Madam Xu, seeing the situation, calmly pulled Qin Yunyun behind her without showing any emotion and stepped forward to block her. Smiling warmly, she changed the subject, “Doesn’t Yunyun come to accompany you every day? Who in this household isn’t aware of that?”

  Qin Shuying gratefully responded, “Yes, thank you, Sixth Sister, and thank you, Madam.”

  Madam Xu’s expression softened into one of benevolent kindness. “We’re family; don’t ever say such distant things again. And all of you, listen carefully: the Seventh Young Lady is weak, so take good care of her. Do not sck off in the slightest! Seventh Young Lady, Doctor Liu said you need more rest and quiet. You’ve spoken quite a lot today, so we won’t disturb you further. Rest well.”

  Qin Shuying pleaded, “Sixth Sister, I still have something to tell you. Can you stay with me a while longer?”

  Qin Yunyun’s face showed a trace of irritation, and Madam Xu gnced at her with a hint of wariness before gently saying, “Seventh girl, your Sixth Sister wishes for nothing more than for you to recover quickly and would never be unwilling to spend time with you. However, your Sixth Sister has to learn music, chess, calligraphy, and painting; she doesn’t have a moment to spare. Even the time she’s here now was carved out of her schedule. Besides, you’re still not fully recovered, and your Sixth Sister must return to copy scriptures and pray for your health! Don’t worry; as soon as she has free time, she’ll surely come to see you.”

  Qin Shuying noticed Madam Xu’s wary gnce toward Qin Yunyun.

  No wonder Qin Lianlian, Qin Feifei, and Qin Yunyun always appeared so poised, courteous, and gentle in front of others—Madam Xu’s meticulous teachings had clearly paid off! Disappointment and sadness filled Qin Shuying’s face. She struggled to grab Qin Yunyun, but Nanny Zhang blocked her hand, separating the two. Surrounded by a throng of people, Qin Yunyun and the others swept out in a grand procession. Even after they left, Qin Shuying’s voice could still be heard calling, “Sixth Sister, be sure to visit me tomorrow!”

  Nanny Fu stared in the direction where Madam Xu had disappeared for a moment before turning to Hongjuan and Huiqin. “You two may go about your tasks.”

  Huiqin, eager to leave, vanished in a fsh. Hongjuan lowered her head, politely curtsied, and left.

  Nanny Fu called out, “Luye, you’re strong. Come in and massage the young dy’s legs.”

  Hearing this, Luye entered and stood cleverly behind the door, ready to guard the room.

  Only then did Nanny Fu turn to Qin Shuying and say, “Miss, your pn was excellent. It saves you from the noise and allows you to rest properly so you can recover quickly. However, Madam Xu and the Sixth Young Lady are thick-skinned and don’t care whether you rest well. They only care about appearances. They’ll surely come again.”

  Qin Shuying sighed softly. “My condition worsens by the day. I worry that my illness might affect Sixth Sister. But I get along so well with her; she’s the only one I can talk to. What should I do?”

  Nanny Fu couldn’t help but smile. “Indeed! But the Sixth Young Lady cares so deeply for you. Since you miss her every day, I’ll go and personally request that she visit you tomorrow.”

  Qin Shuying nodded, then said, “Nanny, there are some matters I can only entrust to you.”

  Knowing it was important, Nanny Fu leaned closer to the bed to listen carefully to Qin Shuying’s instructions. Though full of doubts, she remembered how the master had guided the young dy in a dream, after which the young dy had seemed like a different person. Her methods for dealing with Madam Xu earlier had been subtle and fwless. With this in mind, Nanny Fu left the room, meticulously instructing Luye to keep a close watch over the courtyard before departing.

  That evening, when Huiqin brought in medicine, Qin Shuying was already asleep. Suppressing her impatience, Huiqin shook her awake. “Miss, it’s time to take your medicine!”

  Startled, Qin Shuying filed her arms wildly in the air before letting out a sharp scream. Her eyes flew open, and she gasped, “That was terrifying! I was so scared!”

  Huiqin stared in disbelief at the medicine that had spilled all over her. Furious, she shouted, “What’s wrong with you? Did you see a ghost? Why are you moving around like that? Look at what you’ve done—you’ve ruined my clothes!”

  Qin Shuying, as if only now realizing there was someone in the room, looked frightened. She quickly apologized, her tone meek and ingratiating. “I’m so sorry, Sister Huiqin! I didn’t mean to.”

  Huiqin, seething, yanked her hand out of Qin Shuying’s grasp, sending the frail girl colpsing onto the bed. Gring at her with hatred, Huiqin stormed out.

  Not long after Huiqin left, Nanny Fu entered with a food box. She wasn’t worried about being seen, as the maids and servants often witnessed her bringing food to the Seventh Miss. The kitchen’s meals didn’t suit Qin Shuying’s taste, and they refused to prepare anything special for her. Heartbroken, Nanny Fu often bought or made delicious food for her from outside.

  Over the past six months, the maids and servants in Spring Garden, under subtle hints from Nanny Zhang—Madam Xu's confidante—had been doing their utmost to torment Qin Shuying. When her clothes were dirty, no one took them to be washed; when she was hungry, no one prepared food for her.

  Being soft-hearted, Qin Shuying came up with the idea of tipping the maids and servants with silver to coax them into doing their work. At first, it was just a few copper coins, but it soon escated to five or more. Most of the genuine gold, silver, and jewelry in Qin Shuying’s possession had been taken by Madam Xu under the pretense of safekeeping, leaving her with little money at hand.

  Nanny Fu took a bowl of medicinal broth from the food box, and Qin Shuying, closing her eyes, sniffed it carefully before drinking it all in one go.

  “Miss, there’s something I’m not sure I should say.”

  “Nanny, if it weren’t for your care and protection all these years, I wouldn’t know how many times I’d have died. Now, after Father’s guidance, I’ve decided to start living anew. Without you, how could I possibly succeed? Between you and me, there’s nothing we cannot discuss.”

  Though moved, Nanny Fu kept it brief. “Miss, I was thinking, it might be a good idea to win Hongjuan over. What do you think?”

  “You truly think of everything for me, Nanny. I was already considering that.”

  “Hongjuan was originally assigned to you by the Old Madam and has served you with diligence and care. But now that the Old Madam has grown old and Madam Xu holds the reins of the household, Hongjuan doesn’t dare go against her. Over the years, she’s shown a lot of loyalty, but when it comes to prioritizing your interests, she’s bound to have her concerns. Hongjuan is a house-born servant. Her father is bedridden, her mother works in the undry yard, and she has a seven-year-old brother with no job. If she openly sides with you, she fears that if the Old Madam passes, Madam Xu will be the first to target her. Considering all this, Miss, Hongjuan has done as much as she possibly can.”

  “Do you have a pn, Nanny?”

  “Yes, Miss. If we had money, helping her family with her father’s medical expenses or finding her brother a job would be ideal.”

  The Old Madam had shown great affection for Qin Shuying in the past. Assigning Hongjuan to her indicated that she was a reliable servant. Given her family’s situation, it actually presented an opportunity for Qin Shuying to extend kindness and win her over.

  Nanny Fu’s reasoning was meticulous and practical. Qin Shuying nodded slightly, thought for a moment, and said, “You’re right, Nanny. As for the silver, let’s wait a bit longer.”

  Nanny Fu was puzzled. Where could more money come from? The monthly allowance was never enough. But when she saw the glimmer of determination in Qin Shuying’s clear eyes, she couldn’t help but feel a jolt of surprise.