Chapter 10: 010 Arrangements

Chapter 10: Arrangements

Bai Suihe left through the side gate, walked down the long, narrow alley, and followed her memory to a small courtyard.

She knocked on the door in a rhythmic pattern. The door creaked open from the inside, and an old woman with a face full of wrinkles saw the head-bowed Bai Suihe. "Miss Chunxiang, wasn't it said that the Young Mistress would be coming today?"

Bai Suihe slipped inside directly. "Nanny Wu, it's me."

Hearing the familiar voice, Wu Qingshui was so startled she quickly shut the door. "Young Mistress, why are you dressed like this?"

"How else could I have gotten out?" Bai Suihe said nonchalantly. "Chunxiang should have told you yesterday—have you brought the people?"

This Wu Qingshui was a trusted confidante of Madam Bai. Madam Bai doted on this daughter, but when faced with family interests and her other children, she had to make compromises.

Later, on the day of the exile, although the Bai family struck her from the clan registry, Madam Bai had still sent Nanny Wu to give her ten thousand taels in silver notes.

It was a pity that on the road to exile, even with silver notes, one dared not use them openly. She hadn't lived long enough to reach the place of exile to improve her life, and no one knew who ended up benefiting from those notes later.

"Young Mistress, this is against propriety," Wu Qingshui said anxiously. Seeing the Young Mistress dressed this way, it was clear she had snuck out. If the Gu family found out, the Young Mistress would not fare well.

"Nanny, this is not the time for such talk. I truly have an extremely urgent matter.

My mother must have instructed you to obey me in everything. Time is running out; let's hurry."

Bai Suihe had no choice but to bring up Madam Bai. She truly had no manpower of her own. She had originally intended to arrange for some people to make preparations along the road to exile, but now the plan had changed.

"Young Mistress, don't be anxious. The people are already waiting inside. I will take you in now," Wu Qingshui said helplessly. The Madam doted on the Young Mistress far too much; she didn't know if this was a blessing or a curse.

Bai Suihe entered the main room and found that everyone there was a familiar face. It seemed Madam Bai had indeed sent her own trusted people.

They were all old servants who had served Madam Bai. Seeing this person who looked half like Chunxiang and half like the Eldest Young Mistress, the clever ones immediately understood what was going on.

They were loyal and would not say anything at this moment, but they were even more curious about Bai Suihe’s attire, wondering what purpose the Eldest Young Mistress had in calling them here.

Bai Suihe did not say much. She reached into her bosom and pulled out a large stack of silver notes. This was what she had taken from the treasury that morning when she left, emptying out all the family's emergency savings.

Seeing so many silver notes, Wu Qingshui’s brows furrowed even tighter. As Madam Bai’s confidante, she was naturally very familiar with these; that was a full fifty thousand taels of silver notes. She didn't know how much of it was here.

"There are fifty thousand taels of silver notes here." As soon as Bai Suihe finished speaking, Wu Qingshui nearly lost her footing. The Young Mistress was leaving nothing behind.

"Young Mistress?"

Bai Suihe gave her a look that said, "Stay calm." "I know you are all people my mother trusts, so I trust you as well.

I am in urgent need of supplies. I don't care what methods you use, but within seven days, buy all these things and store them at my dowry estate."

After saying this, Bai Suihe took out the list she had prepared earlier. "Try your best to buy them from outside shops. Do not touch the stock in my dowry shops; I have other uses for them."

Fearing they might take the easy way out, Bai Suihe added, "Act separately. Do not attract attention."

With that, she handed the silver notes and the list to Nanny Wu.

Wu Qingshui wiped the sweat from her forehead and took them nervously. "Young Mistress, how should we explain this to the Madam when we return?"

Bai Suihe replied, "…See if Mother can come to the Gu residence in the next few days. If not, I will find a way to return in a while."

Wu Qingshui immediately understood that this was not something she should be hearing, and she agreed readily.

If the Young Mistress hadn't come in person today, and if it had been that girl Chunxiang bringing the silver notes out, she would have dragged Chunxiang back to the manor or turned her over to the authorities.

"Young Mistress, shall this old servant escort you back to the manor?" After having the matters and the silver notes settled in front of Bai Suihe, she asked the Young Mistress, who was sitting to the side sipping tea.

Bai Suihe stood up, straightened her clothes, and smoothed her hair. "Come with me to the street to buy some things, and you can have your people escort me back."

Since she had come out, she couldn't return empty-handed. Bai Suihe also wanted to understand the current prices of goods.

She didn't go anywhere else, just bought some pastries and fresh fruit on the nearby street.

Although she had a vast mountain of fruit in her space, it had no origin.

She wanted to wander around more, but Nanny Wu was very nervous, fearing that the fake Young Mistress in the manor would be exposed, and she urged her to leave from time to time.

Bai Suihe knew she couldn't be willful, so she quickly bought some sewing supplies and headed back.

Nanny Wu, accompanied by two strong men carrying poles, arrived at the side gate of the Gu residence's backyard.

The old woman guarding the gate saw Chunxiang and immediately greeted her with a smile. Before she could get close, she was blocked by an old face, and a silver corner was pressed into her palm. "My old auntie Chunxiang, thank you so much for taking care of this child."

The two strong men had already squeezed through, placed the loads inside the courtyard, and retreated honestly. Bai Suihe slipped into the backyard.

Behind her came the voice of Wu Qingshui, "Chunxiang, hurry and have someone carry the things back. Don't delay the mistress's affairs."

The old woman looked at Chunxiang's back and didn't say anything, quietly tucking the silver corner into her bosom. "So we're all family; looking after each other is only right.

You are all too polite. What did you buy?"

"Just some fruit, preserved fruit, and snacks. You know how it is with pregnancy; one's appetite is inevitably picky. I didn't know what the mistress liked, so I bought a bit of everything."

"You are truly thoughtful toward your mistress. With loyal people like you serving the Third Young Mistress, her days must be a bit easier."

Wu Qingshui felt a lump in her throat. Even the gatekeeper knew the Eldest Young Mistress's hardships; one could see how difficult life in the Gu residence must be.

Forget it, if the Eldest Young Mistress wants to spend money, let her spend it. If it comes to the worst, the Madam will subsidize her.

Bai Suihe returned to the courtyard with her head bowed. As soon as she knocked, Dongmei immediately opened the door. It turned out she had been guarding here the whole time, secretly observing the outside. Seeing the familiar figure, she felt a sense of relief.

Bai Suihe sat at the vanity and began to remove her makeup. "Go to the side gate and bring the things in."

Chunxiang, who had been lying on the bed pretending to be her, immediately sat up. Seeing the sweat on her forehead, Bai Suihe couldn't help but chuckle. "You didn't stay under the quilt the whole time, did you?"

Chunxiang: "…Young Mistress, this servant was nervous to death, and you still have the heart to joke."

"It's my fault," Bai Suihe apologized quickly. "I know you were uncomfortable. Hurry and change back.

Has there been anything unusual while I was out of the manor?"

Chunxiang moved nimbly and didn't forget to reply, "No one came, but my heart hasn't stopped pounding."