Li Xinyue's two maidservants, married to the family, lived in one room. It was Qiao Yu's turn on duty today, and Qiao Xin had already slept early.
The sound of the door opening woke up Qiao Xin. She thought Qiao Yu had returned and blurrily asked, "Qiao Yu, why are you back so early?"
"It's me," Li Xinyue spoke to clear up her confusion.
Qiao Xin immediately sat up in surprise, hurriedly put on her shoes, and got out of bed. "Miss, do you have any orders?"
"Li Xinyue did not want to waste time and placed two slave contracts on the table.
"Take these slave contracts and leave the Marquis's Mansion tonight. From today on, you are free. "
The two needed to understand why the young miss was staging this play.
"Miss, where did Qiao Xin do wrong? You can beat or scold me as you wish."
"Yes, Miss Qiao Yu also wants to serve you for a lifetime."
Li Xinyue knew these two maids were highly loyal to her.
She said helplessly, "The Marquis has just returned and said he has incurred the wrath of The Emperor. If nothing unexpected happens, The Emperor will punish the Marquis's Mansion.
By then, we will all be in danger. How can we still care about whether you live or die?
It would be better for me to free you now than for the officials to resell you."
Li Xinyue used her sleeve to cover up as she spoke and took out forty taels of silver, giving each of them twenty taels.
The two little maids did not expect the Miss to let them go for this reason. They could not accept this fact for a while.
After all, the thought of serving by the Miss's side for a lifetime had already taken root.
"Miss Qiao Xin is not leaving."
"Qiao Yu is not leaving either."
In the past, Li Xinyue would have slowly explained to them bit by bit, but now, she did not have the energy or time to do so.
"This matter does not allow for your opposition. Pack up now, and I will send someone to take you out of the mansion after a quarter of an hour."
"Miss..."
Seeing that Qiao Yu still wanted to say something,Li Xinyue raised her hand to stop her. "That's enough; there's no need to say more."
After letting the two maids go, Qin Yichen was also not idle.
After Li Xinyue left, he called over several capable young servants who often served around him and freed them similarly.
As for the rest of the servants in the Marquis's Mansion, it would depend on his mother and sisters-in-law's decisions.
After sending away all these servants whose slave contracts were returned, the sky was already bright.
Li Xinyue glanced at the clock in the room. It was already past five in the morning.
Li Xinyue had emptied the kitchen of the Marquis's Mansion and later wanted to move the goods from the treasury, so she piled all the space-occupying kitchen utensils in the ear room.
Fortunately, Old Lady Mo's courtyard had a small kitchen.
Even if they had to be exiled, they must be complete before leaving. So Old Lady Qin ordered people to cook porridge in her tiny kitchen.
The porridge was already cooked then, and an elderly maid came to the bridal chamber to invite them to eat breakfast.
As for Li Xinyue and Qin Yichen greeting the mother-in-law on the first day of their wedding, it was completely ignored.
Li Xinyue looked at Qin Yichen, who was still lying on the bed, "Are you going to your mother's to have breakfast?"
Qin Yichen shook his head, "I won't go. I'll keep pretending to be in a coma."
Li Xinyue knew Qin Yichen's actions were right.
Since The Emperor had chosen to summon him to the palace for harassment last night, wasn't it to make him suffer severe injuries and die on the way to exile?
If he went out hale and hearty when The Emperor found out, he might devise other ways to deal with the Qin family.
It was better to pretend to be in a coma to avoid potential harm.
"I'll go over first to take a look and bring some food back for you."
After speaking, Li Xinyue followed the old maid to Old Lady Mo's courtyard.
The Qin family were all very proper people. The sisters-in-law and young aunts had already gone first to the old madam's courtyard.
All the women were neatly seated at the dining table in the living room, and no one would pick up their chopsticks until Old Lady Qin spoke.
Old Lady Qin thought they would start eating after Qin Yichen and Li Xinyue came so everyone could eat together.
After all, it was also the first day of her son's wedding, so it had to be somewhat formal.
Seeing that only Li Xinyue came over and did not know the impending disaster facing the Qin family, Qin Hanyue warmly greeted her.
She smiled brightly and linked arms with Li Xinyue. "Sister-in-law, why didn't my ninth brother come with you?"
Seeing Qin Hanyue's state, she did not know what was happening in the family.
Li Xinyue continued to conceal it, "Your ninth brother returned late from the palace last night and has just fallen asleep."
This explanation did not make Qin Hanyue suspicious at all.
"Ninth brother worked hard. Let him sleep a little longer. Sister-in-law, come quickly, let's eat breakfast."
Old Lady Qin and the other sisters-in-law knew what was happening and did not ask like Qin Hanyue.
However, everyone's faces could have looked better.
When Old Lady Qin saw Li Xinyue come to the table, she welcomed her to sit down.
"Young Lady He, you also know the situation in the family. It's the first day of your wedding, and there needs to be more preparation. Let's make do with plain rice porridge first."
"Mother, this is already very good."
As she spoke, Li Xinyue sat down next to Qin Hanyue.
Looking at the bowl of rice porridge in front of her, she immediately frowned.
"Mother, sisters-in-law, who prepared this porridge?"
Old Lady Qin picked up the bowl and was about to take a sip of the rice porridge when she heard Li Xinyue ask, so she put it down again.
"It was prepared by the maid in my courtyard. What's wrong?"
"Mother, sisters-in-law, there is poison in this porridge."
Hearing this, the sisters-in-law and Qin Hanyue also hurriedly put down their porridge bowls, and their gazes fell on Li Xinyue together.
"Young Lady He, you said there is poison in the porridge?" Old Lady Qin looked incredulous.
Li Xinyue affirmed, "Mother if I'm not mistaken, this is a lethal poison called Ascend to Heaven. Anyone who takes it will have no chance of survival."
As soon as she finished speaking, a maid ran in panic, "Old Madam, something bad has happened. Chen Granny and Cui Maid suddenly collapsed on the ground, foaming at their mouths after drinking a sip of water..."
"What did you say?" Old Lady Qin hurriedly got up and walked out with small steps.
"Where are they?"
"Replying to Old Madam, they are both in the room!"
The sisters-in-law and Li Xinyue followed Old Lady Qin to the ear room.
Sure enough, the two people Chen Granny mentioned were lying on the ground with foaming mouths, convulsing all over, with eyeballs rolling back, looking like they were about to die.
Old Lady Qin checked and turned to look at Li Xinyue.
"Indeed, someone has poisoned them."