From a young age, she knew how to use her looks to win the affection of the neighborhood elders, gain the following of her friends, and make life easier...
She was confident that she could still make a name for herself in the Marquis's mansion.
But Jiu Niang suddenly returned, with an even more beautiful and charming face.
"I have heard a few things..." Seeing that Sixth Sister's face was not good, Liu Mama quickly comforted her, "But Ninth Miss is no match for you! I heard that it was Qiu Sui who took Ninth Miss away." As she spoke, a hint of contempt flashed in her eyes, "What kind of person could Qiu Sui raise? She's been a quiet gourd since she was a child. How could the girl she raised be clever?"
Sixth Sister's expression softened slightly.
“Please don’t be hasty, young lady. Since Ninth Miss is so beautiful, there’s more than one person who doesn’t like her,” Mama Liu said meaningfully. “You don’t need to worry about it; that one person is probably the one who can’t sit still.”
Sixth Sister turned her gaze to the open window lattice.
The scent of lilacs carried on the wind from across the way, mixed with the sounds of porcelain shattering.
She smiled slightly.
“Mother is absolutely right.” Sixth Sister’s smile was radiant and captivating. “There’s plenty of time in the future. We sisters will see how things go.”
Chapter 9 Doubts
When Anran returned to Ningxue Courtyard, Shiniang had not yet returned.
Taking advantage of the quiet, she called Cuiping and Jinping in to talk.
"Jinping, I remember you were a servant in the Marquis's household?" Anran had something she absolutely had to figure out, and after much thought, she decided to start with the Marquis's household.
Jinping nodded. "My great-grandfather's family were servants of my late ancestor. My mother served tea in the courtyard of the Grand Madam. Later, she was assigned to be a servant in the Marquis's courtyard. I was fortunate enough to be able to come and serve him when I was eight years old."
Upon hearing her words, An Ran's eyes lit up.
Jinping's family has been in the Marquis's mansion for three generations, so they must know a lot of secrets about the mansion!
Jinping quickly added hesitantly, "...My parents aren't very capable, so I'm afraid they can only offer limited help to you, Miss..."
Anran did not show any disappointment.
She knew very well that if Jinping's parents were useful, Jinping wouldn't have been assigned to work in her household. However, with these connections, Anran believed she could unravel the truth step by step.
"I've just returned, and I'm completely unfamiliar with this place," An Ran said, softening her tone. She sighed and added, "I'll need your help a lot in the future."
Cuiping and Jinping quickly said they dared not, but they also calmed down. Ninth Miss had no one by her side, and if they could support her well, the young lady would naturally remember their kindness. When Ninth Miss became successful, it would be their day to shine.
"I have a favor to ask of you, Sister Jinping," An Ran said to Jinping. "Could you please inquire for me if any of the old servants who have served in the Marquis's mansion for more than fifteen years have heard of me and the Sixth Miss?"
Jinping and Cuiping exchanged a glance, both somewhat puzzled.
"Just ask indirectly." Seeing that the two were still puzzled, An Ran had no choice but to ask carefully, "Did the people who gave birth to me and the Sixth Miss ever appear in the Marquis's mansion? If not, after the Sixth Miss and I were born, did any of the servants in the mansion know of our existence?"
Perhaps Liu Niang believed the story about her origins, but An Ran did not.
In her previous life, she did not return to the Marquis's mansion. As for the reason, she had a bold guess in her heart, but it still needed to be confirmed.
Jinping nodded in agreement.
Thinking of her meeting with the Grand Madam today, An Ran added another instruction: "Be careful, and absolutely do not let a word of it slip out."
"Don't worry, young lady, I know what's important!" Jinping nodded vigorously, almost swearing an oath.
An Ran smiled.
She believed this was the first thing she had asked Jinping to do. If Jinping wanted to follow her wholeheartedly, she would naturally handle it properly.
It wouldn't matter if Jinping handled things poorly. Even if it reached the Grand Madam's ears, it would be normal for her to be curious about her background. If the Grand Madam went along with it and gave her another explanation, she would just pretend to believe her.
However, Jinping and Cuiping... are probably no longer of any use.
After giving these instructions, An Ran only asked about some ordinary matters in the manor, so as to gain a better understanding of the Marquis's residence.
"The Marquis has four concubines. Concubine Li and Concubine Lan were originally maids of the Madam. The Madam made them the Marquis's concubines. After they became pregnant, they were promoted to concubines. Concubine Li gave birth to the Seventh Miss, and Concubine Lan gave birth to the Tenth Miss."
"There are also Concubine Chun and Concubine He. They are only two years older than the Sixth Miss and are as beautiful as flowers. Although they have no children to rely on, they are also promoted to concubines because they are favored by the Marquis."
Despite the large number of illegitimate sons and daughters in the Marquis's mansion, only four women held the status of concubines. Two of them were the birth mothers of Seventh Sister and Tenth Sister. There were also two young and beautiful concubines who had no children.
So, does this mean that a dozen years ago, there were only two concubines of status in the household? But at that time, there were already three illegitimate daughters and two illegitimate sons in the household…
"Where are the concubines of the eldest and second masters?" An Ran was puzzled. In the absence of a legitimate son, the person who gave birth to the eldest son of a concubine should have a very high status in the mansion. How could she not even be a concubine?
Cuiping lowered her voice and whispered, "I heard that the two concubines committed a crime, apparently by using witchcraft to curse the madam. Later, the Grand Madam was kind-hearted and, considering their merit in giving birth, only allowed them to go to the family temple to practice Buddhism while keeping their hair, and forbade the eldest and second masters from seeing them, as if these two people did not exist in the mansion."
"Do the eldest and second masters know about this now?" An Ran hurriedly asked.
Cuiping first shook her head, then her expression turned uncertain. Indeed, even she knew that it was hard to guarantee that the eldest and second masters hadn't heard something.
There are no secrets that stay hidden forever.
Anxuan and Anlang may not have known anything when they were young, but after growing up and being raised by the lady of the house, they were still considered sons of concubines and had no aunts to take care of them. Over time, they would probably find it strange!
However, even An Ran, who was completely unskilled in the intrigues and power struggles within the inner quarters, knew that for the sake of her future, it was better for them not to know.
This matter is truly strange.
Why curse the wife after already having given birth to the eldest and second sons born out of wedlock? At that time, Zhao only had two legitimate daughters, posing no threat to the sons born out of wedlock. Were they simply afraid that if Zhao gave birth to a legitimate son, it would hinder their sons' future?
No, that's not right either. Is it worth risking your entire life for just one possibility? Maybe one of them is foolish, but are both of them foolish?
Suddenly, she thought of her eldest and second illegitimate daughters who had died young.