Divorced by her husband's family and rejected by her own! She defiantly turned her life around

Liu Siyue sniffed, "What did you two eat on the street? It smells so good!"

"Master, you can smell it. We didn't have breakfast before we left, so we bought some fried pastries and glutinous rice lotus root on the street. They tasted really good. You can have some when you go out tonight."

"The sweet rice wine, eggs, red dates, and glutinous rice balls we had this morning were all made by Ningxiang and the others. They tasted really good. You two should go and have a bowl later."

"Thank you, Master."

The two of them weren't even full from those few pancakes, but when they heard their master say that, they happily ran to the kitchen to ask for some glutinous rice balls.

"Manager Ning, we're back, and we're starving. Could you give us something to eat?"

"You two little devils, are you trying to imitate beggars?!"

I went out in the morning without eating breakfast and came back hungry. I didn't even think to buy something to eat.

We ate some glutinous rice balls this morning, so I'll have Xiangchun cook a bowl for you.

"Ladies, please wait a moment, I'll cook it for you right away. Everything is ready, it'll be quick to cook."

A fragrant aroma of wine filled the kitchen. I took a sniff and exclaimed, "It smells so good!"

"Ladies, the glutinous rice balls are ready. They have two kinds of fillings: black sesame and peanut. Please try them."

"Thank you, Sister Xiangchun."

In a white porcelain bowl, plump glutinous rice balls float in sweet rice wine and egg drop soup, garnished with a few red dates. It looks absolutely delicious, making your mouth water just by looking at it.

The two of them ate all the glutinous rice balls. Oh, this sweet wine soup was so delicious! The glutinous rice balls were so soft and chewy, and the red dates were infused with the aroma of wine. It tasted amazing.

"Manager Ning, your skills are so good you could set up a stall outside. Tonight you're sure to have a lot of customers."

"If you like it, that's fine. There are plenty of people with good cooking skills. What's ours? The kitchen is full of oil and smoke. After you've eaten your fill, go and serve your master."

"Okay, we'll go right away."

"Master, our glutinous rice balls are really delicious."

"Are you full?"

"Mmm, I'm full."

"After lunch, accompany Madam Yun to the pawnshop and help her choose a maid who knows martial arts."

"Yes, Master."

At lunchtime, a table full of dishes was laid out. "Master, these dishes are new ways of cooking toon and bay leaves. Please try them first."

"Okay, I'll try it."

"Hmm, not bad. Xiangchun Xiangye dares to be innovative; each person will receive 200 coins."

"Our greatest achievement is when our master is pleased."

After lunch, Qingwu and Yun Chenxin went to the brokerage firm, "Song Broker".

"Madam Yun, Miss Qingwu, what brings you here today?"

"Master Song, our Lady Yun is looking to buy a maid who knows martial arts. Does anyone know of a suitable one?"

"Yes, there are some, but they're a bit young, and they're sisters. They said they wouldn't sell them separately. If we dare to sell them separately, they'll kill themselves."

"Aren't there any others?"

"No, that's all. If you're not in a hurry, Madam Yun, I'll save some for you if new stock arrives."

"Bring the person out first, then we'll take a look and decide what to do."

A moment later, Song Laosan brought in two skinny little girls, the two sisters holding hands and with their heads down.

"You two raise your heads and let the lady have a good look at you."

The two little girls looked up, tears welling in their eyes, and knelt down with a thud. "Please, Madam, buy us sisters too. We promise to obey you and serve you well."

"What are you two trying to do? If you disturb our important guests, you'll be in for a beating."

"Song Yaren, don't frighten them."

Looking at the two little girls kneeling before her, Yun Chenxin felt a pang of pity. "What are your names? How old are you? I want to buy some girls who know martial arts. Do you know them?"

"Madam, my name is Bai Qingqing, and this is my younger sister Bai Lingling. I am 13 years old and my sister is 11 years old. We are orphans. We were adopted by the troupe leader when we were young and grew up in the opera troupe. We have been practicing with the troupe leader since we were little."

Last year, our opera troupe went out to perform for a wealthy family. The lord took a liking to us sisters and wanted to buy us. He gave the troupe leader 200 taels of silver and sold us.

The wealthy man was a lecherous old man who tried to take advantage of us sisters. We tried to prove our innocence by smashing our heads against a wall, but the wealthy man said we were bad luck and sold us to a brokerage firm.

What skills can an opera singer have? It's just fancy moves. "Since you've practiced, then show me."

Seeing the two sisters swaying precariously, Yun Chenxin asked Song Laosan to get them something to eat first.

Song Laosan gave each of them a steamed bun, and the two sisters wolfed it down, finishing it off in no time. Yun Chenxin could tell from their eating habits that they were starving.

"There's water here, have some first."

With food in their stomachs and feeling renewed strength, the two men performed a traditional martial arts salute, saying, "Thank you, Madam."

The group arrived in the courtyard, and the two sisters began practicing. They jumped and tumbled with clean and neat movements, each gesture graceful and beautiful. They were indeed opera performers; their moves were all just for show. However, their physical foundation was quite good, and with proper training for a while, they could be put to good use.

"Qingwu, what do you think? I think they do somersaults quite well, and their movements are nimble."

Qingwu didn't respond to her question, but instead asked Song Laosan, "Song the broker, how much for these two?"

"You saw it too, they know martial arts, they're just a bit young. If both of them buy, it'll be 30 taels each."

"Song Yaren, they call this martial arts, it's all fake martial arts from theatrical performances. Anyone on the street could beat them up."

"If you're willing to sell, I won't let you lose out. It'll be 10 taels each. If that's acceptable, I'll buy both of you."

"Ten taels is too little. It should be at least fifteen taels, otherwise I won't be able to explain it to the manager."

"Madam, what do you think?"

"I think I have a connection with you sisters, so I'll buy you all."

The two sisters knelt down again with a thud. "Bai Qingqing and Bai Lingling, we will serve you faithfully and repay you by working like cattle and horses."

"Alright, get up, everyone."

After completing the formalities, the two women took the two sisters directly to the fabric store to buy clothes, and then returned to their house.

Once home, Yun Chenxin asked Qingwu, "Didn't you say they were all just pretty faces? Why did you change your mind and want to buy them?"

"They may be all show and no substance, but they are young and have been practicing since childhood, so they have a good foundation. If we buy them and teach them properly, they can be useful."

Qingye usually stays in the county town, so let Qingye teach them. I believe that in less than two months, the two of them will be able to protect the lady when she goes out.

"That's good, that's good."

Liu Siyue looked at the two little girls being led inside. "You bought them? They look like two children."

"Yes, we bought them. They are indeed two children. The brokerage firm didn't have any ready-made female servants. Qingwu said they have a good foundation, so we can teach them a bit when we get back. They are also two pitiful children."

Yun Chenxin then recounted the sisters' ordeal, saying, "Chenxin, don't be too soft-hearted. You need to show your authority as the mistress. Don't let yourself be fooled. Use both kindness and firmness, understand?"

"Yes, I know. I won't be a pushover. Ningxiang taught me that."

Qingwu said that Qingye usually stays in the county town, so she'll let Qingye teach them.

"Yes, it's perfect for Qingye to teach them. She can train them well so you can go out with peace of mind."

Yun Chenxin stepped forward and hugged Liu Siyue. "Thank you, Siyue. You always have to worry about me. I also plan to practice martial arts with Qingye. I'll be better than anything else."

"That's the right way to think. No matter how skilled others are in martial arts, it's not as good as having your own skill."

It's getting dark, we need to get ready to go out.