What sets Qiu Sheng apart from others is: she can read and write, do arithmetic and keep accounts, and also recognizes fabrics.

  The first two things she could do in her past life, the skills she brought with her when she crossed over. The fabrics were taught to her after New Year's Eve, although not for a long time, but they are common knowledge that everyone should know, basically everyone knows them.

  Chao Sheng helped Wu's mother clean up and collect things, busy to the point of not being able to lift her head. Someone outside the door said: "Our Yunxia Palace clothes are good?"

  Chao Sheng suddenly lifted his head and bumped into the person who had just entered.

  "Dive for pearls."

  She recognized him at a glance, but Cai Zhen hesitated for a moment before suddenly realizing: "Chao Sheng? You... you're still alive? How are you here?"

  No need for him to answer, she already understood.

  "I knew it……" She looked around, pulled Chao Sheng two steps inside to avoid the crowd: "I still thought you were dead…… Chen, no, An Fei Niang Niang has not lived in Yanxia Palace for a long time, and even the servants who served her didn't know where they went," Her eyes were slightly red: "I thought you were... really didn't expect to see you again. How did you become so thin? I almost didn't recognize you."

  "Where did everyone else go? Don't you know either? Where's Huan Xun?"

  Zai Zhu shook her head: "I don't know, I haven't seen them since that day. Huan Xun's sister also disappeared without a word. That matter is a great taboo, no one in the palace dares to mention it again, and I didn't dare ask about your news either, my heart has been hanging in suspense... Your hand... how did it become like this? Is life very bitter here?"

  Chao Sheng and Wu Mama had heard that only she was demoted to Huanyi Alley. Where did the others who served Chen Fei go?

  "It's okay... why did you come alone?"

  Zaiyu said: "No, I came with Xianglu. You also know that Xianglu's sister is in the palace, she stole a chance to find her sister and say a few words."

  Chao Sheng remembered that Xiang Lu was also serving Xu Cai Ren.

  "What's going on... exactly what did he say?"

  Zai Zhu looked at her in surprise: "You don't know?"

  Chao Sheng shook his head: "I haven't spoken with anyone from outside since I arrived here... All I know is that Empress Chen has been promoted..."

  Zaiyu lowered her voice and said: "This matter, no one in the palace dares to discuss. I only heard that the empress was miscarried due to bad incense, as for other things, I don't know... However, some people say it's another concubine who plotted against her, I secretly heard our master and Zheng Meiren say, the ones who took action are probably those two concubines who went to Yunxia Palace that day."

  Chao Sheng was taken aback for a moment, then turned around and took out a package that had been packed: "Take a look and see if it's these few things."

  I'm afraid of making mistakes, so I don't dare to talk to her much. Hurriedly, I threw out a sentence: "Now that I know you're okay, I can rest assured. I'll come find you when I have time."

  After sending away Cai Zhu, Chao Sheng felt a bit dazed.

  Chen Fei was knocked out by the incense?

  Wasn't it that night's dinner that was tampered with? In the prison, what Cao Gonggong said and his expression... Chaosheng was certain she wasn't wrong at the time. But now she's uncertain again.

  Maybe what was finally found out is really bergamot?

  Since Chen Fei became pregnant, the consumption of incense has been greatly reduced, almost not used at all. Even on the day the Emperor came, Chao Sheng remembered that no incense was burned in the house during the daytime. As for whether it was burned at night...Chao Sheng couldn't be sure.

  If it's incense, why did Lord Cao desperately ask what was cooked for dinner?

  Who is the loser?

  Whether it's incense or dinner, the problem must be with one of them on your head.

  Someone must have tampered with it.

  Who is this person?

  Although he saw the pearl picker, Chao Sheng still didn't know any news about Han Xiang and others.

  At that time, the three of them entered the palace together and lived in one room, taking care of each other, eating and living together, learning etiquette together, and suffering punishment together. Later, they were also assigned to the Yunxia Palace together. Although they served different masters, the three of them still got along very well.

  Is Xiangyun still alive?

  Chao Sheng firmly believes in this point.

  She must still be alive. Maybe she was also sent to another place as a servant, just like herself. Chao Sheng was involved in this matter and can be said to have been implicated even if he wasn't the main culprit, so he had to take responsibility. Anyway, whether you're right or wrong, if your master gets into trouble, that's a huge mistake. But Han Xiang didn't get much attention. Similarly, not getting attention also means that when something happens, not many people pay attention to you.

  She worked hard with renewed energy, and Wu's mother seemed somewhat satisfied, but still spoke coarsely and didn't give her a good face.

  "Be a bit more efficient with your hands and feet, you're being so finicky like a young lady! What's going on in that head of yours?"

  Chao Sheng spread out the booklet: "The clothes that have been taken are all checked off, and the ones below haven't been picked up yet. They're on the second rack."

  "Wu's mother nodded: 'Are these characters written by you?'"

  Chao Sheng replied: "I wrote it."

  Wu's mother was not very literate and usually just roughly kept track of things, as long as the numbers were more or less right.

  "Alright, go eat now. Remember not to go into the east wing, several people there have caught a cold. You all need to be careful not to spread the illness around, or I'll deal with you!"

  Although the words were not pleasant to hear, Chao Sheng also understood that Wu Mama actually meant well.

  Man'er left some rice for Chao Sheng, which had gone a bit cold. She touched the rim of the bowl and said: "Don't eat yet, wait for me." She went out for a moment and came back with a large thermos in her hand, pouring some hot water into the bowl.

  Chao Sheng understood her meaning, waited a moment, and filtered out the water from the bowl. The rice in the bowl had been soaked in hot water and was now soft and warm to eat, much more comfortable than eating cold leftovers.

  Have you eaten?

  "We've already eaten." Man'er flipped out a small box from the head of the bed, inside were some oils they had found to wipe their faces and hands. Because there wasn't much, both people used it sparingly.

  The child rubbed a little bit on the back of his hand, spreading it evenly, and then scrubbed hard to warm up his hands. In a hurry, he finished eating his rice and put away his bowl and chopsticks.

  The sky had already darkened, and in this season the days were short and the nights were long. They usually didn't light lamps unless there was something going on, so they would chat for a bit before going to bed early.

  After being tired for a whole day, I can fall asleep as soon as I rest my head on the pillow.

  But today Chao Sheng was restless and couldn't calm down no matter what.

  She didn't expect to run into Cai Zhen today.

  Although Zhai didn't bring her any news, it made the things that were originally suppressed in her heart all surge up like boiling water. Man'er had long been fast asleep, snoring heavily. Outside, the wind started to pick up, and the window frames creaked softly in the gusts.

  Chao Sheng opened his eyes and stared at the darkness in front of him.

  Although it's dark now, the sky will always be bright eventually.

  But when will her future brighten up?