Chapter 42: The Heart's Machinery (Part 2)

  Feicui was sewing on the side. The little maidservants all came over to watch, "Miss Feicui's hands are really skilled."

  Another little maid said: "What do you know? Miss Feicui is from the first wife's room, her skills are naturally not ordinary."

  "If the young lady has time to teach us."

  Feicui smiled again, if it wasn't for being transferred to the second young lady's place, how could Chunyao have gotten into the needlework of the main wife's room.

  Feicui did some needlework for a while, then quietly returned to the main house. Eighth Miss was taking a nap in the warm pavilion, and Muxin and Jinxiu were talking outside.

  Mu Ge said, "I heard from outside that the madam has ordered someone to prepare a carriage and is going to Yi Cheng Hou Fu. It was previously rumored in the mansion that they were going to select a young lady to be a concubine for Big Uncle, I don't know if it's true or not?"

  Jinxiu just said: "Who can say this kind of thing clearly?"

  Feicui couldn't help but curl her lip, while Jinxiu clearly knew something, but pretended to be completely clueless.

  "Say, do you think our young lady has any hope?"

  "This kind of thing can't be spoken of casually."

  Mu Yan smiled and said, "We were just talking in the house, besides, who isn't guessing? Paused for a moment and then said, "But no matter who guesses, only the old lady can decide this matter."

  Jinxiu said: "This is the first time you've spoken correctly."

  Feicui listened for a while longer, feeling it was really pointless, and only then did she walk away in annoyance.

  In the room, Mu Ge glanced out of the window and turned his head to exchange a smile with Jin Xiu.

  The girl is right, eavesdropping on this kind of thing. It's getting bolder and bolder, as long as you think no one will find out, the action will be bigger and closer.

  Just now, Feicui almost stuck herself to the door panel.

  I didn't expect the sickly Second Miss to be so formidable. Since Jinxiu didn't get her way, she immediately sent over a piece of jadeite. If Muqi hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he really wouldn't have believed that Second Miss was this kind of person.

  Mu Ge snorted, facing the direction where Fei Cui had left and said, "Why doesn't Miss think of a way to send Fei Cui back? Just make up some excuse, say she's lazy and disrespectful to her master, anything will do."

  Muyan was still young and didn't know the severity of the situation, Jinxiu poured two cups of tea and handed one to Muyan, then picked up her own cup and took a sip. "Feicui was treated extremely well by the second miss, how come she came to our side and got so many disadvantages? If this gets out, what will others think?"

  "Even if we get rid of the jade, it doesn't mean everything will be peaceful on our side. Who knows who else they'll try to squeeze in next? Eighth Miss is right, why not just put one here and even if someone has to take the blame, it doesn't have to be someone from our household."

  After Jingxiu's explanation, Muxin finally understood the reason behind it. No wonder Miss said that this is also good.

  Mugwort smiled secretly, "I didn't know these things, but I think your affair is actually settled. The other day, the young lady discussed your family's affairs with you, and Eighth Miss wanted to take charge, but it's unclear how to smooth things over. The steward of the Cui family is also insatiably greedy; if we were to ask her for help, who knows what she would demand? What we have in hand may not even be enough. But this way, Second Miss has taken care of everything for you, and Madame is also aware of the situation, so it's all proper and aboveboard."

  Jinxiu smiled and said, "Yes, this level is finally over."

  After a while, Chen's mother came again to call Jinxiu away, and after instructing her for a few sentences, she also called Jinxiu's wife over. "Our estate in the suburbs of Beijing is currently short-handed, why don't you two go there to work?"

  Jinxiu's sister-in-law said: "That's good then."

  "Tomorrow morning you all go over there and tell Liu Qingrong, the manager of the Zhuangzi, that it was the old lady who sent you."

  Jinxiu thanked Chen Mama again before leaving.

  Jinxiu rarely spoke, and Chen's mother comforted her when she was still young, "Some things can't be said casually outside. If you can't control your mouth, who knows what kind of trouble will happen."

  Jinxiu hung her head in shock, knowing that Chunxiao must have repeated what she said to the madam. She hastily said: "Yes, I won't dare again. I didn't tell anyone else, only because Chunxiao is also from the madam's quarters and is close to the second miss, so I let my tongue slip."

  Mrs. Chen nodded in agreement, thinking so too.

  "What's new with Miss Eight recently?"

  Jinxiu nodded, "Yes, last time when Master returned, Eighth Miss asked me which miss in the manor Master liked."

  "I was talking about the second young lady, sixth young lady and the former fifth young lady, all of whom were well-versed in literature and art. The eighth young lady asked me to borrow two books from the sixth young lady to take a look, but after barely glancing at them, she had me return them to the sixth young lady right away. These past two days, the eighth young lady has been making a floral-edged jacket for the elder madam."

  Madam Chen nodded, Eighth Miss had already seen that the old master did not like her. Since there was no hope on the old master's side, she could only rely on the first wife. This was a fact, and Eighth Miss had no other way to go.

  Unlike Sixth Miss, there is a great master above and the aunt who gave birth to her below, and there are not a few maids around her who make decisions. Second Miss compared Eighth Miss to Fifth Miss in those years, probably just because of the similar name, it's an illusion.

  Mrs. Chen handed the small box in her hand to Jinxiu, "This is the incense from Sansheng An, Madam said that Eighth Miss also likes these, so she asked me to bring some over for Eighth Miss."

  Jinxiu took the incense back into the house.

  Ronghua opened the wooden box and saw that the incense was packed in sandalwood tubes with the mark of Sansheng An, "When did people from Sansheng An come?"

  Mu Tong said: "I did hear the maid outside mention it. Ma Dao Po from San Sheng An entered the mansion today, and after Madame saw Ma Dao Po, she left."

  "Where did he go?"

  Mu Ge said: "I heard you went to Yi Cheng Hou's mansion."

  What is the meaning of "Yi Cheng Hou Fu"?

  Rong Hua suddenly remembered that she had met a Taoist nun at Yao Hua's place before, and at the time, she only felt that this Taoist nun looked treacherous and hateful, and she couldn't help but feel disgusted. She even asked Yao Hua, "What did she come to your room for?"

  Yao Hua simply said: "Mother wants to worship the Medicine King, saying that it's better to see him, I have no choice, just go through the motions."

  Rong Hua asked: "Is there a black mole between the eyebrows of that Ma Dao's wife?"

  Jinxiu said: "Yes, when did Miss see it?"

  Rong Hua thought for a moment and casually came up with an excuse, "I've heard the younger girls mention it before, seems like there's such a person."

  Jinxiu also strangely said: "Previously, I was in the big wife's room, one day the big wife had a great anger, saying that she would not let this Ma Dao wife enter the house again," paused and then said: "It's because Ma Dao wife said that the young lady is not good this year."

  "The old lady also said that Ma Dao Po was talking nonsense and used these things to cheat money for incense oil."

  Ronghua couldn't help but be shocked, "So it seems that what Madam Ma said has come true." The old lady had called for Madam Ma to enter the mansion, presumably to ask for her advice, and now she was hastily heading to the Yi Cheng Marquis's estate. Was she going to discuss with Shuhua after listening to Madam Ma's words?

  Jinxiu said: "That Ma Dao Po says she can help people see the timing, look at the eight characters, and observe the feng shui. Every time she comes to the mansion, she boasts about herself, saying a lot of things, and also claims that many high-ranking officials' families go to her for divination."

  Jinxiu's expression changed as she furrowed her brow, seemingly deep in thought. She then asked tentatively, "Eighth Miss, shall I go and make some inquiries?"

  Ronghua hesitated for a moment, shaking his head. "There's no wall that doesn't leak wind, if the madam has taken action, we should have gotten news in these few days, besides, just thinking about it and you'll know...it's nothing but making a fuss over those two things."

  Status and offspring.

  Jinxiu said, "However, the Yi Cheng Hou Fu does not believe in these things. Once the eldest sister came back and told Madame that she wanted to invite Qin Tian Jian to come into the mansion to arrange the feng shui, but Madame Cai found an excuse to stop her."

  Rong Hua's eyes sparkled with surprise as he stared at Jin Xiu, "Do you know why?" All the noble and wealthy families believed in the Tianquan Observatory.

  Jinxiu shook her head, "The young lady didn't say anything, and the madam advised the young lady not to rush into things, let's wait and see."

  Perhaps Yao Hua knew, Rong Hua thought for a moment, the old lady's room was crowded with people, and sometimes it wasn't convenient to talk. Besides, sisters would have more conversations between them, who knows, maybe they would reveal something to Yao Hua...

  If Yao Hua knew the real reason behind it, Ma Dao's visit to the manor this time... probably there will be a big storm in Yicheng Hou Manor in the next few days.

  It's hard to guarantee that it won't burn over here either.

  Madam arrived at the Yi Cheng Marquis's residence, and Second Madam had already come out to greet her. "How have you been these past few days, Madam? Eldest Sister is waiting for you inside."

  The second grandma spoke in a roundabout way, without mentioning Mrs. Cai, but the implication was...

  The old lady slowly climbed up the stairs, with the second wife supporting her on one side. "Is Mrs. Cai not at home?"

  The second wife smiled and said, "Madam has come at an inopportune time. My wife went to her mother's home early this morning to visit Old Lady Cai."

  This is better, it's more convenient for her and Shu Hua to talk.

  The second lady accompanied the madam to Shu Hua's place. Shu Hua was leaning against the headboard, with a bright orange blossom on her forehead and wearing a light orange dress with dark flowers. She looked very spirited. When she saw the madam, Shu Hua quickly got up, but the madam rushed forward to stop her. "Hurry back to bed, your body is not well, you need to rest in bed to recover, don't be careless."

  Shu Hua nodded, and beside her, Qiu He covered herself with the quilt again.

  The second grandmother knew that the big wife and the big sister-in-law must have something to say, so she found an excuse, "I'll prepare some fruit for my relatives' wife." She took the maid in the house down.

  Shu Hua sent away the other maids in the house before saying, "Mother, why have you suddenly come today."

  The old lady took advantage of this opportunity to speak, "How have you been feeling these past two days?"

  Shu Hua smiled and nodded, "It's okay, these past few days the people in the mansion have been taking care of me, and the imperial physician came to see me again."

  The lady smiled comfortingly and said, "That's good, I was worried about you." After a pause, she asked again, "Did the imperial physician say what happened to you this time?"

  Shu Hua shook her head, "I didn't ask in detail, I think it's because of physical reasons. This is my first pregnancy in three years and I don't want to lose it again."

  The old lady said: "You are still young, and the days ahead of you are long," she said, looking around her. At this moment it was just right to speak, so she lowered her voice, "Do you remember often going to the imperial palace's Ma Dao Po?"

  I'm in! Celebrating with flowers, almost didn't make it. Thanks for everyone's support.