High-class Spring Joy

After leaving Chixia Garden, Qingyuan went straight back to her residence, thinking that she would go out again in a couple of days to see if there were any more embroidery jobs available.

After thinking about it, Qingyuan felt that two days later would be a good day.

Two days later is Chu Jingyu's birthday. In previous years, Madam Dou would make a big fuss for Chu Jingyu on this day. Chu Jingyu would spend most of the day in Madam Dou's courtyard, playing chess and talking with Madam Dou, and there was always a birthday banquet to eat.

Qingyuan was not qualified to attend his birthday banquet, so Chu Jingyu was too busy to pay attention to her that day, and neither was Madam Dou. It was the best opportunity for her to leave the mansion.

Soon, two days had passed.

Sure enough, although Madam Dou did not hold a grand celebration for Chu Jingyu's birthday, the entire Zhenguo Marquis's mansion was filled with a joyous and busy atmosphere as soon as she arrived.

Qingyuan swapped her job with Hongdou, who needed to go out shopping, in advance. On that day, she went out to shop in Hongdou's place. However, the shopping was not for what was needed that day, but for ordinary daily necessities for the maids and servants. There was no rush, as Qingyuan only needed to return before sunset.

Qingyuan first went to the purchasing place and checked the list given by Hongdou three times to make sure it was correct. Then she handed it to the servant who had accompanied her and told him to go back first.

Qingyuan went directly to Hongxiu Manor. This time, she accepted an embroidered image of Guanyin giving a child. It was an urgent order that cost a lot of money. The complete embroidered image of Guanyin giving a child had to be delivered within five days. Qingyuan would receive forty taels of silver, plus a ten-tael deposit, which would make her fifty taels.

Qingyuan accepted without hesitation. Her current status made it inconvenient for her to leave the manor more than three times a month. She couldn't think of any other way to earn money for the time being, so she would embroider and earn whatever she could.

Perhaps there will be some new turning point or opportunity.

After receiving her embroidery work, Qingyuan went for a stroll in the streets, making sure to bring back some food for Hongdou.

She had just finished buying food when she suddenly heard the sound of horses' hooves approaching from afar, clattering and clattering—

It was a member of the Imperial Guard dressed in a scarlet flying fish robe, riding in on horseback. The strangest thing was that he threw something off his horse.

Qingyuan watched from a distance, not daring to approach, but many curious onlookers drew closer:

"Hey, look at this guy, how did he get beaten up like this? Where did he come from?"

"Where else could it be? If we keep going this road for another ten miles, that's the palace gate. And weren't those the Embroidered Uniform Guards just now? Don't they only listen to the Emperor?"

"Tsk, I wonder if he'll even survive. He looked so young. I wonder what crime he committed in the palace. What a pity."

The crowd chatted and watched the spectacle before dispersing, leaving the man lying on the ground covered in blood.

Covered in blood, he was thrown out of the palace…

Qingyuan's thoughts drifted back to three years ago, when her sister was also wrapped in a straw mat and thrown out of the palace like trash.

She seemed to see her sister again.

Qingyuan decided to go forward and take a look. What she saw was shocking: the person seemed to have finally woken up and grabbed her ankle.

Qingyuan's eyes widened in fright. She instinctively kicked him twice and immediately took two steps back: "What, what are you doing?! It wasn't me who caused this!"

The man had long, messy hair covered in dirt and mud, and his face was mostly obscured; Qingyuan could only see his eyes.

Those eyes, barely able to open, stared intently at her: "Save my life, and I'll guarantee you wealth and luxury..."

After saying that, he closed his eyes again.

Qingyuan: ...

Is wealth and luxury real or fake?

As the saying goes, poverty and hardship cannot sway one, wealth and honor cannot corrupt one, and power and force cannot subdue one.

But sometimes, if you give enough, Qingyuan is happy to move around.

She dragged him with great difficulty all the way to the nearby clinic, and let him rub on the ground, thoughtfully using his clothes as padding underneath him.

After being treated by the doctor at the clinic, the bleeding was stopped, and he was given acupuncture. He woke up in half an hour.

Upon seeing Qingyuan, the man hurriedly said, "Miss, thank you so much for saving my life. I will repay your kindness in the future..."

"Stop talking so much, just give me the money."

Qingyuan walked up to him and said matter-of-factly, "Your medical expenses and consultation fee cost me one tael of silver, and you said that if I saved you, I would be rich and powerful, so here's the money."

The young man seemed taken aback by Qingyuan's direct demand for payment. He paused for a moment, then quickly coughed lightly, covering his mouth, "Wealth and honor can't be rushed. If you desire something else, young lady, I can certainly..."

Qingyuan immediately raised her hand to interrupt: "Stop! I don't want to offer myself to you, I just want money."

"Silver, is it?" The man smiled helplessly and said shamelessly, "I'm hungry, find me something to eat first."

Qingyuan glanced at him and gave him half of the pastries she had originally bought for Hongdou. Who knew he would sit up in bed and rush over to wolf them down.

Qingyuan's eyes widened: "No way, are you a reincarnated starving ghost?!"

"My lady, don't be distressed." The man, having eaten and drunk his fill, continued speaking to her, "Rest assured, my promise of wealth and honor to you will not be broken. To tell you the truth, my name is Xie Ming'an, and I am destined to become a powerful prime minister. In three years at most, if I, Xie Ming'an, rise to prominence, I will surely return to take you as my empress!"

Looking at Jie Ming'an in front of her, Qing Yuan finally realized that not only had she ended up with nothing, but she had also saved a swindler who wasn't very bright and was just daydreaming.

See? People can't take shortcuts. She should just stick to taking embroidery jobs.

-

Prince's Mansion.

Inside the pavilion in the middle of the lake, a small red clay stove was burning, and the tea simmering inside was steaming hot.

Chu Jingxian sat down to play chess with a young man dressed in a bright yellow robe.

The young man was none other than the current Crown Prince. "Enough, enough, Third Brother, my chess skills are far inferior to yours. Let's not make things difficult for ourselves."

Just as Chu Jingxian was about to speak, a servant rushed over and said, "Your Highness, Young Master Chu, there is a man named Jie Ming'an outside who is requesting an audience. He says he has come to the Crown Prince's residence to find a job that will allow him to have enough to eat."

The Crown Prince and Chu Jingxian exchanged a glance, both seeing the seriousness and shock in each other's eyes. This person had actually made a choice!

The Crown Prince asked, "Are you sure his name is really Jie Ming'an?!"

The servant hurriedly replied, "He introduced himself; I'm sure I heard correctly. He said his name is Jie Ming'an!"

Chu Jingxian carefully placed the chess pieces into the chess basket one by one: "Your Highness, our game may begin."

In short, both the Crown Prince and Chu Jingxian understood the meaning, simply because the person who had suddenly arrived was far too special.

The game can finally begin.