The Exiled Life of the Noble Girl

Chapter 156

The carriage came to a gradual halt. The coachman gently tapped on the door, interrupting the conversation between the two occupants. He had driven to the alley that Ah Xiu had mentioned, though he was unsure which residence it was. Ah Xiu poked her head out and gestured to guide him.

The small courtyard had been vacant for several months. Ah Xiu pushed open the gate and noticed dried leaves and dust scattered on the ground. She glanced sideways at Tang Housekeeper and said, "We'll have to make do with this for today. There's no time to arrange for cleaning."

Tang Housekeeper bowed respectfully. "That should be our responsibility. I'll arrange for someone to come over shortly."

"How many of you are there?"

"I only brought four or five people with me. We haven't finalized arrangements on the young master's side yet." Tang Housekeeper contemplated for a moment, then added, "In addition to our young master and your esteemed brother-in-law, there's also Young Master Zhong who needs to travel to the capital with us."

Ah Xiu nodded and led him toward the back. "It's fine, there's enough space."

The small courtyard consisted of three compounds, plus a garden area. Tang Housekeeper followed Ah Xiu as she toured each courtyard, eventually arriving at the garden with a large pond beside the rockery. The lotus flowers in the pond were partially withered, but the serene waters reflected the overhanging eaves, creating a pleasant scene.

"How much would it cost to restore this?"

He voiced his thoughts out loud. Ah Xiu shook her head. "I'm not sure. This was a gift from the old master to the young lady on her coming-of-age ceremony. The young lady loves water, so the old master specifically chose a residence with a pond."

Perhaps due to the young lady's fondness for water, the mistress had dispatched search parties to the Jiangnan region to look for her. However, judging from Tang Housekeeper's accent, he seemed more likely to be from the northern regions.

The mistress had made a miscalculation!

Ah Xiu peered at the pond water with disdain. "The water in this pond is a bit dirty. You should have it cleaned when you arrange for the cleaning crew."

"Understood, I'll make a note of it."

Tang Housekeeper had been consistently respectful. Ah Xiu was satisfied with his demeanor, and her tone softened. "We've more or less seen the entire residence. Do you have any other questions?"

"None, none at all."

"Very well." Ah Xiu tossed him the keys. "Then you can make the arrangements yourself. And draft a lease agreement for me as well, so I can report back."

Not having brought any writing materials, Tang Housekeeper could only suggest, "May I deliver it to your residence tomorrow?"

"Sure."

This location was not close to the Li Family residence. After seeing Ah Xiu off at the entrance, Tang Housekeeper instructed the coachman to take her back first before returning to fetch him. He planned to explore the premises further and consider the arrangements.

As Ah Xiu settled into the carriage, she suddenly remembered something and poked her head out again to remind him, "The main compound must be reserved for our esteemed brother-in-law. Hurry and have the study room in the main compound cleaned up. I'll be coming over in the next day or two to deliver items for our brother-in-law."

"And this matter should remain undisclosed to our brother-in-law for the time being, as you're aware."

Tang Housekeeper nodded, as the old master had already instructed him about this beforehand. But how could he bypass the young master and arrange for the old master to stay in the main compound?

On the surface, the residence appeared to be rented by the Tang Family, so the young master should reside in the main compound. However, the young master was unaware of the true circumstances, and the old master had always been courteous. How could he concoct an explanation that would satisfy them both?

It would be challenging...

More challenging still was the predicament facing Ah Xiu. After returning to the residence, she finally took out the letter and carefully re-read it. The young lady was certainly making things difficult for her. How could she discreetly retrieve the books listed from the old master's study room?

The last time she left a note, she got caught.

Ah Xiu unfolded the long book list and sighed. First, she went to Li Mingwei's study room next door and gathered the books from the list that were available, marking them before taking them back to her room.

As for the remaining books...

She fretted all night but couldn't come up with a good plan. Not wanting to delay further and mindful of Li Yi's expected return, she waited outside his courtyard.

Upon returning, Li Yi immediately noticed Ah Xiu standing at the entrance to his courtyard, her timid demeanor suggesting she had committed some wrongdoing and was seeking his pardon. He shook his head wearily and motioned for her to follow.

He entered the study room and had just set down the book in his hand when he heard a thud. Turning around, he saw Ah Xiu kneeling on the floor. This girl, had she committed some serious transgression?

He signaled for the attending housekeeper to leave and close the door behind him. Only then did he take a seat and address Ah Xiu, "Get up. Did you do something wrong again, prompting punishment from the mistress?"

Worried about alarming the old master by revealing news of Lang Yue's circumstances, Ah Xiu hesitated, unsure how to begin. She remained silent for a moment.

Observing her demeanor, Li Yi assumed it must be a grave matter, massaging his temples in distress. "Go ahead and speak. Whatever it is, I'll have a word with Lang Yue to prevent her from punishing you."

"I..." Ah Xiu's throat tightened, and she mumbled softly, "I haven't provoked the mistress's anger lately."

"Then who have you offended?"

Could it be De Zhi? This thought immediately crossed his mind, only to be dismissed. De Zhi had always been the one pleading on Ah Xiu's behalf, so how could it be her?

Ah Xiu's eyes darted around restlessly. She cautiously lifted her gaze to meet Li Yi's, then quickly lowered it, repeating this a few times.

Li Yi understood her implication. He scanned the study room but found nothing amiss, instinctively checking the books on the desk for any hidden notes but found none. Sighing, he said, "Did your young lady instruct you to carry out some mischief again?"

Observing Ah Xiu's demure manner, Li Yi rose to his feet. "Perhaps I should step outside for a moment?"

"No, no need." Ah Xiu shook her head vigorously. Since she didn't know the whereabouts of a few books, it wouldn't do for the old master to leave.

Reassured by the old master's cooperation, Ah Xiu's apprehension dissipated. She explained sheepishly, "It's nothing serious, just wanting to borrow some books."

"Borrow books? What books?"

Ah Xiu produced the book list from her sleeve, stating matter-of-factly, "Of course, books that can help one become a top scholar!"

Li Yi chuckled. "If I had books that could guarantee becoming a top scholar, I'd have little thieves like you visiting every day."

He accepted the lengthy book list from Ah Xiu and scanned the familiar handwriting, his heart suddenly aching. It had been so long since he had seen her, and he wondered how she was faring now.

Li Yi perused the list from top to bottom, his brow furrowing. This little girl intended to clear out his entire study room!

Having surmised her intentions, Li Yi didn't hesitate further. He entered the inner chamber, retrieved a few books, and placed them on the desk. "Look for the others on the bookshelves. Take what's available, and figure out the rest on your own."

Ah Xiu immediately beamed, retrieving a large square cloth from her waist and spreading it on the floor. With the book list in hand, she headed for the bookshelves.

Li Yi couldn't bear to watch any longer and strode out.

The housekeeper waiting outside immediately followed, casting a puzzled glance at the closed door. Why hadn't Ah Xiu emerged?

Li Yi settled in the courtyard, accepting a cup of tea from the housekeeper while gazing pensively at the study room door. "What has Ah Xiu been up to these past few days?"

The housekeeper pondered for a moment before replying softly, "She has remained within the courtyard as usual. Only yesterday did she venture out to show someone the residence at Ji'an Alley, claiming it had been rented out."

"Send someone to investigate who the new tenant is."

"Understood."

As the housekeeper turned to leave, Li Yi called out to him again, "Don't let Lang Yue know about this yet."

"I understand."