Thirteenth Lady's Comback: Her Everyday Life as a Bystander-Chapter 336 - 16: Stirring Up Trouble (First Update)
Xiang’er was personally taken in by Qiao Ge in the morning, and did not see anyone else.
Now seeing this little maid, appearing around eleven or twelve years old, though not as finely dressed as Fen Dai beside Grandma Hong, she was still dressed in serious brocade and silk.
The pearl earrings on her earlobes were the size of soybeans, her hair tied with red ribbons into twin buns, adorned with two pearl flowers made of rice beads.
The two thin silver bracelets on her wrists jingled, and a gold ring with an embedded gemstone adorned her slender fingers.
Looking at herself, a set of clothes made of fine cloth washed to the point of being white, with only a tarnished thin silver hairpin in her hair, and a pair of silver gourd earrings on her ears—this was a gift from Yue Baiyou, who was about to receive a large sum of silver and rewarded her in joy.
Although she was Yue Baiyou’s maid, her monthly salary came from the Hong Family, and she also received clothes and jewelry from the four seasons’ allowances.
However, she had only received it once when she first arrived at the Hong Mansion; later, Yue Baiyou had the housekeeper’s wife convert her allowance into silver along with the three hundred taels of silver for her.
He said they would go out together later to have clothes made and jewelry crafted to avoid people saying he couldn’t afford to keep his own maid.
But in reality, she wore old clothes bought from the pawnshop by Yue Baiyou, and had been wearing the same silver hairpin for two years.
Compared to this little maid, she looked like a beggar, and Xiang’er developed more resentment towards Yue Baiyou.
Bai Lili had already returned to Shaohua Pavilion from Lake Heart Island, refreshed and changed into new clothes, now lying on the Imperial Concubine’s Couch made of golden rattan wood in the green gauze cabinet.
The seat beneath her was woven with ivory silk, and a maid named Qiao Xin was holding an ivory-handled round fan gently fanning her.
Not far away on the ground was a ship-shaped golden basin, inside which was an ice sculpture of Chang’e Flying to the Moon, emitting wisps of coolness. Around it were some broken ice, upon which various fruits were placed.
On the nearby Eight Immortals Table was a Lotus-shaped Jade Plate, also filled with fresh fruits.
Upon entering, Xiang’er lifted her eyes and saw the mountain-like heap of fruit plates, focusing intently; the fruit plates were different from what she saw in the morning.
It seemed Miss Bai’s love for the fragrance of fruits was true, a luxury only the Bai Family could afford.
After a quick glance, Xiang’er respectfully lowered her head, "This servant greets the master."
Qiao Xin did not stop her hand, but her eyes glanced at this Xiang’er, thinking: Quite the obedient one.
Bai Lili didn’t even open her eyes, only saying indifferently, "Why are you here again?"
Xiang’er looked at Qiao Xin and said nothing.
She was brought in by Qiao Ge in the morning, and there was no one else present. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶
Since Bai Lili took only Qiao Ge out, she didn’t know the status of this fan-wielding maid before her.
Bai Lili, seeing her not answer, impatiently opened her eyes, "Go ahead, speak."
Qiao Xin inwardly disdained, but merely gave a bland glance at Xiang’er, as if she were someone of importance.
Xiang’er knew she had offended someone, quickly flattering Qiao Xin with a grin.
"Young lady, don’t take offense, it’s my lack of experience."
Qiao Xin hurriedly waved her hand, "What are you saying, sister! The master is asking you a question, you better answer quickly, and later we can be close as sisters!"
Xiang’er inwardly cursed her own foolishness, hurriedly saying, "Master, this servant has gathered some information..." and then she relayed Yue Baiyou’s words verbatim to Bai Lili.
Only then did Bai Lili seem interested, sitting up and motioning for Qiao Xin to stop fanning.
A smirk appeared on her lips, "Oh, did Yue Baiyou really say that? Just a merchant? Heh, she’s just a destitute from the slums, yet looks down on merchants."
Xiang’er promptly nodded, "This servant speaks the honest truth. Fearful that she might have more tricks up her sleeve, I led her to say a few more words, and she claimed I’ve watched too much opera."
Bai Lili also laughed, "You little girl, indeed you have watched too much opera. Who casually resorts to murder to silence someone.
However, you coming to inform me puts my mind at ease. As Yue Baiyou mentioned, the situation in the Northwest is tense, and should she make reckless claims, even the Bai Family would end up in trouble for no reason.
Concerning those thousands of taels of silver, I can still afford it. But first, stay by her side, and I will find a way to free you from her service. By then, I’ll give you some silver enough for you to enjoy life comfortably."
Upon hearing this, Xiang’er was overjoyed, immediately kneeling before Bai Lili and kowtowing nine times, more devoutly than she would to a deity.
After all, when or how a deity would protect her was unknown, but the God of Wealth before her was real.
"Alright, alright, stop kowtowing!" Bai Lili asked Qiao Xin to bring a silver note to Xiang’er, it was written for fifty taels.
"You should go back, lest Yue Baiyou becomes suspicious. Rest assured, so long as you are loyal to me, I will not treat you poorly."
The light piece of paper could buy five or six maids like her, amounting to ten years’ worth of her monthly salary!
No promise is as reassuring as solid gold and silver. Xiang’er thanked Bai Lili for the reward before accepting it.
She was escorted out by the same little maid who had brought her in.
After Xiang’er left, Qiao Ge finally had a large chest brought in. Once the rough-handling women had exited, she opened the lid, "Master, it’s all here."
Inside were dazzling gold and silver jewels, truly exuding lavish wealth.
Qiao Xin, having heard of the earlier happenings from Qiao Ge’s mouth, listened to the conversation between the master and Xiang’er just now as well.
"Master, Yue Baiyou is merely testing us, are we really giving her these?"
Bai Lili replied with a half-smile, "Give her! Why not? We are porcelain, she is an earthen pot. She has nothing, ready to throw caution to the wind, but for us, even a small chip on porcelain is a serious matter."
Once it’s given, who knows if she’ll even have the life to spend it? Heh, who knows! Two girls carrying such a large sum of silver are blatantly fat sheep, who knows which bandits might covet their wealth and take their lives?
Bai Lili and Qiao Ge exchanged a glance, both sharing an equally mocking cruelty: Alas, how pitiful and lamentable!
At the Hong Mansion, after Fen Dai reported at the gate that Xiang’er had left carrying a sizable package, Susu knew that the person left by Qin Dusi must have taken action.
Susu sighed, realizing that the master-servant pair of Yue Baiyou and Xiang’er, one is such that the detestable must have some pitiful aspects, while the pitiable must have something detestable.
Susu didn’t know whether it was their nature or the greater environment that created such a tragedy.
But now, laying down the slaughter blade, there’s no turning back.
There indeed was an issue with the Bai Family, as the Hidden Guard left by the Qin Family to monitor Prince Yong’s confidant discovered that he had not been contacting the spies in Hami.
Instead, he showed enthusiasm for attending the banquets of princely families hosted by Prince Ke for Hami officials, during which he had a subtly exchanged gaze with Bai Family Master Bai Wansan.
When Susu heard about this from "Yue Baiyou," she was speechless for a long time, struggling to find words—this was the first time. She could only dumbly stare at the "Yue Baiyou" before her.
How on earth are the hidden guards of Duke Zhen’s Mansion trained?
With disguise so perfect that it could pass for the real thing, now someone capable of discovering problems just from a glance?
Though certain the Bai Family had issues, deducing it from a mere glance is more unreliable than having scented it through perfume like Chaotic Heart to suspect the Bai Family as Tartar spies, don’t you think?
