Zhang Ji's tone was extremely stern, his gaze filled with blame as he looked at Nanny Sun.
If she couldn't even handle such a small matter, how would she explain to His Majesty if things were exposed?
"They will never find out. Zhenzhu said it was Feng Jin who, seeing that Xiao Qi and her sister were similar in age and felt a kinship, asked for Xiao Qi. I was also worried..."
Worried that Xiao Qi might succumb to temptation and reveal something she shouldn't.
She only dared to voice these thoughts to herself, never daring to say them in front of Zhang Ji.
If Zhang Ji became suspicious, to be safe, Xiao Qi's life would surely be forfeit.
"Worried about what? How much does Xiao Qi know?"
"Xiao Qi is young and has never been told any important matters. It should be fine. For safety's sake, it would be better to get Xiao Qi back."
Seizing the opportunity, Nanny Sun kept bringing up the matter, waiting for him to agree.
"No... Xiao Qi cannot come back!"
Zhang Ji's words directly cut off Nanny Sun's next sentence.
"Xiao Qi staying there is perfect for serving as an insider, to relay information for us."
They were already struggling to find a suitable way to place an informant by Ling Mohan's side. Xiao Qi being voluntarily taken by them saved them the trouble.
Keeping her there would be far more useful than having her remain with them.
"Sir, Xiao Qi is too young. She might not handle some things well. Perhaps we should find someone else to do it."
"Someone else? Who else is more suitable than Xiao Qi right now, tell me?"
Nanny Sun was momentarily speechless. After thinking for a long time, she couldn't come up with a suitable candidate. Indeed, Xiao Qi was the most suitable person at the moment.
"I am foolish, sir. I currently have no suitable candidate."
"Opportunity knocks but once. If we don't seize such a good chance that is delivered to our doorstep, wouldn't that be a great loss? Let Xiao Qi stay and relay information for us. After the matter is concluded, we will let Xiao Qi go."
Nanny Sun's pupils contracted sharply. She flicked her eyes up to glance at Zhang Ji, then quickly shifted her gaze. "Sir, are you really going to let Xiao Qi leave? Or perhaps it would be better to have Xiao Qi stay."
"Nanny Sun, you are too indecisive and emotional today. You have done these things before, what is different about you today?"
Zhang Ji looked at Nanny Sun with a hint of confusion. Nanny Sun had never been so hesitant before.
Her hands were stained with countless lives. She had been secretly training these palace maids for nearly ten years, all for the purpose of gathering intelligence.
To ensure their dedication, she would promise them freedom from the palace after their missions were complete.
But in the end, all these individuals met their end at Nanny Sun's hands. After all, they knew too many secrets, and only the dead could keep them forever.
"I lost my composure, sir. Please forgive me. Once Xiao Qi has completed her task, I will, as always, personally see her off."
Zhenzhu, who was hiding outside the door, heard their conversation. Her eyes widened in shock.
After a moment, before they could discover her, she quickly left.
So, those who were previously released from the palace ultimately... were all killed by Nanny Sun herself...
This thought flashed through Zhenzhu's mind, and her entire body trembled slightly, her steps faltering.
This matter completely overturned her perception of the world. She had always believed that as long as she worked hard and achieved merit, she would receive the same rewards as them and leave.
In the end, no matter how she struggled, she could not escape death. This was the final fate of people like them.
Why did she work so hard to do everything well? What was the point 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 through. Your clothes have three or four patches, and your outer garment only comes to your waist. These are clothes from years ago."
Cai Qing chattered as she casually tossed aside the old clothes Xiao Qi had taken off. She didn't know how many years Xiao Qi had worn them, but they were no longer wearable.
"Did they mistreat palace maids in Xiliang, not even preparing decent clothes for you?"
Just by looking at her clothes, Cai Qing could imagine the life Xiao Qi had led 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 her with peace of mind, and she will definitely not mistreat you."
Cai Qing patted Xiao Qi's shoulder, urging 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 met many masters, and they were all the same. She couldn't believe what Cai Qing was saying.
Did such a good mistress truly exist in the world, one who didn't scold or punish servants and even cared for them? Such a good 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 will know after you've been here for a while."
A few words couldn't fully describe how good the young madam was. Cai Qing felt she could talk about the young madam's kindness for a day and a night without repeating herself.
It was too tiring to explain, so it was better to let Xiao Qi experience it herself.
"Why don't you even have a decent hairpin on your head? How can you be so shabby in front of the young madam? This is embarrassing for the young madam."
The young madam had said that when moving around in front of her, one must be dressed elegantly. This way, the young madam would be in a better mood when she saw them.
Cai Qing opened the jewelry box and selected a pair of burnt-blue inlaid gold butterfly hairpins, placing 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 year's worth of her monthly allowance, she couldn't afford such a pair of hairpins. She couldn't accept something so valuable.
As she spoke, Xiao Qi reached out to remove the hairpins from her hair, but Cai Qing stopped her. "Don't mess with them. They've just been put in. I said they're for you, so they're yours. The young madam has given 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 expensive hairpins, all given by her mistress. Was this true?
"Yes, not just these hairpins, but even 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 them to you in the future."