Qin Yuan glanced at Hong Ye, who was about to step out and see who it was.

Outside, Gu Baoshu’s voice rang out loudly: "What are you all doing here gathered together?"

Before anyone could reply, Gu Baoshu barged in with a swagger, asking straight to the point: "Third Sister-in-law, where did my Third Brother go?"

Qin Yuan shook her head.

"I don’t know; your Third Brother left in a hurry after saying a few words."

Gu Baoshu leaned in mysteriously and whispered: "I heard some sounds in the mansion earlier, I knew Third Brother was up to something big. Even you don’t know? I thought you would know."

Qin Yuan looked at her curiously and asked: "Your Third Brother takes care of external affairs, and I handle the internal ones. How would I know his matters?"

Gu Baoshu replied matter-of-factly: "Third Sister-in-law, you’re so smart. Even if Third Brother doesn’t say, you’d figure it out from his expressions."

Qin Yuan extended a finger and tapped her forehead, pushing her back, saying: "I’m not a fortune teller under the bridge. Even a fortune teller needs him to be willing to read his future."

Gu Baoshu stepped back a few paces, tilted her head as she pondered: "Well, I’ll find a way to ask around tomorrow."

Qin Yuan chuckled but said nothing.

Gu Baoshu mentioned asking others, not her Third Brother.

It was evident she was going to trouble someone around Marquis Gu again.

Outside, Hong Ye asked: "Why did you suddenly break the cups and plates?"

Gu Baoshu replied: "Third Sister-in-law, the servants in your courtyard are clumsy and too careless."

Qin Yuan glanced at her, thought for a moment, then asked: "Was it Hong Mian?"

Cui Ming looked outside and said: "It was her."

Qin Yuan and Cui Ming exchanged a knowing look, both understanding internally.

Hong Ye was oblivious, still speaking with Hong Mian outside, asking the maid to tidy up.

"This was the set the Madam likes most, how could it suddenly break?"

Hong Mian muttered softly for a while, then Hong Ye, with an unsightly expression, came in, seeing Gu Baoshu there, only said: "Hong Mian has been clumsy today and broke Madam’s favorite set of blue and white porcelain pen wash and lidded box."

Qin Yuan glanced at Hong Ye’s expression, guessing some of it, then said: "If it’s broken, let it be broken. Just note it down on the ledger."

Gu Baoshu then invited Qin Yuan to play polo together.

Qin Yuan smiled and said: "My brother is coming tomorrow. He likes horse riding but isn’t skilled at it. You should take both of us siblings out to play together."

Gu Baoshu naturally patted her chest and agreed.

After chatting for a while, once Gu Baoshu left, Hong Ye remarked: "Hong Mian is usually very nimble, how come she’s so clumsy today? When I asked her, her eyes turned red, looking like she was about to cry but didn’t. It’s as if I did something to her."

Qin Yuan glanced at Cui Ming and said: "Sometimes outsiders see things more clearly. If you don’t know what happened, why not ask someone else?"

Hong Ye was still stubbornly confused: "If Miss doesn’t know, who else can I ask?"

Cui Ming chuckled, coughing lightly.

Qin Yuan didn’t bother with her and said: "I’ll rest for now. There’s much to do tomorrow. Keep an eye on any news from Sister-in-law Cheng."

Just as she said this.

They heard a young maid shout outside: "Who are you? When did you come in?"

Suddenly, chaos erupted outside.

Hong Ye panicked, positioning herself in front of Qin Yuan, while Cui Ming hesitated but then also stuck close to protect her.

Qin Yuan asked: "What’s going on?"

After a while, someone replied: "It’s Old Lady Qi."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Qin Yuan quickly instructed: "Let her in quickly."

Hong Ye exhaled in relief: "I thought someone was taking advantage of the Marquis’s absence to attack us."

Cui Ming’s expression relaxed significantly, but seeing Qin Yuan furrow her brows, her eyes spun, and she also became tense.

Old Lady Qi coming at this time certainly meant something.

And the matter was probably not small.

Quickly, Old Lady Qi quietly walked in, and Qin Yuan exclaimed in surprise: "Auntie Qi, your eyes are healed?"

Hong Ye and Cui Ming were also watching closely.

Previously, Doctor Li had said Old Lady Qi’s eyes were getting better, but hearing is one thing, seeing is another.

Old Lady Qi seemed very different from before; her eyes were vibrant, and she looked much more spirited.

Seeing Qin Yuan inquire, Old Lady Qi immediately stepped up and bowed, saying with a smile: "Madam, this old servant’s eyes have been better for a few days. Doctor Li said, not to spread the news yet, continue applying the medicine for a few more days, and later use the medicinal rinse he provided, nourish them for a few months, and it’ll be like when I was young, I could embroider again!"

In fact, Doctor Li’s original words were that, considering the Marquis Mansion isn’t short of money, she could take good care, and later embroider belly bands for Brother Qi’s children.

Cui Ming had brought a small stool over, offering Old Lady Qi a seat.

Old Lady Qi said: "Thank you, Miss Cui Ming, but I’ll have to return there later."

Hong Ye said: "Auntie Qi’s skills are such that people don’t notice even if she’s there."

Qin Yuan simply smiled.

Old Lady Qi also laughed: "Just now I walked through, and the maids and nannies in the courtyard were talking in the corridor without noticing me. When I spoke out, I startled them, disrupting Madam’s peace."

Qin Yuan replied: "No matter, Auntie Qi, are you here with something to say?"

Old Lady Qi hesitated a bit and said, "These days, the two young masters were causing a fuss about the tutor, but eventually settled down. Mr. Cheng has been out early and returning late, busy inspecting commercial household registrations and tidying up street scenes, and recently took on inspecting street lamps too, completely ignoring household matters. I saw that after resting for two days, there seems to be some action again."

"What action?"

Old Lady Qi said: "This old servant noticed that Young Master Cheng’s martial arts master seemed to be old acquaintances with the nanny by his side."

This was very intriguing indeed.

Hong Ye and Cui Ming had sensibly stationed themselves at the door.

Outside the chamber, Hong Ye asked Cui Ming, "What does Miss mean by those words?"

Cui Ming said: "Are you really confused, or pretending to be?"

"Would I pretend in front of you?" Hong Ye snapped: "In front of others, I might have eight hundred thoughts, but in front of Miss and you, it’s all straightforward."

Cui Ming sighed: "Perhaps you should pay attention to those around you?"

"Sixteen?"

Hong Ye was completely baffled.

Cui Ming tutted: "Could it be that Sixteen is the only person around you? You fancy Sixteen; Sixteen has an interest in you too. You should clear things up quickly. Remember, in this world, what you like others might like too. What you treasure, keep it secure for yourself."

Hong Ye opened her mouth to say something, but looking into Cui Ming’s eyes, she couldn’t utter a word.

Inside the room.

Qin Yuan said: "Are you referring to the nanny Brother Cheng has recently taken a liking to?"

Old Lady Qi said: "Yes, that’s her. Mr. Cheng has allocated a space in the courtyard for Young Master Cheng to Train, and I stroll around there daily... Doctor Li suggested the old servant should sun myself to elevate the Yang energy, but avoid direct light, so Young Master Cheng and the others didn’t notice me."

Qin Yuan held her forehead.

Even Gu Shiliu often overlooked Old Lady Qi’s presence.

Not to mention others.

Qin Yuan then asked: "What did you discover?"