Caiyu was about to double - check when Song Yinghuai's impatient voice came from behind her:
“How long do you plan to play?”
Over there, Jiang Jinyue had been carried out of the Taiye Pond by seven or eight men. She was struggling desperately and crying loudly:
“Don't touch me! Get away...!!”
In the bustling crowd, Nanny Yu had disappeared.
Caiyu had to snap out of it, smiling faintly at Song Yinghuai. “It's rare to come out and have fun. Please forgive me, Your Highness.”
Song Yinghuai's gaze fell on the direction of the crowd where Caiyu had been in a daze.
Just now, he seemed to have seen an old nanny who looked a bit familiar. It was like Nanny Yu, who was in charge of the outer - courtyard diet in the mansion. It was through her hands that Caiyu had entered the mansion back then.
It wasn't unusual for Nanny Yu to go out for shopping, but Song Yinghuai was no ordinary person.
On the New Year's Day, everyone was out to welcome the gods and have fun. There were no fresh produce or daily items for sale on the street. Why would Nanny Yu go out with an empty vegetable basket?
The god - welcoming procession incident involving Jiang Jinyue had restarted, but Nanny Yu didn't look anymore, which meant she had another purpose for going out.
He immediately wondered if there was some hidden secret between Caiyu and Nanny Yu.
Could it be that Nanny Yu was the contact person for the person Caiyu was secretly working for?
Song Yinghuai raised his eyes. His sharp gaze cast a thin layer of cold frost over his perfect black eyes. He said with a gentle smile:
“I've given you two shops to manage. I never thought you'd be such a stupid girl who doesn't even take the opportunity to have more fun on the street before going back to the mansion.”
“Your Highness, this servant was just concerned about you! After finishing the business on the street, this servant rushed back to serve you in a hurry! Your Highness should praise this servant for being dedicated and hard - working!” Caiyu masked the anxiety in her eyes and smiled coquettishly at Song Yinghuai.
Song Yinghuai seemed not to notice her uneasiness at all. “It's my fault then. I mistook a loyal servant for a villain.”
He deliberately emphasized the words “loyal servant” and stared deeply into Caiyu's eyes.
But Caiyu was preoccupied and ignored his hint. She just chatted casually with Song Yinghuai.
The two of them took Jiang Jinyue's carriage back to the mansion.
Concubine Yao heard that her son had returned and rushed out to see how their relationship was progressing. But unexpectedly, she saw Caiyu again.
The smile on her lips froze instantly. She looked at Caiyu and asked:
“Why is it you?”
Before Caiyu could answer, Song Yinghuai said indifferently, “Caiyu is my personal maid. When I go out for fun, I bring her to serve me.”
“I didn't ask you!” Concubine Yao was furious. “Where's Yue'er? Didn't she go out with you?”
Song Yinghuai raised his eyebrows slightly. “Her? I rejected her confession. She couldn't think it through for a moment and jumped into the Taiye Pond.”
“What?” Concubine Yao felt dizzy. “Jump... jump into the pond?”
At this moment, there seemed to be faint voices coming from outside the mansion gate.
Song Yinghuai said, “She was rescued. She's probably been sent back to the mansion. Mother Concubine, go and care about her quickly!”
“You...” Concubine Yao wanted to say something else, but worried about Jiang Jinyue's safety, she had to let it go and rushed out with Nanny Li and others in a hurry.
Zhu Xiao rushed out from the other side. When he saw Song Yinghuai, he seemed to let out a sigh of relief and quickly said:
“Old Tan and Old Fang are waiting for you in the study!”
Tan Xiong and Fang Kuan had directly entered the mansion, which meant they must have something important to discuss.
Song Yinghuai didn't look at Caiyu anymore and went straight to the study with Zhu Xiao.
In an instant, Caiyu was left alone, which was exactly what she wanted.
With no one watching her and the front yard in a mess because of Jiang Jinyue's incident, she quickly took the opportunity to go to the outer yard to find Nanny Yu.
Caiyu bypassed the Wanxiang Hall and rushed to the outer yard.
Sure enough, Nanny Yu had already returned. It seemed that she was waiting specifically for Caiyu.
“Nanny.” Caiyu knew that the place Nanny Yu had chosen must be safe. She immediately asked impatiently, “You didn't find the evidence of the Dong family's collusion with the merchants from Yandi?”
On the eve of the Little New Year, she and Nanny Yu had agreed that when she went out, Nanny Yu would find someone to pretend to kidnap her. While the mansion was in chaos, Nanny Yu would find a chance to sneak into the study to look for the evidence.
She was betting that she still had a little place in Song Yinghuai's heart. At least... it could distract him for a day.
With the study empty for that day, Nanny Yu could sneak in and search.
The empty bamboo basket Nanny Yu carried was their agreed - upon signal—just like drawing water with a bamboo basket, all in vain.
A sharp glint flashed across Nanny Yu's old eyes and disappeared in an instant. She said unhappily:
“Miss Caiyu! You were missing for seven days. I searched the study for seven days, but I couldn't find the evidence you mentioned... I can't help but suspect that you're lying to us!”
“I'm not!” Caiyu was also very puzzled. “It's impossible. I saw with my own eyes that the Prince of Yan brought the booklet into the study that day. Are you sure you searched every corner? The study is not that big. I was missing for seven days, and you still couldn't find it in seven days?”
“I searched everywhere.” Nanny Yu snorted. “I was more anxious than you. How could I not search whole - heartedly...”
Her old eyes looked at Caiyu suspiciously. “Why were you missing for so long? My people didn't kidnap you that day. How did you end up being kidnapped by the Dong family?”
“I want to know too!” Caiyu still felt scared when she talked about it. “The Dong family's people set an ambush on the road before yours. But...”
Her eyes were full of suspicion as she questioned Nanny Yu. “That night, it was late and quiet. Your people were just one street away, but when I escaped to our agreed - upon place, why didn't your people show up?”
“Do you know that I almost got killed by Dong Yurong! If His Highness hadn't led troops to search for the remnants of the Dong family, I would be dead by now!”
In fact, the situation that day was much more dangerous than Caiyu's understated words.
Facing her question, Nanny Yu's eyes flickered. She avoided Caiyu's direct gaze and said with an embarrassed smile:
“My people only received the order to kidnap you. But that night, there suddenly came the sound of killing from the street in front. To avoid exposing our identities, of course, we withdrew.”
Looking at Nanny Yu's cold and heartless old face, Caiyu self - deprecatingly curled her lips.
Right!
Did she still expect the people she was in an alliance with for the sake of interests to come out and save her in a crisis?
That night, she had gone crazy, slashing at the Dong family members with a knife, while Nanny Yu and her people had hidden in the dark, watching.
They had watched the blood flow like a river and listened to her wails for Old Zheng's death without batting an eyelid.
Caiyu said nothing. Her fingers were clenched into fists, and her eyes were as sharp as a blade, wishing to cut the person in front of her to pieces.
Those who stand by are no different from executioners!
Nanny Yu felt a bit guilty under her gaze. She tried to remain calm and said:
“Why are you looking at me like that? Know your own place! In the eyes of the master, you're just a dog, and a disloyal one at that! I didn't know who those people you were fighting with were. Why should I let my people come out to save you at the risk of exposing my own identity?”
Nanny Yu's face was gloomy and cold. “You should know that I'm an old servant. In the master's eyes, both my usefulness and the master's trust in me are much greater than yours! I'm the most important one in the master's heart! You have to protect me!”
What a claim that she was the most important one!
What a demand to be protected!
Caiyu stared at Nanny Yu with eyes as cold as a thin knife, showing no emotion at all.
Nanny Yu was completely unaware and kept nagging, “You gave me wrong information. I wasted time and manpower because of you. I must report this to the master. Miss Caiyu, the next time you see me, I might bring you one of your younger brother's fingers...”
Caiyu's fair hand curled up in her sleeve. A strong killing intent flashed across her calm eyes.
“Nanny Yu.” Caiyu interrupted her angrily. “For the sake of our alliance, could you please give me a few more days before reporting to the master?”
“Give me three days. I'll find a way to get into the study myself to look for it!”