Tong Xiyang glared at Shuixiang, took a sip of tea to calm down, and then said, "The concubine will probably take a few more days to arrive; let's wait until she returns to decide whether to move."
Moxiang lowered her head and thought to herself, even if the concubine is favored, she's still just a concubine. Once Lady has spoken, even if the concubine returns, would she have a way to oppose Lady? Besides, as the young lady grows older, she should try to win Lady's favor, yet she schemes right under Lady's nose. How could Lady, who is as shrewd as can be, not know? Look at Sixth Miss, who appears to yield in everything and has no opinions, but after watching coldly for a few years, who in the mansion, apart from the legitimate Fourth Miss, is living better than her?
Our young lady at least has the concubine to protect her, but Madam Xia is ineffectual before both the master and mistress. It's a fortune if she doesn't cause trouble, let alone help. Seventh Young Master is also very mischievous, whereas Sixth Miss is thinking of ways for Lady to start his education. If our young lady had even half of the skills of Sixth Miss, our days wouldn't be so miserable.
These thoughts she only dared keep to herself and didn't dare to speak a word.
"Go ask Manager Lai, who exactly will be going to Tongzhou to pick up the concubine, when they set off, and how the journey is arranged. Are the accommodations properly prepared? If there's any mishap, even if they die a hundred times, it won't be enough!" Tong Xiyang placed the tea cup on the table, picked up the chess manual in her hand, and then irritably tossed it aside.
Moxiang answered one by one, "Manager Lai said they will leave early on the morning of the twenty-fifth, and it will be several of the mansion's old servants going. I heard that Nanny Qiu's husband is among them. As for the accommodations, Manager Lai is always reliable in handling matters, and I don't think there's any need to worry."
She wanted to say, "The day before yesterday, you offended Manager Lai to give Sixth Miss a hard time, and now you're going to inquire about these things again, afraid that you will offend the entire outer courtyard in the future. The concubine's pregnancy is still uncertain if it's the Young Master's. Even if it were, he will need staff in the future."
Tong Xiyang sneered coldly, gritting her teeth as she spoke, "Just a bunch of opportunists, one day... I will make them pay!" Then she stopped smiling, "I asked you to get along well with Moju, did you manage to do it?"
Moxiang hesitated a bit but eventually nodded, "I just helped her paste the window today."
Tong Xiyang nodded with satisfaction, leaning back on the pillow embroidered with bright red peonies, sneering coldly, "Who says a concubine's daughter must always be inferior? I refuse to believe it!"
Moxiang and Shuixiang exchanged a glance, their faces drained of color.
Then they saw Tong Xiyang sit up with a frown, "The Sixth Girl went to the outer courtyard?"
Moxiang hesitated and nodded, not understanding her meaning.
"Forget it!" Tong Xiyang waved her hand, "The way she acts as if she's worshiping Lady, she wouldn't have the guts to find cousin!" showing an expression of disdain.
Shuixiang privately pursed her lips; whether Sixth Miss was timid or not, she didn't know, but she didn't believe she was as subservient as rumored.
Chunliu and two little maids were waiting outside the Zhui Garden. The group went through the covered corridor, past the passageway, and into a corner gate. They passed by the East Cross Courtyard where the concubines lived and another row of wings, walking along the passageway for about the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea. They passed through a corner gate and crossed the bridge, finally arriving at the courtyard where the young masters lived.
Next door was the grand study of the Tong Mansion. First Master Tong usually returned here to meet colleagues. However, because the river was in between, although not far, the two sides did not connect.
Two young maids came from the garden, around eleven or twelve years old. One wore red with soft, delicate features like a swaying rose, and the other wore green, with a graceful, slender figure. Upon seeing Tong Xiqiu, they casually curtsied and, with heads held high, slanted their eyes as they went out the door.
Chunliu was so angry she trembled, and Xiqiu frowned as well. These two were the First Miss's favored maids, Chunyu and Qiuyun. She had never seen them before, but she knew they wouldn't be reliable. She didn't expect them to be like this.
A young unfamiliar maid came out from the house to greet her, "Sixth Miss is here; Seventh Young Master has just returned."
Xiqiu nodded, glanced at the young maid, and went straight into Tong Minzhi's main room. She sat in the middle hall of the three-room house, and the maid served tea, "Seventh Young Master is bathing; may Sixth Miss please wait a moment."
There was nothing urgent, so Xiqiu chatted casually with the young maid, "What's your name? Where are you from? How old are you this year?"
The young maid was articulate and neither condescending nor arrogant in her attitude, "The maid's name is Liufu, from Lai Zhou, Shandong, and I am eight years old this year."
Xiqiu was somewhat surprised; this girl's features were ordinary, but she was smart, with clear and bright eyes—unlike what would be expected from First Miss.
She became a little curious.
When Tong Minzhi emerged with wet hair, Liufu stepped to the side and curtsied to Nanny Qian and several maids, "Why don't you sit in the side room; we've lit a fire there, and you can have some tea and rest for a while."
Sixing looked at Nanny Qian, who was just there on duty, so as long as Sixth Miss was safe here, she nodded and said, "No need to go to the side room; we'll just sit next door."
Liufu agreed, leading the maids to prepare tea. Nanny Qian, Sixing, and the others also withdrew.
Xiqiu pulled Tong Minzhi over and helped him dry his hair, "Liufu, she seems new, a maid who just entered the mansion?"
Tong Minzhi was surprised because his sister usually didn't care much about these matters; he worriedly said, "Sister, if Liufu did anything inappropriate, please don't be mad."
Xiqiu laughed, saying the girl was young, yet she's two years younger than her, "No, sister thinks she's very good."
Tong Minzhi visibly breathed a sigh of relief since if his sister was displeased yet Liufu was presented by their father, he really wouldn't know what to do.
Xiqiu sensed his unease and changed the topic, "Any interesting things happened during today's outing?"
Tong Minzhi nodded eagerly, quickly pulling up a chair, sitting knee-to-knee with Xiqiu, and vividly recounted the day's events, "I went with the teacher in a horse-drawn carriage out of town, reached Jiwei Mountain, and got off. I curiously asked the teacher why it was named so, and he told me the mountain resembled a dustpan's handle. I didn't believe it until I reached the top and saw it indeed looked like half a dustpan."
Xiqiu leaned in, listening intently and commented, "Really? What else was on the mountain?"
Tong Minzhi saw her interest and continued eagerly, while Xiqiu would occasionally interject with "Really? Is that so? And then?" encouraging him to keep speaking.
Finally, after a large gulp of tea, he exclaimed, "When I grow up, I will also take you to Jiwei Mountain, sister."
Now, they could scarcely even leave the second gate without informing Lady first.
However, Xiqiu felt that one day she would surely explore the splendid rivers and mountains of Great Zhou.
But looking at her brother in front of her, with cheeks flushed from the bath like a rosy apple and his big, lively eyes blinking adorably, she couldn't help but nod, "Alright."