Chapter 72: Happy New Year
Xu Shuheng sent his elder sister back to Jiyunzhai, and on the way they talked about what happened in the evening.
"When did you tell the Fifth Young Master?"
"It was today, when I saw that the Third Madam was about to stop you, that I told her that her elder sister might have come to see her fourth cousin because of me. The Fifth Young Master immediately sent someone to Songhe Hall. As for how the Crown Prince came to rescue us later, I don't know." After Xu Shuheng finished speaking, he looked at his elder sister, also a little confused.
Xu Shuyao thought of Xiao Mo and felt that this man was not always annoying.
At least at that time, he would be blocked and scolded by Liu, and when surrounded by people, he could resolve his embarrassment by downplaying it.
Regardless of whether it was the old lady's instruction or not, she accepted the favor.
Thinking of the smiling expression on Liu's face when he asked her what interesting thing she was talking about, he decided to tell her about it.
Although it looks mean and bad, it feels inexplicably relieved.
The two siblings chatted for a while, and then Xu Shuheng left.
She was left sitting alone quietly for a while, and Qiao Wei came outside and said that Yuzhu wanted to see her.
Xu Shuyao raised her eyebrows and said, "Come in!"
As soon as Yuzhu entered the inner room, she knelt down with a plop, "Master! It's all my fault! I shouldn't have told the Second Young Master's wife where you were."
Xu Shuyao shook her head gently and interrupted her, "It's not your problem. Even if you don't say it, she can see it if she wants to."
Since I wasn't avoiding others, I wasn't afraid of being seen by anyone.
But, it was Liu Qingwan again!
Seeing that the master at the top didn't speak for a long time, but just lowered his head with an unconcealable coldness in his eyes, Yuzhu couldn't help but shudder.
"I heard that you often go to talk to the maids in Ningxiangyuan." After a long time, such a light sentence came from above, but it made Yuzhu's heart tremble.
"Yes...it's Qiu Chan who wants to talk to me."
The two of them always avoided others whenever they met, and this incident had happened a while ago, but I didn't expect that the cousin also knew about it.
Yuzhu felt a little resentful when she was assigned to Jiyunzhai.
In the second house, it was not easy to enter the second lady's courtyard, and she did not want to serve this shabby pair of siblings.
But since Chen had given the order, he had no choice but to obey.
Only later, seeing her cousin's behavior, Yuzhu gradually became serious.
Qiu Chan, Xu Shuyao couldn't help but smile when she heard the name, thinking that this cousin Liu also didn't hope for good for her maid!
"Oh? What did you say?"
"I...I didn't reveal anything to the young lady." Yuzhu stammered.
Xu Shuyao lowered her eyes to look at the pale-faced woman in front of her. After a long pause, she simply said, "Go away!"
After Yuzhu left, Qiaowei walked in and asked in confusion, "Miss! You just let her go like that? That letter last time..."
Xu Shuyao knew what she was going to say and waved her hand. "That person from Ningxiang Courtyard probably knew she had ulterior motives, so she asked this deliberately. Her goal was to make me suspicious of her so she could find a reason to kick her out."
Qiao Wei was puzzled: "How did the master know that Yuzhu and the Second Young Master's wife had a rift?"
Xu Shuyao smiled. Qiao Wei didn't do anything when the letter from Mr. Qiu appeared in Jiyunzhai last time. She suspected Yuzhu at that time, but it was just a suspicion.
It was only later that I discovered that Yuzhu was good friends with Chunxing, the concubine in Xiao Jinrong's room.
Now that Chun Xing is dead, no matter whether Liu Qingwan feels guilty or is afraid of the maid's revenge.
If she wanted to take action against Yuzhu, she had to wait until she left Jiyunzhai.
Qiao Wei was deeply impressed by her master's analysis, but at the end she said with concern, "We can't keep someone like him in Jiyunzhai forever."
Xu Shuyao smiled, "Maybe it can be used as a sharp blade? Let's see!"
Finally, he instructed: "Keep an eye on her at all times."
What if this maid fails to take revenge and falls into a trap instead? Wouldn't Liu Qingwan put the blame on Jiyunzhai?
At this time in Ningxiang Courtyard, Liu Qingwan had just finished washing up when she saw Xiao Jinrong walk in.
She was a little surprised. Although she married into the Duke's Mansion as she wished, it was not as easy as she had imagined.
Chen disliked her, and now even her aunt was tired of her.
No, it should be said that Liu had disliked her a long time ago.
She had no choice but to grab Xiao Jinrong.
But since Chunxing's death, Xiao Jinrong rarely came to her room.
Today is New Year's Eve. Could it be that he has finally thought of it?
"Husband!" The woman's voice was gentle and her eyes were smiling.
Xiao Jinrong's expression was complicated for a moment, but he still said, "Did you deliberately lead Aunt Three to block Cousin Xu today?"
After hearing this, the smile on Liu Qingwan's face suddenly froze.
But she still said, "My husband, are you dazzled? Cousin Xu and Fourth Cousin are standing right there, so why should I bother to say anything?"
Xiao Jinrong was speechless, but when he thought about the fact that the two people were indeed not far away, the atmosphere was very harmonious.
This was the first time he saw Cousin Xu standing with the young man next to her. She had a smile on her face and looked gentle and kind, unlike the cold and distant look she had shown towards him before.
He smiled somewhat self-deprecatingly.
Liu Qingwan saw this and her expression gradually turned cold.
After New Year’s Eve, it’s New Year.
Early in the morning, Xu Shuyao also prepared red envelopes for the maids and servants in Jiyunzhai. Although it was not much, it was for good luck.
After that, she had breakfast in the house before going to Songhe Hall.
It snowed last night, and the mansion was covered in white.
As they walked along, although their faces were red from the cold, they were in good spirits.
As soon as I walked outside Songhe Hall, I heard bursts of laughter coming from inside.
When Xu Shuyao walked in, she saw Wang, Chen, and Liu trying to please the old lady.
She also bowed to the old man with a smile and said some auspicious words for the New Year.
Old Madam Xiao bestowed a title of Hong, and Wang, Chen, and Liu also received some.
Xiao Jinshan and Liu Qingwan waited for a while before coming.
No matter what barriers there were before, in Mrs. Xiao's Songhe Hall, today is the first day of the new year, and everyone is acting friendly and amiable.
Xu Shuyao also knew how to pretend and could be polite to Liu and Liu Qingwan.
After the women had a great time, the men also came.
Old Madam Xiao also gave each person a red envelope.
Xiao Jinshan accepted the red envelope given by her grandmother and aunts, and then asked her brothers for more with a smile.
A few of them were very open and forthright, and they always got what they asked for.
Among them, Xiao Mo gave the most, which was one hundred taels of silver notes.
When Old Madam Xiao saw this, she urged Xu Shuyao: "You go too! You are only one year older than her."
Xu Shuyao's face flushed. Seeing that everyone was looking at her, she didn't want to back down.
Sure enough, he smiled and walked forward to give New Year's greetings to each of his cousins in the mansion.
It was Xiao Mo's turn. He looked at her with a smile and said, "My cousin is a guest. If you say something auspicious that satisfies me, you can get two."
After saying this, he shook the red seal in his hand, looking like a wealthy man.
Xu Shuyao actually smiled: "May my cousin find a new lover in the new year, and may they be like leaves and flowers, sharing the spring breeze year after year!"
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