Chapter 260 Sinister, Kill Three Birds with One Stone
After staying in the yard where Qian Youcai lived for a short while, Qin Huaiyong arranged a carriage to send Qian Youcai and concubine Liu out, while the lady surnamed Liu was left in the mansion.
It was said to be Qian Youcai’s plan. He should study hard to prepare for the imperial exam recently, with no time to think about other things and take care of his family. He said concubine Liu was a maid who took care of his daily life, and left the lady surnamed Liu in the Qin’s Mansion.
It was not widely known that Qian Youcai had visited the Qin’s Mansion. Many people did not know who he was or concubine Liu was the concubine of his second brother rather than his maid.
Therefore, this reason was justifiable, so everyone believed that it was true. Since it was Qian Youcai’s plan and the Qin’s Mansion was willing to help him, it was reasonable for the lady surnamed Liu to stay in the Qin’s Mansion. This kind of thing was a family matter with nothing to do with someone else.
After getting out of the Qin’s Mansion, Qian Youcai returned to his rented yard with a sullen face. After thinking about it, he asked the supervisor, who stayed in the yard, to rent another yard beside and asked concubine Liu to move over.
After that, a man came to the yard to visit him. They did not have a long conversation, and Qian Youcai sent the person out. Their sullen faces indicated they obviously didn’t reach an agreement. The man then got on the carriage at the back door. The carriage went all the way back and entered the back door of Duke Xing’s Mansion…
When the news of Qian Youcai leaving the Qin’s Mansion with concubine Liu reached Qin Wanru’s ears, Qin Wanru was carefully checking the Tang Qianyan under the window. Probably because of the climate, this Tang Qianyan, which had been fading upon arrival at the capital, became refreshed. But it just became slightly refreshed with no buds.
Various Tang Qianyan should mostly blossom in autumn and winter, but Qin Wanru’s had never blossomed after autumn and winter. It was said that the climate in Jiangzhou didn’t suit it, but it was still the same after Qin Wanru moved to the capital, which made Qin Wanru very helpless indeed.
However, Chu Liuchen had asked her to take care of this pot of flower for him. If she didn’t raise it well, he would probably pester her when thinking of it. Qin Wanru was very helpless about it.
“Miss, why did general send the First Young Master Qian and concubine Liu away but keep the lady surnamed Liu here?” After reporting the matter, Qingyue asked in puzzlement, while taking over the small sprinkling-can from Qin Wanru and cautiously watering the flower for her.
Qin Wanru washed her hands in the basin offered by a maid, picked up the towel to wipe her hands and slowly said, “With the lady surnamed Liu in our mansion, Qian Youcai can’t do anything even if he wants to. After all, the lady surnamed Liu hasn’t done anything terrible enough to make her repudiated. So we can frighten Qian Youcai by taking control of the lady surnamed Liu!”
“Then why did he release concubine Liu?” After watering the flower, Qingyue put down the small sprinkling-can and asked.
It was unjustifiable for concubine Liu and the First Young Master Qian to live together. Even if there were other servants, they could be considered living together. Moreover, concubine Liu was the concubine of his dead second brother. It was quite controversial for them to live together.
“As a smart person, Qian Youcai will not allow concubine Liu to live with him. He is going to attend the imperial exam, so he will not allow his reputation to be damaged in this period. However, concubine Liu may not think so. As the concubine whose husband has pa.s.sed away, her future depends on Qian Youcai. If Qian Youcai really gives her away, what can she do?”
Qin Wanru said slowly with a sneer.
Qian Youcai should be the one who had reached an agreement with Madam Di, but the lady surnamed Liu was said to be the one. After the lady surnamed Liu made the trouble significant and Shui Ruolan suffered losses with her reputation damaged, Qian Youcai could get a divorce with this excuse. Others might even consider him unfortunate to have such a rude and unreasonable wife and the lady surnamed Liu deserved to be repudiated.
By the time, Shui Ruolan’s reputation was destroyed, the lady surnamed Liu was repudiated, and Madam Di’s silver would fall into Qian Youcai’s hands. Qian Youcai could actually kill three birds with one stone.
Now the matter was discovered by her father who had always been decisive and vicious. Her father directly kept the lady surnamed Liu in the mansion, while sending concubine Liu to live with Qian Youcai. By doing that, he intended to make Qian Youcai not dare to say anything detrimental to the Qin’s Mansion with the relations.h.i.+p between concubine Liu and Qian Youcai.
Concubine Liu had left with Qian Youcai. Even if Qian Youcai wanted to stay away from her, she had to cling to Qian Youcai because she was afraid she would have no one to depend on in the future. The ambiguous relations.h.i.+p between them made Qian Youcai unable to stay away from her at this time.
“Miss, what if the general keeps locking up the First Young Master Qian?” Concerned about another aspect, Yujie asked.
“Madam of Duke Xing must have tracked him down. If father keeps locking him up, it will probably cause other trouble. After all, Qian Youcai is a candidate for the imperial exam with an inferior official rank. Nevertheless, the numerous candidates in the capital will feel sorry for what happened to him, and it may cause a big trouble!”
Qin Wanru said with cold eyes and long eyelashes falling down and concealing the deepness in her eyes. Scholars had always been a group, and it was easiest for them to step into the official career. If they were really incited, the Qin’s Mansion might be unable to resist. It seemed that Madam of Duke Xing not only wanted to deal with her, but also wanted to destroy the entire Qin’s Mansion.
In this way, Madam of Duke Xing could destroy her from the root!
Madam of Duke Xing really hated her a lot. It also made Qin Wanru consider her speculation was correct, but she didn’t find the evidence.
Nevertheless, since Madam Di’s letter and Qin Yuru’s map were found from the old maid of Madam of Duke Xing, Madam Dowager and Qin Huaiyong could no longer believe her kindness towards the Qin’s Mansion. Even if Madam of Duke Xing kept pretending to be kind, Qin Wanru didn’t need to worry Madam Dowager and Qin Huaiyong would allow her to get involved with Madam of Duke Xing.
When the two maids heard Qin Wanru’s words, their faces greatly changed. Even someone lacking knowledge and experience like them knew they would definitely get into a big trouble if the matter was known by the scholars who came to the capital for the imperial exam. Even a high official at first level in the capital could only avoid the head-on confrontation in this situation, not to mention the fact that the Qin’s Mansion wasn’t at a high level without a solid foundation.
“Madam Di is so vicious. She wants to ruin the entire Qin’s Mansion!” Yujie said slowly.
“She doesn’t want to. She has been used by others and thought she just did that to deal with mother!” Qin Wanru sneered. Madam Di was both vicious and short-sighted, so she became the arrow in the hands of Madam of Duke Xing.
“Why didn’t general go to talk with Madam Di?” Qingyue asked in puzzlement.
“Father is too disappointed to talk with her. Nevertheless, with Duke Yong’s Mansion as her support, father can’t do anything to her. So he just locks her up with no intention of releasing her!” Qin Wanru a.n.a.lyzed lightly.
“Really? That’s great!” Yujie was somewhat dissatisfied, but after thinking over it, she suddenly became happy. Without Madam Di making trouble, the mansion would be much more peaceful. Even First Miss also made some trouble, she was not as experienced as Madam Di in it.
Moreover, First Miss had her own problem. She was still grounded.
“Second Miss, someone from Duke Yong’s Mansion asks to meet you!” When three of them were talking, there suddenly came a maid’s voice from the yard.
Qin Wanru frowned, wondering why Duke Yong’s Mansion sent someone to meet her.
She slightly nodded, sat in the chair in the middle, picked up the teacup to take a sip and then put it down.
Yujie went to stand behind Qin Wanru. Qingyue lifted the curtain, looked at a strange old maid and two maids with their heads down in the yard and said.
“Come in!”
The old maid walked in with a smile and left the two maids outside the courtyard.
After coming in, she bowed to Qin Wanru, and then said with a sincere smile, “Second Miss, I’m an old maid from Duke Yong’s Mansion. Hearing Madam Di is sick, our Old Madam and Madam are worried, so they specially send two maids who know some medical skills here to serve her.”
Madam Di had been locked up, but they couldn’t say that, so sickness was the best explanation.
“Uh… you should tell my father and mother about it, right?” Qin Wanru raised her eyes and asked calmly. She really didn’t understand what Duke Yong’s Mansion meant.
“I took them to meet general, general considers them not bad, but I still want to ask about Madam Shui’s opinion. At the thought that it may be inconvenient for Madam Shui to meet me recently, I take them here to meet you. If you also consider them suitable, I will send the two maids to Madam Di’s yard!”
The old maid had a glib tongue. She made an unreasonable thing sound reasonable in a few words.
Since Qin Huaiyong had agreed, how could Qin Wanru not agree as his daughter? What was more, Duke Yong’s Mansion was so humble, which left a good impression on her indeed.
After hesitating slightly, Qin Wanru said lightly, “What do I need to do?”
“Second Miss, you don’t need to do anything. I’ve done everything that should be done. You just need to have a look at them and tell general about it later!” the old maid said with a smile in an extremely kind tone.
Her att.i.tude was quite different from that of the servant sent by Duke Yong’s Mansion when the Qin family just moved to the capital.
The Qin’s Mansion had got into trouble repeatedly, and so had Duke Yong’s Mansion. Qin Yuru had a bad reputation, and so did Di Yan. No one dared to say anything about their marriage at this cusp.
“This is out of my reach. You had better go to meet my mother!” Qin Wanru frowned. The affairs in Madam Di’s yard was definitely out of her reach.
“But Madam Shui is… I’m afraid of disturbing Madam Shui!” The old maid of Duke Yong’s Mansion was in a dilemma. Duke Yong’s Mansion naturally knew about Shui Ruolan’s pregnancy.
She sounded very reasonable and seemingly did everything in consideration of taking care of Shui Ruolan. Qin Wanru looked at the old maid who was smiling and looked calm.
Would someone from Duke Yong’s Mansion be kind to Shui Ruolan? At this point, Qin Wanru was absolutely not convinced!
“But this kind of thing is out of my reach. What should I do?” Qin Wanru withdrew her gaze, slightly smiled and said calmly, “If I tell my father about it afterwards, I feel like interfering in the matter between my father and Madam. How can I do that as a daughter!”
Even if she just needed to tell her father about it afterwards, it was not what she should do as a daughter. So it was a mere formality. It was impossible that Countess Yong, who was a Madam of an aristocratic family, didn’t know it.
“Second Miss, maybe you can send someone to lead us to meet Madam Shui? I should report it to someone in the mansion anyway!” The old maid seemed to be embarra.s.sed by Qin Wanru’s blunt words!