As I entered the house, I found Aunt Du sitting next to Liang Youhui, whispering something in her ear. Their body language showed a few degrees of intimacy.

  Deeply shocked and saddened.

  Du's aunt was not an easy person to get along with, even with herself. She had been learning embroidery from Du for half a year, but Du still treated her with courtesy and kept a distance... Later, when Li asked Du's aunt to embroider a horse-faced skirt for her, she thought of Du's eyes and spoke out to block it, and the two people's relationship gradually became closer.

  As soon as she had the thought, she was already smiling and greeting Du's aunt: "Auntie, when did you arrive?"

  Ying hurriedly got off the kang and served Shen Muqing onto the kang.

  Aunt Du smiled and said: "It just so happens that I have something on my mind, I wanted to find you."

  Shen Mu Qing sat down on the kang, pointing at Du Gu Gu and smiling at Liang You Hui: "This is the Du Gu Gu who taught me embroidery... I suppose you've already met!"

  Liang Youhui smiled and nodded: "We've already met - just now Aunt Du was telling me the trick to embroidering small cats!"

  "Embroidered little cat?" Shen Mu Qing was shocked.

  Liáng Yòu Huì smiled somewhat awkwardly: "I like birds and beasts... didn't expect to meet Teacher Du, who taught my younger sister Hong... so I asked Teacher Du to give me some guidance..."

  So that's how it is!

  Shen Mu nodded: "Du Gu Gu has a special skill for embroidering running animals. If you have time, you can ask Du Gu Gu about it."

  Liang Youhui was very interested upon hearing this.

  Two people chatted for half a day and later even took Shen Muqing's embroidery tools to demonstrate one stitch at a time.

  The two of them soon stopped talking, and Shen Muqing brought up Du's purpose for coming: "Auntie came looking for me, is there something urgent?"

  Du's aunt's face flashed with a few threads of discomfort.

  She is not someone who asks others for help... why bother putting on this show!

  Shen Mu quietly got up and was about to get off the kang, intending to go with Aunt Du to the west room to chat. Who knew that Liang Youhui also quietly got up and said: "Sister, sit down quickly, I'm going to the latrine!"

  Although it was unclear whether she really wanted to go to the purification room or deliberately avoided her, Du's aunt showed a grateful expression.

  Liang Youhui nodded with a smile towards Du Gugu and took the purple gauze into the clean room behind the bedroom.

  After watching the two people disappear from view, Du's aunt finally said: "I know that Mrs. Liu came today and wants you to help me say something."

  Shen Muqing had guessed it early on.

  What could make Du Gu Gu behave out of character and leave her room except for the matter of her own sister? But she really couldn't agree. If she went, it would represent the Shen family, and others would think it was Shen Zhen's intention. But if she didn't go, Du Gu Gu wanted to get her sister out, which was simply an impossible task...

  She bit her lip and resolutely refused without any hesitation.

  Aunt Du immediately pulled Shen Muqing's sleeve and burst into tears: "Miss, I beg of you...I'll set up a longevity tablet for you in the future...I won't forget your kindness for the rest of my life...In the next life, I'll repay Miss as a cow or a horse..."

  This Du sister is very different from usual... although she's crying, it makes people feel not sadness but desolation.

  Shen Mu Qing couldn't bear it, turned her head to the side and called for the rough servant Mama to pull out Du Gu Gu, until their figures were no longer visible, and her sorrowful crying still occasionally echoed over.

  Ying hurriedly walked to Shen Muqing's side, whispering: "Really can't help Du aunt at all?"

  Shen Mu Qing Xiu smiled bitterly: "This also requires opportunity. She is now wholeheartedly counting on us, if it can't be done, I'm afraid it's... better to refuse early. If there's an opportunity, let's talk again."

  Ying Fen, Luo Mei and Ji Zhu nodded silently one after another upon hearing this.

  Due to this sudden change, the atmosphere in the house became slightly tense. Fortunately, Liang Youhui quickly came out of the study room, and Luomei, trying to liven up the mood, smiled: "Looking at the sky, it's not early anymore, miss, shall we play a few more rounds? You can also flip through your book."

  Shen Mu Qing really couldn't muster up the interest, but at this time, she also felt a bit uncomfortable and didn't have the energy to socialize with people. Playing cards became the best option.

  She smiled and looked at Liang Youhui: "What does sister think?"

  Liang Youhui did not answer immediately, and with a dazed expression, she got onto the kang. At first, she had a contemplative look on her face, then suddenly, a resolute one. "Sister," she said, "I want to have a few words with you in private!"

  Shen Muqing felt a bit surprised but also couldn't refuse, so he nodded towards Luomei, and Luomei immediately led the servants inside to withdraw.

  Zi Sha hesitated for a moment and also retreated.

  Only Shen Muqing and Liang Youhui were left in the house. However, Liang Youhui showed a hesitant expression instead.

  After a moment of contemplation, she spoke in a soft voice: "Sister, is your stomach still not feeling well? If so, I'll secretly call Mr. Liu to take a look... Oh, Mr. Liu is the famous Dr. Liu from the Imperial Hospital, he's very skilled at internal medicine. Thanks to him, Madam has been taken care of these past few years, and our family's relationship with him is good too, so he definitely won't gossip."

  Liang Youhui suddenly had tears in her eyes and smiled at Shen Muqing: "Sister is so good to me!"

  Is this okay? Or is it that young girls in their youth value face above all else... I was probably like that back then too!

  Shen Mu smiled quietly and calmly.

  "I'm fine!" Liang Youhui suddenly lowered her voice, "Just now, did Aunt Du ask you to help her get a connection in the Imperial Household Department?"

  Aunt Du's movements were so loud, it would be abnormal if you didn't hear them.

  Shen Muqing smiled wryly and nodded, but at the same time, he had a few more good impressions of Liang Youhui's candor.

  "So, little sister doesn't want to help Aunt Du anymore?"

  Shen Mu Qing shook her head: "Our family may be prestigious, but we're not imperial relatives. To get a aunt out from the Imperial Household Department is really having the heart but lacking the power!"

  Liáng Yòu Huì hesitated and said: "Is it necessary to work in the Imperial Household Department?"

  Shen Mu Qing helplessly smiled and said: "Even if it's serving in the Imperial Household Department, it still depends on what kind of servant you are!"

  "My brother-in-law... the one who married Princess Ronghua... works in the Imperial Household Department..." Liang Youhui said hesitantly, "But I don't know if he can be of any help."

  Shen Mu's eyelids suddenly twitched.

  The figure of Yu'e...the crying voice of Du's aunt...all swirling in her mind.

  Deqing Marquis Feng Jiong's eldest grandson, married to Princess Fu Hua, also served as the deputy general manager of the Imperial Household Department, assisting with the affairs of the Imperial Clan Court. He was the emperor's brother-in-law in the true sense of the word, a real imperial relative. Moreover, the Prince's residence was allocated palace maids and eunuchs, who would be replenished by the Imperial Household Department due to normal "losses"... If the prince is willing to show his face, this is simply not a problem...

  How come I didn't think of this!

  Shen Muqing smiled coldly in her heart, but a pleading expression appeared on her face: "Sister, can you help me probe the prince's mouth?"

  Liang Youhui listened and seemed very pleased, nodding repeatedly: "Don't worry. My brother-in-law has always been good to me, I'll go ask him, he's sure to agree."

  Although Shen Muqing had some doubts, she had no other choice now. With the mentality of treating a dead horse as if it were alive, she begged Liang Youhui: "Good sister, I'll rely on you completely!"

  Saying so with his mouth, he hesitated in his heart whether to take out some expenses first and give them to Liang Youhui for turnover.

  On the other side, Liang Youhui said straightforwardly: "This matter, sister must not tell the elders at home... Grandma dislikes me interfering in other people's business the most. They always say that I am a hot-headed barber, doing things that are unprofitable and only lead to trouble..." After finishing speaking, her face darkened.

  Shen Muqing naturally couldn't get what he wanted, but he had some reservations about Liang Youhui's simple thinking: "Even if we don't say anything, won't your older cousin speak up?"

  Liang Youhui's expression was gloomy: "Don't worry, my cousin rarely comes to our house and has little chance of meeting my elders. Even if he does meet them, he won't brag about these things." After finishing speaking, she let out a long sigh, opened her mouth, and forced out a big smile: "The princess likes orchids, and it just so happens that my grandmother's flower room has a rare and precious first-class orchid. I'll say I'm going to visit my cousin and ask my grandmother to give me the orchid as a gift; she definitely won't refuse. When the time comes, I'll go beg my cousin... Once the person is released, I'll send you a message, and you can come pick them up!"

  "The princess likes orchids!" Shen Muqing said thoughtfully, "Taking the mistress's things to give to others might not be good... I think it would be better if tomorrow I have someone send over a few pots of rare and precious orchids. You can say: The princess also likes orchids, why don't we send a few pots to the princess..."

  "It's better this way!" Liang Youhui smiled, "Otherwise I'd have to make up an excuse to go to the Marquis' residence - Grandmother is too clever, if I suddenly want to borrow money and go to the Marquis' residence for no reason, she'll definitely find out... Blaming me is a small matter, what I'm afraid of is implicating my sister."

  "It's all my fault, and I've put my sister in a difficult position." Shen Muqing felt very embarrassed. "But Aunt Du has taught me for these past few years, as both a teacher and a friend, and I really want to help her get this done!"

  "My mother in my house is still the same." Liang Youhui nodded understandingly, "I was raised by her since I was a child. When my uncle's family needed to renovate their house, my mother didn't have any money, so she asked me to lend her ten taels of silver to tide them over. I thought it wasn't much money, so I lent it to her. But then my grandmother found out and scolded me severely." She let out a long sigh as she spoke, "Grandmother thinks I'm too indulgent towards the servants, but after all, she's still my mother. If I don't help her, who will?"

  Each household has its own rules. When Liang Yu-hui said this, the old lady of the Liang family seemed unreasonable, but in fact, many mothers-in-law take advantage of their young daughters-in-law who are inexperienced and try to swindle money from them... The Wang mother-in-law in her house used to cry to her about her son being ill and having no money for medicine. Shen Mu-qing gave her medicinal herbs, but she refused and only wanted money, which is how the matter was exposed. However, some families really are struggling and have no choice... Shen Mu-qing also didn't want to make any more comments. Laughing, he changed the subject: "Then I'll send someone to deliver ten or so pots of orchids tomorrow morning, and you can handle it then!"

  Liang Youhui seemed to not want to talk about these things either, she nodded repeatedly: "Then it's settled, don't forget when the time comes. Your flowers will arrive early, and I'll leave early too..."

  Shen Muqing asked Luo Mei to ask Du Gugu about her sister's name and discussed a few details with Liang Youhui.

  (Today increased by 40 points oh O(∩_∩)O haha ~)

  Translation:

  Today I got 40 more points, haha!