Chapter 48: Each with His Own Agenda

When Zhang Mama entered Wen Shi's room, the warmth inside chased away the chill from her body.

Wen Shi leaned back on the small couch, with Zheng Xiulan nestled beside her, seemingly talking intimately. Qiao Muyang sat upright to the side, chatting and laughing with them, a book always in his hand.

Granny Zhang's intrusion shattered their harmonious family scene.

Wen frowned: "What is it?"

Zhang Mama, no longer the fierce and domineering person she was in front of Yuanxiang, walked up to Madam Wen, bowed, and said with a fawning expression, "Reporting to the old lady, that little maid named Yuanxiang came to report that she has something to tell you, it seems to be about the Marquis and the heir."

"I just think this little girl is exaggerating. How could a second-class maid who does cleaning and sweeping know about the Marquis and the Heir Apparent's affairs?" Granny Zhang curled her lips in disdain.

Madam Wen's face remained expressionless, seemingly sharing the same thought as Granny Zhang. It was Qiao Muyang who spoke up.

“Granny Zhang, it seems inappropriate to distinguish between noble and lowly people like this. Since she has something important to report, let her in first. What if it really is something urgent?”

He put down the book in his hand and looked at Madam Wen with a sincere expression: "Of course, whether or not to see her is a decision for my great-aunt. Mu Yang is only making a suggestion. I believe that my great-aunt will make the decision!"

Madam Wen nodded repeatedly: "Mu Yang is right. I treat all the servants in the mansion equally. As the mistress of the house, I naturally have to take care of them when they have problems. Zhang Mama, please let Yuanxiang in."

Yuanxiang had been waiting outside for a while. The cold wind made her feel chilly, but when she suddenly heard someone speaking up for her, she felt a warmth in her heart.

When she came in, she glanced briefly at Qiao Muyang, who had spoken up for her, and he gave her a gentle smile, which made her so embarrassed that she hurriedly lowered her head.

Young Master Biao is indeed a handsome young man, and I've heard he's also good at studying!

Madam Wen pursed her lips in displeasure. How could she not know what that little vixen was thinking these days?

But could the young master be someone she's even fantasizing about?

"Yuanxiang!"

Madam Wen sternly interrupted Yuanxiang's infatuation, startling her so much that her face turned pale and she instinctively knelt before Madam Wen: "Greetings, Madam."

Qiao Muyang's smile deepened, but Yuanxiang, with her back to him, didn't see the fleeting hint of mockery in his eyes.

He stepped forward, cupped his hands, and spoke up for Yuanxiang, saying, "Grandma, this little maid looks young and is fickle. Why bother with her?"

Qiao Muyang winked at Zheng Xiulan, who immediately reacted, pulled Yuanxiang up from the ground, and praised her to Madam Wen: "Look how well-proportioned this girl is. She's not pretty anymore after you scared her like that. Poor thing, don't be afraid. Your old lady may look cold, but she's actually a very kind person."

She wasn't as perceptive as Wen Shi, and she never felt there was anything wrong with this little girl coveting Qiao Muyang.

Her son is good-looking; it's quite an achievement that he can make these women devoted to him just by his face!

She was even proud of it!

She patted Yuanxiang's hand: "I heard from Granny Zhang that you have something important to report. May I ask what it is?"

Yuanxiang glanced at the old lady, and only spoke when she saw that the old lady's expression had softened: "This servant just overheard the Marquis and the Heir Apparent talking, and heard..."

She hesitated for a moment, glanced at Zheng and her son, and didn't say anything.

Qiao Muyang immediately poured her a glass of warm water: "Are you cold? Drink some hot water and talk slowly. Don't treat me and my mother like outsiders."

Wen raised her chin and instructed, "Speak."

"The Marquis said there was something in your courtyard, and he sent the young master to investigate the people there. Including..." Yuanxiang glanced at Qiao Muyang, lowered her head, and emphasized while bending over, "Including the young master and Madam Zheng."

Wen was shocked, her handkerchief was twisted into a ball, but she kept her composure.

Qiao Muyang immediately thought of the mind-controlling grass in the backyard. Hadn't he had it disposed of?

Could there be something wrong with those two servants?

Wen Shi and Zheng Xiulan were somewhat flustered, but Qiao Muyang remained relatively calm. He had handled the matter of the bewitching herb discreetly, and in the end, the investigation could only trace it back to the already deceased Granny Qin.

Since the person is already dead, there's no way to verify anything, so you can say whatever you want!

He forced a stiff smile at Yuanxiang: "Don't worry about that. There are just some thieving servants in the courtyard. Thank you for bringing the news, but Miss Yuanxiang doesn't seem to be a servant of the Bamboo Garden?"

Yuanxiang nodded: "This servant is from Jingxinyuan."

Jingxin Garden? Qiao Muyang's heart skipped a beat, his smile became even brighter, and he became even more eager for Yuanxiang.

This girl seems cunning, but she's all ambition and no brains; she's someone who can be used. She's from Yun Jinglan's courtyard; if he can control her, she'll eventually become a knife used against Yun Jinglan and Su Junyao!

He will retaliate against the humiliation he suffered at the hands of the Marquis of Wenyang's mansion sooner or later!

"No wonder I've never seen such a well-behaved and clever girl like you. Don't worry about it, just go back. Mu Yang thanks Miss Yuanxiang again."

Qiao Muyang's polite demeanor immediately won Yuanxiang's heart.

Although the old lady promised to elevate her to be the heir's concubine, a concubine is nothing more than a plaything to be manipulated, nothing like the comfort of being a proper wife.

The young master was not only handsome but also young, around her age. Moreover, she felt the way he looked at her was unusual; if she could seize the opportunity…

Yuanxiang considered herself no less accomplished than daughters of noble families, only that her own background was inferior. However, she hadn't sold herself to the Marquis's household and wasn't of lowly status. Her cousin was also a commoner, and she was determined to seize the opportunity. If her cousin passed the imperial examinations one day, with the support of the Marquis's household, she too could become a proper official's wife!

Thinking about it this way, her heart warmed up, and her gaze toward Qiao Muyang became fiery.

The two people, each with their own ulterior motives, thus came together.

After Yuanxiang left, Qiao Muyang's face suddenly fell. His eyes showed disgust, and he felt nauseous.

The lowly slave's eyes disgusted him!

"Zhang Mama, throw away all the teacups on the table!"

Granny Zhang was taken aback: "Young Master, this is a jade brocade teacup fired in the official kiln. Only one set was produced last year. This is such a..." such a pity!

Qiao Muyang's eyes turned icy cold: "Throw it away, it's disgusting!"

Zhang Mama was startled by him. With Wen Shi's tacit approval, she took the jade teacup, bowed, and withdrew.

Once only the three of them remained, Madam Wen asked nervously, "What if the Marquis questions us about this matter?"

Qiao Muyang comforted her: "As long as you insist on not giving in, no one will dare to do anything to you! You just need to remember that everything in the Bamboo Garden used to be managed by Granny Qin. She betrayed her master, embezzled the manor's money, and did everything herself."

"As for how the mind-controlling herb came about, only the ghost Granny Qin and her good daughter know!"

Ms. Wen nodded, then thought for a moment, "Won't that lead to you being implicated?"

Qiao Muyang shook his head: "Don't worry, Great-Grandmother, I'm still going to be the top scholar in the imperial examination. My hands are cleaner than anyone else's!"

"That Yuanxiang can't be kept!"

Wen was unsure how much she knew, so it was best to strike first and kill her!

But Qiao Muyang disagreed.

Wen was displeased: "Why?"

He smiled faintly, his expression full of calculation: "Of course, she'll still be of great use! Whether or not we can get rid of Yun Jinglan depends on her!"

(End of this chapter)