"A long, long time ago, there was a diligent student who, although poor, had great ambitions. He studied hard every day and chopped firewood on the mountain to make money. In town, he met a rich young lady and they fell in love. However, her parents did not approve of their relationship, so they eloped. They thought that from then on, they would live happily ever after. Unfortunately... they encountered a shipwreck, and the student died. The rich young lady was rescued by a fisherman, but she lost her will to live after losing her loved one and took her own life."
"Wooo, this story is so touching, next one."
"I'm not very literate and rarely read illustrated books, so let me tell Miss about something that happened in our hometown. There was a couple who had been together since childhood, they loved each other deeply, but their families were not compatible, and both sides were against them. The man wanted to marry someone else, and the woman also wanted to marry someone else, under immense pressure, they still didn't want to be apart, so on the day of the wedding, they both took their own lives."
"Wooo, what a touching love story, next one."
The maids stood in a row, taking turns telling tragic stories, and stared at their mistress who was crying her heart out. Liyun finally couldn't bear it anymore and asked cautiously: "Miss, what's wrong with you these past two days? Why are you not just melancholy, but also listening to sad love stories and crying so sorrowfully? Is... is someone bullying you outside?"
He Le'an, who had already cried a whole basket of handkerchiefs wet, used a new handkerchief to wipe away her tears and blow her nose, sobbing: "No one bullied me, it's just... I gave up the chance to fly up and become a phoenix, waaahhh... I don't regret it, it's just... I feel that there are some things that are hard to bear. You all keep talking, I'll cry for a bit longer and then I'll be fine."
The maids in the courtyard were busy comforting and coaxing her, He Le'an cried herself to sleep, woke up, and her suppressed mood finally cleared up a bit. She changed into men's clothes, smiled as if nothing had happened, and went to the Rich and Noble Wine House. The place was bustling with activity, unlike the previous few days when it was deserted after being booked by a certain duke. Those few days seemed like a dream now.
She went to the back kitchen and saw familiar faces busy beyond recognition, suddenly feeling something poking at her heart, hurting so much that her nose was sour. Uncle Xiong turned his face and smiled brightly: "Ah, Xiao Ke, you've finally arrived! That Jili Wine House, which was always snatching customers from us, has been sealed off by the government for some reason. Our wine house is turning over a new leaf, haha! Come quickly to help arrange the dishes, and later I'll tell you something that will make you happy!"
He Le'an quietly gathered his emotions and helped out in the past. During a brief rest, Xiong Shu said while drinking water: "Yesterday, Cao Zhuang took on a big job, going to the Zhi Yi Bo Fu to cook a banquet for 30 tables, worth 3,000 taels of silver. The boss is worried that he won't be able to handle it at the time and asked if you're willing to help out that day. If so, he'll give you a share of the money."
"What about the Zhi Yi Bo Fu......" He Le An murmured, she remembered that Dong Fang Niang was the legitimate fifth miss of the Zhi Yi Bo Fu.
"Xiong Shu said, 'You once said that you usually work as a servant in the homes of the wealthy and powerful. It's an easy job, if you have time to spare, go for it. You can get a decent amount of money, anyway. The dirty work in the back kitchen is not something that nobles usually see, we just finish cooking and then leave.'"
He Le'an also knew that these things were usually handled by the housekeeper and his staff, so after thinking for a moment, he smiled and said, "Alright, count me in too." The Rich and Noble Wine House was indeed short-staffed lately, and she didn't want them to make any mistakes due to their busyness.
When she got home, He Le'an deliberately went to the Jili Wine House to take a look and saw that there was indeed an official seal on it. Her heart finally put down the chilling cold in her memory, believing that from now on, the King of Yu would definitely be wary of that person. In her previous life, she had personally destroyed the Qianqin Wangfu, and this time, she didn't want anyone to replace her and destroy the Qianqin Wangfu again.
The next day, He Le'an woke up refreshed and clear-headed. As soon as she got dressed and went out, she heard the idle maids in the courtyard chattering about something. She asked curiously, "What are you all talking about?" The second-class maid, Shi Qing, smiled and said, "We're talking about the excitement of your return. Didn't you attend a banquet at the Yi Qin Wang Fu some days ago? It's said that the fourth miss of the Yi Qin Wang Fu is going to be engaged to the Yue Guang Wang of the Qian Qin Wang Fu."
He Le'an was taken aback, with a feeling of being pricked by needles, clearly coming over her. In a daze, she heard Xing Yu say: "Qianqin Wangfei and the current Jin Ning Houfu are sisters, Jin Ning Houfu and Yi Qinci Wangfei are also close friends in private, and everyone knows that Cheng Jue's Xiao Yi Wang and Yue Junwang have a friendship forged on the battlefield. It's not surprising that they will be married..."
