Meng Shuhui fell silent for a while before nodding,

“Yes.” With that, she brought up the Ye family’s situation.



Ye Erxun, a naturally gifted scholar, had been immersed in books and poetry since he first began his studies.



In recent years, under the guidance of a renowned master, his knowledge had advanced even further.



Three years ago, he passed the provincial examination and became a provincial graduate.



This year, the triennial metropolitan examination was being held in the capital.



He had bid farewell to his family early on, rented a boat to travel north to the capital, and was now residing in a quiet courtyard, diligently reviewing the classics day and night.



In conclusion, she remarked,



“From the looks of it, he must be aiming for the laurels of the palace exams and striving for an official rank.” Gu Xiyan listened, momentarily at a loss for words.



After a while, she chuckled,



“His rent here is cheap, and the money we have now can sustain us for a while.



Besides, he and my brother were once schoolmates, so we are old acquaintances in a way.



Given the predicament we’ve fallen into, he can always lend us a hand in various matters.” Meng Shuhui sighed,



“I’ve thought about it too.



As a single widow with two children, living under the same roof as a man might stir gossip, as the proverb says about avoiding suspicion.



But upon careful consideration, ‘when the granary is full, one knows propriety and courtesy.’ We’re now nearly on the verge of homelessness, struggling even to secure our next meal, so we can’t afford to worry about such things.



Let’s just rent his house.” Gu Xiyan deeply agreed,



“What times are these?



Where do we get such high-minded scruples?



If anyone disapproves, let them rent us a separate, independent courtyard.



If they’re unwilling to pay, yet feel entitled to point fingers at us, such people—it’s best to ignore them altogether.” Meng Shuhui was taken aback for a moment, then smiled,



“Alright, we’re really on the same page.” Gu Xiyan said,



“No wonder we are as close as sisters.” Frowning, she pondered further,



“Actually, I have another thought.



This Second Master Ye is preparing for the imperial examination, so he must study diligently.



The ancients chose their neighbors carefully; Mencius’ mother moved three times to find a suitable environment for her son.



If our Jing’er and Ming’er have such a good neighbor, watching him study hard every day, it would surely benefit them in some way.” Meng Shuhui agreed wholeheartedly.



She immediately summoned Stewardess Sun and gave her two taels of silver, asking her to secure the house as quickly as possible.



Stewardess Sun promptly went to handle the matter.



At this point, Gu Xiyan felt relieved.



At the very least, Meng Shuhui and her two children would no longer have to rely on the Duke’s Mansion and endure others’ disdain.



With a place to shelter from wind and rain, no matter how tough the days ahead might be, they could persevere and endure.



Once peace is restored, there will still be many things to worry about.



My elder brother died in the coastal defense garrison after encountering Japanese pirates.



How should this be calculated?



Does it count as sacrificing one’s life for the country?



If it does, will the coastal defense garrison offer any compensation?



Due to the great distance and the lack of anyone to take charge at home, there was simply no way to follow up on these matters.



Now, it’s time to find a way to inquire.



If we can get even a small amount of compensation from the government, that would be even better.



Gu Xiyan once again thought of Lu Chenglian, recalling that he had promised to look into matters in Ningzhou.



She wondered if she could also ask about this matter.



But there was no need to rush—it had to be approached slowly.



Meng Shuhui was evidently quite impatient, urging Nanny Sun to quickly settle the matter.



Fortunately, they were all familiar acquaintances, and the other party was quite reasonable, offering a fair price.



They also mentioned adding a door between the west annex courtyard and the main courtyard, usually kept locked, which would help avoid suspicion.



Gu Xiyan was overjoyed to hear this, thinking to herself that this person was truly sincere.



She couldn’t help but entertain a somewhat self-satisfied notion—perhaps he was also recalling their past affection.



But such thoughts were too embarrassing to voice, so she kept them to herself.



Back in the day, when she chose not to marry him and instead married into a prestigious noble family in the capital, everyone believed she had climbed the social ladder.



Who would have thought that, in just a few years, she would fall to such a state, having to ask for Second Master Ye’s help?



The irony was almost laughable.



If she had any pride at all, she would certainly not accept this favor.



But alas, she had none!



She let out a quiet sigh in her heart and began to calculate the daily expenses for a family of three—food, shelter, and all the necessities.



This wasn’t just for a day or two, and even with the utmost frugality, thirty taels of silver wouldn’t stretch far enough.



She would have to make careful plans.



And so, she started tallying up the few belongings she had on hand.



Gu Xiyan’s parents had always doted on her dearly.



Since she had married into a higher social status, her parents, fearing she might be mistreated, spared no expense in preparing a generous dowry for her.



However, after the family’s misfortunes—being raided, her father having to navigate the aftermath, her mother falling ill, and her brother imprisoned—layer upon layer of troubles weighed down on them.



The valuable dowry she once possessed had nearly been exhausted, leaving little more than an empty shell behind.



She rummaged through her chest and pulled out that grand cloak.



It was undoubtedly a fine piece and could fetch some silver, yet she couldn’t help feeling it wouldn’t be enough.



There were simply too many places where money was needed now; she had to find a way to gather more.



Truth be told, she did have some head ornaments, though their styles appeared somewhat outdated now.



Yet, being made of solid gold, they were still worth a fair amount of silver.



Yet she was, after all, the young mistress of the Duke’s Mansion.



In case of any incidents, she had to maintain appearances and couldn’t be too plain.



If the old lady or her mother-in-law asked, she couldn’t seem utterly destitute.



Thus, she dared not part with all her jewelry; some had to remain in place to prop up an empty façade.



So in the end, Gu Xiyan searched high and low and only managed to find a gold bracelet to pawn.



It was solid through and through, weighing a full two liang, and could probably fetch a decent sum of silver.



But she was still reluctant to let go of this gold bracelet, after all, it was a gift from Lu Chengyuan.



After she married Lu Chengyuan, they were deeply in love and inseparable.



He would buy her gold jewelry, the bracelet patterns were all the trendy styles of that time.



Lu Chengyuan once promised that he would give her a solid piece of gold jewelry every year from then on, gradually accumulating them.



This way, she would have a pile of gold tucked away at the bottom of her box.



Back then, her heart overflowed with nothing but happiness.



Never did I imagine that such affection would vanish into nothing within just half a year.



If Lu Chengyuan were still alive, and they had children—or even if they had no children—with her husband’s support, she would now walk through the Duke’s mansion with a confident stride, and she would speak with authority.



Right now, the matter with Meng Shuhui and her nephew and niece is simply something to mention to a man; he would arrange support outside, there’s no need to make a fuss over it.



But Gu Xiyan quickly pulled herself together.



Life is an unpredictable journey, but for now, she needed to focus on the practical.



If she looked on the bright side, as a widow, she was still far better off than those left in poverty.



At least she had the support of the Duke’s estate, with a monthly stipend of five taels of silver.



If she lived frugally and saved up to help Meng Shuhui raise the two children, it could still offer some hope for the future.



Thus, she steeled her heart, gathered the gold bracelet and fur cloak, and decided to give them to Qiu Sang, asking her to find the right time to leave the estate and pawn them off.



Who would have thought that while tidying up, Zhou Qing’s wife arrived, but it was to deliver fabrics.



Last time, both she and Zhou Qing’s wife couldn’t hold back and said everything that needed to be said.



This time, when Zhou Qing’s wife saw her, she was quite polite.



Seeing this, Gu Xiyan also gave her a way out, chatting and laughing along for a few moments.



Just as they were chatting and laughing, Meng Shuhui heard the commotion and came over to greet them.



While Zhou Qingjia was speaking, she kept casting glances at Meng Shuhui.



Meng Shuhui, who had originally dressed rather shabbily, was now wearing Gu Xiyan’s old clothes, but they still looked a bit ill-fitting and somewhat awkward overall.



Zhou Qingjia withdrew her gaze.



“These fabrics nowadays are all the latest patterns for this year.



Spring is around the corner, and the weather is getting warmer—it’s the perfect time to have a new dress tailored.” Gu Xiyan caught a faint sense of superiority in Zhou Qingjia’s eyes and couldn’t help but find it amusing.



What was there to look at?



So what if she was poor?



If she weren’t poor, she wouldn’t have had to come seek shelter with her sister-in-law!



Meng Shuhui noticed the displeasure on Gu Xiyan’s face, but she continued to speak softly and calmly with Zhou Qingjia.



When Zhou Qingjia was finally seen off, and she entered the house with Gu Xiyan, she then persuaded,



“Now that things have come to this, I’ve grown accustomed to the disdainful looks from others, and it doesn’t bother me much anymore.



It’s just that I feel bad for dragging you down with me in this embarrassing situation.” Upon hearing this, Gu Xiyan realized that during the time Meng Shuhui had been dependent on her elder brother, her life might not have been easy.



The hardship of living under someone else’s roof had long since smoothed away her former pride, which was why she could now face everything with such composure.



I’m just getting started!



She felt a pang of heartache and a twinge of guilt, but ultimately suppressed it, saying,



“Sister-in-law is right, but it’s nothing serious—just a temporary hardship.



Once we get through it, everything will be fine.” With that, she placed the fabric on the bed, spreading it out to take a closer look.



Meng Shuhui also came over to help lay it out.



The cloth was naturally of high quality—a tribute item, not easily obtainable in the market.



However, as they looked, Chunlan noticed something from the side and exclaimed,



“Oh, what a shame!” At her words, both Meng Shuhui and Gu Xiyan finally saw that a section of the fabric was stained, though it was unclear how it had gotten dirty.



Meng Shuhui furrowed her brow and lightly brushed her fingertip over the stain.



Just then, Qiu Sang approached as well:



“This is lamp oil that got spilled.



I know exactly how it happened!” It turned out that on that very day, she happened to be passing by the Fourth Young Mistress’s Emerald Courtyard and spotted a maid named Xiutao crying in a secluded corner outside.



Being somewhat acquainted with Xiutao, she asked what had happened and learned that in the room, Nanny Lin was supposed to be watching over the young master, but when she needed to wash her hair, she asked Xiutao to keep an eye on him for a moment.



Unexpectedly, in that brief lapse of attention, the young master ended up spilling lamp oil onto a piece of fabric.



The fine material was completely ruined, leaving everyone frustrated and angry—and Xiutao was the one who ended up being scolded for it.



Gu Xiyan listened to this account while examining the fabric.



Only a single layer was stained by the oil, indicating it had been soiled after being laid out flat.



Moreover, it appeared someone had tried their best to salvage it but couldn’t, so they had to give up and roll the fabric back up.



She immediately understood in her heart: after the goods were delivered, the Fourth Young Mistress had taken one piece for herself.



It accidentally got soiled by a child, so she stuffed it back to have it handled.



Who would have guessed that someone below would slip this soiled piece to her, making her swallow this injustice in silence.



She sneered coldly:



“And here I thought we were joking around—turns out she’s a smiling fox, hiding malice in her heart!



I should have opened it right then and thrown the cloth in her face!” However, Meng Shuhui said,



“Actually, there’s no need to be upset.



It’s a fine piece of goods—it would be a pity to waste it just like that.



Only this spot is soiled; it doesn’t affect the rest at all.



When cutting the fabric, just avoid that area.



Use some clever thinking—maybe mend it or embroider a pattern over it to conceal the stain.



It won’t be noticeable at all.” She comforted her, saying,



“Now that I’m here, I’ve already dragged you into suffering.



It’s better to avoid causing more trouble.



This piece of fabric is still good material—having something is better than having nothing.” Upon hearing this, Gu Xiyan thought that since Meng Shuhui was currently staying with her, going to investigate now would inevitably lead to people gossiping about this and that.



Who knows what other excuses might be fabricated from outside, and she had no need to get caught up in it.



So, for the time being, she suppressed her anger.



As she looked at this piece of fabric again, she found herself utterly displeased.



She had no intention of using it herself, nor did she want her sister-in-law to use it.



After all, it was something picked up—out of sight, out of mind!



Thus, she said,



“Then let’s just pawn it off.



At least we can get some silver out of it and spare ourselves the trouble of looking at such an eyesore.” Meng Shuhui responded,



“That works too.



After all, it’s a fine material from the south.



We’ll just cut off this part and accept a discount on the price, but we can still pawn it for a bit of silver.” After leaving the palace, Lu Chenglian didn’t ride his horse but sat in the carriage instead.



He lazily leaned against the window, his gaze drifting idly outside.



The streets of Yanjing were bustling, but watching the bustling crowds only left him feeling utterly bored.



His royal grandmother doted on him excessively, eager to give him the best of everything.



Today, she urged the emperor to arrange a marriage for him.



Yet his grandmother was so particular that not even a goddess descending from the heavens seemed good enough for him in her eyes.



The emperor pressed the matter too, saying,



“Just agree to it for now.



You’re already in your twenties—it’s about time you settle down.” Yet he only felt disinterested.



His royal grandmother had also arranged for him to meet various noble ladies, each naturally possessing unparalleled beauty and cultivated both inside and out, but he felt no enthusiasm.



The thought of spending a lifetime with any of them only deepened his weariness.



Because of this, he had even begun to seriously reflect on the Third Prince’s words.



The Third Prince suggested that he might have some impediment in matters of love and even taught him a method for self-assessment.



At this thought, Lu Chenglian’s expression momentarily faltered.



He couldn’t help but feel amused, raising a finger to rub the tip of his brow.



What was he even thinking about?



He let out a soft sigh, and as his gaze swept absentmindedly outside the window, a figure on the bustling street caught his eye.



It was just an ordinary, unremarkable figure, yet Lu Chenglian found himself staring for a few moments longer.



His eyesight had always been exceptionally sharp, so he immediately recognized her at a glance—this was the maid beside Gu Xiyan, seemingly named Qiu Sang.



It was clear that Qiu Sang had just emerged from a nearby shop.



Lu Chenglian raised his eyes to look, and the shop’s sign was strikingly displayed with gold characters on a black background: Song Family Pawnshop.



He slightly cupped his chin, pondered for a moment, then called over his attendant and instructed, “That woman in the green skirt over there looks somewhat familiar.” The attendant listened, craned his neck to look over, then chuckled, “She’s a maid from the mansion, named Qiu Sang.



I’ve seen her before—she’s beside our Sixth Young Mistress.” Lu Cheng Lian ordered,



“Go ask that pawnshop and see what she did.” The servant was about to leave when Lu Cheng Lian added,



“This matter does not need to be made public; just keep it to yourself.” The servant quickly acknowledged and hurried off to the pawnshop, returning soon after with the information he had gathered.



He promptly reported back,



“It is said she came to pawn some items—a cloak, a gold bracelet, and a piece of fabric.



The fabric was pawned for good, said to be slightly stained, though the material itself is exceptionally fine and rare on the market.



The cloak and gold bracelet were pawned with the option to redeem.” Gold bracelet?



Lu Chenglian slightly narrowed his eyes and motioned for the servant to leave.



The carriage continued onward.



Lu Chenglian gazed out the window at the bustling crowd and prosperous shops lining the streets.



Yet his thoughts drifted back to that year, when the newlywed Lu Chengyuan rode his horse excitedly to Jin Yu Lou to commission a pair of gold bracelets, carefully selecting an auspicious pattern at the time.



He certainly knew that Lu Chengyuan intended to give that bracelet to his new wife; back then, Lu Chengyuan was radiant with joy, at the peak of his success.



Who could have imagined that in less than three years, that golden bracelet would end up being pawned at a pawnshop.



Thinking of this, Lu Chenglian let out a faint, soft laugh.