Chapter 18: You Must Serve

After waiting for a while, the lad transporting slops had already placed six or seven buckets on the carriage. During the whole process, he didn't take a moment's rest.

Seeing that there was only one spot left on the carriage, Yingran, taking advantage of others' absence, swiftly crawled under the carriage. With both hands and feet, she firmly clung to the wooden planks beneath.

No sooner had she settled in than she heard footsteps approaching—heavy and determined. It must be the lad moving the last bucket of slops.

As expected, just as Yingran thought, she felt the carriage sinking with a clank, and if she hadn't been prepared, she might have been startled and exposed.

"Jing Sister, I'm done. Heading out now!" the lad shouted into the house.

"Got it, close the door when you leave," replied a woman inside with a somewhat hoarse voice.

The lad, puzzled, glanced at the doorway. Normally, Jing Sister would come out to nag at him. Today, she didn't even show her face.

It was really strange. However, the lad didn't say anything and just pushed the carriage, closing the door obediently after leaving.

Yingran, under the carriage, felt uncomfortable from the jolting. Several times she almost failed to grip properly, nearly falling off. She wondered why she hadn't noticed how bumpy the roads of the capital were before.

After about a quarter of an hour, without any stops along the way, just when Yingran was about to give in, the carriage suddenly jerked and came to a halt.

"Du Ge, you're later than usual today," someone in front of the carriage spoke.

Yingran, relying on the voice, sensed that someone was talking to the lad transporting slops.

"Yeah, there was some commotion on the way, so I got delayed," Du Ge replied.

"Oh? What commotion? Tell me about it."

"You don't know? The Tai Hospital sentenced the First Rong Jin's family to be beheaded at the market entrance today. They were paraded through the streets in a prisoner's cart at the crack of dawn by the Golden Feather Guards."

Upon hearing these words, Yingran suddenly understood why Li Niang had been avoiding her questions about the whereabouts of her grandfather and father.

The person on the other side continued, "I heard about it, but I didn't expect it to happen so quickly. Wasn't the imperial decree issued just yesterday?"

"Yeah, I'm afraid there's more to it than meets the eye," Du Ge said cautiously, as if afraid of being overheard.

Then he sighed and said, "If we talk about Lord Rong, he's a generous man. His pharmacy has been kind to the poor. How could he end up like this?"

The person opposite immediately covered Du Ge's mouth, admonishing, "You can't talk nonsense. The Rong family's sentence was a decree personally issued by the current emperor. Don't risk your life for loose talk."

Du Ge forced a smile, patting his own mouth with his hand, and said, "Look at me, flapping my gums."

"Enough, hurry up and move the stuff. It's better to stay away from this kind of commotion," the person warned.

Though the person meant well, Du Ge disagreed. He retorted, "You didn't see it. Many people who followed the cart this morning were pleading for mercy on behalf of Lord Rong. Who knows, things might take a turn for the better. I want to see the outcome."

"Be careful then, and don't get into trouble!"

The two didn't continue the conversation and started to handle the slops on the carriage.

Underneath the carriage, Yingran had long been unable to hold on. She crouched there, tears wiped away with her hands. Following the footsteps gradually fading away, she hurriedly dried her eyes. She ran along the back of the carriage until the slop cart's shadow was barely visible before stopping, carefully observing her surroundings. At this moment, Yingran realized she was lost.

Simultaneously, she was contemplating something, unable to make a decision. She wanted the medicine for her mother, but she also wanted to go to the market entrance that Du Ge mentioned, to see the final outcome. What if... influenced by public opinion, the emperor decided to be lenient with her grandfather and father?

Looking up at the sky, calculating the time, Yingran thought she had enough time. She decided to go get the medicine for her mother first.

"Uncle, do you know how to get to Tongji Pharmacy?" Yingran approached a vendor selling wontons and asked.

The vendor waved his hand impatiently, saying, "I don't know, hurry up and leave, don't bother me as I open my shop."

Yingran had no choice but to give up and turned to ask someone else.

"Sister, do you know how to get to Tongji Pharmacy?" she asked a passerby.

"Stop asking, just go away," came the impatient response.

Undeterred, Yingran continued asking more than a dozen people, all receiving similar responses. However, she didn't lose heart and approached an umbrella vendor.

"Granny, do you know how to get to Tongji Pharmacy?" she inquired.

"Little girl, what are you going there for?" the old lady asked in a gentle tone.

"I'm going to get medicine, Granny. Do you know how to get there?" Yingran replied.

The old lady sighed and replied, "Don't bother, dear. That pharmacy has been sealed."

"What?! How could that be?" Yingran immediately objected.

Facing Yingran's questions, the old lady remained patient, explaining, "You're so young; it's understandable. The master of the Rong family has been charged, and all the pharmacies associated with him have been sealed. Tongji Pharmacy is one of them."

Upon hearing this, Yingran felt somewhat dazed. After a moment of bewilderment, she hurriedly ran off without even thanking the old lady.

While inquiring about the location of Tongji Pharmacy, Yingran also asked how to get to the market entrance. At this point, she just wanted to get there and see her father and grandfather.

When Yingran arrived, Rong Jin and the other male family members had already been escorted to the designated beheading site at the market entrance. They knelt in several rows, with Rong Jin at the forefront.

Each person had an ominous executioner standing by, a sword the height of a person held upright at their side, the other hand on their waist, their faces dark and resembling the ghastly creatures from ghost stories.

The surrounding common folk, likely beneficiaries of the Rong family's kindness judging by their humble attire, were pleading for mercy on behalf of the Rong family. Some even rushed toward the execution platform, attempting to rescue Rong Jin.

Sitting behind the crowd, the execution supervisor, seeing the commotion, quickly ordered the city guards to assist the Golden Feather Guards in keeping the crowd away from the beheading platform.

Yingran had already blended into the crowd, squeezing through the gaps and rushing to the front, finally seeing her grandfather and father as she wished.

Just as Yingran was about to call out, her mouth and nose were covered by someone. Turning around, she found it was Li Niang.

However, today's Li Niang was slightly different from yesterday. She was dressed plainly, with minimal makeup, and a white jade hairpin adorned her hair. Other than that, she had no other accessories.

Yingran was shocked, not only because she had been discovered but also because of Li Niang's appearance.

"If you want your mother and sister to stay alive, don't make a sound!" Li Niang whispered a warning.

Hearing this, Yingran gradually stopped struggling, allowing Li Niang to cover her mouth and nose, silently watching her grandfather and father.

Perhaps due to the commotion in the crowd, Rong Jin and the others looked up and saw the people. At first, it seemed insignificant, but upon closer inspection, Rong Jin spotted Yingran in the crowd. His emotions surged.

However, when he saw the woman covering his daughter's mouth, Rong Jin calmed down slightly.

He remembered this face, not just because it was extraordinarily beautiful, but also because his wife hadn't let him into their room for quite some time after she saved this girl on the street.

Yes, this woman was the girl who had rescued him at the Liqing Pavilion. However, she looked more slender at that time, and her clothes were not as elegant as they were now.

But why was Yingran with her? Could it be... yes, all the female members of the Rong family were forced into prostitution. Thinking of this, Rong Jin felt a sharp pain in his heart, bending down.

After a while, he looked up again, gazing steadily at Li Niang, his eyes containing a thousand words that he couldn't express.

Li Niang also stared back at Rong Jin, nodding at him, as if saying she wouldn't forget this kindness.

Seeing Li Niang's response, Rong Jin finally relaxed, giving a heartfelt smile and casting a deep and nostalgic look at Yingran before lowering his head.

Just at this moment, a Golden Feather Guard suddenly stepped onto the platform and loudly proclaimed, "By the decree of His Majesty, Rong Jin colluded with enemies and committed treason, sentenced to be beheaded. Those who gather to plead for mercy will face the same punishment."

After the announcement, there was a brief silence in the crowd, followed by a more emotionally charged uproar. It seemed like the crowd didn't believe the words of the enforcer, trusting in the proverb that 'misery loves company.'

Seeing the unfavorable situation, Li Niang immediately pulled Yingran away from the crowd.

However, Yingran's small stature was almost overwhelmed by the crowd, and Li Niang had to carry her in her arms, struggling to make their way to the outskirts of the crowd.

Just as they squeezed out, a chorus of gasps and screams erupted behind them. When Li Niang and Yingran turned to look, they discovered that the front row had become a group of souls under the executioner's blade.

So... they weren't just saying it casually. People woke up and spontaneously formed two waves.

One group, originally there for the spectacle, to witness the outcome of the Rong family's execution, now realized the situation was amiss. They hastily ran towards the outskirts, fearing for their own safety.

The other group, still pleading for the Rong family, even after witnessing the fate of those who begged for mercy, refused to retreat. They continued to plead, proving the ruthlessness of those in power with their lives.

The execution supervisor, seeing the sun reaching noon on the sundial, immediately ordered the execution.

The executioners, following the command, neatly lifted the prisoners' hair to one side, forcefully took a sip of strong liquor, then sprayed it on the blade. With swift motions, dozens of heads rolled to the ground.

Li Niang and Yingran initially turned around just to see what the commotion in the crowd was about. However, when the people in the front row fell, the executioner's blade reached the necks of the male members of the Rong family.

Instinctively, Li Niang covered Yingran's eyes with her hand and, along with her, turned away, slowly walking in the opposite direction of the market entrance.

"Did... did they die?" Yingran suddenly spoke, her tone unusually calm.

Li Niang halted for a moment at her footsteps but didn't know how to answer. She chose not to respond to Yingran's question, only urging her to move faster, wanting to leave the place as soon as possible.

After walking a few hundred steps, Li Niang removed her hand covering Yingran's eyes. Then, she led Yingran to a inconspicuous carriage, and after numerous twists and turns, they finally entered through a side entrance of Liqing Pavilion.

"Come with me," Li Niang instructed Yingran after getting off the carriage.

Yingran didn't mind and obediently followed Li Niang to the top floor of the attic.

"What were you doing today?" Li Niang asked. Though she already had an answer in her heart, she wanted Yingran to say it herself.

"I was just staying in the courtyard, didn't do anything," Yingran replied without thinking.

"But have you been outside the courtyard?" Li Niang continued to ask while looking at Yingran.

"No, I don't know the way," Yingran answered.

"Then today... did you hear or see anything else?" Li Niang asked tentatively.

"No," Yingran replied straightforwardly.

After this conversation, Li Niang was both shocked and appreciative. It seemed as if Yingran had suddenly become more sensible. If someone knowledgeable found out about her sneaking out, it would be trouble not only for her but also for the people of the Rong family. Now that Yingran understood without anyone explicitly telling her, it was for the best.

"Alright, go. I'll keep your mother's situation in mind," Li Niang said, lifting her hand to signal Yingran to leave.

When Yingran returned to her room, she lay on the bed, wrapping herself tightly in the blanket until breathing became difficult. Only then did she reveal her head.

"Squeak~"

It was the sound of Qiushui and Dongmei pushing the door open.

"Miss Yingran, this is your lunch." Qiushui placed the meal on the table and continued, "Also, Sister Li Niang ordered you to reflect in seclusion for three days as punishment for sneaking into the front courtyard."

"I understand. Thank you both," Yingran said without even looking at the food, continuing to cover her head with the blanket, repeating the process until she could hardly breathe.

Over the next three days, apart from occasionally eating something, Yingran kept sleeping. During this time, she overheard an interesting story, not that she wanted to hear it, but it was just idle chatter from Qiushui and Dongmei.

It turned out that after Yingran left Li Niang's room, the woman called the maid on duty at the side gate that night to her room.

Yingran's escape was largely due to the negligence of that maid, but it wasn't entirely coincidental.

The truth was that the maid was having a secret rendezvous with someone else. The two had spent the night together and intended to continue their passionate affair in the early morning. Thinking that Du Ge, who usually transported swill and was considered honest, was on duty, the maid felt more at ease, allowing Yingran to slip through.

The maid, originally on duty at the side gate as punishment for her previous mistake, was now sent to the firewood room by Li Niang, with a promise to start anew as a maid after a month.

Hearing this, Yingran felt grateful and sympathetic towards the maid. However, with her own safety at stake, she didn't dwell on it too much.

After three days of seclusion, Yingran finally got the chance to leave her room. The first thing she did was rush to her mother's room.

"Although it's just next door, not seeing you for three days feels like an eternity. Don't wander around like this again," said Lady Rong, holding Yingran's hand and advising her. Lady Rong's complexion seemed to have improved significantly.

"I understand," Yingran replied, nodding.

Lady Rong looked at her daughter in front of her and felt a slight sense of unfamiliarity, as if something had changed, but she couldn't grasp it. She didn't dwell on it and just continued to play with Yingran and Yingran's baby sister in the cradle.

Over the next month, the mother and daughters enjoyed a relatively leisurely life. Besides eating some nourishing meals, they strolled around the house and occasionally played with Yinghuan. They talked and laughed, but there was one thing they never brought up – the matter of the Rong family.

Yingran thought this kind of life would continue, not as luxurious as in the Rong mansion but still bearable. However, an unexpected nightmare awaited her.

After a few days of continuous rain, the sky cleared up on the morning of this day. Li Niang appeared in Lady Rong's room during the morning meal, after more than half a month since her last visit.

"Today marks the end of your confinement. Your complexion has indeed improved," Li Niang commented, looking at Lady Rong.

"Thanks to your care," Lady Rong replied.

"I came to see you today with two things to say," Li Niang stated directly.

"Please go ahead," Lady Rong said, her heart filled with anxiety. She hadn't forgotten the promise she made to Li Niang when the woman saved her.

"First, starting today, the three of you – mother and daughters – can live together. Zhang Madam is going back, but of course, Qiu Shui will stay to take care of you."

"Second, tonight... you must receive clients," Li Niang continued, observing Lady Rong's reaction. However, Lady Rong remained calm. She didn't express the intense emotions Li Niang expected, which eased Li Niang's concerns a bit.

Li Niang had been taking care of the mother and daughters as much as she could, fulfilling the favor owed to Master Rong. However, her abilities were limited, and there were things beyond her control.

In fact, some time ago, those who came with the mother and daughters started receiving clients. The first clients were the soldiers who escorted them.

The leader of the soldiers insisted on Lady Rong, but Li Niang, knowing the situation, managed to deflect his advances by stating that Lady Rong was unwell and needed rest. Fortunately, he relented and left.

However, this time, the leader seemed determined. He insisted on Lady Rong, showing no regard for any favors Li Niang might owe the Rong family. Faced with no other option, Li Niang had to inform Lady Rong about it.