Chapter Thirty-Eight: Going to Pufa Temple

  The days have turned into the twelfth lunar month, and the weather seems to be even colder. As the New Year approaches, the streets are also becoming more lively. Every household is busy with preparations for the New Year, and it seems that the air is filled with a strong festive atmosphere.

  Qin Dai Xin is a modern person, and her concept of the Spring Festival was originally lukewarm. Coupled with her special profession and lack of family, she only celebrated Christmas with Feng Er every year, which was already considered as celebrating the New Year.

  The annual customs and festivals of Dayongguo are almost the same as those in ancient China. Although she has not experienced many festivals personally, she knows how to celebrate them. However, during the past half year since her arrival, she was either injured or punished, without any chance to experience them. She even missed the Double Ninth Festival which people attach great importance to. Fortunately, it is already the twelfth month of the lunar calendar now, and the grand Spring Festival is approaching, so she will be able to experience it personally.

  Qin Dai Xin's body had recovered, and she could no longer use her discomfort as an excuse to stay in the house. She resumed her early morning routine of visiting Old Lady Fang and Madame Fang twice a day at fixed times. Fortunately, neither of them seemed to want to keep her around for long, and they would usually dismiss her after a few words.

  This day, Qin Dai Xin had just come out of Fang's house and was again instructed to have Chun Lian accompany her to Su's place for a visit. As the New Year approached, there were many things to do in each garden, and looking at Ruyi busy with no time to stop, Qin Dai Xin could imagine how troublesome ancient people's Spring Festival must be, with many etiquette rules and many things to do, making this modern person's head ache. Sometimes she also often felt fortunate that although she was a merchant's daughter, fortunately she had become a young lady with servants, if she had become a maid, wouldn't she have been busy to death?

  The courtyard of the Su family was also bustling with activity, with the wet nurse directing the servant girls to busy themselves with various tasks, such as sweeping and arranging things. She seemed to be doing it all with great relish, probably thinking that since Mistress Su was pregnant, they would have a joyful New Year's celebration, so she was being extra diligent. When she saw Qin Daiyu arrive, she immediately put down what she was doing and came over to greet her with a smile.

  "Third Miss, quickly go inside and sit down, it's cold outside, be careful not to catch a chill." The nanny's generation and title had always been a bit of a worrisome thing. She was the nanny of the Su family, but Qin Dai Xin and Ruo Yi both called her "nanny", no one called her Zhao Shi or Zhao Mama. Nanny was the Su family's dowry servant, in front of outsiders she would call Madam Su "Auntie", but when they were alone with just their own people, she still called her "Miss". Now that she had seen Qin Dai Xin, she also called her "Third Miss", it couldn't be said to be strange or chaotic.

  Maybe it's just that everyone is used to it and no one has bothered to investigate, Qin Dai Xin was just idle and had nothing to do, occasionally thought of it.

  "I'll go take a look at my aunt." Qin Dai wore a white rabbit fur cloak, underneath which was a pink and green leaf-patterned flower blouse, and below that a cyan-colored satin skirt with a narrow waist, under the skirt peeking out a pair of thick-soled plum blossom boots with fluffy fur, her whole person looking elegant and lovely, making the wet nurse's heart unknowingly soften a few degrees.

  This child has already grown up to be so beautiful. Even Su Shi in his heyday might not have been as good-looking as this!

  Fang Qiao heard the sound and came to greet her, personally lifting the curtain for Qin Dai Xin. A maid helped take off her cloak at the outer door and handed over a warm hand warmer. After everything was taken care of, Qin Dai Xin finally entered the house.

  Su was lying on the kang reading a book, and upon learning that she had arrived, he hastily ordered someone to replace the tea on the table with freshly brewed hot tea. Qin Daiying took a sip and found it to be her favorite Yunshan Jinjian.

  The mother and daughter chatted with each other, laughing and talking, although to outsiders it seemed a bit awkward and polite, but what they didn't know was that this way of getting along was the best way for Su Shi and Qin Dai.

  Su Shi was a concubine, to put it nicely, she was half a mistress, to put it harshly, she was nothing more than a slave in the Qin household. Even though she had given birth to a son and a daughter, she still had to watch as they were raised elsewhere. In the end, she was just a slave, while her own children became masters. The thought of hearing her child call her "mother" was just an illusion. Previously, Third Miss had been so focused on pleasing Fang Shi that she had almost ignored Su Shi. Now, although Qin Dai's heart still had an invisible and intangible distance between them, her concern for Su Shi was genuine, unlike before when it was like heaven and earth. How could she not be content?

  As for Qin Daihe, she yearned for family affection but was also accustomed to indifference. The soul that had crossed over still controlled the body that originally didn't belong to her. On one hand, she felt guilty towards Su Shi, on the other hand, she was moved by a mother's selfless love, so she naturally drew close to Su Shi while maintaining some distance. To outsiders, although there seemed to be a barrier between them, due to their different social status, it was also considered reasonable and proper.

  "Has Xiu Mei been behaving herself lately?" Qin Dai asked nervously, fearing that Su Shi would encounter more trouble.

  Before Su could say anything, the wet nurse quickly said: "The wound is not yet healed and can't bear weight, how can you be restless?"

  "But it's been some days, how can it still be so serious?" Qin Dai Xin was very confident in her own control, she had used force, but not to the point of being that severe. Suddenly, an idea flashed through her mind.

  Here in ancient times, the medical level was low, there were no magical antibiotics, nor could they be immobilized with plaster, nor could any surgery be performed, and all that could be done was to let people set bones and slowly recover.

  "Is anything wrong?"

  Everyone naturally understood her meaning, and the wet nurse continued: "Only Qi Baozi came once, saying that she wanted to see Xiu Mei. I was afraid something would happen, so I had someone stop her, just saying that she was still recovering from her injury and couldn't be exposed to wind."

  Ji Pozi? The housekeeper beside Li Shi? A young but not particularly pretty face floated into Qin Dai's mind, and her heart began to murmur.

  This child of the Li family is only three years old, if it's really her who wants to frame the Su family, it can be understood. But that Season Mom looks clever and capable, would she let the Li family do such a foolish thing? What if someone exposes it, the crime won't be light!

  "If she comes to see Xiumei again next time, let her see it." It's better to give them a chance to meet and see what Li wants to do.

  "Why?" The wet nurse asked in surprise: "Third Miss, if the origin of this calamity is really Li Shi, then isn't this just giving her an opportunity to cause trouble?"

  Several people in the house, except for Qin Dai Xin and Su Shi, even the little maid Chun Li showed a worried look.

  "Xiu Mei is already a discarded child, if Li Shi is the mastermind, then Season Mama came to see Xiu Mei with only two purposes." Qin Dai took a sip of tea and said: "Firstly, she came to investigate the truth, although the mansion has been spreading rumors that I transferred my anger to Xiu Mei, but her master may not believe it. Secondly, I think she doesn't have the guts."

  "What is it?" The wet nurse was eager to know the answer, and when she glanced at Su Shi beside her, she had an expression as if she already knew, which made her even more impatient.

  "My good miss, speak quickly! It's killing me!" On the side, Chunli and Fangjiao also perked up their ears to listen, afraid of missing a single word.

  Women indeed love gossip!

  "Secondly, I'm afraid they're here to kill us and silence us." As soon as the words fell, Nainai and the two maids changed color, their faces turned white. Chunli had always been timid, and was so startled that she gasped, quickly covering her mouth with her hand, her expression full of shock and fear. They dared to plot against even their master, let alone a dead contract maid? She only hoped that she wouldn't provoke this god, or else she feared for her life.

  Su took a plum and said to the wet nurse, "Look at you making such a fuss, scaring both girls. Ah Li didn't say that she didn't have the guts to kill someone."

  "What can't people like that do? Miss, you're just too kind-hearted." The wet nurse was a woman from the lowest rung of the old society who had suffered greatly and thought deeply. Now she's most afraid that the miss will come to some harm - such a kind person, how could they have endured so much hardship, is it really true that good people can't thrive?

  Qin Dai thought to herself: "Even if she really wanted to kill someone and silence them, wouldn't she dare not do it openly in the mistress's courtyard?"

  "What if she wants to frame us! She killed someone and now it's all on our aunt's head." Lian Fang also stood up to discuss, afraid that something would go wrong at this critical moment. With more people, there is greater power, no matter whether what she said was right or wrong, they all helped come up with some ideas to avoid risk.

  Su seemed to take Fang Qiao's words to heart, slightly furrowing her brow. Qin Daiyan saw this and hastily said: "Auntie just focus on resting and taking care of your pregnancy, this matter will be resolved sooner or later. She's just a maid, even if she's framed, what great crime could she have committed?"

  This remark was heard by Fang Qiao and Chun Li, who couldn't help but feel a sense of emotion. However, when it reached the ears of Su Shi and Nai Nang He, it was a different story altogether. In ancient times, the law was not well-established, and the life of a slave or servant was worth less than that of a cow. If they were killed or sold by their master, it was considered a legitimate act. Qin Dai's heart, although belonging to a modern person, had also not been particularly kind in the past. She slightly resisted this idea in her mind, but ultimately accepted it.

  Everyone had different thoughts at the same time, but they all put down their hanging hearts.

  Su spat out a pit and used her hand to put it on the plate on the table. Fang Jiao was a considerate person, and she quickly found a handkerchief to wipe her hand clean.

  "A Li, on the seventh day of the New Year, I want to go to Pu Fa Temple."

  PS: Qin Dai Xin silently furrowed her brow, thinking of going to Pu Fa Temple? That would be a lot of trouble for all the officials and collectors!