High-class maid

"Princess, rest assured, although we cannot reward her publicly, I will not mistreat her in private." The old lady patted the princess's hand, reassuring her.

"To be honest, the reason I came to your residence today is to shamelessly ask my elder sister for a favor," the princess said.

"Oh? We've known each other for many years. As long as it's within my power, I'll definitely do my best!" The old lady and Liu exchanged a glance. It seemed that Xing'er had helped the Bodhisattva.

The princess smiled and recounted what her daughter-in-law had heard at Shen Xing'er's house that day.

"What? There are grandmothers in the world who don't love their granddaughters at all?" Madam Liu was also shocked. She never imagined that her own maid was so despicable in the eyes of outsiders, that even her own grandmother looked down on her.

"Isn't that right? My daughter-in-law is a kind-hearted person. She was just wondering how to repay them when this happened. She immediately offered to help Xing'er's family get rid of their slave status."

After the princess finished speaking, she picked up the teacup on the table and quietly watched the reactions of the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.

Liu and the old lady exchanged a glance, both seeing agreement in each other's eyes.

Just kidding. Even if they're keeping a low profile, they're still members of the royal family. The fact that they've come all this way to explain the situation shows they're already showing them enough respect. It's a worthwhile deal to befriend the princess's household for the sake of a mere maid.

"Then I am honored by the Princess's kindness. If Xing'er knew, she would be overjoyed." The old lady agreed without hesitation. She was just a maid; if she became successful in the future, she would still come from the Minister's mansion.

"It's also this girl's good fortune. I first saw her on the street that day. She was so clever. My Zhu'er trusts her the most. She calls her Sister Xing'er all day long."

The eldest princess breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that she had easily accomplished something. The two mistresses were quite sensible; they hadn't made her waste her breath or let her daughter-in-law down.

"It's good that she's freed from slavery. This girl is clever and resourceful; she might have a great future outside the manor. I just don't know what excuse she'll use," Liu asked.

As my mother-in-law gets older, she naturally takes over these kinds of chores.

"The debt of saving her life is too great, so let's just say that this girl is kindred spirits to our Zhu'er," the princess said, offering the excuse she had prepared long ago.

Liu nodded. They should keep the fact that Xing'er was saved to themselves. If everyone knew, they would all try to curry favor with her, and the girl would lose her true nature.

The group chatted in the hall for a while longer, but when the princess saw that Zhang Yuzhu was getting restless, she took her leave.

"Why don't you have dinner before going back? Our two houses aren't far apart," the old lady suggested.

"No need, please accept these gifts. This is my granddaughter's first visit, and it's a good opportunity for her to get acquainted with the family," the princess said with a smile.

"Yes, then I won't stand on ceremony." Madam Liu smiled, and the old woman behind her discerningly took away the gifts.

"Zhu'er, come visit more often when you have time. Sheng'er isn't home today, but I'll have her visit you another day and tell you about the interesting things in the capital!" Liu Shi called out enthusiastically to the carriage as Zhang Yuzhu got on.

Zhang Yuzhu opened the curtain, smiled and nodded, waved to Liu Shi, and left.

Although she could speak, she still couldn't speak fluently to people she didn't know well. Her grandmother said that it was better not to speak at all and let others respect her.

After seeing off the princess and her granddaughter, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law felt a wave of relief wash over them. Liu wiped the sweat from her brow with a handkerchief and said...

"This princess has been detached from worldly affairs for a long time, yet she still maintains a dignified demeanor. I'm even afraid that I might be impolite."

"What's there to be afraid of? Once Sheng'er and the Second Prince are engaged, our two families will be proper in-laws. We don't need to flatter each other; just stay true to ourselves," the old lady advised at the right moment.

"Mother's teachings are correct, but regarding Xing'er's matter? Should we make a big fuss or keep a low profile?" Liu asked, unsure of what to do.

"Of course, we should make a big show of it, so that the servants in the mansion can see that as long as they behave themselves and do good deeds, they will always be blessed."

The old lady was also holding her breath. The maids in her courtyard were all more muddle-headed than the last. Now that one of them was quietly doing great things and had even caught the eye of the royal family, she had to make a big fuss about it.

“Mother is right. The Princess came to our Minister’s residence today, and I’m sure that everyone in the capital will know about it within a night. Rather than letting them speculate wildly, it’s better to say it openly,” said Madam Liu.

"This is called leveraging power. By using the matter of freeing Xing'er from slavery, the Princess tells everyone in the capital that she will do anything as long as her granddaughter is happy. We can also use this matter to let everyone in the capital know that the maids of our Minister's Mansion are no less capable than the young ladies of noble families."

The old lady recalled the incident of Shen Xing'er's grandmother insulting Shen Xing'er and said coldly.

Liu nodded and went to make the arrangements.

At 1:15 PM, most people were asleep.

Shen Xing'er, who was being talked about by her masters, was unaware that she was about to start a new life. She sat on the edge of the bed, facing the dim candlelight, touching the bracelet that Song Wenyang had given her, lost in thought.

"What is Brother Song doing now? His stepmother is dead, and now his beloved grandmother is dead too. Can he bear it?"

"What can I do for him? Should I go see him? But what if Brother Song isn't in the courtyard?"

"No, no, I can't go see him. If my parents find out, I won't be able to leave the house again."

"Shen Xing'er! When did you become so timid! Brother Song needs someone to care for him right now, how can you not go and comfort him?"

Shen Xing'er's mind was in a constant tug-of-war, but in the end, her emotions prevailed over her reason. She dressed and prepared to sneak out the door.

"Who cares? It would be best to see Brother Song. Even if I don't, I'll be at peace." Shen Xing'er muttered to herself as she quietly opened the door.

Meanwhile, Song Wenyang, whom he was thinking about, was also struggling in the courtyard.

He was going back to the Song family tomorrow and wouldn't be able to come here for a while. After the funerals for Madam Lin and his grandmother, he would have to rush back to Jinling. Even though he was confident he could pass the imperial examinations, he would still have to put on a show.

"Is Xing'er asleep?" He looked up at the sky and saw only a sky full of stars. It seemed that tomorrow would be a good day.

"If I don't go today, I don't know when I'll be able to see her again," Song Wenyang murmured.

But if my uncle and aunt find out, how will I ever get close to Xing'er again?

But if I don't risk going to her tonight, what if Xing'er belongs to someone else when I return from Jinling?

Song Wenyang angrily pounded his head, blaming himself for drinking too much during the day and sleeping until now.

Never mind! Song Wenyang slammed the door shut and headed towards Shen Xing'er's house.