After Yun Bixue prepared breakfast, she went out of the kitchen and met Xie Wu and Xie Liu coincidentally.

She smiled warmly and asked, "Xie Wu and Xie Liu, I've prepared a lot of food for breakfast. Why don't you stay and eat?"

Xie Wu and Xie Liu looked at Yun Bixue with grat.i.tude and then at Young Master Xie, who had just stepped out of the study. They replied courteously, "Thank you, Young Madam. We've already had breakfast, so we won't be joining."

"Oh, okay. You've worked hard. Don't wear yourself out."

"Yes, Young Madam."

Returning back to the Xie family headquarters, Xie Wu and Xie Liu respected Yun Bixue greatly. They still remembered how Young Master Xie had sent them back because they had failed to protect Young Madam.

Therefore, they were clear that they had to treat Young Madam respectfully now that they had returned. If they had to protect Young Madam, they would definitely be extra careful and cautious now.

Sometimes, they felt that Young Master Xie cared more about Young Madam than himself.

After discovering that, the respect the two of them had for Yun Bixue increased even more. Moreover, Young Madam's hard work and determination were clear to see. Out of everyone that they've met, she was the best match for Young Master Xie.

After Xie Wu and Xie Liu left, Yun Bixue said to Xie Limo, "Look at you. You've scared them off."

Xie Limo looked at how homely Yun Bixue looked in an ap.r.o.n, and his heart turned warm. His face softened as he stepped forward to hug her around her waist. "How did I scare them off?"

"Don't think that I don't know what happened. They were smiling at me initially, but after seeing you, their expressions changed immediately. Who else could it be, if not you?"

"Yes, it's because of me."

"Actually, they are pretty good workers. I feel a.s.sured with them by your side. Now that they've returned to protect you once again, I can rest a.s.sured too."

Xie Limo's expression turned distant and asked, "Wasn't Xie Jiu good?"

Thinking of Xie Jiu, Yun Bixue recalled that he had already sacrificed his life, and her mood plummeted. She remembered how he used to address her as "Young Madam" so courteously and how he had protected her.

She was the one who had instructed Xie Jiu to protect Xie Limo in Gui County. Even though Xie Limo didn't say anything, she knew that many people from the Xie family, including Xie Jiu, had perished.

She had been depressed for a long time, but since Xie Limo didn't want her to find out, she pretended that she didn't know, lest Xie Limo worry about her.

Yun Bixue sighed and said, "Xie Jiu was great." After saying those words, she didn't continue anymore.

Ever since that incident in Gui County happened, she disliked all the officials in the capital and secretly wanted to build up and train her own team of talents.

Earlier, she planned to plant a few of her men into the examinations and interviews for officials next year.

The examinations offered candidates from a poorer background a chance to enter the different departments in the political scene. However, the interviews were tough to pa.s.s.

Therefore, Yun Bixue deliberately collated a list of the talents' details, then selected a few who were righteous and grateful. She helped them by alleviating their family issues and then gathered them together.

She made them take the test for the roles specifically in the capital first. If they were to pa.s.s the test, she would then invest in them and give them a makeover, so that they would look rich. She also secretly bribed the overseers handling this.