The young girl said she would serve Jiang Yanyi as a servant for ten years, so, to avoid any issues, they needed to go to the government office to register.

Every household was recorded at the government office, which helped officials during city-wide inspections, when they checked each residence and verified the household registry.

Additionally, the government could recognize authentic documentation to prevent fraud.

The girl mentioned she didn’t have a name. Jiang Yanyi looked over her household registration and found that her father really hadn’t named her; the name field simply had “Huo Ya” written on it.

Jiang Yanyi asked Aunt Guo to take Huo Ya to the government office to officially transfer her servitude contract.

When they returned, she asked Huo Ya, “Would you like to change your name?”

Huo Ya was a bit puzzled. “I don’t have a name.”

She had spent many years traveling with her father as a bodyguard and had encountered servants in wealthy households.

She knew that once a servitude contract was signed, if the master didn’t like the servant’s name, they could change it.

So she said, “You can name me, Master.”

She had heard Aunt Guo and Okra refer to Jiang Yanyi as “Master,” so she followed suit.

Jiang Yanyi thought for a moment and asked, “When were you born?”

Huo Ya’s face was mostly hidden under her messy hair, and she replied, “I don’t remember. My father said people who earn a living by risking their lives don’t celebrate birthdays—it brings bad luck. He only ever told me I was born in a reed field in early spring.”

In early spring, reeds are still tender sprouts, and ancient poems often refer to young reeds as “Jia.”

Jiang Yanyi said, “How about calling you Jianjia? ‘Jia’ refers to reeds.”

The term “Jian” refers to reed shoots without plumes; whether reeds or cattails, both burst with life in early spring.

“Huo Jianjia?” Huo Ya tried saying the name and nodded. “It sounds nice. Thank you for the name, Master.”

Seeing she liked the name, Jiang Yanyi was pleased and realized that sending her to the noodle shop in her worn-out clothes would be inconvenient.

She said, “Freshen up and change into something more presentable before you go to the noodle shop.”

Jiang Yanyi was tall, while Huo Jianjia was petite, so she couldn’t wear Jiang Yanyi’s old clothes; only Qui Kui’s would fit.

Qui Kui generously offered her new clothes, but since she had gained some weight over winter, her new clothes were too big on the small and slender Huo Jianjia.

The only outfit that fit was the winter garment Jiang Yanyi had bought for Qui Kui while stationed in Xizhou.

Jiang Yanyi then took Huo Jianjia to Madam Chen’s shop next door to have her measurements taken for new clothes.

At first, Huo Jianjia was resistant to Madam Chen’s touch.

Only when she understood Jiang Yanyi’s intention did she cooperate, remaining silent the whole time.

While measuring, Madam Chen noticed a red birthmark on her face extending down to her neck.

She said nothing in front of Huo Jianjia but commented to Jiang Yanyi when taking the deposit, “I know you have a soft heart, but there are many unfortunate people out there. You should pick servants who are useful.”

To Madam Chen, Qui Kui was scatterbrained, and this new girl, thin as a stick with a face that couldn’t be shown in public, seemed even less useful.

If she were to work in a place like the Ruyi House, she’d likely scare off the guests.

Jiang Yanyi replied, “I know. Just make her clothes, Chen Jie.”

Otherwise, Huo Jianjia would have only one outfit, with no way to wash it.

Madam Chen sighed. “Got it.”

After they left the shop, Huo Jianjia told Jiang Yanyi, “I heard what you said, Master. My father always taught me to repay kindness, and I’m here to repay a debt. There’s no need to be so good to me.”

It was the first time Jiang Yanyi had witnessed the keen hearing of a martial artist.

She and Madam Chen had been talking inside while Huo Jianjia looked at materials at the entrance, and they had spoken quietly—yet she had heard it all.

Jiang Yanyi replied, “I’m not just making clothes for you. All my workers get them.”

Huo Jianjia was momentarily stunned by this response and finally said, “Master, you’re a good person.”

That afternoon, Huo Jianjia was taken to the noodle shop.

Bing Shao, who had been keeping an eye on things for several days, delivered the shop’s accounts to Jiang Yanyi.

She asked him how Huo Jianjia was doing over there.

For once, a look of indescribable expression crossed his usually stone-faced features. “She’s hardworking and strong, but she has a tendency to hit people.”

She also ate quite a bit.

Jiang Yanyi paused as she was flipping through the account book. “She hits people?”

Bing Shao replied, “Except for a few older workers and the honest staff, almost everyone else has gotten a beating.”

When the noodle shop finally brought on a little girl, some of the guys couldn’t resist teasing her—only to end up running to her, crying for mercy.

Now the workers were as afraid of Huo Jianjia as anything.

If someone took her meat in the communal meal, they’d get hit.

If anyone badmouthed her behind her back, they’d get hit.

Even if someone flirted with married women, they’d find themselves beaten.

Finding the girl quite amusing, Jiang Yanyi asked, “Has she made any friends?”

Bing Shao shook his head. “No one I’ve noticed.”

Jiang Yanyi nodded, signaling she understood.

There were two possibilities: either Huo Jianjia had truly come out of gratitude, or she was simply hiding her true intentions too well.

Jiang Yanyi set aside her doubts for the time being and handed a prepared greeting card to Bing Shao, saying, “Take a trip to the porcelain kiln and have them make a hundred pieces of painted and blue-and-white porcelain. Also, find out which merchant caravans travel beyond the border regularly.”

If she wanted to do business with the porcelain kiln, she needed to test the market first.

If the caravans could sell these hundred pieces, she could then start negotiating with the kiln owner about a partnership.

---

Unknowingly, she had already stayed home for more than half a month, and even Chu Yangui, despite his usual obliviousness, began to sense that something was amiss.

That day, as Jiang Yanyi brought him some freshly made fish soup, he asked, “Sister, has something happened?”

After this period of care, he had gained a bit of weight, though he still looked thin.

Because he had been in recovery for so long and rarely saw the sun, his complexion was pale to the point of transparency.

The one feature he shared most with Jiang Yanyi was his lips, though Jiang Yanyi’s lips always curved slightly upward, making her appear lively and charming even without smiling.

In contrast, his lips remained straight, giving him a look of cold indifference.

Jiang Yanyi sat on a small embroidered stool nearby, holding a hoop with her embroidery stretched taut, trying to salvage her hopelessly clumsy stitches. “What could possibly be wrong? Are you tired of me being at home all day just because I’m not going to the Ruyi Tower?”

Her words left Chu Yangui somewhat flustered, and he stammered, “Sister, that’s not what I meant…”

Jiang Yanyi had purposely said that to throw him off and interrupted, “Yang Xiu is managing things at Ruyi Tower now, and I only need to oversee the accounts. We’ll be opening more shops in the future, so do you think I’ll be able to keep an eye on everything every day?”

Back when Lady Jiang managed her own dowry shops, she only required the managers to submit the account books once every quarter, which reassured Chu Yangui for now.

He noticed the auspicious cloud pattern on Jiang Yanyi’s embroidery hoop, a design commonly seen on men’s robes.

His gaze grew slightly colder. “You always hated doing needlework. Why not just let the servants handle it?”

Jiang Yanyi had used a thread that was too long and was now struggling to untangle a knot.

She carefully worked it loose, saying, “Once I get better at it, I’ll make some knee warmers for you, Uncle, and Grandma.”

Once the knot was untangled, Jiang Yanyi looked up and added, “Look at the pouch Jiabao embroidered for us. It’s beautifully done. If I make something too ugly, it’d be embarrassing to give.”

Chu Jiabao had also made a pouch for Chu Yangui, though he had probably tossed it aside somewhere.

Then Chu Yangui asked suddenly, “Are you also going to make knee warmers for the Prince of Liaonan?”

Jiang Yanyi had already embroidered something for Feng Shuo on his birthday, so for the new year, she thought about making him a robe instead.

Shaking her head, she replied, “I’m not making knee warmers for him.”

Chu Yangui relaxed his clenched fingers slightly and said, “I don’t want you to marry him.”

Jiang Yanyi raised an eyebrow in surprise, smiling. “Oh? Why?”

Chu Yangui pressed his lips tightly. “I’m afraid he’ll let you down. He has his grand ambitions, and he’ll hardly have time to be with you. Any man who doesn’t care for you wholeheartedly is unworthy of you.”

Jiang Yanyi couldn’t help but feel moved by her younger brother’s words.

Pausing her needlework, she replied, “Thank you, Yangui. He has treated me well, and I trust he won’t disappoint me.”

After a moment of silence, Chu Yangui said, “He may be a benefactor to me and to the Chu family, but if he ever wrongs you, I won’t let him off.”

Minister Jiang’s influence had cast a dark shadow over him, and in the Jiang household, Lady Jiang and Minister Jiang had almost never stopped arguing.

To him, his family meant everything.

Even if it meant being labeled ungrateful, he would stop at nothing to defend them.

Knowing his sensitivity, Jiang Yanyi gently patted his head and said, “Yangui, you can trust the people I trust.”

After hesitating for a moment, Chu Yangui nodded slightly. “Can I meet him?”

Though surprised by his request, Jiang Yanyi thought it made sense since he had never actually met Feng Shuo, so she said, “I’ll mention it to him when he has time.”

---

Feng Shuo had heard about Chu Yangui from Chi Qing and the Duke of Chen, so he was a bit surprised by the request but not overly so.

Since this was an open invitation to dine with Jiang Yanyi, he had no reason to refuse.

However, Chu Yangui, concerned about his sister’s reputation, wouldn’t allow him to visit their home.

Instead, he set the meeting place at the Ruyi Tower.

When Chi Qing found out, he teased Feng Shuo and managed to get him to take on a few extra tasks.

Jiang Yanyi, who had been cooped up at home for so long, was eager for an excuse to visit the Ruyi Tower.

She rented a carriage, taking Uncle Zhong and Aunt Guo along.

Feng Shuo rode in an inconspicuous carriage, following closely behind them.

Although many refugees had poured into Xizhou City, the government had registered them, and the able-bodied had been sent to work on the city’s defenses.

Though the pay was minimal, meals were provided, so many young, strong men had gone.

Most people left in the city were the elderly, women, and children.

As Jiang Yanyi’s carriage passed through a narrow alley, a cart suddenly veered out, heading straight toward her carriage.