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In the afternoon, Guo Chunyi learned that Nangong Shuang had a new maid and made a special visit. Xiao Cha was clever and attentive, quickly earning Guo Chunyi's praise.
"This girl is quite impressive, quick in her tasks and sharp-minded, much better than those maids in the household," Guo Chunyi said with a smile. "With her serving you, I feel more at ease."
Nangong Shuang smiled gently in response. "She was carefully chosen by Madam Qian, so she is naturally exceptional."
As they chatted and laughed, the steward Zhang Lu came in to inform Nangong Shuang that the master wished to see her in the study. A chill ran through her heart, but she did not show it on her face and replied softly. Before leaving, she discreetly signaled to Xiao Cha, who subtly nodded in understanding.
Upon entering the study, Lord Guo was savoring tea. When he saw Nangong Shuang enter, he smiled kindly and said, "Nangong Shuang, please take a seat. Are you feeling better?"
"Thank you for your concern, my lord. I am much improved," Nangong Shuang replied respectfully while observing Lord Guo's expression.
Lord Guo nodded. "It must have been difficult for you. The origins of last night's assassin are unknown; I have ordered a thorough investigation to uncover the mastermind behind it." He paused and looked at Nangong Shuang meaningfully. "Strangely enough, that assassin specifically broke into your room—was it aimed at you?"
Nangong Shuang understood that Lord Guo was testing her and feigned confusion. "I am just a simple country doctor; what merit do I have to attract an assassin? It must be that the thief saw an opportunity and mistakenly entered my room."
"Perhaps," Lord Guo replied noncommittally, then shifted the topic. "I have heard that Madam Qian sent a maid to serve you, which I have already approved. However, the rules of the household are strict; I hope you will keep your maid under control and not let her wander about to avoid any trouble."
Nangong Shuang discerned the underlying warning in Lord Guo's words—that she should not roam around too freely lest she discover something she shouldn't. She responded respectfully but secretly scoffed at his caution.
After leaving the study, Nangong Shuang returned to her chamber and found Xiao Cha had tidied up everything neatly. Upon seeing Nangong Shuang return, Xiao Cha quickly closed the doors and windows and lowered her voice. "Sister, I've checked; there are hidden holes in all four corners of this room meant for surveillance. But I've blocked them with incense powder, so they won't be discovered for a while."
Nangong Shuang was taken aback. "How did you find out?"
Xiao Cha smiled proudly. "When I was at Qian Mansion, I noticed someone installing similar things in your room, so I paid special attention. The methods used here at Guo Residence are even more sophisticated; if I hadn't been looking for them specifically, they would have been hard to detect."
Nangong Shuang couldn't help but admire Qiao Er's attentiveness and cleverness. The two leaned closer together and whispered as Nangong Shuang shared her recent discoveries and suspicions with Xiao Cha, who then reported what she had observed at Guo Residence.
"Sister, the servants are saying that after the previous steward was dismissed for embezzlement, this Zhang Lu was recommended by the Crown Prince's Mansion and holds considerable influence here; even the master sometimes has to give way to him," Xiao Cha whispered. "Moreover, I've noticed he leaves the residence every night without revealing where he goes."
A glint of insight flashed in Nangong Shuang's eyes. "It seems he is indeed connected to the Crown Prince's Mansion. This Zhang Lu is not just a steward but also an informant placed within the Guo family."
"What should we do?" Xiao Cha asked eagerly.
Nangong Shuang pondered for a moment before decisively saying, "Since he is monitoring us, why don't we turn the tables and monitor him? If we can catch him doing something wrong, perhaps we can make Lord Guo wary of us."
"What clever plan do you have?" Xiao Cha asked excitedly.
Nangong Shuang leaned in to whisper her detailed plan. After listening intently, Xiao Cha nodded repeatedly as they began to split up their tasks.
In the following days, Xiao Cha pretended to accidentally spill tea and dirty her clothes while frequently visiting the laundry room and storage area to secretly investigate Zhang Lu's movements and habits. Meanwhile, Nangong Shuang feigned illness to request Guo Chunyi's company in order to gather information about the household.
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