High-class maid

Chapter 128 Exchange of Minds

The two girls lay in bed for two days, during which they drank several bowls of brown sugar water. When Shan Tao got bored, she picked up a needle and thread and started doing embroidery, while Shen Xing'er drew various patterns on paper.

"Miss, there's a teahouse up ahead. If you're tired from walking around, why don't you go in and have a cup of tea?" said Bai Lan, Hou Xinyu's personal maid.

"Now that you mention it, I am indeed a bit thirsty. I've heard that the pastries at this teahouse are exceptional. Come with me to try them." Hou Xinyu nodded and took Bai Lan's hand as they walked inside.

“Miss, Madam wants you to return to the manor immediately after you finish your business, this…” the First Madam’s personal maidservant stopped her.

She remembered her mistress's instructions when she left: "Miss is about to get engaged, so you must keep a close eye on her now. If the people from the Minister's mansion find out, they may say that my daughter is showing her face in public."

“Granny.” Hou Xinyu turned her head and stared at her intently, then said, “Don’t I even have the freedom to drink a cup of tea? You’re all guarding the door, how could a fly possibly fly in?”

"That's not what I meant, I wouldn't dare. It's just that you're getting engaged soon, so it would be best if you went home soon," the old woman said.

"Good nanny, since you've already come out with us, why not just turn a blind eye? Otherwise, we'll offend both masters, so what's the point?" Bai Lan stepped forward and whispered.

"Alright, alright, this old servant will wait here for Miss. If anything happens, Miss Bailan can just call out." The old woman gave in and stopped trying to stop her.

Bai Lan and Hou Xinyu exchanged a smile and entered the teahouse.

The two went up to the second floor with ease. Unlike the bustling crowd downstairs, the second floor was completely silent, clearly indicating that the place had been reserved.

Hou Xinyu pushed open the door and entered one of the tea rooms, where Bai Lan and a page stood guard outside.

"Yu'er, you've arrived. Please have a seat." Xiao Yi'an had been waiting for a long time. When he saw Hou Xinyu enter the room, he hurriedly offered her a seat and slipped a hand warmer into her hand.

Hou Xinyu was touched by his thoughtfulness. She reached out and took the hand warmer, her face slightly flushed, and sat down on the soft chair.

“I know your aunt and uncle restrict you from going out, but I have an urgent matter to attend to, so I had no choice but to let you go out at the risk of being lectured. I hope you won’t be angry, Yu’er,” Xiao Yi’an apologized first.

"It's nothing. You always act with discretion. You wouldn't send me a message unless it's urgent. What is it?" Hou Xinyu held the hand warmer in both hands, and her white cloak made her look even more noble.

Xiao Yi'an couldn't help but feel nervous. He didn't know if Hou Xinyu would forgive him. If she refused to forgive him, wouldn't he lose her forever?

"Xiao Lang?" Hou Xinyu's voice interrupted Xiao Yi'an's thoughts.

Why are you so nervous? What happened?

Xiao Yi'an told Hou Xinyu everything that had happened that day, and then watched her reaction nervously.

Hou Xinyu's expression changed from tension to anger, and finally to sadness. She remained silent for a long time, and Xiao Yi'an did not dare to ask any further questions, quietly waiting for her to process the matter.

"So, she's now one of your people? What's her rank?" Hou Xinyu asked.

“Not really. My mother arranged a small courtyard for her, but she has no maids, no official title, and isn’t even a maidservant,” Xiao Yi’an said.

"She's with you... why won't you even give her a proper title?"

“We did not have any physical intimacy. Before she succeeded, my mother went into the study. However, she was on the same soft couch as me, and everyone saw it, so we took her into our courtyard.”

Xiao Yi'an hurriedly explained, as if afraid that Hou Xinyu wouldn't hear him if he explained too late.

Upon hearing that the two had not been intimate, Hou Xinyu visibly breathed a sigh of relief, then she asked...

"If that's the case, why don't you give her a title or punish her? If you just leave her like this, what if the servants follow suit?"

Although Hou Xinyu was angry, she was also rational and immediately pointed out the problem.

"It's good that you care about me." Xiao Yi'an finally showed his first smile of the day. He breathed a sigh of relief and continued...

"My mother and I mean that since that maid knew we were getting engaged, yet she still so blatantly schemed against us, we're afraid you must be feeling bad about it. That's why we wanted to hear your opinion."

Hou Xinyu felt much better upon hearing this, but she also knew she didn't yet have any status, so she said...

"What opinions could I possibly have? This is your family matter. How could I, an outsider, interfere?"

"No, you are my future wife and the future mistress of the Minister's mansion. You have the right to deal with her. My heart belongs only to you!" Xiao Yi'an excitedly grasped her hand, taking the opportunity to express his loyalty.

Hou Xinyu blushed, but she was reluctant to pull her hand away. She said, "That won't do. The future is the future. Right now, I am just a young lady from Yongchang Prefecture."

"How do you want to punish her? I can say it's my decision, and I guarantee it won't have anything to do with you," Xiao Yi'an asked.

Seeing that he was neither modest nor coy, Hou Xinyu said, "In that case, selling her out of the mansion would make you seem heartless and ungrateful. Why not just make her a concubine?"

"Yu'er, you... but she plotted against me."

"In whose courtyard does she work?" Hou Xinyu asked.

"In my grandmother's courtyard...you mean?" Xiao Yi'an suddenly realized.

Hou Xinyu nodded and said, "That's right. Since she's from the old lady's courtyard, it wouldn't look good to be too harsh on her. Rather than trying to cover it up, we should just openly call her a concubine and let her keep this empty title and wait for the rest of her life."

“This is a good idea. Doesn’t she want to be one of my people? Then let her stay in this empty courtyard and keep company with the sun and moon.”

Xiao Yi'an was also holding back his anger. This was the first time in his life that he had been humiliated by a woman, and he had been wanting to vent his anger for a long time. If it weren't for his grandmother, he would have sold Qianying off long ago.

"Yu'er, you're not angry with me anymore?" Xiao Yi'an asked cautiously, seeing that Hou Xinyu's complexion had improved.

“You are also a victim, how could I blame you? It’s just that your cousin went too far, actually scheming against his own family,” Hou Xinyu said.

"Hmph, these kinds of people are like rats in the gutter. I'll be on guard against their family from now on. I won't give them a chance to get close to me." Even now, Xiao Yi'an's face still shows a fierce expression when he thinks about it.

"Alright, they've learned their lesson. They paid the price, didn't they?" Hou Xinyu placed her hand on Xiao Yi'an's and gently comforted him.

"Yu'er, thank goodness you're here. Look what this is." Xiao Yi'an took out a long box from his sleeve and handed it to Hou Xinyu.

Hou Xinyu gently opened it, and inside was a crystal-clear white jade orchid hairpin, with the flower's stamen inlaid with rubies.