Chapter 38: Kick Away the Spy Arranged by Aunt

  The old woman Zhao brought in batches of girls, all around 13 to 16 years old, neat and tidy.

  In the spacious and elegant room, Pei Yuange first let these girls have a cup of tea before speaking, gently asking their names, ages, and where they lived. After they finished answering, he chatted with them for a few sentences, then asked what they were good at. Some said embroidery and sewing, some said reading, and some said planting flowers and grass. Pei Yuange then called someone to bring things over to test them, and then told Ziyun to remember their names.

  She left behind people who were beautiful, but also those who were only delicate, some who answered questions neatly and others who were timid, some who were skilled in certain crafts and others who had no skills at all. Pei Zhucheng really couldn't see her standards for selecting people, and finally couldn't help but curiously ask: "Ge'er, what are you looking for in these maids? I don't understand at all. The previous girl couldn't even answer questions properly, but from your expression, it seems like you're very satisfied with her?"

  "Previously, the girl was nervous and hesitant in her responses. However, when chatting with my daughter, she quickly grasped her meaning and showed a clever and understanding nature, far surpassing other girls. With some polishing, she can be reused."

  Pae Jeo-seong nodded and asked again, "Then why did you reject the excellent embroiderer before, but kept only a seamstress?"

  "That girl's embroidery is excellent, but it's only outstanding among these girls. However, when my daughter asked her, she spoke of her own embroidery skills in an exaggerated and self-satisfied manner, showing great pride; on the other hand, another girl who can only do needlework has fine stitches, showing that she is meticulous and careful, and when answering my daughter's questions, she was neither arrogant nor humble, with a clear understanding of her position. This time, my daughter chose someone based on their character first, then intelligence, while other skills can be taught, but these two are innate and difficult to change."

  So that's how it is! Pei Zhucheng nodded repeatedly, feeling more and more that Pei Yuange's cleverness and wisdom were always beyond his expectations.

  After the next batch of girls came in, Pei Yuange continued to ask questions. However, Pei Zhucheng suddenly froze, his eyes falling on a 14 or 15-year-old girl among them, his mind slightly dazed, and he suddenly asked: "What's your name?"

  "My name is Si Jin." The girl was both surprised and delighted, from head to toe it was that young lady who was selecting people, but this official gentleman had singled her out to ask questions, could it be that he had taken a liking to her? Before entering, Zhao's wife had mentioned that the one selecting people this time was the Prime Minister's residence, could it be that this gentleman was the Prime Minister himself? Looking at his age, not very old, and handsome, with dignity, if she could be favored by him, becoming a concubine, she would be able to rise to prominence, no longer having to suffer. Therefore, when answering, she intentionally added a few hints of charm, secretly sending flirtatious glances.

  "Is it thinking of Jin?" Pei Zhucheng muttered.

  "Yes, the officer in charge is Officer Ji, and the elegant one is Officer Jin." Officer Jin's father was once a failed scholar, so she had also read a few books, and at this time she was doing her best to show off.

  Pei Zhucheng finally came back to his senses, nodded and didn't say anything else. He just lowered his head to drink tea and said to Pei Yuange: "Yuange, you continue."

  She Si Jin looked around the room with a curious expression, her eyes gleaming with envy and her movements light and frivolous. Pei Yuange was originally quite displeased, but seeing Pei Zhoucheng paying attention to her, she changed her mind and turned to look at Zhang Yun, just in time to catch the anger and doubt in her eyes. It seemed that She Si Jin was not arranged by Zhang Yun, and also very much disliked her for having won their father's favor. With a change of heart, she had already made up her mind, ordering Zi Yun to take note of She Si Jin's name.

  In this way, more than 100 girls were left with only 24 by Pei Yuange.

  It was originally said that Pei Yuange would choose for herself, and Zhang Yun was worried that she would play tricks again. But now, seeing the 16 maidservants who had mixed in, six of them were left behind by her, it seemed that she hadn't detected anything unusual, and she felt complacent in her heart. These six people are all clever and resourceful, and they will definitely be reused by Pei Yuange in the future, and at that time, they will make her die miserably!

  Bai Zhucheng saw this and thought that Bai Yuange had finished, so he let Bai Yuanrong and Bai Yuanqiao choose people. However, he heard Bai Yuange say: "Father, wait a minute, I still have one last test for them." She said, whispering to Zi Yun, who nodded, came to the front of these girls, ordered them to stretch out their hands, bowed her head to examine carefully, and then ordered them to bow their heads again, one by one. After checking, she went back to Bai Yuange and whispered a few words.

  Pei Yuange nodded and took over the name list recorded by Zi Yun, crossing out six people before saying: "Alright, Father."

  "Song Er, what's going on here? You're being mysterious again!"

  "A daughter can't reveal all her secrets to her father, she has to keep one or two tricks up her sleeve. This, I won't tell you!" Pei Yuange turned his head and glanced at Zhang Yun, smiling sweetly.

  Zhang Yun struggled to conceal her expression, but couldn't help revealing a look of shock and stupor. In an instant, she fell from heaven to hell - the six women who had been eliminated were all people sent by Zhang Xian's faction, not one more or less, clearly not random, but targeted! But how did this girl know that these six maids were arranged by her? Was she seeing ghosts, or was there a traitor by her side?!

  Damn Pei Yuange, little hoof, cheap person... The work is ruined at the last moment, Zhang Yun couldn't help but scold in her heart.

  "Since Ge'er has kept you, change your name! From now on, don't call yourself Sī Jǐn anymore... Call yourself Sī Yīn!" He originally wanted to say Sī Yín casually, but thinking of the people around his daughter, he couldn't have a too common name, so he chose the homophonic Sī Yīn.

  When she heard that Pei Zhucheng had personally renamed her, Si Jin was overjoyed and even more certain that she had won Pei Zhucheng's favor. She hastily kowtowed to thank him and from then on called herself Si Yin. This scene fell into Zhang Yun's eyes, naturally causing her to grit her teeth in anger, hating that she couldn't tear this maid, whom Pei Zhucheng had personally renamed, into a million pieces.

  Next, it was Pei Yuanrong and Pei Yuanniao's turn to select servants. Pei Yuanrong was at ease, wanting to suppress others, and specifically chose beautiful and clever maidservants. Pei Yuanniao, on the other hand, chose several honest and kind-hearted maidservants. Even this process of selecting maidservants took up half a day. Pei Zhucheng had originally been worried that Pei Yuange would encounter problems while selecting servants alone, so he excused himself. Seeing that they had already finished selecting the maidservants, he stood up and went to the Ministry of Punishment to continue dealing with those mind-boggling documents.

  Bai Yuange deliberately fell behind, and walked out with Zhang Yun. Seeing that there was no one around, he stopped in his tracks and smiled: "Thank you, Auntie, for your kindness to me, but unfortunately, I really don't dare to want the person you're thinking of, it's a waste of your efforts!"

  Pai Zhucity is not here, Zhang Yun also no longer pretends, gritting her teeth and saying: "Pai Yuange, I advise you, don't be too happy too early!"

  "I also have a word of advice for you, Auntie," Pei Yuange's smiling face suddenly disappeared, her expression cold and icy, her eyes gleaming like blades. "Don't stretch your hands too far, if you try to interfere with my Jingxian Zhai again, I'll chop off your hands!" She said, giving a cold smile, exuding killing intent, filled with hatred as she glanced at Zhang Yun, before turning around and leaving gracefully.

  And all of this fell into a pair of piercing eyes hidden in the dense foliage not far away.

  As she walked back to Qingyuan's quarters, Ziyun couldn't help but ask curiously: "Miss, how did you know those six people were arranged by Madame Zhang?"