cold clothes

After pondering for a long time, Nongyue looked at Lengyi and asked, "What do you plan to do?"

“I don’t have any plans yet,” Leng Yi shrugged. “But you said that both Aunt Hu and Xia Hua are from the Xie family. Could Aunt Hu and Xia Hua be mother and daughter?”

“No, Aunt Hu is Xia Hua’s aunt,” Nong Yue said.

“This is what I think: since Madam Hu dotes on Xia Hua so much, she probably doesn’t want Xia Hua to become the top courtesan,” Leng Yi said, cautiously not revealing her deal with Yun Qiu.

"why?"

"Think about it, is being a courtesan a good thing? What made you become courtesans? If you were still a pampered young lady, would you have become a courtesan?"

Leng Yi's words pierced Nong Yue's heart, but she also had to admit that Leng Yi was right. If it weren't for that incident, she wouldn't be in such a miserable state... But then her mother's withered face flashed through her mind, and the flame in her heart reignited.

“You’re right, but—” Nongyue gritted her teeth, “If we don’t become the top courtesan, our situation will be even worse. How are we going to survive in Fengxiang Pavilion? If we don’t become the top courtesan… we’ll end up like Yunmei, not even having a complete corpse to die.”

"Yes, that's how it is, but Xia Hua has Mama Hu protecting her. Compared to Xia Hua becoming the top courtesan and showing her face in public, thus completely confirming her identity as a prostitute, Mama Hu would definitely prefer to hide her away and protect her."

Nongyue seemed to understand, "That seems to be true."

"So we can work with Aunt Hu to pick the summer flowers."

"What?! How could this be..." Nongyue screamed in disbelief.

Leng Yi quickly covered her mouth: "You can keep your voice down."

Nongyue exclaimed in shock, "We're cooperating with Aunt Hu... Is that even possible?"

Leng Yi's eyes narrowed, and a sense of confidence welled up within her. "Nothing is impossible. As long as we have value that Mama Hu needs, we can use it as a bargaining chip."

In the afternoon sunlight, the fine snow on the branches shimmered, and Leng Yi's deep blue eyes shone like gems under the sun, inexplicably convincing people. After hearing Leng Yi's plan, Nong Yue nodded in agreement with Leng Yi's idea, and the two became allies.

"When are we going to see Aunt Hu?" Nongyue asked.

"No rush, it seems like something big is going to happen soon... By the way, do you know what Yunqiu has been up to lately?"

Nongyue shook her head: "We don't know anything about Mama Hu and the courtesan's plans. Our main focus is on studying at Zhuoyu Pavilion."

"Alright then." Leng Yi nodded thoughtfully.

"I'm leaving now. What happened today is a secret between the two of us."

Leng Yi gave a wry smile: "You don't need to worry about me leaking things to anyone. I'm more worried that you and Wei Feng will team up against me."

"How could that be? To be honest, you are my accomplice in the love I had at first sight." Nongyue smiled at Lengyi, her smile as beautiful as the blooming flowers in March.

Hey, what are you talking to me about love at first sight when you're a girl?

After Nongyue went out, Lengyi lay wearily on the bed, her desire for a nap completely gone.

She lay on the bed with her mind blank for a while, then suddenly regretted what she had just said. Why didn't she agree to join Nongyue in plotting against Xia Hua? Yun Qiu would probably help her, and Hu Mama probably wouldn't do anything to her if she wanted to use her. Using a conspiracy with Nongyue seemed like the most direct and effortless approach. She wasn't some saint, so why... couldn't she make up her mind when she thought about harming Xia Hua?

She covered her eyes with a cold coat, seemingly still suffering from the aftereffects of her eye injury; she couldn't stand bright light anymore.