Chapter 207

South of the city, Three Leaves Alley.

Rows of old houses are situated here; many have long since fallen into disrepair and are uninhabited.

The alley is piled high with trash, dark and damp.

In the open space on the right side at the very end of the alley, an Earth Temple sits all alone.

The temple gate has been destroyed, and there has long been no incense burning inside.

Weeds grow in the courtyard, all sorts of trash are scattered about, and even the Earth God in the main hall has had half of his body broken off.

Clearly, no one has been here for a long time.

On the horizon, the sun is gradually sinking in the west.

At this moment, in the corner of the dust-covered main hall, several hushed voices suddenly drift out.

"The time is almost here, right? Are you sure we can trick that brat into coming?"

"Jiu Ye said there's no problem, so there's no problem."

"Strange, why haven't those two fellows, Wang He, arrived yet at this hour?"

"Hmph, I reckon going out of the city to hunt is a lie; going out to fool around is the truth."

While the few were speaking in low voices, they did not notice that on the roof tiles, a phantom shadow was floating there, looking down at them.

Silent and soundless, like a ghost.

At the same time.

The female family members of the Jia Mansion are already prepared and about to set off for the palace.

Liu Chujian hurriedly bids farewell.

Jia Tanchun says, "Liu, wait a moment; I will have someone send you off by carriage."

Liu Chujian says, "No need, it isn't very far; Bi'er and I will arrive after walking for a while."

Jia Tanchun hurriedly says, "That won't do, you must be sent off. If something happens to you on the road, Young Master Luo will not forgive us."

Once these words are spoken, the others all laugh.

Liu Chujian's cheeks flush slightly, and she has no choice but to stop her steps.

Jia Tanchun instructs behind her, "Xiao Chan, you accompany Liu, and use my carriage to send Liu back."

Xiao Chan agrees, then hurriedly walks out and says, "Liu, please follow me."

Liu Chujian has no choice but to express her thanks, then takes Bi'er and follows behind her to leave.

"Is the Old Ancestor still in the back?"

Jia Tanchun turns her head and asks.

A nanny laughs and says, "Wait a little longer; I reckon Yuanyang is still helping her put on her official robes. No rush, there is still plenty of time."

Bai Qingtong, who is to the side, says, "I reckon our Bai Family hasn't set off yet either."

The few chat outside the courtyard.

The maidservants and nannies are walking about everywhere in the mansion, busy notifying this person and that person.

After Liu Chujian and her servant leave with Xiao Chan, a woman also leaves this place along with two maidservants.

She passes through the garden and walks toward the front courtyard.

A nanny suddenly walks over from the front, and upon seeing her, asks, "Zhang Shan's wife, have you seen Shi Jia Guniang? Someone from her family has come."

The woman, Zhang Shan's wife, laughs and says, "She is right in the back garden, together with the other young ladies."

That nanny says, "Where are you going?"

The woman, Zhang Shan's wife, walks with hurried steps and says, "The young ladies are all ready; I am going to see the master and mistress to make sure nothing has been missed."

That nanny laughs and says, "You certainly know how to worry."

Saying this, she also hurriedly leaves.

The woman, Zhang Shan's wife, looks back at her, and seeing that she has walked far away, she immediately turns right, veers into a side path, and gets onto the veranda.

Winding and twisting, she arrives at the rockery in the east of the mansion.

A servant is just there with a small shovel, cleaning the moss off the rockery.

The woman, Zhang Shan's wife, walks straight past him and says in a low voice, "That girl just left the house with Tanchun's maid, bringing only her own maid, and took Tanchun's carriage; there was no one else."

After finishing, she walks away quickly.

The servant has no reaction, shovels the moss on the rockery for a while longer, then lifts his head, looks left and right, and then climbs to the other side of the rockery, takes out paper and a brush, and writes a few sentences.

"Whoosh!"

A small bird suddenly flaps its wings, flies out from behind the rockery, leaves the mansion, and disappears.

Behind the rockery, the servant picks up the shovel and continues to lower his head to diligently shovel the moss on the rockery.

At this moment, he suddenly lifts his head and looks down.

A maidservant is standing there, looking up at him.

The servant is stunned for a moment, then hurriedly says with a fawning face, "Shishu, is something the matter?"

Shishu says, "Come down; I have something to ask you."

The servant hurriedly says, "Alright, Young Lady, wait a moment."

Saying this, he hurriedly puts down the shovel in his hand and carefully climbs down from the rockery.

Who would have thought that as soon as his feet touched the ground, a rope suddenly shot out from the side, wrapped around his legs with a "swish," and with a forceful tug, pulled him directly onto the ground.

At this time, a sturdy woman, holding the other end of the rope, walks out from under the rockery.

The servant is greatly alarmed and hurriedly says, "Shishu, what mistake has this lowly one committed?"

Shishu does not answer, walks in front of him, and steps on his arm; one only hears a "crack" as she actually breaks his arm directly.

The servant immediately opens his mouth wide, and just as he is about to let out a miserable scream, the sturdy woman to the side immediately stuffs a piece of cloth into his mouth, then smashes her fist into his forehead, knocking him unconscious directly.

"Take her away."

Shishu gave the order and turned to leave.

That sturdy woman grabbed the servant, as easily as an eagle snatching a chick, and followed behind.

The woman of the Zhang family made a round in the front courtyard, then returned to the outside of the small courtyard where the young ladies were gathered.

Several young ladies were chatting idly.

Those maids and nannies were also gathered to the side, whispering about entering the palace later.

The woman of the Zhang family had a smile on her face and was just about to interject when Jia Yingchun's maid Siqi suddenly came over and said, "What are you doing here? Hurry inside, the young lady is calling for you." The woman of the Zhang family was stunned and laughed, "You girl, when the young lady left the mansion with you all, she didn't take me along. Now you're thinking of having me serve?"

Siqi urged, "Hurry up and go."

The woman of the Zhang family had no choice but to follow behind, asking, "What does the young lady need?"

Siqi did not speak and entered the front courtyard.

Just as the woman of the Zhang family followed her in, Siqi suddenly turned around, closed the door, and slid the bolt.

The woman of the Zhang family was stunned, and just as she was about to speak, Siqi suddenly "slapped" her across the face, sending her stumbling a few steps to the side, nearly falling over.

"You traitorous thing!"

Siqi cursed through gritted teeth.

The woman of the Zhang family covered her face, looking completely stunned, and said in shock and anger, "Siqi! What right do you have to hit me? You aren't even a person of the Jia Family anymore, you..."

Before she could finish speaking, Jia Yingchun came out from the room, looked at her with a cold face, and said, "I only moved out to live elsewhere; who said I am no longer a person of the Jia Family? Did you say that?"

!

Seeing her, the woman of the Zhang family immediately knelt on the ground with a "thump" and said with a sobbing tone, "Young lady, what right does this girl Siqi have to hit me? Even if she is your head maid..."

"I told her to hit you. Are you not convinced?"

Jia Yingchun said coldly.

Hearing this, the woman of the Zhang family was instantly struck dumb. She had never seen her young lady with such an icy expression before, so she hurriedly cried out, "Young lady, where have I made a mistake? Why do you want this little hussy to insult me?"

"Slap!"

Before she could finish speaking, Siqi went over and gave her another fierce slap.

The woman of the Zhang family was instantly enraged, and just as she was about to pounce on her with a ferocious face, Siqi suddenly smashed a fist into her nose and then flew a kick into her face, instantly kicking her sprawling onto the ground.

At this moment, two sturdy women walked out from the room; without waiting for her to howl, one stuffed her mouth while the other grabbed her hair, dragging her into the room.

At the same time.

Outside the mansion, the carriage carrying Liu Chujian drove out from a small alley and onto the street.

Inside the carriage sat Liu Chujian, Bi'er, and Jia Tanchun's young maid, Xiao Chan.

"Crack!"

While the carriage was moving, the wheel suddenly cracked, and a piece fell off.

The carriage lurched and came to a stop.

Zhang Erniang, who was driving, hurriedly got off to check. Once she saw the broken wheel, she immediately cried out, "Oh no, Miss Liu, Xiao Chan, the carriage is broken, we can't go any further."

Xiao Chan hurriedly got off to check and stamped her feet, saying, "Oh my, why did it have to break at a time like this?"

At this time, Liu Chujian and Bi'er also came out of the carriage cabin, stepped down, looked at the wheel, and said, "It's fine, let's walk back. Xiao Chan, you hurry back to notify someone and have them come help."

Xiao Chan hesitated and said, "My young lady said to have this servant escort Miss Liu back. How about we go hire another carriage?"

Bi'er laughed from the side, "It's not that far, and we aren't delicate flowers; we can still walk this little distance. Xiao Chan, don't worry about us, we'll just go back ourselves."

As she spoke, she pulled her young lady and said, "Young lady, let's go."

Liu Chujian waved at the two of them and walked back with Bi'er.

By now, the setting sun had already dipped to the edge of the sky.

After the two had walked on the street for a while, Bi'er said, "Young lady, I'm so hungry. Shall we eat something before going back? We can bring some steamed buns for Xiao Lan later."

Liu Chujian glanced at a small stall by the street and said, "Better to go back and cook ourselves; it's cleaner."

Bi'er said, "Alright."

Just as the two were about to continue walking forward, a girl wearing a maid's hairstyle suddenly walked up from the front. After seeing them, she hurriedly said urgently, "Is it Miss Liu?"

Liu Chujian was stunned, looked at her, and said, "You are..."

The maid hurriedly said, "This servant is named Xiuzhao, a maid from the Bai Mansion. I just came from the Chujian Bookstore. I heard from Xiao Lan that Miss Liu went to the Jia Mansion, so I hurried to find you. Fortunately, I met you here!"

She then added, "Miss Liu, hurry and come with me. My master is listening to music at the Ten Thousand Flowers Pavilion in the south of the city, but his money was stolen by someone. He has no money to pay the bill, and they won't let him leave. So my master told me to hurry over and find you, and bring money to redeem him."

Liu Chujian asked suspiciously, "Your master is..."

Xiuzhao said, "Luo Zijun! Does the young lady not recognize him anymore?"

Liu Chujian frowned and said, "He is now a Matrilocal Son-in-law of the Bai Family, why don't you go find Bai Daxiaojie?"

Xiuzhao gave a bitter smile, "Young lady, you are joking. How would this servant dare to return to the mansion to ask for help for such a thing? My master said I must come find you. If the eldest young lady finds out, he will be beaten to death. Young lady, please have mercy and go save my master."

Liu Chujian thought for a moment and said, "How much silver is needed? I'll give it to you, you can take it yourself to redeem him; I won't go. After all, he has already gone to the Bai Family to be a kept man and live off a woman, and my relationship with him has already broken down. It wouldn't be appropriate for me to go."

Xiuzhao said, "Two hundred taels of silver are needed. Does the young lady have that much?"

Liu Chujian seemed startled: "Two hundred taels? How could it be so much?"

Xiuzhao sighed and said, "My master ordered two popular girls to sing, he said it was a bit expensive..."

Liu Chujian said, "I don't have that much money, you had better go find Bai Daxiaojie."

Xiuzhao hurriedly said, "It doesn't matter. My master said that as long as Miss Liu goes to help guarantee the debt, they will release him, and my master will go pay the money back tomorrow. Miss Liu, there is no time to lose. If you don't go, my master will be beaten to death. My master was so good to you, and even saved you before, can you bear to ignore him?"

Liu Chujian sighed, "I naturally cannot bear it, but he has gone to be a kept man now, and it has nothing to do with me, I..."

"My master said that, in truth, the person he loves most in his heart is still Miss Liu."

Xiuzhao continued to plead: "Young lady, please come with me. If we go late, my master will likely suffer quite a bit."

At this moment, two women in plain clothing walked over from the side.

The fingers of Xiuzhao's hand hanging by her side moved slightly.

The two women stopped in their tracks.

Liu Chujian sighed softly again and said, "Fine, I will go there once. If he truly has me in his heart, I naturally cannot ignore him."

Xiuzhao said immediately, "You are so kind, Miss. This servant will certainly urge the master to treat you well."

She hurriedly led the way in front.

As for those two women, they also exchanged a glance and followed behind at a distance that was neither too near nor too far.

Bi'er suddenly said, "Miss, that guy would rather go to a Brothel to play with girls than come to see you, so why must we still go to save him?"

Liu Chujian suddenly recalled what that guy said when he was wandering around a Brothel in the Outer City, and she could not help but sigh, saying, "He said that he likes them flirtatious."

Bi'er: "..."

The maid walking in front to lead the way revealed a cold sneer at the corner of her mouth.

(End of this chapter)