After everyone had left, Gu Liyue unfurled the paper and pen and quickly wrote a letter. Then she neatly arranged all the items she had embroidered for Lady Jiang in the past two months. She took a deep breath. She knew the outcome of today's incident. Lady Jiang had put it nicely, saying it was just a squabble between girls, but by tomorrow, things would be different.
Lady Jiang was trying to gloss over the problem, but how could the Duke of Jiang tolerate any stain in his family? She, Gu Liyue, was doomed to be labeled as a scheming person.
It didn't matter. This was the capital city, a place she would never return to. Usually, it was Lady Jiang who was reluctant to let her go, and due to her sense of guilt, Lady Jiang had declined her requests several times. Now, she didn't have the energy to wait for Lady Jiang's consent anymore. She owed Lady Jiang nothing. She could leave with her head held high.
Tangyuan was sitting on the couch outside, looking blank and at a loss. Seeing the young lady change into ordinary clothes and not take anything, she couldn't help asking anxiously, "Miss, are you really leaving?"
Gu Liyue held Tangyuan's hand. "Tangyuan, thank you for your company in the past six months. Thank you. I can't do much for you. There's a set of nightclothes I made for you."
Tangyuan didn't want her to leave, but she also knew that if the young lady stayed here, she would only continue to be framed by the young miss. And Lady Jiang couldn't protect the young lady, or rather, Lady Jiang didn't really try to protect her.
It would be better to let the young lady go.
Gu Liyue left with empty hands. She found Nanny Yun in the sewing room and, with Tangyuan's help, escaped from the Duke's Mansion.
Tangyuan took out the silver hairpin on her head and stuffed it into Gu Liyue's hand. "Miss, we've been mistress and maid. Now we have to part. I'm a servant born into the family and can't go with you, but you must take this silver hairpin."
Gu Liyue shook her head. "I don't know how they'll punish you after I leave. I already feel so bad for dragging you down. How can I take your things?"
"Don't worry about me. My mother is sworn sisters with Nanny Chao. But you, you didn't even take the things Lady Jiang rewarded you. How will you and your aunt live in the future?"
Gu Liyue held her hand. During her time in the Jiang Mansion, everyone had been polite to her, but most of them did so because of Lady Jiang's favor. Only Tangyuan was sincere and truly treated her well. It was her fortune to have met Tangyuan.
"We're from a poor family and used to a hard life. I can't take this silver hairpin."
Seeing that Gu Liyue was determined not to take it, and seeing Nanny Yun gesturing that she had some saved silver, Tangyuan didn't insist anymore. She just said goodbye to Gu Liyue reluctantly.
Gu Liyue and Nanny Yun rented an ox - cart and rushed towards the city gate. It was getting late. If they delayed any longer, the city gate would be locked. Without the proper pass, they couldn't walk freely in the city at night.
The old cart - driver didn't quite understand. "If you don't stay in the city, you'll be in the middle of nowhere tonight without a place to stay."
Gu Liyue didn't even dare to think about a place to stay. If she left the capital early, if the Jiang family didn't pursue the matter, they might just let her go with a charge of attempting to frame the young miss. But if they did pursue it, they might come after her sooner or later.
She couldn't take the risk. She didn't know if the relationship she had built with Lady Jiang in the past six months was enough for Lady Jiang to let her go.
The cart headed west, in the direction away from Quzhou. Firstly, it was to avoid the Jiang family's search. Secondly, she didn't want to go back to Quzhou. There was nothing in Quzhou for her to miss except her deceased parents.
Nanny Yun opened the bundle and counted the silver in her hand. Gu Liyue didn't take anything from the Feng family or the Jiang family. She only had the twenty taels of silver she got from Lady Lin before. But before coming to the capital, Gu Liyue had bought some clothes and personal items, and now there were only five taels left.
Money was needed everywhere when traveling. Five taels could help them settle down in their hometown for a while. They could always find a way to earn money. But in this strange place, she didn't know how long the two of them could last.
They looked at each other in silence. Gu Liyue buried her head in Nanny Yun's arms and whispered, "In the future, we'll just find a place to live and never be threatened or controlled by others again."
Nanny Yun nodded vigorously and hugged Gu Liyue tightly.
There came the sound of horses galloping from behind. Gu Liyue was startled. She quickly lifted the curtain and looked out. Under the night sky, there seemed to be a team of carriages and horses rushing towards them. They held torches, and it seemed they were checking every traveler at night.
Did the Duke of Jiang still not want to let her go after making her take all the blame?
Gu Liyue panicked. She quickly said to the driver, "Sir, please go faster."
The old cart - driver's heart was pounding. He cried with a long face, "What kind of family have you offended? They're on horses, and we're on an ox - cart. It's useless to go any faster."
In a moment, the team of people was almost in front of them.
Gu Liyue called for a stop. She held Nanny Yun's hand. "Nanny Yun, if they insist on taking me back, I'll go back alone. You..."
Nanny Yun shook her head desperately.
Gu Liyue continued, "I now know that the inner courtyard is more terrifying than poverty. Nanny Yun, you can live a good life without me."
Nanny Yun gestured, "What's the meaning of living alone without you?"
The driver outside got off the cart and knelt down in front of the group. "My lord, I'm just a cart - driver. I don't know anything. I just took the money to drive the cart for others..."
Gu Liyue pushed open the door and said loudly, "You're here to take me back. I'll go with you. The driver was just doing me a favor. This matter has nothing to do with him. Please don't involve him."
When she looked up, the people in front of her were not the pursuers from the Jiang family but someone she was familiar with, Lu Jinchen.
Lu Jinchen was sitting on the horse, with high eyebrows and deep eyes. He looked at her intently.
Gu Liyue's tears welled up instantly. A long - overdue sense of grievance surged in her heart, as if she had finally found someone to rely on. She covered her face and sobbed softly, and then the sobs grew louder.
She had always been a timid and indecisive person, but now, step by step, she had to plan for herself. Only she knew how hard this journey had been.
Lu Jinchen dismounted and walked to the ox - cart. He reached out his hand. "Liyue, I'm here."
Gu Liyue was in a daze for a long time. She wiped away her tears and just stared at him blankly.
Lu Jinchen smiled and raised his eyebrows. "Liyue, come home with me. I'll protect you."
Did he know about today's incident? Yes, the incident between her and Jiang Yingyue had caused quite a stir. Every ordinary family in the capital would surely know about it.
She didn't know where he had been, but seeing him looking tired, with his clothes worn out and a stubble on his chin, she knew he must have just rushed back.
Was it for her?
Lu Jinchen reached out and carried Gu Liyue off the ox - cart. He pointed to the carriage in front. "Let's go home."