Just moments ago, when discussing with Chunxing, Rongrong was quite confident.

However, in reality, she knew it would be very difficult to find a suitable house within a day.

It was more likely that they would have to stay in an inn first.

Although Mei Ningxiang hadn’t specified when Rongrong should move out, Rongrong, having understood Mei Ningxiang’s attitude, did not want to stay there any longer, to avoid causing any annoyance.

She went straight to the pawnshop, intending to pawn both of her pearls.

However, she found that a single pearl of this quality could be pawned for thirty taels of silver.

Therefore, she left one pearl and only took thirty taels of silver to find Yang Tong.

Although Yang Tong was somewhat less eloquent compared to other brokers, he was honest and reliable, and they had some acquaintance.

Rongrong preferred to think of him for business.

Unfortunately, when she arrived, Yang Tong was not there; only Yang Tong’s uncle, the old broker Yang, was in the shop.

“Miss looking for a house?” Yang Lao Jingji had dealt with all kinds of people in the capital for many years, including those from all walks of life, and was approached by both commoners and nobles for various needs.

Seeing a customer coming in, he greeted her warmly.

Although Rongrong had never met Yang Lao Jingji before, she could guess from his age and resemblance to Yang Tong.

Since it was about finding a house, this old broker would certainly be better than the inexperienced Yang Tong.

“I’m in urgent need of a house, and I’d appreciate it if you could help,” Rongrong said, describing her requirements to Yang Lao Jingji in detail—she needed a clean, quiet place with three rooms and a kitchen. “I need it urgently this time, so even if it’s a bit more expensive than the market rate, I’m willing to pay.”

Yang Lao Jingji smiled upon hearing this, “Finding such a house is indeed difficult, but since you’re willing to pay more, it will be easier.”

Rongrong was delighted, “Does that mean you have a suitable house available?”

“There is such a place—spacious, quiet, and elegant. However, the landlord is asking for too much, and the house has been on the market for six months without being rented out. The key is with me. If it’s convenient for you, I can take you to see it.”

“Convenient, very convenient. But could you tell me how much the rent is per month?” Although Rongrong was not short of money, she didn’t know what “asking too much” meant exactly.

If it was exorbitant, she would not be able to afford it, as her grandmother also needed money for medical expenses!

“It’s four taels per month.”

Four taels?

The place Rongrong was renting was already quite good; a couple of silver coins could rent it for two months.

“Is it four taels of silver for the three rooms in total?” Rongrong asked.

Old Yang, the agent, nodded and said, “Yes, it is a bit pricey, but if you can afford it, you’ll find it worth the money.”

“Well then… I’ll go take a look,” Rongrong thought the place was too expensive, but since Old Yang recommended it so highly, it should be good.

“It’s not far, just in Wutong Lane,” Old Yang said.

Wutong Lane was very close to Huaihua Lane—just across the street.

If they decided on this place, moving would be convenient.

Rongrong felt a bit relieved and followed Old Yang to Wutong Lane.

When she saw the house, she was immediately very satisfied.

It had a two-courtyard layout; the inner courtyard was locked, but the outer courtyard was for rent.

The three rooms were spacious and bright, with a clean kitchen and a neat storage room.

The central courtyard was lined with many small flower pots, though they looked a bit messy since no one was taking care of them.

“The owner is a businessman and has been a long-time acquaintance of mine.

They moved south due to the poor market in the capital these past two years. Besides this house, they also have two shops for rent.

They have too many things in the house to move and don’t want to throw them away, so they thought of renting out these front rooms,” Old Yang explained.

“Since it’s their own house, they’ve priced it higher to avoid having it damaged.”

“Even though four taels of silver is expensive, it seems the landlord doesn’t need the money. Why rent out the front courtyard then?” Rongrong asked.

Old Yang smiled and led Rongrong to the courtyard, pointing at the flower pots. “The owner loves flowers, and these are all precious varieties. They hoped that a tenant would help water them every day.” He added, “I’ve been watering them lately, and it’s quite tiring for my old arms and legs.”

Rongrong didn’t know much about flowers, but she recognized the roses in the courtyard as ones she had seen in the palace before—they seemed to be a very valuable type.

Seeing Rongrong examining the house but not saying anything, Old Yang said, “Four taels of silver is indeed a lot. If you’re unsure, I can show you a few other places.”

Rongrong was privately satisfied with the house but felt it was too expensive.

She followed Old Yang to look at a few other places, but none of them compared to the Wutong Lane house.

Since Grandma Xue was coming to the capital for health reasons, staying in a noisy, cramped place might worsen her condition.

Renting this place for a few months and then moving to a cheaper one once Grandma Xue’s health improved seemed like a good plan.

At that moment, Rongrong signed the contract with Old Yang, agreeing to pay the rent every two months and an additional two taels of silver as a deposit.

Old Yang was quite straightforward and immediately handed the key to Rongrong.

She was overjoyed and left happily.

In her haste, she didn’t notice Yang Lao Jingji wiping the cold sweat from his forehead with his sleeve.

“Miss, you’re back?” Chunxing heard the door open and quickly put down what she was doing.

Seeing Rongrong’s happy face, she immediately asked, “Did you find a house?”

Rongrong nodded.

“Is it better than where we are now?” Chunxing was somewhat reluctant to leave the small courtyard.

Although it was crowded, everyone got along well, taking care of each other and chatting cheerfully.

“It’s better than here—three large rooms, a private courtyard, and a kitchen so we won’t have to share with others. The house is on Wutong Lane, and it’s convenient for you to visit. Tomorrow my second brother and grandmother are coming, so you won’t have to worry about being alone.”

Chunxing felt a bit embarrassed by Rongrong’s words. “Miss, I’m not looking for someone to talk to all the time. Am I chatty and intrusive in your opinion?”

Rongrong shook her head.

Although Chunxing did enjoy talking and being lively, she was always very discreet and never discussed Rongrong’s personal matters with others.

“I actually enjoy lively company too, but I’m too lazy to go out. With you around, I can enjoy the buzz without leaving the house.”

Chunxing playfully stuck out her tongue.

“What about Feicui?” Rongrong asked.

“Who knows? She’s out somewhere…” Chunxing was speaking when Feicui pushed the door open. “Miss, you’re back?”

Chunxing rolled her eyes. “She came back later than you. No telling where she’s been causing trouble.”

Feicui lowered her head, looking a bit aggrieved. “I started my period today, and my stomach really hurts.”

“In that case, boil some water with brown sugar and add some peanuts,” Rongrong said.

She remembered that Feicui used to have the same issue at the Eastern Palace, becoming pale and weak during her period, which made Rongrong feel a bit sorry for her. “Make sure it’s hot; don’t let it cool down before drinking.”

Feicui suddenly seemed dazed, lifting her head to look at Rongrong.

“What’s the matter? Are you too weak to even boil water? Do you want me to make the brown sugar water for you?” Chunxing, seeing Feicui standing still, gave her a scolding look.

Feicui snapped back to reality and quickly said, “I can still manage; I’ll make it myself.” She then took some peanuts and went out to the kitchen in the yard.

Chunxing watched Feicui’s retreating figure, lightly snorting.

While tidying up the boxes and chests, she whispered to Rongrong, “See how she’s trying to shirk work? Even if her hands aren’t damaged, she’ll be kicked out of the Hou residence sooner or later.”

Rongrong wasn’t paying much attention to what Chunxing was saying; her mind was preoccupied with thoughts about Feicui.

Back in the Eastern Palace, Feicui was actually the closest person to Rongrong.

She was lively and talkative, much like Chunxing, and was very different from the rule-abiding palace maids.

Feicui never hesitated to discuss things that Rongrong kept to herself, such as status and future decisions.

Feicui would say whatever came to her mind, always comforting Rongrong.

However, in recent years, Feicui’s life seemed to have been difficult; she was missing a finger and her personality had changed completely.

“Miss, we have several boxes to move. How will we manage with just three people?” Chunxing asked.

Chunxing was quick with her hands and feet; while Rongrong was out looking for a house, she had almost finished packing up the big items on her own.

“We don’t need to move everything ourselves. I’ll hire some movers early tomorrow morning,” Rongrong replied.

Chunxing was excited to hear that the new place was a private courtyard and better than their current one.

She wasn’t tired at all and asked, “Miss, since we’re moving tomorrow, should we go over there today to clean it up?”

The house had been empty for half a year, with only Old Yang occasionally watering the flowers.

It had gathered quite a bit of dust, so it definitely needed cleaning. Rongrong had been so busy today that she had forgotten about this.

“Let’s clean it together. We won’t cook today; we’ll eat out,” Rongrong said.

“Okay.” Chunxing grabbed a broom and cloth, and Rongrong changed into a more durable cotton coat.

The two of them headed outside.

Feicui, who was drinking brown sugar water in the courtyard, saw them leaving with cleaning supplies.

She finished her drink quickly, picked up a broom she found in the yard, and joined them.

A seamstress sitting in the corridor eating from a porcelain bowl saw Rongrong and Chunxing leaving with their things and asked, “Are you moving out so soon?”

Before Rongrong could answer, someone with a quick tongue commented, “Even if you’re in a hurry, there’s no reason to rush people out on the same day!”

Chunxing was about to agree, but Rongrong smiled and said, “We’re not rushing to move out, but we just found a place today. It’s on Wutong Lane, at the entrance with the stone lions. Once we’re settled, we’ll invite you sisters over to visit.”

“Oh, that place? I remember it’s quite grand. It’s definitely better than being squeezed in here,” the seamstress said. “Miss Xue is quite capable.”

Everyone knew Rongrong could make ham, so it wasn’t surprising she could afford a nice house.

“Miss Xue, please don’t be upset with Boss Mei. She’s just like that—takes out her frustration on those around her. She’s already been scolding people at the embroidery workshop all day.”

Before Rongrong could respond, Chunxing took the opportunity to ask, “Sister Lian, why is she unhappy? It wouldn’t be because of us, would it?”

“Of course not,” Sister Lian said, glancing around the courtyard.

She took a few steps closer to Rongrong and Chunxing and whispered, “It’s her cousin. Something happened, and he left the capital.”