Thrown out of the house, the wet nurse enters the noble household and becomes a person of high statu

Liu Wenying touched an unusual place.

She picked up the lantern and leaned closer to examine it.

There is a repair mark on the inner wall of the ice mirror near the bottom.

The joints of the copper sheets were not polished very finely, and the color was slightly newer than the surrounding area, indicating that they were added later.

She remembered looking through the booklet that Mingxitang kept for recording expenses.

There are no records of expenses for the repair of the ice mirror.

Ice mirrors are valuable objects, and if they really need repair, a specialized coppersmith would be hired, which would be quite expensive, and there would be no way that it wouldn't be recorded in the accounts.

Who made these repair marks?

She recalled how quickly the ice supply had been used up, even the old lady didn't have enough, and the second master had to share some with her.

And Xi Chun's nervous look when he approached the ice mirror.

At the time, she thought she was just overthinking it, but now it seems...

Misuse of ice samples.

Summer ice was extremely precious and was mostly supplied to the palace and the powerful. It was strictly forbidden to steal or sell it privately.

Whether it's a local official or a government official, it's a serious crime.

How dare Xi Chun have such thoughts?

Unfortunately, so much time has passed and there is no evidence.

The ice had melted completely, and there was no direct record of it in the ledger.

It's difficult to draw a conclusion based solely on this repair mark.

She believed that there were no clues, no matter how far the wild geese flew.

It's best to hold off and focus on gathering evidence first.

……

After these days of rehabilitation training, the old lady is now able to stand for a short while with support.

It didn't take long, about the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea.

Although he still needs to be supported, it is a sight that has not been seen for a long time.

Dr. Ye followed up daily, and the prescription was changed again and again as the patient's condition changed.

In particular, the newly prepared topical ointment is very beneficial for the recovery of leg muscles.

Unfortunately, one of the ingredients in this ointment was missing from the warehouse.

Since it concerns the old lady's condition, the medicinal materials cannot be taken lightly.

As the head maid, Liu Wenying personally left the mansion and went to the pharmacy in the south of the city.

Things went smoothly; although the medicinal herb was rare, it happened to be in stock.

She carefully inspected the item, paid the money, wrapped it in oil paper, kept it close to her body, and hurried back.

But fate was unkind.

As soon as I stepped out of the pharmacy, the sky darkened, dark clouds loomed overhead, and rumbling thunder echoed.

Liu Wenying quickened her pace, but before she had gone far, raindrops the size of copper coins began to pelt down on her.

She quickly hid under the eaves of a house.

But the rain grew heavier and heavier, and in the blink of an eye it became a downpour.

The world was a vast expanse of white, and even the shops across the street were no longer visible.

She gazed at the rain curtain, her heart filled with anxiety.

The time for the old lady to take her medicine is approaching, and there can be no delay.

It's unclear how long the rain will last; this place is remote and there are no vendors selling umbrellas.

Time passed by, moment by moment.

Liu Wenying took out the oil paper package from her bosom and wrapped it in a silk handkerchief.

Finally, carefully tuck it into the innermost layer of your clothes, hiding it close to your skin.

Then, she lifted her skirt and rushed into the rain.

The rain was pouring down, and it stung when it hit my skin.

The rain soaked through my clothes instantly, and the chill was biting.

She protected the medicinal herbs on her chest and ran through the deep and shallow water.

Her embroidered shoes were already soaked, her skirt was covered in mud, her hair was disheveled, and rainwater streamed down her face, blurring her vision.

The streets and alleys were deserted, with only the deafening sound of rain.

The rain pounded so hard she couldn't open her eyes, so she staggered toward the Pei residence, relying on her memory.

Suddenly, the sound of galloping hooves came from behind, growing louder as it approached.

Liu Wenying quickly moved to the side of the road to avoid the car, which drove over the puddles, splashing up a large amount of water.

The carriage sped past, the wind lifting a corner of the curtain.

In a fleeting glance, she caught a glimpse of the person's profile inside the car.

His features were delicate and refined, his thin lips were slightly pursed, and his eyelashes were lowered, as if he were looking at the book in his hands.

It's Pei Zeyu.

As they passed each other, he happened to look up as well.

Their eyes met, for a fleeting moment.

Her disheveled appearance was reflected in those dark eyes.

He clearly saw her too.

The carriage didn't stop, it continued speeding along, and soon shrank into a black dot in the rain and disappeared.

Liu Wenying stopped and gasped for breath.

Rain dripped down her eyelashes. If it were before, he probably would have stopped and given her a ride.

But now...

She shook her head, wiped the rain off her face, and continued running forward.

She hadn't run more than a few steps when the green-curtained carriage turned back and stopped in front of her.

The carriage curtain was lifted, and a hand reached out.

Raindrops fell on that hand; the fingers were long and slender, with distinct knuckles; the veins on the back of the hand were slightly bulging; and there was a deep scar on the palm.

Rainwater trickled down my fingertips, dripping onto the cart shaft and splashing up tiny droplets.

"Come up."

……

In the end, Liu Wenying got into Pei Zeyu's carriage, but only dared to stand in the corner.

She was soaked to the bone, rain dripping down her clothes and spreading dark water stains on the expensive floral carpet.

Pei Zeyu didn't say anything, but took a dry towel from under his seat and casually tossed it to her.

Liu Wenying caught it in time and looked at the other person.

He leaned against the car wall, holding a book of sages, his eyes fixed on the pages, as if he hadn't just dropped the dry towel.

Liu Wenying didn't stand on ceremony and took out the oil paper package from her bosom.

The medicinal herbs were wrapped tightly and remained completely dry.

She placed the medicine packet in the corner of her seat before picking up a dry towel and bending down to wipe her hair and cheeks.

I just wiped it a couple of times when my nose started to itch and I sneezed suddenly.

Pei Zeyu, who was engrossed in his book, looked up when he heard the sound.

He frowned slightly, said nothing, and reached out to pick up the purple clay teapot from the small table.

The tea in the pot was still warm, so he poured two cups of hot tea.

I picked up a glass myself.

The other cup was gently pushed to the other side of the small table, just within her reach.

His movements were so natural, as if he had just casually put them down.

Liu Wenying was unsure, but she was also afraid of disappointing him.

"Is this cup of tea for me?"

Pei Zeyu turned a page of the book and gave a faint "hmm".

Liu Wenying did not refuse.

After drinking a cup of hot tea, my icy body gradually warmed up.

The car was too quiet, with only the sound of rain pattering on the roof.

Feeling a little uncomfortable, she spoke softly.

"This servant came out to buy medicine for the old lady; the doctor's newly prepared prescription just happens to be missing this one ingredient."

Pei Zeyu silently gripped the edge of the book, his mind no longer on the ink and the writing.

"Second Master hasn't come to Mingxi Hall recently..."

The Second Master respected the Old Madam the most, so she recounted in detail the Old Madam's recovery during the days he was absent.

She talked on and on, and he listened quietly.

Pei Zeyu finally turned his gaze from the book to her face.

Her temples were wet, and strands of hair clung to her face, making her face appear even smaller.

Her chin was pointed and turned somewhat pale from being soaked in the rain.

Her eyes were still bright, and when illuminated by light, they looked like pools of amber filled with water.

He felt a slight, dull pain in his chest, a tenderness he didn't outwardly display, and asked in a calm voice:

"What kind of precious medicinal herbs are you so willing to brave the rain to bring back? Can't you wait even a moment longer?"

"The old lady has a leg ailment and needs it urgently."

"Leg ailments don't heal in a day or two; it's best to proceed gradually."

Liu Wenying nodded, "Second Master is right, but I am currently in charge of Mingxi Hall's storeroom. If anything is missing, I am also responsible."

Upon hearing this, Pei Zeyu's lips curved slightly into a smile, but it was impossible to tell whether it was a genuine smile or something else.

"It seems you're quite comfortable and happy in your role as the head maid."

…………