Chapter Twenty-Seven: Qingzhu's Lucky Escape
Song Yiqiu took in their expressions and, knowing her goal had been achieved, smiled.
"It's getting late today. I'll send someone to clean and furnish the courtyard as soon as possible. Miss Ying'er, please bear with me for a few days. I'll head back to my residence now and come to visit you again in a few days."
After leaving the villa and getting into the carriage, Bai Mei still looked puzzled:
"Miss, I still don't understand! Why would you give such fine jewelry to that greedy, scheming woman? Isn't that like throwing good money after bad?"
Song Yiqiu leaned against the car wall, closing her eyes to rest.
Having lived through her previous life, she knew all too well that her third brother, Song Haochu, though seemingly affectionate, was actually extremely selfish and clever at heart. Later, when he passed the imperial examination with flying colors, he became a great help to Song Sangyu and caused her a lot of trouble.
If a direct confrontation doesn't work, then the only option is to... attack their weak points.
"White plum,"
She slowly opened her eyes, feigning profundity.
"Since ancient times, even heroes have found it hard to resist the charms of a beautiful woman. But what our beauty loves most is not a hero, but the real money that a hero can bring her."
She intended to use these jewels to constantly nurture Ying'er's greed and ambition, encouraging her to continuously demand, compare, and sow discord.
He entangled Song Haochu in extortion, exhausting his energy, ruining his studies, and alienating him from Song Sangyu and even his parents.
Bai Mei seemed to understand but not quite, and scratched her head:
"What are you talking about... Never mind, Miss, you must have your reasons!"
Song Yiqiu smiled:
"Let's go back quickly. The chessboard has only just been set up."
As soon as Song Yiqiu and Bai Mei approached the main courtyard, they sensed that something was wrong.
Outside the courtyard gate, three or four old women were huddled together, whispering amongst themselves, their eyes glancing furtively into the courtyard every now and then.
Upon seeing Song Yiqiu return, they scattered in a panic, pretending to sweep the courtyard or prune the flowers and trees, their guilty expressions impossible to conceal.
Bai Mei instantly became alert and lowered her voice:
"Young Miss, something's wrong! These people... are from Madam's side! What are they doing here?"
Song Yiqiu's heart sank suddenly, and an ominous premonition surged into her mind:
"Oh no... Green Bamboo!"
She could no longer care about anything else, quickened her pace and rushed into the yard, calling out loudly:
"Qingzhu! Qingzhu? Where are you?"
The courtyard was empty; the only response she received was the rustling of leaves in the wind.
The snacks she had prepared for Qingzhu before leaving the stone table were scattered all over the floor, making it look messy.
Bai Mei's expression also changed:
"Oh no! Did Madam take Qingzhu away while we were away?!"
Just then, a slight clattering sound came from inside the room, as if something had been knocked over.
Song Yiqiu and Bai Mei exchanged a glance and immediately rushed into the house.
Qingzhu was slumped in the corner, a noticeable bruise on her forehead with blood seeping out. She was clutching a piece of curtain tightly in her hand, her eyes were empty, and she was uttering meaningless mutterings, as if she had gone completely insane.
But the moment he saw Song Yiqiu, his eyes focused, revealing terror.
Bai Mei reacted extremely quickly, immediately turning around to slam the doors and windows shut. She then peered cautiously through the cracks and whispered:
"Young Miss, the old women at the gate have already left."
Song Yiqiu quickly stepped forward, squatted down, and held Qingzhu's shoulder, trying to soften her voice:
"Qingzhu! It's alright, we're back! Tell me, what happened? Who hurt you?"
As if she had finally found her pillar of support, Qingzhu suddenly threw herself into Song Yiqiu's arms, her body trembling, her voice trembling with sobs:
"Young Miss... I... I thought I'd never see you again..."
Song Yiqiu gently patted her back, comforting her:
"It's okay, it's okay, calm down, tell me slowly, what happened?"
Qingzhu took a few deep breaths:
"Miss, you had only been gone a short while when several old women barged in! They...they were searching everywhere in the house! They were ransacking the place, it was terrifying!"
"I heard them talking in hushed tones as they searched... They said: 'Find everything the lady instructed us to look carefully, especially the jade pendant!'"
"They were holding a piece of paper with a design on it... I secretly glanced at it, and that design was clearly the blood-stained jade pendant that Aunt Yun had given us!"
Song Yiqiu frowned.
Qingzhu continued to reminisce:
"I also heard them muttering..."
"Find it quickly! Madam said that the jade pendant is crucial evidence and must be retrieved and destroyed!"
"You mean... the old lady's death in battle was really just an accident? I've heard it was related to the palace..."
"Shh! Shut up! Don't you want to live? We both know how the Crown Prince's real mother died! And this Empress is no pushover!"
"Exactly! Hurry up and find them! Once you find them, go back and report! The title is secure anyway; if the second young lady doesn't make it, there are still four young masters! Madam, this move is shrewd!"
...
Qingzhu's face turned deathly pale:
"I was so scared when I heard that I made a little noise, and they found me! They...they wanted to kill me to silence me!"
She pointed to the wound on her forehead.
“One of the old women had a particularly fierce look in her eyes and was about to come over and grab my neck… but the other old woman stopped her and said… said, ‘The young lady values this madman very much, and it would be difficult to explain if he really died.’”
"I...I had no choice but to pretend to be crazy and bang my head against the wall!"
Qingzhu started crying as she spoke.
"They saw me covered in blood, still grinning foolishly and spouting incoherent nonsense... Only then did the old woman who wanted to kill me begin to believe me... They tried to interrogate me about what I had seen, and I deliberately made up stories, saying I saw butterflies fly away and the moon fall down..."
"In the end, the head nanny seemed to believe it. She said, 'A madwoman who can't even speak properly and is always looking for death might just kill herself one day. We don't need to get our hands dirty, lest we alert her and arouse the young lady's suspicion...'"
"Then they searched for a while longer, but found nothing, and left grumbling..."
Qingzhu was still trembling when she finished speaking.
After hearing this, Song Yiqiu's mind was in complete turmoil.
The grandmother's death was not due to simple banditry; it may have been related to the death of the crown prince's birth mother, and that jade pendant was key evidence.
Her mother, Madam Song Shen, not only knew about it but may even have been involved. She supported Song Sangyu and even planned for her sons to inherit the title in order to show her loyalty to a certain powerful force.
What a vicious heart! What a meticulous scheme!
Song Yiqiu hugged Qingzhu tightly.
Yes, her mother never put all her eggs in one basket.
If she doesn't want to repeat the same mistakes, she must uproot all those who harmed her and her grandmother in her previous life, leaving none alive!
Otherwise, there will never be peace!
Thinking of this, she sneered, her eyes filled with murderous intent, and she no longer hesitated.
Gently releasing the green bamboo, he gave the white plum a deep, resonant instruction:
"Bai Mei, you must leave the manor quietly right now and go to Dousheng Manor to invite Lieutenant Zhang here. Remember to tell him to bring the 'thing' I told him about last time!"
Bai Mei nodded immediately upon seeing Song Yiqiu:
"Yes! Don't worry, Miss!"
After saying that, he quietly climbed out of the back window.
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