you can stay with her. As for your wages, I certainly won't deduct anything from your pay."

As Miao Niang spoke, her gaze fell on Shuang Lu, and she shook her head helplessly.

(End of this chapter)