Counterattack of the Cannon Fodder Chambermaid

Untitled Part 187

Qiao-Shi's jewelry wasn't exchanged for that much silver.

Those pieces were expensive to make, but when being pawned off they couldn't even get thirty percent of the value.

They got around three hundred silver taels. Qiao-Shi didn't let the injured Ruan Siyi go this time, and instead changed into an unremarkable outfit before going with Chun Tao and Matron Chen.

After two days, they finally bought a small residence in the slums of the outer city.

The day they moved in, Qiao-Shi chattered as she explained to Ruan Siyi that there wasn't much silver and the city residences were all expensive. This sort of place still cost two hundred silvers.

The residence was very small, and looked old on the inside and the outside. However, it was extremely tidy. It was a one compound pavilion. The main building had two rooms: one living room and one bedroom. There were two tiny buildings on either side. One was a side room and one was the kitchen. There was a well in the courtyard and a latrine behind the house. Despite it being small, it had all the necessities.

Then, they started to pass their days properly.

There was no furniture when they purchased the place. Qiao-Shi went with Matron Chen and Chun Tao to buy some furniture. This time Ruan Siyi was too ashamed to remain behind, and went with them.

They changed into ordinary clothes and Matron Chen borrowed a handcart from their neighbor. Under the neighbor's kind guidance, they found their way to the market, and picked out a few pieces of furniture to bring back.

The cart was filled up and Ruan Siyi overestimated his own stamina. In the end, all four of them had to push together to make it back.

They bought furniture, things for the kitchen and some provisions. Qiao-Shi didn't have much silver remaining. After another two days, Qiao-Shi pawned off some of their better clothing with gritted teeth. Although it didn't bring them much silver, she figured they wouldn't be wearing them anyway. There was no need to wear fine silk in such a place.

Living in the capital wasn't easy.

This concept was foreign to both Ruan Siyi and Qiao-Shi. They were both born to wealth, and grew up with golden spoons in their mouths. They ate exotic delicacies, wearing and using the finest things. Why would they care how much a bag of rice cost?

But now things were different. Because they had no income, Qiao-Shi had to meticulously budget their remaining dozen silvers.

She thickened her skin and started networking with their neighbors on the street. She made inquiries about where the vegetables were freshest and cheapest, and learned from them to make tasty yet inexpensive dishes. She also learned from the wives to buy vegetables at a cheap price right before the market closed.

Qiao-Shi was no longer like a noblewoman at all, and had become very ordinary and unremarkable. However, her face was rosy and she was extremely spirited.

In contrast, despite wearing cloth outfits, Ruan Siyi still exuded a noble and elegant demeanor. However, he was taciturn and moody, and slowly started withering away.....

.......

After suffering from pent-up frustrations for a period of time, Ruan Siyi finally fell ill.

He remained bedridden and a flustered Qiao-Shi brought a doctor over. Dose after dose of medicine was taken but things didn't improve....

The silver grew less and less......

Chun Tao had once said she would accompany Qiao-Shi all her life. However, she suddenly said someone in the alley was willing to marry her. Despite that person being almost forty and also having a child, he was a good man. Chun Tao said she wasn't good looking as was quite old already, so she might as well get married like this....