Chapter 161 The Two Purses That Was Sent Out
There was no flaw in Madam Di's words. She even said in a very generous and decent way. Nobody could find out any fault in whatever aspect of her words. However, Qin Wanru still antagonized her when Madam Di had an advantage in the event now.
"General, just look... Wanru now doesn't know the true meaning of the filial piety at all. She is very willful! We are now in the capital city, not Jiangzhou where we used to live. Young Ladies from aristocratic families are now everywhere in this city. Let alone our mansion, any lady from a noble aristocratic family in the capital city dare not be so willful like her!"
When finding out that Qin Wanru stood out again, Madam Di looked very sorrowful. She wiped her tears with a handkerchief, pretended to be very heart-struck and said, "When I cared for Wanru, she had been a very innocent girl!"
She meant that Shui Ruolan failed in educating Qin Wanru well when she raised her up. It was in a short time that Qin Wanru had become so willful. And Qin Huaiyong would not let her be wayward like this so it would be better for him to punish Qin Wanru heavily.
At that time, Shui Ruolan would be much heartbroken and sad. It would be better to add fuel to the flame!
Qin Huaiyong frowned and set his eyes on Qin Wanru. He looked a little bit angry and asked, "Wanru, do you know what you are talking about?"
"Father, it is the old maid who caused this trouble deliberately," Qin Wanru answered calmly, looking into Qin Huaiyong's eyes.
"What do you mean?" Qin Huaiyong sunk his voice to ask.
A satisfied look came into Madam Di's eyes. She knew that Qin Huaiyong was a little bit angry. That would be great! She was afraid that Qin Huaiyong wouldn't get irritated at all. She believed that Qin Wanru was unable to explain Qionghua's trouble.
If this event was inexplicable, then however Qin Wanru said well she would be punished in the end. She was only a little mean girl who knew nothing and even tried to meddle in this mess. How dare she!
"Well, it could be considered as a surprise! I have thought that it is not enough to only punish Qionghua. It would be better to make Shui Ruolan feel more sorrow."
"Father, the old maid is ill-disposed! I have evidence!" said Qin Wanru.
"What?" asked Qin Huaiyong.
Madam Di's heart suddenly raced. She subconsciously looked at Nanny Zhou beside her and felt relieved when seeing Nanny Zhou's impassive face. She was terrified of the girl's words and even thought that she did have some evidence just now.
"What kind of evidence could be left by this event? There is no material evidence at all. The old maid is very careful and there must be no witness."
Thinking for a while, Madam Di smiled lightly. She stared at Qin Wanru, with seeming kindness. It seemed that Qin Wanru was unreasonable. Now her character setting was very like the one she had many years ago. In front of Qin Huaiyong, she always pretended to treat Qin Wanru very well, even better than Qin Yuru sometimes, just in order to show her real motherly care.
Qing Yue who was behind Qin Wanru now stood out. After bowing to Qin Huaiyong, she pointed at the old maid and said, "General, I have seen this old maid before. She arrived here earlier than me. She even walked to the bird's nest porridge and looked around. I have heard from my Lady that the bird's nest porridge is cooked for Madam Shui. She doesn't want to have it all by herself so she gave half of the porridge to my Lady. However, there are many bowls here!"
While saying, Qing Yue let Yujie and Qionghua make way and show all people the four medium-sized stoves, on which there were three same bowls of bird's nest porridge.
From the outward appearance, they looked exactly the same.
Qin Huaiyong stunned and then he turned and squinted at Madam Di.
Madam Di's heart raced again. She quickly calmed down and feared that Qin Huaiyong would discover something from her expression. She said, "General, I asked the kitchen to cook bird's nest porridge for Yuru and me. About the bird's nest, I let the purchaser of our mansion buy it for me. If you still don't believe me, you could send servants to check!"
In case that she would get involved in this matter, she deliberately let the purchaser buy it.
The cause of this matter was the bird's nest porridge.
When Madam Di finished, opening her eyes wide, Qionghua gazed at Madam Di with astonishment. Needless to say, she must think in this way just now.
"General, couldn't my Madam cook some bird's nest porridge in our mansion?" Realizing Madam Di's intention, Nanny Zhou quickly helped her Madam and said.
What problem could have when an official Madam of the General cooked bird's nest in her house? The question sounded like that Madam Di was repressed by Shui Ruolan and she even could not have bird's nest porridge.
Qin Huaiyong frowned tightly. He looked slightly irritated.
"Madam, I heard from grandmother that Duke Yong's Mansion has returned lots of bird's nests as presents when you came back from Duke Yong's Mansion. Then why would you buy bird's nest from outside? Or are those bird's nest on sale outside better than those given by Duke Yong's Mansion?" Qin Wanru asked with smiling eyes.
Her question was unexpected and hard to answer. If Madam Di said no, then why would she still purchase bird's nest from outside? If answering yes, then she would lose Duke Yong's Mansion's face.
"Well, Madam doesn't want to eat that bird's nest now because those given by Duke Yong's Mansion were extremely good. She also wants to give some to Old Grandma and Madam Shui." Seeing things going wrong, she quickly helped Madam Di and explained stiffly.
"Is that Madam Di?"
Qin Huaiyong's eyes flickered but he said nothing.
"Well, you are so kind. I must thank you for my mother and grandmother!" Qin Wanru smiled, bowed sideways, turned and looked at the old maid. "Nanny Zhou, could you please explain that why the old maid would stay in the kitchen during the time from the point that Qing Yue has come back from the kitchen to that Qionghua came in? She is a new servant. She didn't leave but still stayed and did nothing in the kitchen. What was she doing on earth in the kitchen during such a long time?"
"When Qing Yue came back, it even took me some time to arrive at the kitchen. The time the old maid spent in the kitchen was over the time that we made a round trip time from our court to the kitchen." Yujie proved.
"Tell me what was going on," said Qin Huaiyong coldly. Nobody knew he was asking the old maid or Nanny Zhou.
Nanny Zhou gaped and flustered. She didn't expect that there would be something like this. She didn't know how to answer. She set her eyes on the old maid and gave her a sign furtively.
The old maid quickly understood. She struggled to sit on kneeling with her hands still covering her chest at once and said, "General, I just wanted to see whether the bird's nest porridge was okay. Madam likes the bird's nest being stewed rotten. I was to leave but when I found out that the bird's nest porridge didn't cater to Madam's demand so I waited for a while. Then, the servant girl of Madam Shui came!"
After answering the question, she even coughed painfully deliberately, seeming that she was very weak.
"Ah, no wonder you have left for so long!" Nanny Zhou seemed to take a tumble. She turned and said reverently to Qin Huaiyong, "General, the old maid is new here. I fear that she doesn't know my Madam so I especially told her that Madam likes the bird's nest porridge being stewed very, very rotten. And I let her not be eager to take the porridge. I just said so casually but I didn't know she is so die-hard and even waited here!"
Seeing Nanny Zhou and the old maid echoing each other and finding out that a satisfied look flickered in Madam Di's eyes, Qin Wanru gave a dirty look. "The old maid totally is an old fox! How could she make up such a seemingly sound reason."
"Then why would she give a purse to the kitchen supervisor furtively to my face?" Qing Yue asked loudly. She pointed at an old maid hiding in the throng. "I was also curious why there would be other two bowls of bird's nest porridge. Then I saw her giving a purse to the supervisor and she even glanced at me. It seemed that she gave out the purse just in order to let me find out!"
"Yes! She did! I also saw her giving out the purse! To my face! She did it very furtively and seemed to hide her behavior from me. However, she just did it in a way that I could see clearly. She gave the purse to this supervisor!" Qionghua now became sober. She pointed at another supervisor hiding in the throng. "That old maid was also glancing at me while I wanted to check whether my Madam's bird's nest porridge was okay!"
The two identified supervisors tried to hide into the crowd while the crowd parted and showed them clearly.
"What was going on then?" Qin Huaiyong set his cold eyes on the two old maids directly.
They looked at each other and suddenly knelt down.
"General, she just let me care for her Madam's bird's nest porridge and let us do our best. She also said that the purse was given by Madam Di."
"Yes! Yes! It is true! There was no other thing!"
The two maids dare not hide anything and answered hurriedly.
"However, the old maid gave the two supervisors the purses especially when Qing Yue or Qionghua could see them. Weird! She seemed to let Qing Yue and Qionghua be able to see her giving purses to supervisors deliberately! The two servant girls didn't know Madam Di let the purchaser buy bird's nest. Moreover, what she did is very dubious! She just wanted the kitchen to stew the bird's nest in a better way and then she gave the supervisors two purses. How rich Madam Di is!"
Qin Wanru exclaimed.
"Well, that, that's my order. I fear that the kitchen would mess Madam Di's porridge for the kitchen now consider Madam Shui's health as their most important thing!" Nanny Zhou quickly lowered her head and answered.
What she meant was that the kitchen only focused on Shui Ruolan but didn't care about Madam Di. As an official Madam in the mansion, she had to spend money to let the kitchen take more care of her foods when she wanted to enjoy her foods in a comfortable way.
However, when Qin Huaiyong heard this answer, there was a cold and serious look in his eyes. Although he didn't like Madam Di and didn't try to let the kitchen treat her in a bad way, if these words were spread out, then not only Madam Di would lose face but also Duke Yong's Mansion. They would not leave this thing alone.
"Cousin, it seems that there is a mystery in the event. Then I want to catch them all and question them!" Now Shui Ruolan had understood the whole thing. A hint of anger flashed upon her eyes.
"Sister, are you okay with your health? If you get irritated then, it might hurt you. Moreover, one of them is your servant!" Madam Di pretended to care about her but when she looked at Shui Ruolan's face, a defiant look was in her eyes. What she meant was that Shui Ruolan should step out this matter.
"Well, when you were to punish Qionghua, your words didn't accord with your behavior then. The old maid is your servant, isn't she?" Qin Wanru didn't want to let her be so satisfied. If Shui Ruolan needed to step out, so did Madam Di. She smiled with a corner of her mouth upward and said, "What's more, there is another thing. I want to tell everyone and let Madam Di make a comment on it!"
Madam Di was shocked and felt subconsciously that thing would go worse!
Chapter 162 To Make You Unspeakable
"What? Say it," asked Madam Di.
"I just want to ask why these bowls which the porridge is poured into are the same. If there is a mistake, then what should we do when the unborn boy in mother's belly might be hurt?"
Qin Wanru said calmly.
"Madam, why would you want to have bird's nest porridge like mother's especially? I remember that you used to do not like that porridge. I still remember once that the kitchen misunderstood your meaning and cooked bird's nest porridge instead of bird's nest thick soup. Then because of this, you even beat the supervisor of the kitchen and threw the porridge directly upon the supervisor. Do you remember this event?"
This event happened in Jiangzhou and even made an uproar because Madam Di threw the scalding bird's nest porridge upon the supervisor of the kitchen. As for why this event would go viral, it was because this supervisor actually was not a child of a servant who was born in the Qin's Mansion but a servant who did a better job than others and then was appointed to be the supervisor for a time.
Although Madam Di had made compensation to the supervisor, the families of the supervisor were not satisfied. Therefore, the event had escalated. Fortunately, Qin Huaiyong was very powerful in Jiangzhou so this event finally was repressed. Even so, people in the Qin's Mansion all knew about this.
After hearing her words, Qin Huaiyong's face became stern!
If that was true, what Madam Di did today was very dubious. Considering Madam Di's attitude in the past, and thinking about this event which was caused by the bird's nest porridge, Qin Huaiyong gradually looked very serious when glancing around at the four same bowls. Madam Di's target might be the unborn baby in Shui Ruolan's belly.
Otherwise, what was she doing when she didn't like the bird's nest porridge at all?
She first asked the purchaser to buy some bird's nest especially and didn't cook those sent by the Duke Yong's Mansion. Then the new old maid confronted Qing Yue and Qionghua while Qing Yue was all right and Qionghua was caught into trouble. Or was that Madam Di's purpose? If so, then those vague explanations before could be very clear now.
"She has prepared the plan very early and just waits for me to ask about these!"
"Madam Di does have bad intentions!"
Shui Ruolan finally relaxed. Although she said nothing, she feared that Qin Wanru was unable to handle Madam Di. Nanny Zhou's words before sounded that Madam Di was very innocent and she seemed to be wronged by them. Moreover, her people got involved in this event so she'd better not to meddle in this and only could pin her hope on Qin Wanru.
Hearing Qin Wanru's words, Madam Di quickly knew that thing went wrong as she knew that Qin Huaiyong gradually distrusted her. In Qin Wanru's words, there were doubtful points everywhere. When Madam Di raised her head and saw Qin Huaiyong's angriest, sternest and worst look, she could not pretend a calm and kind expression any more. She immediately shouted at Qin Wanru, "Wanru, what do you mean? Couldn't I turn to like having porridge now even though I didn't like it before?"
"Well, of course you could like it or hate it as you want but don't you think that everything is too coincidental? You even came faster than any servant here. Compared the distance from your court to the kitchen with that from my court to here, I suppose that I should be faster than you. However, when I arrived, I saw that you just finished the interrogation and wanted to punish Qionghua 20 flogs!"
Qin Wanru said softly.
However, the slight words heavily smashed Madam Di's heart, which made her unspeakable. There were too many coincidences, too many abnormalities and standing friction between Madam Di and Shui Ruolan. If she still wanted to argue that she was concerned with Shui Ruolan, she could be unspeakable now.
"Madam Di prefers light taste recently!" Seeing thing went wrong, Nanny Zhou quickly helped Madam Di and explained, "When the servant girl came to report, Madam Di happened to be in a place which is quite near here but not in her yard!"
"Quite near here? Where is it? When the First Young Master of the Qi Family came to our mansion to look for Lady Qi, Madam Di even sent the maid to tell us and reminded that we should be away from them. What? Madam Di yourself did not avoid them, did you?"
Raising her beautiful eyebrows, Qin Wanru asked.
Madam Di did let others warn them before. She said that though Qin's Mansion and Qi Family were old friends, it would be better to avert suspicion when in the capital city. Her purpose was definitely to not let others encounter the scene that Qin Yuru and Qi Tianyu were together.
However, this now became her unspeakable reason. She never expected that this would be tangled with the matter happened in the kitchen.
Taken by surprise, she had to explain while gnashing her teeth, "I watched Qi Tianyu grow up and there is no need for me to avert suspicion. When we arrived in the capital city, his mother even asked me to take good care of him!"
"Then you went to see the First Young Master of the Qi Family?" Qin Wanru pushed her harder and quietly nudged the conversation towards Qi Tianyu!
"I was late and didn't see him. Then I ran into this matter here." Madam Di gnashed her teeth as a ferocious look appeared in her eyes. She wouldn't admit it and would tackle problems quickly and effectively when the next problem came.
"Then mother you need to talk to the First Young Master of the Qi Family, don't you?" Qin Wanru continued to lead the topic towards Master Qi. Her every word carried a question. Madam Di had to answer them all.
"Nothing. Just want to see him!" Thinking for a while, Madam Di answered.
"Well, if there's nothing, then what kind of attitude would you treat the First Young Master of the Qi Family with as you think it is great when you encounter him while it is okay when you fail in seeing him?" Qin Wanru slowly ripped off the wound she targeted as a hint of sarcasm came into her eyes. This was also an unspeakable and inexplicable thing for Madam Di though she knew there was a question.
There was not only Qionghua who was unspeakable!
When Madam Di saw the sarcasm in Qin Wanru's eyes, her eyes even trembled with anger and her voice became sharp. She said, "Qin Wanru! This is not your business! You, a little girl, doesn't learn something good but knows how to push your foster mother. Or are you going to force me to admit that this thing is true?"
"No, I dare not. Madam, I am only telling a truth. Now just let father investigate what happened when First Young Master of the Qi Family came to our mansion. We could know where he went to, where you went to or who he met. Then we could figure out the whole thing!"
Qin Wanru smiled slightly and advised Qin Huaiyong. When she found out that it was a good time to quit, she went back and stood beside Shui Ruolan. She looked at Qionghua who was the cause of this matter, so it was able to lead the matter towards Qionghua again now. Madam Di wanted to handle this matter slowly so she could not hurry and flurry!
Seeing Qin Wanru gave a sign, Qionghua quickly stared at Madam Di warily.
Madam Di's eyes were bloodshot because of anger. If Qin Huaiyong were not here, she would have slapped Qin Wanru in the face for several times!
She didn't fear that Qin Huaiyong would know something but feared that others would know!
Duke Yong's Mansion sent her several right hands and some of them followed her now. However, she couldn't ensure that nobody would tell this matter to people in Duke Yong's Mansion. If her sister-in-law knew Qin Yuru dated with Qi Tianyu privately in the yard, the engagement between her mansion and Duke Yong's Mansion would fail.
"General! Please listen to my explanation! It is not what you think!" When seeing Qin Huaiyong's livid face, Madam Di hurriedly explained. She couldn't say it out in public but she could tell Qin Huaiyong in privacy.
"Madam, you just asked me what the old maid spoke evil of my madam and I could not say it out in front of people. However, I also could tell Madam Shui and General in privacy!"
Qionghua was waiting for Madam Di's words. When she said that, Qionghua quickly answered.
She was unspeakable before. She not only let the old maid have an advantage in the matter but also was caught by Madam Di who even tried to punish Qionghua immediately. If Qin Wanru had arrived here late, Qionghua would have been punished by them. If she became disabled, it would be considered as a mistake. What could she do? Even if Shui Ruolan wanted to seek justice for Qionghua, she could do nothing.
However, Qionghua caught this chance and used Madam Di's words to prove her innocence. Moreover, there were too many coincidences in the truth that Qin Wanru said. Qin Huaiyong would definitely believe that this matter was another trouble planned by Madam Di. He would not want to hear her explanation.
He shouted at her very angrily, "Leave!"
Then he turned back and left, leaving Madam Di standing there with a pale look. She set her malicious eyes on Qin Wanru and Shui Ruolan, gnashing her teeth and then followed Qin Huaiyong and left.
During the lunch time, someone reported to them that Qin Huaiyong had a quarrel with Madam Di in her court and he even kicked her heavily. Now she had to lie in bed and was unable to get up.
Qin Yuru went to see her mother and then went to Qin Huaiyong's study room to ask him to send a doctor to treat Madam Di.
One doctor was not enough and then they asked several doctors to come. It just seemed that Madam Di was dying. In Madam Di's Yulan Pavilion, everything was in a mess.
Even though how it was in a mess in Madam Di's Yulan Pavilion, the old maid who led to this trouble was punished very heavily. After flogging her twenty times, the mansion asked her families to bring her back.
When the servant trader sold this servant, they both signed a death contract that it was okay even if the servant was beaten to death.
Moreover, she was trying to plot against the unborn baby in Madam Shui's belly.
The matter went so viral that everyone in the mansion knew. It happened in the kitchen and there were lots of people there. Though Qin Huaiyong didn't say directly who should be responsible for this, many people saw Qin Huaiyong left with Madam Di. After that, Madam Di was kicked heavily and the old maid came to a really bad end.
Then, all servants who just came to the mansion felt afraid. They were new here and then saw a new old maid beaten to be disabled. If they didn't try their best to accomplish their task, they might have a worse end.
A mess was in the mansion. Then there came fear. However, there were too many people in the main kitchen and some couriers would deliver vegetables to the mansion from outside. They might stay in the mansion for several hours and subsequently, some words about this matter was spread outside.
People of Duke Yong's Mansion came Qin's Mansion in the afternoon. It was Duke Yong himself who came to visit Madam Di with his own son.
Qin Huaiyong invited Duke Yong to his reading room in the outer court while Di Yan visited Madam Di in Yulan Pavilion.
"Huaiyong, I still remember that when you asked me to let my sister marry you, you said that you would always treat her well. You even told me that there are strict family rules in your mansion. So are you gonna tell me that this is your so-called family style? How dare you kick her! What a great general you are!" Duke Yong was Madam Di's natural bother. He used to favor his sister very much. Without saying anything, he banged the cup heavily on the table, and said to Qin Huaiyong with his fierce eyes.
When his sister married Qin Huaiyong, Madam Di's status was higher than Qin Huaiyong's. Duke Yong's Mansion, as an aristocratic family was to look down upon Qin Huaiyong. However, they had to let Madam Di marry Qin Huaiyong in that situation!
Qin Huaiyong was well-prepared. He raised his head and looked into Duke Yong's eyes with a bad expression. He said, "Brother-in-law, you know I don't have a son. I had waited too long until Madam Shui was pregnant. How could Madam Di be intolerable! She always wants to kill that child! Look, how could I calm down! Moreover, it was an accident! When I left, she suddenly rushed to me and I kicked her accidentally!"
"If killing this baby is good for your career?" Duke Yong sneered and said directly. He knew what his sister was thinking about!