Dressed as the villain's stepmother

Jiang Lianzhu knew that Dong Hu took care of Xiao Tao the most on weekdays.

He was originally the imperial physician in the palace, but he came to Jiang Lianzhu's medical clinic because he retired. Seeing that Xiao Tao was well-behaved and filial, and that her family was in such a difficult situation, he took more care of Xiao Tao.

Therefore, Jiang Lianzhu obtained the address of Xiao Tao's home from Dong Hu and prepared to go and see it in person.

Mr. Hu said that Taozi’s house was in the outer alley of Kyoto.

It would take a lot of time to walk there with just Jiang Lianzhu's two legs, so Jiang Lianzhu rented a carriage directly in the city, thinking that if Tao Zi was really sick at home, she would be able to use the carriage. Take everyone back to the hospital together.

Along the way, Jiang Lianzhu also bought some things.

The first time she came to visit her, when he was still feeling unwell, she was always embarrassed to come empty-handed.

However, Jiang Lianzhu didn't expect that she would pounce on nothing.

Looking at the low courtyard with the closed door, Jiang Lianzhu took another look at the address that Hu Dong had written for her to make sure that she was not looking in the wrong place.

Hu Dong said that this was the address when he came to see Taozi’s mother before.

In other words, this place is the boundary where Taozi's family lives.

But Jiang Lianzhu looked at the messy fallen leaves in the small yard and the dust falling on the windowsill, but the farm tools in the yard were all available and had not been put away.

It doesn't look like a place where no one lives.

But why no one answered when I called the door?

Jiang Lianzhu murmured in her heart.

She happened to notice that the neighbor of the small yard opened the door and was about to go to the ground with a hoe. Jiang Lianzhu quickly stepped forward to stop the woman.

"Sister-in-law, I want to ask something. Is the family living next door to your house an old mother living with a son and a daughter? Her daughter's name is Taozi?"

Jiang Lianzhu made it very clear what she knew about Taozi's family.

"Yes, their family is in the situation you mentioned."

The woman nodded when she saw that Jiang Lianzhu was a woman and the clothes she wore were of good quality and did not look like a bad person.

"Then where did this family go? I have something to discuss with their daughter."

"Then it's an unlucky time for you to come!"

As soon as Jiang Lianzhu finished speaking, the woman expressed regret.

"If you had come a day and a half earlier, Taozi's family would not be in this situation! Taozi's family just moved out yesterday, and you were late!"

"Moved?"

Jiang Lianzhu frowned.

She had never heard about Taozi moving away from Dong Hu, and it seemed strange that she had moved away without making any noise.

"I remember Taozi's mother has always been in poor health, and her brother still has to rely on her wages to go to school. So many things have been left behind in this yard, don't they feel bad?"

Jiang Lianzhu looked at the small courtyard next door. Although it was shabby and short, there were tables, chairs, benches, baskets of bamboo, hoes, and earthenware pots.

It doesn't look like they are moving.

"Girl, it seems that although you know Taozi, you don't know anything about what happened to their family recently!"

"The Taozi family recently met a noble man! He's very rich! They don't care about the rags in the yard anymore, and of course they won't take them away!"

Jiang Lianzhu's eyes were stunned.

She had heard all kinds of rumors about Taozi, but she had never heard that her family had met a noble person.

"Sister-in-law, how do you know that their family has met a noble person?"

Jiang Lianzhu asked curiously.

"Taozi has been working in a shop in the capital to support her family. She is still struggling to make ends meet."

Jiang Lianzhu knew that Taozi was not well off.

Otherwise, Taozi would not have been brought to her shop to work.

"What you said are all old words from the past! Their family is no longer what it used to be. Girl, I'm afraid you don't know that her younger brother who is studying has been sent to Jingkang Academy! I heard that in this village The old gentleman once said that this is a good academy that is known as one of the best in the capital! Nine out of ten scholars sent in will pass the scientific examination!"

The woman said with envy in her eyes.

How could you not be envious of people who were originally on the same level as you, but suddenly became unattainable?

"The old gentleman in the village said that if there are no noble people in Taozi's house in the academy, we won't be able to get in at all!"

Noble.

Jiang Lianzhu's eyebrows were filled with thoughts.

Anyone who can help Taozi's younger brother enter Jingkang Academy is indeed considered a noble person. After all, it is Jingkang Academy, one of the three major academies in Kyoto. Even the children of officials and officials have no place where they can easily go to study.

What kind of noble person did Taozi meet?

"Sister-in-law, have you met Tao Zi's noble man? Who is he?"

Jiang Lianzhu was sure that the other party was not simple, so she asked aloud.

"Girl, to be honest with you, I don't think Taozi's family really met any noble person. I think that this Taozi was most likely sold by her mother to a wealthy family as a concubine!"

The more the woman talked, the more interested she became. She approached Jiang Lianzhu and gossiped excitedly.

"Tao Zi, a girl from a family who has a good appearance and is diligent in her hands and feet. There are so many rich families in the capital who lack concubines who can have children. A sudden rich like Tao Zi, who has achieved the Tao of chickens and dogs and ascended to heaven, must be what I guessed!"

Jiang Lianzhu frowned after hearing these words.

The woman who was slandering Taozi behind her back made what she just said somewhat suspicious.

"Girl, don't believe what I say, it's all the truth!"

"Yesterday, before Taozi's family moved out, I listened to Taozi's mother scolding her at home. All she talked about was money. Taozi didn't earn any money from working in the capital. The flowers were all given to the family. If her mother mentions money at this time, it must be for other reasons."

Seeing the doubt on Jiang Lianzhu's face, the woman felt that she had been underestimated and quickly proved herself.

"In these days, how can a young girl suddenly have a large sum of money, other than being sold to a wealthy family as a concubine or sold to a remote place to be a farmer's wife?"

The other party babbles and tries hard to prove himself.

But Jiang Lianzhu peeled off the cocoons from these words and vaguely realized something.

"Sister-in-law, do you know when the Taozi family suddenly became rich?"

"It's been a while, but I remember that when Taozi's family met the nobleman, there was no trouble in Prince Xiang's Mansion in the capital."

Jiang Lianzhu felt even more strange when she mentioned Prince Xiang's Mansion.

"Sister-in-law, do you know where Taozi and his family moved?"

"I know this, Qianshui Village in Wudaocheng!".