I have to hurry up; there’s not much time before those palace maids return. She quickly took out the piece of paper within the bundle and skimmed through it, her eyes widening. An impoverished family, and a tragic childhood. Someone with such a background shouldn’t possess this kind of jade pendant!
During the Tan Residence’s former glorious days, Tan Ge had become skilled at distinguishing jade and hairpins as the Eldest Young Miss. She identified that the jade pendant was of a superior quality as soon as she laid her hands on it.
However, how is it possible for a family that couldn’t even satisfy their basic necessities to own a jade pendant like this?! Baffled, Tan Ge placed the jade pendant in her sleeve, tied the cloth bundle, and quickly returned it to its original position on the shelf.
The two palace maids had returned with a feather duster, and were stunned when they saw Tan Ge.
Immediately, one of the palace maids asked. “Why are you here? You’re not a palace maid from the Imperial Household Department. Don’t you know that normal people can’t come in here?”
Tan Ge pretended to be fearful. “I’m a maidservant from the Imperial Library. Grand Tutor Kong ordered me to come and pick up some brooms, but I didn’t know where the storage room was. When I saw the door left open with a bunch of shelves inside, I thought this was the correct place. I apologise for entering the wrong place.”
”Entering the wrong place? You are really too bold. If Eunuch Zhang finds out, you’re definitely in for a beating with the planks. Quickly leave, I’ll just treat it as if I never saw you.” Another palace maid raised the feather duster, glaring at her in an attempt to frighten her.
Tan Ge repeatedly nodded. “I’ll go out right now.” She swiftly darted out of the room and went to the storage room.
“Why are you not reporting this Eunuch Zhang? No one is allowed to enter this room without permission.”
The palace maid who had scared off Tan Ge just now shook her head at her companion. “She’s a maidservant from the Imperial Library; Princess Consort Hao is a court lady from the Imperial Library. What if they have a good relationship? Are we able to offend Princess Consort Hao’s people?”
Her companion immediately understood. “You are indeed more meticulous. I almost wanted to beat her.”
Suddenly, a tall man entered the room.
When the two palace maids turned around and saw who it was, they immediately bowed. “This servant pays her respects to Commander Wu.”
Wu Ling raised his hand to signal them to rise. “Quickly clean the place and tidy things up.” He then walked to a shelf at the side.
Pei Qianhao had ordered him to come and collect Su Xi-er’s belongings. Having once been sent to investigate Su Xi-er, Wu Ling had naturally come here before, thus discovering Su Xi-er’s tragic background from the cloth bundle and the records in the Imperial Household Department. He had even gone as far as to make a trip to Su Xi-er’s hometown to verify the information.
However, Wu Ling wasn’t aware that there was a jade pendant in the cloth bundle, as his attention had been focused on the piece of paper that contained Su Xi-er’s personal information.
Wu Ling found Su Xi-er’s cloth bundle and brought it down from the shelf. Prince Hao ordered that all proof of Su Xi-er’s background is to be destroyed.
With all the evidence burned, he naturally had to hand the cloth bundle to Pei Qianhao for safekeeping.
After folding the cloth bundle, Wu Ling placed it in his wide sleeve and left the Imperial Household Department, catching sight of Tan Ge in front of him.
She was walking at a slower pace since she hadn’t fully recovered yet, allowing Wu Ling to catch up and call out to her.
Tan Ge was lost in her thoughts when the sudden call brought her back to reality. Returning to her senses, she immediately bowed. “This servant pays her respects to Commander Wu.”
Wu Ling looked at the brooms in her hands. “You haven’t completely recovered yet, but Grand Tutor Kong is already ordering you to collect things from the Imperial Household Department?”
“There are few people in the Imperial Library. Now that this servant has gotten better, I should start work right away.” There was a sliver of a smile at the corners of her mouth. “Ruo Yuan and Hong Li should be hanging the red silk today.”
