Chapter 015: This Maid Is Always Changing Her Mind

Chapter 015: This Maid Is Always Changing Her Mind

At this rate, Ruan Qinghuan was genuinely worried that the manipulative He An would leave her with nothing.

After returning to Changchun Garden and giving it much thought, she decided to confront He An. If they could have an honest conversation, it would be best to part ways amicably.

When she arrived at the study, she learned that He An had gone to the Ministry of Revenue and was not in the residence.

Feeling discouraged at missing him, Ruan Qinghuan decided to leave the residence and go for a stroll with Xia Lian to clear her mind.

The two arrived at a storefront on East Street, where the former tenant was in the process of moving out. Upon seeing Ruan Qinghuan, he hurriedly greeted her, "The owner has arrived! Please, come inside."

"After running a steamed bun shop for so long, you're closing just like that? Isn't it heartbreaking?"

"No choice, my elderly parents need someone to take care of them, and my wife is pregnant with our third child. So, we decided to return to our hometown for new opportunities."

As he spoke, his wife came out from the inner room, her belly noticeably pregnant for about six or seven months. Seeing this couple, both in their forties, expecting another child, Ruan Qinghuan truly admired their courage.

After chatting with the couple and stepping outside, she saw a familiar figure across the street. Upon closer look, it was Ruan Xiaoyue. Ruan Xiaoyue was chatting and laughing with a girl, selecting something at a jewelry stall.

The second branch of the Ruan family, struggling to cover the financial shortfall, would likely face severe financial difficulties. After all, the second aunt had invested the embezzled money into her natal family, which her brother had ultimately taken for himself.

When the Ruan family was still prosperous, Zheng Qiaohui could still obtain some funds, but after the Ruan family's fall, the Zheng family outright denied any debts.

As a result, the fates of the two daughters of the second branch were not very good.

As the two turned away, Ruan Qinghuan quickly hid behind a nearby stall.

She overheard the girl next to her say, "I heard that the Flower Appreciation Gathering during the Beijing Trade event invited only the dignitaries of the capital. When the time comes, let's go together, and I'll ask my brother to reserve a good spot for you."

"Wouldn't that be too much trouble?" Ruan Xiaoyue looked shy, "If Brother Pei, the commander, gets criticized because of this, it wouldn't be good."

"How could it be? The security for that event is specifically assigned to my brother by the second prince. Just wait for my message."

As they walked away, Xia Lian said angrily, "Second Miss is giving away favors with money. That hairpin she gave to that girl cost five taels of silver. This is just too much..."

"Forget it, let's go."

In the original story, Ruan Xiaoyue's interactions with the Pei family happened much later, when she accidentally met Pei Chong on the street, and he became interested in her...

Unexpectedly, after the events changed, their meeting occurred much earlier.

Pei Chong was obsessed with the Ruan family's wealth, hoping to gain favor with the second prince through it. Moreover, since Ruan Qinghuan was not favored in the Prime Minister's residence, they had even less hesitation, wishing they could just snatch everything directly.

Ruan Qinghuan's mood became increasingly low. Passing by a teahouse, she went inside.

Finding a private room to sit down, she sent Xia Lian to buy some things from the street. There were some matters she needed to carefully consider.

Ever since she transmigrated here, all she thought about was how to get rid of He An, neglecting some more critical issues.

The Ruan family was indeed wealthy. Over the years, her father had spent a lot of money to maintain the family's safety. Whenever there was a disaster, the Ruan family was always the first to donate.

Even so, officials often secretly demanded bribes and embezzled funds. Her father could only resolve issues with money.

Unbeknownst to them, this approach was like feeding a wolf, only fueling the greed of those involved.

For example, in the original story, the commander of the capital guard, who became the second branch's son-in-law, used his service to the second prince as an excuse to make large demands after marrying Ruan Xiaoyue, borrowing money that was never repaid.

The Ruan family was one of the wealthiest merchant families in the capital, but lacking the support of an influential official family, Ruan's father, despite knowing that the marriage with the Prime Minister's residence was a step above their status, was unwilling to give up this opportunity.

The higher you climb, the more exposed you are to danger. With the current undercurrents in the court, one misstep could lead to the Ruan family's downfall.

It seems I will have to wait a bit longer and observe the situation.

She was so lost in thought by the window that she didn’t even notice someone had been watching her for a while. It wasn’t until the door was pushed open that Ruan Qinghuan turned her head, and upon seeing the visitor, surprise quickly turned into extreme joy. She immediately stood up and went forward to welcome the person.

**

"Are you certain?" Liu Yueru, still troubled about the incident in the study from last night, perked up at once upon hearing this.

The maid nodded confidently. "It's absolutely true. I saw it with my own eyes. The young lady was acting intimately with that man, and then they closed the bedroom door. Moreover, the maid wasn’t in the room."

"How can you be sure?"

"When I left, I saw Xia Lian just returning from outside."

Liu Yueru was excited upon hearing this.

Who would have thought that the usually cold and distant Ruan Qinghuan was up to something behind the scenes? She was eager to see if He An would still protect her this time.

"Miss, should we tell the Prime Minister about this right away? Perhaps he’ll be so angry that he’ll divorce her immediately."

"No, we can’t rush this. If we reveal it now and Ruan Qinghuan denies it, we’ll have no way to prove anything," Liu Yueru said with a smug look. "Besides, they were in a teahouse. It’s hard to say if anything improper happened. As the saying goes, catch the adulterers in the act. Keep an eye out and make sure we have solid evidence."

"Yes, miss."

When Xia Lian returned after buying the things, she found that the young lady seemed like a completely different person. Ruan Qinghuan, who had been gloomy earlier, was now all smiles as she headed back to the Prime Minister's residence.

At the entrance of the Prime Minister's residence, Ruan Qinghuan bumped into He An. He An thought she would avoid him, but to his surprise, she waved cheerfully at him and said, "Welcome home, my husband."

He An: "..."

As he watched her skip into the inner courtyard, He An’s brow furrowed in confusion. "Has anything happened in the residence today?"

Jiang Ming, who had been following the Prime Minister, didn’t know what had transpired. He called Jiang Chen to ask, but there was nothing out of the ordinary.

Taking a deep breath, He An wondered how this girl could change so quickly. Unable to understand her sudden change, he returned to his study, reviewed the evidence collected from various places, and angrily slammed it on the table. "These are clearly just perfunctory and useless."

Jiang Ming: "The rain in Lu City this year came even earlier than last year, and the situation doesn’t look optimistic. If another major flood hits, the temporary dam constructed last year may not withstand the pressure."

"Send a copy of these to the Crown Prince's estate. Tomorrow, I’ll visit the Crown Prince's estate. Also, keep an eye on Liang Country. If Lu City is affected, it will impact the supply of military equipment and rations. Liang Country might take the opportunity to invade."

"Yes."

After dealing with the backlog of tasks, He An leaned back in his chair. Though troubled by financial matters, thoughts of Ruan Qinghuan’s lively charm lifted his spirits. "Tell them we’ll have dinner at Changchun Garden tonight."