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Nangong Shuang was unconcerned. "Thank you for the reminder."
The Meiyuan West Wing was quite spacious, simply yet elegantly furnished. The windows faced west, and when she opened them, a magnificent garden came into view, presumably belonging to the neighbor.
"That's the back garden of Xiao Mansion," Yao Jie'er casually explained. "Lord Xiao is a high-ranking official in the court, and his family is quite prominent. The Second Miss's window also faces the Xiao Mansion garden; she loves to admire the flowers from her window."
Nangong Shuang's heart skipped a beat—Xiao Mansion! Is that the home of Xiao Zhongyan? She forced herself to remain calm and pretended to be nonchalant as she asked, "So Qian Mansion is adjacent to Xiao Mansion?"
"Indeed, the two families have a close relationship," Yao Jie'er said with a hint of gossip. "Lord Xiao's son, Xiao Zhongyan, is exceptionally talented. I heard that Qian Laoye intends for him to marry the eldest daughter, but nothing has been finalized yet."
"What kind of person is Xiao Gongzi?" Nangong Shuang asked tentatively.
A glimmer of admiration flashed in Yao Jie'er's eyes. "Xiao Gongzi is the most talented scholar in the capital, proficient in poetry and literature, and he is remarkably handsome as well. At last month's poetry gathering, his poem 'Mei Ying' amazed everyone, even earning praise from the Governor."
Nangong Shuang pondered this information. It seemed that Xiao Zhongyan had quite a reputation in the capital and had connections with the Qian family. This could be a good opportunity for her to gather intelligence.
After tidying up, Yao Jie'er took Nangong Shuang to the kitchen to collect dinner and explained some household rules before hurriedly leaving.
Back in her room, Nangong Shuang carefully surveyed her surroundings. Confirming that no one was watching, she took out the Heavenly Fragrance Life-Extending Technique from her sleeve and hid it in a secret compartment beneath the bed board. This was a concealed pocket she had sewn into her clothing before entering the city to store important items.
"Xiao Mansion... what a coincidence," Nangong Shuang thought as she stood by the window, gazing at the tall plum tree in the garden of Xiao Mansion not far away, feeling a mix of emotions.
Was Xiao Zhongyan safe and sound? What was his relationship with Xiao Mansion? What ties existed between Qian Mansion and Xiao Mansion? All these questions needed her to explore slowly within Qian Mansion.
In the following days, Nangong Shuang quickly adapted to life in Qian Mansion. The Second Miss, Qian Ruyi, though eccentric in temperament, held great appreciation for knowledgeable individuals. Upon discovering that Nangong Shuang had an extraordinary memory and was well-versed in medicine and literature, she regarded her with newfound respect and often sought her out for discussions on scholarly topics.
One evening, while Nangong Shuang was organizing books for Qian Ruyi, she suddenly heard a commotion outside.
"The eldest daughter has returned!" The maids cheered as they rushed out to welcome her.
Qian Ruyi put down her scrolls and said to Nangong Shuang, "My sister has returned from our maternal grandparents' house; come on, let's go meet her."
Following Qian Ruyi to the front courtyard, Nangong Shuang saw a richly dressed young lady stepping down from a carriage. She appeared to be around eighteen or nineteen years old, with an exquisite appearance and elegant demeanor. Several maids followed behind her, all impeccably dressed.
"Sister!" Qian Ruyi joyfully ran forward.
"Ruyi, did you miss your sister?" The eldest daughter, Qian Rulin, smiled as she embraced her younger sister but then turned her gaze toward Nangong Shuang. "And who is this?"
"This is my new maid, Nangong Shuang; she's incredibly clever and has an excellent memory!" Qian Ruyi proudly introduced her.
Qian Rulin nodded with a smile. "I've heard that my second sister's maids don't last long; this one seems quite different."
However, Qian Rulin's personal maid, Qing Zhu, scoffed dismissively. "She's just a maid; what makes her so special?"
Qian Ruyi frowned, “Of course my maid is special! Sister, your maid is so ill-mannered!”
“Qing Zhu, don’t be rude,” Qian Rulin lightly scolded before turning back to her sister. “By the way, I brought back a lot of gifts. I’ll have someone send them to your room later.”
The two sisters chatted and laughed as they entered the inner courtyard. Nangong Shuang was about to follow when Qing Zhu stepped in front of her, whispering a warning, “Don’t think that by currying favor with Second Miss you can secure your position in Qian Mansion. If you know what’s good for you, don’t try to show off everywhere, or you’ll regret it!”
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