Upon hearing this, Lady Wu’s anger that had just risen subsided. She murmured, “The granddaughter of the Minister of Rites invited Third Miss to visit?”

Li Jiāo sat up straight: “Yes, Mother. I also find it strange—why would Su Luoyi not invite her earlier or later, but suddenly send an invitation at this time?”

Lady Wu nodded: “Mother understands. Jiāojiāo, rest assured and recover. In the future, don’t act impulsively in word or deed. Mother will arrange future matters for you. As for Third Miss, I’ll send someone to inquire.”

After comforting Li Jiāo, Lady Wu returned to her quarters and immediately ordered Nanny Wang to investigate at the West Residence.

Many servants in both the East and West Residences were connected by distant family relationships. After Nanny Wang made a trip to the West Residence, she brought back news.

“Reporting to Madam, yesterday, Third Miss and the West Residence’s First Madam went out shopping together. They brought back many silks and satins, saying they were to make clothes for the West Residence’s Old Madam.”

“Was there nothing else unusual?”

Mother and daughter going out for leisure shopping wasn’t anything rare—she and Jiāojiāo used to go shopping often too.

Nanny Wang hadn’t discovered more information, but hearing her mistress ask this way, she felt that outright denial wouldn’t demonstrate her capabilities. After racking her brains, her eyes lit up: “Madam, speaking of unusual things, this old servant doesn’t know if this counts—”

“Let’s hear it.”

“Yesterday, the West Residence’s First Master returned home in the same carriage as the First Madam.”

Lady Wu was shocked upon hearing this and glanced out the window.

Had the sun risen from the west? Li Guangwen would ride in the same carriage as Lady He back to the residence?

For a married couple to return home in the same carriage would be unremarkable for others, but for that couple in the West Residence, it was extremely rare.

Lady Wu’s heart stirred as she asked Nanny Wang: “Was Third Miss there too?”

“Indeed.”

“Was there nothing else?”

“This old servant only discovered this much.”

Lady Wu waved her hand, dismissing Nanny Wang, then leaned back in her chair and slowly closed her eyes.

The strange occurrences in the West Residence were increasing, and the root of all these changes—

Lady Wu’s mind slowly conjured the graceful silhouette of a young lady.

She would need to pay more attention to the Third Miss in the future.

Qiao Zhao successfully retrieved her invitation. Opening it to see it invited her to visit Minister Su’s residence that afternoon, she couldn’t help but smile.

It seemed this Miss Su was even more eager than she had imagined.

Most of the capital’s officials and nobles lived in similar areas, so Minister Su’s residence wasn’t too far from the Li residence. Qiao Zhao spent the morning sometimes instructing A’Zhu in chess, sometimes correcting Binglu’s martial arts posture, and the morning passed quickly.

After lunch, Qiao Zhao sat before her dressing mirror, letting A’Zhu take apart her casually pinned hair and re-style it into playful twin buns.

A’Zhu had gradually understood her mistress’s preferences. She took a pair of lustrous white pearl drops to hang on Qiao Zhao’s ears, smiling: “Miss may rise now.”

Qiao Zhao praised generously: “A’Zhu’s skills are getting better and better.”

Binglu, beside them, was extremely excited, patting her outfit and asking Qiao Zhao: “Miss, how does this servant look in this outfit?”

Going to the Minister’s residence! Just thinking about it was exciting. She remembered how difficult it had been when she accompanied Miss to that worthless Earl Guchang’s residence.

Qiao Zhao looked at Binglu and nodded with a smile: “Very beautiful. However, today I plan to take A’Zhu out.”

Binglu’s smile froze halfway across her face as she cried out: “A’Zhu?”

“Mm.” Qiao Zhao replied lightly.

She was willing to indulge the little maid’s temperament, but she also needed to let the little maid understand her boundaries.

Unexpectedly, though the little maid was clearly about to cry, she still said to A’Zhu with a wrinkled face: “A’Zhu, you must serve Miss well, or I won’t forgive you!” Ever since receiving Miss’s secret manual, she had been practicing quite seriously.

She was worried that A’Zhu hadn’t seen grand occasions and wouldn’t be adequate, but since Miss wanted A’Zhu to go, there must be Miss’s reasoning, though she couldn’t think of the reason at the moment.

A’Zhu was equally surprised. After a moment of bewilderment, she bowed to Qiao Zhao: “Yes.”

She quickly changed into an outfit for going out, then hesitated before reminding Qiao Zhao: “Miss, for visiting the Minister’s residence, should you bring some gifts?”

Binglu nodded upon hearing this: “Yes, Miss, since this is your first time visiting the Minister’s residence, you can’t let people look down on you. You must bring some good things.”

Qiao Zhao already had this figured out and instructed Binglu: “Go to the study and find that stack of frost-condensing paper in the second drawer of the bookcase, put it in an elegant box, and bring it to me.”

“Frost-condensing paper?” Binglu went to the study and soon returned carrying a small carved box, opening it for Qiao Zhao to inspect.

Seeing she had taken the right thing, Qiao Zhao gestured for A’Zhu to take it and said lightly: “Let’s go.”

Binglu stared wide-eyed: “Miss, you’re just bringing this?”

Wasn’t this gift too light?

“This is just right.” Qiao Zhao reached out to pinch Binglu’s cheek and smiled at her gently.

Even as her mistress reached the door, the little maid was still in a daze: She had to say, Miss looked extremely beautiful when she smiled.

The afternoon breeze of early summer was warm, the flowers fragrant. As the carriage moved slowly along the bluestone path, the passenger’s mood naturally became cheerful.

A’Zhu’s expression was calm, but her eyes held curiosity as she quietly observed outside through the lifted carriage curtain.

Qiao Zhao was resting with closed eyes when she suddenly opened them and asked with a smile: “Nervous?”

A’Zhu pressed her lips together and replied: “If Miss is nervous, this servant will be nervous; if Miss isn’t nervous, then this servant won’t be nervous either.”

She paused here, then smiled serenely: “So this servant isn’t nervous.”

Miss had this kind of ability—even if they were going to a dragon’s den or tiger’s lair, as long as one saw Miss’s calm gaze, whoever accompanied her wouldn’t worry about anything.

Hearing A’Zhu’s words, Qiao Zhao’s smile deepened: “Come, I’ll teach you blind chess. Let’s start with the simplest…”

The carriage stopped at Minister Su’s residence. After Qiao Zhao and her servant presented their invitation, they directly entered the second gate and were led by a maid from the Minister’s residence to Su Luoyi’s quarters.

Su Luoyi waited at the courtyard gate. Seeing a not-very-tall young lady being led by a residence maid, walking gracefully like a lotus flower as she gradually approached, she hurried forward to greet her: “Are you Third Sister Li?”

Qiao Zhao found this both amusing and helpless.

So the little girl Li Zhao had assumed that having met this Miss Su a few times and gained some familiarity, the other party actually didn’t remember her at all.

“Sister Su.” Qiao Zhao performed a peer’s courtesy.

Su Luoyi quickly returned the courtesy, her lips curved in a gentle smile as she reached out to take Qiao Zhao’s hand: “Third Sister Li, please come in quickly.”

As she spoke, her gaze fell on the young lady’s slender, white, soft hands, and she smiled in praise: “Oh my, Third Sister Li’s hands are perfect for playing chess.”

Miss Qiao: “…” She’d heard of hands suitable for playing the qin, but this was the first time she’d heard whether hands were suitable for chess.

She followed Su Luoyi into the room without showing her thoughts, and indeed, immediately saw a chessboard that had been set up.

“Please sit, Third Sister Li.”

Qiao Zhao sat as instructed and glanced at A’Zhu.

A’Zhu presented the box containing the frost-condensing paper.

“This is my first visit and I’m imposing on Sister Su.” Qiao Zhao handed over the small box.

Su Luoyi wasn’t one for empty courtesies. After polite words, she graciously accepted and opened it. Seeing the frost-condensing paper inside, her expression immediately became more relaxed.