A Beautiful Duchess with a Dark Heart – Chapter 30

Chapter 30: Keep an Eye on Her

After Hong Xing’er finished looking at the things Third Madam had given her in her room, she was still quite happy.

She finally got a reward, and it was unexpected. She counted it beautifully for a long time, looked at it enough, and then carefully put it away.

Then she thought of Eldest Madam…

Holding onto a sliver of hope, she went out again. It was already dark, and she wandered around Eldest Madam’s courtyard. As luck would have it, “just so happened” that Nurse Xu came out of the courtyard and saw her.

Hong Xing’er hurriedly stepped forward and bowed, “Nurse Xu!” with a flattering expression on her face.

“Oh, it’s Hong Xing’er…” Nurse Xu drew out her voice and looked her up and down. She saw Hong Xing’er in a pink dress, with the waist deliberately taken in, showing off her slender waist and graceful figure.

With narrow cuffs, as she bowed, her slender wrist wearing a silver bracelet was revealed.

That bracelet was given to her by Madam last time she returned.

Her palm-sized face was powdered and lipsticked, but it was all just right, not too thick or too thin. The loose hair by her ears, she didn’t know what she had used to curl it, stuck to her small face, making her look very pretty.

She couldn’t help but snort coldly in her heart, if Miss Huan had such a maid by her side, she would have been dealt with long ago! “I was saying that I would find time to question you!”

“Mam, if you have any questions, Hong Xing will answer truthfully.” Hong Xing was nervous and excited.

There was a stone bench by the road. Nurse Xu sat down heavily, “Then tell me, what’s wrong with your Miss?”

This tone, this expression…clearly unhappy!

“Mam, our Miss, she, what’s wrong with her?!” Hong Xing stood honestly and asked cautiously.

“Huh! What’s wrong? You don’t know how she left this room that day?!” Nurse Xu said sharply.

Hong Xing’s hand broke out in a cold sweat, “Miss, she, she seems…to have changed, not quite the same as before.”

“Speak carefully!” Nurse Xu crossed her legs.

Hong Xing carefully recalled, “Speaking of which, it seems to have started on her fifteenth birthday. That day…the family didn’t celebrate her birthday. She cried all day! And she also fell…”

“And then?!” Nurse Xu interrupted impatiently.

“And then, she suddenly changed. She became quite tough…Oh, before, our Miss was very soft-natured, had no temper. She did needlework all day, didn’t care much about the things in the room, whether the food and water were cold or hot, she wouldn’t say anything. Now it’s different, this is not right, that is not right! Even when I enter the room, I have to say something, especially that Hong Dou…”

What trivial matters…

“Alright! Stop with the nonsense!” Nurse Xu was impatient, “Anything special?”

“Special…Oh, she used to be so good to her younger sisters, always thinking about making this and that for them. But a few days ago, Third Miss wanted to eat the osmanthus cake she made, and she refused to make it!” To dare refuse Third Miss? Hong Xing was startled.

“What a mess?!”

“Mam…” Hong Xing said a few things, but Nurse Xu was not satisfied. She was a little discouraged, “Now, when Miss has something to do, she sends me away and only talks to that Hong Dou’er by her side!”

“Hong Dou…is that the good-looking maid?”

Hong Xing was very dissatisfied…She was also very good-looking!

“…It’s her! But these two days, Miss keeps calling her Zhu Zhu, I don’t know what’s going on. She might be sick, her skin has been dark and yellow lately!”

Nurse Xu looked at Hong Xing speechlessly, “You maids by her side, not only have to serve Miss, but also watch if she’s behaving properly. Whether her actions and words are out of line! If you find any signs and can’t persuade her, you must quickly tell Old Madam, or Master and Madam! If a girl’s reputation is ruined, is it just her own business?”

“The first ones to be punished will be you maids who serve her!” Nurse Xu scolded Hong Xing while pointing at her!

“Yes.” Hong Xing was scared.

“Usually, how does Madam treat you? Don’t you have any idea in your heart? But this time, because of Eldest Miss, Master even argued with Madam! Second Miss also cried once. Madam is preoccupied with herself, where would she remember to reward you maids? Tell me, aren’t you causing trouble for yourself?”

Hong Xing clutched her handkerchief, disappointed and scared.

“After being married for so long, when has Master ever treated Madam like this? I came to ask you, but look at you! You don’t know anything! Has Madam’s previous kindness all been wasted on a dog?!” Nurse Xu scolded Hong Xing.

“Mam, I…” Hong Xing wanted to explain.

“Shut up! Originally, Madam thought of taking Eldest Miss to the capital, but now that Master is angry, who would dare to mention it?! What kind of place is the capital? You, a servant, to be able to go to the Emperor’s feet in this lifetime is a blessing accumulated by your ancestors for generations!”

These words made Hong Xing even more anxious, who wouldn’t want to go to the capital?!

“Mam, then, what do you say I should do?!”

“You’re asking me? To tell you the truth, we’re not taking Eldest Miss with us this time.” She stood up, looked around, and then whispered to Hong Xing, “Old Madam will leave in half a year…I guess, most likely she won’t take her either.”

“But, the whole family is going, how can they not take Miss?” Hong Xing’s eyes widened, leaving Miss alone?

“Why not?! How old is she? Isn’t she going to get married?”

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“But Miss is not engaged yet…” Hong Xing wanted to argue a few words, but stopped. Right, marrying her off quickly, and then the whole family leaving, wasn’t impossible!

“Oh my god! What should I do?”

“What to do, you ask me? I’m going to enjoy myself in the capital with Madam, who cares what you do? You, figure it out yourself!” After saying that, she turned and left.

“Mam, Mam!” Hong Xing called after her.

But Nurse Xu didn’t look back, leaving Hong Xing standing there dumbfounded.

…Yes, everyone else is going to enjoy themselves, who cares what happens to me? She muttered to herself, but didn’t see the chubby figure flash behind a nearby fence, moving away with surprising agility.

✿✿✿

At night, Wu Shi, who had been busy all day, returned to her room, washed up, and changed her clothes. Sitting on a stool, her shoulders slumped, she was very tired.

Nurse Wu massaged her, “You must be exhausted today, Madam.”

“I’m used to it, it’s alright. But with Old Master back, I have to be careful everywhere.”

“I heard that Miss Li is very capable. Once she enters the household, you can teach her, and she can help you share the burden.”

“Yes, I have to teach her, after all, in the capital…who knows what will happen!”

“Madam, I think Third Madam is quite capable!”

“Yes, a smiling tiger, humph, she’s quite something!” Wu Shi thought of Guan Shi’s manner today, much more difficult to deal with than Yuan Shi. Fortunately, she’s not around…

“Today, she even specifically sought out Eldest Miss, I wonder what she’s up to?!”

“Sigh…the matter with Master a few days ago, I don’t know if we can get away with it!” If Old Master finds out, he definitely won’t let it go. “After these few days, tell the people on the estate to teach that bitch a good lesson!” Wu Shi gritted her teeth with hatred whenever she thought about it.

“Yes. Madam, I heard from Qiu Shui that Third Miss was unhappy today.”

“Oh, what’s wrong with her again?” Wu Shi didn’t take it seriously, closing her eyes.

“She had a few words with Eldest Miss.”

“With Wen Yu?! What about?” Wu Shi opened her eyes in surprise, then closed them again.

“Before, Eldest Miss always made osmanthus cake for Third Miss. This time, Third Miss wanted to send two boxes to Miss Zhao, and asked Eldest Miss to make it, but Eldest Miss refused.”

“Ha, for such a small matter, do you need to ask Wen Yu? Just let the kitchen make some.”

“Oh Madam, you can’t say that, the ones made by Eldest Miss are better than those made at home or bought outside!”

“Then it’s nothing special! Huh? Why did Jiao’er want to send them to Miss Zhao?!”

“Hehe, this old servant heard…that Miss Zhao’s brother is the top scorer in our area! I’ve seen him twice, a truly handsome young man, a refined scholar. They say he’s likely to pass the Xiucai exam this time!” The nurse said with a grin, only the two master and servant present, so their words were casual.

“Ah?! Haha! This girl…” Wu Shi laughed. “How old is she…oh my, she’s already a young lady!”

“Indeed! After Master’s marriage is settled, you’ll have to pay attention to her.”

“We…are going to the capital. I heard that the Zhao family is seeking a position in Guangdong. They might move! No matter how good the person is, I don’t want Jiao’er to be so far away from me. Tell Qiu Shui to watch out and don’t let her get too close to the Zhao family!”

“Yes, Qiu Shui understands.” Qiu Shui was the nurse’s youngest daughter, “Time flies, you’re about to become a mother-in-law and a mother of a married daughter…”

“Hehe. I just hope that this marriage won’t delay Feng’er’s exams.”

The nurse began combing Wu Shi’s hair again.

Suddenly, Wu Shi’s eyes opened wide, her gaze sharp, “Keep an eye on Wen Yu. It’s beneath me to argue with a girl with such a thin fate. But she shouldn’t act out of line and upset Jiao’er!”

“Yes!”