Chapter 396

Chapter 396 Madam Duan’s Request

Old Lady Ji asked in surprise, “Are you saying that the Third Lady of Vice Minister Qu’s Mansion is here to visit Madam Duan?”

She was afraid of Qu Moying, but she did not know Qu Qiuyan well. She didn’t think Qu Qiuyan had anything to do with her family.

However, she did not dare to reject Qu Qiuyan because she had heard that Qu Qiuyan had something to do with Lord Jing.

She had thought that her eldest granddaughter would definitely be the Crown Princess, but she heard from Xiao that the Crown Prince might marry Minister Liu’s daughter, County Lady Jingyu, so Old Lady Ji became more and more low-key.

It seemed that she couldn’t afford to offend anyone. Thinking of this, she felt inexplicably sad. She wiped her eyes with a handkerchief and tears fell.

She thought that if her eldest son and second granddaughter were still alive, she would not have to worry.

Old Lady Ji choked with sobs. “Let her in!”

The old maid who came to report Qu Qiuyan’s arrival quickly retreated.

Seeing Old Lady Ji’s reaction, Granny Wu, Old Lady Ji’s personal maid, comforted her, “Your Ladyship, are you thinking of Eldest Master again? Eldest Master and the Crown Princess were no longer around. If they were still alive, they would not want to see you so sad. You are getting old. Please take care of yourself!”

“I… I know…” Old Lady Ji said as she covered her chest, “But I couldn’t help thinking of them. If they were here, I would not have to fear a young lady from a Vice Minister’s Mansion.”

In the past, even Minister Liu’s daughter, County Lady Jingyu, had to bow to Old Lady Ji from afar, not to mention a lady from Vice Minister Qu’s Mansion. Even the other old ladies in the capital had to come up to greet her when they saw her. Old Lady Ji compared the previous situation with the current situation and felt so desolate.

Granny Wu comforted her, “Your Ladyship, don’t be sad. You still have Princess Ji and Young Master Ji with you.”

Tears streamed down Old Lady Ji’s face. “How is that comparable? Youran was said to be the future Crown Princess, but…”

Old Lady Ji realized that she had made a slip of the tongue and immediately stopped. She felt more and more bitter in her heart. If possible, she would not be willing to fall into such a state. But she thought she could face Ji Yongming’s family now.

At the very least, she had revived the first branch. She had found her eldest son a legitimate wife and adopted a son for him. She thought she could face her son with no shame in the netherworld in the future!

“Greetings, Madam Duan!” Qu Qiuyan bowed to Madam Duan in her capacity as a junior and said gently. In front of others, she was still the decent wife-born daughter of Vice Minister Qu’s Mansion.

On the way here, Qu Qiuyan had been thinking about it. She thought that the Buddhist scripture was most likely lent to Qu Moying by Madam Duan, who used to be a maid before being the legitimate wife.

She heard that Qu Moying had a good relationship with Madam Duan.

Therefore, she came to visit Madam Duan first. This matter was most likely related to Madam Duan. Qu Qiuyan felt that it was not a problem to deal with a Madam who used to be a maid.

At this moment, Qu Qiuyan had returned to normal.

She didn’t really take a Madam, who used to be a maid, seriously.

“Third Lady Qu, please save the formalities!” Madam Duan stood up and smiled gently. Although she was the legitimate wife of the deceased Earl Ling’an, she didn’t really have the honorary title mandated by the government. Moreover, she used to be a maid.

The two of them took their seats politely. A maid served them tea. Qu Qiuyan took a sip of the tea and put it down. Then, she explained her purpose.

“Madam Duan, did you lend a Buddhist scripture to Moying?”

Madam Duan nodded. “Yes, I lent it to her not long ago!”

Qu Qiuyan smiled and took a look at Qing Mei beside her. Qing Mei understood what she meant. She took two steps forward and placed a gift box on the table together with another maid. Then, she opened the box. The gifts inside the box immediately caught everyone’s attention. There was not only brocade but also ornaments in the box.

This gift was very valuable, but Qu Qiuyan and Madam Duan had never seen each other before.

Qu Qiuyan said, “Madam Duan, this is a token of my appreciation.”

Madam Duan asked in surprise, “Third Lady Qu, is something the matter?”

“Yes. I do have something to ask you for help. The matter is only a lift of finger for you.” Qu Qiuyan smiled, and her heart became calmer.

She couldn’t deal with Qu Moying for the time being, but she could easily deal with a concubine who was promoted from a maid!

She believed that Madam Duan had never used such good stuff. Madam Duan was promoted by Old Lady Ji after Earl Ling’an died, so how could she have the chance to use good stuff?

Madam Duan asked cautiously, “What’s the matter, Third Lady Qu? Please make it clear to me.”

Qu Qiuyan said with a smile, “Madam Duan, can you tell Moying that you lent her the wrong Buddhist scripture? The one you lent her is not the one that belonged to the ex-Crown Princess but a very ordinary one!”

Her request could lead to a win-win situation, and it would not take Madam Duan any effort. As for the ex-Crown Princess, Qu Qiuyan thought that she didn’t matter that much since she had passed away. Earl Ling’an’s Mansion would not deal with her for somebody who was already gone.

Of course, it would be different if there was Qu Moying stirring up the trouble.

This matter could either escalate into a big deal or be played down as a trifle. Qu Qiuyan needed to deal with it before it was revealed.

Madam Duan did not seem to understand what Qu Qiuyan meant. She frowned and said, “The Buddhist scripture? That indeed belonged to the ex-Crown Princess before!”

Qu Qiuyan looked at the servants in the room.

Madam Duan understood and waved her hand. The other servants all left, leaving only her trusted maid behind her. She then said to Qu Qiuyan, “Third Lady Qu, please make it clear to me.”

Qu Qiuyan said tactfully, “That book was accidentally damaged by Moying and me. Moying was still thinking of ways to remedy it. I think I’d better ask you for help, so I came here myself.”

She meant that Qu Moying damaged the book together with her, and they were both to blame.

“Oh, I see!” Madam Duan understood that Qu Qiuyan wanted to eliminate the problem from the root.

“I can do it, but…” Madam Duan frowned and seemed to have no idea where to start. She moved her hands on her knees.

Qu Qiuyan asked, “Is there any problem?”

Madam Duan said awkwardly, “I might have to go out of the mansion to solve this problem.”

“Why?” Qu Qiuyan’s face darkened with displeasure. She felt that Madam Duan was deliberately making things difficult for her.

Madam Duan explained, “Third Lady Qu, when Fourth Lady Qu came to borrow the Buddhist scripture from me, there happened to be a visitor in my mansion, so I got someone else to take the Buddhist scripture. Since we are going to say that the Buddhist scripture is not the one that belonged to the ex-Crown Princess, I have to explain to that person as well, in case there will be any rumor. ”

“Who was this visitor?” Qu Qiuyan’s face became serious. She did not expect that there was someone else involved in this matter.

“It was a madam. She happened to come over to have a chat.” Madam Duan frowned and looked up at Qu Qiuyan. “It will be solved easily if I go out and talk to this madam, but…”

“What’s the problem?” Qu Qiuyan asked impatiently. She did not expect that there was someone else involved in this matter. It wasn’t a big deal at first, but because she was involved, she became annoyed.

Madam Duan said tactfully, “These few days, Old Lady Ji asked me to stay in the mansion and have a good rest. I’m afraid it’s inconvenient for me to go out.”

Qu Qiuyan understood what it meant to rest in the mansion. She had been “resting” in the mansion every day before, and she had just regained a little freedom. Madam Duan said that she was asked to rest in the mansion, which meant that Old Lady Ji didn’t like her and punished her in this way.

“Madam, you can go to talk to Old Lady Ji about this. My maid can also speak for you.” Qu Qiuyan pointed at Qing Mei beside her.

Although Qing Mei hadn’t been Qu Qiuyan’s maid for a long time, she was the cleverest among Qu Qiuyan’s maids. Qu Qiuyan valued her.

Madam Duan hesitated. “Well…”

“Madam, you don’t have to think so much. If Old Lady Ji blames you, you can say that it’s all my fault.” Qu Qiuyan said. Even if Old Lady Ji blamed her or was dissatisfied with her, Qu Qiuyan had to take Madam Duan out to avoid future trouble.

Since Qu Qiuyan had said so, Madam Duan could only send the old maid beside her to ask Old Lady Ji for permission together with Qing Mei.

The two of them left in a hurry and returned very quickly. They said that Old Lady Ji immediately agreed when she heard that Qu Qiuyan and Madam Duan had to go outside and do something.

“Third Lady Qu, your matter is not a problem. After I go and talk to that Madam, I will send another Buddhist scripture to Fourth Lady Qu and tell her that I lent her the wrong one.” A smile appeared on Madam Duan’s face as she gently said to Qu Qiuyan. It could be considered as an expression of her thanks to Qu Qiuyan for giving her a chance to go out.

“That will be the best!” Qu Qiuyan naturally would not be willing to go to meet someone with Madam Duan. It would be best if Madam Duan could solve it herself.

Madam Duan was prepared. The two of them walked out together, but they got on their own carriages separately outside the mansion. The two carriages drove in different directions, and they went to deal with their own affairs.

As soon as they left Earl Ling’an’s Mansion, Xiao rushed to Old Lady Ji’s yard.

An old maid entered the room and reported, “Your Ladyship, Second Madam requests an audience.”

Old Lady Ji was crying again. She wiped her tears and nodded. She said weakly, “Let her in!”

Xiao asked as soon as she entered, “Mother, why did you let her go out? Everything is a mess outside. How dare she go out!”

Old Lady Ji said, “The Third Lady of Vice Minister Qu’s Mansion wanted to go out with her.”

“So what? She’s just a young lady of the Vice Minister’s Mansion. She doesn’t matter much.” Xiao said angrily. She did not take Qu Qiuyan seriously because Qu Qiuyan was only a lady of Vice Minister Qu’s Mansion. She thought if she had been here just now, she would not have let Qu Qiuyan leave with Duan.

Although she did not think that Duan was able to make things worse, she thought it was always right to prevent Duan from going out.

She did not expect Third Lady Qu to take Duan away. She had heard that Third Lady Qu was not on good terms with Qu Moying, so why did Third Lady Qu do so?

If there was anyone Xiao was most afraid of, it must be Qu Moying!

Xiao always felt that her family’s affairs were all related to Qu Moying, but she couldn’t find any evidence to prove her guess when she investigated the matters. But even so, Xiao felt that she had to be wary of Qu Moying.

But now, it was Third Lady Qu…