Seeing more and more people gathering, Xirui said with a sobbing voice,
"Sister, please go and talk to the Princess. If my young lady is really missing, how can I explain it to my mistress?"
Since Cui Xueying had left the mansion, it was necessary to make a big fuss so that all the noble people in the mansion would know she was missing.
The head maid looked embarrassed.
"Don't be so impatient. I've already sent people to look for her. Maybe Miss Cui will come back by herself in a while. Besides, our Princess is entertaining guests. It's not a good time to disturb her."
Seeing that the maid remained unmoved, Xirui immediately changed her attitude. With a solemn face, she said,
"Is it not a big deal that my young lady is missing? If you keep delaying reporting it and something really happens to my young lady, can you take the responsibility?"
Her words immediately sparked discussions among the crowd, and the head maid began to hesitate.
"If you suspect your young lady is missing, why don't you go and discuss with your mistress to look for her instead of causing a ruckus here and disturbing everyone's rest?"
Su Nansheng stood in front of Xirui with a cold face.
When Xirui saw her, a flash of coldness passed through her eyes, but her attitude was unusually respectful.
"Please forgive me, Concubine Su. I was just too worried and lost my wits. But it's urgent to find my young lady now. We should report it to the Princess earlier so that she can start looking for her as soon as possible."
"What's the hurry? If we make a big fuss to look for her now and your young lady comes back by herself, won't it be a laughingstock?"
Compared with Xirui's anxious look, Su Nansheng's tone was leisurely. She even showed great interest in admiring the flowers in the yard.
Seeing her like this, the head maid also calmed down.
First, she persuaded the onlookers to go back and rest. Then she sent two maids out to look for Cui Xueying. After that, she tried to comfort Xirui.
Although Xirui knew that Cui Xueying was unlikely to come back by herself, she couldn't be too definite.
Thinking that Cui Xueying couldn't come back anyway, it wouldn't hurt to wait a while to avoid arousing suspicion.
Su Nansheng held a Begonia evansiana, leaned over to smell it, and a smile appeared on her face.
Fifty percent chance is just fifty percent. It seems not bad to take a risk occasionally.
After waiting for about two incense sticks' time, Xirui didn't want to wait any longer. Pretending to be angry, she said,
"I know you all don't take my eldest young lady seriously. Since you won't say anything, I'll go and tell the Princess myself."
With that, she got up and walked out.
"Lanxiang, this is the place for honored guests to rest. Why is it so noisy?"
The Princess of Qing entered the courtyard with several maids. Beside her was the calm and composed Lady of the Duke of An.
A cold glint flashed across Su Nansheng's eyes.
No one had been sent to report yet, but the Princess of Qing was already here.
It seemed that Xirui, or rather the person behind Xirui, had an accomplice in the Prince's Mansion!
Xirui immediately knelt down and kowtowed like a pounding garlic.
"Please, Princess, look for my young lady. She's missing."
The Princess of Qing turned to look at the Lady of the Duke of An in surprise. "She's really missing?"
The Lady of the Duke of An laughed.
"Your Highness, don't listen to her nonsense. It must be that she was being playful and got separated from my daughter. How could a living person disappear in the Prince's Mansion?"
Seeing that even her mother wasn't worried, the Princess of Qing didn't pay much attention either.
"Then send two more people to look for her. Maybe she got held up somewhere."
"Please forgive me, Princess. A few people may not be enough. It would be better to send dozens of people. It will be faster that way."
Su Nansheng frowned. So many people looking together?
It would make a big deal out of it, but if Cui Xueying hadn't come back yet, wouldn't it confirm that she was really missing?
"Why are you so sure that Xueying is missing? How did you serve her?"
The Lady of the Duke of An had a gloomy face, and her voice was low and cold.
Xirui shrank back a little and said,
"Please forgive me, madam. I'm so sure because the eldest young lady told me to put on her clothes and pretend to be her here. She wanted to secretly meet someone. The eldest young lady clearly said she would be back in a cup of tea's time, but it's been so long and she still hasn't come back. I'm worried that the eldest young lady has been captured by bad people, so I'm eager to ask the Princess to look for her."
After she finished speaking, the faces of the people who had been quietly watching the show immediately became very interesting.
However, because the Princess of Qing was still there, they didn't dare to openly discuss it.
Su Nansheng let out a long sigh. In the end, it was still said.
"Nonsense! Although you're not Xueying's personal maid and belong to the third branch, you should know Xueying's character. Why are you talking nonsense here? What's your intention!"
The Lady of the Duke of An's voice was especially cold, and there was obvious anger in it.
But Xirui wasn't afraid at all. She pleaded,
"Princess, I'm not talking nonsense. The eldest young lady is really missing. Please order people to look for her immediately."
The Princess of Qing frowned and was a bit hesitant for a moment.
"Oh~~ So it's like this. But I just saw Miss Cui."
Su Nansheng seemed to just realize it and said slowly.
Everyone's eyes immediately fell on her. Among them, Xirui's resentful gaze was especially obvious.
"This concerns my young lady's safety. Concubine Su can't talk nonsense. Where did you see my young lady just now? How can you prove what you said is true?"
Hearing this, Su Nansheng looked down at Xirui.
"Your young lady was right. You're really unruly. Why should I prove it to you? Do you deserve it?"
Her voice wasn't loud, but it was full of sarcasm, which immediately made Xirui's face turn pale.
"I knew they were here. Oh, why are there so many people here?"
Chen Wanrong's voice came before she appeared.
Hearing her voice, Su Nansheng quietly let out a sigh of relief. Cui Xueying was back.
The Lady of the Duke of An stared fixedly at the courtyard gate. Sure enough, she saw Chen Wanrong leading Cui Xueying in.
"Xueying pays respects to the Princess. Xirui, didn't I tell you to clean this dress? Why did you put it on?"
Cui Xueying looked at Xirui unhappily.
Xirui had a pale face and looked like she had seen a ghost.
The Princess of Qing looked at Cui Xueying.
"She just said you were missing."
Cui Xueying immediately had a cold face and said,
"Please forgive me, Princess. This maid is used to being naughty around the fifth younger sister. Just now, she was being lazy and didn't want to go back to the banquet with me. Then she came here and talked nonsense."
The Princess of Qing looked down at Xirui, who was trembling all over, and didn't say a word.
Seeing this, Chen Wanrong pretended to blame and said,
"I said what's going on with you all. I just went out to get some fresh air and met Xueying. We chatted for a while. When I came back, you were all gone."
The Princess of Qing's eyes shifted between Cui Xueying and Xirui a few times, then she laughed.
"We also came out to get some fresh air. It's time to go back. The other ladies are still waiting for me. If they get angry, I can't afford it."
Everyone laughed and surrounded the Princess of Qing as they walked out.
"Xirui, go and change your clothes. Then wait for me in the elegant room."
Cui Xueying stared coldly at Xirui. The anger in her eyes was so real that Xirui didn't dare to move, afraid that she would accidentally get her neck cut.
As everyone returned to the banquet, this small incident seemed to be over.
It was just that when the banquet ended, the Lady of the Duke of An didn't leave. She stayed until very late.