Nanny Xu was so frightened by Old Madam Song’s fury that her hands and feet trembled. All the way back to the side hall, she felt a chill throughout her entire body. At this moment, she couldn’t help but feel somewhat useless, and began to reminisce about the senior maids who had served by Cui Shi’s side in the past. They were properly raised as house-born servants of the Boling Cui clan, with first-class etiquette, manners, and strategic abilities.

Unfortunately, these memories only made her heart feel as heavy as if a stone were pressing down on it.

When she returned to the room, Song Chuyi was reclining on the daybed for a brief rest. Today had been filled with many events, and she had even experienced such a major incident as the Su Family’s house being raided. She must be utterly exhausted. Nanny Xu felt heartache and stepped forward gently to pull up the blanket that had slipped down.

Even this slight movement was enough to wake Song Chuyi. She sat up holding the blanket and asked Nanny Xu, “Nanny Xu, what did Grandmother say?”

Nanny Xu recounted everything from her conversation with the Old Madam in complete detail, and concluded with some worry, “The Old Madam is truly angry. In all these years, I’ve never seen the Old Madam this furious.”

“Don’t worry, Nanny,” Song Chuyi smiled slowly. “Grandmother’s anger isn’t directed at us. The ones who will suffer are Nanny Wang and Huang Yao.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Qing Tao suddenly pushed open the door and burst in, immediately kneeling on the ground without a word.

The floor wasn’t covered with rugs. The smooth, square-patterned floor tiles were cold and hard. When Qing Tao knelt down, Nanny Xu seemed to hear the crisp sound of bones hitting the surface.

Actually, over all these years, though Huang Yao was detestable, Qing Tao had always been quite decent—although Nanny Xu guarded against them both like they were thieves, she had much more favorable feelings toward Qing Tao. After all, Qing Tao never gossiped and just kept her head down and worked, and she almost never went to Li Shi’s side to curry favor.

She hesitated slightly and glanced at Song Chuyi’s expression, wanting to speak a few words on Qing Tao’s behalf.

But Qing Tao had already begun pleading with Song Chuyi herself: “Miss, I beg you to save me. I’m different from Huang Yao. Ever since you recovered from your illness, I haven’t even gone to the Second Madam’s place. My parents both work on the Second Madam’s estate, and when the Second Madam ordered me to serve you, Miss, I didn’t dare refuse. But I’ve always avoided things whenever I could, and I’ve never done anything to harm you, Miss!”

Qing Tao’s parents indeed worked as stewards on Li Shi’s dowry estate—Song Chuyi had known this in her previous life. In this life, with Qing Tao taking the initiative to be honest with her, the resentment she had harbored toward Qing Tao and her parents lessened considerably.

Though she had been reborn with a belly full of grief and hatred, she wasn’t someone who couldn’t distinguish right from wrong or black from white. In her previous life, though Qing Tao had betrayed her, she truly hadn’t done anything to wrong her—she had simply chosen to protect herself when Song Chuyi needed help.

If their positions were reversed, she would probably have done the same thing.

With this thought, she leisurely got down from the daybed and put on her shoes, going to the display shelf to look for the lamp that Yulan had sent over, while casually questioning Qing Tao: “You know your parents both work on the Second Madam’s estate, so how can I trust you?”

When Li Shi planted Huang Yao and Qing Tao here, she naturally made thorough preparations.

Qing Tao bit her lip, and after a long while finally made up her mind, touching her forehead to the ground: “Miss, I know you must have a way. I don’t dare say anything else, but I dare to swear to the heavens that if I ever do anything in the future to betray the Miss, may I be struck by five thunderbolts and die a horrible death!”

Nanny Xu hurried to cover Song Chuyi’s ears, spitting on the ground three times, then turned back and scolded: “What are you saying?! How dare you say such things in front of the Miss?!”

Song Chuyi smiled and brushed away Nanny Xu’s hand, finally looking directly at Qing Tao: “I don’t need you to be struck by thunderbolts or die a horrible death. It just so happens I have something I need your parents to do. If they help me accomplish it, I’ll naturally believe you. Actions speak louder than words—what do you say?”

Qing Tao knew that whatever Song Chuyi wanted her parents to do must be no ordinary matter. This was an olive branch that Song Chuyi was extending to them. If they truly decided to pledge loyalty to Song Chuyi, they had to seize this opportunity and completely sever ties with the Second Madam’s side.

No escape route was being left. If you want to pledge loyalty, then show your sincerity.

Nanny Xu stared at Qing Tao’s face and saw her complexion gradually pale, feeling some sympathy in her heart. But after all, she stood on Song Chuyi’s side, and she knew in her heart that Song Chuyi was doing the right thing.

Qing Tao had never felt her heart so unsettled before. She felt her entire heart floating in midair, caught uncomfortably between up and down.

If she didn’t agree, the Sixth Miss would certainly take this opportunity to remove her. If she agreed, it would mean betting her entire family’s future on Song Chuyi’s success.

Was this Sixth Miss Song worth betting her whole family on? Qing Tao asked herself this over and over in her mind, and couldn’t help but recall Song Chuyi’s actions over the recent period—in less than a month, she had not only moved into Old Madam’s Ningde Courtyard and gained the Old Madam’s and even the Old Master’s favor, but she had even carefully laid groundwork during this time, preparing to sweep away all the people the Second Madam had placed by her side in one go.

She also thought of Song Chuyi’s attitude toward Hong Yu and Luyi. She never let them lack for clothing or jewelry throughout the four seasons, and often gave them additional rewards and little trinkets. Moreover, she never treated Hong Yu and Luyi as outsiders—when they encountered difficulties, they never stood on ceremony or acted reserved with Song Chuyi.

Frankly speaking, she envied the trust and affection that Luyi and Hong Yu had from Song Chuyi.

Someone who treated those around her so well—surely in the future she wouldn’t truly watch people who had pledged loyalty to her and were devoted to her suffer, would she?

After thinking it over, Qing Tao finally decided to bet all her chips.

“I await the Miss’s orders. I will definitely have my parents do their utmost!” Qing Tao wiped the sweat from her forehead and knelt properly on the floor once more.

Perceptive, bold, and clever—Song Chuyi needed exactly such a confidant. She smiled with satisfaction, personally reaching out to help Qing Tao up, saying with a smile, “Very good. Since you say so, I’ll trust you.”

Nanny Xu also breathed a sigh of relief.

The self-chiming clock in the room chimed, and Yushu should be coming soon to invite her to dinner at the main house. Song Chuyi tilted her head and glanced at Qing Tao: “Later, if the Old Madam asks about Huang Yao’s matter, you know what to say, right?”

Qing Tao sighed inwardly. Actually, she had warned Huang Yao several times before not to act so brazenly, but Huang Yao wouldn’t listen. When Huang Yao went to Yushu’s place, she had already foreseen Huang Yao’s fate—the Old Madam placed such importance on propriety, and Yushu was so favored in the Old Madam’s presence—how could she be someone who was so easily bribed?