After seeing Wang Hanyu off, Zheng Xiu went to Changfeng Garden.
The gatekeeper Chunzhi had received instructions in advance. When Zheng Xiu arrived, she helped to play the beaded curtains while saying, "The second wife is finally here. The princess is waiting for you."
Zheng Xiu nodded and walked in quickly.
Princess Guihe had changed into her casual skirt and was talking to Qiurui.
When Qiurui saw her coming, she brought hot tea and then retreated to the door.
Zheng Xiu was not in a hurry to drink tea, but just asked, "Did you find out anything about the lotus pond in the garden?"
Princess Guihe looked unhappy and said, "I was just about to tell you this. Qiurui went to the pond in person and said that one of the stones where Mian Ge'er fell was smeared with oil."
It turned out that someone was behind this!
Zheng Xiu was surprised and asked, "Have you found any suspicious people?"
Princess Guihe shook her head.
Indeed, there are more than a hundred servants in the mansion of Duke Qing, and they are busy organizing the flower viewing banquet recently, so there are even more people coming and going. For the time being, there is really no way to investigate.
Zheng Xiu also frowned and said, "Why did that person do this? There are people guarding our garden. Even if someone fell into the water, we would get there in no time. At least no one would die."
Princess Guihe snorted coldly, "What else could it be? It's just that he can't stand seeing others doing well, so he's trying to make trouble."
When Zheng Xiu heard this, she felt that Princess Guihe seemed to have guessed the hidden hand of Marquis Mu. When she asked about it, she heard Princess Guihe's tone become more and more cold, "Who else could it be? Apart from that old hag in Cining Palace, who else can't stand seeing me doing well?!"
Zheng Xiu was shocked. She never thought that such despicable means would come from the hands of the Queen Mother.
After a moment's silence, Zheng Xiu blamed herself and said, "I didn't check this carefully enough. If you want to blame me, punish me."
Princess Guihe glanced at her and said, "Don't take all the blame on yourself. I wanted to praise you for doing a good job. If you hadn't done everything yourself, I'm afraid the other party wouldn't have used only this trick." She knew the Queen Mother best. Given the old woman's character, if she could have done it somewhere else, she would definitely not have chosen this trick that would give people a reason to talk.
She said so, but Zheng Xiu still said, "You see, I'm not good at being a housekeeper. You gave me a flower viewing banquet and I couldn't even do it well, let alone other things."
"You are such a..." Princess Guihe said helplessly, "I've never seen you so eager to give up power. Don't you know how many people in the capital have fought for a little bit of profit in their own home? But you are in a hurry to give it away!"
Zheng Xiu also laughed and said, "I'm not being modest. It's really a matter of wearing a hat that fits your size."
Zheng Xiu shook her head and said, "Forget it, I won't mention it again in the future. But you have to pay more attention to the investigation of the traitor during this period of time."
Zheng Xiu naturally did not refuse, and nodded, "I can save you from that."
After talking for a while, Princess Guihe looked tired after a day's work, so Zheng Xiu got up and said goodbye.
In the evening, Xue Zhi got off duty and his colleagues invited him to have a drink. He was worried about Xue Qin's marriage, so he said that he had something to do at home and hurried back.
When he came back, he stepped into the house quickly before the maid came to inform him.
Zheng Xiu was lying on the kang next to the bed, thinking about what happened during the day. He also sat down on the kang and asked, "How was the flower viewing banquet today? Did your sister-in-law have a favorite girl?"
Zheng Xiu shook her head and said, "I was not with the princess and the others in the afternoon, so I didn't know."
"Why did you miss the banquet for no reason?" Xue Zhi said, and then nervously said, "Is it because you have been working hard these days? Are you not feeling well today?"
Zheng Xiu sighed and told him about Xue Mian falling into the water that day.
Xue Zhi frowned, his face showing displeasure, "Have you found out who did it?"
"The princess has already taken care of all the suspicious people, but there are too many people, and it will take some time to check them one by one. But the person behind it, the princess said it was that person." She pointed upwards.
Xue Zhi naturally understood, and after a moment of hesitation, he said, "That person has no real power in the palace, and he is always lacking something outside the palace. Maybe it was that person's idea, but she may not have done it herself."
His idea was more comprehensive than Princess Guihe and Zheng Xiu's.
"So you mean, someone from outside did it?" Zhenxi thought again, not long ago, Guihe had lost face at the birthday party for farmers with wage increases, so she asked again: "Was it the Zhongyong Marquis's mansion?"
Xue Zhi nodded, "Most likely. If it's not them, it must be related to them."
Zheng Xiu couldn't help but exhale and said, "The entanglements in the capital are really complicated." Thinking about her own family, even if there is a troublesome second aunt, she didn't say that she specially designed it because she lost face.
The two talked for a while, and Xue Shao and Xue Mian came to the main house. The two didn't talk about this matter, and turned to chat about family matters.
Xue Mian stayed in Haoye Hall the whole afternoon. He didn't think much about the fall into the water at noon. He really thought that he was careless. He was afraid that his mother and brother would blame him when he returned, so he stayed there and only sent someone to send a message back to Changfeng Garden, saying that he would have dinner before returning. Princess Guihe was actually busy entertaining those noble ladies, and later asked people to check for suspicious people, so she didn't ask anyone to rush.
Xue Zhi pulled Xue Mian to his front and joked, "You kid, you've gone crazy thinking about your future sister-in-law. You don't even listen to your second aunt. Let me show you how I'm going to deal with you!"
Xue Mian was not afraid of him, and begged for mercy with a smile, "Second uncle, I know I was wrong. Please forgive me this time because I suffered during the day."
"Hey, kid, you admit your mistakes faster than anyone else, but you never change! I have to beat you up this time!" Xue Zhi really pulled Xue Mian to his front, pressed him on his knees, and slapped him twice on his fleshy butt.
He didn't use much strength, and Xue Mian didn't feel any pain, but he pretended to be exaggerated and shouted: "Auntie, help me! Uncle is going to beat me up!"
Zheng Xiu couldn't help laughing, "You deserve it, I'll teach you a lesson!" After a while
, dinner was served.
It was not the first time that Xue Mian stayed to eat. Although the boy was raised by Princess Guihe, he was actually fine except for being a little naughty. He was not picky and would eat anything he was given. Although he was frightened during the day, he was fine after taking medicine and sleeping for an afternoon. He also had a good appetite and ate a whole bowl of rice.
After finishing the meal, Xue Mian still didn't want to leave. He pulled Xue Shao to the side of Xue Zhi and Zheng Xiu and said, "Uncle, aunt, Shao wants me to stay here and sleep with him tonight. Can you tell mother for me?"
Anyone with a discerning eye could see that it was not Xue Shao who wanted this. It was clearly him who thought so.
Zheng Xiu said, "Mian'er, it's okay. Your mother won't blame you for doing that during the day."
Xue Mian still didn't want to, and went to see Xue Zhi again.
Xue Zhi saw Xue Mian's pitiful eyes, so he said, "Forget it, if A Mian wants to sleep here, then sleep here. I'll send someone to Changfeng Garden to tell him."
Xue Mian cheered.
Zheng Xiu stood up and said, "Then I'll go and decorate the room for you."
Xue Mian hurriedly said, "Don't bother, Auntie. A Shao and I can sleep together."
Xue Shao also nodded and said, "Yes, mother, A Mian can sleep with me. You've been tired all day, take a rest."
Zheng Xiu let them go.
Hearing that they could sleep together that night, the two did not stay with them, and went back to play hand in hand.
Zheng Xiu also reminded her: "Go to bed early at night, don't stay up too late!"
The two of them agreed without looking back, not knowing whether they could really do it.
Only Xue Zhi and Zheng Xiu were left in the room.
Xue Zhi saw that she was indeed a little tired, so he took the initiative to massage her shoulders and legs, and asked if anything interesting happened in the morning.
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