CHAPTER 356: CHAPTER 358: MISGIVINGS (PART 2)

In that case, was it only Zijuan involved in the whole matter? She thought about how the First Madam had interrogated at length in the courtyard but gained nothing!

Tianyi seemed to know Xiqiu’s doubts, so he nodded heavily and replied, "It seems these matters were all done by Zijuan alone..." Tianyi’s words seemed unfinished, as if he was hesitating to speak.

Xiqiu looked at him quietly, but doubts arose in her mind...

After a moment, she asked, "Does anyone else know about this matter?!"

Tianyi replied, "Only Tiancheng and I have been secretly investigating it, and we haven’t mentioned it to anyone." Xiqiu listened, satisfied, and nodded, "For now, you hold the person temporarily!"

Tianyi nodded in acknowledgment, and Xiqiu continued, "You should leave the mansion now; the second gate should be locked by now!"

"Then I will leave. If Madam has any affairs, let the woman at the second gate call on me." The Fourth Master had instructed him before leaving, that if Madam had any orders, he should obey her instructions.

Xiqiu had Chunliu and a maid escort Tianyi out of the courtyard.

Tianyi’s expression... it seems the matter is far more complicated than she imagined!

Xiqiu then called Chunliu, Bihuai, Biwu, and Ziyang inside, and gestured to the chairs in front of her, saying, "Sit down and talk."

Ziyang looked nervously at Chunliu, who nodded in acknowledgment and sat down on a chair. Ziyang followed them and gingerly sat on half of a chair.

Xiqiu looked at them, her voice calm, "About tonight’s events, none of you are allowed to speak a word outside, or else I will not let it go easily, understand?!"

Her voice was light and carried a hint of fatigue, but all the maids were taken aback. Ziyang secretly glanced at the Fourth Madam, who appeared peaceful, yet an invisible pressure weighed upon her. She didn’t dare utter even a word in defiance, as if the Fourth Madam’s authority need not be proven; it was clear she meant what she said!

Ziyang thought of Chunyan’s demeanor tonight and secretly wiped the sweat from her forehead.

"Madam!" Chunliu looked at Ziyang with some apprehension. Ziyang quickly lowered her head upon being looked at, and Chunliu, after some thought, said, "What should we do about this matter?"

Xiqiu raised an eyebrow at her, asking, "What do you all think?!"

Without hesitation, Chunliu replied, "Naturally, we cannot let them manipulate us, or they will think we are afraid of them!"

"Wrong!" Bihuai interrupted Chunliu decisively, "Madam, I don’t know exactly how to handle this, but it absolutely cannot be handled this way!" Chunliu’s face darkened listening to this and she retorted angrily, "Then what do you suggest? Should we let Chunyan endure such grievances in vain? Should we just swallow our pride? This matter is so obvious; clearly, someone is targeting us. If Madam truly endures this, it will be even harder for us to have a footing in the Marquis Mansion in the future."

Bihuai’s face flushed, mumbling as she glanced at Xiqiu, seeing her face was calm without any sign of anger. Encouraged, she resolutely replied, "I never suggested Madam should swallow this insult, but have you considered, if we aggressively search for the culprit and fight head-on, in the end, what we regain isn’t our dignity but will instead ruin Chunyan’s reputation!"

Chunliu was momentarily stunned. She realized Bihuai made a valid point, but the resentment in her heart was hard to swallow, "Even if we don’t speak, do you think there won’t be anyone talking on the First Madam’s side? This matter cannot be hidden even if you try!"

"Stop arguing!" Biwu intervened between the two, "Both sisters, let’s hear what Madam has to say!"

Chunliu and Bihuai halted and turned their gaze toward Xiqiu.

Yet Xiqiu did not answer them but turned her head to ask Ziyang, "Ziyang, you’ve been in the mansion a long time, what do you think I should do?"

Ziyang was stunned. She never expected the Fourth Madam to ask her opinion. She had entered the mansion as a child and was assigned to Grand Dowager’s courtyard as a cleaning maid, always a third-class maid, until the Fourth Master returned to the mansion, then Grand Dowager chose her and Treasure Bead, promoting them to second-class to serve the Fourth Master.

No matter what intentions Treasure Bead harbored, she only wanted to do her job properly in the mansion until she turned eighteen, then be released, marry an ordinary man, have children, and live a stable life.

She and Treasure Bead were quite relaxed at the Fourth Master’s side; he was seldom in the mansion, making them the most leisurely maids in the quarters... Later on, when the Fourth Master got engaged, it was to the Second Madam’s younger stepsister, whom she had seen in Grand Dowager’s courtyard, very pretty and young, seemingly gentle and mild-mannered.

She secretly felt anticipation but also fear.

When the Second Madam married, the few senior maids originally serving the Marquis were either married off or sent to the estate within half a year, leaving only maids brought as part of the Second Madam’s dowry serving in her rooms... It’s a case of a common fate for small creatures comforting each other, and she had such fears too!

Thus, on the Fourth Madam’s wedding night when she asked about their duties, she and Treasure Bead were very nervous.

Fortunately, after these few days, the Fourth Madan’s temper seemed as good as she imagined, showing no intent to send them away.

She worked assuredly, hoping to earn the Fourth Madam’s favor, get promoted to a first-class maid, which would make even leaving the mansion for marriage a respectable affair.

Unexpectedly, this incident arose. Chunyan was very kind; she didn’t want such things to happen either, but when asked what to do, she really didn’t know!

"Madam." Ziyang looked cautiously at Xiqiu, "I... I believe Sister Bihuai makes a valid point." After speaking, she carefully glanced at Chunliu, "But Sister Chunliu also makes a valid point!"

Xiqiu nodded lightly and remained silent.

Suddenly, they heard someone knocking at the courtyard gate. Ziyang instinctively stood up, "I’ll go check." Saying this, she quickly left the room.

Such swift reaction! Xiqiu squinted and slowly stood up, instructing Chunliu, "Go make tea, use the Wuyi Dahongpao I brought from home."

Chunliu was taken aback, Wuyi Dahongpao, that was the tea Grand Dowager often drank!

Curiously, she glanced toward the door and indeed saw Grand Dowager being escorted by Nanny Wu, slowly walking this way.

Both she and Bihuai showed a change in expression, lowered their heads, and followed Xiqiu out to greet her.

"Mother!" Xiqiu stepped forward and supported Grand Dowager’s other arm, "Why are you coming to me so late?" Then she glanced behind Grand Dowager, "Why didn’t you bring more people with you?"

Grand Dowager had only brought Nanny Wu.

Grand Dowager’s gaze settled on Xiqiu’s face, finding her without any make up and red eyes, wearing no jewelry, appearing quite downcast.

"It’s still early, I just came over for a visit, no need to create a fuss by bringing many people." Grand Dowager’s eyes flickered as she said this, ascending the steps, then glanced at Xiqiu, "The Fourth Master isn’t here, are you adjusting well in the mansion?"