The servant clutched the letter, looking troubled. "Um... Third Madam, this letter is for the Master. If you read it privately, and the Young General blames me, I won't be able to bear it!"
Alas, among all the wives in the General's mansion, this Third Madam was the most troublesome.
And if she took a disliking to any maid or servant, the lightest punishment was a severe whipping with a leather strap soaked in cold water, while the heavier one would be to directly break their arms or legs and throw them out of the General's mansion...
If Gu Zhenshan were home, Zhen Meili would still have some restraint. But he was out fighting a war, so at this moment, no one in the entire General's mansion dared to breathe loudly.
Gu Zhenshan's principal wife, Madam Wu, was devoutly Buddhist, gentle in nature, and focused on giving birth to a robust son for the Young General. Thus, she had no interest in engaging in domestic power struggles with Zhen Meili...
"Oh, tsk tsk tsk!" Zhen Meili rolled her eyes and said sarcastically, "Look at the words you're speaking! Aren't the Young General's possessions also my possessions? What's the difference between the two?"
The servant: "..."
So the Young General wouldn't punish you when he returned, and you're just boasting here.
"Besides, it's just a letter from the countryside. What secrets could it possibly hold?" Zhen Meili took a step forward, approaching the servant, and snatched the letter. "You go back and rest. Close the door properly!"
With that, she swayed her willow-like waist and left...
The servant sighed deeply, closed the mansion gate, and returned to the gatehouse to nap.
A moment later, in a small courtyard, a gasp of surprise was soon heard.
"Sister?" Zhen Meili's beautiful eyes widened. Under the lamplight, she stared blankly at the letter in her hand. "The Young General found his sister?"
Good heavens, it truly was true that heaven helps those who help themselves. The Young General had been traveling and enduring hardships in the wilderness for a long time, and he had actually found her...
Xiao Cui, the maid beside Zhen Meili, said, "Madam, could the Young General's sister be a fake? Think about it. The eldest daughter has been missing for so many years. She must not have had a good life outside. She was such a delicate person. If she couldn't endure a life of simple food and coarse meals, she would have returned to the General's mansion to acknowledge her family long ago. Why would she wait until now?"
Zhen Meili glanced at her after hearing this. "What exactly are you trying to say?"
"Madam!" Xiao Cui smiled slightly and lowered her voice. "Your servant believes that either the eldest daughter starved to death outside back then, or she was sold to a brothel. In any case, she couldn't possibly be alive now. Therefore, this 'eldest daughter' living in the countryside must be an imposter..."
"Madam must also know that the Young General offered many rewards to find the eldest daughter back then. But what happened? People came to claim kinship every few days, all wanting to latch onto our General's mansion!"
After Xiao Cui's speech, Zhen Meili, who was already suspicious, was completely convinced by her words...
She shook the letter and sneered, "Hmph, she made me happy for nothing. Didn't those fortune tellers say that as long as the Young General could find the eldest daughter, the concubines in the mansion would definitely get pregnant? I even wanted to give birth to twins for the Young General. But it turns out to be a fake, hmph!"
As she spoke, she casually tore the letter into pieces and threw them into the charcoal basin...
"But what did the letter say about Er Man being captured by soldiers and taken to the Northern Territory, and asking the Young General to rescue him immediately? What does that mean?" Zhen Meili looked confused.
Moreover, upon careful consideration, the letter contained no words of flattery, claims of kinship, or any pleasantries. It was all centered around Yun Er Man's capture, which left Zhen Meili somewhat bewildered...
Xiao Cui rolled her eyes and pursed her lips into a smile. "This imposter is playing the emotional card. If she doesn't pretend to be pitiful, miserable, and in urgent need, how will the Young General believe her?"
"In other words, the eldest daughter's son is the Young General's own nephew. Wouldn't he be anxious?"
Zhen Meili nodded slightly upon hearing this, feeling that her words made some sense, yet she also felt something was subtly wrong...
That night, she tossed and turned, unable to sleep, thinking about many things.
At dawn, she called Xiao Cui again, saying anxiously, "I still feel this matter is very strange. What if the Young General brings the eldest daughter back to the General's mansion? Won't my status and position be threatened?"
"The General's mansion is so large, the Young General can definitely set up a few more courtyards for the eldest daughter's family to live in. Moreover, the Young General respects the eldest daughter so much, he will definitely hand over the management of the household to her. By then, will I still have a way to live? Alas..."
She was truly worried sick.
Xiao Cui: "..."
This was simply worrying about things that might never happen.
Humans, once they have nothing to do, spend their days thinking about useless things.
"Then what does Madam mean?" Xiao Cui asked in surprise.
Zhen Meili gritted her teeth and suddenly stood up. "No, I have to go to Dashui Village to see and confirm if that fake eldest daughter is real!"
"Xiao Cui, quickly prepare the carriage and travel expenses. We're leaving now!"
Xiao Cui: "..."
With the Young General away, the entire General's mansion was not enough for you to cause trouble.
It would be good to go out and relax. I'm just afraid that the weather outside is cold and freezing, and it might make Madam sick.
After all, the Third Madam is the Young General's most beloved concubine, and he dotes on her dearly...
Once everything was prepared, the mistress and servant boarded the carriage, accompanied by a few guards, and left the capital, slowly heading towards Dashui Village.
At the same time, in a county far away, Yun Jinhe was busy packing his luggage, preparing to return home for the New Year.
Murong Qing acted like a virtuous young wife, folding clothes for Yun Jinhe while smiling, "Jinhe, in this year-end examination, you ranked third in the entire academy. Even Dean Fan praised your promising future. When you return to the village, tell your family this news, they will surely be happy..."
Yun Jinhe had been studying diligently and living up to expectations recently. With such good results in the year-end examination, he could have a peaceful New Year upon his return.
"It's all thanks to Miss Murong's good teaching. Without you, I would probably be third from the bottom, haha!" Yun Jinhe said with a simple smile.
He had always suspected that God had deliberately arranged for Miss Murong to be by his side...
Such a beautiful and intelligent girl, she was practically an encyclopedia carried around with him, no, she should be called a treasure girl.
She knew almost everything, and no problem could stump her. Daily life knowledge, cooking, making tools, dyeing cloth, forging iron, repairing houses, and so on, she could solve them all by herself. Her practical skills were superb.
Murong Qing smiled gently. Just as she was about to say something, a burst of laughter suddenly came from outside the door...