After carefully examining them, Nanny Fu respectfully said: “Miss, this old slave has checked—there are no problems. Miss, please take a look yourself.”
Qin Shuying said indifferently: “Since Nanny has looked them over and found no problems, that’s sufficient. Nanny Liu, you still need to return and report to First Madam, so I won’t keep you.”
Nanny Liu curtsied and left to report back.
Walking out of Spring Garden, Nanny Liu still felt somewhat dazed.
She didn’t know why, but though Seventh Miss had said nothing and her gaze was calm, Nanny Liu felt that the Seventh Miss before her was not the same person as before. This Seventh Miss was like some indescribable entity that seemed ready to bite at any moment.
But Nanny Liu didn’t know how to express this feeling.
There were over thirty indenture contracts in total. Besides Lu Ye, there were also shop managers and estate overseers left by Qin Yongzhou. As for the maids who had originally served her, they had all been sold off by Xu Shi. The contracts for the maids and servants later assigned to the courtyard were also included.
“Miss, Nanny Gu is here!” Hong Juan entered to announce.
“Nanny Gu?” The corner of Qin Shuying’s lips curved as she quickly rose. “Please invite her in immediately.”
Nanny Gu entered and curtsied. Qin Shuying hurried to support her: “Nanny, this is too much!”
Nanny Gu smiled warmly: “Seventh Miss, Old Madam sent me to deliver Hong Juan’s entire family’s indenture contracts to you. Old Madam said that Seventh Miss has grown up, and the third branch will depend on Seventh Miss in the future.”
These words…
Qin Shuying’s eyes reddened, her voice somewhat choked: “Shuying thanks Great-grandmother for her care. Nanny Gu, Shuying was originally muddled, but fortunately Father guided me in dreams, so I realized how terribly wrong I’ve been these years, how unfilial. Now, Shuying wishes to serve at Great-grandmother’s side to fulfill my filial duties and make amends. I only hope Heaven will show mercy and let Shuying achieve this wish.”
“With Seventh Miss’s filial heart, Old Madam is happier than anything.”
“Lu Ye, fetch the hand cream Father left behind.” Placing the hand cream in Nanny Gu’s hands, Qin Shuying said: “Nanny Gu, Great-grandmother cannot do without you. But no matter how capable Nanny is, you don’t have three heads and six arms—you must still eat and can fall ill. The autumn wind cuts like a knife, and hands crack most easily, which is terrible. This is the hand cream Father left behind. I’ve used it since childhood—it’s very effective for protecting hands. Please don’t disdain it.”
Nanny Gu smiled and accepted the gift, but her heart stirred. Seventh Miss’s hand cream was perfectly timed. Better to give at the right moment than to give something good—Seventh Miss’s thoughtfulness, was it truly from Third Master’s guidance? She didn’t believe Third Master had guided Seventh Miss in dreams. The current Seventh Miss was completely different from before—dignified and shrewd. Could her previous weakness and confusion have all been an act?
Old Madam shared the same thoughts as Nanny Gu. If Seventh Girl had been pretending all along, why would she pretend? It was precisely because Old Madam thought deeply about this that she returned the third branch’s possessions to her.
After seeing off Nanny Gu, Nanny Fu returned to the room to find Qin Shuying examining the indenture contracts.
“Nanny, how are the maids and servants who originally came with me from the south faring now?”
Nanny Fu sighed: “Most were sold far away by Xu Shi. This old slave doesn’t know their whereabouts.”
“Then I’ll trouble Nanny to have someone inquire when there’s time. If they’re not doing well, I’ll think of another way. After all, they followed me once—leaving their homeland to come from south to north wasn’t easy.”
Nanny Fu replied: “Yes, Miss.”
“Nanny, have all the maids and servants gather in the courtyard to listen.”
Nanny Fu was delighted—this should have been done long ago—and quickly answered: “Yes, Miss.”
After Nanny Fu left, Qin Shuying closed her eyes to rest on the imperial couch for a moment. Having suffered such a great loss, Xu Shi certainly wouldn’t let her off.
The courtyard must be reorganized before the next battle.
After thinking things through several times, Qin Shuying called Lu Ye: “Lu Ye, what time is it?”
“One quarter past the seventh hour.”
“See if Nanny Fu has gathered everyone. Have them stand in the courtyard, and call me at the end of the seventh hour.”
Lu Ye agreed, and Qin Shuying turned over and fell asleep on the imperial couch. These past days, planning for today’s events had been mentally exhausting—she was truly tired.
Qin Shuying’s sleep was restless. In her dreams, sometimes it was Feng’er crying, sometimes Qin Feifei’s triumphant smile, sometimes Lu Changxuan’s cold gaze… Finally, Xu Shi’s fierce face rushed toward her. Qin Shuying dodged, and Xu Shi missed.
Xu Shi angrily said: “Little wretch, you dare dodge?”
Then something heavy struck the back of Qin Shuying’s head. She turned around with difficulty to see Qin Lianlian holding a vase that had hit her.
Beside Qin Lianlian stood the Sixth Prince, his eyes cold and ruthless, saying disdainfully: “Imperial Mother, is such a lowly wretch worth your personal attention? It would only dirty your hands!”
Qin Lianlian lovingly touched the Sixth Prince’s face, saying: “My son, I will personally eliminate such lowly trash for you. My son is an exalted prince—naturally someone must pave the way for you.”
…
“Miss, Miss!”
Qin Shuying heard Lu Ye shaking her arm and opened her eyes, already covered in cold sweat.
“Miss, you had a nightmare. Drink some water.”
Taking water from Lu Ye’s hands, Qin Shuying straightened her clothes, her eyes like cold swords: A lowly wretch? What an interesting description! Let’s see how this lowly wretch pulls you exalted nobles from your pedestals!
A cold smile curved her lips as Qin Shuying, supported by Lu Ye’s hand, slowly walked outside.
The courtyard was brightly lit, with maids and servants having waited nearly a full hour. Initially, some grew impatient, but after standing for an hour, most had developed a slight awe of Seventh Miss. However, awe wasn’t enough to ensure loyalty. Seventh Miss was still weak and alone—how could she be a match for the mistress of the house, First Madam?
Lu Ye placed freshly brewed tea in Qin Shuying’s hands. Qin Shuying slowly sipped, her posture elegant and demeanor composed.
This composure startled the servants.
In all their time at Spring Garden, when had they ever seen Seventh Miss display such bearing? Seventh Miss was timid and weak, never leaving her quarters—she had long been like a late spring flower, colorless and lifeless.
But the Seventh Miss before them, though still the same person and still simply dressed, had a clearly different bearing as she sat.
She had spirit now.
Everyone was saying it was because Third Master had appeared in Seventh Miss’s dreams, causing her sudden enlightenment.
Could it be true? Otherwise, how could they explain Seventh Miss’s current expression?
“Miss, everyone is here,” Nanny Fu indicated to Qin Shuying.
Qin Shuying looked down from her elevated position, surveying everyone in the courtyard: two head maids, two second-rank maids, six third-rank maids, plus three older servants, and including Nanny Fu, fourteen people total.
This was basically the standard configuration for legitimate young ladies of the Qin Manor, though there might be differences of three to five people. Xu Shi never let her face-saving measures slip.