"Qin Yuanzhang, that old fellow, always favored sons over daughters. He couldn't wait for that brat Qin Yun to go to Lanshan Academy. Now that Qin Yun volunteered, the old man is naturally delighted!" Madam Min said helplessly.
"What should we do? Father won't listen. How about we target that ugly monster?"
Madam Min shook her head. "There's no need. Today, I noticed Qin Yun seems very displeased with me. I don't know if I'm being overly suspicious, but I feel like Qin Yun is different somehow!"
"How can he be different? Still just as ugly. And he's going to the academy, right? I bet he won't last long there!"
"Let's hope so!" Madam Min said, a hint of ruthlessness in her eyes.
Then, Madam Min looked at Qin Yu and asked, "How is it? Did you gain anything today?"
"Mother, I've made up my mind. I want to enter the palace!" Qin Yu said confidently.
"Oh? Which prince have you set your sights on?"
Qin Yu lowered her head shyly. "I always thought Prince Li was handsome enough before, but today, I caught a glimpse of His Majesty from afar, and I knew what I truly desired!"
Madam Min began to ponder. "Yu'er, have you thought this through? Have you forgotten how cruel the Emperor was three years ago? Mother worries... that we don't have the fortune for it."
"Mother, this is the capital, a place where the strong prey on the weak. To be strong, one must have means!"
"And the current Emperor is courageous, wise, and resourceful – that is strength!" The mere thought of Xie Qianmo's majestic presence today made Qin Yu's heart tremble with excitement.
Only power could control everything.
If she were to ascend to the throne as Empress in the future, she would be second only to one, and above ten thousand others.
Thinking of this, a smile spread across Qin Yu's face.
"Yu'er, the current Emperor is not a good match. Mother wants you to prosper and secure the Empress's position, but whenever I recall the bloody events in the court three years ago, my heart feels uneasy!"
Madam Min knew very well that if her sordid affairs were exposed, her life would be ruined.
"Mother, don't try to stop me. If I succeed in my ambition, won't you be the one who benefits?"
Madam Min gritted her teeth, feeling that Qin Yu had a point. With a glimmer of hope, she fell silent.
At this moment!
Back in the small courtyard, Qin Yun had already found the women's clothing that Xiao Ju had secretly prepared for her.
"Young Master, where did you go?"
Qin Yun grinned and produced a thousand taels. "Look, banknotes!"
Xiao Ju's eyes widened in surprise, then she snatched the banknotes from Qin Yun's hand and examined them repeatedly. "Young Master, where did you get this? Did you steal it?"
Qin Yun snatched the banknotes back from Xiao Ju's hand, pouting. "Get away, get away! Who's stealing? Father gave it to me!" Qin Yun looked at Xiao Ju triumphantly, her lips curled upwards.
Xiao Ju scratched her head, confused. "Why would Master suddenly give Young Master banknotes today? And a thousand taels at that?"
"Of course, it's because your Young Master is incredibly smart, beloved by all, and blooms like a flower in the presence of people!" Qin Yun continued to be coy.
"Young Master, hurry up and tell me, how did you trick Master out of so much silver? This servant really wants to know!"
"Hey, hey, hey, what tricking? Fu Bo took me to the accounting office, and I got it fair and square, understand?" Qin Yun tapped Xiao Ju's head.
"What are you thinking about all day? Am I that vulgar? Tricking?"
Xiao Ju chuckled. "Young Master must have agreed to Master's request, otherwise, Master wouldn't have been so generous!"
"A request? Not really, it's just that I proposed going to Lanshan Academy myself, and Father was so pleased he gave me a thousand taels!"
"Young Master, you're going to Lanshan Academy? Really?" Xiao Ju was extremely excited, her voice doubling in volume.
"Keep your voice down, what's so surprising about going to an academy!"
Xiao Ju cheered happily. "That's wonderful! Madam has manifested, and Young Master is finally willing to go to Lanshan Academy!"
Xiao Ju continued to ask, "Young Master, when are we going to Lanshan Academy? You must take me with you!"
"Lanshan Academy is a male academy. Why would you, a girl, go there?"
Xiao Ju said aggrievedly, "Then what will this servant do? This servant doesn't want to stay and serve the other masters in the mansion!"
"I have something more important to entrust to you. You'll stay at the mansion. Do you remember what I told you before?"
"This servant understands." Xiao Ju glanced at the clothes beside her and said, "Are these women's clothes still needed, Young Master?"
"Now that I have banknotes, they're not needed for now, but... perhaps you can keep them for now? If I need them another day, I'll ask you for them!"
"Alright, Young Master!"
"Now, accompany me out to stroll!" Qin Yun winked at Xiao Ju, her mood extremely good.
The two set off without delay.
Arriving at the liveliest market in the capital, Qin Yun looked at the bustling street scene with curiosity.
Three years!
She was back!
Today, a major shopping spree was a must!
The two entered a cloth shop. The shop assistant seemed not to see Qin Yun, focusing only on serving other distinguished guests and not even glancing at Qin Yun.
Qin Yun quietly asked Xiao Ju, "Is my reputation outside also so bad?"
Xiao Ju nodded and whispered back, "Young Master, why don't we try another shop? The fabrics and embroiderers here are superb. Although we have a thousand taels, we can't afford to patronize shops like this often!"
"You're saying you're afraid I can't afford it! But is there something important happening in this shop today? It seems much livelier than usual?"
In her memory, although the original owner rarely visited places like the market, she had been to this shop a few times. However, she never had enough money, and each time she could only come to feast her eyes and then leave dejectedly.
Thinking carefully, the shop assistant ignoring her now was not surprising.
"Young Master, why don't I go and find out!"
"Go ahead!"
After Xiao Ju left, Qin Yu found an inconspicuous spot to sit.
But as soon as she sat down, she was met with cold sarcasm from someone nearby.
"Look, isn't this Young Master Qin? Come here to feast your eyes again today?"
A man in purple, with a pair of triangular eyes, looked sideways at Qin Yun in the corner.
Beside the man in purple was a man in white. The man in white said nothing, merely casting a cold glance at Qin Yun before looking away.
Qin Yun looked at the two of them and quickly searched her mind for memories of them!
Her memories indicated that the man in purple was Ming Xiajing, a young master from a noble family. His maternal aunt was a county princess personally enfeoffed by the late emperor, and by virtue of this relationship, he often acted arrogantly. Whenever he encountered the original owner, he enjoyed mocking and belittling her. The original owner was not one to be trifled with either, and would retort each time, but she could never outmatch him and would ultimately end up embarrassed.
As for the man in white, he was Zheng Haonan, the third young master of the Zheng family. The Zheng family were hereditary generals, a family of meritorious officials in the Great Zhou Dynasty, with generations of heirs serving on the borders to protect the subjects of the Great Zhou. Zheng Haonan's elder brother, Zheng Nanjun, was constantly stationed at the front lines.
Zheng Haonan himself was indifferent, seemingly looking down on the original owner, but he never caused trouble. At least, he wasn't as detestable as Ming Xiajing.