High-class maid

Chapter 268 Poisoning Poisoning

"As the saying goes, grandparents love their grandchildren more. Your family hasn't had a baby for many years, so now that a new life has suddenly appeared, your aunt will naturally cherish her very much. Just let her be," Shen Xing'er comforted her.

"She only dares to be so unscrupulous because she is pregnant. She keeps talking about the eldest grandson of the Chen family, as if it's not her child."

Shan Tao couldn't help but roll her eyes. She just couldn't stand her sister-in-law's attitude, as if she could only demonstrate her value by giving birth.

"Alright, alright, don't be angry. Since you don't live in the same courtyard anymore, out of sight, out of mind. Sleep with me tonight!" Shen Xing'er said boldly.

"That's not very kind of me. I'm always troubling you during my vacations. I'll feel embarrassed to come to you again next time," Yamamoto said apologetically.

Although she really wanted to stay at Xing'er's house, she felt embarrassed to bother her every time, lest people think she was deliberately trying to curry favor with her.

"What's the big deal? If the Minister's residence weren't so heavily guarded, I would have come to visit you long ago. You can sleep with me these next few days, we can chat about gossip and go shopping, wouldn't that be wonderful?" Shen Xing'er said.

"Okay!" Shan Tao only declined once before agreeing. She had already decided when she came that she would only refuse Xing'er once, but if Xing'er invited her twice, she would agree to stay at her house!

"Let me wash the dishes. You two girls go play in the street. Xing'er is confined to the shop all day drawing patterns. If she doesn't take care of her eyes when she's young, she'll have something to cry about when she's old," said Madam Wang as she pushed open the door.

Shen Xing'er didn't rush to agree, but first looked at Shan Tao to ask for her opinion.

She knew that Shan Tao was currently penniless, and that she could earn some pocket money by doing embroidery at her shop. If she insisted that Shan Tao stay with her, that would be asking the impossible.

“Okay, I also wanted to clear my head,” Shan Tao nodded and said.

So Shen Xing'er changed her clothes, took her purse, and even put on a few hairpins in her hair, which was unusual for her. Then she took Shan Tao's arm and went out.

"Where are we going?" Shen Xing'er tilted her head and asked Shan Tao. She knew Shan Tao too well; Shan Tao must have something on her mind that she hadn't told her.

"Why don't we go find a teahouse to sit down?" Shan Tao suggested.

"Let's go to Avon Tea House." Shen Xing'er, who spends all her time in the capital, knows which tea house is the best.

"Isn't it too expensive there? I went there with Miss a few years ago, and a pot of tea and a serving of pastries cost one tael of silver."

Shan Tao, holding Shen Xing'er's arm, muttered softly.

Two young girls, both in their prime, stood whispering to each other at the entrance of Avon. If it weren't for their elegant attire, one might mistake them for having some ill intentions or ulterior motives.

"It's alright. We're going there precisely because things are expensive. If we go to a cheaper place, it'll be a mixed bag, and it won't be convenient for us to talk," Shen Xing'er advised.

"Ok."

Shan Tao gritted her teeth and squeezed her somewhat deflated purse.

Well, I've had a lot on my mind these past few days. If it's more expensive, so be it. I'll just not eat meat next month!

Shen Xing'er could easily see Shan Tao's predicament. She smiled slightly, thinking that now that she had money, why would she let Shan Tao pay for it?

Do you have a private room?

The two entered the shop, and Shen Xing'er asked.

"Yes, are there just the two of you? The private room is upstairs, please follow me," said the maid inside the shop.

Unlike the shops next door, the waitresses at Avon House are all women. They are all dressed in the same Confucian skirts, and their well-trained movements are pleasing to the eye.

The two followed her upstairs. Once the heavy door closed, not a single sound from outside could get through; it was indeed a good place to talk.

"Our shop's tea today is Xinyang Maojian, and our pastries include Blue Water Droplet and Colorful Four Seasons. Which pastry would you two like?"

"One for each, please," Shen Xing'er said.

The maid nodded, smiled, and went downstairs.

Is this the only type of tea you're looking for?

Only after the maid closed the door did Shan Tao ask in a low voice.

"Yes, the special feature of this shop is that you can drink whatever tea they have. We are lucky today to be able to drink Xinyang Maojian."

"Tell me, is something on your mind?" Shen Xing'er asked.

Yamamoto nodded dejectedly. She habitually looked around before whispering...

"Xing'er, I can't accompany you on this spring outing. Something has happened at home."

"What?! What happened at your residence?" Shen Xing'er was shocked.

Although she was no longer a servant in the Minister's Mansion, her parents had lived there for more than ten years, and the place held many of her memories and many acquaintances. Therefore, Shen Xing'er kept a close eye on the Minister's Mansion's movements.

Upon suddenly hearing that something had happened at the manor, Shen Xing'er couldn't sit still any longer. She hadn't heard anything about anything happening at the Minister's manor.

"The old lady... she might not make it." As Shan Tao finished speaking, her eyes involuntarily reddened.

The old lady had always treated them well; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call her the Empress Dowager of the mansion. But now, good deeds go unrewarded, and Shan Tao is truly saddened.

"What do you mean? Hasn't the old lady always been in good health?"

"Yes, but since spring, the old lady's health has deteriorated day by day. Now she is so ill that she can't even get out of bed. The eldest madam and the young madam are taking care of her every day, and even the second madam is on her way from Jinling," Shan Tao said.

"What kind of illness is it? Does the Minister's mansion have no medicinal herbs at all? Is it so that they can't even treat the illness?" Shen Xing'er asked.

"This illness is strange; even the imperial physicians can't figure it out. These days, everyone in the mansion is being careful with their words and actions, afraid of angering their masters."

"So how did you manage to leave the manor at this crucial juncture?"

It's no wonder Shen Xing'er had some suspicions. It's just that the old lady's illness came on strangely. As someone in her courtyard, Shan Tao should naturally avoid suspicion. How could she have time to run outside?

"It's all thanks to the old lady's kind heart. She said that we're young and it's already difficult enough for us to be confined to the mansion all day. If we can't leave the mansion every month, what hope is there for us? The First Madam thought that made sense, so she let us continue our leave."

After Shan Tao finished speaking, her eyes reddened again. Look, besides the old lady, which other master treats his servants so well?

"How come I haven't heard a single word about this? Is Madam deliberately keeping the news under wraps?" Shen Xing'er asked.

"Yes, the old lady's illness is strange. The servants all say she's been poisoned, so the madam, fearing gossip, has kept the news under wraps and only told the public that she's recuperating," Shan Tao sighed.

"Poisoning? Who could be so vicious?"

"I don't know, but I suppose they caught them, otherwise why would the First Madam give us leave?" Shan Tao said.

Shen Xing'er nodded. Although the master was kind, he wasn't doing charity work. He must have found someone to let them continue their vacation.