Chapter 192: The Servant Girl with a Hairpin in Her Sleeve

The man asked with a deep gaze, “Are there any activities after the banquet?”

The fat man thought about it for a second and said, “No. It’s a plum appreciation meeting today. After the banquet, most of the women will leave!”

“Don’t let it affect me!” The man’s cold voice sounded fierce, low but frightening.

The fat man hurriedly said, “Don’t worry!” His forehead had already begun to sweat. If this man really wanted to start today, it would be troublesome.

“Behave yourself!” The man snorted coldly, stood up, and strode out.

The banquet held in Duke Xing’s Mansion was successful, apart from a small episode about Qin Yuru. Qin Yuru was not one of the famous Misses of aristocratic families in the capital. People thought what happened to her today was humiliating and thought that this young Miss had no personality.

But the whole matter did not influence the banquet in Duke Xing’s Mansion. After all, nothing serious had happened and they all did not see the man. Everything was their guess.

And the reputation of the First Miss Qin was clear to everyone. At least they would not consent to her marrying into their families. However, when they saw Qin Yuru walk beside Countess Yong, some curious Madams immediately asked about the relationship between the two families. So there was more talk of somebody from Qin’s Mansion would marrying into Duke Yong’s Mansion.

It was the First Miss Qin.

For a time, many Madams looked at Countess Yong with pity, which made Countess Yong quite angry.

But they all said nothing in front of Countess Yong, so she could not find a chance to explain even if she wanted to.

For evil news rides fast, while good news baits later. This matter spread quickly as soon as it spread from Duke Xing’s Mansion, which immediately made many people curious about Qin’s Mansion.

Then well-informed sources spread the previous rumor again. It was said that Madam Di, who came from Duke Yong’s Mansion, was not in charge of the household affairs. The reason was that Madam Di was said to be unkind and always made trouble in Qin’s Mansion. She even wanted the co-wife Madam Shui to lose her baby. Such a vicious person, of course, could not be in charge of the household.

Originally, what Madam Di had done was just spread in the streets, but did not spread to aristocratic families. However, what she had done was related to Qin Yuru’s affairs this time, so the rumor came from the streets, and aristocratic families became more and more unpleasant to hear it, and it spread all over the world.

When Madam Di heard the news from Duke Yong’s Mansion, she almost fainted in anger!

Although it was only a rumor and there was no evidence, because many people had seen Qin Yuru’s affair, this rumor became more and more vivid. Even some people made up some sexual content. For a while, the rumor was extremely unpleasant to hear.

Although things about the womenfolk courtyard of Qin’s Mansion were not good, Qin Huaiyong’s appointment was settled at this time.

He was promoted to Vice Commander of the Imperial Guards Team, a vice third-class official. Besides that, he still owned the title of Ningyuan Army General!

But now this title was different!

This was a high-ranking position that Qin Huaiyong never thought of. He was just a fifth-class official before!

As soon as the news came to Qin’s Mansion, all the people were very happy. The plaque with the words “Qin’s Mansion” on the front door was removed and replaced with a plaque that said “Ningyuan Army General’s Mansion”.

In the capital where there were so many high-ranking officials and aristocratic families, a vice third-class official was not important, but it was close to His Majesty. Besides, the Imperial Guards Team and other teams were in charge of the security of the capital. If somebody was not valued by the emperor, he would not join the Imperial Guards Team.

As soon as the news was spread out, those who had something to do with Qin’s Mansion were all enthusiastic and came to express their congratulations.

Madam Dowager also felt refreshed, and recovered a lot. She looked as if she was not sick.

She called Qin Huaiyong over and suggested to hold a return banquet with proper etiquette because so many people had come and congratulated them, and it was troublesome to thank them one by one.

Qin Huaiyong agreed and asked Madam Dowager and Shui Ruolan to do it.

Shui Ruolan was pregnant and her belly was getting larger. Fortunately, it was not obvious now. With the advice of Madam Dowager, she could also hold the return banquet.

This was the first time for Shui Ruolan to hold a banquet since she came to the capital. Naturally, she could not be careless, and wanted to hold the banquet with all her heart. Qin Wanru saw that she was very tired sometimes, so she did her a favor.

With the guidance of Madam Dowager and Qin Wanru’s help, Shui Ruolan was able to take over the household of Ningyuan Army General’s Mansion.

There were also two concubines helping her manage affairs. The whole Ningyuan Army General’s Mansion was in order.

After a busy half month or so, Yujie suddenly caught a servant girl one day.

As soon as Yujie entered the room, she said, “Miss, this servant girl sneaked out and was caught by me!”

Qin Wanru put down the accounting book in her hands and looked at the servant girl, who was young and timid. At first glance, Qin Wanru knew that she was just the most common servant girl. She blinked her eyes and looked at Yujie with doubt. Such a kind of thing did not need to be reported to her.

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Qin Wanru massaged between eyebrows and asked, “What’s the matter?”

Yujie angrily said, “This servant girl works in our courtyard and used to follow Qing Xue all the time. This time she sneaked out!”

Qin Wanru glanced at the servant girl and her eyes turned cold.

“Tell me, what happened?” After listening to Yujie, Qin Wanru did find that this servant girl was familiar. She actually worked in her courtyard.

There were many servants girl and old maids in the courtyard, so Qin Wanru wasn’t able to know everyone!

The servant girl knelt down and said in a fluster, “Second Miss, I… I really have something important to do… Sister Xiu’er is ill and wants to see Nanny Dong, so she entrusted me with the task of visiting Nanny Dong!”

“Is Dong Xiu’er ill?” Qin Wanru slightly narrowed her watery eyes and looked at Yujie. Recently, she had been busy with many things, so she did not pay much attention to Dong Xiu’er. Nanny Dong was also busy managing the shop outside the mansion, and only occasionally asked others to bring her words in. Qin Wanru really had not seen Nanny Dong for a long time.

Yujie replied, “Yes, she’s sick, but it’s not serious. Nanny Yu had invited a doctor to treat her. The doctor said she would recover after taking medicine!”

“Is it necessary to find Nanny Dong for such a thing?” After she heard that, Qin Wanru’s eyes darkened. Dong Xiu’er was not a child. How could she do this kind of thing without consideration?

The servant girl hurried to say, “It’s… it’s the meaning of Sister Xiu’er. She hasn’t seen Nanny Dong for a long time, and she is ill now, so she wants to see Nanny Dong.”

Qin Wanru’s face darkened and she said, “If Dong Xiu’er wants to see Nanny Dong, she can come and tell me. Why did she ask you to sneak out? Yujie, find if there’s something on her.”

The servant girl’s expression changed greatly to one of fright and she covered her cuff subconsciously.

Yujie went over and took out a hairpin, together with her handkerchief, that was tightly covered in her sleeve. It was a beautiful hairpin, the one that Qin Wanru had seen Dong Xiu’er wearing that day. At that time, Dong Xiu’er could not afford such a hairpin, nor could she afford it now.

“She’s dared to steal something from the mansion. Miss, look at the hairpin!” Yujie handed the hairpin to Qin Wanru as she said in a sharp voice, “Servants who dare to steal something from the mansion will be beaten and driven out of the mansion.”

“Second Miss, Second Miss, I did not steal it. Sister Xiu’er asked me to hand it to Nanny Dong. It was not stolen by me.” The servant girl’s face turned pale when she heard that she would be beaten and driven out of the mansion if she really stole the hairpin. Her hands shook and she cried.

Qin Wanru looked at the hairpin and asked, “Does this hairpin belong to Dong Xiu’er?”

“Yes… it’s Sister Xiu’er’s. She just asked me to put it in Nanny Dong’s place. She was not relieved to keep it herself!” The servant girl said, “Sister Xiu’er said that it would be embarrassing if it was exposed or known by you, so she asked me to sneak out and give it to Nanny Dong!”

“Did Xiu’er say where Nanny Dong is?” Qin Wanru slowly asked, hiding the coldness in her eyes. “Did Dong Xiu’er just want to give this hairpin to Nanny Dong?”

Originally, the background of this hairpin was unclear. It was most likely that it came from Qing Xue. Now, Qin Wanru felt that it was not simple. Dong Xiu’er actually thought that it would be safer to put it in Nanny Dong’s place than to keep it herself. How many things had she lost, so that she felt her place was not safe?

Since she came in, Nanny Yu had managed the courtyard very well. She had never heard that anyone had lost anything. Why was Dong Xiu’er so worried that she wanted to hide her hairpin in Nanny Dong’s place outside the mansion?

“Sister Xiu’er told me that Nanny Dong is managing a shop. I know where to find Nanny Dong.” The servant girl hurried to say, afraid that Qin Wanru would not believe her if she spoke slowly.

“Why is there a word on it?” Qin Wanru raised her eyes, and sharply looked at the servant girl. The word on it was not very clear. It was small and looked like a flower. If one did not look at it carefully, he or she would only think it was the shape of a flower.

“I… I can’t read!” the servant girl said with a blank face.

“Did Dong Xiu’er give it to you?” Qin Wan’s face darkened. “Does this servant girl know nothing?”

“Yes… it was Sister Xiu’er who gave it to me.” The servant girl nodded her head.

“Is there anyone who can prove it?” Qin Wanru narrowed her eyes.

“No, there were only Sister Xiu’er and me in the room at that time.” The servant girl panicked and cried, anxious and scared.

Qin Wanru leaned back and softly said, “If there is no one to bear witness, you can’t make it clear. Go and get the punishment yourself!”

Hearing what Qin Wanru said, Yujie went over and was about to take away the servant girl. When she saw that Yujie really was going to take her away, the servant girl said in a panic, “Second Miss, Second Miss, Sister Xiu’er can prove it.”

“What if she doesn’t admit it?” Qin Wanru showed a cold smile on her face. “In the eyes of all, it’s a misfortune. Do you still think that Xiu’er will admit that this hairpin belongs to her? The hairpin is engraved with the word ‘Qin’, but I haven’t give Xiu’er any hairpins. Then how did she get this hairpin?”

The servant girl was stunned by Qin Wanru’s words, and her face turned pale. According to what Qin Wanru said, Dong Xiu’er had gotten this hairpin by improper means. If so, Dong Xiu’er would certainly not admit that it belonged to her.

And she would be the scapegoat!

The servant girl was regretful and afraid. She wanted to explain as she tried to push away Yujie. Suddenly, a flash of inspiration flashed in her mind and she said loudly, “Second Miss, Second Miss, another man was there at that time. I saw it!”