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

Chapter 116 Delivering Clothes Meets an Old Friend

Miao Niang really didn't want to accept Xiang Ning. After all, looking at Xiang Ning's demeanor and the eyes she revealed, she had a bad feeling.

But Xiang Ning's embroidery skills are truly rare.

More importantly, she listened to Shuanglu's words and couldn't bear to let Xiangning end up on the streets.

"Xiang'er, my mother has agreed."

Shuanglu smiled and looked at Xiangning: "Let me take you there."

"I'm going back to get something."

Xiang Ning smiled slightly, and after Miao Niang went inside, she leaned close to Shuang Lu and said, "Thank you, Shuang Lu."

The sudden closeness stunned Shuanglu, who usually didn't have many friends.

A delicate fragrance wafted over, and Shuanglu saw the veil Xiangning used to conceal her face lift up.

She widened her eyes slightly; her intuition was right, Xiang'er was indeed a beauty.

She smells so good...

After thanking her, Xiang Ning reached out and touched Shuang Lu's head.

I'm really lucky today; I not only found work, but I also have a place to stay.

By the time Shuanglu realized what was happening, Xiangning had already walked out.

She pursed her lips and suddenly felt her face getting hot.

Xiang Ning returned to the inn, retrieved her belongings, and went to Shuang Lu's house.

Shuanglu had already prepared a place for Xiangning.

From her words, Xiang Ning finally understood what was going on in Shuang Lu's family.

Miao Niang was not Shuang Lu's biological mother. When Miao Niang's husband died, her clan expelled her because she had no children.

It was during a snowfall like this that she found the discarded Shuanglu.

From then on, they all had someone to rely on; Miao Niang had a daughter, and Shuang Lu had a mother.

This embroidery workshop was also established by Miao Niang. Although it was not very large, it still employed several embroiderers.

Thanks to this embroidery workshop, Miao Niang and Shuang Lu finally had a place to settle down and make a living.

Moreover, Miao Niang also told Shuang Lu that if she wanted to find her biological parents in the future, she would not stop her.

"However, I don't intend to look for them. They abandoned me back then, probably not expecting me to survive."

“I’m doing fine now. When my mother can’t work anymore, I’ll take over this embroidery workshop and continue doing embroidery.”

Shuanglu rolled over on the bed with a smile, and then spoke to Xiangning.

"You've told me all this, aren't you afraid I'll tell others?"

Xiang Ning sat to the side tidying up her things, smiling helplessly.

Being young, they feel an urge to spill everything when they meet someone their own age.

"I believe you. You don't look like a bad person."

Shuanglu sat up, tilted her head to look at Xiangning, and after a while, she suddenly smiled: "No wonder you covered your face."

Otherwise, with that appearance, he probably would have met with disaster before even reaching Yangzhou.

Xiang Ning smiled without saying a word and put the clothes into the wardrobe.

Her smooth arrival in Yangzhou was thanks to Xiao Ming's efforts; otherwise, the caravan would not have been able to bring her here safely.

After nightfall, Xiangning, Shuanglu, and Miaoniang had dinner together.

After dinner, Miao Niang told Shuanglu to go home first, leaving Xiangning behind alone.

Although Shuanglu was somewhat puzzled, she obediently agreed.

"Xiang'er, it's been a day since we've been together for a while, so I'm embarrassed to ask you, but you have to tell me the truth: how did you get to Yangzhou?"

Miao Niang had met many people, all kinds of people, so when she saw Xiang Ning, she felt that she was different.

Neither her appearance nor her figure suggests she is an ordinary person; she must come from a wealthy and powerful family.

“I was a maid in the mansion who served my master. Later, the mistress thought I was a vixen and wanted to kill me, so I escaped.”

“Miss Miao, you and Miss Shuanglu are both kind-hearted people. I only ask for a place to stay and enough to eat. I don’t ask for anything else.”

Xiang Ning lowered her head and said something. Hearing her words, Miao Niang breathed a sigh of relief. "So that's how it is. The capital and Yangzhou are a thousand miles apart. It must have been hard for you to escape all the way here."

Miao Niang sighed and said, "You're a pitiful person too. Never mind, you can just stay here."

"I won't show my face in public and cause trouble for you and Shuanglu."

Xiang Ning looked up at Miao Niang: "If it weren't for you and Shuang Lu taking me in, I really wouldn't know what to do."

These words were sincere, and Miao Niang smiled: "Alright, Yangzhou is so far away. If they can't find you, they'll probably just assume you're dead."

"Shuanglu has no sense of propriety; she's probably spilled everything that's going on at home."

Hearing Miao Niang's somewhat helpless words, Xiang Ning nodded: "I won't tell anyone."

"Go back and rest."

Miao Niang shook her head helplessly and stood up. Xiang Ning followed her out.

When she got back, Shuanglu was already asleep. Xiangning bent down and pulled the blanket up for her.

The night Xiangning slept in the embroidery workshop was the most restful and peaceful night she had ever slept since arriving in Yangzhou.

Having a place to stay is like being able to see the road ahead clearly.

The next morning, when Xiang Ning woke up, Shuang Lu was still asleep.

She finished tidying up and went outside, only to see Miao Niang walking in carrying a bolt of cloth.

Xiang Ning quickly followed, saying, "Let me do it."

She took the cloth from Miao Niang and walked towards the embroidery workshop.

"Miao Niang, what's this?"

The three embroiderers who were working inside saw Xiang Ning walk in and asked her a question in confusion.

Xiang Ning placed the cloth on the table, and then Miao Niang said, "The new embroiderer is called Xiang'er."

After introducing Xiang Ning, Miao Niang introduced the three embroiderers.

“Wan Niang, Huan Niang, and Madam Wang, they have all worked in the embroidery shop for many years. You can ask them if you have any questions.”

Upon hearing this, Xiang Ning gave a polite bow to the three of them.

The three of them looked at Xiang Ning and smiled. Madam Wang stepped forward and said, "Are you bowing to us? I've seen other people bow to the lady of the government office before, and it's like this."

“We country folk don’t have all these formalities, get up quickly.”

The stepmother covered her mouth and chuckled.

Huan Niang nodded in acknowledgment, indicating that the group had become acquainted.

Xiang Ning used yellow clay to disguise her face and even put a mole on her lip.

She had to work in the embroidery workshop, and it wouldn't be convenient for her to wear a veil every day.

This perfectly conceals her appearance, preventing anyone from recognizing her.

The snow in Yangzhou lasted for four or five days before stopping. Winter came early, so naturally there were many people making winter clothes.

Miao Niang's embroidery workshop catered to small households, while wealthy families all went to Huang's to order clothes.

Although he didn't earn as much money as Huang, he didn't lose money either, and he still had many regular customers.

Xiang Ning worked with Miao Niang and the others to serve customers, and got to know quite a few people.

"Xiang'er, Madam Lin's clothes are ready. Please go and deliver them to her."

After packing the clothes, Madam Wang said to Xiang Ning, "Madam Lin has been ill recently and needs someone to stay with her."

"Okay, I'll go right away."

Xiang Ning naturally wouldn't refuse. Madam Lin was a major customer of the embroidery shop, so she was happy to run an errand to deliver clothes.

Xiang Ning wrapped a scarf around her exposed neck and walked outside, clutching her clothes.

The Lin residence was not far from the embroidery workshop, and she arrived at the Lin residence in no time.

"Then I'll leave it to Lord Laurin."

"You're too kind, Lord Cheng. It's only right."

Xiang Ning stood at the alley entrance and saw Cheng Hua's figure, so she quickly hid to the side.

Chenghua? How could it be him?
(End of this chapter)