Qin Shuying tidied up the brushes and ink on her table, smiling as she said, “Fifth Sister, what did you hear?”

Qin Lulu’s eyes curved with laughter as she lowered her voice and said, “I heard that you gave all the maids and servants in your courtyard a reward. Is it true or not?”

“Nothing can be hidden from you. Since you’ve already heard about it, it must be true.”

“Then do you know that the amount you rewarded your personal maids has now become the subject of everyone’s speculation throughout the Qin residence? Can you tell me? Let me get ahead of everyone else.”

Qin Shuying smiled, “I’m afraid that wouldn’t be good. If the people around you found out, they’d all want to serve in Yilan Garden. Wouldn’t I be poaching Sister’s people?”

Qin Lulu didn’t mind, “What’s wrong with that? Let them dream. People always need something to aspire to – having aspirations gives them strength to do better. If they want to come, I’d encourage them wholeheartedly. Besides, the maids in Yilan Garden didn’t get these rewards for nothing. Not to mention anything else, Lan Chou, Ziteng and the others often run errands and deliver messages for you. In the dead of winter, their shoes and socks are often soaked through. Who knows such hardships? These are well-deserved hardship fees. If I had sister’s abilities to command the maids and servants around me and earn so much silver, I would reward them without hesitation. It’s just that I have no other advantages – I only know my own position and capabilities clearly. Such things are beyond me.”

Qin Shuying felt moved. It was rare for Qin Lulu to be so composed and unassuming despite her young age, neither anxious nor pretentious.

“Sister has said everything there is to say.”

Qin Lulu pretended to be annoyed, “Alright, won’t you quickly tell me exactly how much silver it was?”

Qin Shuying smiled slightly and whispered a number. Qin Lulu exclaimed, “That much!”

Qin Yunyun had been listening to their conversation with her ears pricked. Although she hadn’t heard clearly the number Qin Shuying mentioned, Qin Lulu’s surprised exclamation made her hands pause as she packed up her brushes, ink, paper and inkstone. A nameless anger surged up as she shouted loudly, “Caiying!”

After seeing Master Long leave, Caiying had been listening intently to the movements inside the room. When Qin Yunyun called out like this, she immediately came in and hurried to pack Qin Yunyun’s book bag.

“A proper young lady with none of a lady’s demeanor – how shameful! I can’t stay here for another moment. Hurry up and leave!”

After dropping these words, Qin Yunyun stormed out of the room in a huff.

Qin Lulu watched her leave and pouted, “What’s gotten into her this time?”

Qin Shuying shook her head, “Fifth Sister, you haven’t finished packing your things yet. I’m all packed and ready to go.”

Qin Lulu hurried to pack her things, “Wait for me!”

Xu Shi was “ill,” so Zou Shi was managing the household. In a few more days, Dong Shi would probably return.

Zou Shi and her daughter had some foolish luck – they had never fawned over or flattered Xu Shi and her daughter, just getting along like ordinary sisters-in-law. When Xu Shi squeezed out Zou Shi, Zou Shi often didn’t mind and continued doing things as she should.

Zou Shi planned to arrange marriage prospects for Qin Lulu after the examination results were announced, so she had been inquiring about various news in the capital during this time.

Qin Lulu had revealed some of this to Qin Shuying, “Mother wants to find a scholarly family with solid finances. She doesn’t care about official position or background, as long as their character is upright.”

Qin Shuying also had some respect for Zou Shi – neither arrogant nor impatient, neither climbing nor attaching herself to others, clearly seeing her family’s position.

…

Fangfei Pavilion.

Nanny Zhao tactfully advised, “Miss, this servant dares to say something – there’s no need to argue with Seventh Miss now.”

Qin Yunyun snorted, “It’s precisely because things are about to succeed that I no longer want to pretend and watch her face!”

Nanny Zhao earnestly persuaded, “Miss, giving others something to gossip about does Miss no good. Now that Madam is ill, Miss should care more about Madam.”

Qin Yunyun pondered for a moment and felt that Nanny Zhao made sense – after all, she had always had a reputation for virtue.

She nodded, “Nanny speaks reasonably. I’ll go visit Mother this afternoon.”

Nanny Zhao breathed a sigh of relief.

Since Madam had “fallen ill,” although Qin Yunyun visited her every day, they often parted unhappily, and sometimes she would even blame Madam.

Madam was wholeheartedly thinking of her, but Miss was really… a bit inconsiderate.

But Nanny Zhao had no position to say such things, so she could only tactfully remind Qin Yunyun each time.

After lunch and a brief rest, Qin Yunyun dressed and went to Yanfei Pavilion with Nanny Zhao and Caiying.

Xu Shi had been extremely angry these past few days, and she had smashed quite a few furnishings in her room.

As soon as Qin Yunyun entered the courtyard, she heard the sound of porcelain hitting the floor from Xu Shi’s room, followed by Nanny Liu’s voice: “Jin Huan, quickly come in and clean up!”

Jin Huan was outside the room and had already seen Qin Yunyun. Just as she was about to greet her, she heard Nanny Liu’s voice, curtsied to Qin Yunyun, and hurried inside.

Then, through the swaying curtain, Nanny Liu came out, “Sixth Miss, you’re here. Madam…”

Qin Yunyun raised her hand to stop her words, saying, “I know.”

With that, she entered the room.

Nanny Liu was immediately stunned at the door. She looked at Nanny Zhao who followed closely behind. Nanny Zhao shook her head, and Nanny Liu also sighed.

Now, Madam was like this, and Miss was also like this. These days were more difficult than ever before.

Seeing Qin Yunyun enter, Xu Shi’s anger subsided somewhat as she said to a little maid kneeling on the floor, “Go to Nanny Liu for your punishment!”

The maid, as if receiving a great pardon, hurried out with a mournful face.

Qin Yunyun had seen such scenes frequently recently and said, “Mother, you’re recovering from illness now and shouldn’t get angry. Besides, that jinx is quite formidable – who knows if she’s bought off someone in this courtyard? If word reaches Old Ancestor’s ears, Mother’s condition might worsen.”

Xu Shi’s expression was very ugly. Recently, Qin Yunyun seemed to have been stimulated by something, and every time she came here, her words carried a sarcastic undertone.

Xu Shi knew this was because she had repeatedly fallen into Qin Shuying’s hands. Qin Yunyun hadn’t gotten what she wanted, felt that she was incompetent and had even implicated her, so she was taking her anger out on her.

But she couldn’t spare the energy to worry about Qin Yunyun’s recent disrespect toward her. Instead, she was startled by her words, “Bought off people in my courtyard?”

“It seems Mother doesn’t know yet. I’m just guessing. That jinx lavishly rewarded the maids and servants in Yilan Garden last night – personal maids got fifty taels of silver! Even the rough servants got two taels. Who doesn’t know that Seventh Miss is the easiest to serve? Her rewards are the most generous? Everyone wants to serve in Yilan Garden! Even Hui Qin’s mother regrets endlessly! With so much silver, buying off a few people would be as easy as turning one’s hand. Even the maids around me are getting restless.”

Having managed a household before, Xu Shi well knew the power of money. She had also used silver to buy off people to gather information from other courtyards. Qin Shuying was actually buying people’s hearts so openly – did she want to reach the heavens?

Xu Shi stood up, “How dare she!”