Chapter 780 Bribe the Eunuch with Evil Intentions
The palace maid who was guarding the side hall was called over. Shao Yanru asked Shuqi to help her up. Because she had lost too much blood, her face was pale. “Did Her Grace order… my Fifth Sister to stay in the Phoenix Palace?”
The palace maid thought for a moment and said, “Her Grace didn’t say it clearly!”
“My Fifth Sister… doesn’t have to live here to look after me, does she?” Shao Yanru asked weakly.
“Well…” The palace maid did not dare to answer. She was just a humble palace maid and did not know what her master was thinking.
“Could you please go and get the person in charge of this side hall?” Shao Yanru opened her eyes slightly, seeming pretty weak. Shuqi asked her to lean against a thick and soft cus.h.i.+on and then sent a bulging pouch to the palace maid quick-wittedly.
“Okay, please wait for a moment, ladies. I’ll be back soon!” The palace maid smiled and nodded repeatedly. She took the pouch and stuffed it in her sleeve before turning to leave.
Shao Wanru looked at all this calmly. She didn’t intervene or say anything.
The person in charge was a eunuch. After coming in, he bowed to them with a smile. He knew that something had happened to the First Miss of Duke Xing’s Mansion, but neither the Empress nor the Emperor blamed her. They even showed care for her with unknown intentions.
“Sir, it’s not convenient for my Fifth Sister to live here. Besides, she’s still in the Consort Selection. I can’t ruin her future. Can she take care of me every day here and still live in the Chuxiu Palace?” Shao Yanru said softly and smiled before saying anything.
Though she was very ill, she managed to finish her words. She showed her concern for Shao Wanru, making her a likable girl.
The eunuch looked at Shao Wanru, who acted like it was none of her business, and then looked at Shao Yanru, who could barely speak. He felt a little sympathy for Shao Yanru. It was obvious that this Fifth Miss Shao did not care much about First Miss Shao. First Miss Shao, in such a sorry state, still had to take care of Fifth Miss Shao.
The eunuch felt a little pity for Shao Yanru. He had long heard that the First Miss of Duke Xing’s Mansion was dignified, decent, and generous. Today, he saw her and found that it was true.
“It’s okay for Fifth Miss Shao to live in the Chuxiu Palace, but she must come here every day. Otherwise, Her Grace will definitely blame her!” the eunuch said with a smile. He was talking to Shao Yanru, but he turned his face to Shao Wanru. It was obvious that he was warning Shao Wanru.
Shao Wanru looked calmly at Shao Yanru, who used her to win over the eunuch in charge. Her long eyelashes fluttered twice, and she looked up, her watery eyes bright and charming.
“Big Sister, why don’t you think twice? In fact, I can live here.”
“Fifth Sister… no need. I have Shuqi by my side… I don’t need so many people…” Shao Yanru said softly, shaking her head with a pale face. Then she continued to say to the eunuch, “My Fifth Sister will come here every day. Don’t worry, sir. Please tell the guards at the gate of the palace to allow my sister to go in and out freely!”
“My pleasure!” The eunuch looked at Shao Wanru with dissatisfaction. As a younger sister, she was really carefree and aloof at a time like this. First Miss Shao was so pitiful and generous that she was so considerate to this hypocritical younger sister.
“Sorry to trouble you, sir!” Shao Yanru said with difficulty and closed her eyes feebly. Her previous action, though a little measured, had hurt herself badly. After saying these words, she was very tired and her face was pale.
Seeing her like this, the eunuch knew that she could not hold on any longer. He took his leave at once. When he reached the door, he could not help but shake his head. The Fifth Miss of Duke Xing’s Mansion was not a nice girl. She had no sisterly affection toward her sister at all. What was worse, she was dead above the ears. She was so useless that she needed her sister to arrange everything for her at such a time. Her good looks were only a stepping stone to others.
“Sorry to trouble you, sir. Thank you very much!” Shuqi ran out and slipped him a note quietly.
The eunuch hid it in his sleeve, and the smile on his face grew sincere. Just now, he had seen the number clearly. The First Miss of Duke Xing’s Mansion was really generous.
“Put your Miss’s mind at ease. I’ll make sure it’s all arranged properly. However, your Fifth Miss…” The eunuch lowered his voice and continued, “Your Fifth Miss didn’t consider for your Miss. Why should your Miss care about her?”
Just now, he saw Shuqi standing at Shao Yanru’s bedside. She should be the personal servant girl of the First Miss lying in bed.
“My Miss has no other choice… Fifth Miss is the only hope of Duke Xing’s Mansion. If… if there is a chance, please put in a good word for Fifth Miss!” Shuqi whispered to the eunuch after looking behind her uneasily.
So most of the money was sent for Fifth Miss Shao?
The eunuch’s face darkened, and he became dissatisfied. Of course, he was dissatisfied because of Shao Wanru. After he entered the door just now, the Fifth Miss of Duke Xing’s Mansion just stayed silent, as if all this had nothing to do with her and First Miss Shao would arrange everything for her.
Not only did she have no sisterly feelings for her eldest sister, but she despised him.
“It’s better for your Fifth Miss to not be chosen. She has good looks, but this place… is not suitable for her. If she stays here, she may bring trouble to Duke Xing’s Mansion!” The eunuch pointed at his head, indicating that there was something wrong with Shao Wanru’s brain.
“No… How could it be? Fifth Miss is very smart!” Shuqi lowered her head uneasily and explained dryly. It deepened the eunuch’s impression that Shao Wanru was not clever.
“Your Fifth Miss is not only slow-witted but also has no sisterly affection for your Miss. Look at her just now… Your Miss did everything entirely in her interests, but she didn’t have any intention of taking care of her. If she takes care of your Miss all day long, something might happen to your Miss!”
The eunuch sneered. After that, he suddenly thought of something and asked, “Is your Fifth Miss willing to stay and take care of your Miss?”
His question was abrupt, but Shuqi was happy inwardly. She took Shao Yanru’s hint; sending such a message to the eunuch in charge.
“Yes, Fifth Miss is nice. She kept asking to stay and take care of First Miss. She said that she must take good care of her before leaving. Maybe when you came, she was too shy to say anything. In fact, she was nice to First Miss just now,” Shuqi explained.
It was just that she talked so fast that it felt like she was trying to cover it up.
“Thank you, sir. I’ll go back to take care of First Miss!” Since the message had been sent, Shuqi immediately bowed to the eunuch and then hurried back.
Her Miss repeatedly hinted that she could not stay outside for too long, otherwise, Fifth Miss would be suspicious. She had wanted to send the eunuch a pouch in the room but was stopped by Shao Yanru with her eyes. After that, when the eunuch came out, Shao Yanru asked her to come out and slip a note to him.
The master and the servant girl had done this kind of thing many times in the past, and they cooperated very well.
Shuqi said those words because before Shao Wanru came over, Shao Yanru had asked Shuqi to make others think this way if there was a chance. Now the opportunity came.
Seeing Shuqi unable to explain clearly and eager to leave, the eunuch sneered. As expected, Fifth Miss Shao had bad intentions. Obviously, she had taken a fancy to Prince Zhou and wanted to achieve her purpose with her favorable position.
Under the guise of taking care of her sick sister, she could be up to something. In the past, there were ladies from aristocratic families who stayed in the palace with various reasons. Many pretended to be delicate and weak and threw themselves on Prince Zhou. They were all drooling over the position of Princess Zhou.
Sisterhood? The eunuch could tell at a glance that Fifth Miss Shao had a bad relations.h.i.+p with First Miss Shao. Their sisterhood was fake.
He found it necessary to remind the Nanny in charge of the Empress that this Fifth Miss Shao could not get close to Prince Zhou when he was free. She had good looks, but she was cold-hearted and useless. How could Prince Zhou have such a princess?
The eunuch was from the Phoenix Palace. Of course, he was on Prince Zhou’s side. He smiled sarcastically at the door of the side hall and turned to leave. He had to warn not only the Nanny in charge but also those who had a good relations.h.i.+p with him. When Fifth Miss Shao came over, they had to keep an eye on her, lest something nasty would happen and make the Empress angry…
Shao Wanru looked at Shuqi with an extremely calm look. Her watery eyes fell on Shuqi’s face, making the latter feel scared and guilty as if she had been seen through by her.
Yujie clenched her fists. Shuqi had been standing outside for so long when First Miss was so badly injured. Did it take her so long to give the eunuch a pouch? It was obvious that she had said something to the eunuch. First Miss was in such a bad condition, but she could not stop making trouble for them. She was really annoying.
“Fifth Sister, you can go back today. I’m going to sleep now… I’m running out of energy…” Hearing Shuqi’s footsteps, Shao Yanru opened her eyes with difficulty. She really had no strength left.
“It’s still early. Big Sister, you can sleep for a while. I’ll go back later!” Shao Wanru said coldly.
“Okay!” Shao Yanru had already had a plan in her mind at this time. After all, she had lost too much blood, so she lay down powerlessly. Shuqi helped her lie down, tucked her in, and retreated to the side.
It was very quiet in the room, except for Shao Yanru’s quiet breathing.
Shuqi moved her feet uneasily. She stood at the head of the bed and saw Shao Yanru’s face. She could feel Fifth Miss’s gaze behind her. She did not dare to move, as if she would be seen through by Fifth Miss. She was tense all over. Only when she stood at the bedside could she feel the support from her Miss.
Time ticked away little by little, and there was no sound behind her. She wanted to look back to see what Fifth Miss was doing, but she didn’t dare to move. She was getting more and more fl.u.s.tered, and her drooping fingers couldn’t help twitching.
“Shuqi!” Shao Wanru’s cold voice came from behind her, sounding like a clap of thunder in her heart.