Chapter 64: We can't let Li Yue'er climb over the heads of our masters.
Qu Rong asked with interest, "What is Aunt Wu looking at?"
Qu Rong had already taken her seat when she noticed that Wu Mama was still looking out with her head down, as if she were looking for something. So she deliberately imitated her, leaning forward and looking in the direction of her gaze.
Mrs. Wu, "..."
Mrs. Wu stood up, shaking her head with an embarrassed smile, "...No, I wasn't looking at anything, just checking if the snow outside was still falling."
That little hussy Li Yue'er really didn't come!
Madam Wu was furious and was preparing to go back and complain to the old lady. How was Li Yue'er's attitude today any different from those spoiled and disrespectful concubines in the men's quarters? She couldn't let Li Yue'er climb over the masters' heads.
Otherwise, once she returned to the Qu residence, she would have no way to control Li Yue'er, who was learning domestic affairs under her.
Qu Rong was easy to talk to, and said "Oh" and even kindly replied, "Aunt Wu is old and her eyesight is not good, so I'm telling you, it's still snowing outside."
Since she didn't openly ask about Li Yue'er, Qu Rong didn't bother to ask any more questions. She simply looked away and lowered her eyes to straighten the sleeves draped over her legs.
Mrs. Wu chuckled dryly, "Thank you for your explanation, Madam. My eyesight isn't very good."
Otherwise, how come she didn't see Li Yue'er, who is such a grown woman, in the main hall?
Naturally, Wu's mother only dared to think these words in her heart and would not say them out loud.
The main hall gradually quieted down.
Madam Wu was waiting for the mistress to speak and ask her why she had come, so that she could continue the conversation. However, the mistress was young and very composed. She sat there without saying a word, and it seemed that neither the presence of other people nor the atmosphere in the room affected her.
The mistress could remain silent, but Wu Mama couldn't maintain the stalemate, so she had no choice but to step forward and, steeling herself, speak up to get to the point:
"The mistress has been away for quite some time now. The old lady is very worried about you, fearing that you might suffer from the cold and hardship outside. She even sent a servant to check on you before the New Year."
"That damned servant can't speak properly. If he said anything that displeased you, Madam, you can go back and punish him as you see fit. Don't take it to heart. That wasn't our old lady's intention. It was just a servant spreading rumors."
Qu Rong smiled faintly, glancing sideways at Wu's mother.
Wu's mother's smile was so stiff that Qu Rong didn't believe her, and she herself felt very insincere when she said it.
But even if I didn't mean it, I had to say it: "The old lady said that the mistress should have had enough of relaxing outside. Now that the New Year is over, the house and the neighborhood are in complete chaos. You should go back and take a look."
Qu Rong said, "Grandmother knows what I want, and you know it too. If Wu Mama came here just to say these useless platitudes, then I advise you to go back as soon as possible."
Seeing her assertive attitude and the fact that she stood up to leave as she spoke, Wu's mother panicked and quickly stepped forward to stop her.
She feigned distress and sighed, "As you wish, the old lady said that as long as you go back, she will grant you all these requests."
Qu Rong gripped the armrest of the chair with one hand, then slowly sat down again, gesturing for Wu's mother to continue.
Mrs. Wu said, "The old lady nodded. She said that as long as you are willing to go back today, she will agree to whatever conditions you set."
Qu Rong took out a handkerchief and slowly wiped her fingertips, her tone knowing, "The letter Qu Ming sent, is it with Grandmother?"
Mrs. Wu's expression kept changing, but she didn't say anything.
Qu Rong knew.
Qu Rong laughed, "No wonder Qu Ming's letter was delayed. I thought it was because of the war in the south and the instability on the road. It turns out that the old lady sent someone to intercept it."
Madam Wu carefully observed the mistress's expression. Seeing her smile, she smiled in return, saying, "Isn't the old lady just too worried about the master's safety?"
Qu Rong's smile vanished instantly, and she threw the handkerchief on the ground. "If that's the case, why did you come to me?"
Her temper changed so quickly that Mrs. Wu couldn't keep up with her at all. "This—"
The mistress didn't even glance at her.
As Wu's mother bent down to pick up the handkerchief, before she could even reach out, the mistress glanced at her and stopped her in her tracks with a single look.
Despite the freezing weather, Wu's mother was sweating profusely from anxiety.
Just as she was at a loss, someone came over. A light pink dress stepped across the threshold, its bright arc shimmering in the corner of her eye.
Mrs. Wu quickly looked over.
It's Li Yue'er.
Aunt Li, whom she disliked the most, actually came over at this crucial moment when she needed someone to come to her rescue.
Mrs. Wu was filled with mixed emotions, unable to tell whether she felt even more disgusted or relieved.
Li Yue'er brought Teng Huang over, who was carrying a tea tray with hot tea and pastries on it.
Li Yue'er stepped over the threshold and saw Wu Mama standing trembling in the main hall and the mistress sitting calmly, as well as the handkerchief on the ground. She could roughly guess the atmosphere between them.
She didn't want to come, but the mistress came over without eating breakfast, so Li Yue'er brought her some food.
"What's wrong? Why are you angry?" Li Yue'er smiled and bent down to pick up the mistress's handkerchief. She dusted it off, folded it neatly, and held it herself, looking at the mistress with questioning eyes.
The mistress's face remained expressionless, but her tone was much gentler as she looked up at her. "Have you finished eating?"
Li Yue'er stood next to her, took the pastries and tea from the tea tray and placed them beside her, "Well, I thought you hadn't eaten, so I brought some food for you and Aunt Wu."
Li Yue'er then looked at Mama Wu and greeted her with a smile, "Mama Wu, please don't find this offensive."
Her dignified, elegant, and neither servile nor arrogant demeanor was exactly that of a mistress of a manor.
Mrs. Wu's face tightened even more.
She even felt that the two of them were deliberately tormenting her, one with a stern face and the other with a gentle one, like a sweet and loving young couple, working together so well.
Mrs. Wu forced a smile, "No, no, I wouldn't dare."
She hated Li Yue'er to death, but for now she still had to continue singing on the stage set by the two of them, "Miss Yue'er, please help persuade the mistress not to be angry."
Even the way they address each other has changed.
Li Yue'er placed her fingers on the mistress's shoulder, gently squeezed it, and looked down at her with a puzzled expression.
Qu Rong then picked up the fresh tea, the lid scraping against the rim of the cup as the steam rose. "Grandmother wanted me to go back because she intercepted the letter but couldn't understand its contents, right?"
She lifted her eyelids to look at Wu's mother, her expression indifferent. "If Grandmother could understand, she wouldn't be in such a hurry to bring me back. I knew it. With Grandmother keeping things in order, how chaotic could the house get?"
The way she talks makes it sound like the old lady is some kind of ancient, timeless figure, capable of warding off evil spirits and protecting the house.
Mrs. Wu pretended not to understand and just smiled without saying a word.
Qu Rong said, "Although Aunt Tan in the neighborhood doesn't manage the accounts, she's in charge of things. Everyone trusts her. With her around, it doesn't matter if wages are paid a few days less, and the accounts won't get too messy."
"Grandmother was in such a hurry that she could only intercept the letter Qu Ming sent me. She was afraid that if she couldn't understand it, it would delay things and harm her precious grandson. That's why she asked me to go back today and was even willing to humble myself and compromise with me."
Mrs. Wu couldn't help but admire Qu Rong; she was incredibly accurate in her calculations at such a young age!
If it weren't for Qu Ming's letter, the old lady wouldn't have bowed down so quickly, given her temperament. She would have held out until the end of the first month to wear down the mistress's arrogance.
But things have changed now.
The contents of Qu Ming's letter were like scribbled characters; the old lady couldn't understand them. She consulted several trusted stewards, but they couldn't decipher them either. Finally, they came to the following conclusion:
If this letter wasn't forged to deliberately tease the old lady, then only the mistress could understand what was written in it.
This was a "written agreement" between Qu Ming and Qu Rong before Qu Ming escaped from the Qu residence. It was to prevent someone from intercepting the letter on the way and reading its contents, and also to prevent someone from imitating the handwriting and tone of the letter and ruining things.
Madam Wu came early for this matter. "Madam is wise. Whether for the sake of the Qu family or for the master, Madam should go back quickly today."
She sighed, "Anping Prefecture was already in some turmoil before the New Year, and Chenhe County is not very stable either. You'll know when you get back."
Seeing that Wu's mother said this, Qu Rong didn't make things difficult for her anymore. "I'll go back before noon after I've tidied up."
Mrs. Wu finally breathed a sigh of relief and smiled genuinely, "That's wonderful."
The sooner the old lady returned home, the more at ease she felt.
Her carriage was waiting to go back with the mistress, and she was sitting in the main hall waiting.
Li Yue'er then used the excuse of needing to pack some things to go out with the mistress.
Mrs. Wu pouted, dissatisfied, but dared not provoke the mistress at this time.
They didn't have a lot of things, but they also had a lot. Fortunately, Qu Rong had told the maids to pack up before she arrived.
Around noon, several horse-drawn carriages stopped at the entrance of the manor, where a light snow was falling.
Wu Mama boarded the carriage first and led the way. After she lowered the curtain, Qu Rong gave Li Yue'er a wink.
Li Yue'er then walked over to Su Rou and Meng Xiaoxiao, and following the instructions the mistress had given them in a low voice, she whispered to the two of them, "You can leave in the afternoon. Lin Mu will leave a few people to escort you back to the city."
Meng Xiaoxiao was bewildered. Although she didn't know why the mistress and Sister Yue'er wanted her to stay late, she obediently nodded without asking any further questions.
Only Su Rou, who had been through similar experiences, changed her expression instantly upon hearing this. She reached out and grabbed Li Yue'er's wrist, lowering her voice, "Is Chenhe County in chaos, or is someone trying to harm Qu Rong?"
Otherwise, they wouldn't have split into two groups for no reason.
Li Yue'er didn't actually know either, but she trusted her mistress's arrangement:
"Don't worry, Sister Su. We'll set off fireworks to let you know we're safe once we get to the city. Just stand in the courtyard where we're having our New Year's Eve dinner. If you see pink fireworks, we'll head back in the afternoon. If you don't see them, stay at the manor and wait for Shi Yi to come and pick you up."
Su Rou gripped Li Yue'er's fingers tighter and stared intently at her.
Li Yue'er's heart was also in turmoil, but she smiled and held her hand to comfort her, "It should be alright, the mistress said that Wu Mama is here."
Su Rou then slowly loosened her grip and brought her arm back in front of her. "Be careful on the road."
Li Yue'er nodded, "Okay."
She reached out and patted Meng Xiaoxiao's head. "Be a good girl and listen to Sister Su. Come to the house tonight and Aunt Qiu will cook dumplings for you."
Meng Xiaoxiao nodded emphatically and replied with a smile, "Okay."
Li Yue'er lifted her dress and walked toward the mistress. The two of them got into the carriage one after the other. Teng Huang put away his umbrella and sat on the carriage shaft with Dan Sha on the left and right. The driver was still Lin Mu.
Three carriages, a dozen servants, and a group of people walked along the official road toward the city gate.
Once the carriage was out of sight, Meng Xiaoxiao decided to return to the manor.
She turned to leave but saw Su Rou still standing there, so she reached out and took Su Rou's arm. "Let's go, Sister Su."
Su Rou frowned deeply and kept her lips pursed.
She felt that Chenhe County must have been in chaos, otherwise Wu Mama wouldn't have been able to leave the city safely by carriage and arrive at the village peacefully.
That danger must be aimed at Qu Rong or the Qu family.
She had lived in Chenhe County for a long time, and the steward was the head and second-in-command of Qujiafang, so she knew about the passing of the Qu couple a few years ago.
On the way, they were ambushed and killed by bandits.
It is said that the instability in the south and the rampant banditry led to this calamity.
Su Rou stopped abruptly, frowned, and turned to look behind her.
If she and Meng Xiaoxiao were able to stay, then Li Yue'er should be able to as well.
Even at this time, Qu Rong still brought Li Yue'er along, seemingly determined to drag her along even if it meant death.
Su Rou had a vague suspicion that taking risks with Li Yue'er didn't seem like Qu Rong's style.
She gently freed herself from Meng Xiaoxiao's hand, lifted her dress, and climbed to a high point in the manor to gaze into the distance.
Sure enough, at the fork between the main road and the side road, half of the servants escorted Wu Mama and the luggage cart and swaggered onto the main road, while the other half of the servants followed behind, with the carriage carrying Qu Rong and Li Yue'er trailing behind furtively, before slowly changing course and taking the side road.
Su Rou, "..."
No wonder people say, "With Aunt Wu around."
Mrs. Wu, "..."
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Mrs. Wu: Old lady, the mistress isn't human! She doesn't treat me like a human being either! [bursting into tears]
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