Xiangning’s bedroom is the big house in the middle of the second floor of the front yard.

Cuiyun led Lin Qingqing into the room. A faint fragrance of osmanthus came, which relieved Lin Qingqing's nervous mood. She had heard Xiangrou say that the bedrooms of the three sisters in charge were exquisitely decorated and gorgeously furnished, but she did not dare to look around at this time.

Cuiyun said to the inner room: "Sister Ning, Xiangyin is here."

There was no answer inside. After a few minutes, Xiang Ning slowly walked out of the inner room. She wore a silk nightgown with fashionable long curly hair behind her ears and put it on one side. Even without applying any makeup, she was still bright and charming.

She was supported by Cuiyun and sat in front of the mirror. Xiangning only ordered Cuiyun to help her dress up, but ignored Lin Qingqing.

After putting on his head and painting his makeup, Cui Yun whispered to Xiangning, "Sister Ning, Xiangyin has been standing for almost an hour..."

Xiang Ning looked at the mirror again, then turned around and looked at Lin Qingqing with a squinted eyes. Cuiyun felt enlightened and closed the door and left with the excuse of taking the bird's nest.

Although Lin Qingqing was a little nervous and stayed in the room for a long time, for some reason, she no longer felt scared.

"How old are you?" Xiang Ning asked calmly.

Lin Qingqing replied: "Thirteen years old."

"Oh, thirteen years old... When I was thirteen, I lived a carefree life with my parents... I came here at a young age, and it was not easy." Xiang Ning still said lightly.

Seeing Lin Qingqing lowered her eyes and refused to respond, Xiang Ning continued to say to herself: "My father was an official from the former Qing Dynasty. He offended people and was framed and put into prison. My family was also confiscated. Our brother and sister were sold and exiled. I was fifteen years old that year."

"Since I was not born, my parents accused him of marriage to Aqiang. He was my cousin. His family was also implicated, his property was confiscated, and he was exiled to Ningxia Prefecture. The Empress Dowager Cixi died. He returned to Hangzhou from Ningxia Prefecture and went to Hangzhou after many twists and turns. After willingness to sell himself to be a Turtle Man..."

Hearing this, Lin Qingqing couldn't help but open her eyes wide. Xiang Ning bluntly revealed her privacy, which Lin Qingqing had unexpectedly expected.

Xiang Ning ignored Lin Qingqing's reaction and continued to tell her own story: "I am grateful to him and have some dependence on him. I thought that when I saved enough money, I would redeem myself, and then go back to my hometown with Brother Aqiang to live a stable life... But I met Mr. Xu, who is the son of the Chief Finance Minister, and Mother Qiao would not let me leave..."

"Did Mr. Xu treat you sincerely?" Lin Qingqing blurted out.

A trace of hesitation on Xiang Ning's face flew in an instant: "Maybe...what is good or bad? I can't help myself. I have to do what Mother Qiao wants me to do...I am no longer a pure servant...I don't want to marry a man who treats me sincerely with such a body. He is a good person and should marry a good woman, get married and have children, and live a stable life."

Hearing this, Lin Qingqing seemed to understand what happened in the backyard last night. Looking at Xiang Ning steadily, Lin Qingqing asked: "Sister Ning, why did you tell me this? I actually didn't hear anything..."

Xiang Ning smiled bitterly and said, "I'm not telling you, I'm telling myself... I'm even more sad... Brother Aqiang treats me well and is a man who can live a stable life, but I feel dirty and I'm not worthy of him."

Lin Qingqing was stunned. She had a little knowledge of the love between men and women during her days in Yanxiang Pavilion, but she was a ignorant child after all, and she could not understand Xiang Ning's feelings. Only she could hear the pain from Xiang Ning's words.

Xiang Ning stood up, walked to the front of the cabinet, took out the bag of things last night, stuffed them into Lin Qingqing's hand, and said, "Xiang Yin, I know you are a reliable child. Please give this to Brother Aqiang for me to do some small business in the future."

Lin Qingqing took a step back, and the heavy silver dollar fell to the ground with a bang. Xiang Ning was stunned. In just a few seconds, she didn't say a word. She squatted down, picked up, and put the silver dollar back into the cabinet. Lin Qingqing was so scared that she trembled: "Sister Ning, I, I..."

Xiang Ning clenched her forehead and sat down on the chair. She looked at Lin Qingqing, and Xiang Ning suddenly asked, "Do you think about what to do in the future?"

Lin Qingqing didn't understand why she suddenly changed the subject, shook her head, and immediately lowered it.

Xiang Ning said, "I can see that you are different from Xiang Rou. She is willing to stay here and climb up, but you do not belong here." Seeing Lin Qingqing hear this, she looked up again at herself. Xiang Ning smiled bitterly, and then said, "Don't think it's strange. In the future, Mother Qiao will teach you how to observe words and expressions. What she knows in her heart is that you will not be willing to stay here, so she will train you and sell it for a good price."

"The woman in the brothel was a purse before she was combed, which was the treasure of the Enkes, and it was also the money tree in Qiao's hands. When she became a red guest, if Enke continued to favor her, or was willing to pay a high price to redeem herself and take her as a concubine, then Qiao's mother would still be regarded as a treasure, otherwise she would ask her to take more guests who stayed overnight..." Xiang Ning's eyes gradually dimmed, as if she saw her sad future in front of her.

Lin Qingqing didn't know where the courage came from, and suddenly asked, "Will Mr. Xu marry you?"

"I don't know... With his family background, I'm afraid he will choose a good daughter even if he marrys a concubine." Xiang Ning said with a wry smile.

For some reason, Lin Qingqing suddenly felt a slight pain in her heart. Looking at Xiang Ning, Lin Qingqing said, "Sister Ning, give me what you just now, I'll send it to Brother Aqiang."

Xiang Ning said, "Forget it, he may not be willing to accept it if you send it to him..."

Before he finished speaking, he heard Cuiyun knocking on the door. After Xiang Ning's response, Cuiyun entered the house.

He brought the warm bird's nest to Xiang Ning, and Cuiyun whispered: "Sister Ning, I went to the kitchen in the backyard just now and heard the mothers in the back kitchen telling me that Brother Aqiang left a letter to Mother Qiao, and he left early in the morning without asking for wages."

The spoon that Xiang Ning picked up was held up by her in the air. After a few seconds, it fell down. Spoon after spoonful of bird's nest into her mouth, Xiang Ning's eyes suddenly turned red: "Okay, let's go..."

Lin Qingqing looked at Xiang Ning blankly, wondering if she should go forward to comfort her. Cuiyun squatted at Xiang Ning's feet and handed the handkerchief over without saying a word. Xiang Ning did not take Cui Yun's handkerchief, gently pushed the bowl in her hand aside and stood up.

Walking to the window, Xiang Ning pushed open the window and looked up at the sky above her head. The screams of several carrier pigeons pierced the quiet sky and interrupted Xiang Ning's thoughts. Turning around, Xiang Ning said to Lin Qingqing: "You go..."

Lin Qingqing stood there in a daze and stood there. Cuiyun hurriedly pushed her and signaled her to leave quickly. Lin Qingqing came to her senses and slowly limped away.

Seeing her like this, Xiang Ning called her: "You are bound to your feet?"

"Well, I was wrapped the day I came." Lin Qingqing whispered.

Xiang Ning frowned and then ordered Cui Yun for a moment: "Go and tell Mom Qiao that from today on, Xiang Yin will have dinner with you."

Cuiyun looked confused, looked at Lin Qingqing, then asked Xiangning, "Sister Ning, we have simple rice, is Xiangyin suitable for food?"

Xiang Ning didn't explain, but said, "I asked her to follow you to serve me in the future, of course I would like to have a meal with you."

Cuiyun was stunned and asked timidly: "Sister Ning, Xiangyin is Qiao's new daughter. Can Qiao's mother agree?"

Xiang Ning said disdainfully: "Just go, she won't refute what I mean now."

When Cuiyun answered and left, Xiang Ning walked to Lin Qingqing who was standing there. She touched Lin Qingqing's head and Xiang Ning said, "I will be able to untie the foot binding today..."
Chapter completed!