BXBX NOVEL Chapter 207 - Sending Another Hairpin
Chapter 207 Sending Another Hairpin
In the backyard, an old maid was walking to and fro, quite anxious!
As a creak finally came from the door behind her, she turned instantly and saw Qing Xue coming in a hurry. Instantly, she was overjoyed, reaching out her hands to pull her to a corner next to her. After craning her head to look at the door and find no one was tailing, she was relieved.
“Auntie, anything else?” Qing Xue broke free of the old maid’s hands unhappily, asking, “Previously, didn’t you say you wouldn’t come again?”
The so-called “previously” referred to the time after the news that Dong Xiuer was to send the hairpin was spread.
“Something happened, the hairpin is missing!” the auntie said helplessly.
“Why missing? Everything was done according to plan, wasn’t it?” Qing Xue said anxiously. At this time, anyone would be anxious when hearing the item they sent out after overcoming difficulties was missing.
“Don’t you worry, our miss is also trying to find a way!” The old maid gave a flattering smile.
“No other ways!” Qing Xue opened her palms. “Only one hairpin, no more, how can we get another one now? How did your miss make this happen!”
Qing Xue turned more sullen.
“Could you find another one?” the old maid hesitated and said.
“Find? From where?” Qing Xue couldn’t help speaking a little louder, and the old maid was scared to shudder and cover her mouth instantly, whispering, “No, my dear lady, please lower your voice; it is bad if others hear us!”
“I can’t find another one from anywhere. Madam’s people only asked me to cooperate with you and send some news, but never said I should find another hairpin for you!” Qing Xue pushed the old maid’s hands away unhappily. “It is Madam giving me the hairpin, or how could I have something so expensive? You lost one and must return us one!”
“Let’s do it this way. Our miss lost the hairpin, now we return you one!” The old maid took an exquisite hairpin out of her arms and passed it to her.
“This is…” Qing Xue asked confusingly.
“Also, our miss prepared a pair of eardrops for you. You’ve helped us for so long, our miss also extends her gratitude. Recently, has your madam asked you to do anything?” The old maid took out another pair of eardrops, very beautiful cat’s eye gems, making Qing Xue happy as she saw them.
“The eardrops for me?”
“Of course for you, we always ask you to deliver messages. Although this is Madam Di’s idea, our miss also needs to thank you!” The old maid put the eardrops in Qing Xue’s palm.
With the earrings, the two’s talk became harmonious. “Recently, our mansion has been busy with the marriage of First Miss and Duke Yong’s son, so Madam has no time to give me tasks. Besides, I am also Second Miss’ girl servant, and Madam cannot meddle in Second Miss’ business that much!”
“Your Second Miss and Madam Di have disputes, right?” the old maid asked with a gossiping look, putting the hairpin thing at the back of her mind.
This was but a beginning.
“Of course!” Qing Xue tucked the eardrops away. Looking around and seeing no soul, she approached the old maid’s ear and whispered, “Our madam dislikes Second Miss most; she asked me to serve her and keep an eye on her.”
“Keep an eye on your Second Miss? Why do that? Your Second Miss is not beautiful and is also small, even not beautiful than a girl servant like you, why keep an eye!” The old maid pursed her lips, showing she had seen Qin Wanru before.
“Not eye-catching? Not beautiful?”
Qing Xue’s look twinkled, and she thought the speaker was blind indeed!
“If Second Miss were not eye-catching or beautiful, who would be in the world?”
“Madam dislikes Second Miss indeed. Previously in Jiangzhou, Madam also sent men to kidnap Second Miss. That time, she was burning incense in the temple.” Driving the ridicule in her mind away, Qing Xue lowered her voice further, looking like she had been completely bribed by the eardrops.
“What? Such a thing even happened!” The old maid was quite shocked.
“Yes, she wanted to kidnap Second Miss and sell her!” Qing Xue pursed her lips.
“Your madam really has an evil heart!” the old maid was dumbstruck and whispered.
Hearing her comment, Qing Xue lowered her head. Instantly, she seemed to have thought of something and turned silent.
“Your madam has such an evil heart, and now you serve your Second Miss but works for her. In the future, if something bad happens, you won’t have a good result!” The old maid looked very sophisticated.
Qing Xue nodded, but said helplessly, “But my indenture is in Madam’s hands.”
“You can ask your Second Miss to get it. You are her girl servant, why should your madam keep your indenture?” the old maid turned her eyes and instigated.
“Our Second Miss is still young and doesn’t know such things. Besides, I had contacts with Madam in the past, and Second Miss doesn’t really believe me!” Qing Xue heaved a sigh.
“This is not good for you, stay between the two masters and shift your stances. As a servant, this is the worst thing. Especially in the capital city, a servant must be loyal, or you won’t have a good result.” Looking experienced, the old maid extended her hand to pat Qing Xue on the shoulder, agreed very much, and said, “You yourself should plan early, or you will probably be taken out as a scapegoat!”
Hearing the old maid’s words, Qing Xue became dispirited with the tip of her shoe rubbing the ground several times and nodded.
“Take the hairpin first. Once successful, our miss is bound to thank you with lots of rewards. Being our miss, she can ask you directly from Madam Di or your mansion’s Second Miss. In fact, that’s not difficult, and you won’t have to shift stances between your two masters.”
The old maid pushed the exquisite hairpin in her hands to Qing Xue.
These words seemed attractive to Qing Xue, who didn’t refuse anymore, extending her hand to receive it. “What shall I do?”
“Can you send the hairpin to your First Miss?” the old maid smiled and said. Her miss was sure Madam Di wouldn’t tell the previous cooperation with her to her daughter.
With such a thing troubling her, Madam Di wouldn’t notice the girl servant, either. This girl must have no idea that it was her miss who made the trouble.
This was a very good opportunity!
“Why?” Qing Xue was shocked, asking, “What does this have to do with First Miss?”
“No, now go to First Miss, give Dong Xiuer a hairpin as a gift through First Miss, or how could Dong Xiuer have such a good hairpin?” the old maid asked in reply and made Qing Xue speechless.
“In fact, you won’t have to disturb First Miss, and you can ask her girl servant to help you. Anyway, it must be those around the master. Didn’t you say you are not in Second Miss’ favor? How could you have such expensive hairpins again and again? If you ask Fist Miss’ girl servant to help you, you wouldn’t be dragged even if something went wrong, right?”
The old maid persuaded.
These words and the words said before made Qing Xue hesitant.
Since she was silent, the old maid knew the thing could be done and persuaded with a whisper instantly, “Lady Qing Xue, considering your position, you had better not get involved. With such a madam, you will perhaps die tragically in the end. “Take this hairpin to First Miss or her close girl servant silently, then go and tell Madam, your madam will definitely agree.”
“Madam doesn’t like to get First Miss involved in this!” Qing Xue lowered her head anxiously.
“So, you may put it there silently, once done, let me know. I will try to find First Miss’ girl servant and ask her to send the hairpin to Dong Xiuer. In this way, you are not involved. Anyway, Madam and our miss had a very good relationship in the past, and this is not something big!”
The old maid spoke more earnestly, looking like she stood so much on Qing Xue’s side to think about the thing.
“Can this work?”
“Yes, of course. As long as you put the hairpin in your First Miss’ or her girl servant’s place, the thing is done, and the rest won’t have any relations with you!” the old maid pointed the hairpin and said.
“But… I don’t know how to send it!”
“You can put it on the road as you see First Miss coming. Such a beautiful hairpin, your First Miss is bound to like!” Qing Yue’s concern was what the old maid wanted to mention, so she smiled and provided a solution instantly. “In this way, you don’t have to show yourself or have contacts with First Miss and can also be an outsider!”
“Then, okay!” Qing Yue was persuaded successfully and nodded.
“These days, I will be in the shop across the street behind your mansion every day. After you put the thing, come to find me, and our miss will do the rest!” The old maid looked confident.
“Good!” Qing Xue nodded.
As the negotiation was done, Qing Xue tucked the hairpin away. Returning to her mansion and closing the back door, she smiled at the old maid doorkeeper and went back.
When she returned to Zhifang Pavilion, Qin Wanru had already returned. After she asked to see Qin Wanru under the porch, Qing Yue led her in.
Also, Qin Wanru had just arrived in the room.
“First Miss, this is what the previous ‘auntie’ sent. She asked me to send it to First Miss’ or her close girl servant’s place, and gave me these eardrops!” As soon as Qing Xue stepped in, she told the thing in detail for once, and then took out the hairpin and eardrops, handing them in respectfully.
Yujie came over, took the hairpin and eardrops, and put them on the table before Qin Wanru.
The eardrops were inlaid with the cat’s eye gems, which were translucent with good quality, and the hairpin was even more exquisite. As Qin Wanru’s look swept across the top of the hairpin, her eyes became deep. This hairpin was exquisite indeed, or even exceptionally exquisite, but the style did not look new.
Qing Xue could not see it through, but she could!
This was not a newly made hairpin, but one passed from ancestors, and an ordinary family could not have such a hairpin.
She took up the hairpin and observed it carefully against the light. It seemed there were no marks on it, but in the sun, she could see a very very small ancient Chinese character on a butterfly wing pattern consisting of exquisite gold accessories on one side.
Seeing the character clearly, Qin Wanru smiled. “Coincidental, really coincidental, it looks like Ning Caixian also spent so much energy.
“Very good! Ning Caixian, Qin Yuru, and Madam Di are all not easy to deal with. With evil hearts, they are those who will sacrifice others for their own profits. So, let them attack one another like wild dogs!”
“Do as she said!”