After the death of the host: the tyrant cried red eyes

The next morning, the sun was just beginning to break through the clouds, and Shen Bingning set out for the money shop with a heavy load of silver in her arms.

Following beside her was her personal maid Qing'er. The little girl was as nervous as a hen protecting her chicks. She looked around, fearing that some trouble might arise along the way and that their hard-earned money would be in danger.

Walking into the bank, the shopkeeper skillfully checked each silver ingot and said, "A total of 1,500 taels. Miss, do you want to save all of it, or do you want to exchange it for some silver notes for use outside?"

"Please keep them all and exchange them for silver notes that can be used abroad."

Shen Bingning pondered for a moment and gave an answer.

The shopkeeper patted his chest and assured: "Don't worry, the silver bills of our bank are highly reputable and can be exchanged anywhere without any hindrance!"

After thinking for a while, Shen Bingning added, "Then please exchange it for two small-denomination silver notes of fifty taels, and the rest for large-denomination silver notes of one hundred taels."

The shopkeeper quickly agreed and started handling the business efficiently.

In just a cup of tea, Shen Bingning had already left the bank with a thick stack of silver bills, a look of slight satisfaction on her face.

"Let's go buy some clothes suitable for wearing outside."

She knew that the gorgeous costumes in the palace were not suitable for her current status, not to mention that Qing'er also needed to buy some new clothes.

The two left side by side, blending into the bustling crowd and starting a new day.

In the south of the capital, hidden in the bustling streets, there is a small and exquisite courtyard with green tiles and white walls, quiet and elegant.

Zheng Huirong, a woman who once enjoyed all the splendor, is now sitting in this small world, gently opening her red lips and tasting the freshly baked dim sum that she made herself.

She picked up one with her delicate fingertips, put it into her mouth, closed her eyes and savored it carefully. The expected sweetness did not come as expected. Instead, a faint bitterness spread on the tip of her tongue, making her frown. Finally, she could not bear it anymore and spit it out.

“I’ve tried it so many times, but why is the taste still so unsatisfactory?”

Zheng Huirong was upset, a look of frustration appeared on her delicate face. She reluctantly threw away the remaining snacks one by one, and seemed to be throwing away her own infatuation.

Then, she slowly put on a thin veil that covered her face that no longer belonged to the palace, and walked out of the mottled door with small steps.

Following the winding path in her memory, Zheng Huirong passed through the streets where noise and tranquility were intertwined, and finally arrived at a famous dim sum shop in the city.

Her footsteps were light, as if she was stepping on past memories, crossing the threshold and entering that world full of sweet fragrance.

The shopkeeper, an old man who looked weathered but had gentle eyes, immediately put down his work upon seeing this, came up to her with a smile and asked, "Miss, what kind of snacks would you like to choose? We have a wide variety of snacks here, and there is definitely one that can satisfy your taste buds."

Without thinking, Zheng Huirong let out a nostalgic smile and casually listed a few names. Those were the flavors she often enjoyed in the palace and they were unforgettable to her.

The shopkeeper's eyes flickered when he heard this, and he kindly reminded her, "Hey, young lady, these things you mentioned are all our signature items, so they are naturally expensive. Are you sure you want to buy them?"

The shopkeeper's concerns were not unnecessary. After all, although the woman in front of him was wearing a veil and her true appearance was difficult to see, the cloth clothes she was wearing were obviously not in line with the price of these high-end snacks.

He was afraid that she would get excited on a whim, but end up being short of money, which would only add to the embarrassment.

These words were like cold water poured over Zheng Huirong's head, causing her to suddenly wake up and realize that her life was no longer as good as before, and her purse was empty.

She pursed her lips and asked in a slightly awkward voice, "So, how much silver do the snacks I ordered just now cost?"

The shopkeeper calculated and replied, "Ten taels of silver in total."

Hearing this number, Zheng Huirong's hand unconsciously reached for her almost empty pocket. The pitiful one or two taels of silver in it seemed so insignificant.

She hesitated for a moment, but soon made a decision. She took out her only one ounce of silver and said with a forced smile, "Then please pack two cost-effective and delicious snacks for me. This is all the silver I have."

The shopkeeper took the money without saying anything and went back to work, leaving Zheng Huirong standing alone at the door, looking at the bustling streets where rich girls accompanied by maids and dressed in gorgeous clothes were coming and going.

There were many faces among them that she had known in the past, and this scene made her feel mixed emotions.

She used to be of such a prominent status, but now she can't even afford a piece of her favorite cake. It's really sad to see how fickle the world is.

Just as she was lost in thought, she accidentally caught a glimpse of a familiar figure appearing at the door of the shop opposite. At first she thought it was her illusion, until she saw that the person was followed by Shen Bingning's personal maid Qing'er, and her doubts disappeared.

"Hasn't she already returned to the palace from the County Villa? Why would she leave the palace again?"

Zheng Huirong murmured to herself, her eyes closely following the two people's receding backs, her heart filled with confusion and anxiety.

Just at this moment, the shopkeeper handed over some carefully packaged snacks, breaking her thoughts.

"Girl, your snacks are ready, please take your time."

Zheng Huirong took the snacks and without staying for long, she hurriedly followed Shen Bingning's trail.

On the other side, Qing'er was holding the newly purchased clothes, and she kept persuading her: "Miss, I have enough clothes to replace. You really don't need to spend money on me. You might as well buy more for yourself. You still have very few clothes."

Faced with Qing'er's thoughtfulness, Shen Bingning just smiled and made up her mind secretly.

Since the moment she took Qing'er away from the palace, she wanted to gradually change Qing'er's humble mentality as a maid, so that she could also feel the self-esteem and happiness of being a human being.

At this moment, she caught a glimpse of a jewelry store out of the corner of her eye, and the dazzling array of hairpins inside attracted her attention.

Shen Bingning thought that Qing'er also needed some decorations to embellish herself, so she took Qing'er's hand and stepped into that dazzling world together.

The various hairpins in the store sparkled brightly. Shen Bingning gently asked Qing'er beside her, "Qing'er, which one do you like?"

Qing'er thought Shen Bingning was seeking her opinion, so she pointed to a finely carved hollow crabapple flower hairpin with admiration in her eyes: "This one is simple yet elegant, very suitable for the girl..."

Before Qing'er could finish her words, Shen Bingning had already picked up the jade hairpin and gently inserted it into Qing'er's hair.

"This is the one. It suits you very well."

Qing'er was stunned for a moment, then she realized that these were all prepared for her, and she quickly declined, "Miss, Qing'er doesn't need such a hairpin on a normal day."

As he spoke, he was about to take it off.