If one wants to get things done in the mansion, one must have informants.
Cuihuan and Biyu were capable maids. Now that both of them had pledged their loyalty to Fu Zhen, the young maids who knew them naturally became eager.
From time to time, under the pretext of delivering things, some young maids would pull Cuihuan aside and secretly slip her silver ingots, eagerly begging her to let them work in Zhuqing Courtyard.
Cuihuan knew that Fu Zhen needed people, so she didn't refuse flat - out. She just sized them up carefully, weeding out the restless ones and occasionally introducing some steady and adaptable young maids.
As the weather got hot, Fu Zhen didn't like to drink bird's nest soup anymore; she found it too cloying. So Cuihuan only brewed some flower tea and occasionally made some thirst - quenching sugar water.
Biyu had gone to get the pastries made in the big kitchen. Cuihuan went to the small kitchen to boil some tea and then soaked it in cold water to prevent it from scalding the mistress.
The small kitchen was strictly watched by Cuihuan, so few people came. The young maids also consciously avoided it.
Cuihuan was busy when she saw a young maid running in, sweating profusely. The maid lingered at the door for a while, hesitated for a moment, and then gritted her teeth and pushed the door open.
The kitchen was a bit dim and stuffy. When Cuihuan suddenly saw a beam of light coming in, she squinted and looked up. "Xiaohe? Who let you in! Get out!"
Xiaohe was a bit afraid of her, but she stamped her foot and held her ground. She stepped forward anxiously. "Sister Cuihuan, I, I have something to tell you!"
Cuihuan frowned. Seeing that she looked anxious and didn't seem to be lying, she calmed down and asked, "What happened?"
"Earlier, I accompanied Sister Biyu to the big kitchen to get the pastries. Sister Biyu thought I walked too slowly and told me to wait under the winter jasmine tree in the garden. I was lazy and hid in a shady place. Then I saw... I saw Qing'er, the head maid in Miss Huanyun's room, taking a dress from the embroiderer. There was a lotus embroidered on the collar of the dress, just like my name, so I took a few more glances."
"Who would have thought that I saw Qing'er say something, and then the embroiderer took the dress and made some movements on it. Their actions were so subtle that I couldn't see clearly what they were doing. But I vaguely remembered that there was also a lotus pattern on the dress that Madam made for Miss. I was scared, I was afraid... so I rushed back to tell you, Sister!" Xiaohe wrung her slender fingers nervously.
Cuihuan frowned and thought for a while. Noticing Xiaohe's uneasiness from the corner of her eye, she softened her expression. "You did a good job."
Saying that, she untied the purse from her waist and handed it to her. "Here, take it. Go buy a flower to play with."
Xiaohe's fingers that were tightly intertwined moved. "Sister Cuihuan, I, I didn't do it for the reward."
Cuihuan stroked her head and smiled. "I know, but you did a really good job this time. This is from me as your elder sister. Take it. Don't be afraid."
Only then did Xiaohe feel relieved. A shy smile appeared on her face. She took the purse, hid it in her sleeve, and left.
Cuihuan turned around and felt the wall of the teapot soaked in cold water. Seeing that the tea was lukewarm, she wiped the water dry with a handkerchief, placed it on the tray, and carried it out.
Biyu had already returned and was arranging the pastries on the low table beside the couch. "That old Mrs. Zhou was extremely attentive when she saw me. She hurriedly asked me what kind of pastries Miss wanted to eat today and said that it was hot in the kitchen and told me to wait in the shady corridor."
"She has a grateful heart, but we can't be demanding of her just because of her kindness," Fu Zhen put down the book and said. "Did you give her a reward?"
"Don't worry, Miss. I know what to do. After I got the pastries, I gave her a few pieces of broken silver. She hurriedly refused, saying she didn't want it. I said that if she didn't take it, I wouldn't come to ask her to make pastries for us in the future. Then she finally took it." Biyu described vividly.
Fu Zhen also smiled. Just then, she heard footsteps at the door. She knew at once that it was Cuihuan.
Cuihuan wore a smile on her face. "I heard Biyu's voice from afar. I thought you wouldn't be back until I served the tea."
"I walk fast!" Biyu said proudly. As if remembering something, she suddenly pouted. "I told Xiaohe to wait for me in the garden, but that little girl disappeared in a blink of an eye. She must have run away to play! I'll give her a good scolding later!"
"You've wronged her," Cuihuan handed the tea to Fu Zhen. "Xiaohe ran over eagerly to tell me something."
Fu Zhen paused in the act of drinking tea. "Tell you something?"
Biyu also sensed something was wrong. She looked out of the door for a moment, then quickly walked over and closed the door.
Only then did Cuihuan say, "Xiaohe saw Qing'er from the next courtyard meeting the embroiderer in the garden. They were whispering to each other and holding Miss's newly - made dress in their hands."
Fu Zhen was about to ask who Qing'er was when suddenly a light bulb went off in her head, and she remembered what the maid looked like.
Qing'er was brought by Chen Huanyun from her own family. She said that Qing'er had served her for more than a decade, and it would be inappropriate to leave her behind after coming to the Marquis Mansion.
Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Lady Liu's birthday banquet is just two days away. Even if we find out that she's tampered with the dress now, it might be too late."
Biyu said anxiously, "What should we do then? Miss and Miss Huanyun each have one of these dresses. If Miss Huanyun wears the new dress and Miss wears the old one when we go to the Liu family, in comparison, Miss's reputation..."
Cuihuan grabbed her and shook her head, signaling her to stop talking.
Now everyone knew that she and Chen Huanyun lived in the Marquis Mansion together, sharing the same food, clothing, housing, and transportation. If Chen Huanyun showed up in a new dress while she was in an old one, people would inevitably say that she was ill - mannered.
Even if others couldn't tell that she was wearing an old dress, given Chen Huanyun's character, she would probably shout it out early on.
But was she really that bold? She even dared to meet in the garden where people came and went. Weren't they afraid of being seen?
Fu Zhen frowned. "Such a low - class scheme, and with Xiaohe as a witness, isn't she afraid that I'll go and complain to Aunt?"
Cuihuan also thought it couldn't be that simple. After thinking for a moment, she said, "The embroiderer should be bringing the dress soon. We'll know when we see it."
Biyu wasn't as calm as Cuihuan. Her anxiety was clearly written on her face, but she still remembered Cuihuan's hint just now and kept her mouth shut tightly. She just kept thinking in her mind whether there were any new and unworn dresses.
If there was really something wrong with the dress, it would be acceptable to wear an old one that had never been worn out in public. But she would have to spend more time explaining it to Lady Bai.
Fu Zhen nodded. Looking at Biyu standing there in a daze, she smiled and walked forward, pulling her to sit on the stool. "It's not a big deal. It's just some disgusting petty tricks. I remember making a lot of dresses in the spring, and there are a few that I've never worn. Biyu, go and find those dresses, smooth out the wrinkles, and prepare them. They might come in handy later."