PNB Chapter 144: Not 1 inside or outside
Chapter 144: Not 1 inside or outside
Nanny Qi didn't dare to say anything more. She took the box from Old Madam Shen, bowed, and walked out.
After leaving the house, Madam Qi walked along the bluestone road of the mansion with a lantern in her hand, slowly heading towards Tang Qingmei's Wutong Residence with a heavy heart.
Led by the maid, Madam Qi entered the house. The first thing she saw was Tang Qingmei, the mistress of the Marquis's Mansion. She had her eyes slightly closed, one hand supporting her head, and the other casually resting on the armrest of a chair.
The trusted maid serving in the mistress' room bent over and approached Tang Qingmei's side. The master and servant were whispering something.
Seeing Madam Qi enter the room, Tang Qingmei's trusted madam glanced at her, bowed to Tang Qingmei, then silently left the room and sent all the maids in the yard out.
"This old servant greets the Madam." Madam Qi did not dare to look at her any longer and withdrew her gaze, kneeling on the ground and bowing respectfully.
The person sitting at the top neither opened his eyes nor said a word.
Nanny Qi, who was kneeling on the ground with her forehead touching the ground, trembled slightly and cold sweat immediately broke out on her back. At this time, she bent her body even lower.
Only Aunt Qi and Tang Qingmei were left in the room. The candlelight cast a shadow on Tang Qingmei's face.
Tang Qingmei is already thirty-six this year, but because she takes good care of herself, there are not many signs of aging on her face.
After she married Shen Junxing at the age of sixteen, she was favored by the old lady Shen in the mansion. She was in charge of household affairs at an early age and became the mistress of the Wu'an Marquis Mansion.
Twenty years passed in a flash, and she had unknowingly acquired the authority of the mistress of the Marquis' Mansion. She was no longer the timid person she had been when she first entered the Mansion.
"Get up!" It was not until Tang Qingmei's voice came from above that Aunt Qi slowly stood up from the ground.
"Madam Qi, is there something important that brings you to Wutong Courtyard so late?" Tang Qingmei lowered her eyes and didn't even look at the person standing in front of her.
"Madam, I just came from the old lady. The old lady asked me to bring you a jade bracelet." Madam Qi took a few steps forward, respectfully opened the wooden box containing the bracelet, and presented it to Tang Qingmei.
Tang Qingmei seemed to be interested. She raised her eyelids, reached out to take the box from Aunt Qi's hand, just took a look at it, and then put it casually on the table beside her.
It seemed as if the fine bracelet in front of him was just an ordinary thing.
"What did Fu Shou Tang say?" Tang Qingmei's tone seemed nonchalant, but the look she gave Madam Qi became fierce.
"Madam, everything you asked us to do has been done. The old lady didn't suspect anything." When Madam Qi met Tang Qingmei's compelling gaze, her heart trembled and she felt a chill on her back.
"The old lady has always been kind to you. She entrusted you with the task of handling that family's affairs. Naturally, she believes in your ability..."
Nanny Qi lowered her brows, and then reported to Tang Qingmei about the recent situation of Old Madam Shen in Fushou Hall.
Tang Qingmei never interrupted Aunt Qi from the beginning until Aunt Qi finished speaking, then she spoke again.
"Madam Qi, you are also an elder in the mansion, and the most trusted person around the old lady. Even my husband respects you a little bit..."
Tang Qingmei stopped when she said this.
She looked up at Aunt Qi, then changed the subject and smiled meaningfully.
"Madam Qi, since ancient times, a servant should not serve two masters. You should know that in this world, those who sit on the fence will not have a good ending. The old lady is old and has long been in charge of the affairs of the mansion. Today, I kindly remind you that you'd better think about everything you do in the future. Who is the one who holds the power of killing in this huge mansion..."
"Although I am not the old lady's biological daughter, I have been raised by her for a few years. Now I am her proud daughter-in-law. You say you..."
Before Tang Qingmei could finish her words, Aunt Qi was so frightened that she fell to her knees, her face as pale as paper.
She understood that the lady was clearly warning her.
The conversation just now with the old lady was immediately reported to Wutongju, which means that the old lady's courtyard was already full of Tang Qingmei's spies.
"Madam, I know I was wrong. I was overstepping my bounds and shouldn't have commented on my master's affairs. I beg you to spare my life." Madam Qi knelt on the ground and trembled.
Nanny Qi felt extremely regretful that she had mentioned Shen Ruyi when Old Madam Shen handed her the bracelet.
"Get up! Madam Qi, what is the purpose of your behavior? If the servants outside see this, I don't know how they will frame me as the mistress, saying that I am mistreating the elderly in the mansion and slapping the old lady in the face..."
As Tang Qingmei spoke, she smiled and reached out to personally help Aunt Qi up from the ground. The warning and threat just now seemed to be just an illusion.
"Thank you for your teachings, madam. I would never dare to have any second thoughts. Please understand, madam." Madam Qi thanked her and looked at the dignified and generous man with the perfect smile in front of her. She became even more alert and did not dare to be careless at all.
"Madame Qi, please come and sit down. Why are you just standing there?" Tang Qingmei raised her chin and motioned for Madame Qi to sit down.
Tang Qingmei was just being polite, so Aunt Qi naturally didn't dare to really sit over there.
Tang Qingmei ignored Aunt Qi and changed the subject to talk about her grandson Ping An.
"You came at the right time. I have good news to tell you, Madam Qi. Your grandson Dashuan is smart and capable. It's a waste of his talent to do odd jobs in the mansion all these years. When he comes back, he will be transferred to Song'er Courtyard to work. The Marquis's Mansion has always been clear about rewards and punishments. As long as you work hard for the Marquis' Mansion, I, your wife, will naturally not treat you unfairly."
Tang Qingmei's soft words pierced Aunt Qi's heart like a needle.
The mistress of the Marquis's Mansion was clearly using Dashuan's life to threaten him, telling him not to ever think of betraying her.
If Shuan'er had not been young and ignorant, he would not have been forced to become a traitor.
Nanny Qi lowered her head and agreed with Tang Qingmei's words, but a trace of resentment flashed in her eyes.
The life of his grandson was in the hands of the man in front of him, and he had no right to resist.
After seeing Tang Qingmei's true face, Nanny Qi realized how terrifying the private methods of this praised mistress of the Marquis' Mansion were.
Everyone in the capital said that the mistress of the Marquis of Wu'an was well-educated, well-mannered, and virtuous. Although her family background was low, her merits outweighed her flaws.
Tang Qingmei was also a very versatile person and was popular among the noble ladies in the capital.
With her husband Shen Junxing being promoted to Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, who would be so blind as to make a fuss about Tang Qingmei's background?
"Take it and continue as before!" Tang Qingmei slipped out a small medicine bottle from her wide sleeves and threw it to Aunt Qi.
When Nanny Qi took the medicine bottle, she tried her best to control her trembling hands and quickly walked out of Wutongju.