"Help prepare so top-quality tea and also so snacks."
Fu Zhen instructed her, then walked directly into the courtyard where Yang Yi had once stayed, looked back at Mrs. Zhang, and sat down on the stone bench under a tree.
After the beginning of spring, the weather had been consistently clear. The trees in the courtyard were in bloom, the spring scene was bright, and the breeze was pleasant.
The wind also stirred the hair casually pinned up under Mrs. Zhang’s headscarf.
She slowly sat down. "It seems spring has been here for quite so ti, yet it is only today that I have taken notice."
Fu Zhen turned to look at her. "Where are you living now? At the Zhang Family?"
Ever since Prince Rong and his son were arrested and imprisoned, Fu Zhen had paid no more attention to the matters of Prince Rong’s Mansion. She only knew from bits and pieces of news that after all the n from Prince Rong’s Mansion were detained, the won were also confined.
Now that she had co out, it seed that the palace indeed hadn’t been too harsh on them.
"The Zhang Family has also fallen." Mrs. Zhang looked up at the sky, her expression very calm. "My father and brother are still in prison. My mother has been seriously ill for a long ti, and she doesn’t have many days left."
"Both the Zhang Family and Prince Rong’s Mansion have been ransacked. I’ve had a hard enough ti bringing up the child, and I can’t afford to treat her illness."
Fu Zhen paused for a mont, then said, "And you all..."
"We are now staying in the southern city. Our Prince used to have quite a number of connections outside. Although when the tree falls, the monkeys scatter, and when the wall collapses, everyone pushes, there are many ungrateful people, but there are still so who are loyal and righteous.
"There is a shopkeeper at a silk shop in the southern city who rembered the kindness our Prince showed him by giving him money to treat his injuries when he was down and out. He vacated two rooms for us to stay.
"He is not wealthy, and for him to do this, I am already very content. At least the child doesn’t have to follow us to sleep under a bridge."
Fu Zhen remained silent.
This situation was entirely expected. For the cris committed by Prince Rong and his son, the Emperor and Empress sparing their lives was already a trendous favor.
If it hadn’t been for unforeseen circumstances, it would have been Yang Yi who died in Baiyu Lane seven years ago. If Yang Yi had died back then, Great Zhou would now be facing the tricky situation caused by the Yi Family and others.
So, what does exile and confiscation of family property count for?
However, Mrs. Zhang, in this case, was indeed innocent. If she harbored resentnt, though it shouldn’t be so, her feelings were understandable.
"This dagger, if you sold it, it could be worth at least a hundred or so Silver Taels. Why haven’t you exchanged it for money?"
Fu Zhen looked at the dagger resting on the table and said.
This was one of the protective weapons her older brother Liang Qin gave her when she first arrived in the northwest; it had also accompanied Liang Ning’s father for many years. Later, her father gave it to her older brother, who then gave it to her.
Later on, when she decided to beco engaged to Xu Yin, Liang Ning shared the story of the dagger with him. In her impression, this dagger should have stayed with the Liang Family. She did not know why it appeared here after so many years.
"Because this dagger wasn’t found by ." Mrs. Zhang looked at her. "I was just entrusted by soone to return it to you."
"’Return’?"
Fu Zhen felt astonished. "What do you an by that?"
Even if this dagger were lost for so reason, it should be returned to the Liang Family, not to her.
Unless soone knew she was Liang Ning!
But who could it be?
Who else would know she was Liang Ning?!
"It’s Yongping."
Mrs. Zhang calmly uttered these three words.
Fu Zhen was stunned, Yongping?
This na she hadn’t thought about for even longer.
"I don’t know how she knew, but ever since she moved out of the Xu family, this dagger has always been with her.
"Last night she suddenly told that this dagger was yours, and she asked to bring it to you."
A flash of inspiration suddenly crossed Fu Zhen’s mind, fleeting yet so real.
She took the dagger back in her hand, looked at it for a mont, then said, "Where is she? I want to et her."
"She’s living with us with her child," Mrs. Zhang said as she stood up. "Before I ca, she also told that if you want to see her, I should take you — co with ."
...
Mrs. Zhang and her family lived in the most secluded alley in the southern city, and the neighboring street was the most famous red-light district in the capital city.
As they passed through the alley and reached the entrance of the courtyard where they lived, the rabble in the alley all stared at their carriage.
Mrs. Zhang led Fu Zhen through a small side door, and just as they pushed it open, the harsh rebuke of a woman scolding a child was heard from the courtyard. This was imdiately followed by the cries of a child.
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