PROOFREAD BY AFREANA

Chapter 27.1

An Ruochen did a quick calculation in her heart. She glanced out the window. Big Long, Xie Gang, and Zong Zeqing were standing in the distance and seemed to be talking. Their eyes were not looking into the room, but with a slight turn of their heads, they could see her and Lu Daniang.

”Daniang.” An Ruochen leaned forward and got a little closer to her. She guessed she might be concerned about being on the military grounds.

She said softly, “There is nothing wrong with this money. I promised to work for the General. They will pay for my work. General Zong knows I have no money, so he lent me some first. I will pay him back in the future. The General knows I miss my nanny and allowed me to seek help from Daniang. You’ll never have any trouble for taking this money. There is no one else that knows about this matter except the generals. General Zong invited Daniang to come here, which should avoid the ears of others. The news about our meeting will not spread.”

After hearing her statement, Lu Daniang took the money off the table and held it in her palm. Her fist fell back into her lap, and An Ruochen could no longer see it.

An Ruochen let out a sigh of relief and said, “Thanks a lot, Daniang.”

”Young miss.” Lu Daniang did not accept An Ruochen’s courtesy, nor did she intend to say goodbye. She looked out the window again, turned her head back to stare at An Ruochen, and lowered her voice. “You should know my husband’s family was a military family. I married my husband, and I was away from him a lot, but he was very good to me. I gave him a son, and he was happy. He said it was good to have a son, a protector of the country. He also joked he was only a military commander, but maybe our son can become a general.”

Lu Daniang smiled when she said, “Of course, it’s just a joke. What I want to say is that I don’t know about other families. Military families are tough, but my husband was happy. He was proud to serve his country. Even if he was just a soldier, he was still proud. My son was the same. He was young, but he looked like his father. He resembled him and had the same temperament. That year, they both failed to return. People advised me to take advantage of the pension money to arrange a dowry and find another family. Otherwise, I would be lonely for the rest of my life. We, poor people, are not as famous as the noble wives who keep their honor and still have to consider their livelihood. I don’t. I can live well on my own and can’t betray my husband. I’m not afraid. As long as it’s the right thing to do, I will help and do it.”

An Ruochen listened quietly, guessing the meaning of Lu Daniang’s words, and felt touched in her heart.

”Miss, last time when we rented a house, I guessed it was for you. I thought you were afraid of being abused after marriage and wanted to leave a backup, to have a place to stay. I took your money because I wanted to offer you a peace of mind, but I was afraid you wouldn’t trust me to do it well and I entrust it to someone else instead. And if someone else were to go around and spread word about it, it would have been bad for you.”

”Daniang.” An Ruochen’s eyes were burning.

“I’m not looking for money. I haven’t touched a single penny of that money.” Lu Daniang poked her hand under the table, held An Ruochen’s palm on her knee, and slipped a cloth bag over. “Miss, are you in trouble? Are you being forced? What else can I do for you besides sending a message to your old nanny? It’s not easy for me to get into the Purple Cloud House. You might as well say what you have to say.”

An Ruochen’s nose was sore. How could she meet such a good and kind person?

“Daniang, I can’t take this money.” She pushed the cloth bag back to Lu Daniang, but Lu Daniang quickly retracted her hand.

“Take it. After all, you can’t live without money. This money belongs to you. If ……” Lu Daniang then quietly glanced out the window, “if you still plan to leave at some point or find a place to hide, you will always need some money to pay for it. After the old nanny leaves town, what other excuse could you use to invite me? You have to find a way to make yourself well.”

An Ruochen blinked hard and held back her tears. ”Daniang, General Long is a good man.” She glanced out the window, where the three were still talking. “They just happened to stand there to catch up, not to spy on me. If they wanted to monitor me, they would have found someone to watch me in the dark.”

Lu Daniang thought about it and found it reasonable. “How did you get here, and what are your plans for the future?”

An Ruochen shook her head: ”Daniang, it’s a long story, but you don’t have to worry about me. I am fine here. General Long saved me before, and now I will do something for him. I won’t run away again. My sister is missing, and I need to find her.”

“The fourth miss?”

An Ruochen nodded.

Lu Daniang said, “Okay, I will keep my eyes and ears open for you. If I find out any news on the fourth miss, I will tell you.”

An Ruochen said gratefully, “Thanks a lot, Daniang.”

”It’s my pleasure.” Lu Daniang calmly returned: “When you saved my life, I didn’t understand at first, but then many things happened. I thought about it and understood. I remember your kindness in my heart.”

An Ruochen’s tears finally fell: ”Daniang.” Since she had figured out everything, she should have understood that that house’s owner, surnamed Chen, and she were both dragged into danger by her An Ruochen. Still, Lu Daniang did not blame her and even thanked her for saving her life.

An Ruochen said, “I’ve wronged you.”

“I don’t blame you.” Lu Daniang said: “There is a head to blame. Those evil people do evil things. What does it have to do with you?” She paused and asked, “Those people, are they spies?”

An Ruochen nodded her head.

“You heard their secrets, didn’t you?”

An Ruochen nodded.