Union

Chapter 166 Danger
Yun Ying, who was staying at an inn on Zhuque Street, had no idea that even now, some people were still trying to control and destroy her.

She slept well that night, perhaps because her worries had been resolved, and she had a rare good night's sleep.

The next morning, after Yunying got up and washed, there was a knock on her door.

Knowing it was the Second Master, she replied from inside the room, "Wait a moment, I'll be right there."

After neatly drawing her eyebrows and applying lip balm, Yunying tied her hair back with a ribbon before getting up to open the door.

Sure enough, it was Second Master outside the door.

The second master was dressed in a black brocade robe with red trim, wearing a gold crown, a jade belt, and court boots.

This outfit made him look dashing and debonair, exuding a noble air with an added touch of elegance and refinement, making him a sight to behold.

Yunying couldn't help but smile at the face before her. "Have you been waiting long? I'm all ready. Shall we go have breakfast first, and then go see the broker to view the room?"

The second master brushed the strand of hair that had brushed against her lips behind her head and casually touched her flushed ears. Whether it was because someone had been talking about her since early morning or not, Yun Ying's delicate, fair ears were bright red, making her look incredibly alluring.

The second master felt the warmth in her hand, but couldn't help frowning and asking her, "What happened? Did your ears get frostbite?"

Yunying shook her head. "Perhaps it's because I've been sleeping in this direction all night, and my ears have been under the pillow for too long."

Second Master chuckled, "Won't your body get stiff if you always sleep in one direction?"

"I am a bit stiff. When I woke up just now, my body was still very sore. It's all because I slept too well last night. I was exactly the same as when I woke up. I didn't even turn over all night."

Upon hearing this, the Second Master's expression relaxed even more. "Are you at ease because I'm staying next door? In that case, I'll stay with you tonight as well."

Yunying opened her beautiful eyes wide and quickly shook her head, "Don't misunderstand me, I just didn't sleep well the past few days, uh, I slept very well yesterday..."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, the two took their seats in the flower hall. Soon, a waiter brought over a food box and placed the box full of breakfast on the table in front of them.

The side dishes include shumai, stuffed pancakes, soup dumplings, fried dough sticks, and bamboo-shaped steamed buns; the main dishes include rock sugar bird's nest, shredded chicken porridge, wonton noodles, and bean soup, along with three to five side dishes to accompany the porridge. It truly is a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate, and just looking at it makes one's appetite soar.

Yunying had a good appetite today, perhaps because she ate too many vegetarian dishes at Linghui Temple, which made her mouth water at the sight of meat.

This morning, she ate all meat dishes. In addition to soup dumplings and chicken porridge, she also ate some fresh shrimp wontons and a hot pot of red and white duck soup.

After eating more, my stomach was full, and I felt warm and cozy, which made me feel more and more relaxed.

Yunying ate quite a lot, but the Second Master had an even better appetite. By the time the two of them finished eating, almost everything on the table was gone, with hardly anything left.

The two left the table satisfied and went to find the broker side by side.

Second Master had already informed the broker of Yunying's requirements for choosing a house, and the broker had already considered suitable properties. Thus, when the two arrived, the broker had everything prepared and led them directly to view the house.

Buying a house is a big deal, and Yunying was determined to choose carefully. She never intended to finalize the decision in just a day or two.

Unfortunately, this broker was a highly capable and well-known figure in the capital. In addition to having a large number of properties and being reliable, he was also famous for his eloquence.

Yunying was so swayed by his words that she almost paid a deposit and reserved one of the two courtyard houses.

It was only when the Second Master chuckled and tugged at her from the side that Yun Ying came to her senses, realizing she hadn't been sold off.

However, the house recommended by the broker was too reliable. Apart from being a bit expensive, everything else, including the location, the layout of the house, the surrounding neighbors, and the nearby facilities, suited Yunying's taste perfectly.

Thus, after much deliberation, Yunying finally settled on the set she had initially chosen.

Then, led by the broker, they went to the government office to register the property, paid the full amount of silver, and obtained the house and land deeds.

In just one morning, we got the house; it felt like a dream.

When Yunying returned to the house, she was still in a daze, staring blankly at the house deed in her hand.

"I've already bought a house?"

"What else do you want to do?"

Yunying smiled while pursing her lips, glaring at the Second Master, "How dare you talk like that? How did I cause any trouble? I bought a house, carefully selecting it, and I'm guilty of something?"

Before the Second Master could respond to the question, Yun Ying coughed twice, "I'm reminding you to watch your words. After all, you're in my house right now. If what you say makes me unhappy, I'll kick you out."

Second Master scoffed and pulled Yunying close, ruffling her hair. "You're going to kick me out? Don't you know who's behind this? You were able to buy the house so quickly."

Second Master had people select suitable houses overnight, and he even conducted background checks on all of them, eliminating any unsuitable ones in advance. He also secretly subsidized them with two thousand taels of silver. If it weren't for this, how could Yunying have been so lucky as to buy her desired house at such a low price in such a short time?

Oh, by the way, his low price is still expensive compared to Yunying's.

Silly girl! She doesn't even know how much the housing prices are in Beijing, yet she's thinking of kicking him out. All she can do is swagger around in front of him.

Second Master, still not satisfied, ruffled Yunying's hair again.

The two playfully bickered, and Yunying leaned against the Second Master's chest, hugging her house deed and smiling with her eyes crinkling.

Now that we've bought the house, the next step is to buy the things we need for the house.

Since the owner of this luxurious house only moved out before the new year, the house is in excellent condition with almost no damage, so there's no need for any special repairs. Now, all that's needed is to buy some everyday items, and then they can move in.

As for the parts that don't meet our expectations, we can fix them slowly after we move in.

In the latter half of the day, Yunying started arguing with the house.

She put away all the things she had bought, and also found a slave trader to pick out two servants to come over.

She hadn't originally intended to buy the servant, since she was planning to return to Yun Gui County with the Second Master. She had many businesses there that needed her attention, and she couldn't stay in the capital for long.

But then Yunying thought, even if she returned to Yungui County later, wouldn't the house still need someone to look after it?
Did she really do everything herself during her few days in the capital, just by hiring guards?
That's not how you live.

While you're young, you should enjoy life to the fullest.

At worst, we can hire a temporary worker, such as an older woman or a maid, and then fire her when we head south.

Despite thinking this in her heart, Yunying's actions were quite sincere.

She bought a gatekeeper and a skilled cook from a slave trader. They were a married couple, both relatives of convicted officials. The gatekeeper could drive a car, ride a horse, and do manual labor, while the cook was not only skilled in cooking but also a good seamstress.

Such a talented person, at the peak of their career, should theoretically have no trouble finding a buyer, and that is indeed the case.

If the couple hadn't wanted to find a quiet home to work for until they died, and if the slave trader hadn't been asking for such a high price, they probably would have been sold long ago, and wouldn't have ended up in Yunying's hands.

However, it was quite a coincidence that Yunying was satisfied with the two men, and the old couple also felt that Yunying had a kind face and the mansion was quiet. Since both were good, Yunying bought the two men back.

With that, the basic furnishings of the household are complete; all that's needed is to buy a personal maid to serve you...

It would be easy to buy a maidservant, but after considering it, Yunying decided not to buy one.

She's the only mistress in the household now, and the old couple takes care of her all by themselves, which is very easy.

I'll buy another maid. After she goes south, she'll just sit there doing nothing, which is a shame...

In short, Yunying didn't care if she used her money to buy property. But buying a person meant she would have to support them for nothing, which made the money seem like a waste and caused her distress.

With the house settled and the people bought, and everything on track, Yunying's mood visibly brightened.

The day passed in a flurry of activity, and by the time Yunying came to her senses, the sun was already setting and it was getting late.

Yunying said to the Second Master, "It's too late today, but I'll invite you to the housewarming banquet tomorrow."

The second master laughed upon hearing this, "Since I'm here for the banquet, should I prepare a gift for you?"

Yunying gave him a "not bad" look, and then she couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Seeing her happy, the second master couldn't help but raise the corners of his lips, revealing a hearty and pleased smile.

"Okay, I'll go back and think about it carefully, and figure out what to give you."

"Go back and think about it. Can't you think about it now?"

"No. Right now, seeing you smile makes my head spin, and I can't remember anything."

With such sweet talk and glib tongue, is this really the Second Master she knows?
The Second Master she knew should be someone who was sharp-tongued and could shut someone up with a single sentence, right?
When did Second Master start saying these witty things to make her happy?

Thinking to herself, "Second Master is getting better and better at understanding women's hearts." In fact, Yunying, who was very happy to be coaxed, blurted out, "Since you've been running around with me all day, let me treat you to dinner to thank you."

Yunying rested her chin on her hand, pondering again, "What should I treat you to? Do you have any recommendations?"

Finally, on Chen Yanzhou's recommendation, the two went to a restaurant to eat hot pot.

That restaurant had lambs sent from the Northwest, and its mutton hot pot was famous in the capital for its rich and delicious flavor.

Yunying's mouth watered by the Second Master's words, and in the end, she was tricked by him into going to eat hot pot.

The two spent an hour eating. When they came out of the restaurant, the moon was high in the sky and the streetlights illuminated the entire street.

The two walked back along the less crowded streets, passing a gently flowing river. The river had been frozen, but the recent high temperatures had melted the ice, and the river made a melodious tinkling sound as it flowed slowly through the city's waterways.

Unidentified insects chirped, their soft chirping mingling with the withered grass and fallen leaves along the roadside, creating a uniquely desolate yet beautiful scene.

The two were talking for a short while when they arrived at Yunying's new house.

Two red lanterns hung at the entrance of the house, with two black and gold "Yun" characters on them. The plaque above the door also read "Yun Mansion". This was Yun Ying's home in the capital.

The moon cast its bright light upon the Yun family mansion. The moonlight was pure and gentle, bringing a sense of tranquility and peace to the entire world.

The second master stood in front of Yunying and asked again, "Are you really not going to let me stay tonight?"

Yunying repeated, "It wouldn't be right for me to let a man like you stay. Besides, if I remember correctly, Second Master, you haven't been home for two days. It's not easy for you to come back to the capital, shouldn't you go back to the manor and spend more time with your parents?"

Second Master pointed at Yunying and said to her, "I really didn't wrong you. You're such an ingrate." When he needed him, he would let him stay overnight to keep him company, but when he didn't need him anymore, he became an outsider and wasn't even allowed to enter the house at night.

Yunying was adept at using the tactics of "crossing the river and then dismantling the bridge" and "discarding the donkey after it has served its purpose."

Yunying wasn't entirely unfazed when the Second Master called her "ungrateful brat" again. But it really wasn't appropriate.

She was the only woman in the house. If she left the Second Master behind, wouldn't people gossip?

This is different from when she stayed at an inn. Back then, with so many people coming and going, she worried about her safety and always needed Second Master to accompany her. But now, this is her own home.

Yunying lacked confidence, but she still saw the Second Master off and returned to her new home.

She washed up and went to bed quickly.

Perhaps it was because she was in a new place and feeling uneasy, or perhaps it was because of the new bed that she couldn't sleep comfortably. In any case, Yunying didn't fall into a deep sleep, tossing and turning for quite a while, and was still very awake.

Just as Yunying regained consciousness, a commotion arose outside the courtyard gate.

The sound was very loud, as if someone was shouting "Open the door!" Because the gatekeeper was cautious, he repeatedly asked who it was, but didn't go to open the door immediately. The person became impatient and kicked the door.

Yunying couldn't sit still any longer. She quickly got up, put on her clothes, tidied herself up, and then left the room.

The courtyard had two sections, but because there were few people in the house, for safety reasons, all three of them lived in the front courtyard.

The newly purchased uncle and aunt lived in the gatehouse, while Yunying lived in the main house in the front yard.

The moment she stepped out of the room, the tightly closed courtyard gate was kicked open with a loud bang.

Several burly men, carrying torches, rushed in like wolves and tigers.

They first kicked the old man and woman blocking their way to the ground, then aimed at Yunying as she turned to run. With a sinister laugh, they ran towards her, shouting, "It's this little wench! Quick, grab her and take her away! She's a runaway slave; her master has already sold her to us for a pittance. Everyone else, get out of the way. We're arresting her with her indenture; it's legal and perfectly legitimate. Nobody interfere!"

Yunying ran very fast, but she couldn't outrun the men behind her.

She ran towards the backyard, running as fast as she could.

Because at that moment she thought of Lin Shuqing.

Only in front of Lin Shuqing was she a slave. And only Lin Shuqing held the reins of her contract and could abuse her at will.