Quick Wear: Saving Three Thousand Matches

The Yun Mansion's study was filled with the faint scent of ink and tea. The setting sun shone through the carved window lattices onto the ground, forming patches of mottled light and shadow.

Xiao Shu filled a cup of steaming hot tea and placed it on the desk.

"Master, I was passing by the East Courtyard yesterday and heard the accountant complaining privately that Madam Li was going to the account office to withdraw silver every two or three days, and each time she would withdraw over a hundred taels!"

Yun Chenyu was about to reach out to pick up the exquisite teacup on the table, but after hearing this, his movements paused slightly.

After a brief pause, he slowly reached out his hand, held the cup steadily, and took a sip of the hot tea in the cup.

After a moment, he put down his teacup and said calmly, "Tonight at midnight, go and ask the accountant to come here and bring the account books."

After saying this, he slightly emphasized his tone and added: "Be careful and try to avoid the people over there."

Xiao Shu nodded in understanding and replied, "Xiao Shu understands, Master, don't worry."

Then he turned and left the study and began to prepare for the evening.

Yun Chenyu sat behind the desk, gazing thoughtfully at the scenery outside the window, but what he was thinking about was the attack he encountered on his way back to the city.

He was attacked twice when he returned to the Imperial City. If the mastermind behind this is the same person, then his mother... might not be so cruel.

At the hour of Hai, Xiao Shu quietly entered the study with the accountant.

"I've met the second young master..."

The accountant handed over the account book tremblingly, bowed and stood aside.

Yun Chenyu took the account book, glanced at him, and said calmly, "Tell me the truth. What did Madam Li use all this money for?"

The accountant hesitated for a moment and said, "I asked about it in a subtle way, but Madam Li only said it was the old lady's order and refused to reveal the specific purpose."

Yun Chenyu was looking through the accounts, tapping the table lightly with his fingers.

According to the accounts, Nanny Li has spent nearly five hundred taels of silver in recent days, but the purpose of the money is unclear.

"Starting tomorrow, no one in the old lady's courtyard is allowed to withdraw money from the accounting office, and the monthly allowance cannot be withdrawn in advance. If mother asks, just say that it was my order." Yun Chenyu said coldly.

The accountant nodded hurriedly and said yes. After Xiao Shu saw him off, he returned to the study.

"Young Master, if this continues, I'm afraid the old lady won't let it go." Xiao Shu said worriedly.

Yun Chenyu curled up the corner of his mouth into a cold smile, "It doesn't matter, the love between a loving mother and a filial son only appears in storybooks."

After hearing this, Xiao Shu's eyes flashed with a trace of heartache, and he stood aside without saying a word.

*

In the palace, Jin Jiusi came to Ningkang Palace where the empress dowager lived under the pretext of visiting a sick person.

"Your Highness, I've already told you that the Queen Mother is resting. The Imperial Physician said it's inappropriate to disturb her. Please come back tomorrow."

The old nanny beside the empress dowager kept stopping Jin Jiusi from entering and didn't even look at her, the legitimate princess.

Kong Kong: [Master, she is also the Queen Mother's confidant. She grew up with the Queen Mother and can be said to be the Queen Mother's most loyal dog.]

Jin Jiusi had been held captive by her and her men for nearly half a minute. Her patience was exhausted, and she looked coldly at the people standing in front of her.

This old guy is so arrogant, he has not seen the miserable plight of the old eunuch yet, so he dares to be so arrogant.

As expected of someone who came from a palace, his eyes are on top of his head.

Jin Jiusi's patience had been worn out, and she suddenly chuckled as she looked at the person in front of her.

Everyone was mesmerized by her smile. The people in Zhaoyang Palace were naturally much calmer, while the people in Kangning Palace had stars in their eyes.

"Come here, take down this wicked slave who offended me. I am concerned about the safety of my mother, the Queen Mother, and have come to visit her to show my filial piety. Are you stopping me because you want me to be labeled as an unfilial person?" Jin Jiusi said softly.

As soon as she finished speaking, the eunuchs behind her immediately went to arrest the person.

Seeing this, the old nanny took out a whip and lashed it at the eunuchs, "Who do you think you are? How dare you come and take advantage of me?"

After being whipped a few times, several eunuchs took a few steps back and turned to look at Jin Jiusi.

Jin Jiusi took a few steps towards the old nanny with a bright smile on his face.

Just as the old lady was thinking about what she wanted to do, she was suddenly kicked out with a bang and hit the lamppost not far away heavily.

The lamp fell down, and the old lady fell to the ground with a trace of blood flowing from the corner of her mouth.

All the palace maids and eunuchs present were so shocked by her kick that they stood still and dared not move.

Jin Jiusi retracted his foot and patted the non-existent dust on his dress. "Who do you think you are? How dare you touch my servant?"

As she spoke, she turned and ordered the eunuchs, "Go, take her down. If you let her break free, I will punish you by not allowing you to eat for three days."

Several eunuchs reacted immediately, rolled up their sleeves and walked towards the old lady.

Jin Jiusi signaled Hong Que, who was carrying the "Tonic Soup," to follow her and headed towards Kangning Palace. Just as she was about to enter, she suddenly remembered something and said to the eunuchs, "By the way, I don't want to hear her voice. Find a way to make her shut up."

"You, you can't... mmm..."

The old lady was pinned to the ground, unable to move, with someone's sock stuffed in her mouth.

Jin Jiusi stepped into Kangning Palace, where there was silence.

There were several young palace maids guarding the bedroom. When they saw Jin Jiusi, they immediately bowed and saluted.

Jin Jiusi raised his hand and motioned for them to stand up.

She walked around the screen and saw the empress dowager sitting on the bed with a pale face.

Kong Kong: [Master, she is pretending to be sick.]

"Xiaojiu is here. You have been recuperating in the mountains since you were a child. Your mother has missed you all these years." The Queen Mother pretended to wipe the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief.

What a bunch of losers, they couldn't even stop anyone.

"Xiaojiu misses mother too." Jin Jiusi said, tears filling his eyes.

Seeing this, the Queen Mother quickly comforted her, "Don't cry, Xiaojiu. Isn't your mother back?"

Humph, it’s still under my control.

Jin Jiusi smiled and said softly, "It's still the Queen Mother who loves Xiaojiu." Then she turned to look at Hongque, "Hongque, bring the tonic soup over."

"Yes." Redbird responded and walked forward with the tonic soup.

Jin Jiusi took the soup bowl, opened the lid, and a rich aroma immediately filled the bedroom.

She handed the lid to Redbird and gently stirred the spoon with a barely perceptible glint in her eyes.

The Queen Mother looked at the bowl of soup, feeling slightly uneasy. "Thank you, Xiaojiu, for your concern. I just took medicine and shouldn't eat any more."

I sent someone to give her a warning, but she came to Kangning Palace to deliver tonic soup the next moment. There must be something fishy going on.

And those few pieces of trash, they’ve been gone for so long, why haven’t they come back yet?

"Don't worry, mother. This tonic soup is not in conflict with other medicinal properties. I specially added thousand-year-old snow ginseng and mountain blueberry fruit. It is very nourishing. Please try it, mother."

When the Queen Mother heard that there were thousand-year-old snow ginseng and mountain ash fruit, the rejection on her face softened a little.

The smile in Jin Jiusi's eyes grew even brighter as he scooped up a spoonful of soup. "Are you afraid, mother, that your son will poison you? Then I can try it for you first..."

"No, no need. Give it to the Queen Mother. Xiaojiu is so thoughtful."

The Queen Mother took the bowl of soup handed to her by Jin Jiusi. The aroma hit her. She scooped a mouthful of soup and brought it to her mouth. After hesitating for a moment, she opened her mouth and drank it.