"What?" Qiu Boyan didn't hear her clearly and asked subconsciously.
"It's nothing." Zhu Jiayu smiled and asked, "Let's go. If you don't want to be with her, why force yourself?"
Qiu Boyan pouted: "It's no use. No matter how far we go, she'll stick to us like glue."
Ji Huanjin was determined to outdo them at every turn, and there was no way to avoid it. She could avoid it for a while, but not forever.
Zhu Jiayu's eyes darted around: "In that case, how about I help my cousin think of a way?" She whispered a few words in Ji Huanjin's ear, suppressing a laugh, and said, "I guarantee that after this, Ji Huanjin will avoid you like the plague and will never dare to go looking for trouble with you again."
"This..." Qiu Boyan frowned, "It won't work, will it?"
Although it sounded very satisfying and cathartic, Qiu Boyan still hesitated: "If that really happens, she will never be able to face anyone again."
"So what?" Zhu Jiayu retorted nonchalantly. "You're so considerate of her, but how much have you ever thought about her when she's causing you trouble? Cousin, kindness is often taken advantage of!"
“Okay,” Qiu Boyan mustered her courage and nodded solemnly, “I’ll listen to Ayu.”
Zhu Jiayu nodded: "Then go ahead, cousin. I'll have Lvzheng let you know when I'm ready."
After she finished speaking, she turned and went to the back kitchen, found a few temporary servants, and said to them, "I am a guest who came to the banquet today and I am familiar with this young lady. Just now, the head housekeeper saw me and entrusted me with an important matter. Since you don't have any work to do right now, you can do this."
The servants looked at each other, unsure whether what she said was true or false. After all, the Ji family was hosting a banquet today, and the guests were all prominent figures in Heling City. If they caused any trouble, the master of the Ji family might not let them off the hook.
After a long silence, the leader cautiously asked, "What does Miss want us to do?"
Zhu Jiayu smiled slightly and said, "It's nothing. Granny said that the latrine in Chengyuan is full of hot water and asked me to find a few people to carry a few buckets out."
After she finished speaking, she took out the map from her sleeve and handed it to the person. She had just asked the maid of the Ji family for it. "Look, I have someone mark the route. If we take this route, we will not disturb the distinguished guests attending the banquet today, and we can also complete the nanny's instructions."
The servant took the map, but still seemed hesitant and doubtful. He frowned and said, "When we came, the head maid didn't say we had to do these things. She said we only needed to work as helpers in the kitchen, doing things like washing vegetables and dishes."
Zhu Jiayu put on a stern face and said, "But aren't we short-handed right now? Besides, it's just asking you to carry some manure, not doing anything else. Or do you suspect that I'm spreading lies? Or do you not believe my identity?"
She looked quite angry, seemingly surprised that these few menial laborers dared to disobey her. After a moment, she took out a money pouch from her sleeve, grabbed a handful of loose silver, stuffed some into each of their hands, and said angrily, "Well, do you believe me now? Anyway, you earn money doing manual labor, you earn money carrying manure, so what's the difference?"
Having received tangible benefits, the group no longer had time to harbor any doubts. They quickly bowed their heads and thanked her, promising to work hard and ensure that the young lady and the nanny would be satisfied.
Zhu Jiayu waved his hand and winked at Lü Zheng, who was standing to the side.
Lüzheng hurriedly went to Chengyuan to find Qiu Boyan and said, "Miss Boyan, my mistress has succeeded. She asked me to come and tell you."
Qiu Boyan nodded, clenched the handkerchief in her hand, and went to Ji Huanjin, who was chatting and laughing with a group of young ladies in the garden. She said indifferently, "Huanjin, come with me."
Ji Huanjin was completely confused, but she still said to the young ladies, "I'll be right back. You can chat for a while, no need to wait for me."
She didn't know what Qiu Boyan wanted to do with her, but she figured it must be something important, otherwise, given Qiu Boyan's usual attitude of avoiding her like the plague, she wouldn't have taken the initiative to contact her.
The two went to a secluded spot, and Ji Huanjin's smile gradually faded, but she had a pair of smiling eyes, so even if they weren't entirely genuine, she still looked cheerful.
Why did my cousin suddenly decide to look for me?
"Don't you want to see your cousin Qi? I'll take you there," Qiu Boyan said casually. "So you won't gossip about me and Mingyan to everyone else."
Ji Huanjin pursed her lips and said sadly, "It seems my cousin has many misunderstandings about me. How could I be that kind of person? My cousin is mistaken."
Qiu Boyan nodded: "If that's how you see it, there's nothing I can do. Are you going to go or not? Or are you just scared?"
Her attitude was normal, and Ji Huanjin didn't think there was any trickery involved—after all, this was the Ji family mansion, and if something really happened to her, Qiu Boyan would be stabbed in the back by the Ji family.
She adjusted the tassels and hairpins at her temples, and glanced at Qiu Boyan with a hidden look. Her cousin was so bad at dressing herself up. She knew that there were many talented young men coming to the Ji residence today, but she still had the same few hairpins in her hair. Standing next to her, it was obvious that her cousin was the one who was playing second fiddle. What was she afraid of?
Thinking this, Ji Huanjin smiled and said, "What are you saying, cousin? I'm not afraid at all. I just wonder how you plan to take me to meet my cousin Qi?"
Qiu Boyan looked at her as if she were an idiot: "Of course I can only take you to see him secretly. Do you expect me to introduce you to him?"
After she finished speaking, she walked forward on her own, not caring at all whether Ji Huanjin followed or not.
Ji Huanjin pursed her lips. If they were going secretly, what was there to see? She knew there was a path in Chengyuan that led directly to Jingyuan, the men's quarters, a secluded spot unlikely to be discovered. She figured Qiu Boyan was taking her there.
This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com