Chu Qing hurriedly knelt before Madam Sun, eager to demonstrate her loyalty.
“Loyalty… this is your loyalty? The task I gave you, did you accomplish it? Do you harbor ill intentions?”
“Madam, your servant absolutely does not. Madam, please see clearly. Feng Jin is very guarded against me, and so is the maid beside her. They are extremely wary of me, and I simply cannot get close to her.”
Chu Qing had long prepared this explanation to deal with Madam Sun, anticipating the need for it. Today, it proved useful.
“Is that so?”
Madam Sun’s eyes were filled with suspicion. It wasn't just Chu Qing; she would have been suspicious of anyone. It was simply a matter of distrust.
“Every word your servant speaks is the truth. Madam’s kindness to me is like a second life. Even if I were to die this instant, I would not dare to deceive Madam.”
Chu Qing quickly knelt on the ground, earnestly detailing her unwavering loyalty.
Her sincerity even swayed Madam Sun, who directly believed Chu Qing’s words.
Madam Sun suppressed her emotions and stepped forward to help Chu Qing up: “Xiao Qi, I remember when you first arrived, you were only six or seven years old, as frail as a little kitten. I chose you to come here. In the blink of an eye, you’ve grown so much. I am old now and no longer useful.”
“In your servant’s heart, Madam is like a reborn parent. If Madam had not chosen me back then and saved my life, your servant would still be a wandering ghost somewhere.”
Her father was murdered years ago, and the entire family was imprisoned. At that time, Madam Sun was selecting girls to train as spies, and she happened to be chosen.
She was only six years old then and was unwilling to be separated from her mother. Madam Sun had forcibly taken her away from her mother.
After growing up, she had inquired about her mother’s whereabouts several times but still received no news. It was precisely because Madam Sun had caused their separation for over a decade that she would remember this kindness day and night.
“You are a good child, one who knows gratitude. It seems I have not taught you these years in vain. Once you complete this task, I will let you leave and give you a sum of money and jewels, allowing you to live a peaceful life. How about that?”
“Thank you, Madam. Your servant will diligently work for Madam and repay your kindness!”
Chu Qing feigned joy and quickly knelt, speaking her thanks. This display further convinced Madam Sun that she was easy to control.
“Get up. You’ve been out for quite some time. Go back soon; don’t arouse anyone else’s suspicion.”
“Yes, your servant takes her leave.”
Chu Qing’s smile vanished completely after leaving the carriage.
By saying all that, Madam Sun still wanted her to focus on her task and continue helping her gather information.
As soon as Chu Qing returned, Cai Qing’s催促 voice sounded.
“Where have you been? I asked you to get food, and you’ve only gotten it now. If we rely on you, the young madam will starve to death.”
Chu Qing finally snapped back to reality. On her way back, she had been contemplating what Madam Sun wanted her to do, completely forgetting about delivering food to the young madam.
“Oh no, I actually forgot. It’s finished, it’s finished. I’ll go deliver it to the young madam right away.”
If she let the young madam starve, she deserved to die ten thousand times over.
“Seeing that you were taking so long to return, I already got food for the young madam. I don’t know where you were running off to, acting crazy.”
“Sister Cai Qing, thank you. Where is the young madam? I have something important to report to her.”
“She’s up ahead, playing with the young master. You go ahead. I still have some things to finish here.”
Cai Qing pointed ahead and quickly went back to her own tasks.
Chu Qing walked towards Feng Jin: “Your servant pays her respects to the young madam.”
“You come with me to the carriage.”
Feng Jin entrusted the two children to a nearby madam and then took Chu Qing into the carriage.
“Speak,” she said. From the moment Chu Qing arrived, she had guessed that Chu Qing had something to tell her.
“Madam, Madam Sun’s people forcibly took your servant away just now. From Madam Sun’s words, I heard that she already suspects your servant and wants your servant to continue passing messages to her…”
Chu Qing recounted everything that had just happened to Feng Jin. She didn’t know how to handle this matter and perhaps only the young madam had a solution.
“Madam Sun is indeed old and cunning!”
This was using all eighteen martial arts; she could not hold back any longer. Indeed, they hadn’t even reached the capital, yet her subordinates had suffered several losses. Furthermore, she had sensed that many people were harboring ill intentions, so it was no wonder Madam Sun couldn’t restrain herself.
Anyone else would have taken a risk. Remaining still would only worsen the situation and be disadvantageous to her. It was better to take a gamble, and perhaps they could even turn the tide.
“Young madam, how should your servant respond?”
Feng Jin pondered for a moment and then replied calmly, “If Madam Sun presses you too hard, it’s fine to say a word or two to her.”
“Young madam, will this work? Your servant might say the wrong thing, and that would be terrible.”
“If you are worried about saying the wrong thing, then in the future, bring what you intend to say to me first. Let me see if it can be said or not. After saying it a few times, you will know how to speak. You need to make Madam Sun believe you while saying things that are of no consequence, and yet have a small impact. You truly need to learn how to speak.”
This was indeed a technical skill, but with diligent study and practice, some achievement could be made. This would require Chu Qing to work hard.
“Your servant understands…” Chu Qing nodded, appearing to understand but not fully grasping it. She felt that what the young madam had said was too profound, and it was truly difficult for her to comprehend it all at once.
It seemed she would truly have to worry about this matter from now on. She hoped she wouldn’t slip up in the future; if she let something slip, it would be disastrous.
Chu Qing spent the entire day with a heart full of apprehension, only succumbing to sleep in the late hours after getting a little rest.
The next day, while traveling, Chu Qing was once again summoned by someone from Madam Sun’s side.
“Madam wants to ask you, after arriving in the capital, how do they plan to settle people like us?”
Chu Qing’s eyes darted around as she slowly replied, “As for how we will be settled, your servant is not yet clear. However, yesterday, while serving outside, I vaguely heard them discussing matters of a manor outside the city. Whether it is for settling us, your servant is also unclear.”
“Is that all? Did you hear anything else?”
“Your servant did not hear anything else. They seem to have become wary of me these days, rarely letting me serve them closely. They only let me serve outside.”
“You continue to pay attention. I will report to Madam Sun first.”
After that person left, Chu Qing breathed a sigh of relief. She just didn’t know if Madam Sun would believe these words.