Chapter Ninety-Nine: Not Knowing Is Also a Kind of Happiness

When Qin Wanru returned to the old lady's courtyard, there was already one more maid-like figure at her side: Yu Jie.

The clothes Yu Jie wore had belonged to Qing Yue. The two were much the same height and build, and Qing Yue's garments fit her perfectly.

Once the nun's robe and cap had been taken off, Yu Jie truly did look like a refined young lady's chief maid, her manner proper and measured, with not the slightest trace of awkwardness.

Looking at the former little novice Yu Jie, now dressed in such a tidy, delicate fashion, the old lady was in an excellent mood. On one hand, she felt that Abbess Mingqiu and Abbess Jingxin had truly gone to great trouble; on the other, she thought that the little novice had indeed been raised in a convent, for she carried herself with such dignity and composure, showing not the least bit of the restlessness one might expect at her age.

Having such a girl at Zhaozhao's side in the future would be a great help.

And so it was decided that Yu Jie would follow Qin Wanru, become one of her chief maids, and leave the mountain with her.

On the day of departure, Abbess Jingxin and Abbess Mingqiu actually came together to see them off.

Qin Wanru and Yu Jie bowed respectfully to the two of them, then boarded the carriage together. The carriage rolled downhill all the way back to the General's Residence.

"Sister, there really is no need to mind it so much. So many years have passed; perhaps even he no longer cares about it... Why torment yourself like this?" Watching the General's Residence carriage depart, Abbess Jingxin turned to her younger sister and spoke gently.

"It's all in the past... it's been so long. Why bring it up again? Elder Sister, this nun is well enough now, in quiet and peace... A life undisturbed by others, is that not how one lives?" Abbess Mingqiu turned around and answered softly. Her delicate face was serene and mild, showing not the slightest sign of concern.

Abbess Jingxin opened her mouth, thinking whether to mention the matter of the medicinal powder that had been found on Qin Wanru earlier. But when she looked at Mingqiu's tranquil face, so calm it was almost like that of an old monk entering nirvana, she could only sigh and say no more.

She did not know whether it would be better to speak or remain silent. If one had truly let go, why cling so stubbornly to whether one went or saw or not?

But some things, even as an elder sister, she could not press too hard upon. The most she could do was comfort her younger sister's heart and let her live in peace and quiet.

Perhaps not knowing is also a kind of happiness.

When Qin Wanru and the old lady returned to the General's Residence, Shui Ruolan was already waiting with people at the carriage entrance.

Seeing the old lady's carriage arrive, she hurried forward with Butler Duan and helped the old lady down. After this period of care at Jingxin Nunnery, the old lady looked much improved and was in good spirits as well.

The group escorted her back to the rear courtyard. After the formal greetings had been exchanged and they were seated, Butler Duan had the servants bring in tea and then waved everyone else away.

"Have you packed almost everything?" the old lady asked after taking a sip of tea and steadying her breathing.

"Almost everything is packed. It's just that there are some important matters I am not sure whether I should take with me. I will need to see what Mother thinks," Shui Ruolan replied respectfully.

"What matters?" the old lady asked.

"Mainly some business about the shops. These shops are all here in Jiangzhou..." Shui Ruolan hesitated, her expression troubled.

Qin Wanru lowered her head and toyed with the teacup in her hands, knowing why Shui Ruolan was making such a difficult face.

The General's Residence naturally had several shops in the Jiangzhou area. This time, since they were moving to the capital, the best solution would be to sell all of them off. But those shops had always been managed by Madam Di. If they tried to take the deeds from her, she would surely refuse.

Though those shops belonged to the General's Residence and were not Madam Di's private dowry, in Madam Di's eyes they were still hers, and she would never let go of them.

But leaving those shops in Jiangzhou alone was not a proper solution either. They would most likely never return to Jiangzhou again. Once the General's Residence had entered the capital, even if there were future postings elsewhere, they would not be sent back to the same place.

The old lady also frowned. This was indeed difficult. Madam Di was not the sort of person who would readily hand over the shops she held.

"I'll discuss it with Huai later," the old lady said after a moment, still frowning. She was troubled as well. It was not that she insisted on taking those shops away from Madam Di; it was just that the General's Residence had only just arrived in the capital, and there would be many places where money was needed. They would also need to acquire some shops in the capital. The money from selling Madam Di's shops would be very important.

Even the cleverest housewife cannot cook without rice. No matter how capable Shui Ruolan was, she could not conjure up such a large sum of money out of thin air.

But with the shops now in Madam Di's hands, it was truly hard to make her loosen her grip.

"Mother, perhaps forget it. Let sister handle it herself. I still have some private savings in my hands, and when we go to the capital, they can be used for some arrangements as well," Shui Ruolan said hesitantly.

Though both were wives, a secondary wife still ranked slightly below the principal wife, which was why Shui Ruolan called Madam Di "sister."

"How much money can you have? You never had much to begin with, and it still would not be enough. When Huai enters the capital, not to mention buying shops, even the mutual exchanges among colleagues will require a great deal of money. Even if I add in my own private savings, it will still be tight. With such a large household to feed and maintain, it is nowhere near enough."

The old lady shook her head with a frown, rejecting the idea.

The General's Residence had many holdings in Jiangzhou, and even more shops, but all of them were firmly controlled by Madam Di, not a single one released.

"Is Grandmother planning to sell off all the shops?" Qin Wanru asked, looking at the old lady and Shui Ruolan's expressions. She could tell this matter was difficult. Shui Ruolan must have already spoken to Madam Di and probably been rebuffed, which was why she looked so helpless.

"Of course we must sell them all. If we leave them here, not only will our resources remain trapped, but we will also have to leave capable people behind to guard them. In the end, it is simply not worthwhile," the old lady said with a nod, worry etching her brow.

"Could we say that Madam is to remain here?" Qin Wanru asked, glancing down at the teacup in her hand. Her long curled lashes trembled faintly.

"Leave Madam Di here? That certainly will not do. Setting aside everything else, the Earl of Yongkang's household in the capital would certainly not agree!" The old lady shook her head repeatedly. There was no need to ask; it would absolutely not work.

Qin Huaiyong had only just arrived in the capital, with no foundation there yet, and he would certainly need the support of the Earl of Yongkang's household. Moreover, they could not possibly return to Jiangzhou, so leaving Madam Di, the principal wife, here would be inappropriate.

"Then what if Madam... were sent back to her natal home?" Qin Wanru lifted her eyes and smiled slightly. The sweet light in her smile was lively and clever. "Her natal home is not in Jiangzhou. If she is to leave Jiangzhou, then she will have to sell the shops, won't she?"

For a moment the old lady did not understand. She paused in surprise. "It would not be proper for her to remain at her natal home either. Her family is the Earl of Yongkang's household!"

But Shui Ruolan's eyes suddenly lit up. She turned and looked at Qin Wanru, smiling. "Mother, what Wanru said makes sense. We can deliberately say it like that, and Sister will definitely be unwilling. Thinking she must leave early, she will naturally take the initiative to sell the shops."

This time, Qin Wanru only smiled faintly, like a nimble and obedient little maid, and said nothing more.

At that point, Shui Ruolan had understood enough. After all, Qin Wanru was still a child; there were times when she should not stand too far in front. She did not want her relatives to look at her as if she were some kind of monster.

"Even if she sells the shops, the money will only be in her hands. It will probably not be easy to pry it out of her," the old lady said with a shake of her head, casting a glance at Qin Wanru. "Zhaozhao is still a child, and her thoughts are not entirely thorough."

Still, though she was a child, she was a clever child. Even though the matter had not yet been resolved, the old lady felt very pleased with her granddaughter. If two or three more years passed, once she was older, she would be entirely capable of standing on her own.

Her own granddaughter, raised by her hand, was so intelligent and in no way inferior to the young ladies of any great clan. The old lady felt deeply comforted.

"Mother, you still have not understood what I mean," Shui Ruolan said with a laugh. Hearing Qin Wanru's incomplete little suggestion, she had already thought of something else. "Sister is currently confined and cannot go out to find people herself. She will surely have to send that Lady Zhou beside her to sell the shops."

Madam Di had many capable people around her, but the one she trusted most should be the old Lady Zhou she had brought from the capital. Not only was she advanced in years, but she was also knowledgeable and well suited to be a helper.

More importantly, Lady Zhou's roots were also in the capital at the Earl of Yongkang's household, which made Madam Di trust her even more.

"So?" the old lady caught some hidden meaning in her words.

"If she sells the shops and the General asks her for the money, can a servant like her really dare refuse?" Shui Ruolan said with a bright smile. If the money from the General's Residence's shops could be recovered, then after they entered the capital there would be no need to worry about the money for buying new shops or for the necessary social visits and entertainments.

"So many shops, and the money may not come at once. If Madam Di finds out Huai has reached out for it, she may well fight him to the death. And once that happens, she will never again allow Huai any chance to take money from Lady Zhou. She will issue Lady Zhou a dead order, perhaps even have her guard the money with her life. It is not proper to have a direct conflict over money," the old lady still felt it was unwise.

If Madam Di truly took a hard line and caused a scene, one that spread throughout all of Jiangzhou, the General's Residence could not afford such humiliation.

In the past, the old lady had been certain that Madam Di still cared about her reputation and would not do something like that. But now she was truly not sure whether, after one round of the shop money being taken, Madam Di would cling to the money all the more fiercely and order Lady Zhou to defend it with her life. Lady Zhou still had family at the Earl of Yongkang's household, so she would certainly obey Madam Di.

If she really did guard the money with her life, then no one would be able to do anything about her.

And if someone were actually driven to death over money, that would be a very ugly story indeed!

Besides, Shui Ruolan had only just entered the General's Residence. If Madam Di seized on this as leverage, Shui Ruolan would be placed at a disadvantage. And if, after entering the capital, the Earl of Yongkang's household used this to pressure Qin Huaiyong, then the General's Residence would only be pushed into a weaker position.

For a time, Shui Ruolan could not answer. It seemed possible, yet also impossible, and she could not quite seize on anything important.

"Grandmother, then we only need to ask Lady Zhou for money once," Qin Wanru said, blinking her clear, watery eyes, following the thread with a look of innocent confusion.

After speaking, she herself seemed not to fully understand what she had said. She blinked again, looking a little dazed and naïve.