Xie Fengran had figured it out by now. Although she hadn't deliberately concealed her visit to the Huguo Temple, everyone in the mansion knew about it.
However, outsiders wouldn't know unless they deliberately inquired, especially someone like Zhang Yao, who was completely preoccupied with Qin Junxing.
So, the only reason Zhang Yao could come to the Huguo Temple was that someone had deliberately tipped her off. As for who this person was, it was self - evident!
“……”
Qin Junxing stood still, watching Xie Fengran leave until she entered the courtyard. Then he turned around and disappeared into the darkness.
In the small courtyard of the Huguo Temple, Xie Chenghui had already fallen into a deep sleep.
Inside the room, Lan Fang, He Xiang, and Zhu Qing, who was standing straight at the door, showed no sign of sleep at all.
After waiting for a while, someone shouted, “The eldest miss is back.”
The two girls inside the room rushed out in a hurry. Xie Fengran had already been escorted to the door of the room by the old maids. Seeing Lan Fang and the other girl, she lifted her chin slightly and said, “Let's talk inside.”
Lan Fang and He Xiang quickly flanked Xie Fengran and escorted her into the room.
Zhu Qing hesitated for a moment at the door and didn't follow them in.
After Xie Fengran entered the room, Lan Fang helped her take off her veil. Turning around, she saw Zhu Qing still standing at the door. She quickly waved and said, “Zhu Qing, come in quickly.”
Zhu Qing nodded expressionlessly, turned around and entered the room, closing the door behind her.
Lan Fang didn't care about anything else. She sized up Xie Fengran from head to toe. When she spoke, her voice was tinged with a sob: “Miss, did he... did he bully you?”
Xie Fengran shook her head. “He is a county prince. He wouldn't stoop so low as to bully a weak girl like your miss.”
Only then did Lan Fang stop crying. She and He Xiang helped Xie Fengran wash up and change into a new set of clothes.
Zhu Qing watched silently on one side, unable to do anything. Her expression was a bit cramped.
After a while, Xie Fengran changed into a new set of clothes and sat comfortably on the chair, sipping tea.
“Zhu Qing, come here!”
Zhu Qing hesitated for a moment, took two steps forward, and performed a stiff curtsy.
Xie Fengran raised her hand to stop her. “Zhu Qing, here with me, we're all our own people. There's no need to be so formal. Regarding rules and etiquette, I'll ask Lan Fang to tell you about them later. Just make sure you don't act rudely in front of outsiders.”
Zhu Qing imperceptibly let out a sigh of relief when she saw that Xie Fengran didn't have too many demands on her.
Xie Fengran pointed at Lan Fang and He Xiang again. “They're just like you, maids in my room.”
This time, Zhu Qing simply arched her hands towards Lan Fang and He Xiang, showing the manner of a chivalrous girl.
He Xiang was okay, but Lan Fang was completely stunned. She wondered where her miss had picked up this maid.
“Ha - ha!”
Xie Fengran couldn't hold back anymore and burst out laughing.
When she laughed, He Xiang and Lan Fang also covered their mouths and snickered. Zhu Qing wasn't angry. She just scratched her head shyly.
She apologized to Xie Fengran, “Miss, I... I mean, this slave doesn't understand the rules. I made the miss laugh.”
Xie Fengran waved her hand. “You're so true - to - yourself. Actually, I envy you. You're with your fellow apprentices without so many rules to bind you. Asking you to come into the inner courtyard is actually a waste of your talents.”
Zhu Qing quickly said, “Miss, please don't say so. We're all people of the Marquis Mansion. It's only natural for this slave to be loyal to you.”
“There's nothing that's only natural. You're loyal to the Marquis Mansion, and the Marquis Mansion will surely treat you well. I've also thought that it would be a waste of your skills if I just used you as an ordinary maid. Now, I have something to tell you.”
After Xie Fengran finished speaking, she saw Zhu Qing's eyes light up instantly. Zhu Qing looked at her eagerly, “Just give the order, miss.”
Xie Fengran nodded. She took out a seal from her bosom and handed it to Zhu Qing. “Take this and go back to give it to your senior brother. Ask your senior brother to find out the details of that Zhang cousin tonight. The more detailed, the better. You don't need to use the Marquis Mansion's account for all the expenses. Take this and withdraw money from the Sihai Bank.”
Zhu Qing solemnly took it and nodded. “Miss, don't worry. This slave will surely live up to the miss's trust.”
“Your skills are beyond my doubt. Go there now. You don't need to come back tonight. Come back early tomorrow morning. Remember, avoid the people of the County Prince Qin.”
Zhu Qing nodded, turned around, opened the door, and went out.
After Zhu Qing left, Lan Fang finally asked, “Miss, who is this Zhu Qing? Can she be trusted?”
“She's from the Marquis Mansion. She can be trusted.”
Xie Fengran still felt a bit lucky when she thought of her decision today.
It turned out that when she left the teahouse today and just reached the foot of the mountain where the Huguo Temple was located, she remembered that the estate her grandmother mentioned was at the foot of this mountain.
So she asked Uncle Feng to inquire and found the estate.
The current leader of the Xie family's guards was Zhu Qing's senior brother. He was very happy to see Xie Fengran coming with the family token.
The Xie family's master token had been inactive for two generations. Since the old marquis, they had been raised in the estate without being called into service. They had also heard what kind of person the current marquis was.
Just when he thought that their group would continue to be inactive like this, Xie Fengran's appearance was like a ray of dawn to him.
So he unceremoniously pushed his junior sister out.
These guards bestowed by the founding emperor had been passed down from generation to generation. Now they had long become the private guards of the Marquis Mansion. They hadn't wasted their martial arts skills or indulged in comfort just because their master didn't pay much attention to them.
Originally, Xie Fengran just went there to check the situation, but when she saw Zhu Qing's martial arts skills, she was tempted.
It would always make one feel more at ease to have a maid who knew martial arts by her side. So she brought Zhu Qing back.
At Xie Fengran's signal, He Xiang simply told Lan Fang the whole process of bringing Zhu Qing back. She sighed with lingering fear, “If it weren't for Zhu Qing, I couldn't have stopped that drunkard by myself just now. That kick of Zhu Qing's was just in time.”
Lan Fang was thinking further. “Miss, since Zhu Qing is extraordinary, let me, Liu Yi, and He Xiang take care of these things. Zhu Qing just needs to protect the miss's safety.”
Xie Fengran thought for a while. “When Zhu Qing comes back, ask for her opinion. After all, her senior brother sent her to my side because he wanted her to live a life like an ordinary girl. If she wants to learn, you can teach her.”
Lan Fang thought of Zhu Qing's appearance and always felt that she wouldn't want to learn, but she didn't say it out. Just as the miss said, it all depended on Zhu Qing herself.
Then she brought up another matter. “Miss, now the only senior maids by your side are me and Liu Yi. Since Zhu Qing has come, we might as well promote Zhu Qing and He Xiang together. It will save us more trouble when we return to the mansion.”
Xie Fengran thought of the annoying things in the mansion and nodded. “Tomorrow, send someone back to the mansion to visit grandmother. If grandmother is okay, just tell her about this.”
“Yes.” Lan Fang responded. After thinking for a while, she asked again, “Miss, since the County Prince Qin is here, should we still stay here as originally planned?”