The clingy concubine ran away, and the sickly prince lost control.

"Get me a scarf."

Luo Haitang covered her face with a white veil, intending to take a look from a distance later. If it didn't work out, she would throw the old woman out of the mansion to fend for herself, so she wouldn't be an eyesore in front of her.

If Luo Qingyan knew, she would feel sorry for her.

When they arrived at the back room where the servants lived, they saw a lot of maids and servants gathered around Granny Liu from afar.

Granny Liu covered her face with coarse cloth and was washing clothes as usual.

"Show your face."

Luo Haitang stood two zhang away from Granny Liu, and disdainfully placed her index finger under her nose.

"Miss, my face will be fine in a couple of days."

Granny Liu covered her face in terror.

"Go," Luo Haitang instructed her personal maid to draw her eyebrows.

Huamei approached and removed the coarse cloth covering Liu Mama's face.

"Ah!" Luo Haitang screamed in response. Not only were there red rashes, but the rashes were also oozing pus and festering, with yellow pus flowing out.

"Ugh, ugh."

Luo Haitang bent over and began to gag.

"Young Miss, it's alright, you'll be fine in a couple of days," said Granny Liu as she approached.

"Don't come any closer," Luo Haitang shouted sharply.

Hua Mei stood in front of Luo Haitang, saying, "Granny Liu, isn't this contagious?"

"It's not contagious, it just looks scary." Granny Liu said helplessly.

"Who knows if it's contagious?" Luo Haitang's eyes flashed with a sinister light: "Granny Liu, you're an old hand in this household, you should think more about everyone else. Move out first, get your face healed, and then come back."

"Young Miss, I have nowhere to stay once I leave. If you feel that this old servant cannot stay in the manor, please consider that I have been in the manor for decades and sell me off so that I can have a new home to live on." Granny Liu lowered her head.

Sell ​​her? Looking at her like that, no one would want her.

She made Granny Liu move out, leaving her to fend for herself; no family would want her anyway.

Seeing Luo Haitang hesitate, Granny Liu said, "Miss, call the child here. We'll sell him for whatever money we can."

That's true. Just thinking about the ten thousand taels that Luo Qingyan wanted made Luo Haitang's heart ache. Now, she felt better even with just a little income.

A moment later, the boy arrived.

"One tael of silver."

The young man slammed the loose silver coins onto the table.

"No, at least ten taels. Granny Liu is an old woman, she has experience in working."

Hua Mei said, following Luo Haitang's instructions.

"Look at her face, it's all rotten. Who knows if anyone'll even want her? If you're not selling, I'm leaving. A mansion like this shouldn't be short a few taels of silver."

The boy turned and left.

"We don't care about a few taels of silver, but we can't afford to lose out. Fine, one tael it is, you can take the person with you!"

Luo Haitang raised her chin, determined not to back down. She knew that Liu Mama was definitely not suffering from a good illness, and it would be best to send her out immediately. If she infected the other people in the mansion, and her mother was not around, she would not know what to do.

With her head down, Granny Liu followed the young servant out of the Luo residence. She breathed a sigh of relief, wiping the things off her face as she walked, and then turned into an alley.

"I've brought you the person; this is a contract of indenture."

The boy said in a rough voice.

The person inside the carriage handed over a silver ingot.

The boy left.

"Granny, come up quickly." Luo Qingyan lifted the carriage curtain.

"Miss, thank you." Granny Liu said, tears streaming down her face.

"No need to thank me." Luo Qingyan placed the indenture in Liu Mama's hand: "Mama, you are free from now on."

A look of surprise flashed in Granny Liu's eyes: "Miss, I'm following you, so the indenture is naturally in your hands."

"No, Granny, you've raised me and are like family to me. You're no longer just a master and servant. From now on, you'll help out at Kangning Pavilion." Luo Qingyan held Granny Liu's hand, her eyes reddening.

"Oh, miss, I'll definitely do a good job."

The two embraced and wept, but also wept with joy, finally escaping the prison that was the Luo family mansion.

The ingredients for Kangning Pavilion are almost ready.

So today, Pei Shiyuan ate his medicinal meal at Kangning Pavilion, and then returned to his residence.

"Young Master, the second young master of the Cui family has arrived," announced Granny Zheng.

As soon as Pei Shiyuan entered the mansion, he turned around and headed towards the old lady's Yi'an Residence.

"Second brother, it's so good to see you." Pei Shiyuan heard Cui Rou crying as soon as he entered Yi'an Residence.

It's nothing unusual; I wonder what grievance Cui Rou has this time.

"Your Highness, I'll head back to Linfeng Residence first." Luo Qingyan wanted to avoid Cui Rou to minimize trouble, and it would be good to have time to read the dry books Pei Shiyuan had given her.

"No need," Pei Shiyuan said, stopping her from leaving.

Luo Qingyan sighed softly, knowing that Cui Rou would definitely pick a fight with her soon.

Why is Cui Chengxuan not staying in Qinghe to be a good local official, but instead running off to the capital?

Could it be because of Cui Rou's marriage? Then he'll have to bring Luo Qingyan along.

"Yuan'er, you must already know that Chengxuan has been transferred to the capital as the Vice Minister of War." The old lady showed a rare smile.

he does not know.

Since falling ill, news from the court has become delayed.

Alas! Your Majesty... Pei Shiyuan felt a pang of bitterness in his heart. He had fought countless battles to defend the fortress, yet now His Majesty treated him with the utmost caution.

"Cousin, it's been a long time." Cui Chengxuan stood up and cupped his hands in greeting. His voice was loud and clear. He was tall and slender, with a handsome face, willow-leaf eyebrows, and phoenix eyes. He was very elegant.

After exchanging pleasantries, Cui Chengxuan launched into a long monologue: "Aunt, Cousin, I've eaten a lot of delicious food in the capital these past few days, including hot pot with mutton, braised beef, roast duck, pea flour cake, kidney bean rolls, and glutinous rice cakes..."

"Third sister, is something wrong?" Cui Chengxuan noticed that Cui Rou kept winking at him.

"Second brother, stop showing off your food. Look how thin I've become!"

Cui Rou's face was dark, and she looked listless.

She stayed in the ancestral hall for days without eating any meat, and lost a lot of weight; her once rosy face turned sallow.

Cui Chengxuan withdrew his interest in the food and sighed, "Third Sister, I know you're worried about your cousin's illness, but you still need to take care of yourself so you can take good care of him. Some things can be done by the maids; don't do everything yourself, or your body won't be able to handle it."

Luo Qingyan lowered her eyes, thinking, "Is this Cui Rou's second brother? How come he doesn't know Cui Rou at all? How could he not see that Cui Rou would take care of Pei Shiyuan?"

Turning to Pei Shiyuan, Cui Chengxuan said, "Cousin, you should also try to persuade our third sister not to do anything rash."

"She didn't take care of me. Ask her if she did this because she was taking care of me?" Pei Shiyuan said coldly.

"Alright! That's all in the past." The old lady smoothed things over. "Rou'er, take good care of yourself these few days, and you'll soon be back to your former plump and healthy self."

"I am a dying man, and I advise my cousin to break off the engagement as soon as possible," Pei Shiyuan said with a gloomy face.

"Break off the engagement?" Cui Chengxuan looked at Cui Rou in surprise.

Cui Rou shook her head repeatedly: "I won't back down."

"That's right! Cousin, I've heard all about it outside. Rou'er doesn't mind that you're sick and insists on marrying you. You're sick and you're not marrying her, which is probably for her own good, but there's no need to rush to break off the engagement and disappoint Third Sister's feelings."

Cui Chengxuan looked at him with pity.

Pei Shiyuan's aura was icy, as if freezing the air in the entire room. After a long while, he said, "I will marry him."