Chapter 170 Giving Away Wealth

Madam Yang’s face went dark. “Stop talking nonsense!”

“Mother, you said earlier that this set of head ornaments would be my dowry, yet now you’re giving it to Qiu Liu. Is she more important to you than your own daughter?”

Madam Yang looked at Fang Rui with a look of deep disappointment. “Rui’er, you grew up in the lap of luxury, with nothing but the finest in food and clothing. When did you get so petty?”

“It’s not about the head ornaments, Mother—I just don’t get it—”

“Enough.” Madam Yang cut off Fang Rui’s explanation, looking tired. “Sixth Miss Qiu makes me happy. Isn’t that reason enough? Or doesn’t my happiness matter to you? Are you only thinking about yourself?”

“I’m not—” Getting scolded like that in front of Qiu Heng, Fang Rui felt both wronged and humiliated, her eyes getting red.

“Madam Yang,” Qiu Heng spoke up. “No need for the head ornaments. I’ll head back now.”

Madam Yang smiled at Qiu Heng, speaking gently. “Rui’er has been spoiled by me. Don’t hold it against her, Sixth Miss Qiu. You have to take this set—it’s just a little something from me.”

Qiu Heng shook her head. “Really, there’s no need. It wouldn’t be right for me to wear something so pricey. If you really want to give me something, Madam Yang, maybe do it like last time.”

Fang Rui was stunned.

There was a “last time”?

“Very well. Nanny Su—”

Nanny Su got it and quickly got things ready, and arranged a carriage to take Qiu Heng back to Earl Yongqing’s estate.

Fang Rui stood by the flower gate, watching the carriage slowly pull away, clenching her fists.

Nanny Su came back and, seeing that, gently said, “Miss, our estate doesn’t lack such things. Think of it as the lady spending money to cheer herself up.”

“Do I care about the money?” Fang Rui choked, all her pent-up frustration spilling out. “It’s Mom’s weird attitude toward Qiu Liu!”

“Oh, missy.” Nanny Su sighed. “Think about how the lady was right after Third Master passed, and how she is now. Her pulling herself together—that’s what really counts.”

She also wished she could get rid of that creepy girl fast, but she couldn’t do it.

“I understand.”

Fang Rui figured Nanny Su had also fallen for Qiu Heng’s act and was impossible to reason with. She turned to her personal maid and said, “Tell your brother to keep an eye on Earl Yongqing’s place and see what Qiu Liu’s doing.”

In the Thousand Pines Hall, a maid rushed in to say, “Old Madam, Sixth Miss is back!”

The Old Madam jumped up, then sat back down, with a stern face. “Send her in.”

Soon, the heavy curtain was pulled aside, and Qiu Heng walked in carrying a box.

“Grandmother.”

The Old Madam shot Qiu Heng a glance, saw she was unharmed, and scolded, “You little wretch, you finally remembered to come home!”

These past days, she’d been on edge, afraid she’d get news one day to pick up Sixth Girl’s body from the Prime Minister’s estate.

“I knew you were worried, Grandmother, so I asked Madam Yang to let me come home for a visit.”

The Old Madam caught on. “What do you mean? You’re going back to the Prime Minister’s place?”

Qiu Heng nodded.

“Since you’re back, don’t go again. An unmarried girl staying that long at someone else’s house isn’t proper. I’ll have a steward tell them.”

“I promised Madam Yang I’d stay with her until after Third Master Fang’s 49th day. Grandmother, you don’t know how much Madam Yang likes me. Everyone in her courtyard treats me like an honored guest. If I stay a while longer, it might ease the Prime Minister’s estate’s resentment toward our family and save everyone from constant worry.”

“Winning favor isn’t easy. They like you today, but tomorrow they might despise you. What good would come to you alone in that estate?”

“Grandmother, rest assured. Even if Madam Yang tires of me, the Prime Minister’s estate won’t make trouble for me.”

The Old Madam asked irritably, “Where do you get such confidence?”

“Xue Han came to see me at the Prime Minister’s estate.”

“Cough, cough, cough.” The Old Madam choked on her own saliva, coughing hard. Seeing Qiu Heng show no sign of embarrassment, she was momentarily at a loss for words.

“Actually, I owe Xue Han for protecting me,” Qiu Heng continued, completely unfazed by the stunned expressions of the maids in the room. “I thought I’d take this chance to thank him in person. Could you send someone to deliver a message?”

The Old Madam took a deep breath, then another, and pointed at the box Qiu Heng was holding. “What’s that?”

That box looked disturbingly familiar.

Qiu Heng opened it directly. “A gift from Madam Yang.”

A full load of gold dazzled everyone’s eyes again.

The Old Madam closed her eyes.

What was the Prime Minister’s Madam plotting?

“Chun Cao, arrange for someone to deliver a message to Official Xue.” The Old Madam waved her hand weakly.

Young people dating was nothing compared to losing her life to a scheme.

“Thank you, Grandmother.”

“Hurry up and put that box away and take it out of here.”

“Then I’ll head back to Cold Fragrance Lodge.” Qiu Heng grabbed a handful of gold beans from the box and scattered them among the maids and servants in the room before strolling out.

The maids and servants, stuffed with gold beans, stared wide-eyed and looked to the Old Madam.

The Old Madam wanted to drag her granddaughter back and give her a thorough scolding, but she darkened her face and warned, “Since Sixth Miss has given you these, keep them. And mind your tongues—no gossiping about Sixth Miss’s affairs.”

“Yes.”

The roomful of maids and servants were overjoyed, thinking only one thing: Sixth Miss was a celestial being—whoever dared gossip about her would have their mouths torn apart!

Qiu Heng entered Cold Fragrance Lodge, and Fang Zhou rushed out to embrace her. “Miss, you’re back!”

“I’m going back to the Prime Minister’s estate tomorrow. Call Nanny Yu and the others to my room.”

Soon, the room was packed with people from Cold Fragrance Lodge.

Qiu Heng gave each of them a handful of gold beans, with especially large portions for Nanny Yu and Aunt Wang.

Nanny Yu’s hands trembled as she held the gold beans: Had Sixth Miss caused some huge disaster at the Prime Minister’s estate and was now distributing consolation money to them, her fellow accomplices?

“I’ve been away so long, and you’ve all worked hard. Fang Zhou, go make some red bean cakes.”

Qiu Heng played the role of a generous benefactor, not with any particular goal, but simply thinking that these people had it tough following someone as unconventional as her. Especially Nanny Yu, who looked noticeably thinner.

"Miss, is there anything else you need?" Nanny Yu asked nervously.

"No, that's all. Just make sure to watch the place and keep thieves out," Qiu Heng said casually.

"Don't worry, miss, we'll keep Lengxiang Residence safe," Nanny Yu replied, perking up at this.

Aunt Wang shot her a sidelong glance, thinking this Nanny Yu had forgotten she was an outsider.

Qiu Heng dismissed everyone, rested for a while, then took a few bags of red bean cakes to the teahouse where she had arranged to meet Xue Han.

Xue Han got the message and came, arriving even before Qiu Heng.

Hu Si was waiting outside. When he saw Qiu Heng, he instinctively started to smile, then quickly stopped himself.

The red bean cakes were still under suspicion of being spy tools, so he couldn't afford to be nice to her!

"Commander Hu, long time no see," Qiu Heng greeted with a smile.

"Hmm," Hu Si nodded seriously, unable to help glancing at the bags in Qiu Heng's hand.

Qiu Heng handed him a bag of pastries. "Commander Hu, try some. Fang Zhou just made these red bean cakes."

Hu Si fought with himself, almost reaching out to take them before looking away, his voice rising. "No thanks, I don't like red bean cakes!"

Even if he starved or died of craving, he wouldn't touch them!