Xiqiu’s gaze remained on Xing, observing that he could now drink half a bowl of rice soup, and his face looked sowhat better than yesterday. She couldn’t help but show a loving smile and said softly, "Let Biwu go and chat with the people in the kitchen!"
Bihuai was taken aback for a mont, then finally understood Xiqiu’s intention.
Fourth Madam wants to make Second Madam anxious, fearful, and have her take the bait!
She smiled and nodded, replying, "This is sothing Biwu loves to do the most."
Xiqiu couldn’t help but laugh as well, shaking her head. She lifted the curtain and entered the room. Xing lay there, with Min sitting beside him. When the two saw Xiqiu coming in, they both called out, "Mother (Fourth Aunt)."
Xiqiu sat down on the rose bed, touching Xing’s head. "Still feeling unwell? Feeling any better?"
Xing obediently nodded and replied, "Aunt Ruan just gave a pill. It’s not as uncomfortable as drinking dicine. I feel much better now." Min also nodded, saying, "Mother, the pill slls nice."
Xiqiu smiled and said, "Did you thank Aunt Ruan? Aunt Ruan has worked hard taking care of Xing these past few days."
Xing then nodded with a smile and replied, "Yeah, when I get better, I’ll give my favorite kite to Aunt Ruan." Xiqiu nodded with a smile, "Xing is really good." She then looked at Min, "Min is also very good; does your leg still hurt?"
Min shook his head and said, "It doesn’t hurt anymore."
Xiqiu smiled a little, and Xing looked at her. Suddenly, he grabbed Xiqiu’s hand seriously and said, "I should also thank Fourth Aunt, Fourth Aunt has worked hard too!"
"Really?" Xiqiu looked at Xing, suddenly leaning close with a smile, "Then let Fourth Aunt give you a kiss." She then pecked Xing’s little cheek, making him cover his face and giggle...
Min, watching from the side, also giggled foolishly. Xiqiu lifted her eyes to look at him, pulled him over, kissed his cheek, and pinched Min’s nose, saying, "Min also must thank Mother, right?"
Xing’s eyes twinkled; he rolled over into Xiqiu’s arms, hung onto her neck, and kissed her back. Min also laughed and ca over. Xiqiu hugged one on each side, the three of them rolling and laughing on the rose bed...
The Grand Dowager stood at the door, listening to the laughter coming from inside the room, and a comforting smile appeared at the corners of her mouth.
Nanny Wu whispered, "Grand Dowager, shall we go in?"
The Grand Dowager turned to look at the sky and replied, "Let the kitchen prepare more dishes, and we’ll co by for dinner later."
Nanny Wu listened and laughed.
"Madam, Madam!" Nanny Li ran in from outside, sweating all over. Second Madam frowned, put down the tea cup, and looked at her, asking, "What got you so flustered? Didn’t I send you back to the Prince Mansion to find Manager Rong? Why did you return now?"
Nanny Li, ignoring her appearance, roughly wiped her sweat with a handkerchief and replied, "Madam, Zitan is missing." She then added, fearing Second Madam wouldn’t understand, "Those several won clearly sent her to the Wang Family Temple, thinking she had a high fever all night and would have stopped breathing by now. But when we went back to find her, neither her body nor her was there."
Second Madam was stunned upon hearing this, "How can soone just disappear? Send soone to search again, search carefully!" She paused and reminded, "If there aren’t enough people, go back and ask Manager Rong for help. She was a pretty young maid; maybe soone passing by took her in. Search around for !"
Nanny Li listened and quickly nodded, "I’ll go right away, ma’am." Saying so, she lifted her skirt and hurried out the door. Passing by the kitchen, she heard Biwu talking with a few won: "Prepare three dishes for dinner, make the rice soup thicker for Young Master Xin. Follow the usual nu for the Grand Dowager’s order. As for the few vegetarian dishes I just ntioned, rember not to add salt when cooking, best to boil them in water..."
Those won listened with a confused look, often joking with Biwu, felt free to ask, "Why make three without adding salt? How to eat it boiled without salt?"
Biwu pretended to glare at one woman, responding, "Adding salt makes it inedible, will leave scars!"
Those won seed half-understanding, asking again, "Huh? Scars? You an Young Master Min’s leg?"
Biwu glared at the woman, spat, "Pah! Saying it would scare you to death, it’s smallpox!"
The won naturally didn’t believe it; if soone had smallpox, how could they stay in the residence? They hadn’t heard anyone in the residence had smallpox, naturally assuming Biwu was joking.
However, Nanny Li’s footsteps suddenly paused, her back went cold in an instant.
Smallpox, if it is smallpox, isn’t it Zitan? She then thought of Zitan’s mysterious disappearance, could it be?
She hid on the side, yet dared not imdiately tell Second Madam, after all, she couldn’t affirm if what Biwu said was true or false. Thinking about it, she lifted her skirt and crouched to sneak into the Fourth House.
Hiding at the door, she carefully looked at the main house. Suddenly, Bihuai ca out from inside, with two fingers pinching a few articles of clothing, threw them at the door, pointed at Wenyu, and said, "Take these and burn them!"
Nanny Li stared at the clothing, stunned. That light green waistcoat was... Zitan’s.
She took a closer look to confirm. Could it be that Fourth Madam had secretly brought Zitan back into the mansion? What was Fourth Madam planning? Could she be trying to get Zitan to confess about Second Madam’s sche against Young Master Xin?
She abruptly turned and ran towards Second Madam’s courtyard.
When Second Madam saw her return, she said with displeasure, "What’s wrong with you today, acting more and more without consideration." Nanny Li hurriedly dismissed all the servants in the room, stepped closer to Second Madam without regard for formalities, and recounted in detail what she had seen and heard.
Second Madam listened and smashed the teacup in her hand onto the table, shouting angrily, "Are you sure?"
Nanny Li nodded, "It can’t be a coincidence. Zitan was wearing that waistcoat when she left!" She paused and continued, "Biwu said she cooked als for the smallpox patients, but if there were smallpox in the mansion, they would have been sent out already. How could they stay in the mansion? Moreover, in the Fourth Mistress’s household, there are only a few maids, all lively and active in the mansion. How could anyone have smallpox? Fourth Madam must have secretly brought Zitan back and is secretly keeping her in hiding." It so happens that Nurse Zhang is conveniently treating her.
Nanny Li’s forehead was dripping with cold sweat.
Second Madam was also fuming with rage, thinking Tong Xiqiu was so insidious and despicable to have secretly brought Zitan back.
What did she want? To stab her in the back, to tell others that she was behind Young Master Xin’s incident?
She clenched her fists and suddenly thought of Tong Xiqiu’s smile, that eerie smile she didn’t understand at the ti, only feeling a chill. Thinking about it now, had Tong Xiqiu already predicted she intended to deal with Zitan?
Impossible, absolutely impossible!
How could she know what she was going to do? How could she be so clever? She always hid behind Fourth Master Xiao, even when Hu Suqing made a scene at the door, she just stood by watching, not daring to say half a word. How could she have such ability!
Second Madam didn’t believe it, yet she couldn’t help but tremble with anger, itching to tear Tong Xiqiu apart.
"Madam, what should we do?" If the Grand Dowager and Marquis found out, how would Madam fare in the mansion in the future? And Young Master Xin, what would he think if he grew up knowing his legitimate mother had hard him? The consequences were unimaginable.
Second Madam is the Commandery Princess, protected by the Empress Dowager and Prince Rong, and she is pregnant with the Marquis’s offspring. The Grand Dowager and the Marquis couldn’t act against her, but for these servants, it would be different. They certainly wouldn’t survive.
Nanny Li anxiously watched Second Madam.
Second Madam suddenly cald down, looked at Nanny Li, and said, "What you just ntioned, Biwu went to the kitchen, telling the won not to add salt because it was for the smallpox patients?"
"Yes, that’s what Biwu said," Nanny Li replied and suddenly understood Second Madam’s intention: "Is Madam suggesting..."
Second Madam nodded at her, responding, "Since neither the Grand Dowager nor the Marquis has noticed anything unusual, it ans they are still unaware. Tong Xiqiu is certainly still quietly nursing Zitan back to health, and she’s doing it very discreetly. If Zitan were to die in her room right now..."
Then have the Grand Dowager, the Marquis, and Fourth Master Xiao find out...
This was simply an excellent opportunity delivered to her on a silver platter.
She would capitalize on it, aiding the situation along!
Nanny Li’s eyes brightened, and she nodded earnestly, "I’ll take care of it right away!"
"Hmm. Be careful!" Second Madam instructed, "She may not realize we’ve discovered Zitan, but don’t be careless."
Nanny Li acknowledged and returned to her room. She rummaged at the bottom of the cabinet and pulled out a box, from which she extracted a small paper packet. With her long pinky nail, she scooped out a pinch of powder, then curled her finger, slipping out of the room...
It was dinner ti, and the kitchen won were bustling, so much so that the smoke and heat made it difficult to see clearly. Nanny Li stood at the doorway, carefully observing inside.
When she entered, everyone greeted her, exchanging pleasantries before returning to their own tasks. Nanny Li wandered around, pointing at the box of plain leafy vegetables in broth, asking, "Who are these for? Not even oil is added?"
One of the won, without even looking back, answered, "Maid Biwu from Fourth Madam’s side requested it. I don’t know who it’s for, my lady."
Nanny Li nodded, bending over as if unintentionally, "This dish is tilted, the soup is spilling out. Be careful, or the housekeeper will punish you!" She said as she reached out to adjust the plate.
Just then, a hand unexpectedly shot forward, gripping her hand like a vise!
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