Qiu Yiniang looked left and right, and saw the first wife's eldest maid Yan Hong returning with tea from one end of the corridor. She quickly retreated two steps, stood behind one of the corridor pillars, and waited for the maid to reach the door before she stepped out slowly.
"Qiu Yiniang has come to deliver the account books." Yan Hong saw her and quickly smiled. Qiu Yiniang will be promoted to second wife next month. Recently, the people in this household have become a lot more polite to her. "The eldest young master is inside; let me help Yiniang bring them in."
"Thank you for the trouble." Qiu Yiniang smiled, handed her the books, and turned to leave.
The two people inside the room stopped talking when they heard the maid's voice. Waiting for the person to come in, Lady Du asked, "Yan Hong, who was outside?"
"When this maidservant came to the door, I only bumped into Qiu Yiniang who had come to deliver the account books. She let this maid intercept her and went back." Yanhong smiled and put the books on the table.
The North Marchioness frowned; she had gotten Qiu Yiniang to examine this month's accounts in the side office today. She had ushered out all the maids, but had forgotten about her. Fortunately, Yan Hong had come back in time. She had Yan Hong go out and guard the door. Lady Du raised her head and said to Mu Lingbao, "You are the eldest in the family, and no longer a child – you even know how to go out and fool around! Don't hang around with that pack of rogues and visit low-class brothels all day! If you have nothing to do, practice your martial arts more; the next time you fight that guy from Duke Mao's, you won't be humiliated again!"
"It wasn't my fault; that turtle-like shit used a dirty trick!" When Mu Lingbao was scolded, he immediately refused to accept it and argued, "What are you afraid of? That Mu Hanzhang brat can't learn martial arts; even if I practice casually, I'd still be stronger than him!"
* * * * *
Qiu Yiniang returned to her residence feeling distraught. She originally thought that Wang Ye treated Hanzhang rather well; his days would be better at the prince's palace than the Marquis's residence, so she herself hadn't asked for much. But she had completely forgotten about the fight over the imperial throne! Cheng Wang was so brave and good at fighting – all the children in the capital knew that. Would this kind of person be content with remaining a Wang Ye all his life? And without any sons from a first wife, his children wouldn't be able to inherit any of the nobility of a Wang Ye.
Qiu Yiniang had a mind to go find her son and have a proper talk with him, but she was still just a concubine, unable to leave as she pleased. Lady Qiu sighed and summoned her maid, Yan Cui, to send a letter to the Mo Lian Establishment.
"Yiniang, the second young master's shop sells... sells perfumed ointment. How can this servant go in?" Yan Cui immediately blushed.
Qiu Yiniang glared at the girl making a fuss and said, "I just need you to send it to the front gates of our residence! Give this to the Wang family's third son who drives the cart; don't worry about the rest."
* * * * *
The investigation into the attack on the second prince in the southwest had not clarified anything. The Government Office of Justice determined that the assassins were likely commoners of unorthodox origin, such as the so-called Jianghu masters, who were desperate for money. However, Jing Chen had been dressed in plain clothes and gone incognito; only the few bodyguards at his side knew his whereabouts. Four of the bodyguards had been sent by the emperor, and two by Cheng Wang. No one in court said it aloud, but they were all suspicious. The assassination attempt on the second prince had to be related to Cheng Wang!
