Reborned Lady:Unparalleled Daughter of Concubine

20

Back in the yard, nurse Liao had prepared hot tea for Qin Yunuan as soon as she went in. Qin Baochuan had been practicing writing characters in the room obediently. A thick stack of copy paper was placed next Qin Yunuan's embroidery frame, waiting for her to check.
White steam wrapped around Qin Yunuan's cheek, hot tea made her cheeks rosy and her heart warmed.
"Third Miss, everything was done as you said." Nurse Liao reported the situation of this afternoon as it really was. "I took out your makeup box at noon and basked it in the sunshine to get rid of mold. When I came to collect it, the jade bracelet that Concubine left you was missing. Everyone's room had to be searched because it was lost in the yard. Finally, we found it in Fusheng's room." She lowered her voice. "Now Fusheng was locked in that empty house of the backyard."
Qin Yunuan frowned. "Didn't I say that it should be handed over to Mother?" She was confused, but she knew that nurse Liao was sensible enough that she wouldn't go against her will without any reason.

"Yes, and I did." nurse Liao said with slight embarrassment. "But then Grand Miss had such a horrible accident. I was stopped by the gatekeeper of Cui Xuan courtyard, saying that the Lady was in a bad mood. However, I also scored a lucky hit." After nurse Liao finished, she took out a round white bead from her waist and told Qin, "When I came back and asked Fusheng, this fell from her and she seemed to be very nervous about the bead."
Qin Yunuan's fingertips paused, but she still took the bead. This was a mellow East Sea pearl of high quality. Qin Yunuan had seen such pearl in her past life when embroidering for her sister on the Coronation suit of Prince Sima Ray. No other place except East Qin could produce pearls of this excellency.
"The pearl of East Qin." Qin Yunuan murmured to herself. This was very likely the same pearl that Su Chenghai gifted to Qin Yunzhuang. Qin Yunzhuang's rewards for her servants are indeed luxurious. Fusheng was not only Dou Qing'e's informer but also helped Qin Yunzhuang in many ways. Otherwise, she wouldn't be granted a big reward like this. The fragrance flew into Qin Yunuan's nose, she sniffed and turned around to ask nurse Liao. "What tea are you making today? It smells extraordinarily aromatic and good."

Nurse Liao was surprised and then answered, "Isn't it just the usual green tea? Third Miss, you have been drinking this for some time."
"That's weird." Qin Yunuan sniffed carefully around the teacup and found the soft, mellow fragrance much lighter. It seemed that the aroma did not rise from her tea.
Nurse Liao smiled, "Third Miss has a better sense of smell and memory ever since childhood. It's probably the fragrance of flowers or incense in other yards."
"My nose is far from being sensitive," Qin Yunuan smiled, tilting her head slightly. Then she saw the pearl at hand. Doubtfully, she pinched the pearl to the tip of her nose and sniffed. She became serious suddenly. "Nurse Liao, bring me all the spices in our room."
"Third Miss, you want some spice?" Nurse Liao was amazed. "Those are only used when the Lady and the Grand Miss came. I could send Da Shi to the fair tomorrow for some white plum blossom. What about that?"
Dou Qing'e and Qin Yunzhuang came to Qin Yunuan's yard rarely, for her place was remote and had a smell of dust. Qin Yunuan would save some money for fine spices when the two came in her past life. Now she didn't have the time to care much about what her place smelled like.
"Nurse, just please take them here. I'm not using them."
Qin Yunuan had her doubt for a long time. Roughly speaking, Shangguan Yee resented Qin Yunzhuang for becoming a scapegoat. So she sent the spices secretly to frame her. Then those spices made Qin Yunzhuang's face uncomfortable, and Qin Yuwan was punished. Everything seemed to be perfectly reasonable. But one of the most basic issues was ignored, which was time.
It was only two or three days from the day Qin Yunzhuang returned from the palace. Ningxianglu had to take seven or eight days to be effective. That was too weird, having such an effect in just three days.
"Third Miss, all the spices are here." Nurse Liao placed the sealed wooden boxes with spices on the table in a line of Qin Yunuan to select.
Each small box was as big as a fist, carrying spices not of great quantity but variety. Qin Yunuan opened and sniffed each one twice under uncertainty. Nurse Liao stood aside worriedly, handing the tea over when Qin Yunuan was confused by various types of fragrance. She asked, "How was it, Third Miss?"