Chapter 68 Please Help Me
"What did you say? Really? Did you see it right?" Su Qing said in surprise.
"Yes, you were worried about me being sick a few days ago, remember? I told you that I saw someone I seemed to have seen somewhere before, but I couldn't remember where."
Su Qing nodded, "The person you saw talking to Guangzhu's family in the kitchen that day was Wanxiang's mother, and was she also the person you saw under the willow tree in the west residence?"
"Yes, it must be her. I was on my way back from Sister Jiaohong's errand. When I passed by the pond, it was already dark. From a distance, I saw a person squatting under a big willow tree doing something. I thought he was digging wild vegetables and didn't take it seriously. The next day, the fourth young lady got into trouble and was saved by Wanxiang. Because of this incident, Wanxiang came to work for the fourth young lady. I still didn't connect it to that, thinking it was just an accident."
Chuan'er walked to the door and saw that no one came back, so he turned back and continued, "I didn't know who that person was until I saw her talking to Guangzhu's family in the big kitchen that day. They looked very similar from the side, and I was wondering when someone would come to the west house again. But just now I saw that it was Wanxiang's mother. Qing'er, I have a bold idea." Chuan'er took Su Qing's hand.
"Do you suspect that Wanxiang and her daughter were responsible for the accident that happened to the Fourth Miss at the West Residence?"
"You thought of that, too? If the person I saw that night was someone else, I wouldn't think so. But if it was Wanxiang's mother, and Wanxiang plotted against you like this, she must have a deep mind, and she should be able to do such a thing. Besides, think about it now, who would go to pick wild vegetables at that time?"
"Yes, that incident is too strange. Just like what the maid in the west house said, because the lady was there, everything was repaired in advance, especially the pond. The fourth lady likes flowers, plants, birds and fish in the wild, so how could she not have a fence in advance? Someone must have tampered with it."
"From this perspective, that girl called Qin must have been used by her?"
"Shuiqin, that's right. How could such a stubborn person think of such a way to attract the attention of the fourth lady?" Su Qing stood up. This matter must be investigated thoroughly. It is certain that Wanxiang used Shuiqin, but how do we know that she instigated it?
After Su Qing walked back and forth twice, he suddenly stopped. When at the West House, Shuiqin liked to hang around Ruchun the most, and usually didn't spend much time alone with Wanxiang. If it was really Wanxiang who instigated Shuiqin, would Ruchun know?
Ruchun, Ruchun, the important person in both events is Ruchun. But Ruchun, that fool, I asked her once, but she didn't say a word, just protecting Wanxiang like that, what's the point?
Su Qing thought of this and suddenly turned around and asked Chuan'er, "Last time you said that Ruchun and Wanxiang were angry at the back door, right?"
"Well, the two quarreled for a while, and then left in a huff."
"Do you know why?"
"I don't know the specific reason, but I wonder if Ruchun saw Wanxiang bringing her parents to the East Palace, so she kept asking her to do it. But Sister Jiaolian didn't do it because Wanxiang had never agreed to her brother's marriage?"
Su Qing slapped her head. Yes, it was this matter. She was annoyed by Wanxiang and Ruchun and didn't like to listen to their affairs.
That’s great. If I can use this to get information out of Ruchun, then Wanxiang’s framing of me and the Fourth Miss, especially the Fourth Miss, will be confirmed. Then, this troublemaker will disappear from my side.
If I want Ruchun to speak, I have to find a way to resolve the issue of Ruchun's parents, but I can't do it with my current ability. What should I do?
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Time passed quickly, and in a blink of an eye it was the day when the women of the Meng family went to Hongluo Temple after the first snow fell.
It’s just that the first snow this year fell very early. It would be better to say it was late autumn rather than early winter, but it was still snowing, so the women of the Meng family still went to Hongluo Temple.
As a second-class maid, the task of cleaning up the master's meditation room fell on Su Qing this time. Su Qing and Yuan Dong followed the others to Hongluo Temple one day in advance.
I don't know why, but the first thing Su Qing thought of when he stepped onto the stairs was Wang Xiaoer and the stone tablet. Last time, I threatened him that if he touched me again, he would be dead. I didn't care about his expression at that time. When I bandaged his wound, he said that he was a servant of the Shenjun Palace, and it seemed that he was a servant who could cause trouble. I don't know if I can see him if I really follow Meng Qi to the Shenjun Palace.
They still lived in the same small courtyard as last time, but it was winter last time and now it was late autumn. When Su Qing opened the back window, he almost stopped breathing. What came into his eyes was a colorful late autumn scenery of red, yellow and green. If Yuan Dong hadn't been in the house, Su Qing would have wanted to run out.
"It's really beautiful, isn't it? I was also stunned when I saw it for the first time. Look at the snow still on the leaves, shining brightly, so beautiful." Yuan Dong stood behind her without knowing when. "That's nothing, wait until the sun sets in the evening, and go to the top of the hill behind the stone tablet to watch the sunset, that's really beautiful."
"Sister Yuandong, have you seen it?" Su Qing turned around and asked.
"Well, I went to see it with Sister Dongmei before. Now I think it's really spectacular."
"Then can we..."
"If you want to go and see, hurry up." Yuan Dong immediately understood what Su Qing meant, blinked at her and said with a smile.
Su Qing quickened the pace of his hands, making the bed, hanging the curtains, and tidying up Meng Qi's bedding. Su Qing didn't understand, it wasn't like she was staying here overnight, why did she have to make such a fuss, even bringing the quilt and mattress over to replace them with new ones.
Fortunately, they had the same idea as the maids from other masters who went up the mountain a day earlier. Mother Wu, who brought everyone here, repeatedly told them to come back before sunset.
Everyone changed their clothes and walked towards the back of the mountain, chatting and laughing, under the guidance of the monk in charge of reception in the temple. Su Qing walked slowly at the end, enjoying the experience comfortably.
Passing the pine forest, the trees and flowers around the stone tablet were obviously taken care of by the monks. They were neat and tidy, unlike last year when the ground was covered with snow. You could still see scattered small flowers and green grass.
Su Qing and Yuan Dong walked slowly, and by the time they arrived, the maids in front had already turned to the back to watch.
Last time when Su Qing wanted to see it, she reached out to touch it but was frightened by Wang Xiaoer, and she didn't even have time to appreciate it. If she met this damn Wang Xiaoer in the Prince Shen's Mansion, she would definitely make him pay. Su Qing thought as she followed Yuan Dong to the back of the stone tablet.
It turns out that there are words at the back, but they are not as big as those at the front. They are similar to some annotations, introducing the origin of Hongluo Temple and how several eminent monks have made the temple great, etc. Anyway, they are praising the merits.
Yuan Dong saw that Su Qing was reading carefully, so he stepped forward and said with a smile, "You are really amazing. I can't recognize all these words."
Su Qing smiled and said, "I know it everywhere, I just guessed it."
Walking slowly, I saw the place where the three people had been hiding. Now I could see clearly that it was the gap between the stone tablet and a smaller decorative stone next to it. There were many flowers and plants growing in it. They withered in the winter and were covered with snow, making it look like a cave.
Su Qing could still remember the time when Wang Xiaoer covered her mouth, and she felt uncomfortable when she thought of this. Yuan Dong didn't pay attention to her, but just pulled her to hurry up, and those people had already walked towards the pavilion on the high ground.
Su Qing turned around and walked up the mountain with Yuan Dong. After walking a few steps, they saw a little monk who had been following them quicken his pace and walk up to them. He put his hands together and said very unnaturally, "I accidentally dropped the rosary into a dead tree stump. Because my arms are too thick, I can't reach it out. I would like to trouble you two donors, can you help me?"
The two looked at each other and nodded. Just as they were about to follow, they saw a servant running over from afar. When she came to the two of them, she held her waist and panted heavily, "Miss Yuan... Miss Yuan Dong, go back. Someone from the mansion is looking for you. They said... that your mother fell down and I don't know how she is now."
"Ah~" Before Su Qing could say anything, Yuan Dong ran out. Yuan Dong was a family-born child, and her mother was the daughter of the lady's dowry, so she was also a very prestigious family in the mansion.
The old woman saw Yuan Dong running out and followed him, leaving Su Qing and the little monk looking at each other in bewilderment. The little monk seemed uncomfortable when he saw that there were only two of them left, and he kept staring at his toes.