Ms. Luo sent money ho a few days ago to consult a doctor, knowing that recently Mr. Yang’s health has been sowhat poor.
For the past few days, while cooking for Mr. Yang at the Xiao Family, she found it hard to concentrate, constantly worried about her father-in-law and daughter. She was terrified that sothing might happen to her father-in-law and feared her daughter might be bullied at ho without anyone to care for her.
However, she had nowhere to vent these thoughts.
Besides her worries, she also had to endure Mr. Yang’s occasional harassnt; apart from cooking for him, she had to warm his bed, making her daily life unbearable.
That day, Ms. Luo inford Mr. Yang that she planned to go out to buy sothing, perhaps bring back so fresh fruits.
Mr. Yang gave Ms. Luo so money, asking her to buy so pickles on her return and also to get herself so nice clothes and accessories.
Ms. Luo did not decline.
She really needed money now.
She took the money and left.
Upon leaving the manor, she thought of going ho to see her daughter.
She hadn’t gone far when she was stopped.
"Our Lady wishes to see you."
The ones stopping Ms. Luo were two tall and strong n, exuding a murderous aura, clearly having killed before, which scared Ms. Luo terribly.
"I, which Lady? I don’t know her."
Ms. Luo turned to run.
One of the n blocked her, while the other held a handkerchief over Ms. Luo’s mouth and nose, lifting her into a small alley.
When Ms. Luo woke up, she saw not far in front of her a woman dressed simply, yet commanding and extraordinarily beautiful, unlike any mortal.
"Who are you?"
Frightened, she sat up straight and asked the woman opposite her.
Sitting opposite Ms. Luo was Anning.
Anning put down the teacup in her hand and smiled at Ms. Luo: "Don’t be afraid, I invited you here."
Ms. Luo let out a bitter laugh: "Lady, you have a way with jokes, was that an invitation?"
"Pardon the fright."
Anning raised her hand slightly, and a maid brought over so food.
Anning said: "You must be hungry, have sothing to eat first. We’ll talk after you’ve eaten."
Ms. Luo was indeed hungry. She glanced at the dishes on the table, which were very much to her taste.
She thought that the Lady in front wouldn’t poison the food; if she intended to kill her, she wouldn’t have brought her here, but would have done it on the road.
She picked up a bowl and started eating.
After finishing the al, Ms. Luo warily looked at Anning: "What does the Lady want from ?"
Anning had the food removed and replaced with so fruits.
"Naturally, I have sothing to discuss with you."
Anning sat rather casually, with a kind of unspoken freedom.
"You don’t know , let introduce myself. My surna is Liu, and my husband’s surna is Xiao. The person you serve is from my husband’s family."
With this sentence, Ms. Luo knew who she was.
Ms. Luo knew that the old man she served was a senior to Your Majesty. Anning said the old man was her husband’s family mber, aning Anning was married to the Xiao Family, and among all the Xiao Family’s female relatives Ms. Luo knew, only the current Empress had a Liu family maiden na.
"I greet the Empress."
Ms. Luo, frightened, imdiately knelt and kowtowed: "A humble woman did not know it was you, pardon the offense, I deserve to die."
Trembling in fear, she kowtowed repeatedly, her face looking grim, her whole body shaking as she knelt there.
This woman did not have a brave heart.
Anning reached out and helped her up: "Sit."
Ms. Luo dared not sit, and Anning didn’t insist on her sitting: "I called upon you because I’ve learned about your situation with Mr. Yang. Our family has wronged you in this matter."
Anning’s words brought tears to Ms. Luo’s eyes.
Earlier she was terribly afraid that Anning had co to punish her.
Yet Anning apologized, making Ms. Luo feel sowhat better and even cared for.
She wiped her tears with her handkerchief: "It’s my fault, why is the Empress apologizing to ?"
Anning waved her hand: "Just listen to ."
Ms. Luo dared not speak further.
After a pause, Anning said: "I know your family’s situation, and I know what kind of person Mr. Yang is. To be frank, he’s increasingly muddled. Now that I know, this cannot continue. I’ve invited you here to ask your thoughts. If you wish not to serve him anymore, I’ll compensate you and let you go ho for a peaceful life."
Ms. Luo lowered her head in silence.
Anning continued: "If you wish to continue serving him, I’ll also provide benefits, such as arranging for the Imperial Physician to treat your father-in-law, and when your daughter marries, I’ll ask Princess Fengyang to gift her dowry."
Hearing this, Ms. Luo was shocked: "What does the Empress want to do?"
Anning gathered Ms. Luo’s intention.
Ms. Luo probably thought of herself as blemished, and returning ho wouldn’t help much; it’d be better to earn more money by staying with Mr. Yang.
Her family was currently in dire need, and she desperately needed money to bring ho.
In the Xiao Family, cooking for Mr. Yang, she was paid a handso wage, and with Mr. Yang’s occasional extra financial support, she could manage to sustain her family. If she left the Xiao Family, finding such a job would be impossible.
"You will keep receiving your pay, and I’ll additionally give you so money. I only want you to watch over Mr. Yang, make sure he doesn’t muddle up things again, and report to about his endeavors. If you can keep him from causing trouble, you’d have accomplished a major task. Would you be willing?"
Anning asked Ms. Luo in a deep voice.
Ms. Luo pondered for a while and felt this was doable.
Anyway, she was already in this situation, so why not just go for it and earn more money?
The matter of money was secondary for Ms. Luo; the key was if she agreed to Anning’s terms, her father-in-law could get proper treatnt, and her daughter might find a good match eventually, which was most alluring to her.
"I am willing."
Ms. Luo gritted her teeth and agreed boldly: "Rest assured, Empress, I will certainly watch over Mr. Yang and prevent him from causing any trouble."
Anning smiled and nodded.
This Ms. Luo didn’t have a big heart, but she was indeed a clever woman.
"That’s good, with you watching over him, I’m relieved."
Anning rose and walked outside: "Soon, I’ll arrange for soone to escort you back."
Ms. Luo quickly knelt to see Anning off.
Without looking back, Anning said at the door: "Honghua’s embroidery work is quite excellent, I find it very appealing. When you find ti, let her make so small items."
Ms. Luo was delighted: "That is her fortune."
Only then did Anning hastily leave with her maids.
Ms. Luo watched Anning leave, then cautiously stood up.
She let out a sigh of relief, wiped the sweat off her forehead with her handkerchief, and was about to drink so water when a young girl appeared to escort her away.
Ms. Luo left the alley, reflecting on what Anning told her, and as she walked toward ho, she couldn’t help but smile.
She thought, this indeed is Honghua’s luck.
The Empress asks Honghua to do embroidery work, obviously to raise Honghua’s status. With the Empress’s favor, Honghua’s life will be much better in the future.
Moreover, as long as she completes the tasks entrusted by the Empress, there might be more benefits later.
Ms. Luo wasn’t thinking about herself; she was thinking that if she could earn more money, she could save more dowry for Honghua and buy more good dicine for Mr. Yang.
As long as Honghua and Mr. Yang are well, she would be fine, her life was already a ss, and there was nothing she couldn’t throw away; if she steeled herself, what couldn’t she achieve?
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