Chapter 227 Aunt’s Favor
At night, Teng Yuru returned to Teng Mansion.
E'lan was wiping a newly bought vase. When she heard familiar footsteps, she hurriedly stopped what she was doing and walked over quickly.
"The master is back."
Teng Yuru lowered his eyes and saw that she was holding a rag in her hand, and smiled helplessly.
"You can just leave this kind of rough work to the people below you. Why tire yourself out?"
Olan put down the rag as she was told.
"Thank you for your concern, Master. I have nothing to do and I don't feel tired."
As she spoke, she lowered her eyes slightly, with a hint of loss in her eyes.
"The princess proposes that the prince personally recommend this servant to participate in the provincial governor's examination."
"I am not good at speaking, so I can only trouble you, Master, to refuse."
Teng Yuru was slightly stunned, not understanding what he meant.
"This is a good thing, why refuse it?"
E-Lan's faint melancholy turned into a sigh.
After getting permission, she turned and washed her hands carefully.
"Without a place of residence, one cannot participate in the imperial examination."
"Master, have you forgotten? My civilian status was abolished by the Emperor because of an incident three years ago."
"The emperor was furious, and I was stripped of my name and surname."
"We didn't have much contact in the past, so the princess only knew that I changed my name, but didn't know the reason."
"This name was given to me by Aunt Liu, both for the renewal of the slave contract and for the convenience of calling me. The Emperor has informed the court and allowed me to register the slave contract with the new name, without asking where I was originally from."
"The emperor does not allow this servant to settle down at will. I have no choice but to disappoint the prince and princess."
Teng Yuru remembered everything and smiled in confusion.
"Yes, yes, you did say that. I am old and dim-witted, and my memory is indeed not very good."
After washing her hands, E-lan went over to support him.
"Master is in the prime of life, how can he be so stupid?"
With her support, Teng Yuru sat on the couch and gestured for someone to come in.
"The last time I heard you mention it, I wanted to ask for details, but it happened that Yin Sitai came up with something urgent, so I put it on hold."
"You followed Madam Ning's orders and followed Madam Liu. You usually behaved in a reserved and restrained manner. How could you have offended the emperor?"
E-lan understood and sat down, reminiscing and narrating the story.
"This matter is a long story..."
When she was a child, from the time she could remember, she followed a servant in the Ning Mansion and respected his adoptive mother.
The adoptive mother's name was Tang Yingcui, and her registered residence was in a thatched cottage outside Beijing.
E'lan's nationality changed along with her adoptive mother, and her original name was Tang Mengshuang, following her adoptive mother's surname.
From her adoptive mother's conversation, E'lan learned that when she entered the mansion, she was still an infant and was personally brought to her by Mu Rong and handed over to her adoptive mother.
When E'lan grew up a little, Mu Rong would secretly summon her to meet her every once in a while to test her abilities and teach her how to be a good person.
To the outside world, E'lan naturally followed Tang Yingcui and did some rough work in the mansion.
In order to cultivate E'lan and keep her by Liu Yan's side, Mu Rong gave her money and asked Tang Yingcui to send her to school.
After graduating from school for a few years, her adoptive mother passed away. Mu Rong arranged for E'lan to deliberately show filial piety and attract Liu Yan's attention. Naturally, she was noticed by her and accompanied her to serve her.
After lying dormant for several years, time passed quickly and three years ago, E-lan turned nineteen.
One day, Liu Yan asked leisurely.
"Have you ever been to school?"
E-lan was subconsciously panicked, thinking that her identity had been discovered.
Thinking that the lady had already made all the arrangements, she quickly calmed down.
"Yes."
"When my mother was alive, she used her monthly allowance to support me to learn to write..."
She paused for a moment, choking with emotion.
Liu Yan hurried to comfort her.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up your sad story."
Instead, a sincere compliment.
"No wonder you, Liu Xu, are so talented and knowledgeable."
After praising him, her tone changed and showed a bit of pity.
"It's a pity that your mother died early, and you had no choice but to stop your talent and ambition. Now that you have become my maid, I will naturally support you to continue your studies."
Unexpectedly, E-lan was slightly startled.
"what?"
Liu Yan smiled faintly and said what was in her mind.
"Since I was young, my mother has taught me that I should not neglect my studies. Regardless of gender or social status, as long as the family has money, I must learn to read and write."
"I am so careless that I wasted years before thinking about your studies. Now, even if I resume your studies, you can only study until next year. Because the law stipulates that after the age of 20, you must graduate and stop studying to prepare for the various levels of examinations and aspire to a career in government."
"But I thought that studying for one year would be fine. It would be a perfect ending for your studies."
"Also, when you are twenty, you are ready to get married. The classmates in the folk school are of similar age and are of equal social status. You can just look around and if you find a suitable one, I will help you get married."
E-lan was moved.
"Thank you, Auntie..."
Liu Yan smiled dotingly, caressing her long hair as if she were a daughter.
"You have served me for many years and have worked hard. My contribution is nothing."
"From today on, if the master has any reward, I will keep a portion and save it as your dowry. With me here, I will never let your in-laws look down on you."
"Students are young, and there are bound to be some ignorant people who will bully the weak slaves as commoners. This year, you don't have to serve me. Just live in the suburbs of the capital and treat yourself as an ordinary citizen who has never been a slave."
"Your thatched cottage is a bit shabby and located in a remote place. I rented a pavilion for you, named Feiyao Pavilion. The location is not bad. There are many schools nearby. The environment is elegant and very suitable for scholars and writers."
"Pack your luggage and we'll be moving in soon. I've asked my parents to look for the best school nearby for you."
"My parents live not far from Feiyaoxuan. If you have any difficulties, just go find them. Don't be polite."
At this point, Olan had already knelt on her knees.
The clear tears filled my eyes, at the same time I was moved and at the same time I felt guilty.
"My aunt, you are so kind, I feel so ashamed to accept your kindness!"
Liu Yan walked away with bare hands and helped Rourou up.
"I've already said it, you're welcome, this is what I should do."
"We all come from poor families and are of the same nationality, so we should help each other."
It was precisely because of this great favor that E'lan had some concerns when Mu Rong took advantage of the fire in Xiangzhuyuan to plot against Liu Yan.
Out of consideration for Auntie's kindness, I cannot kill them all; but according to the eldest lady's wishes, this plan must be carried out.
Therefore, E-lan sent a letter anonymously, quietly telling Ning Hanwang about this matter, saying that with him, the aunt's life would be saved. In addition, thinking of not letting down the master's grace, E-lan did not mention that it was Mu Rong who did it. Therefore, Ning Hanwang guessed that the person who murdered Yan'er was either Mu Rong or Ning Yunxi.
In this way, it can be considered as repaying my aunt.
After the conversation between master and servant ended, E-lan hired a carriage and moved into Feiyaoxuan.
The Liu couple followed his advice and found the best private school nearby. They paid the money in advance and wrote the address of the school on a piece of paper and gave it to E-lan.
It only takes two cups of tea at most to walk from Feiyaoxuan to the school.
As luck would have it, that school was exactly where Zhuang Rui was studying.