Mu Zhongqing sat in the carriage, leaning against the window, his head extended outside, reminding once again, "Fei’er, don’t forget what your father told you."
Cai Fei laughed and said: "Don’t worry, Dad, I understand!"
Even with his daughter’s response, Mu Zhongqing still felt uneasy. He sat in the carriage, watching his daughter enter the shop before he could relax and had Zhang Bo drive away.
Today, Cai Wei came early on purpose, for the sole aim of finishing the tasks left by Nanny Xi early so she could go to the State Duke’s Mansion. The news she heard on the street yesterday had been bothering her - she would not be at ease without seeing her grandmother in person.
Therefore, as soon as she was out of her father’s sight, she turned around and whispered to Huan Qiu, "I have to go out a little later, could you please accompany me, Sister Huan Qiu!"
Huan Qiu said with no expression: "The Master had ordered, that Second Miss is not allowed to leave the shop."
Fei’er grasped Huan Qiu’s hand and pleaded: "Sister Huan Qiu, I heard some news about my grandmother in the street yesterday. If I don’t go and see for myself, I really can’t rest assured. Please, could you come with me."
Huan Qiu maintained her icy demeanor unaffected by Fei’er’s plea, "Please don’t make it difficult for this servant, Second Miss!"
"Ah, never mind, if we can’t go, then we can’t!"
Fei’er’s face fell. Although Huan Qiu hadn’t been with them for long, Fei’er had some understanding of her personality. This girl was cold by nature, seldom smiled, and seldom talked, but every word she said was absolute. If she said they couldn’t go to the Duke An’s mansion, then they definitely couldn’t go.
With Huan Qiu staring at her so sternly, Cai Wei naturally gave up the idea of going to the Duke An’s mansion. She went to the backyard of the cloth shop and conscientiously started embroidery lessons, continuing until noon.
There was an old nanny in the cloth shop who was responsible for cooking. Every day, Cai Wei sat in the back kitchen with Nanny Xi for meals. As Nanny Xi was old, she would take a nap for an hour after lunch. During this hour, Cai Wei would sometimes continue to embroider, or sometimes go to another room for a nap too.
Today was the same. After eating, Nanny Xi went to the eastern room for a nap, and Cai Wei went to the western room. She instructed Huan Qiu and the cook to stay in the front-shop to avoid making a disturbance.
It was the second time Huan Qiu was assisting Cai Fei and she was unaware of Cai Fei’s previous ways, assuming they’ve always been . Therefore, after Cai Fei gave her orders, she quietly followed the old nanny to the front yard.
An hour later, Nanny Xi woke up on time, but there was no sign of Cai Fei. Believing Cai Fei had gone to the front shop, Nanny Xi sat waiting in the front yard for a while when Cai Fei didn’t return, she got up to look for her.
Huan Qiu was terrified when she heard that Cai Fei had left the back yard. She ran back quickly, only to find that the back kitchen window was open, and a stool was placed underneath. Clearly, someone had opened the window and climbed out through it!
Huan Qiu exclaimed in surprise, "Oh no", and dashed outwards.
"Hey, Miss Huan Qiu, what’s going on? Where’s Cai Fei?"
Nanny Xi was startled by Huan Qiu’s frantic behavior and chased after her, asking loudly. Huan Qiu had no time to explain and rushed out of the cloth shop, hired a horse carriage from the street opposite, and dashed towards the State Duke’s Mansion.
"The Second Miss has been gone for an hour now, theoretically, the visit to the Old Madame should have been done by now, why hasn’t she come back? Could something have happened?"
The carriage arrived at the grand entrance to Duke An’s Mansion. Huan Qiu jumped off the carriage and ran towards the Mansion’s grand entrance, only to be stopped by four green-clothed page boys: "What are you doing? Are you blind to intrude into Duke An’s Mansion? Are you tired of living!"
Huan Qiu stopped, in a hurry she asked, "Has Young Miss Biao returned? Second Miss of the Mu Family?"
The page boy waved his hand, shooing Huan Qiu away with a face full of impatience.
Huan Qiu gave a cold snort, and suddenly pulled a soft whip from her waist and lashed it at the boys!