CHAPTER 394: CHAPTER 394 REFRESHING

The night was slightly cool.

Lady Chi finished her bath and walked out from behind the screen wearing a thin silk robe.

She wore a thin veil on her face, even during the bath she did not remove it.

She walked to the copper mirror, took off the veil, and prepared to apply the ointment.

The dim evening light caused her not to notice the ointment had been swapped, but as soon as she scooped some, her brows furrowed slightly.

The ointment that Su Jin used would feel cool upon touching the fingertip.

But this ointment did not.

Although Lady Chi was not favored, her senses were keen.

She examined it closely and sniffed it, her face turning grim.

Through the copper mirror, the young maid Xique could see the expression on her face clearly.

She walked over and asked, "Madam, what’s wrong?"

Lady Chi threw the ointment on the table, closing her eyes to hide the anger in her eyes from the maid.

The young maid’s brows tightened.

Lately, the madam had been in a good mood.

Especially today when she mentioned that the scars on the madam’s face had faded, there was even more joy in the madam’s eyes.

All thanks to the ointment from the Eldest Young Madam.

How could the madam casually throw the ointment on the table?

Lady Chi was at a loss for words and couldn’t explain to the young maid, but the young maid could guess, surely something was wrong with the ointment.

But in Qingqiu Garden, there were only a few of them, no outsiders had come.

Recalling Mrs. Li’s attitude during the day, the young maid grew suspicious, could it be that Mrs. Li swapped the ointment?

The young maid picked up the ointment and said, "I’ll go find Mrs. Li!"

She turned to leave, but Lady Chi reached out to stop her, shaking her head.

Catch someone in the act, catch a thief with the stolen goods.

Mrs. Li wasn’t injured and didn’t need the ointment, she must have swapped it for someone else. The ointment wasn’t in her hands; without catching her red-handed, they couldn’t do anything if she denied it.

The young maid knew too, if it was Mrs. Li, she wouldn’t admit it.

"But without the ointment, what about the madam’s face?" the young maid said anxiously.

Lady Chi stroked the scar on her face, her gaze dim.

She shook her head, dismissing the maid.

The next day, Su Jin went to Qihao Hall as usual to pay respects to the Old Madam.

After a while, she curtsied and took her leave.

Walking through the shady path, from afar, she saw a young maid squatting on the ground drawing circles.

"It looks like Xique," said Xingxing.

Hearing the voice, the young maid glanced over and, seeing Su Jin and Xingxing, quickly tossed aside the wooden stick and hurried over.

Xingxing noticed and said, "Why aren’t you in the yard attending to Lady Chi, and instead daydreaming there?"

Xique looked around nervously, saying, "The Eldest Young Madam’s ointment for my lady was swapped by someone."

As she spoke, she took out the ointment for Su Jin to see.

Su Jin took the ointment, opened it, smelled it, and her gaze turned cold.

This ointment was also for scar removal, but its effect was mediocre, not worth applying at all.

Xingxing said angrily, "Do you know who swapped it?"

"It should be Mrs. Li. I wanted to confront Mrs. Li last night, but the madam wouldn’t let me," said Xique.

"I wanted to complain to the Young Master, but the madam wouldn’t let me either, so I snuck out."

A maid must listen to the master’s orders.

If she wasn’t allowed to find the Young Master, she wouldn’t.

But the madam didn’t forbid finding the Eldest Young Madam.

Such a good ointment, swapped for a mediocre one, the young maid grew increasingly indignant.

If they asked openly, though they wouldn’t give it, resorting to such despicable means was unacceptable.

The two maids were angry, and Su Jin was even angrier.

That ointment was crafted by mixing precious Dongzhu, with one ointment using eight Dongzhu, its effect was exceptional.

Being stolen like this, Su Jin felt heartache deep inside.

If Lady Chi didn’t pursue it, she would certainly investigate it thoroughly.

"Your madam did the right thing, without evidence, exposing it would only alert the enemy," Su Jin said.

"First, go back, I will send Xingxing to bring more ointment to your madam."

The young maid nodded repeatedly.

Taking the ointment from Su Jin, she turned back to Qingqiu Garden.

Watching Xique walk away, Xingxing couldn’t help but say, "Why is it that the Duke Mansion is full of annoying people."

With so many people in Qingyun Mountain, none had such unclean hands.

There were only three people in Qingqiu Garden, yet someone sought to sell out their master for glory.

Back at Agarwood Pavilion, Su Jin went directly to the back courtyard.

Formulating the Scar Removal Ointment took a lot of effort.

From morning till the setting sun, she worked continuously.

Xie Jingchen returned from the Ministry of Justice, intending to have dinner with Su Jin, but after waiting for a long time, he still didn’t see Su Jin.

He went to the bamboo house and seeing the ointment, he said, "Why are you formulating the Scar Removal Ointment again?"

"Don’t mention it, the ointment for Lady Chi was stolen," Su Jin said.

Xie Jingchen’s brows furrowed tightly.

Su Jin finished packing the ointment and handed it to Xingxing.

As Xingxing took the ointment, her eyes were gleaming.

Grabbing a bundle, Xingxing headed to Qingqiu Garden.

The bundle contained three beggar’s chickens made by Xingxing.

Having had it four or five times in a row, Su Jin was getting tired of it.

Before making it, Xingxing thought she could eat a whole one.

Once it was done, she could barely manage half.

These two days, Xingxing didn’t want any more beggar’s chicken; eating too much of it, it was one less favorite dish for the future.

So she took all the extra portions to Qingqiu Garden.

In the pavilion, Xique was devouring a chicken leg, eating so quickly that she choked.

Xingxing poured her some tea in a hurry, "Slow down, don’t choke."

Xique gulped the tea, pounding her chest, finally saying, "I need to eat fast, otherwise, when Mrs. Li returns, there won’t be any left for me. She can eat a whole beggar’s chicken at once."

If it were before, she would definitely have left most of it for Mrs. Li.

Now that she knew Mrs. Li betrayed her master, Xique had no regard for her, unwilling to give her any more food.

As they spoke, footsteps were heard approaching.

Xingxing glanced and saw Mrs. Li entering, sniffing the air she said, "I could smell the fragrance of beggar’s chicken from afar."

Xique quickly reached to grab the remaining half of the beggar’s chicken, but Xingxing caught her hand.

Xique looked at her.

"Watch me," Xingxing whispered.

Xique retracted her hand.

Xingxing took a small jade tube from her bag, swiftly sprinkling powder onto the half beggar’s chicken.

Mrs. Li put down the copper basin and walked over.

Mrs. Li’s eyes were fixed on the beggar’s chicken, saying, "Aren’t you eating, Miss Xingxing?"

"I ate quite a bit earlier; this half is for you," Xingxing said.

Mrs. Li smiled and was about to reach for it.

Xingxing suddenly changed her tone, "But I’m getting a bit hungry again, I’ll take another leg."

As she said this, Xingxing pulled off a drumstick.

Everyone knows, the drumstick is the best part of the chicken.

Mrs. Li felt a bit pained but said nothing, after all, the beggar’s chicken was brought by Xingxing.

She hurriedly grabbed it, afraid it might be gone if she delayed.

Xique looked at Xingxing with admiration.

After Xingxing finished the drumstick and left, Mrs. Li began having a stomachache, running to the outhouse time and again.

It nearly cost her half her life.

When Xique saw her again, Mrs. Li’s ghastly pale face gave her a fright.

Lady Chi picked up the ointment and turned her head to see Mrs. Li, frightening her hand to tremble.

With a crash.

The ointment fell to the ground.

The porcelain box shattered into pieces, scattering the ointment all around.

Even through the veil, Mrs. Li could feel Lady Chi’s face turning cold.

Mrs. Li quickly admitted fault, but Lady Chi wanted to scold, and couldn’t utter a word.

Xique advised, "Madam, don’t be angry, Mrs. Li didn’t mean to scare you, luckily there’s another box of ointment from the Eldest Young Madam, which will last a while."

Xique went to get the other box of ointment, and Lady Chi applied it in front of the mirror while Xique cleaned up the broken porcelain and ointment from the floor.

Looking at the ointment, Mrs. Li’s eyes gleamed.