Chapter 20: One Day as Mother and Child

Jiang Yunchu saw his appearance and said, "I've already replied to the young masters we had agreed with our family, saying that today there are matters in the mansion; tomorrow our young master will entertain guests, so let everyone enjoy themselves."

Shunzi raised his head and glanced at the Princess Consort, whose complexion was poor, but the Young Master showed no reaction; he immediately replied, "Yes."

"Go back to your room and change into ordinary clothes." Jiang Yunchu thought for a moment, then shook her head, "Go find the steward and have him get you a set of clothes like a commoner's child."

He is, after all, the Young Master of the Wang Fu; even ordinary clothes are beyond the reach of commoners.

Ning Hanmo didn't know what Jiang Yunchu intended to do, nor what scheme she was plotting, but being magnanimous, he didn't hold a grudge against petty people, and so it was.

Ning Hanmo went out; Jiang Yunchu rubbed her brow, her worldview, outlook on life, and values.

Don't think the renovation plan is only halfway done; he was born wealthy, and even the Imperial Consort didn't find it amiss.

But...

Is the world really like this?

If the Wang Fu cannot hold up, if something happens, then he wouldn't dare spend even ten copper coins, let alone ten taels of silver a month.

"Zi Su, find me a set of pauper's clothes, and the four of you change into them as well." Jiang Yunchu arranged calmly.

Zi Su immediately bowed; the maidservants in the mansion dress far better than outsiders, one can tell at a glance they are from a wealthy household; wanting to find pauper's clothes is actually not easy.

"Jiang Yunchu." Ning Hanmo returned to the Rhyme Courtyard feeling ill at ease; now his face is full of dark aura, dressed like this, he would be laughed at.

But when he saw the attire of the several people inside the room, his eyes widened, his face full of disbelief.

"You…"

That's right, the six people in the room each wear coarse cloth clothing, especially Jiang Yunchu's clothes, which have several patches of various sizes.

If you want to know the life of commoners, go among them, become a commoner, then you can feel the difference.

"Each person gets one tael of silver; we seven people, total seven taels." Jiang Yunchu divided the silver pieces, giving one to each person's hand.

"But… all of your silver must remain in the mansion."

Jiang Yunchu looked at everyone; besides Yue Yue, who understands nothing and indeed has no silver on her, the others each carried some silver, more or less, especially Zi Su, who is always given silver directly by the master when they go out, so she carries even more.

Today, carrying an empty money pouch, suddenly I felt uneasy in my heart.

"Young Master, this is all we have; Shunzi, take out yours as well."

Shunzi glanced at the Princess Consort, and under her gaze took out all the silver and silver notes from his money pouch, placing them on the table.

Jiang Yunchu gave Zi Su a look; Zi Su smiled and nodded, then properly placed everyone's silver, after which she returned to the room.

"Then let's set off."

They several people took two carriages; because their clothes were really too ragged, to avoid attracting attention, they first rode the carriage to an uninhabited place east of the city, and only then did Jiang Yunchu let them get off.

"You go back, no need to pick us up." Jiang Yunchu directly ordered the coachman; the coachman nodded and drove the carriage away.

Now all affairs in the Wang Fu are under the Princess Consort's command.

"Jiang Yunchu, what exactly are you trying to do?" Ning Hanmo was somewhat bewildered.

Wearing ragged clothes is fine, but why did you let the carriage leave?

The carriage left; how are they supposed to get home!

"Now your identity is my son, Ning Hanmo; for today you call me mother, and I will take you to see a commoner's day of life." Jiang Yunchu said.

"Mother…"

That voice, soft and gentle, piercing straight to the heart, is Yue Yue's.

The little girl's eyes were narrowed, like a crescent moon in the sky; her big eyes, recently she has gained some baby fat, her face full of baby fat, making her ever more adorable.

"Yue Yue, be good." Jiang Yunchu pinched Yue Yue's little cheek, her face full of indulgent expression.

Ning Hanmo's eyes darkened, as if the foolish woman only shows that satisfied indulgence when facing Yue Yue.

When facing himself, it's just cold enough to freeze a person to death.

Isn't he a child?

"You just want to be my mother." Ning Hanmo pressed his lips.

Jiang Yunchu glanced at him, "Just this one day."

"If you want to experience it, then you can only listen to me."

Ning Hanmo's eyes sank somewhat; indeed, that's the case, this foolish woman indeed only likes Yue Yue, being so gentle to Yue Yue, but to him she shows disdain.

"Mother."

He found it hard to say those words; the current address carries a hint of grievance he himself hasn't even noticed.

In his heart there is also some reluctance, he himself doesn't know why.

It's probably because today he didn't go to the West Village horse race; Zhang San said the West Village horse race is exciting, all real prey.

Hmm!

It must be so.

"Sigh." Jiang Yunchu's heart also trembled, but her expression showed nothing, yet her reply was quite straightforward.

"Stay far back." Jiang Yunchu looked at the five people behind her.

"Yes." The five people quickly replied.

Jiang Yunchu led a child with one hand, walking far from East City before reaching the street; this road is a path out of the village, with many people on it—old men carrying shoulder poles, young men plowing fields, and when passing the schoolhouse, one could faintly hear the clear sound of reading aloud.

"Old sir, at this hour, why are you still leaving the village?" Jiang Yunchu, leading two children, walked up with a smile; when going out, her face had been deliberately darkened.

Moreover, the two children also had their faces blackened; Yue Yue was very cooperative, and Ning Hanmo's face, even before being fully blackened, already showed a tendency to darken.

"Sigh, the old woman made some biscuits, went out to exchange for copper coins; the family has many children, needing more rations." The old man's hair is already grayish-white, his face full of wrinkles; his hands are covered with cracks, some already large, looking painful at a glance, yet the old man seems not to feel it.

Ning Hanmo curiously observed, "These biscuits, how many taels of silver can you sell them for?"

The old man widened his eyes, looking at Ning Hanmo, then helplessly shook his head, "Taels of silver? One biscuit earning half a copper coin would be good; nowadays every household has no surplus grain, silver? Grandfather I have only heard of it, never seen it."

Copper coins?

Ning Hanmo turned his head to look at Jiang Yunchu; in his concept, there is only silver, so he doesn't know what copper coins are.

Jiang Yunchu shook their head. Not managing the household, one does not know the value of firewood and rice; not raising children, one does not know the gratitude of parents.

This child, it's still better to suffer a bit.

Look at this Young Master, they don't even know what a copper coin is, they have no concept at all.

"One tael of silver equals one string of cash, one string of cash is one thousand wen, one wen is one copper coin; the half copper coin the old man spoke of is half a wen."

Ning Hanmo widened their eyes, "Wait."