"Wanru, have you confirmed your choices?" said Shui Ruolan, sounding concerned, as she s.h.i.+fted her vision from Qin Yuru"s back to Qin Wanru.
"Aunt Shui, I will settle these few maids. I trust Nanny Yu"s choices!" said Qin Wanru, nodding.
"Come in a minute!" said Shui Ruolan to Qin Wanru, getting on her feet and entering the room. She wanted to have few words with Qin Wanru in private, so she instructed Qin Wanru to follow her into the room. She did not want the others to hear what she was going to say.
"Wanru, did you find your big sister behaving strangely today?" said Shui Ruolan after she hesitated for a while after Qin Wanru followed her into the room with a frown. She had meant to warn Qin Wanru about Qin Yuru.
"Rest a.s.sured, Aunt Shui. I will be on my toes around her!" Qin Wanru said with a smile. She had guessed as much since earlier on.
"Do you... do you want to let all these maids go, and have Old Maid Ya to bring in another batch for you to choose from tomorrow?" said Shui Ruolan with her eyes flas.h.i.+ng with a new idea. She was still worried although she knew Wanru was now starting to be wary of Mrs. Qin and Qin Yuru.
Shui Ruolan tried to warn and remind her again by saying, "It"s so coincidental for Yuru to drop by today. It seemed to me that she was up to something else."
Although Qin Wanru was an intelligent child, to Shui Ruolan, who had watched her grow up from a baby, she was still a child. She was no match for the evil and cunning Mrs. Qin.
"I will be careful, Aunt Shui. Moreover, I have you rooting for me, I"m not scared!" said Qin Wanru purposefully, as she looked at Shui Ruolan with her dark s.h.i.+ning eyes which were filled with trust and reliance.
Qin Wanru knew Shui Ruolan too well, that sometimes she was too indecisive. Qin Wanru wanted to get rid of all of Shui Ruolan"s unnecessary considerations and worries through this incident involving Qin Yuru.
Shui Ruolan"s hand jerked as she seemed to have remembered something all of a sudden. Looking a little lost, she looked down and said, "Wanru, actually I... haven"t..."
"Aunt Shui, Grandma"s age is catching with her, and I"m still too young," Qin Wanru said with bright, curious eyes as she continued, "Did you happen to hear any rumors?"
Indeed Shui Ruolan was hesitating, but Qin Wanru did not want her to be hesitant. They had already come this far the issue now was not about whether Shui Ruolan should reconsider. If they were to take a step back, Mrs. Qin would take advantage of the situation and continued to push her limits. Eventually, Qin Wanru would sink into deeper danger.
In the previous life, Shui Ruolan had eventually lost the child in her womb precisely for this reason.
"But, your father and me... there"s really nothing going on between us!" Shui Ruolan"s was a bit down at this moment.
"So what? Who would believe you?" questioned Qin Wanru with a firm tone. Immediately, Shui Ruolan was struck dumb and looked helplessly at Qin Wanru for a long time.
"Miss, I agree with Second Miss Qin. Now you"ve become Mrs. Qin"s rival, like it or not. If you were to retreat now, Mrs. Qin will not let you off. Moreover, you would be rejecting the general"s support and help," Qionghua whispered, nudging Shui Ruolan.
"But..." said Shui Ruolan, still hesitating.
"Aunt Shui, please go back and reconsider. This doesn"t just concern you, both Grandma and I need you," said Qin Wanru, with a hint of sadness on her face, although she tried hard not to betray her emotions, but she still ended up sounding grieved.
"Wanru!" Shui Ruolan cried out as the hesitation in her heart vanished the moment she saw the look on Qin Wanru"s face, and she a.s.sured her saying, "Rest a.s.sured, I know what to do now!"
What had this little kid gone through? She wondered why Qin Wanru"s mentality was that of someone who had been through a lot of ups and downs, so much so that she was even making plans for Shui Ruolan.
She was merely a little girl who just turned eleven. She was so skinny as her body had not started developing into that of a young lady yet. In fact, she still had some baby fats on her face. Not only was she skinny, but she was also so scrawny that she was more pet.i.te than other girls her age.
Shui Ruolan had a pained look on her face. She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them again. By then, she had recovered and there was a faint smile on her face. She braced herself and said, "Rest a.s.sured, Wanru, I will take charge of the matters concerning Grandma and you. I would not hesitate again if it meant that I am able to manage these matters rightfully.
She was still undecided a moment ago, but at this moment when she saw the sad Qin Wanru, who wanted to rely on her, Shui Ruolan bit the bullet and got rid of hesitation.
"Finally, Miss, you"ve figured out!" Qionghua said in elation.
Shui Ruolan nodded and continued to give Qin Wanru some detailed instructions before she got up to leave with Qionghua. She turned to take a last look at the maids whom the nanny had chosen for Qin Wanru as she thought in her heart about how she would protect Qin Wanru against Mrs. Qin"s evil plots. They would have to go pa.s.s Shui Ruolan before they could lay their hands on Qin Wanru. A little child may be careless sometimes and it was good that she could watch out for her.
Shui Ruolan would not allow Mrs. Qin to do as she pleased in the General"s Mansion, as if she were the head of the household. She would not allow Mrs. Qin and Qin Yuru to continue bullying Qin Wanru while she looked on.
A smile as beautiful as a flower broke out on Qin Wanru"s lips...
"You shall be called Qing Xue from now on!" said Qin Wanru, looking at Liu Xue, whom she managed to keep for herself through her wit.
A maid who was given to her.
"Yes, Second Miss Qin!" Qing Xue answered softly and respectfully with composure. It appeared that she was totally unaffected by Qin Yuru, who came to stir up trouble a moment ago.
Following that, Qin Wanru gave the other maids new names, until she went one round and came back to the first maid, whom Qin Wanru named Qu Le. Qu Le had the same name given to her in the previous life.
The only difference was that she was Qin Yuru"s maid in the previous life, while she was now Qin Wanru"s maid.
"Have you been sold by your family as well?" asked Qin Wanru casually, as she lifted the teacup to her lips to take a sip of tea.
"Yes, Miss," Qu Le answered with her head lowered.
"Tell me about your family!" said Qin Wanru impa.s.sively.
"I have two other older sisters and two younger sisters at home," Qu Le answered carefully. She was the middle child in her family given that her mother had given birth to five daughters. Her father was extremely upset with having all daughters, whom he thought would only eat from his savings which was why he had always treated them badly. Her two older sisters had been sold and it was said that her father was planning on selling her two younger sisters.
"Do you wish to go home to see them?" asked Qin Wanru thoughtfully.
"I do not wish to go home because my parents disliked me. Anyways my two older sisters had been sold and had not gone home to visit ever since, and my two younger sisters may also be sold soon. My parents wanted a son badly!" said Qu Le, gritting her teeth in dissatisfaction.
They were hated by their parents just because they were girls, so much so that their parents sent them away.
"Since that"s the case, you may stay here in the General"s Mansion. You have to be faithful to our Second Miss Qin no matter what," said Qing Yue severely, as her eyes followed Qin Wanru"s line of vision to rest on Qu Le. Qing Yue had been careful to observe how Qin Yuru conducted herself just now and she was worried that Qu Le and Qing Xue would do something against Qin Wanru.
"Yes, we promise to be faithful and loyal to Second Miss Qin!" Qu Le said, nodding her head and look respectfully at Qin Wanru.
"If any of you were to be disloyal to Second Miss Qin, the punishment would not be as light as just beatings. Earlier on, Nanny Fang, who was in stewardess in this courtyard, who was also serving Mrs. Qin, was sent here to serve Second Miss Qin. Little did everyone expect that she would be unfaithful to her mistress and was finally punished by being beaten to death."
Qin Yue said with a cold tone and a straight face.
Qin Wanru"s lips curled upwards as she leaned back on the bench, feeling satisfied. She could see that Qing Yue was beginning to carry herself like the leader of the maids and was able to speak with an appropriate amount of authority.
All the maids were immediately shaken up. When they first came into the house, Old Maid Ya had time and again reminded them that the rules in a big household like this would be very strict. Although they heard stories about the punishments in this household, they did not expect that the incident regarding Nanny Fang had just happened a few days back.
What was more shocking to them was that the said incident had involved their current mistress.
Second Miss Qin who was before their eyes may seem like an adorable little girl, but after hearing Qing Yue"s words, they dared not despise this young mistress of theirs.
Even Qing Xue, who appeared to possess a steady and calm character, stole a glance at Qin Wanru and turned slightly pale at the thought.
"Since we have come to this, let me make it very clear. If you"re unable to tell who is your master, I can"t guarantee you will have a good end. Alright, you may go for now. Nanny Yu will allocate you your work and accommodation," said Qing Yue with a loud voice.
"Yes!" the maid responded and bowed to Qin Wanru respectfully, then turned to leave.
"Miss, you..." Qing Yue began when all the other maid had left the room. A moment ago, she had braced herself to speak with confidence as if she was in total control. However, she was really just a 13-year-old girl and she could not stop worrying over the situation, so she said, "Did your eldest sister really come just to pick a few maids?"
"Of course not!" said Qin Wanru impa.s.sively.
"Then... then what should we do?" asked Qing Yue, her expression changed. They had just sent away Qing Cui, what if another maid like Qing Cui came? She would be trouble.
"There"s nothing we can do. Let"s just wait and see. Although Qin Xue holds the position of the leaders.h.i.+p, never let her serve in the room alone," instructed Qin Wanru.
She had in her mind to observe Qing Xue first.
"Yes, I get it!" said Qing Yue in a serious tone.
"Get Nanny Yu to investigate Qing Xue and Qu Le"s background," Qin Wanru instructed after pausing for a while. She thought these two maids were rather suspicious given what happened earlier. She wanted to find out more, starting from them. "Look for Old Maid Ya and find out more from her!"
Qin Wanru had asked Old Maid Ya to come over to the general"s mansion the day after. Nanny Yu could take the opportunity to get some information out of her. If need be, she could even send w.a.n.g Feng out to gather further information. These two maids sounded like they were from Jiangzhou Prefecture since they spoke with an accent of the people living around Jiangzhou.
"I get it, Miss. Now I know why you did not settle the payment for the maids with Old Maid Ya!" Qing Yue said with a hint of admiration.
While Qin Wanru and Qing Yue were still having the conversation, Nanny Yu had finished making the work arrangements for the new maids and came into the room, lifting the door curtains.
"Nanny Yu, Second Miss wanted you to go to Old Maid Ya tomorrow to settle the payment for the maids. Where you are there, please find out more about Qing Xue and Qu Le"s family background from her. It would be even better if you bring along Brother Fengzi to verify her information!"
Qing Yue pa.s.sed the message to Nanny Yu as soon as she entered.
"Rest a.s.sured Miss, I will make sure to find out the information tomorrow!" Nanny Yu replied, nodding her head.
"There is no need to hurry to look for Old Maid Ya early in the morning, Nanny Yu. Wait a bit before you go," suddenly Qin Wanru added, after some careful consideration.
Could Mrs. Qin curious about how she had chosen her maids, or who she had chosen? If Mrs. Qin and Qin Yuru were plotting something behind her back, they would be curious to find out more from Old Maid Ya tomorrow. Qin Wanru wanted to give some time to see if Mrs. Qin would send someone to Old Maid Ya to pry about this matter. If she did, it would show that they were into something fishy.
Qin Wanru was not in a hurry, she would wait for Mrs. Qin to expose herself...