Not only that, Li Wanming even thought about finding a place for them.
She wanted them to have a means of livelihood after leaving the Prince Ning's Mansion, instead of being left helpless. They could earn their own bread with their own hands.
Caiwei was so excited that she almost became incoherent. "Sh-shi, Princess Consort... Caiwei won't be able to repay your kindness even if I become a beast in my next life!"
With that, she was about to kneel down.
Li Wanming quickly supported her. "Get up quickly! You'll soon be a commoner. From now on, don't kneel at every turn. You and Qinglan are both capable and have the courage to venture out. I don't want you to be confined to the mansion for the rest of your lives."
After asking for Caiwei and Qinglan's opinions, Li Wanming decided to free them and let them go to the Liu Family Silk Shop.
However, today was the first day of the Lunar New Year. The Household Registration Office of the Ministry of Revenue was on holiday and not in business. Li Wanming made an appointment with the two of them to handle the formalities of freeing them after the fifth day of the Lunar New Year.
"Caiwei, the matters of the wine shop have been taken care of. You'd better go back to the mansion first. You and Qinglan are still the maids of the Prince Ning's Mansion after all. Even if you're to be freed, you must first go to the Princess Ning to express your gratitude and bid farewell."
"Moreover, Yiyi and Uncle Liu have both returned to Fujian to celebrate the New Year. The Liu Family Silk Shop is also closed. I need to wait until after the Lantern Festival when Yiyi comes back from Fujian before I can talk about arranging jobs for you there."
"Qinglan is the dean of the academy. She needs to handle the following matters. I'll take her to the academy first. After the matters there are finished, I'll send her back to the Prince Ning's Mansion."
Hearing her well - reasoned words, Caiwei lowered her head and responded, then went back to the mansion on her own.
Li Wanming then led Qinglan towards the academy.
They didn't take the Changming Street but walked through the back alleys to Liuyuan.
The Changming Street was decorated with lanterns and extremely lively. Neither of them wanted to see such a scene.
Along the way, Qinglan didn't say a word. She just tightly held Li Wanming's hand.
She knew that this day must be extremely difficult for Li Wanming.
Watching the fruits of one's labor over the years go to waste, no one would feel good.
However, Li Wanming's complexion looked okay. Although a bit pale and with bloodshot eyes, she was still calm and didn't show any signs of hysteria or being unable to bear it.
Qinglan felt a bit relieved.
Not far behind, Lu Ping and Wu Yao were following at a distance.
Xiao Jingnan had asked them to come and protect Li Wanming today, but also told them not to be too conspicuous.
Li Wanming was now a princess - to - be. It would be inappropriate if there were always young men from outside the mansion following her.
So Lu Ping and Wu Yao could only follow far behind.
Taking advantage of the moment when no one was paying attention, Qinglan quietly waved to them, indicating that the princess consort was okay and they didn't need to worry.
Wu Yao nodded and then turned around to return to the Prince Ning's Mansion to deliver the message.
...
When Li Wanming and Qinglan passed through Liuyuan and arrived at the Zhaoyu Academy, they saw a large crowd gathered at the entrance.
Huh?
What's going on?
This was a bit unexpected for Li Wanming.
As the New Year was approaching, the academy had long been on holiday. Aunt Liu and Liu Shuang had also returned to Fujian with the Liu family. Logically, there should be very few people left in the academy and it should be very quiet... So why were there suddenly so many people?
Uneasiness welled up in Li Wanming's heart. She quickly led Qinglan forward.
She had experienced too many things in the past few days and couldn't bear any more shocks.
After getting closer, they heard a woman's sad and angry cries from inside:
"Chen Lin! We've been husband and wife for so long. Now that my Li family is in trouble, when I came to you for help, it's okay that you didn't help. But now you're even adding insult to injury and bringing people to seal up my sister's academy... You're simply inhumane!"
"Your sister brewed fake wine and falsified accounts. She's been arrested by the Ministry of Revenue and thrown into prison! Do you still expect our Chen family to help? How? Should we bend the law for personal gain and rescue that lawless fool? My Chen family is of noble origin. Don't use these dirty things to soil our family's reputation!"
Li Wanming quietly made a gap in the crowd and saw her eldest sister - in - law, Chen Lin, standing at the academy entrance with people from the Imperial Academy, aggressively accusing Li W anxin.
"I'm telling you, the Imperial Academy is just following the order to seal up this immoral academy today. It's already an act of mercy from the Empress Dowager not to throw you immoral women into prison!"
"Li Wanxin, if you're smart, get out of the way quickly! Otherwise, I'll write a divorce letter right away and make you, this shameless woman, an outcast!"
...
Li Wanming frowned slightly.
She was very worried about her eldest sister but didn't step forward. Instead, she hid in the crowd and watched the situation.
Because the people who came today were not only from the Imperial Academy but also from the Hanlin Academy and the Ministry of Rites.
Sealing up the academy involved many departments.
The situation of Zhaoyu was special. There was the shadow of the Prince Ning's Mansion behind it, and it also involved the daughters of noble families and imperial concubines like Lu Songyuan, Fang Zhi, Xiao Yingchu, and Su Xiaozhu... So relevant departments such as the Imperial Academy, the Hanlin Academy, and the Ministry of Rites all sent people here to handle the matter carefully and avoid offending any party.
However, the current scene seemed a bit strange.
All the people from the Hanlin Academy and the Ministry of Rites were standing on one side, and none of them stepped forward.
Several officials were standing with their hands behind their backs, far away from the entrance, as if they were not here to raid Zhaoyu today but just ordinary people coming to watch the show.
Li Wanming thought for a moment and immediately understood. She couldn't help but sneer in her heart.
Unexpectedly, the dignified Imperial Academy had actually turned itself into a one - man show today!
Yesterday, an imperial edict was issued from the palace. Li Wanming had become the princess consort personally conferred by the Empress Dowager Kang. She was in the period of waiting to be married and had a noble status. Logically, when raiding her academy, they should have been polite.
But the Imperial Academy was so overbearing, which showed that they didn't know about the imperial edict issued yesterday.
The most interesting thing was that none of the shrewd officials from the Ministry of Rites and the Hanlin Academy made a sound to remind them.
Not only that, Li Wanming even heard that when Chen Lin said he was going to divorce her eldest sister, an official from the Ministry of Rites couldn't help but let out a sneer...
How wonderful!
Back then, half of the noble families in the court knew that Xiao Jingnan was the Prince of Ning, but only Chen Jinde, the director of the Imperial Academy, didn't know.
Now, all the civil and military officials in the court knew that she was the princess consort - to - be of the Prince of Ning, but still only the Imperial Academy didn't know...
Sir Chen, look at your popularity!
Li Wanming clicked her tongue twice and couldn't help but shake her head and sigh.
The Hanlin Academy and the Ministry of Rites all knew that this errand today was a hot potato and were eager to stay away from it. Only your "arrogant" son and your "arrogant" department were still leading the charge...
Li Wanming wondered in her heart if the Chen family thought that since the imperial edict to raid the shops and the academy had been issued from the palace, it meant that their Li family was finished, so they couldn't wait to come and kick a man when he was down? And maybe take the opportunity to avenge the humiliation of their defeat a few months ago?
Oh, what a good plan they had!
It's a pity that they were too eager with their calculations, and in the end, the abacus beads might just hit them in the face!