Prince! The political conspiracy is not a play, the show is real

Chapter 227 See You Again (Part )

Tao Yao looked into Huai Ling's sincere eyes and couldn't bear to lie to her anymore, so she nodded and said, "This capital city is not a good place for me after all. I have to leave and find a place where I can truly feel at peace."

Tao Yao paused, then gazed out the window, gazing at the layers of rooftops beyond. This was the capital, dotted with tall buildings and pavilions. It looked bustling with activity and prosperity, a place everyone in the world yearned for. But for her, Tao Yao, there was no place she could find peace and comfort.

The roofs and terraces, layer upon layer, resembled a prison. Beyond the cage lay a clear, emerald palace and a boundless blue sky. Birds soared freely among the clouds—just like the day she and Chu Huanjun rode together on horseback through the boundless green plains beside the Chishui River on the outskirts of Qingshui Town.

That was the life she longed for.

"Huai Ling, if I leave the capital in the future, will you go with me?" Tao Yao asked.

Huai Ling's expression brightened, her eyes flickering. Besides the tea set, the tea table also held numerous account books—all of which Huai Ling had personally sorted out, one by one, until they had piled up like a small mountain.

Huai Ling's eyes fell on the account books, and her eyes flickered, revealing a lot of reluctance. She picked up one of them, held it in her hands, and carefully flipped through a few pages. A smile suddenly broke out on her melancholy face.

She hadn't answered yet, but everything became clear in Tao Yao's mind. Huai Ling had now found what she wanted to do.

In the past, Huai Ling would have jumped at Tao Yao's command. But now, Huai Ling would probably prefer to stay in the capital, in Fuxiangzhai, and do what she loves.

That's good - compared to heartlessly following her around, here, he has a stable home and a secure livelihood. He can do what he likes every day and live the life he likes. This is exactly what Tao Yao wants.

"You like learning to do accounting, don't you?" Tao Yao smiled and held out her hand. "I've been doing some small business outside these days, so I don't know much. But I'm a practical person after all, so I should know a little bit more than you. Let me see how your accounting is, are you qualified?"

Huai Ling smiled sheepishly and bashfully handed the account book to Tao Yao, mumbling, "I'm not doing well... I didn't know anything at first, but luckily there are several good sisters in this neighborhood who are willing to teach me a little. I'll learn a little bit here and there, and with time, I should be able to sort out Fuxiangzhai's account books for the past few years."

Tao Yao took the account book and carefully flipped through a few pages. His expression brightened and he praised it highly, "Your accounting is very good. You are not inferior to those professional accountants at all."

"What...bricks...what leaves? Chopsticks...what are they?" Huai Ling asked with a puzzled look on her face.

"Ah, anyway, you did a great job with the accounts. It's a blessing for His Royal Highness Prince Yi to have you helping to manage Fuxiangzhai." Tao Yao looked at Huai Ling with satisfaction, patted her shoulder, and said, "You did such a good job with the accounts. Remember to ask His Royal Highness Prince Yi to give you a raise later. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for. If he's shortchanging you on your wages, you don't have to do such a good job with the accounts. You should also know how to balance work and rest and find some time to relax, understand?"

"Second Miss..." Huai Ling was stunned. "The prince is willing to pay Huai Ling, which makes Huai Ling grateful. Huai Ling works in Fuxiangzhai to repay the prince's kindness. She shouldn't take a penny. How can she ask the prince for a raise? That's simply going against the will of heaven."

Tao Yao tutted, shook her head, and said, "That's different. Let's put it this way. Besides, how can you be so hard on money? Have you forgotten how hard our lives were when we didn't have any money?"

Huai Ling was surprised that Tao Yao had said the exact same thing as Chu Huanjun. She was stunned as she watched Tao Yao pull a bulging purse from her waist bag and solemnly place it in her palm.

Tao Yao raised her eyebrows, and the expression on her face was something Huai Ling had never seen before.

"Here, here, here. This is the confidence I give you."

As Tao Yao spoke, her fingers flew nimbly, and she quickly untied the knot at the mouth of the purse. Immediately, a coppery smell emerged from the purse.

Huai Ling looked down and saw that the purse was filled with money, big and small, copper coins and silver coins. She was immediately shocked - she was probably afraid that the purse contained the money that Tao Yao had saved by living frugally, and now she actually handed the purse to her.

"How can that be?" Huai Ling quickly stuffed the purse back into Tao Yao's hands, "This is the Second Miss's money, Huai Ling can't take it."

"Here." Tao Yao forcefully stuffed the purse back into my pocket. "I don't lack money right now, but you, being alone in the capital, really makes me worried."

She paused, sighed, and continued, "Although the prince redeemed you from the Shi Mansion and he treats you well now, facts change and people's hearts change. No one can predict what will happen in the future. In the days to come, don't always think about repaying a favor. Take care of yourself first, understand?"

Huai Ling was slow to understand Tao Yao's meaning. She was puzzled and asked, "What could have happened if Huai Ling had stayed under the prince's command and managed Fuxiangzhai's accounts properly? Huai Ling didn't understand the affairs of the court or the world. She only knew that kindness must be repaid and virtue must be rewarded. The prince has given Huai Ling a new life, and Huai Ling must repay the prince in this life."

Obviously, Huai Ling's stupid head can't be reasoned with. The day she finally figures it out, she will probably fall flat on her face. Instead of hoping that she will realize this truth, Tao Yao hopes that she will never understand it and stay stupid forever.

It is always better to be stupid in a safe and smooth way than to have a smart mind honed by countless setbacks.

"Okay, anyway—"

Tao Yao looked into Huai Ling's eyes steadily, smiled, and said, "In short, as long as you live well, then everything is worth it."

The two chatted and laughed while drinking tea for a while. Seeing that it was getting dark, Tao Yao said goodbye to Huai Ling, saying that she had to hurry back to Prince Yi's Mansion to see if Chu Huanjun had returned.

Tao Yao walked around Chu Huanjun's bedroom several times and argued with the mynah bird for nearly an hour.

After waiting for a long time, Chu Huanjun's people still didn't come back, but instead received a piece of bad news.