Yanran said that she likes this kind of task.
So she carried her basket, rode her horse, and happily arrived at the Earl's residence.
However, she froze at the entrance of the Earl's mansion.
What's going on here?
Xiu'er stood at the door, supporting her back. A mother and daughter knelt before her, weeping bitterly and sobbing as they spoke.
Upon seeing Yanran, Xiu'er waved her hand and said, "Come here, let's learn together and become more shrewd."
The mother and daughter also looked up at Yanran.
Yanran saw the two people clearly and felt that there was an inexplicable familiarity between the girl's eyes and brows.
She handed the basket to the maid and said to Xiu'er, "The Empress Dowager heard you started vomiting, so she specially made something delicious for you."
Xiu'er said, "Song Jingyang is so quick to talk, he tells Her Majesty everything! Come, let's wait and see. You and your daughter, get up, don't block the doorway. Anyone who doesn't know better would think that the Earl's mistress has come knocking on the door!"
Yanran smiled and reached out to help her up, "Of course not, don't accuse me unjustly."
Xiu'er didn't need Yanran's help; she walked steadily on her own. "You took advantage of bringing me something to sneak out again, didn't you? Are you going to find Cui Xiaoqiu later?"
"No, I'm not looking," Yanran said with a smile. "I'm just out for a stroll to see what I can buy to take to Liaodong. Qu Hua is there too, so I need to pick out some of her favorite foods from the capital; and Jiang Ruo's place, since I'm leaving, I can't leave without saying goodbye."
"Go? Where are you going? Are you going to Liaodong?" Xiu'er asked in surprise.
"Yes!" Yanran said proudly, "My father has agreed!"
Xiu'er didn't believe her. "You're dreaming."
"Hehe, I have Cui Xiaoqiu."
Xiu'er hummed in agreement, "That's more like it."
That ball is full of tricks.
Yanran glanced back at the mother and daughter following closely behind her and asked softly, "What's going on? They look a little pitiful."
"He's pitiful, but also intelligent and resilient."
It turns out that these two people were Baoxuan and her adoptive mother.
Xiuer had helped this mother and daughter on her way to Xiu'er before, and she didn't expect them to come looking for her so soon.
It's quite a journey from Linzhou to the capital, a distance of thousands of miles. It's truly remarkable that they were able to find them, which is why Xiu'er made that assessment.
As for what it is, we'll have to ask to find out.
Once inside, Xiu'er didn't let the mother and daughter kneel anymore. She had someone offer them seats and said, "Since you've come seeking help, there's no need for crying. Just tell me what happened."
From the mother and daughter's story, Xiu'er realized that there is no shortage of "smart people" in this world.
After they left, someone found the Guo Family and, through coercion and bribery, managed to get the money away.
Moreover, during this process, a son of the Guo Family died.
The woman brought Baoxuan to the capital to petition the emperor and seek justice for her deceased son.
At the same time, she also wanted to find a place for Baoxuan to go.
--If it weren't for protecting Baoxuan that day, her own son wouldn't have died.
Now, when she closes her eyes, she sees the scene of her son sacrificing his life for Baoxuan.
Therefore, Baoxuan really can no longer stay by my side.
Ever since Baoxuan came into the family, things have really gotten worse day by day.
But having raised her for a while, we still need to find her a good home.
From this perspective, the adoptive mother had done everything she could for Baoxuan.
So Baoxuan's adoptive mother thought of Xiu'er again.
Xiu'er sighed, "I've been completely taken advantage of by you and your daughter."
But this family must have offended some deity, for one person after another has died.
Yanran, filled with a surge of righteous indignation, said, "There's no need to appeal to the emperor. I'll take you to the Court of Judicial Review first to file a complaint against your local corrupt officials."
The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review was her maternal grandfather.
She immediately wanted to take the person away.
Xiu'er said, "Let's send someone to ask first; maybe the master is still in the palace and hasn't returned yet."
"In the palace? My maternal grandfather went to see my father, the emperor?"
"No, it should be to see the Emperor Emeritus."
"Grandfather? Doesn't he see everyone except Pei Shen?"
"Things have eased up recently, and I need to see Master again," Xiu'er said. "Master has been in the palace for several days now. Yesterday, my aunt came to tell me that she was worried about Master's health..."
Yanran couldn't help but whisper in her ear, "Is this the saying, 'A dying man's words are kind'?"
I feel that my grandfather is acting a bit strangely.
For someone nearing the end of their life, unusual behavior often means...
Xiu'er glared at her. "It's enough that you understand."
Yanran: "Oh."
She had to run.
In the event of a national mourning, as her granddaughter, she would have to observe mourning and could not go out.
However, on the road, one can pretend not to know; once in Liaodong, "A general in the field may disobey the emperor's orders."
In short, we must hold on for a few more days until she leaves.
Oh dear, there's also my brother's wedding!
Please, please don't let anything go wrong. Hang in there for another two months!
"Well..." Yanran thought for a moment and then said, "You should arrange a place for her to stay first, and we can talk about it again when my grandfather returns home. You can mention to my aunt that Baoxuan could stay in the Tang Family as a maid."
"Don't make decisions for your aunt," Xiu'er said. "Your aunt doesn't just hire people randomly."
"Then I can keep it myself, right?" Yanran said casually. "Anyway, I only have Jiang'er by my side. I also find Baoxuan quite pleasing to the eye, so she can stay with me."
After thinking for a moment, Xiu'er said, "Let me ask Her Majesty first."
Baoxuan was only five years old when she came to the Guo Family, and even now she would only be seven. The possibility of arranging for a child that age to be a spy is basically zero.
Moreover, Baoxuan's mother had already frozen to death, and she herself was only lucky to survive.
In this situation, things should be alright.
Yanran said, "Alright, then we'll stay here with you for now; you can give the person back to me after everything's over."
The woman pulled Baoxuan to kowtow together.
Yanran helped Baoxuan up, looked her over, and stroked her chin with a smile, saying, "I feel like I've seen Baoxuan before, but I can't quite put my finger on where. It's strange."
Xiu'er said, "The food is here, and we've finished dealing with all the other business. Aren't there still so many things to do? Let's go, let's go."
Yanran smiled and said, "Okay, then I'm off. I'll go find Jiang Ruo first and tell her."
First, I need to tell my best friend that she's also found someone.
And I must say this with my hands on my hips: it wasn't that she forced him; it was that Cui Xiaoqiu took the initiative to like her.
In this respect, I'm a hundred times better off than Jiang Ruo.
However, I haven't visited Jiang Ruo in a long time. Wen Heng's leg should be almost fully Wen Heng by now.
With that thought in mind, Yanran went to the street and bought some pastries. Then, leading her horse and carrying the pastries, she leisurely went to find Jiang Ruo.
When they arrived at the Third Princess's Residence, they were told that Jiang Ruo had already moved out.
Yanran: This unfilial daughter! She's an only child, and yet she's moved out.
Do I have to give her a piece of my mind when I see her?!