CHAPTER 403: CHAPTER 403: PAYING ATTENTION

On this day, the sky was blue and the clouds were white, without a hint of wind.

After breakfast, Su Jin took Xingxing to Qihao Hall to pay her morning respects.

On the way, Xingxing chatted about gossip with Su Jin, "Young lady, do you remember when Princess Nanzhang used your name to get antidiarrheal medicine from the Marquis Mansion?"

Su Jin raised an eyebrow lightly, "That happened a long time ago, why bring it up now?"

"I’ve heard that one of the maids sent to the countryside by Third Master is pregnant," Xingxing said.

Su Jin was speechless.

The reason those two maids were sent away was because Third Master couldn’t bear the psychological burden they brought.

Seeing those two maids reminded him of unpleasant experiences, so they were sent to the countryside.

No one expected one of them would get pregnant.

Now that Third Master has Warm Jade by his side, who knows if the maid’s return would bring back his psychological shadows.

Ever since Aunt Xue entered the mansion, Third Madam’s face has never brightened.

Third Madam was dissatisfied with Princess Nanzhang, occasionally mocking her.

At first, Princess Nanzhang endured it for the Old Madam’s sake, but later when Third Madam brought it up again, Princess Nanzhang would counter with Aunt Xue, often angering Third Madam to the point of fainting.

The Duke Mansion had been quiet for some days, but now there’s excitement again.

"Much more informed now," Su Jin praised.

"Yes, even the maids from the Agarwood Pavilion are willing to talk to me now," Xingxing said happily.

Su Jin couldn’t help but chuckle.

Looking at the satisfied expression on Xingxing’s face.

In other households, the personal maid of the Eldest Young Madam is fawned over and respected.

But at the Agarwood Pavilion, we’re isolated.

Xingxing’s recognition didn’t come easily.

She earned it through her own strength.

As a little maid from Qingyun Mountain who embodies its usual style—

If others ignored her, she ignored them in return.

Just like Qingyun Mountain, if no one visited, they wouldn’t let anyone come, maintaining their dignity by being aloof and inaccessible.

If you’re afraid of me and unwilling to speak, I won’t bother with you either.

But if someone takes a step forward, Xingxing would gladly interact with them.

A few days ago, a little maid from Agarwood Pavilion was bullied outside and was hiding in a corner crying when Xingxing found her.

Xingxing asked her what happened, and the little maid, not daring to remain silent, explained everything.

Xingxing was furious at that moment and took the little maid to confront those at Zilan Garden.

The bully was a maid from Zilan Garden.

The little maid had dropped her purse, which was picked up by a maid from Zilan Garden. When the little maid asked for it back, the maid refused, saying there was no name on the purse and she couldn’t prove it was hers.

The purse was quite ordinary; the little maid wasn’t skilled at embroidery and had bought it from outside.

When she lost the purse, she happened to return and saw the little maid pick it up from the ground firsthand.

Even then, the maid refused to return it. When the little maid insisted, the maid pushed her to the ground.

But speaking of momentum, is there any maid in the Duke Zhen Country Mansion who could match Xingxing?

Xingxing took the little maid directly to Zilan Pavilion to retrieve the purse from the maid.

The incident was so big that Xie Jinyu intervened, yet Xingxing got the purse back.

The little maid had once hidden some osmanthus cake in the purse, and a little bit of cake powder remained inside, proving the purse was hers.

Xingxing snatched the purse back and said to the maid from Zilan Pavilion, "There were five coins in the purse!"

Xingxing threw the purse back to the little maid, saying, "The coins don’t have a name on them; you say they are yours, so they’re yours?"

"If you have the guts, call it and see if it answers you!"

The maid from Zilan Pavilion turned red with embarrassment.

That’s what she said when she bullied the little maid from Agarwood Pavilion.

Xingxing returned her words verbatim.

After throwing that line, Xingxing took the little maid and swaggered off.

At first, Xingxing saw the Purple Jade Bracelet three times and never bent down, yet Xie Jinyu’s maid kept a trivial little purse.

Xie Jinyu lost face, angrily punished the maid severely, and then sold her off.

At the time, there were two other little maids following behind Xingxing to Zilan Pavilion. They were just there for the excitement because they had nothing to do.

They witnessed Xingxing’s fierceness but were not scared, only warmed.

Although they weren’t the ones bullied, they were part of Agarwood Pavilion, and having someone stand up for them when bullied felt great.

Especially since Xingxing, influenced by the environment, had learned a bit of Marquis Dongxiang’s skill in winning people’s hearts.

After returning, she told the other maids of Agarwood Pavilion, "We don’t initiate bullying others, but if anyone is bullied for no reason by outsiders in the future, tell me, and I will seek justice for you."

Xingxing’s bandit image suddenly became grand and affable.

Plus, previously, Xique from Qingqiu Garden had said that Xingxing and Su Jin were good people, better than anyone else in the Duke Zhen Country Mansion.

For the first time, the maids from Agarwood Pavilion felt that Xique was right.

Then—

They were willing to associate with Xingxing.

They shared goodies with Xingxing, who wouldn’t eat without returning the favor, understanding the principle of reciprocity.

She’d eat one piece of cake and give back ten.

Spending more time together, all the gossip in the Duke Zhen Country Mansion was shared with Xingxing.

Xingxing then relayed it to Su Jin.

Hmm.

The news that the maid recently favored by Third Master was pregnant, Su Jin heard after she forgot to bring the round fan to shield the sun, and Xingxing went back to fetch it, during which the maid told her.

Su Jin believed Xingxing’s news to be well-informed until they reached Qihao Hall, where she realized that despite everything, the news from Agarwood Pavilion was still too limited.

She had just learned of it when she saw the pregnant maid at Qihao Hall.

She knelt on the ground, trembling.

Third Madam’s face was as bad as if she had been slapped several times.

The Old Madam’s expression was ice cold.

Second Madam wore her usual entertained look, while Princess Nanzhang seemed rather pleased.

Su Jin was about to pay her respects when a maid entered, "Old Madam, the doctor is here."

"Take her pulse," the Old Madam said indifferently.

Su Jin quietly moved aside, observing the scene in silence.

In no time, the doctor came in, checked the maid’s pulse, and said, "Indeed, she is over two months pregnant."

Counting the days, it was indeed Third Master’s.

Although this maid had caused quite the psychological burden for Third Master, she was now pregnant with his child.

Given Third Master’s previous impotence issues, the Old Madam’s principal concern was offspring, even though he already had sons and daughters.

Yet, the world is uncertain; the more children and grandchildren, the more fortune, and no one ever complained of having too many children.

The Old Madam decided to keep the child in the maid’s belly.

As for the maid, if Third Master truly disliked her, she would be sent away after the child was born.

The Old Madam fiddled with the Buddha beads in her hand and looked at Third Madam, "What do you plan to do with this maid?"

Third Madam’s lips curled into a mocking smile, "In this household now, is there anything left for me to manage? Let the Master decide whatever he wishes."