CHAPTER 79: CHAPTER 79: PUNISHMENT (6)

Xiqiu suddenly raised her head, interrupting Sixing’s words: "Go ask Laiwang’s wife, when will the First Master return to the mansion?"

Sixing was taken aback, looked at Xiqiu as if she had something to say but held back, then bowed her knees and said: "Yes!" and walked out the door.

As long as the First Master returns, the situation in the mansion will change. Regardless of his attitude towards the marriage, Lady cannot continue to act alone. From what she knows of him, a once highly favored Hanlin Academy Lecturer, who could decisively withdraw from the court’s power struggles to seek an outpost, couldn’t possibly only focus on the benefits of the marriage!

As long as there is a disagreement between the First Master and the Lady, she’ll have a way to stop the marriage.

In less than a quarter of an hour, Sixing returned, surprisingly accompanied by Laiwang’s wife.

"Sixth Miss." Laiwang’s wife smiled widely, curtsied to Xiqiu: "I haven’t seen Sixth Miss for quite some time, I happened to run into Maid Sixing, so I thought I’d come in for a cup of tea."

Xiqiu smiled, now the whole mansion knows she has fallen from favor and is under house arrest, yet Laiwang’s wife didn’t avoid suspicion to visit her: "Mama, please sit and talk." She then instructed Sixing: "Mama likes Liu’an Guapian tea."

"Girl, no need to trouble!" said Laiwang’s wife, holding back Sixing: "I’m just sitting for a while, I’ll be leaving soon."

Sixing glanced at Xiqiu, saw her nodding, then bowed to Laiwang’s wife: "Then please sit, I’ll pack some tea leaves for you to take back and enjoy slowly."

"How can I accept this, coming empty-handed and taking the Sixth Miss’s things in return?"

"It’s nothing exquisite, Mama please sit, I’ll be back shortly, and please keep Miss company." Sixing smiled as she lifted the curtain and went out the door.

Laiwang’s wife smiled and sat down again, raised her face to look at Xiqiu: "Our master doesn’t know for sure either, but the First Master is still in Shandong, not clear on the exact date." Fearing Xiqiu might overthink, she added: "But Sixth Miss need not worry, I heard the Ministry of Personnel set a deadline for officials to report back to the Capital, there are only about ten days left, and the First Master won’t be delayed for long."

Xiqiu nodded: "That’s good, I heard it’s been raining a lot recently, I fear the First Master might find the roads difficult."

Laiwang’s wife laughed: "Miss is considerate, but there’s no need to worry, our master went to Shandong before and said the highways connecting Shandong and the Capital are good, even if it rains, it shouldn’t delay the journey."

This was a relief to Xiqiu! She wasn’t worried about the Countess’s attitude, only fearing what tactics Lady might employ.

Arranging for Tong Xiyang to marry into the Marquis Mansion is impossible, if Count Wujin truly proposes, there are only two possibilities, either the Wujin Bo Mansion remains steadfast to marry her, or they have to refuse the marriage.

She can’t gamble on Lady’s intentions, she must ensure nothing is amiss.

Being astute, Laiwang’s wife knew of the recent happenings in the mansion, with none escaping her eyes, yet as a servant, there’s little she could do except offer minor help: "Yesterday our master personally went to the estate to deliver this year’s seeds, passed by Puji Temple and dropped by. Although he didn’t see the concubine, he met Maid Xiuzhi, who said the concubine copies scriptures and recites Buddha’s name daily, living very well, even gaining some weight compared to when in the mansion."

Xiqiu knew of the Tong Mansion’s few estates outside the city, and none would pass by Puji Temple, she gratefully looked at her, not expecting Manager Lai to be so attentive!

Knowing that Madam Xia is well in the temple put her at ease.

"Seventh Young Master is at the outer courtyard, it’s inconvenient for Miss to go over, if there’s anything, send it with someone to me, and I’ll bring it over to you." She said, standing up: "I must go out for a while, I’ll visit Sixth Miss another day."

Xiqiu personally saw her to the door: "Thank you, Mama." The two stood in the courtyard, just as Siliu came in carrying a lunch box, her face flushed upon seeing Laiwang’s wife, quickly curtsied with the box in her hands, and greeted: "Hello, Mama."

Laiwang’s wife smiled broadly, more satisfied as she looked at Siliu.

Once Laiwang’s wife left, Xiqiu returned to the room with a frown, uncertain about the First Master’s return date, she couldn’t gamble on the Countess’s or Lady’s intentions...

In a flash of insight, she thought of someone.

"Chunyan!" she lifted the curtain and called out. Chunyan was sitting at the foot of the wall, holding an embroidery hoop, yet she wasn’t moving her eyes, staring blankly, startled when she heard Xiqiu call her, pricking her finger with the needle. She held her finger up in surprise, muttering, "Miss, I’m here!"

Xiqiu waved her over, Chunyan put her finger in her mouth to suck the blood, placed the embroidery hoop on the bench, and followed Xiqiu into the room: "Miss, what can I do for you?"

Xiqiu took out two wooden hairpins from the box at the edge of the kang, which Tong Minzhi had bought for her and Madam Xia, and handed them to Chunyan: "Take this to the East Cross Courtyard, give it to Madam Luo!"

"Madam Luo? Miss, you..." Chunyan was stunned, she knew the box’s origin, it was a gift from the Seventh Young Master to both the concubine and the Miss, one for each, and now the Miss was taking it out to give to Madam Luo? Besides, it’s not made from precious material.

Xiqiu looked at the two identical hairpins placed side by side in the lacquered red box, and said calmly: "Open the box in front of her and let her choose one, just say it’s a hairpin bought by the Seventh Young Master, nothing special, one for Madam Xia and one for her, just to play with!" She paused and added, "Don’t say much else, Madam Luo is clever, she will understand!"

Chunyan showed a confused expression, obviously not understanding Xiqiu’s true intention, she muttered a nod, wrapping the box in blue cloth and left.

She returned half an hour later, finding Xiqiu sitting quietly on the kang, embroidering a small cloak, needing only a hat to be hemmed. The bright red surface was adorned with small, endearing puppies, some chasing a ball of yarn, others lazily dozing off, adorably lifelike.

Chunyan entered quietly, placing the box back on the table, Xiqiu looked up at her, saying: "You’re back!" She finished the last stitch, pointing to the stool at her feet: "Sit and talk."

"Miss..." Chunyan sat down beside the stool: "Did you ask Madam Luo for help?" At first, she didn’t understand why Miss sent over a coarsely made hairpin, especially mentioning one for Madam Xia as well, but when she saw Madam Luo smilingly pick a hairpin, have Sujin wrap it delicately in silk, and place it in the box at the head of the kang, securing it with a lock, she suddenly understood, Miss intentionally had her take over two hairpins, one for each concubine, indistinguishable surely, Madam Xia had nothing to say, being Miss’s biological mother, but Madam Luo?!

Could it be that Miss was using the hairpins to hint to Madam Luo that she should treat Madam Xia with the same filial respect as she planned to show Madam Luo?!