Chapter 685 - 684: Not Without Reason
Mrs. Xia smiled and said, "We’re family, no need to be so formal! If it’s not enough, I’ll gather some more for you tomorrow!"
Xia Wenjin knew that if she were to gather more, she might have to sell the shop or land, so she quickly said, "It’s enough, it’s enough, Aunt, I’ve already mentioned I’m just starting small, this silver is already more than enough! No need to gather more!"
Since Aunt is considered a part of this, it’s just right to give her a share of the profits.
However, Xia Wenjin is sure that Mrs. Xia has no idea how much the share today will yield in profits in the future!
Mrs. Xia lovingly touched Xia Wenjin’s hair and said with a sigh, "I heard from Nanny Zhou that you don’t even have a maid by your side, and you have to handle everything yourself! If your mother were still here, she wouldn’t let you endure such hardships. Let Aunt take care of it in the future. You can choose any maid in the house that you fancy. If there’s none you like, I’ll ask the broker to send some over for you to choose from."
"Aunt, I’m not used to having a maid," Xia Wenjin said half-jokingly, half-playfully, resting against Mrs. Xia, "I can manage things well on my own. Suddenly having someone by my side would be so uncomfortable!"
Hearing this, Mrs. Xia felt even more pained, looking at this child. Other children have grown up pampered, but her Wenjin has grown up taking care of herself. A child without a mother is just pitiful, and the third brother being so rough and Sichen being a boy hadn’t thought about this.
Finally, Mrs. Xia decided to assign the two maids, Hong Tao and Hong Xing, from last time to Xia Wenjin. She earnestly said to Xia Wenjin, "Jin’er, I know you’re independent and used to being alone. But from now on, you need to get used to days with someone to care for you. In the Capital City, it’s not like how it was in the village. A young lady your age without even a maid would be laughed at. The daughters of the Xia Family cannot be underestimated by others."
Xia Wenjin immediately understood Mrs. Xia’s intention.
Mrs. Xia intended for her to slowly integrate into the circles of the ladies in the Capital City. If she wishes to integrate, she first has to be a young lady, and what young lady doesn’t have a maid?
Her business in the Capital City naturally needed access to this circle. Putting business aside, since she accepted Huangfu Jingchen’s affection, in future, she is bound to be a part of his life, though Aunt doesn’t know about her and Huangfu Jingchen’s matters; she is single-mindedly planning for her.
This painstaking effort, she must acknowledge.
The next day, when she returned to Xia Mansion, Hong Tao and Hong Xing followed her back.
After drinking heavily last night, Gu Hongxin, of course, returned to his own manor.
Early in the morning, Zhuo Pengju and two others were practicing martial arts in the courtyard.
This was typical in Haotian Village, and even now in the Capital City, they retained this habit.
Xia Wenjin got off the carriage and greeted easily, "Uncle Zhuo, Uncle Li, Uncle Hu!"
Zhuo Pengju and the others also smiled and said, "Wenjin is back."
"Yes, are you uncles comfortable living here? If you’re interested, you can go out. There’s a market on the east side that’s quite lively. Sometimes you might find something nice."
Zhuo Pengju waved and said, "Wenjin, come over here; Uncle has something to ask you."
"What is it, Fourth Uncle?"
Zhuo Pengju said, "Does your brother have a friend? Around this tall and very handsome." He then described the facial features of Huangfu they saw last night.
Xia Wenjin was startled, did Huangfu Jingchen come to Xia Mansion last night?
She said, "That’s my friend, there wasn’t any misunderstanding, was there?"
Zhuo Pengju, upon hearing this, breathed a sigh of relief and said, "There was almost a misunderstanding, he was nearly caught by your third uncle. However, he has great skills and left on his own."
Xia Wenjin’s eyes deepened, "Did Third Uncle come yesterday?"
"Yes, your third uncle was on a break, what do they call it? Break... Yes, rest! So he came over to drink with us."
Xia Wenjin glanced at Zhuo Pengju, then at Li Ling and Hu Zeqi, smiled and said, "Third Uncle surely persuaded you to find a position in the Capital like him?"
Zhuo Pengju laughed aloud, "How did you know, Wenjin?"
Xia Wenjin nonchalantly said, "He has also been persuading Second Uncle to convince my father! Fourth Uncle, what do you think?"
Zhuo Pengju scratched his head, "We’re just plain folks, used to the freedom in Jianghu, honestly, we don’t think much of it. But that would depend on what Big Brother says. If Big Brother is ready to take that path, we’d definitely follow him!"
Li and Hu nodded in agreement, "Yes, yes, we’re currently living well. Although they say people move up and water flows down, finding an official position isn’t that easy, is it? Third Village Chief said Young Master Xuan would help. We’re just thinking that such a big favor couldn’t be repaid, so better not owe it. We Jianghu people are free-spirited, no need for such entanglements!"
Zhuo Pengju added, "By the way, Wenjin, yesterday that young man mentioned your Second and Third Uncles were once imprisoned, and almost beheaded. What’s that about? We’ve never heard of it."
The three of them put away their postures, ready to rest.
Xia Wenjin also had some free time, so she recounted the incident.
Finding out that Hua Yuanming and Gu Hongxin were framed by the people they saved, sentenced to death, and even implicated Big Brother, though the case was later reinvestigated and they were exonerated. Despite Xia Wenjin speaking plainly without embellishment, Zhuo Pengju and the others were still taken aback, realizing how deep the waters in the Capital are.
Though Jianghu also has these kinds of intrigues, such clear-cut schemes made them frown.
Zhuo Pengju sighed and said, "Second and Third Brothers seem settled with their futures. We, as brothers, are happy for their prospects. But I’m used to freedom, preferring Jianghu. These early shifts and routine life, I can’t handle it."
Xia Wenjin knew she’d just dropped a bombshell that would take them some time to digest. As for how Fourth Uncle Zhuo and the others felt, she couldn’t control.
Everyone has their own ambitions. If they insisted on following Hua Yuanming and Gu Hongxin, Xia Wenjin wouldn’t stop them either.
Zhuo Pengju remembered something, asked quietly, "Wenjin, tell Fourth Uncle. You really don’t want to marry Young Master Xuan, is this engagement really canceled?"
Xia Wenjin nodded and said, "Yes! I will never marry Huangfu Yuxuan, so he is not one of us."
Zhuo Pengju understood, Wenjin was telling him that anyone taking favors from Huangfu Yuxuan shouldn’t think it’s taken for granted! Not a family, why would anyone help you? Was it heroism or ulterior motives?
Xia Wenjin simply dropped another bombshell, saying, "My father already told Huangfu Yuxuan about the engagement being broken, Second and Third Uncles’ jail time wasn’t without reason."