Chapter 60: Collusion
After returning to Xuanji Courtyard, the calmness on Shen Wangshu’s face immediately collapsed.
Mei Xue walked around to her and took a look: "Oh my god, our wife has become an old lady out of worry."
"You weren't worried just now, and you were in the mood to comfort the young lady."
Shen Wangshu leaned back in the chair, took a cup of tea and tremblingly put it into his mouth: "What else, I'm the eldest sister-in-law, I can't be more panicked than the little sister, right?"
Wutong consoled him: "Maybe it really burned up?"
"It's unlikely," Shen Wangshu closed his eyes and thought back, "If it was really burned, Chen Zhi shouldn't be so panicked. I think it was probably stolen by someone."
"She said she didn't tell anyone and put the note in her boudoir... It could only have been taken by someone close to her. Was it the two maids around her? Or the maids cleaning the courtyard? Why would they do this? My Xuanji Courtyard has nothing to do with them, so who wants to harm me?"
Shen Wangshu's head hurt from thinking about it. This feeling of knowing there was danger but being unable to defend against it was very passive, and she really didn't like it.
The master didn't know what to do, and the servants were even less sure. Taohong was getting anxious, but couldn't think of any good solution. Wutong Meixue had served the eldest lady before and had been to Feixue Pavilion many times, so she had some understanding of the people in Chen Zhiyuan.
"Xichun and Yingchun were both trained by the eldest lady herself and sent to serve. Although they have different personalities, they are both loyal and will never betray their master." Wutong said, "Yingchun is dull but down-to-earth. She is reliable and reassuring in everything she does. Xichun is smart and clever. She has an old mother and a younger brother at home. The eldest lady loves her and rewards her from time to time."
"There is no reason for these two to betray their master."
Shen Wangshu closed her eyes and listened, shaking her head and murmured, "People's hearts will change. There is only eternal interest, not eternal loyalty." She felt that Xichun was very strange today.
"No, Chen Zhi is not necessarily reliable. I have to find someone to investigate myself." She sat up, with a blazing fire in her eyes: "I must know what kind of monster is trying to harm people."
Thinking of this, Chen Wangshu stood up again before he even sat down on the stool under his buttocks, and whispered: "Lvliu, I remember there is often a group of little beggars running back and forth and playing at the back wall. Go hire two people, one to keep an eye on Xichun, and the other to keep an eye on Bai Qinglan. Keep a close eye on their movements and report to me every half a day."
She had just arrived, and the people in the Duke's Mansion could not be trusted easily, so they picked Lvliu, who had the cleanest background, spoke the least, was steady and reliable, to handle the matter.
"Yes, ma'am."
*
The actions of Xuanji Court were cautious and low-key, and not many people knew about it. At night, Xichun, who was off duty, thought about it and still felt uneasy, so she said goodbye to the gatekeeper and left the house.
As soon as she left, a dirty, sneaky little head popped out from behind.
Lvliu hired a pair of beggars, brother and sister, and another half-grown boy. The older brother was about twelve or thirteen years old, with clear and alert eyes. The younger sister he held in his hand was about five or six years old. She stared at Xichun's figure curiously, mumbling, "So that sister asked us to look at this person... Xiaoya saw her last night."
While staring at the man's back, A Yuan casually asked his sister, "Where is he?"
Xiao Ya thought for a moment and said, "There is a dog hole at the corner of the wall behind the Duke's Mansion. My sister went in and came out after a while. She even covered it with grass, but she couldn't hide it from me, so I followed her in."
"I thought my sister was hiding something good, but when I went in, I saw it was a ball of paper thrown in front of a small dark room. I even tore off some of it and brought it back."
A Yuan sensed something was wrong in his sister's words, and finally became serious: "What paper ball? Do you still have it?"
The little girl took out a half-ball of paper from her dirty sleeve and handed it to her brother: "I was just about to throw it away. I don't recognize the words on it."
A Yuan put it away carefully and touched the little girl's head: "Is there anything else about this person? Tell your brother everything." Since the employer asked them to keep an eye on this woman, any clues about her cannot be ignored!
Xiaoya thought hard for a long time and shook her head: "No, I only saw her last night when I got up to pee."
It was getting dark soon. The two followed Xichun to an alley. The little girl cried out, "It's a big restaurant!"
This alley was complicated and intricate. After turning in, she ran into another older beggar not long after. Xiaoya shouted in surprise: "Brother Daniu! You are here too!"
Da Niu was another child hired by Lvliu to follow Bai Qinglan. The three of them gathered together and asked any uncles and aunts and they found out that Bai Qinglan lived in the innermost courtyard.
The three children sneaked into the yard and saw the two people they were watching standing together and talking.
A Yuan covered his sister's mouth and whispered, "Don't talk now, don't yell, understand?"
The little girl looked at him with her distinct black and white eyes and nodded vigorously: "Yeah!"
In the courtyard, Xichun was angrily accusing: "How could you be so helpless? You had to participate in the election today? Why didn't you tell me in advance? Do you know that Chen Zhi saw you in Furong Building today!"
Bai Qinglan panicked and asked, "But why didn't she expose me?"
"Why, why? Why else? Because I was there to help you!" Xichun said unhappily, "I'll help you solve this problem. You have to give me all the money you earned today."
"All? I spent so much effort to win over Mr. Hong. Do you know how much money he has? Aren't you afraid of eating yourself to death?" Bai Qinglan disagreed, and the two soon started arguing.
Furious, Xichun cursed, "If it weren't for me, how would the Duke's daughter know what kind of person you are? I've been cleaning up your mess every day, but you're so good at destroying the bridge after crossing the river! My brother is going to find a wife soon, and he needs the betrothal money urgently. If you don't give it to me, I'll go to my daughter and expose you, and make you lose your life!"
Bai Qinglan was also anxious: "How much can your brother use as a betrothal gift? I can only give you half at most! And the money hasn't even reached me yet. Aren't I tired of pretending all day? It's all your credit!"
Xichun said coldly: "Anyway, you should figure out how to explain it yourself. Chen Zhi said that if you don't confess within three days, she will take your life."
Bai Qinglan: "Are you going to do nothing?"
“Without money, nothing can be done!”
Finally, the young man in white gritted his teeth and compromised: "The money has not yet reached my hands. Come back here to find me in two days. I will give you the money and you help me turn this matter around."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
