Chapter 316 – An Unexpected Encounter
Chapter 316 An Unexpected Encounter
Hearing that Qu Moying had come, Madam Duan immediately sent an old maid by her side out to welcome Qu Moying. She had established herself in Earl Ling’an’s Mansion. Although she was not as powerful as the second branch’s Xiao, she was no longer a mere concubine who was at the mercy of others. After all, her position had changed.
She was now the legitimate wife of the first branch, and the first branch had a legitimate heir, Ji Yuanhai. Moreover, the first branch had properties and businesses such as the dowry shops that once belonged to the ex-Crown Princess. In the past few days, they had been receiving the ex-Crown Princess’ dowry shops from Crown Prince’s Mansion. If all the ex-Crown Princess’ belongings were returned, the first branch would definitely become wealthier than the second branch.
Originally, Earl Ling’an’s Mansion’s second branch was far inferior to the first branch, and it was actually dependent on the first branch. However, the first branch’s ex-Madam passed away, and the second branch’s Xiao took over the inner yard, which increased the second branch’s power.
Although Xiao had been accumulating wealth by taking advantage of her position for so many years, the second branch was still far inferior to the first branch.
Qu Moying got off the carriage and followed the old maid. Along the way, she saw many familiar scenes, including pavilions, terraces, and gardens, all of which had appeared in her dreams. However, these were only a part of her previous life, and everything had changed whereas she had become a different person.
She was so familiar with everything in this mansion that she could even get to every specific thing here with her eyes closed. She slowly clenched her hands under her sleeves and then loosened her grips. Every time she came to Earl Ling’an’s Mansion, she felt a heart-rending pain.
She squinted her eyes, which were filled with coldness, and took a deep breath to get rid of the bloody smell from her memory.
Every inch of this place must have been soaked with her father’s blood!
“Fourth Lady, after another turn, we will arrive at Madam’s place.” The old maid introduced to her enthusiastically and pointed forward. Qu Moying knew that place. It used to be an empty yard, but now it seemed to be given to Madam Duan.
After taking a quick glance at the surroundings, Qu Moying asked with a smile, “This place is a little far from Old Lady Ji’s place, isn’t it?”
The old maid explained with a smile, “Yes, it is indeed a little far away, but our madam likes peace and quietness. She let us empty a room and make it into a little Buddha Hall. She placed the ex-Madam’s and the Master’s memorial tablets in the little Buddha Hall because she wanted to pay respect to them every day.”
Qu Moying nodded. She was very grateful to Madam Duan. At present, she could no longer openly worship her previous life’s parents as a daughter.
Qu Moying asked casually, “Where does Young Master Ji live?”
The old maid replied, “Young Master Ji lives outside now. It’s our Madam’s idea. She said that Young Master Ji is not young anymore and it’s not good for him to always stay in the inner yard. A teacher is specially invited to teach Young Master Ji!”
Qu Moying nodded slightly. This was the best for Ji Yuanhai. In the past, he was not valued at all. At that time, she thought it was inappropriate for him to live in the inner yard, but Xiao said that the outer yard had not been properly arranged yet, so he couldn’t move out. Now, Ji Yuanhai was the legitimate heir. Moreover, Xiao had to give in at such a time.
Madam Duan was already waiting in the room. Qu Moying entered the room, bowed to her, and sat down. Before they could say anything, a maid suddenly rushed in and said, “Madam, Princess Ji’s people are coming from the Second Madam’s place.”
Qu Moying pursed her lips slightly. Ji Youran’s people came here? What a coincidence!
She leaned back and turned to look at the door. She heard the sound of footsteps approaching. This was the yard where the madam of Ji Family’s first branch lived, but Ji Youran’s people directly came in. It turned out that they were still so arrogant!
Madam Duan said with a smile, “Let Princess Ji’s people in!”
As soon as she finished speaking, the door curtain was lifted, and two maids appeared at the door, one behind the other. An unfathomable light flashed through Qu Moying’s eyes as she saw the maid in the front, Xie Feng, who was her maid in her previous life. However, Xie Feng, who had betrayed her, had now become Ji Youran’s private maid.
The other maid was holding a thin account book in a respectful manner with her head lowered so that her face could not be seen clearly. She should be a young maid who followed Xie Feng here.
“Greetings, Concubine Xiang.” Xie Feng gracefully walked in. She used to be slim, and now she looked even more graceful than before. She didn’t look like an ordinary maid.
A trace of ruthlessness flashed in Qu Moying’s eyes. Xie Feng didn’t dress like an ordinary maid, which made her appear different from the last time Qu Moying saw her. She dressed in a more exquisite and luxurious way this time.
There were even two hairpins decorated with jewels on her head. Such hairpins were not something that an ordinary maid could use. Moreover, Qu Moying found these two hairpins look familiar. They were clearly the jewelry on her makeup table back then.
She could remember them so clearly because the word “Yue” was on this pair of hairpins. They were her mother’s dowry items and were given to her later. She didn’t like them very much, so she casually placed them somewhere. Later, her mother died, and she put them in front of her mother’s memorial tablet. However, they disappeared.
She had wanted to find this pair of hairpins back but failed. At that time, it was Ji Youran and Xie Feng who helped her look for them. She didn’t expect that the two of them had colluded with each other long ago!
Or maybe, Xie Feng stole the hairpins and kept them for herself. After Ji Youran found out about it, Xie Feng chose to become an agent of Ji Youran as she stayed beside Ji Hanyue.
An old maid stepped forward and said proudly, “Our Madam is now Master’s legitimate wife!”
“So what? She was Concubine Xiang when Master was alive. Even if she has been promoted now, she is still Concubine Xiang to Master.”
Xie Feng looked at Concubine Xiang mockingly and said indifferently. Just now, she only slightly tilted her body and looked like she was bowing, but in fact, she did not bend her waist much.
The maids and the old maids in the room were annoyed and glared at Xie Feng, but they did not dare to reprimand her. Xie Feng was no longer the Ji Family’s servant. She now worked in the Crown Prince’s Mansion. Some observant old maids could even tell that Xie Feng was no longer an ordinary maid but the Crown Prince’s bedroom maid.
With such an identity, not to mention these servants of the Ji Family, even Madam Duan could not afford to offend her.
Seeing that no one dared to speak, Xie Feng smiled complacently. She looked around and raised his head arrogantly. “What? Am I wrong?”
She believed that no one in this room would dare to do anything to her. She had just become the Crown Prince’s bedroom maid, and she was doted on by the Crown Prince in the past few days. The Crown Prince had slept in her bedroom for these two days. Even Princess Ji became kinder to her, and she gave her a lot of rewards, making her feel as if she could immediately be on the same level as Princess Ji.
As long as she got a chance, she might be as noble as Princess Ji in the future. After all, the Crown Prince had said something to her that he might not tell Princess Ji.
While she was acting complacently, she heard a cold voice from the side, “Who are you?”
Xie Feng couldn’t help but look over, only to see Qu Moying sitting there. She had actually seen Qu Moying when she came in, but she didn’t take her seriously. Qu Moying was just a blind person, whereas she was the Crown Prince’s person. How could she bow to Qu Moying?
Behind Xie Feng, the maid who had been bowing respectfully raised her head. Qu Moying looked over and smiled slightly. It was another familiar face. However, she was not surprised. She looked at Xie Feng again, whom she knew very well.
“Quickly greet our lady.” Yu Dong stepped forward and glared coldly at Xie Feng.
His aura had always been stronger than that of ordinary maids. He glanced at Xie Feng from the corner of his eyes coldly. Xie Feng could not help but take a step back. Then, she realized that she was actually frightened by a mere maid. She was angry and annoyed. She glared back and said arrogantly, “Which mansion is she from? Is she from Crown Prince’s Mansion or from Earl Ling’an’s Mansion?”
She was clearly mocking Qu Moying for being nobody!
Qu Moying said coldly, “How dare a little maid be so rude! Slap her!”
Yu Dong did not say a word but directly stepped forward and gave Xie Feng two hard slaps on the face, causing Xie Feng’s fair and tender face to swell up immediately.
Yu Dong would even dare to slap Princess Ji as long as Qu Moying gave an order, let alone a mere maid of Princess Ji.
The maid behind Xie Feng retreated quietly to avoid Xie Feng, who was falling backward. She was the only one who knew clearly that Qu Moying was not a weak person to be bullied by anyone. These days, Xie Feng had been on cloud nine in Eastern Palace and had forgotten her identity. Even if she was beaten, she deserved it.
Xie Feng steadied herself by holding a pillar. She covered her face with her hand and said angrily with a ferocious expression, “You… How dare you…”
Qu Moying didn’t even look at her as she lazily asked Madam Duan, who was sitting in the middle. “Madam Duan, where did this maid come from? Why is she so rude? Are all the servants in your mansion like this? Who gave her the guts to disrespect her masters like this?”
Xie Feng was guilty of many things, so how could Qu Moying let her off? It was fantastic for Qu Moying that Xie Feng had come to her now.
After her rebirth, what she wanted to do most was to take revenge. She had planted people and made arrangements in Crown Prince’s Mansion so that everything would come in handy at a critical moment.
A job well done was a job well planned!
Madam Duan immediately understood Qu Moying’s meaning and echoed, “She was the ex-Crown Princess’ dowry maid, and later she became Princess Ji’s maid. I don’t know why she is so arrogant now. I don’t think Princess Ji asked her to act like this.”
“Shame on you!” Qu Moying’s expression turned cold. She picked up the teacup at hand and smashed it at Xie Feng. Xie Feng had wanted to retort, but she was frightened and took two steps back.
The teacup broke into pieces by her feet, and a piece of fragment even brushed against her leg, immediately causing her leg to ache…
