Chapter 192 A Lonely Life of Domestic Strife
Chaolu replied, "I usually do needlework and the time passes quickly. When I get bored, I learn a couple of spells from the witches in the Taoist temple to chant for fun."
"Besides the witch, are there many people coming and going in the Taoist temple every day?" Mu Xi asked casually. The original owner had very few memories of this, mainly because no one had ever told her these things before.
Chao Lu shook her head: "No, Yunding Temple is in a mountain valley. Apart from the occasional person sent by the Marquis to inquire, there are no outsiders there."
At that moment, Xixia seemed to remember something: "Of course we did! Didn't we run into someone before we set off? Miss, there's a tower in the Cloud Peak Temple, and someone is imprisoned inside..."
“Xixia…” Granny Yan stopped her, “Don’t say things you shouldn’t say.”
"Is there something you're hiding from me?" Mu Xi asked casually.
Granny Yan quickly explained, "No...no...the Marquis said that we are here to serve Miss all our lives. We are Miss's people in life and Miss's ghosts in death, so there is nothing to hide. We just don't want to cause Miss any trouble."
"What trouble?" Mu Xi had nothing to do at the moment and was just waiting for Mu Xun to be released so they could leave the Yongguo Marquis's mansion together.
After a moment's hesitation, Granny Yan said, "This is old news, as you should know, Miss. Marquis Shen originally had a twin brother. I didn't want to talk about it because Marquis Shen's brother had some problems many years ago, and no one has seen him since. The one Xixia saw that day must have been the Marquis's brother. Over the years, the Marquis himself has been unwilling to mention it, and no one in the Marquis's mansion has mentioned it either. Even the Princess never mentioned it before she passed away. So even if I were to tell you, it would be of no benefit to you, Miss."
Mu Xi exerted a great deal of effort before she could vaguely find a trace of clues in the original owner's childhood memories.
Lord Shen does seem to have a younger brother, a twin, but that was only mentioned by Shen Ying to Doctor Luo by chance, and that was the end of that.
Are they all so secretive about it?
Mu Xi couldn't help but ask, "Why hasn't anyone mentioned it? What happened to that uncle? Are you saying he might be imprisoned in the tower of the Cloud Top Temple where you're staying?"
Granny Yan, always cautious, lowered her voice even further: "Second Miss, you've just returned. This matter has nothing to do with us, so please don't ask the Marquis. The Second Master has gone mad, and we had no choice but to lock him up there. It would damage the Marquis's reputation if word got out, which is why the Marquis doesn't want anyone to mention it."
"Oh..." Mu Xi nodded knowingly, thinking of Shen Lun's self-righteous persona.
Marquis Shen Lun of Yong, Lord of Dou Nan, was a model for scholars throughout the land…
Despite being surrounded by accolades, he has a mentally unstable twin brother, which is embarrassing to talk about.
Therefore, Shin-yoon had mentioned his mother and maternal grandfather before, but never his brothers.
Granny Yan turned around and instructed Chaolu and Xixia again: "I told you before to pretend you didn't see anything. Now that you've heard it, you must also pretend you didn't hear it and not mention it to anyone."
Morning Dew nodded earnestly.
Xi Xia nodded and said, "Don't worry, Granny Yan, we can't see any outsiders at all, so who else can we talk to? Except for Miss, but Miss isn't an outsider either."
Mu Xi sighed inwardly. Yes, they hadn't seen any outsiders in twenty years.
Granny Yan was alright; she had served Princess Yunying before and was later assigned to this task.
It was a difficult situation for the two young maids, who had been orphans since childhood and were bought but then confined to a Taoist temple, unable to see anyone.
It is estimated that they have been hoping for the return of Shen Zhixi's identity, so that they could also "see the light of day again".
Just then, a cheerful little maidservant called out from outside the courtyard gate downstairs: "Second Miss, my eldest young lady specially asked me to bring you some newly acquired 'Jade Dew Fragrance Cream,' saying it's to moisturize your hands. The eldest young lady said that this mansion is not like the outside world, so you must take good care of yourself and raise yourself to look like a noble lady."
A young maid spoke in a sarcastic and insinuating manner.
Mu Xi stood up and looked down through a crack in the window frame.
Below the courtyard gate, one could barely see a maidservant wearing a peach-colored vest and with her hair in two buns, holding a gilded tray and standing arrogantly outside the gate.
Granny Yan had already stood up and gone downstairs to receive it: "Thank you, Eldest Miss. This old servant will accept it on behalf of the Second Miss. The Second Miss will surely appreciate Eldest Miss's kindness."
Mu Xi felt uneasy as she observed the arrogant attitude of the young maid and caught a glimpse of Granny Yan's humble and forbearing demeanor.
After Granny Yan returned with the items, Mu Xi asked, "Does Shen Pingting's maid often do this?"
"It's nothing. I'm afraid the young lady is still feeling uneasy about us living in Yunying Pavilion. The Marquis has also given her special permission not to pay her respects or go out, and has even had people guarding the perimeter day and night, so..." Granny Yan's face was calm, as if she had already gotten used to it.
Without even glancing at the "Jade Dew Fragrance Cream" that was retrieved, she put it on the dressing table.
Although Mu Xi had only met the three of them once, she already considered them "one of her own." Seeing that Granny Yan was putting the things away, she said, "If you can use the things she sent, take them. It's better to leave them empty and wasteful."
“No, no…” Granny Yan objected. “There is a difference between master and servant. Although the Marquis would occasionally send people to deliver the young lady’s clothes and food when they were at the Taoist temple, that was to cover up the truth. If those things are given to the young maids, they will develop inappropriate thoughts, which will harm them.”
this……
Mu Xi looked at Chao Lu and Xi Xia, who were standing respectfully to the side, and remained silent for a long time.
What Granny Yan said made sense, but it was just too unfair to these three people.
Chaolu seemed to have seen through Muxi's thoughts: "Miss, you don't need to worry. The eldest young lady comes to send some small things every now and then. I don't know if those things are good or bad, but what her maid says makes people uncomfortable. So it's better for the second young lady not to use the eldest young lady's things. We are neither worthy nor want to use them."
Xi Xia nodded repeatedly, "Yes...yes...the fabrics that the eldest young lady sent the last two times, I noticed, were similar to what her maids wore. Granny Yan often taught us that there is a difference between superiors and inferiors, and that even though we can't see the young lady, we should keep her in our hearts. But I'm afraid the eldest young lady's maids don't think that way."
Chaolu added with anticipation: "If the Second Miss really comes back, we won't have to be afraid of the Eldest Miss's maids anymore. If they dare to accept anything again, we can stand up to them."
Mu Xi then understood that Shen Pingting was trying to annoy Shen Zhixi with some cheap things.
Unfortunately, Shen Pingting didn't know that Shen Zhixi didn't exist at all.
This was a power struggle within the household, a power struggle that ultimately amounted to nothing.
"Cough cough... No, you can't." Granny Yan warned again.
Mu Xi was about to say, "Why not? Of course we should fight back," but when she met Chao Lu and Xi Xia's eyes, she suddenly felt sad. She had no such plans yet, so how could she give them hope?
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