Yuwen Ya chuckled and quickly walked away, leading Han Tianci by the hand.
Chu Yu smiled, "I didn’t sleep well last night!"
"Are you ill? Do you need me to take a look at you?" Yun Jinnian was slightly worried.
"No worries, we’re fine. Let’s go have breakfast!"
Seeing Chu Yu say so, Yun Jinnian could only nod.
They had just sat down when the shopkeeper came forward, "Gentlemen, Miss Shi Jiayu from the Shi Family Estate has arrived!"
Yuwen Ya didn’t care, busying himself with grabbing crispy meat pieces with Han Tianci.
Prince Yanjun was gentle and quiet, quietly eating breakfast.
Chu Yu raised an eyebrow, looking at Yun Jinnian, "It’s your decision whether to see her or not!"
Yun Jinnian took a deep breath, "Please show her in!"
While they all did not care, she could not do the same.
The shopkeeper ushered Shi Jiayu in. Yun Jinnian was stunned to see her carrying a bundle.
Shi Jiayu knelt heavily before Yun Jinnian, "This servant pays respects to the young miss!"
Yun Jinnian was startled, "Miss Shi, what are you doing?"
"Young miss, this servant is honoring her promise. From now on, I shall serve by your side as a maid for all my life to repay your great kindness!"
This time, Yun Jinnian was truly shocked.
She reached out to help Shi Jiayu up but found that Shi Jiayu knelt steadfast, refusing to rise, "Young miss, if you do not agree, I shall not stand up!"
"Why put yourself through this? Isn’t it good at home? What’s good about following me? Besides, I’m not the only one who helped you!"
Shi Jiayu, however, smiled, "Young miss, though I am but a woman, I know that once a word is spoken, it cannot be taken back, and besides, my family is gone, and I have given away the Shi Family Estate. If the young miss does not shelter me, I will have nowhere to go. You are known for your kindness, please keep this servant!"
Shi Jiayu spoke of serving as a servant, yet her manner of speaking and behaving was with such grace, not at all like a mere servant’s.
And her way of speaking, one moment ’I’ and the next ’this servant’, made Yun Jinnian feel embarrassed for her.
Shi Jiayu’s mind made a quick turn, "Young miss, we are about to enter Nanjiang, and it happens that my maternal grandmother is from there, a prominent Nanjiang family. I also speak the Nanjiang language. Perhaps I could be of help to you then!"
Yun Jinnian was not moved by anything else, but Shi Jiayu’s mention of speaking the Nanjiang language and her grandmother being from there stirred her interest.
Chu Yu and Yuwen Ya also looked towards Shi Jiayu.
Shi Jiayu straightened her back because she knew she had guessed correctly, "Young miss, please take me in!"
"You may stand up first!"
"Has the young miss agreed?" Shi Jiayu asked, unsure.
Yun Jinnian nodded slightly, "You know why I’ve agreed!"
"It doesn’t matter, as long as the young miss has agreed!" Shi Jiayu said, standing up and positioning herself to the side.
After a pause, she added, "Since the young miss is going to Nanjiang, there are some things at home that will definitely be of use to you. However, I must go back to fetch them. Might the young miss send that uncle with me?"
Shi Jiayu pointed at Han Zhong.
She feared that once she left, Yun Jinnian and the others would leave as well, and she would have achieved nothing.
Yun Jinnian couldn’t help but smile, "Then, let Uncle Zhong accompany you on the trip. By the way, have you had breakfast?"
"No, I’ve been waiting outside the inn all night!"
Yun Jinnian was astonished upon hearing this, quickly saying, "Then eat something first before you go back to fetch your things. There’s no rush!"
"Yes, this servant will follow the young miss’s orders!" Shi Jiayu said crisply, shouldering her bundle and walking over to Hemei and Henuan, "I’ll be counting on you two younger sisters to look after me from now on!"