Zhang Ji's tone was stern, his gaze towards wet nurse Sun full of blame.
If even this small matter couldn't be handled properly, and the truth were to be exposed, how would wet nurse Sun explain herself to His Majesty?
"They will never discover anything. Zhenzhu said that Feng Jin, seeing that Xiao Qi and her sister were similar in age and felt a closeness, took Xiao Qi in. I was also worried..."
Worried that Xiao Qi might not be able to resist temptation and might say something she shouldn't.
These thoughts she could only voice in her heart, not daring to say them in front of Zhang Ji.
If Zhang Ji harbored any suspicions, Xiao Qi's life would surely be forfeit to be safe.
"Worried about what? How much does Xiao Qi know?"
"Xiao Qi is young, and important matters have never been disclosed to her. It should be fine. For the sake of safety, it would be better to take Xiao Qi back."
Using this as an excuse, wet nurse Sun repeatedly urged Zhang Ji, waiting for him to agree.
"No... Xiao Qi cannot come back!"
This statement from Zhang Ji directly silenced wet nurse Sun's further words.
"Xiao Qi remaining there can serve as an inside informant, passing messages for us."
He was already fretting about not having a suitable way to plant an informant by Ling Mo Han's side. Xiao Qi being taken by them willingly saved them the trouble.
Her staying there would be far more useful than if she remained with them.
"My lord, Xiao Qi is too young, and may not be able to handle certain matters well. Perhaps we should find someone else."
"Someone else? Who else is more suitable than Xiao Qi right now? Tell me."
Wet nurse Sun was left speechless, pondering for a long time but failing to come up with a suitable candidate. Indeed, Xiao Qi was the most suitable person at the moment.
"This servant is foolish and has no suitable candidate at the moment."
"An opportunity missed is never to be regained. Such a good chance has presented itself; it would be too much of a loss not to seize it. Let Xiao Qi stay to pass messages for us. Once the matter is concluded, Xiao Qi will be released."
Wet nurse Sun's pupils contracted sharply. She glanced at Zhang Ji from the corner of her eye, then quickly averted her gaze. "My lord, must Xiao Qi leave? Perhaps it would be better to have Xiao Qi stay."
"Wet nurse Sun, you are too indecisive and emotional today. This isn't your first time doing such things; what's gotten into you today?"
Zhang Ji looked at wet nurse Sun with a hint of confusion. In the past, wet nurse Sun was never this hesitant.
Her hands were stained with countless lives. She had secretly trained these palace maids for nearly ten years, all for the purpose of gathering intelligence.
To ensure they carried out their tasks with utmost diligence, she always promised them freedom from the palace upon completion of their missions.
Yet, in the end, all these women met their end at wet nurse Sun's hands. After all, they knew too much, and only the dead could keep secrets forever.
"This servant has lost composure, my lord, please forgive me. When Xiao Qi has completed her task, this servant will, as always, personally see Xiao Qi off."
Zhenzhu, who had been hiding outside the door, heard their conversation. Her eyes widened, filled with astonishment.
After a moment, before they could discover her, she quickly slipped away.
So, those who had been released from the palace before, ultimately... were all personally killed by wet nurse Sun...
This thought flashed through Zhenzhu's mind. Her entire body trembled slightly, and her steps became unsteady.
This revelation completely shattered her worldview. She had always believed that as long as she worked hard and achieved merit, she, like them, would receive a reward and leave.
In the end, no matter how she struggled, she could not escape death. This was the fate of all of them.
Why did she work so hard to do everything well? What was the meaning of her life? In the end, she was just the biggest joke.
...
"Let's change into these clothes first. Look, the cuffs of your clothes are worn out, and there are three or four patches on one garment. Your outer jacket barely reaches your waist. These clothes are from several years ago."
Cai Qing chided as she tossed aside Xiao Qi's old clothes. They hadn't been worn for how many years, but they were no longer fit to be worn.
"Did the people of Xiliang mistreat palace maids so badly that they couldn't even provide you with decent clothes?"
Just by looking at her clothes, Cai Qing could imagine the life Xiao Qi had lived before.
She was so thin that her bones were clearly visible, and her skin was sallow.
"Fortunately, you have good fortune and met my young madam. My young madam is the best mistress in the world. From now on, just follow my young madam with peace of mind; she will never treat you unfairly."
Cai Qing patted Xiao Qi's shoulder, telling her to relax and not be so nervous.
"You don't need to be afraid. The young madam will not scold you or punish you."
"Really?" Xiao Qi asked doubtfully. She had seen many masters, and they were all the same. She couldn't believe Cai Qing's words were true.
Could there truly be such a kind mistress in the world, one who didn't scold or punish servants, but even cared for them? Such a mistress wouldn't even appear in dreams.
"Of course, it's true. Why would I lie to you? If you don't believe me now, you'll know after you've been here for a while."
It was impossible to fully convey the young madam's kindness in a few words. Cai Qing felt she could talk about the young madam's goodness for a day and a night without repeating herself.
It was too tiring to say, so it was better to let Xiao Qi experience it herself.
"Why don't you even have a decent hairpin on your head? When working for the young madam, how can you be so shabby? This is embarrassing for the young madam."
The young madam had said that when moving in front of her, one must be elegantly dressed; this would also lift the young madam's spirits.
Cai Qing opened the jewelry box, selected a pair of enameled gold butterfly hairpins, and placed them in Xiao Qi's hair.
"This looks much better. These hairpins are for you."
"I can't accept them. These hairpins look very expensive; I can't take them."
With a pair of hairpins like these, she couldn't afford them even with a year's worth of monthly allowance. Such valuable items, she could not accept.
Saying this, Xiao Qi reached out to remove the hairpins from her bun, but Cai Qing stopped her. "Don't move. You've only just put them on. I said they're for you, and they are yours. The young madam gave me many such hair ornaments. Consider this pair a welcome gift."
"These were all given to you by the young madam?"
Xiao Qi asked incredulously. So many valuable hairpins, all from her mistress. Was this true?
"Yes, not just these hairpins, but also the rouge, powder, and the clothes I wear are all from the young madam. Didn't I tell you? The young madam is the best mistress in the world, and she will surely give you things too."