After the morning prayers, Aier, under Xie Yier’s arrangements, boarded the carriage.
Elder Sister Wen was as considerate as ever. Her cold exterior was merely a façade for her professional work; in reality, she was a warm-hearted woman, and the only person Aier could truly trust here.
In the autumn of the Royal Capital, the temperature had turned crisp. Wen specially prepared a shawl for Aier to prevent her from catching cold when the night air chilled.
“Thank you, Elder Sister Wendi Ni.”
Aier took the shawl with a bright, cheerful smile and thanked her sincerely.
That innocent smile truly moved Wen, stirring a deep affection in her heart.
“Hehe—our little cutie, you always try to charm other girls like this, don’t you?” (smiling)
“Huh? Elder Sister Wen, I-I don’t…uh…” Aier froze, tongue-tied and flustered, unable to defend herself.
This awkward look was, in its own way, an irresistible charm to those who knew her well.
If someone didn’t know Aier, they might think she was deliberately trying to show off her cuteness. But honestly, who could resist such a naturally adorable girl with her sweet innocence?
“Alright, I’m done teasing you. Be careful on the road. If anything comes up, you can contact Lady Xie Yier at any time using the Secret Speech Crystal. If it’s not convenient to talk to her, you can always come to me.”
Wen’s smile was gentle and beautiful as she took out a pale blue Secret Speech Crystal.
As Lady Xie Yier’s personal housekeeper and bodyguard, Wen naturally had her own designated Secret Speech Crystal.
The comfort of knowing she could contact Elder Sister Wen if anything happened gave Aier a sense of security.
Aier’s eyes sparkled as she eagerly wanted to exchange private contact details with Wen and deepen their connection…
Wait, they’re just exchanging Secret Speech Crystals, nothing else~
After registering each other’s information, Aier’s smile grew even lovelier, like a lily about to bloom.
Leaning against the carriage window, she waved goodbye to Wen: “Elder Sister Wen, see you again!”
The corners of Wen’s lips lifted slightly, her elegant, cool temperament like a gentle breeze.
“Take care on the way.”
She also waved back, watching Aier depart.
After the carriage vanished from view, Wen finally returned to the main residence.
“Wen, why are you back so late? What were you and little Aier up to?”
Xie Yier was already busy with official work, signing all sorts of documents.
Trusting Wen completely, she didn’t ask for details about what the two had been doing.
Wen stood respectfully beside Xie Yier and replied, “The weather’s getting colder lately, so I prepared some clothes for Miss Aier.”
“I see. Thank you for being so thoughtful.”
Xie Yier was highly capable, but no one could do everything alone. She couldn’t possibly handle every detail of daily life, so she needed attentive people like Wen to help.
“Lady Xie Yier, when should we depart?” Wen didn’t continue the previous topic, deliberately steering the conversation elsewhere. “Your younger sister should be arriving in the Royal Capital soon, shouldn’t she?”
“When did Li Xin say she would arrive?”
“This morning, just after ten o’clock. It’s just past eight now.”
“Then there’s no rush. Once she arrives in the Royal Capital, she’ll need to report to the Empress at the palace first.”
Xie Yier nodded, and a thought suddenly flashed through her mind.
Since her sister was destined to appear frequently in front of her, perhaps it would be better to keep Aier hidden somewhere outside.
If she could keep the two of them separated in different residences, wouldn’t that prevent them from ever meeting?
“Wen, do you know if there are any villas for sale nearby?”
The Iron Arm Fortress was located in the bustling Jinshu District, filled with alchemy and pharmacy workshops, and all sorts of townhouses.
If they wanted a single-story house, they’d have to go all the way to the north district of the suburbs, which would be too far from Iron Arm Fortress.
Wen’s Private Residence was just across the street: “There’s a high-end Garden Villa right across from my private residence—two floors, over a dozen rooms, with kitchen and servants’ quarters. The furniture and utensils are a bit old, but it’s presentable. For you and Miss Aier, it should be quite comfortable.”
“Hmm… Does the house have any bad history?”
Wen replied calmly, “The original owner of the Garden Villa was a noble who lost his property due to certain crimes. The Finance Department is selling the property to replenish the national treasury. The previous noble never actually lived in the house, but servants have maintained and cleaned it daily. Considering your preferences, I believe such a clean, unused house would suit your tastes.”
Xie Yier nodded. It was obvious why she trusted Wen, her own handpicked confidant—she was always so thorough and reliable.
But why did Xie Yier still feel that something was off?
She leaned back, tapping her fingertips gently on the desk, the golden sunlight slanting across her sleeves.
Perhaps it was just her imagination, given all the drama lately with the Family of Teluowei Si and Wen’s family, which left her on edge.
“How much is the rent?”
“Two hundred gold coins per year.”
Xie Yier smiled: “Oh? Seems like Wen’s own place is pretty fancy too.”
“Lady Xie Yier, the place I rent is just an ordinary small villa with only eight rooms and no garden. The annual rent is eighty gold coins.”
Xie Yier had always given Wen a generous salary; eighty gold coins a year was nothing to Wen.
Xie Yier nodded: “Contact the person in the Finance Department responsible for this, and have them draw up a three-year lease right now.”
“Considering the time, the relevant documents probably won’t be ready until tomorrow. If it’s for Miss Aier, I suggest she stay at a hotel tonight.”
“Have them hurry. It’s just handing over a house, there’s no need to take that long.”
“I understand. I’ll make the arrangements now.”
Wen left at once, stepping outside to use the Secret Speech Crystal to relay the instructions to the responsible person in the Jinshu District.
Before long, Wen returned to the office.
“Lady Xie Yier, everything is arranged. If we go to the Finance Department’s office now, they should have the contract ready before we arrive.”
“Alright.” Xie Yier stood up and led the way outside.
At the Finance Department’s office, in a simple conference room.
A young clerk with gold-rimmed glasses and neatly combed hair was nervously reviewing the prepared contract.
Beads of sweat gathered at the corner of his brow, and the cup of tea in front of him had long gone cold, untouched.
Soon, footsteps could be heard outside the door, and two ladies entered the conference hall, escorted by a staff member.
The clerk shot up from his seat as if sprung by a coil and bowed nervously.
“Good afternoon, Your Grace. Would you like to move to a more comfortable—”
“No need for that, just get it done quickly.”
“Yes, yes, of course. Please, take a seat.”
The clerk hurriedly guided them to their seats and presented the finalized contract with both hands.
Xie Yier didn’t even look at it, simply nudging her chin in Wen’s direction.