Chu Qing rushed to kneel before Madam Sun, eager to demonstrate her loyalty.
"Loyalty... is this your loyalty? Did you accomplish what I asked of you? Do you have other intentions?"
"Madam, your servant absolutely does not. Madam, please see the truth. Feng Jin is always wary of me, and her maid is also very guarded. I simply cannot get close to her."
Chu Qing had prepared this response long ago to deal with Madam Sun. It was a precaution, and today it proved useful.
"Is that so?"
Madam Sun's eyes were filled with suspicion. It wasn't just Chu Qing's words; she would have been suspicious of anyone. It was a simple lack of trust.
"Every word your servant speaks is true. Madam's kindness to your servant is a debt of rebirth. Even if I were to die this instant, I would not dare to deceive Madam."
Chu Qing quickly knelt on the ground, her earnest words expressing her unwavering loyalty.
Her sincerity even moved Madam Sun, who directly believed Chu Qing's words.
Madam Sun composed herself and stepped forward to help Chu Qing up. "Little Seven, I remember when you first came, you were only six or seven years old, as thin as a kitten. I chose you. In the blink of an eye, you've grown so much. I'm old now and no longer useful."
"In your servant's heart, Madam is like my parents who gave me life again. If Madam had not chosen me back then and saved my life, I would likely be a wandering ghost somewhere now."
Her father was ambushed and her entire family was imprisoned. At that time, Madam Sun was selecting girls to train as spies, and she happened to be chosen.
She was only six years old then and refused to be separated from her mother. It was Madam Sun who forcibly took her from her mother's side.
After she grew up, she repeatedly inquired about her mother's whereabouts but still received no news. It was because Madam Sun had caused their mother and daughter to be separated for over a decade that she would remember this kindness day and night.
"You are a good child, you know how to repay kindness. It seems I haven't wasted my years teaching you. When you finish this task, I will let you leave and give you some gold and silver, so you can live a peaceful life. How does that sound?"
"Thank you, Madam. Your servant will certainly do your bidding wholeheartedly and repay your kindness!"
Chu Qing put on a joyful expression and quickly knelt down. This performance further convinced Madam Sun that she was easy to control.
"Get up. You've been out for quite some time. Go back early and don't arouse anyone else's suspicion."
"Yes, your servant takes her leave."
As soon as Chu Qing left the carriage, the smile on her face vanished completely.
All those words were meant to make her focus on her task and continue gathering information for Madam Sun.
As soon as Chu Qing returned, Cai Qing's impatient voice rang out.
"Where have you been? I asked you to get food, and you're only getting it now. If we're relying on you, the young lady will starve."
Chu Qing finally came to her senses. On the way back, she had been thinking about what Madam Sun wanted her to do, completely forgetting about bringing food to the young lady.
"Oh no, I completely forgot! It's over, it's over! I'll take it to the young lady right away."
If she starved the young lady, she deserved a thousand deaths.
"Seeing that you were taking so long, I already got food for the young lady. I don't know where you were running around like a madwoman."
"Sister Cai Qing, thank you. Where is the young lady? I have an important matter to report to her."
"She's in the front, playing with the young master. You go ahead. I still have some things to finish."
Cai Qing pointed forward and hurried back to her own tasks.
Chu Qing walked towards Feng Jin's direction. "Your servant greets the young lady."
"Come with me to the carriage."
Feng Jin entrusted the two children to a nearby wet nurse and then brought Chu Qing into the carriage.
"Speak," Feng Jin had guessed that Chu Qing had something to tell her as soon as she approached.
"Madam Sun's person forcibly took your servant away just now. From what Madam Sun said, she has already started to suspect me and asked me to continue passing messages to her..."
Chu Qing told Feng Jin everything that had happened. She didn't know how to handle the situation and thought that perhaps only the young lady had a solution.
"Madam Sun is indeed cunning!"
This was her pulling out all the stops. Her subordinates had already suffered several losses before even reaching the capital, and she had also noticed that many people were having second thoughts. It was no wonder Madam Sun couldn't hold back.
Anyone else would also take a risk. If she continued to do nothing, the situation would only worsen and be disadvantageous to her. It was better to take a chance, and perhaps she could even turn the tide.
"Young lady, how should your servant respond?"
After Feng Jin pondered for a moment, she replied calmly, "If Madam Sun presses too hard, it's fine to tell her a word or two."
"Young lady, will that work? Your servant might say the wrong thing, and that would be terrible."
"If you're worried about saying the wrong thing, then from now on, you will ask me before you say anything, and I'll see if it's okay to say. After a few times, you'll know how to speak. You need to make Madam Sun believe you, but also say things that are not important, yet still have a small effect. You really need to learn how to speak."
This was indeed a skill, but with diligent practice, she could achieve some results. This required Chu Qing to work hard.
"Your servant understands..." Chu Qing nodded as if she understood but not really, finding the young lady's words too profound and difficult to grasp immediately.
It seemed she would truly have to worry about this in the future. She hoped she wouldn't slip up. If she said one or two wrong things, it would be disastrous.
Chu Qing spent the entire day with a heart full of apprehension, and it wasn't until late at night that she couldn't bear it any longer and managed to get a little sleep.
The next day, while traveling, Chu Qing was once again summoned by someone from Madam Sun's retinue.
"Madam wants to ask you how they plan to settle us people once we reach the capital."
Chu Qing's eyes darted around as she slowly replied, "As for how we will be settled, your servant is not yet clear. However, yesterday, while serving outside, I vaguely heard them discussing a manor outside the city. Your servant is unsure if it's for us."
"Is that all? Did you hear anything else?"
"Your servant heard nothing else. They seem to be wary of me these days and rarely let me serve them closely. They only have me serve outside."
"Keep paying attention. I will report back to Madam Sun first."
After the person left, Chu Qing breathed a slight sigh of relief. She wondered if Madam Sun would believe these words.