Flowery Hair: A Maidservant

Chapter 74 Aunt Lu is Poisoned

Ultimately, no one truly understood the second young lady's deepest thoughts.

She was taught from a young age to be dignified and virtuous. Her nature is like water, benefiting all things without contention. In the Tang family, she didn't need to compete. Her mother and grandmother taught her this as well. But now they are clearly telling her that she must compete, for the benefit of the family and for herself.

No one can see her true heart. Just as she loves the chrysanthemum with its cold fragrance, her mother insists on planting peonies everywhere. She cares about you and then gives you what 'I' want to give you.

What happened inside the ancestral hall was unknown to outsiders. At the same time, new developments occurred in the Lanting Courtyard, which Meng Shu was watching closely.

Aunt Wen was still under house arrest. Only the Third Miss and a few maids from Lanting Courtyard were out and about. Around noon, the Third Miss took two maids to Aunt Lu's place. One of the maids was carrying a red lacquered and gold-decorated square brocade box.

Because Lanting Courtyard is right next to Fu'an Residence, Donggua noticed it and quickly came to find Meng Shu.

What do you think is in that box?

Meng Shu was sorting silk threads inside the room when she heard this and said nonchalantly, "It doesn't matter what it is."

If you really want to harm someone, you won't do it openly and honestly; that would just give others ammunition against you.

In the past few days, she has roughly figured out two things. First, Madam Yun must have known something beforehand to be so certain that Aunt Wen had the intention of leaving the mother and keeping the child.

Previously, Meng Shu couldn't understand how Aunt Wen could guarantee that the second young master would be successfully raised by her with Madam Yun, the head of the household, around. It wasn't until Fu Zi's recent unusual behavior that Meng Shu suddenly understood.

Frame others to absolve themselves; only in this way can the story make sense.

If I were Concubine Wen, my first choice would naturally be to frame the mistress, but Yun Gui Courtyard is heavily guarded, and it wouldn't be easy to succeed. However, upon further reflection, it doesn't actually need to be so meticulous; having even a slight connection with any of the main branch's masters would make things unclear.

At that time, it will surely spread the reputation that the mistress cannot tolerate the concubine's son. In addition, since Aunt Liu is incompetent, and Aunt Wen, who is distantly related to the old lady and is always gentle and considerate, is there any possibility that she will raise the second young master?

These ideas may be mere baseless speculations, but they must be guarded against. Meng Shu figured that Madam Yun probably meant the same thing, which was why she reminded the Second Miss that when things went wrong, she should think things through more carefully, at the very least be alert, and then restrain the servants and reflect on her own conduct.

"Let's just see how Jinshu does. Fuzi has been looking for her quite a bit these past few days."

Meng Shu stayed at Yunyi Courtyard instead of going to the estate, intending to keep the maids in the courtyard in check for the Second Miss, so they wouldn't get involved in anything they shouldn't.

"Winter Melon, be more vigilant lately. Your small kitchen is on holiday, and there's no guarantee that someone won't ask you to cook something. If something happens to the food out of your sight, it will be hard to explain."

Winter Melon shook its round head like a rattle drum, completely bewildered. "What does this have to do with a kitchen girl like me?"

“You come to Yunyi Courtyard often, and the old lady personally instructed you to serve the second young lady in the future. Do you think that's a good thing?”

Meng Shu added, "The reason why Aunt Wen was so eager to lift the ban was because, according to custom, the Old Madam and Madam Chongyang were going to the estate for the next few days, and since there was no master in the mansion, she could make decisions."

Working in the inner quarters, it doesn't matter how much one thinks. If Consort Wen does nothing, that's fine, but if she does something, she'll get involved with her mistress.

After hearing this, Donggua plopped down on the footstool and said, "Goodness, then I won't go back to the small kitchen. We'll just stay in this yard and go to the main kitchen in the public hall to get our food."

Meng Shu nodded, just as she was about to say something else, when Jin Shu came over with a purse tucked into her waist to deliver a message.

Jinshu was born into a household and was originally selected to work at Fu'an Residence. Later, she was sent to Yunyi Courtyard as a second-class maid. Therefore, she always considered herself to be one of the best among the second-class maids because she had served the old lady. "Sister Mengshu, Aunt Lu sent someone to deliver some newly made Ruilin incense."

It is a tradition of the Tang family to burn auspicious incense in each courtyard during the Double Ninth Festival. Upon hearing this, Meng Shu prepared to get up and go to the front to greet her, but Jin Shu did not move. She stepped forward and took Dong Gua's chubby arm affectionately, saying, "The person is waiting in front of the embroidery building. Sister, you go ahead. We finally get to see the 'favorite' in the old lady's courtyard and want to get closer to her."

Winter melon: "......"

Meng Shu and Dong Gua exchanged a glance and went to the front to greet them.

The maid sent by Aunt Lu was a thin, stick-like girl, wearing a blue dress and holding a black lacquered box. She was curiously looking at the scene in the embroidered building.

Meng Shu stepped forward to strike up a conversation, welcoming her to the side hall to rest and have tea. She intentionally mentioned Aunt Lu's excellent incense-making skills, and the little maid proudly recounted many things, including what had just happened.

"Aunt Wen is so good to our Aunt Lu. She said she found a fragrance recipe outside and had the Third Miss deliver it to her early this morning. Aunt Lu is currently pondering it."

After the little girl left, Meng Shu felt that something was amiss. It was just a fragrance manual?

Back in his room, he saw Donggua looking at him with an "I knew it" expression.

"Jinshu said she wanted to send some noodles to her parents to try, and asked me to make some." Donggua made an exaggerated gesture, "and asked me to give her two taels of silver."

Donggua declined the offer, but secretly followed Jinshu. Sure enough, Fuzi was waiting at the side gate, and Donggua saw Jinshu return the purse to Fuzi.

Meng Shu felt a bit annoyed. It wasn't worth wasting time and energy on someone unworthy. She whispered something to Dong Gua, then went out and called the maids and servants in the courtyard to her. She announced that the flowers and plants in the courtyard needed to be properly arranged while her mistress was away, and the furnishings in the embroidery tower also needed to be rearranged in the next few days. No one was allowed to go out unless necessary. Meng Shu had favor with her mistress, so no one dared to say anything, except for Jin Shu, who looked unhappy.

She pursed her lips and said sarcastically, "The Second Miss isn't here, so a lynx has to come and pretend to be a tiger."

Just then, Donggua arrived carrying some things. Meng Shu said to Jinshu with concern, "Autumn is dry, Jinshu really needs to cool down. Before leaving, the Second Miss learned a method from a book. Please try it on behalf of her mistress. If it works, the Second Miss will reward you."

As she spoke, Meng Shu poured a jar of various beans that Dong Gua was holding onto the bluestone slab with a splash, "Carefully pick out the beans, be patient."

The crowd gasped in disbelief, and several of the maids couldn't help but chuckle. Jinshu, feeling humiliated, trembled with rage, "You...you dare to treat me like this..."

"The Second Miss has set the rules. Yunyi Courtyard doesn't need disobedient people. As a second-class maid, if you don't comply, wait for the Second Miss to return and ask to leave. The steward of the manor will naturally reassign you a task." Meng Shu waved her hand to dismiss the others, and left the room with Donggua without even looking at her.

Donggua finally realized Meng Shu's intention in asking her to move the beans, and couldn't help but say, "You're too mean, isn't this just... playing a trick on me?"

Meng Shu said, "What's wrong with picking beans to cultivate one's character? Are you going to let this stupid thing get into trouble and implicate the Second Miss and you?"

Lanting Courtyard.

After Fu Zi returned empty-handed once again, she took advantage of the old woman on guard duty slacking off to go drinking and reported to Aunt Wen through the window. Aunt Wen cursed inwardly.

Ever since Consort Lu gave birth to the second young master, Wen had harbored inappropriate thoughts. However, Madam Yun had bestowed many gifts upon Fengyin Courtyard, but there was no food, not even medicinal herbs or bird's nest, leaving Wen with no way to obtain anything. She then tried to find an opportunity through the second young lady's side, but was implicated by the fourth young lady and placed under house arrest. Because Fu Zi knew Meng Shu, she devised another plan to get Fu Zi close to Meng Shu, with the predictable result.

However, Aunt Wen always had a backup plan. Framed Madam was out of the question, but if Aunt Lu really died, she figured she could at least plead with the Old Madam and raise the Second Young Master. Therefore, she gave Aunt Lu a book of incense recipes, as long as Aunt Lu followed the instructions to make incense...

In the afternoon, while Meng Shu and the others were busy at Yunyi Courtyard, they heard news from outside that Aunt Lu had been poisoned.