The Prime Minister's Residence.
A group of people were kneeling in the dark courtyard of the kitchen.
Granny Ni stood in front of them with a ruler in her hand: "Whoever gave the lady's bird's nest to Qi Luanting without permission, step forward. Otherwise, if you are identified, you will be sold off by a slave trader!"
The crowd fell silent.
Granny Ni wasn't in a hurry. She clapped her hands, and a maid brought over a small box of silver.
"Whoever helps the lady find that traitor will get the money."
This silver is at least a hundred taels.
The old woman washing vegetables immediately pointed at Zhang Mama, who was in charge of cooking, and said, "It was her! This servant saw with her own eyes that she accepted money from Miss Haitang!"
Granny Zhang was exposed, and she angrily retorted, "You're talking nonsense! That was a reward from Miss Haitang!"
"You're the one who stewed the bird's nest for the lady. Who else could it be but you?" the old woman washing vegetables replied.
Granny Zhang: "You also accepted Miss Haitang's money, and even helped her bring her food back to Qiluan Pavilion. I think you're the one crying 'stop thief' while being the thief yourself!"
The two started arguing, one after the other.
As the argument escalated, other people were brought up as well.
During the standoff, it was discovered that most of the people in the kitchen had received money from Miss Haitang.
Granny Ni's face turned ashen: "Have you been short of your monthly allowance? For such a pittance, you've completely forgotten all the kindness the Madam has shown you!"
Everyone lowered their heads and dared not speak, but they all thought the same thing: the monthly allowance given by the madam was just a pittance, while the monthly allowance given by Miss Haitang was the real deal, enough to last ten months.
Ah, I really want to work at Qiluanting.
Since the law does not punish the masses, Granny Ni fined them two months' wages and then returned to Liu's place to report.
Granny Zhang and the vegetable-washing woman: Bah, it'll only be two months. They'll have to come back after they've appeased Miss Haitang.
Why hasn't Miss Haitang arrived yet today...?
Not only could Miss Haitang not come, but even her mistress, Miss Chu, was captured.
They had barely stepped into the gate of the Prime Minister's residence when they were grabbed by several strong old women and taken to the main courtyard.
"Let go!" Haitang broke free from the old women and rushed to Chu Xinxin to protect her. "What do you want to do to our young lady? The Qi family will not let you get away with this!"
Liu reached out and patted Haitang's face, her nails painted with henna looking somewhat flamboyant: "It's a good dog, after all."
Chu Xinxin pulled Haitang back behind her: "Haitang doesn't deserve such a compliment. It's nice to hear someone from Mother's side calling her that."
Liu Shi withdrew the approachable demeanor An Yi had feigned that day, adopting an aloof and superior attitude: "Is this how the Xu family teaches you to speak to your elders?"
"How can a mother be considered Xin Xin's elder if she has never taught her anything?"
“I was brought into your family by your father through a proper marriage ceremony. No matter what you say, I am your legal mother,” Liu sneered. “Granny Ni, how should you be punished according to the rules for disrespecting your legal mother?”
Granny Ni: "Slap him twenty times, then lock him up for three days without food or water to reflect on his actions."
"Then let's get started."
Granny Ni approached Chu Xinxin with a malicious smile: "Young Miss, excuse me..."
"Smack!"
Before Granny Ni could even raise her hand, Chu Xinxin slapped her first.
"Oops, my hand slipped. I meant to slap her right cheek." Before she could react, Chu Xinxin slapped her again.
"How dare you!" Liu picked up a teacup and threw it at Chu Xinxin. "Guards, tie her up!"
The teacup flew into the air and was knocked away by a sword, scalding hot tea splashing all over Granny Ni's face.
"Oh, my face!" Granny Ni groaned as she fell to the ground, and no one around dared to help her up.
Standing in front of Chu Xinxin was a dashing woman, none other than Yun Gui.
Yun Gui remained silent, but stood very upright, her eyes warily scanning her surroundings, as if she would stab anyone who dared to approach.
"Guards! Guards, seize them all!"
A clever old woman tried to go out and call for help, but Yun Gui picked up a chair next to her and threw it down, completely blocking the door.
Chu Xinxin slowly walked up to Liu Shi: "Mother, can't we talk things out properly? Why do we have to resort to violence? It's so unbecoming of you."
Liu glared at her but didn't say anything.
Chu Xinxin didn't mind. She continued, "Mother manages the entire Prime Minister's residence without feeling tired, and even wants to manage Qiluan Pavilion. It seems... I need to find more things for Mother to do."
"what you up to?"
"What I want to do is up to Mother." Chu Xinxin poured another cup of hot tea and placed it in Liu's hand. "Mother, I'm tired, I'll take my leave now."
Chu Xinxin arrogantly led Haitang and Yun Gui back to Qiluan Courtyard.
"Haitang, I'm so hungry, go and cook me some wontons." Chu Xinxin remembered the person peeking out the door and told Yun Gui to go with her.
Okay.
When Haitang and Yun Gui went to the kitchen, the old women's eyes gleamed when they saw her, but none of them dared to approach.
"Granny Zhang..."
Granny Zhang walked away.
"Aunt Li..."
Aunt Li has back pain.
Haitang took out a stack of silver notes: "Sigh, Miss wants to eat wontons today. I originally wanted to use this much money to take care of everyone, but since no one is available, I'll go outside and buy some for Miss."
"Miss Haitang, I can cook wontons..."
"Miss Haitang, I cook it even better..."
"Miss Haitang, I'm here..."
Haitang was surrounded by people again, and Yun Gui was completely pushed to the side.
Haitang thought smugly: "Hmph, they won't allocate any people to our courtyard, but plenty of people want to serve our young lady."
......
Qiluan Ting.
After Haitang and Yungui left, Chu Xinxin called out to the empty room, "Nobody's here, come out."
No one appeared inside the house.
Chu Xinxin called out again, "Zhou Huaichuan."
A gust of air surged, and Zhou Huaichuan appeared before her.
How did you know...?
"I don't know." A sly glint appeared in Chu Xinxin's eyes. "I call out like that to my room every day when I come home, and who knew you'd actually come today."
Zhou Huaichuan: .....
“You don’t need to feel guilty. This was a bit random. Yesterday I called for Young Master Su, and the day before I called for Young Master Qian…” Chu Xinxin looked up at him. “Today I just couldn’t think of anyone to call, so I called you, Zhou Huaichuan. You don’t mind, do you?”
What do you mind?
Not the first choice?
Zhou Huaichuan turned his face away: "Whatever."
Chu Xinxin took it as if he didn't mind: "Did you come to see me for something?"
Zhou Huaichuan pondered for a moment: "Can you sell me the musket you have?"
Chu Xinxin's smiling expression vanished, and her eyes narrowed: "Zhou Huaichuan, you're quite the hidden talent..."
When she was talking to Liu Xin, only Haitang and Liu Xin's confidants were present. Haitang had been following her the whole time, so it couldn't have been Haitang who said it.
Liu Xin was too busy covering this up to do anything, so it could only be one of Liu Xin's trusted confidants.
"Liu Xin's confidant is actually one of your men?"
Zhou Huaichuan neither admitted nor denied it, but simply said, "Give me the musket, and I'll help you get it to Chang Le Fang."
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