Rongrong felt a pang of envy, wondering when she might have a house with a plaque reading “Xue Residence.”

After her brief smile, she approached the door and knocked.

It wasn’t long before someone came to open it.

The door was opened by a young man in a gray-blue brocade robe. He stood straight with a distant expression, giving off a cold and indifferent vibe.

Rongrong was surprised to see a man at Mei Ningxiang’s residence and paused for a moment.

“Miss, who are you looking for?”

The man’s tone suggested he was the owner of the house, but Mei Ningxiang usually did not have her hair styled like a woman’s, so…

“I’m looking for Boss Mei. I’m her tenant from the neighboring courtyard. Boss Mei helped me a lot before, so I came to thank her. My name is Xue Rongrong. Could you please inform her?”

The man’s gaze swept over Rongrong’s face without a word as he opened the door. “Come in. She’s at home.”

Rongrong entered the house with the food box, and the man closed the door and led her inside.

He pointed towards the main hall and said, “She’s inside.” Without waiting for a response, he returned to the outer room.

Rongrong had to make her way through the main hall and was immediately struck by the sight before her.

The inner courtyard was a small garden. Even though it was winter and the flowers and trees had lost their vitality, the garden was well-maintained.

In addition, there was a bamboo swing set and a pavilion.

To block the wind, the pavilion was surrounded by several layers of gauze curtains, inside of which was an embroidery table where Mei Ningxiang was sitting and working on her embroidery.

“Boss Mei,” Rongrong called out as she walked over and stood outside the pavilion.

Mei Ningxiang looked up and, seeing Rongrong, waved at her hurriedly. “It’s cold outside. Come in quickly.”

Rongrong lifted the gauze curtain and felt as if she had entered another world.

Though the curtain looked thin, it did a good job of blocking the wind, and with a brass brazier in the pavilion, it was just as comfortable inside as it was in the house.

“Xiao Ju, get a stool for Miss Xue and pour her a cup of tea.”

Besides the embroidery table, there was also a low wooden table in the pavilion. Soon, a little maid came from the inner room, set up a stool for Rongrong next to the table, and poured her a cup of tea.

Mei Ningxiang smiled. “The tea leaves here are bought at one tael of silver for two pounds. They can’t compare to the Marquis’s tea.”

“Boss Mei is being modest. Of course, the Marquis’s tea is good, but it’s no concern of mine.”

“I see.” Mei Ningxiang nodded slightly, clearly pleased with Rongrong’s response. She then asked, “How is your leg injury?”

“Thank you for your concern, Boss Mei. It’s already fine.”

“That’s good. You’re still young. It wouldn’t be good if you were left with any lingering effects.”

“Boss Mei is right.”

“Ah, look at you. I don’t like people talking like that. We’re all common folk here, and there are no distinctions of master and servant on the streets of the capital. I don’t want to hear such talk anymore,” Mei Ningxiang said. “From now on, if you speak like that again, I’ll assume you’re being insincere, whether you mean it or not.”

“Alright, then I’ll call you Mei Sister from now on. How does that sound?” It’s not something that can be changed overnight, so Rongrong didn’t argue and responded with a smile.

“Having such a pretty girl as a sister is certainly wonderful,” Mei Ningxiang said with a hearty laugh. “Dear sister, are you here just for tea today?”

Seeing Mei Ningxiang’s question, Rong Rong lifted the food box and handed it to her. “Sister Mei, I made some cakes this morning and brought some over for you to try.”

Because Mei Ningxiang had earlier accused Rong Rong of being “falsely polite,” she refrained from mentioning her gratitude and simply invited Mei Ningxiang to taste the cakes.

Mei Ningxiang opened the food box and her eyes lit up at the sight of five flower-shaped rose cakes.

“Since leaving the palace, I haven’t seen such exquisite things in a long time.”

“Please try them, Boss Mei. If you like them, I’ll make sure to bring you some whenever I make them,” Rong Rong said, seizing the opportunity to ask as Mei Ningxiang mentioned the palace. “Were you really from the palace?”

Mei Ningxiang, clearly delighted with the rose cakes, took one and ate it before replying. “I entered the palace when I was twelve and worked in the Bureau of Clothing. The Empress showed mercy and allowed me to leave the palace last year.”

The Bureau of Clothing?

Rong Rong hadn’t had much interaction with the Bureau of Clothing, only visiting it each season to receive her clothing, usually seeing only the minor eunuchs.

Given Mei Ningxiang’s delicate skills, she must have been making clothes for the nobility.

“I had heard rumors that you were from the palace, but I didn’t believe it. It turns out to be true.”

Seeing that Mei Ningxiang had drunk most of her tea, Rong Rong picked up the teapot to pour her some more.

Mei Ningxiang smiled as she waited for Rong Rong to set down the teapot. “People think the palace is wonderful, and that anyone who can stay there would never want to leave. But I knew the moment I saw you that we were the same.”

The same?

Rong Rong’s heart skipped a beat, uncertain what Mei Ningxiang meant.

Noticing Rong Rong’s confusion, Mei Ningxiang explained with a smile, “I was able to leave the palace’s splendor, just as you were able to leave the wealth of the marquis’ residence. Isn’t that the same?”

So that’s what she meant.

Rong Rong smiled. “Yes, it is.”

She wiped her hands with a handkerchief and picked up a piece of cake herself.

After a few bites, Mei Ningxiang took a second piece. “I misspoke earlier. Your skills are not just like those of the imperial kitchen; they are exactly like it. I usually don’t have a sweet tooth, but I can’t stop eating your cakes today.”

“So, in your opinion, Sister Mei, could my skills help me establish a place in the capital like you did?”

Mei Ningxiang wiped her fingers with a handkerchief, pondering for a moment. “You must not want to work as a cook for a wealthy family if you went through the trouble of buying your freedom from the marquis’ residence. But with your beauty, you can’t work in a tavern or teahouse either.”

Rong Rong nodded.

“Opening a pastry shop is also an option, but having just bought your freedom from the marquis’ residence, you probably don’t have the capital, do you?”

“Mei Sister, you speak so honestly. Lately, while I’ve been recuperating at home, I’ve been pondering what I should do but can’t come up with any good ideas,” Rongrong said.

Today, she had come to both thank Mei Ningxiang and seek her advice.

Given that Mei Ningxiang had managed to become a palace maid and establish herself in the capital despite having no backing, she surely had her own exceptional qualities.

Mei Ningxiang lowered her gaze, thought for a moment, and then said, “Pastries are not like wine or dishes; ordinary folks can’t afford such refined skills. Just like my embroidery workshop, the business on the first floor is merely to build up some popularity, not for profit. Making a name among the high officials and wealthy people in the capital is not easy. Furthermore, it’s expected that ladies and noblewomen buy their own clothing and jewelry. If they were known for their craving for delicacies, it wouldn’t be good.”

Indeed, it’s common for a young lady to seek beautiful clothing and jewelry, but if she were known for seeking out fine food, it might affect her reputation.

“Mei Sister makes a valid point,” Rongrong said, feeling a bit disheartened.

“Don’t be anxious,” Mei Ningxiang said after a moment of reflection. “When I first left the palace, I was just as clueless, like a headless fly. I had spent many years in the palace and had some savings, so I only managed to find my way after living off my old savings for a year. If you’re unsure about what to do, you can come to the embroidery workshop and help me.”

“Mei Sister’s kindness is appreciated, but I can only make a few socks and handkerchiefs, and I’m not even good at making purses. I really shouldn’t take up a position without being able to contribute.”

Mei Ningxiang laughed with a “pfft.”

“Do you think I’m asking you to help out of pity? The workshop needs more than just embroiderers. Even the best embroiderers there earn less than the shopkeeper. Do you know how many handkerchiefs and fans you could sell with your face alone?”

“You’re teasing me,” Rongrong said, taking out two books and placing them on the table. “I’ve read them all. They’re yours again.”

“How do you find them? Do you like them?”

Rongrong found them interesting while reading, but she wouldn’t want to read them again.

Since these books were a token of Mei Ningxiang’s kindness, she could only say, “I like them.”

In truth, these two stories were completely different from the ones Rongrong had read before in the Court Service.

They didn’t have the detailed descriptions found in “The Bamboo Forest Treasure.”

Moreover, and more importantly, both stories were written by men.

Though they described women as beautiful, they were merely objects of male fantasy.

She didn’t like such stories.

In her previous life, she had been the prince’s plaything, so she knew that being a plaything was not truly fulfilling for a woman.

What she preferred were stories like “The Bamboo Forest Treasure,” where the women had substance, thoughts, and opinions.

“You always speak in circles!”

Mei Ningxiang picked up the two books and sighed. “I don’t know what’s happened, but the books published by Wen Yue Bookstore are getting worse and worse. There was a writer named Linxi Scholar who wrote well, but he stopped writing. Now, these are what’s left! These two are still among the bestsellers. They’re almost fit to be used as toilet paper.”

“Linxi Scholar?” Rong Rong asked curiously. “If it’s convenient, Sister Mei, could you lend me his book? It sounds very interesting if you praise it so highly.”

“Take it, but it’s not a gift. You’ll have to return it.”

“Of course.”

The two continued chatting, finding they got along quite well.

After refilling the teapot twice, Rong Rong left with two borrowed books.

As she exited the house, the young man in the grey-blue robe opened the door for her. Once she was outside, the man walked back to the inner courtyard.

“Is that the woman you mentioned?” he asked.

Mei Ningxiang, pondering whether to finish the cakes Rong Rong left or save some for tomorrow, looked up and smiled. “What, are you interested in her because she’s pretty?”

The man snorted lightly. “Not a chance. I can’t afford the trouble that comes with her beauty.”

“Oh? Why?”

“Ever since she moved into the neighboring courtyard, there’s been a skilled person constantly watching it.”

“Skilled person?” Mei Ningxiang was surprised. “What kind of skilled person? Right outside our courtyard?”

“Their lightness skill is impressive. I only discovered them by accident. Three nights ago, a small thief tried to climb over the wall into the neighboring courtyard.

I heard the noise and went to check, but someone had already broken the thief’s leg with a stone before I could act.

If not for that person making the first move, I might not have noticed.

The past couple of days, I’ve kept an eye out and found that this person is around not just at night, but during the day as well.”

Mei Ningxiang became alert. “This Miss Xue came from the marquis’ residence. The people following her must be more than just skilled. You’d better leave them alone and pretend you don’t know.”

“Don’t worry. Their target isn’t us, so I naturally won’t provoke them. For now, they seem to be only monitoring, without taking any action.”

“Monitoring?” Mei Ningxiang shook her head, amused. “How do you know it’s monitoring? I think it might be secret protection.”

“Would a mere maid from the marquis’ residence warrant such protection?” The young man was skeptical.

“If she were just an ordinary maid, would she be worth such skilled surveillance?”

The man was speechless for a moment before conceding, “Alright, you have a point.”

As Mei Ningxiang felt a sense of triumph, the man added, “Whether it’s monitoring or protection, this woman is not simple. I can’t tell if bringing her here is a good thing or a bad thing.”

---

“Now that I think about it, many things seem suspicious. Consider this: she’s a maid who redeemed herself, yet the Marquis’s residence sent two people to accompany her.

The man who came with her that day spoke and acted in an unusual manner; I suspect he might be skilled in martial arts.

We’re just trying to live a peaceful life, and we still don’t know much about her background.

We should observe further. Be especially cautious; since she’s a master, she might notice you,” Mei Ningxiang recalled everything that had happened since she met Rongrong, her previously playful expression growing serious.

She looked anxiously at the young man, “I do regret renting the house to her.”

The young man found it amusing. “You’re truly changeable. Just a moment ago, you were chatting and calling her ‘sister,’ and now you regret renting to her?”

“You!” Mei Ningxiang shot him a sharp look. “I’m worried about you.”

“It’s fine,” the young man said with a solemn nod, his gaze becoming deep and profound. “Just be careful in the future.”