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“Fourth Lady Qu, you can’t just go inside like that. You need the First Madam’s permission first,” the old maid said with an awkward face, but she had to try everything to stop Qu Moying.

“I just want to take a look. Or you can go back to report to the First Madam right now?” Qu Moying said carelessly.

The old maid hesitated.

If she went back for the report now, no one could keep an eye here. Even if Fourth Lady Qu went inside, she wouldn’t know about it and would probably be scolded by the First Madam. When the people sent by the First Madam got here, Fourth Lady Qu would probably have seen whatever she wanted to see.

“I…I…” The old maid was a clever one, but even she was confused by Qu Moying’s unpredictable behavior

“Alright, the lady just wants to take a look. Nothing will happen. If you report to the First Madam and come back, the lady will probably be done already. Even if the First Madam gives her permission later, the lady won’t be willing to take a look again,” Yu Dong chimed in impatiently.

Yu Dong suggested that they wouldn’t be waiting for the old maid to get permission first and then go inside.

Once the old maid reported it, she would be scolded anyway. But if she didn’t say anything about it, Fourth Lady Qu and her maid wouldn’t tell others either. After all, they just wanted to take a look.

After a second thought, the maid immediately stepped aside and made space for Qu Moying.

Qu Moying walked toward the small side door that was slightly open. She bit her lip to calm herself down and pushed the door open. The door squeaked and made a dull sound as the hinge joint had rusted. Only a few months had passed, but everything inside looked bleak, as if they were covered by thick dust.

The yard was spacious as one of the main yards in the Earl Ling’an’s Mansion, but it was a bit far away from the center since Ji Hanyue’s mother was not favored by Old Lady Ji.

Qu Moying pressed her lips into a straight line to suppress the sore feeling from her eyes. Her eyes fell on the peach trees that were blooming beautifully now on the right side of the yard. This kind of peach tree didn’t grow in the capital. Her father found them at the border and took them back as a gift for her mother. They were still taken good care of.

At this time of every year, she would come here to watch those pretty flowers with her younger sister. Those flowers were still as stunning as usual, but everyone around her was gone.

She paced under the peach trees and looked at the flowers. Somehow, her younger sister’s laughter rang in the pink cloud. The happy memories gave her a hard strike on the heart, like a sharp blade stabbing her again and again.

“You…” The side door was pushed open as an old maid in her forties came inside. The hesitant look on her face showed that she didn’t recognize them.

Qu Moying’s eyes fell on the old maid in a plain outfit as a trace of excitement crossed her face. She knew this old maid called Granny Zhou because she used to serve her mother. Ever since her mother passed away, Granny Zhou lived in this yard and cared for everything here. Today, she came specifically for Granny Zhou.

After becoming Qu Moying, she got to know the other side of some things.

Qu Moying turned around and looked at Granny Zhou. “This is?” she sized the old maid up and asked.

The old maid following her hurriedly walked up and introduced with a smile, “Fourth Lady Qu, this is the maid who used to serve the Second Madam. Since the Second Madam passed away, she stayed here as a doorkeeper.”

Then the old maid threw a glare at Granny Zhou, “This is the Fourth Lady from Vice Minister Qu’s family. Hurry and greet her!”

Granny Zhou used to be the chief granny working for Ji Hanyue’s mother, but now she had become a doorkeeper in other people’s mouths. Even an ordinary old maid working for Xiao dared to glare at her, which saddened Qu Moying more. She would never believe this scene if she didn’t witness it after the rebirth.

On her wedding day, Xiao kept promising her that she would take care of her younger sister and her mother’s yards for her. She said she would keep them clean and neat as usual. If Ji Hanyue felt homesick, she could come back to take a look. Xiao would be willing to take any punishment if she didn’t keep her promise.

She felt like she heard these words yesterday, but now she had already become Qu Moying.

After Ji Hanyue died and Ji Youran climbed up, it was meaningless for Xiao to keep her promise and take good care of Granny Zhou and her mother’s yard.

“Fourth Lady Qu?” Granny Zhou was caught in a daze. Then she looked up at Qu Moying excitedly as tears formed in her eyes. “Is this Second Madam Qu’s daughter, Fourth Lady Qu?”

“Yes, this is Fourth Lady Qu, given birth by Vice Minister Qu’s ex-wife.” Yu Dong didn’t know the reason for Granny Zhou’s excitement, but he still answered her question for Qu Moying.

“It’s…It’s really Fourth Lady Qu. I…I…” Granny Zhou shivered in shock and joy while gazing at Qu Moying. “I used to be Second Madam Qu’s granny and moved into the Qu’s Mansion with her.”

“You are…my mother’s granny from the Yue Family?” Qu Moying asked, looking surprised.

The old maid aside was confused too and chimed in to scold Granny Zhou, “what nonsense are you talking about? This is Fourth Lady Qu from Vice Minister Qu’s family. She is not a lady from our family.”

“I’m really Second Madam Qu’s granny from her family. She passed away after giving birth to Fourth Lady Qu. Then Second Madam Ji visited the Qu Family, had an argument with them, and took me with her,” Granny Zhou started to wipe her tears.

“Why did Second Madam Ji take you away with her?” Qu Moying thought for a second and asked doubtfully.

“The Qu Family said I didn’t take good care of Second Madam Qu and made her have a difficult birth that took her life. They wanted me to pay them back with my life. Second Madam Ji was too angry with them and took me away,” Granny Zhou told them the whole thing in tears.

Technically, she indeed didn’t belong to the Ji Family. She was just an old servant from the Yue Family who temporarily stayed in the Earl Ling’an’s Mansion.

Yu Dong and the old maid looked at each other in shock.

“Since Second Madam Ji had passed away and you are my mother’s old servant, how about you come to serve me?” Qu Moying calmed herself down, sized Granny Zhou up, and suggested.

Her words alerted the old maid aside, making her realize the severity of the situation. She hurriedly walked up and said, “Fourth Lady Qu, I can’t make the decision on her things. I have to ask the First Madam about it.”

This was supposed to be a casual walk that no one would know about. But right now, the old maid had no choice but to tell the First Madam about it. She felt flustered and regretful since the First Madam would surely blame it on her.

“I…I want to guard this yard for Second Madam Ji. Second Madam Ji is gone; the Crown Princess is gone. Even…even the Third Lady and Earl Ling’an are gone…” Granny Zhou choked in her tears and couldn’t even finish her words. What she wanted to say was simple – Earl Ling’an’s whole family was gone.

“Since everyone in my uncle’s family passed away, what’s the point of guarding this place, Granny Zhou? Will they care about this place because you stay here?” Qu Moying pointed at the yard. Anyone could tell that this yard was shabby and abandoned. Granny Zhou was the only one trying to take care of this place.

But she was just a servant, and no one would listen to her.

A chief granny ended up being a doorkeeper.

Granny Zhou started to hesitate because Qu Moying was right. She being here or not wouldn’t make a difference, but she was so reluctant to leave this place. After all, she had spent years here, even more than the time she spent in the Qu’s Mansion.

But she had no reason to reject Fourth Lady Qu’s offer. Moreover, she always wanted to return the things left by Second Madam Qu to Fourth Lady Qu. She didn’t do it before because she wanted to wait for good timing and wait for Fourth Lady Qu to grow older. It seemed that she had to return them now, or she might lose them.

Her demotion and her masters’ deaths caused disrespect from other servants in the Earl Ling’an’s Mansion. Some people with evil intentions even wandered around this yard and tried to frame her. If she lost Second Madam Qu’s belongings by accident, she couldn’t pay back to Second Madam Qu and Fourth Lady Qu.

These things were crucial. Thus she had been trying to find a good chance to give them to Fourth Lady Qu. Now the opportunity presented itself.

Seeing Granny Zhou’s hesitant behavior, Qu Moying persuaded her softly, “Granny Zhou, since my uncle and his family members are all dead, people left here are all from Second Master Ji’s family. What’s the point of staying here? My mother used to be your master, and it makes sense for you to serve me. Even the Ji Family won’t have a rightful reason to reject my request. Don’t worry about the Qu Family. I will protect you.”

It was not hard to guess Qu Zhizhen’s intention of killing Granny Zhou. He just wanted to pass the buck to someone else and cover up his guilt. Otherwise, all the rumors would target Yu, who gave birth to a daughter and a son even earlier than Qu Moying’s mother.

Now, the situation had changed. Qu Zhizhen wouldn’t dig into the past again because it would cause people’s suspicion. With Qu Moying’s current power, it would be easy for her to protect Granny Zhou in the Qu’s Mansion.

However, this was truly the end for Earl Ling’an and his family.

Understanding Qu Moying’s meaning, Granny Zhou couldn’t help but start to cry again. The gentle, elegant Second Lady and the cute, clever Third Lady were both dead. Even if she continued to stay here, she didn’t have the power to protect this yard. A few days ago, some old maids had visited here and said the Ji Family would renovate this place soon. They would change this place into the First Young Master’s yard because it was perfectly distanced from the outer yard.

But it was Second Madam Ji’s yard, and everyone agreed to keep it before.

Granny Zhou had no power to fight against their renovation plan since she was just a servant. Without Earl Ling’an, the Crown Princess, and the Third Lady, no one could protect this place.

After Second Madam Ji’s yard was gone, it was indeed meaningless for her to stay here.

After a second thought, Granny Zhou nodded hard in grief, “Okay. I will do as you say, Fourth Lady.”

“Then go pack your things up!” Qu Moying squinted her eyes and nodded.

Granny Zhou wiped her last tears and nodded. Then she turned around and headed to her room to pack her things.

The old maid following Qu Moying became very anxious. Clearly, she would become the one who took the blame. “Fourth Lady Qu, Granny Zhou used to be the chief granny serving Second Madam Ji. How can she leave like this?”

Qu Moying cast a cold glance at her and curled up her lips, “I will talk about it with First Madam Ji.”

“Fourth Lady Qu, this is…” The old maid still tried to convince Qu Moying but was directly interrupted by Yu Dong. “It’s not your place, but First Madam Ji’s to make the decision. This thing is over for now. I heard the Crown Princess’s yard was not far ahead. How about we go take a look there?”

Hearing Yu Dong’s words, the old maid was so scared that even her lips were trembling…