The moment only Yingtao and Li Zhu remained in the room, they gravitated towards Du Jingyi. Yingtao, especially, voiced her concern. “Madam, why didn’t you tell them that you had this slave tamper with the money? Mama Dou and Madam Liu are worried. I fear your role as housekeeper will face trouble in the future.” She was sharp, understanding the underlying currents of the recent encounter. Li Zhu, though silent, nodded in agreement, reflecting her own bewilderment.
Du Jingyi, however, merely smiled, with a playful, lively glint in her eyes. She relaxed, lying comfortably on the kang, propping her head on her hands. “Don’t I want to leave a good impression on them? I don’t need people knowing that I, having just taken charge of the house, would resort to poisoning them and calling me evil-minded.”
Her single sentence brought a shared chuckle from Yingtao and Li Zhu. Indeed, as they contemplated the potential fate of the Fifth House, a quiet glee settled amongst the three, like spectators enjoying a compelling drama.
“Look at how they treasured that glittering silver just now,” Li Zhu remarked, a hint of disdain in her voice. “Honestly, if I told anyone, they wouldn’t believe these people were even part of the Duke’s household.”
“To put it politely, they are relatives in the Duke’s mansion,” Yingtao added, her tone equally scornful. “But to speak plainly, aren’t they just locusts and moths? Haven’t we seen their kind before in our own home?” Li Zhu bristled at the memory. “I thought only people in our household were so spineless, but now it seems these two familes in the Duke’s mansion are even more disgusting!” She instinctively wiped her hands on her clothes, as if cleansing herself of an unpleasant touch. She wouldn’t have touched the Fifth Old Lady unless absolutely necessary. Seeing her expression, Yingtao laughed helplessly.
“Alright, after all this early morning commotion, I expect that Young Lady is sleepy again. Let’s make the bed and let the Young Lady rest for a while first.” Hearing this, the corners of Du Jingyi’s mouth curved upwards. She pouted playfully at Yingtao. “Yingtao is still my favorite.” Her words brought laughter to both maids.
Du Jingyi had always loved and been skilled at sleeping since childhood. Moreover, her body hadn’t fully recovered from the previous night’s intense confrontation, so more rest was certainly beneficial. Yingtao and Li Zhu dutifully attended to her, removing her hairpins, changing her clothes, and settling her down for a midday nap. Those outside, unaware of the true circumstances, assumed she was simply overwhelmed, and thus, ensured she remained undisturbed.
After preparing the almond milk soup, Mama Dou hurried to deliver it. But upon hearing that the Young Lady had fallen asleep, the worry in her eyes deepened, though she held her tongue. After leaving the soup, she went to find Steward He outside. They had worked together to protect Dongyuan for many years, and their dedication remained unwavering. Steward He’s thoughts mirrored Mama Dou’s, as they met in the corridor.
“How is the Young Lady now ?” Steward He asked, a note of concern in his voice, the moment he saw Mama Dou.
Mama Dou’s face was somber. “She’s probably a little upset. When I just passed by, I heard Yingtao say she was resting again.” Steward He looked up at the increasingly bright sky and let out a short sigh. “The Young Lady is still young, and not as steady as the Eldest Lady in handling matters. Let’s keep a closer eye on these things in the future.” Mama Dou also nodded in agreement. They constantly worried that the back house, filled with “wolves, tigers, ,” would devour Du Jingyi if they don’t pay attention.
As they spoke, they saw the General, Shang Ji, rushing back from outside. His face was grim, and his eyes burning with anger. He immediately approached them. “Where are the people from the Fifth House?” Clearly, Shang Ji had already been informed of today’s commotion. Steward He subtly glanced at Wang Ji, the servant from Fuqiu Courtyard, and understood the general situation. It must have been the Eldest Young Lady, after hearing the news and fearing the Young Lady couldn’t handle it, who sent someone to summon Shang Ji back. He quickly replied, “Sent away by the Young Lady.”
“Did they trouble her?” Shang Ji pressed.
“There was no fuss, but the Young Lady gave them one hundred taels of silver, and so Steward Qi’s matter was settled.” Hearing this, Shang Ji’s brisk stride faltered. Sometimes, he felt these people weren’t even his relatives. They seemed to have no backbone, constantly feigning weakness. Yet, when it came to exploiting others, to “drinking human blood and gnawing on human bones,” they seemed to have a thousand mouths. He resumed his pace, faster than before, heading towards Xitang Courtyard.
Mama Dou intended to follow but was stopped by Steward He. “Let the General handle it. Let’s just tend to our duties.” Although Mama Dou remained worried, she stayed put, not following him.
In Xitang Courtyard, Shang Ji and his follower, Luo Yuan, hurried back. By chance, they encountered Yingtao again , quietly embroidering handkerchiefs on the porch. Her embroidery skills weren’t comparable to Lu Ju’s, but it served as a pleasant pastime. She was surprised to suddenly see her General rush back in such a hurry. She had seen him just last night, and while his expression had been a little strained, it was far better than the cold anger he wore now. Before Yingtao could ponder further, she quickly stood up, saluted Shang Ji, and said, “I have seen the General.”
“Mm, get up.” Shang Ji responded, looking towards the inner room, but remaining rooted to the spot.
Seeing this, Yingtao offered an explanation. “General, are you going in? The Young Lady got up early today and felt a little tired, so she went to bed again.” After saying this, she seemed to remember something and deliberately added, “The Young Lady did not feel any discomfort before going to bed.” Hearing this, Shang Ji’s worry eased somewhat. After a moment of silence, he glanced at Yingtao and then commanded, “Tell me clearly what happened today.”
“Yes.” It wasn’t that he intended to blame anyone; he simply needed a clear understanding of the events before he could formulate a plan. Yingtao held nothing back, recounting everything that had transpired in the flower hall. She spoke carefully, and Shang Ji listened intently. He frowned slightly when she described the one hundred taels of shining silver ingots that Yingtao had delivered. Looking at Yingtao, his eyes held a mix of doubt and inquiry. Then, he asked directly, “Did Madam tamper with the money?”
Yingtao gasped, unable to suppress her admiration. When the Eldest Young Lady and Mama Dou had heard the same details, their primary reaction had been worry. But the General, seeing through the surface, had immediately detected something unusual.