Translator: 549690339

Chen Tiantian and Chen Zhao finally left, and Yingbao stopped crying, lying down to continue her sleep.

Xu Chunniang lowered her head to glance at her daughter’s face, not a single tear to be seen.

“What happened exacty?” Chunniang asked her daughter after closing the door.

Yingbao: “I opened my eyes and saw her standing by the bed, it was so frightening. Mother, Chen Tiantian must be insane, you must be very careful.”

“Alright.” Chunniang stroke her daughter’s head, lay down next to her, holding her gently to comfort her: “Mother is guarding you, Now, go to sleep, we have to get on the road early tomorrow.”

Yingbao nodded, embraced her mother’s arm, closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep.

The night passed quietly.

As day just starting to break, someone came knocking: “Mrs. Jiang, we need to set off now!”

Chunniang gave a reply, hurriedly got up and packed up.

Yingbao and her mother took a quick wash, ate something, and boarded the carriage.

Before getting on the carriage, she glanced back at the carriage behind, seeing Chen Tiantian with a white bandage wrapped around her forehead, her eyes staring back at Yingbao, a deep look in her eyes.

More than ten days later, the carriage finally arrived in Beijing, entering from the East City Gate, it directly arrived at the residence of the Duke.

Yingbao and her mother got out of the carriage, looked up and glanced around, then followed Xiao Mo through the side entrance.

Afterwards, they, together with Dr. Li and his grandson, as well as the Chen sisters, were led into a courtyard.

This time, Yingbao and Chunniang shared a room, the Chen sisters were in another room, and Dr. Li and his grandson were in the room across from theirs.

Servants brought in their luggage and a locked medicine box.

“We’re likely to be staying here for a while.” Yingbao said to her mother, showing concern: “If I’m not around, mother, you mustn’t let the Chen sisters in our room.”

“I know.” Chunniang began to unpack, pulling out the most common items for use.

Not long after, two thirteen or fourteen-year-old maids came in bearing water, they bowed to Chunniang: “Good day, madam, we are here to help you wash.”

Chunniang hurriedly returned the courtesy: “Thank you young lady, let me do it myself.” she took the basin, put it on the stand, then took the towel from the other maid, first washed her daughter’s hands and face, then washed hers.

One of the maids said: “My name is Xiaoqing, if you need anything, you can ask me directly.”

The other one added: “I’m Xiaodai.”

Chunniang replied, kindly providing her own name, “My name is Xu Chunniang. This is my daughter, Jiang Yingbao. We’ll be in your care.”

Xiaoqing smiled, “What’s all this about? You are our honored guests. The young master specifically instructed us to serve you well.”

Yingbao blinked, asking, “By the way, Xiaoqing, what’s the name of your young master?”

“Our young master’s last name is Xiao, first name Chengde, he’s the oldest son of the duke.”

“Oh.” Yingbao searched her memory for information about this person, but came up blank.

This was rather strange.

After all, he was the nephew of the Empress Xiao. How could there be no description of him?

Not only did she not find any mention of Xiao Chengde, but she also couldn’t find any mention of Xiao Mo, which was very unusual.

After their wash, the two maids carried out the water, and soon brought breakfast.

Two bowls of white rice porridge, four small dishes, and two baskets of assorted buns.

Yingbao and her mother quickly ate their food under the watchful eyes of the two maids, rinsed their mouths, and let out a sigh of relief when the maids took away all the dishes and bowls.

Chunniang was not used to being watched while eating, to say the least it was quite unsettling.

Yingbao told her mother to stay in the room and not to wander around, while she herself went to see Doctor Li in the opposite room to inquire about the patient.

Meanwhile, in the main hall of the Duke Residence, two officers from Qin Tianjian were led by a servant into the study to meet the Imperial Teacher, Xiao.

Teacher Xiao invited the two to sit down, stroked his beard and said, “Today I have invited you both here to determine the astrological fate of a child.”

The Director saluted Teacher Xiao, “Could you bring forth the child so that we may observe them?”

Teacher Xiao nodded, turned around and ordered his grandson, Xiao Mo, “Bring all the children here and let them walk about in the yard.”

“Yes,” Xiao Mo complied and left the study to get them.

Teacher Xiao then addressed the two venerable officers of Qin Tianjian, “My son has an unusual fortuneteller who divined that a little girl can negate the disaster of Zimei Star, thereby enhancing the fortune of Daqian. So I invited you here to have a good look at her to see whether she is truly the one who can solve the crisis for the Prince.”

The Director and Deputy Director bowed to the Teacher, “We will devote our utmost effort.”

Shortly after, Xiao Mo led the three girls into the yard. Rather than entering the house, he let them wander about the yard, looking at the flowers and plants.

The Director and Deputy Director exchanged glances, their brows slightly furrowed as they meticulously observed the three girls outside, their fingers continually making calculations.

One of the girls was only six or seven years old with unusual features, but a faint ferocity in her face suggested an omen of a premature death.

The other two girls were seemingly of the same age and both had beautiful appearances.

However, the one with a long and thin face had a narrow forehead and thin, parsimonious lips. Such characteristics indicated shallow luck and low fortune; she certainly could not be the one to solve the crisis.

The other girl possessed the exact opposite traits. Her forehead was long and plump, large and proportionate, indicating nobility and the appearance of prosperity.

Observing her lower face which was evenly filled, dignified and thick, indicated the luck of wealth and prosperity.

So, she must be the one who solves the crisis.

The Director and the Deputy Director quietly compared notes and then bowed to the Teacher, stating, “We have calculated that the girl in green has a prosperous destiny, a life filled with good fortune, and the signs of wealth and nobility.”

Teacher Xiao slightly nodded, his face filled with joy, then had his confidential aide go out and tell his grandson to take the girls away.

Then, he took out a piece of paper to give to the fortunetellers, “This is the birth data of the girl in green. Could you confirm if there is any conflict or disadvantage with the Prince’s?”

The Director took the birth data and, shoulder to shoulder with the Deputy Director, began to calculate.

Their conclusion was that this girl was extremely compatible with the Prince, mutually supportive and indispensable to each other.

“No wonder, no wonder,” The Teacher was ecstatic, “No wonder the Prince has been ill for so long, probably because he has lacked this girl by his side.”

After dismissing the two fortunetellers, Teacher Xiao immediately had someone send some clothes and accessories to the guesthouse for that girl named Chen Tiantian to put on, as he wanted to take her to the palace to meet his daughter, Empress Xiao.

He also instructed Xiao Mo to inform the country doctor and have them follow to the Imperial City to treat the Prince.

Confused, Yingbao was led around in a circle.

But she could sense that while they were in the large courtyard, somebody had been peeking at them from a hidden spot.

Not long after they returned, the servants and maids from the Xiao Residence swarmed over to help the neighbor’s girl, Chen Tiantian, change clothes and dress up.

Even Chen Zhao was surprised, initially believing that someone from the Xiao Residence was fond of his aunt and wanted to take her as a concubine.

But that wasn’t right; no matter how pretty Chen Tiantian was, she was still too young at only ten years old. Moreover, they were civilians; they couldn’t just arrive at Xiao Residence and be sold off as property.

But who really knew for sure?

Since they were very few in number, weren’t they at the mercy of others now that they were here?

The more Chen Zhao thought about it, the more frightened he became. When he saw an opportunity while everyone else was preoccupied, he sneaked out of the room and ran to Chunniang.

“Disaster is upon us! The Xiao Residence is a den of human traffickers. They…they’re intending to sell my aunt. It’ll be our turn soon, Aunt Jiang, let’s run away quickly!”