Wu Sheyue suddenly understood. This was an issue. She thought for a moment, then her eyes lit up and she clapped her hands. “Now that you mention it, I remembered something.”
“Wh-what?” Ning’er couldn’t keep up with Wu Sheyue’s train of thought. What kind of habit was this—Third Miss always getting startled like this?
Wu Sheyue smiled broadly. “Which one is Nanny Wang again?”
“Nanny Wang is the managing nanny in the residence. She doesn’t serve in any particular branch. But if you calculate carefully, she should be working for the First Madam.”
Wu Sheyue did as she thought. She stood, patted herself, and headed out. “Come. Let’s go collect a debt.”
Ning’er already understood Wu Sheyue’s temperament. She immediately knew what Wu Sheyue wanted to do and hurried after her, asking anxiously, “Miss! Can we really get it back?”
“If we can’t get it back, we’ll beat it back. In any case, we can’t take a loss. Does this old servant think she can sit on my head and shit?”
Ning’er burst out laughing. “Miss, don’t say such things outside. People will laugh at you.”
Although she was always worried Third Miss would cause trouble, ever since Miss’s mind recovered, it seemed Miss was always the one bullying others. Ning’er no longer tried to stop her. Instead, expectation began to rise in her heart. She had also become someone who liked watching the excitement.
Bailian, who had been pushed out of the room, was watering flowers in the courtyard. Her bright eyes were looking all around. As soon as she saw Wu Sheyue come out, she hurriedly put down the water pot and came over sweetly. “Third Miss, where are you going?”
Wu Sheyue stopped and looked at Bailian’s eager gaze with a faint smile. “I’m going to collect a debt.”
Bailian asked curiously and in surprise, “Ah! Does someone owe Miss money?”
Wu Sheyue said meaningfully, “You’re better these past two days, aren’t you?”
“Yes. Bailian is much better these days. Miss, let Bailian return to serve. This servant is rough-skinned and sturdy. If I keep recuperating like this, my heart feels uneasy.” She didn’t want to work, but she wanted even less for the First Madam to abandon her.
“Fine. Then come with me. I’ll show you who is so bold.”
She said fine? Bailian was somewhat surprised. Why was Wu Sheyue so easy to talk to today? But thinking it over, it must be that Wu Sheyue had been moved by the way she had acted so attentive despite her injury. Thus, Bailian followed Wu Sheyue happily.
Ning’er rejected Bailian very much, but since Wu Sheyue had spoken, she could only suppress it.
Wu Sheyue had already memorized the layout of the Chancellor’s residence. She walked in front, while Ning’er and Bailian followed behind. Halfway there, Bailian suddenly asked curiously, “Miss, are we going to the storeroom?”
“Yes.”
Suspicion rose in Bailian’s heart. Collecting a debt at the storeroom? Everyone knew managing the storeroom was a profitable post. Not only were there no major masters watching, but if you disliked someone, you could use excuses to withhold their monthly silver and supplies. So basically no one dared provoke them. It could be said that if one couldn’t be favored by the masters, going to the storeroom was the best choice.
Bailian looked Wu Sheyue’s back up and down suspiciously. Everyone knew this Third Miss used to be poor enough to jingle. Even if this little sparrow had now flown onto a branch, she couldn’t have money so quickly, right? The people in the storeroom borrowed money from Third Miss? Were they mad?
“Miss, how could someone in charge of the storeroom owe you money?”
Ning’er had had a great deal of money withheld by Nanny Wang over the years and felt especially unhappy. She immediately glared and retorted, “What’s wrong with the people in the storeroom? They owe money and won’t pay it back!”
Bailian rolled her eyes, curled her mouth, and said nothing more.
The buildings in the storeroom courtyard looked much simpler, without the elegance and beauty of the concubines’ and young ladies’ courtyards. They looked more imposing instead—somewhat similar to the Old Madam’s Qunxing Studio.
Bailian eagerly stepped forward to knock, but Wu Sheyue waved her aside and directly pushed the door open. Ning’er’s current manner had become somewhat similar to Wu Sheyue’s. She cheerfully followed Wu Sheyue in.
Bailian, left behind, muttered irritably under her breath, “Third Miss, isn’t this a little improper?”
A young male servant heard the movement and hurried over. He stopped in front of Wu Sheyue and loudly scolded, “Hey, stop! What are you people here for?”
Wu Sheyue’s face was cold. “Where is Nanny Wang?”
The young servant looked the three of them over for quite a while and confirmed that he had never seen the leading young lady before. Suspicious, he said, “Nanny Wang is leading people to audit the storeroom. Outsiders are not allowed in the storeroom. Don’t you know that?”
Bailian grew worried and silently stood behind them, hoping to be invisible. She was already regretting it. Why had she meddled and followed? If the First Madam and Old Madam blamed them later, she herself wouldn’t be able to escape. Thinking of Chuntao’s fate, she now faced the same situation, and she was truly afraid.
Wu Sheyue was very unconcerned as she said to the young servant, “What rule is that? Why have I never heard it? Is this some military stronghold? It’s not as if I’ve never been inside.”
As she spoke, she reached out and pushed the young servant aside. She had come once before to choose items, so she still remembered the way.
“Miss!” Bailian saw Wu Sheyue move against someone for the first time, and her heart startled. Was she really going to barge into the storeroom? Was Bailian really going to be accused of inciting her master?
But Wu Sheyue and Ning’er had already gone forward. Bailian could only grit her teeth and follow.
The young servant hadn’t expected Wu Sheyue to be so strong and was pushed into a stumble. After a brief daze, he chased after them in shock and fury, trying to pull them back. “Stop! Are you rebelling?”
It was as if Wu Sheyue had eyes on the back of her head. She casually turned aside, dodging the young servant’s hand. But the servant wouldn’t let it go. He ran around in front of her, spread his arms, and drove them away. “Get out! Hurry and get out! Otherwise, I won’t be polite!”
Looking at the foolish way the servant spread his arms, Wu Sheyue’s hands itched. That stupid move was practically tempting her to act.
Unable to suppress that bit of wickedness, Wu Sheyue pretended to be frightened by the servant. She pretended to turn and run, circling behind Bailian, who was following her.
Seeing herself suddenly used as a shield, Bailian cried out and tried to dodge. Wu Sheyue very calmly stepped on the hem of her skirt. Just as Bailian was about to fall, Wu Sheyue stretched out two fingers and tapped her waist. Bailian screamed and plunged straight forward into the young servant’s arms.
Wu Sheyue nodded. The angle was controlled very well.
Ning’er, at the side, widened her eyes. Everything before her happened in an instant. This was too…
Wu Sheyue suddenly grabbed the dazed Ning’er, clasped her wrist, and jogged away with her.
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