Chapter 341 Thank you for your generosity, Miss Huayi

Chun Die exclaimed with delight, "This is a lychee? I've never seen a lychee before. I've only heard that it's a delicacy that only high-ranking officials and nobles can afford!"

Hua Yi nodded: "Ordinary people really can't eat lychees. They are transported from the distant Lingnan region and are as expensive as gold."

"This was specially bought by the young master for Miss Huayi, right? Miss Huayi is actually going to give me lychees to eat? Aren't you going to eat them?"

“I’ve already eaten. This one is for you alone, after all, you’ve served the young master very well. Don’t tell Xia Chan that I only saved it for you and not for her.”

Chundie was quite flattered. Usually, Huayi was nicer to Xiachan and colder to her, but today she remembered her kindness. It was really rare.

She accepted the lychees, repeatedly expressing her gratitude: "Thank you for your kindness, Miss Huayi. I will serve the young master and you even more diligently in the future. Has the young master gone to take a bath? I'll go in and wash his hair and scrub his back right away!"

"No need, I can handle it. You can go now!"

"This... Miss Huayi, aren't you pregnant? Doing these kinds of chores might hurt your stomach. Let me do it!"

"I said no, can't you understand human language? The young master doesn't need your service, get out! After you finish eating the lychees, wash the young master's clothes!"

"I...I understand, Miss Huayi, please don't be angry, I'll go out right now!"

"Remember, the clothes must be washed clean and dried without a single wrinkle! The young master's new shoes must also be made quickly. It's almost New Year's, do you want the young master to wear old shoes? All you do is slack off all day long, and you don't want to do any work at all!"

Chun Die bit her lip nervously. Faced with Hua Yi's scolding, as a fellow maid, she subconsciously placed herself in the lowest position: "This servant, this servant did not slack off. This servant is a little slow, so I did things a little slowly. Miss Hua Yi, it's all my fault, I..."

As she was speaking, she suddenly knelt down.

Hua Yi stood up and reached out to help her up. Her tone softened again: "Why are you kneeling? Am I that scary? Get up. I was a little impatient just now, but I didn't mean to target you. I was just worried about the young master, so I said a few words to you. Don't take it to heart."

Chun Die stood up gratefully: "Thank you for your generosity, Miss Huayi. I... I'll go make shoes for the young master right away!"

"Eat the lychees first. You've had a tough time too. It's okay if your shoes are a little slow."

As Huayi spoke, she took the lychee, peeled it for her, and then held it to her lips.

Chundie dared not let her serve her, so she quickly took the lychee and stuffed it into her mouth.

Hua Yi smiled gently: "How is it? Is it delicious?"

Chun Die's expression was slightly pained. This lychee had a rotten smell and was extremely sour and astringent, making it extremely unpalatable.

But she didn't dare to say it. She chewed it a couple of times haphazardly and then swallowed it whole: "Good, delicious, delicious... Thank you, Miss Huayi."

Huayi looked at her in surprise: "How could you eat the pit too? You're supposed to spit it out!"

Chun Die was taken aback: "Do I have to spit out the pit? I... I've never eaten this before and I don't know the rules. Please forgive me, Miss Hua Yi."

"What are you saying? How could I laugh at you? Anyway, it won't be a big deal if you eat the pit. It's alright. Alright, hurry up and go down. I have to go serve the young master his bath."

"yes."

Chundie breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly left the house, returning to the servants' quarters where she and Xiachan lived.

Hua Yi watched her leave, a slight smirk playing on her lips.

This Chun Die often fawned over Xiao Qingyuan right under her nose, and sometimes even took over the tasks of serving Xiao Qingyuan. As a result, Xiao Qingyuan had somehow gotten used to Chun Die's touch.

This Xinghe Courtyard is her territory, and Xiao Qingyuan is her man. How could she allow another woman to touch Xiao Qingyuan!

"Painting style!"

From inside the bathroom, Xiao Qingyuan's shouts could be faintly heard.

Hua Yi composed herself, took a thick, soft handkerchief, and walked towards the bathroom: "Your Highness, Hua Yi is here."

The night passed quickly.

The next morning, Xiao Qingyuan was still fast asleep with Huayi in his arms when he suddenly heard a cry.

"Your Highness, something terrible has happened! Please, Your Highness, open the door quickly!"

Xiao Qingyuan turned over impatiently and shouted, "Moji, go see what this stupid maid is yelling about again!"

Mo Ji, who was outside the door, quickly calmed the crying maid. A moment later, he came in and said, "Your Highness, it's Xia Chan."

Xiao Qingyuan waved his hand dismissively: "Tell her to get lost. Coming here to cry first thing in the morning is bad luck!"

"Your Highness, Chundie is dead."

"What?!"

Xiao Qingyuan suddenly sat up: "Chun Die is dead?!"

Huayi sat up as well, her voice filled with sorrow: "How could this happen? Chundie was perfectly fine yesterday, how could she suddenly die?"

Mo Ji said in a low voice, "Xia Chan said that Chun Die kept complaining of stomach pain and diarrhea during the first half of yesterday night, but then she stopped moving around in the second half of the night. Xia Chan thought she was better, but she didn't expect to find out this morning that she was dead."

——

Wutong Garden.

Shen Wantang soon learned of Chundie's death.

She frowned slightly: "Stomach ache?"

"yes."

Qin Xin replied, "I asked Xia Chan, and she said that Chun Die has severe diarrhea."

"Did you eat something that gave you an upset stomach?"

"Xia Chan said that she and Chun Die had always lived and ate the same food and even drank the same water, but she did not have any symptoms of diarrhea."

Shen Wantang pondered for a moment, then gently shook his head: "Even if you eat and live together, it doesn't necessarily mean that you eat and drink exactly the same things. Chun Die must have eaten something unclean to cause her to die from diarrhea. A human life is no small matter. Go and call Xia Chan here. I need to question her."

"Yes, Princess Consort."

Not long after, Qin Xin returned: "Princess Consort, the Prince said that Chun Die is from his courtyard, as is Xia Chan, so he wants to handle this matter himself. He said he doesn't want you to get involved, and he doesn't want Xia Chan to come back with me."

Shen Wantang's face slowly turned cold. She was the mistress of the Prince's Mansion, and managing the household was both her duty and her power. Now that a maid had died inexplicably in the Prince's Mansion, she couldn't even ask about it.

She said coldly, "I'm the one who pays Xia Chan's monthly allowance. I summoned her for questioning, and Xiao Qingyuan has no right to refuse!"

"Since he's going to put on airs as a prince, then I'll put on airs as a princess consort too. Bring Xia Chan, Hua Yi, and Mo Ji all over here!"

"Chundie died suddenly, and all three of them are suspects. Until they are cleared of suspicion, none of them are allowed to leave the house!"

Qin Xin immediately replied, "Yes, Your Highness, this servant will go and bring them over right away!"

Shen Wantang nodded: "Granny Chai, take my jade token, gather the guards, and go to Xinghe Courtyard with Qin Xin. If anyone dares not to come, just sell them off."