The steward of the palace soon found out that there was indeed a servant named Wanling in the palace, who worked in the laundry room and was responsible for washing clothes for the first-class maids in the palace.
When the person was brought over, there was obvious fear on his face.
As soon as she entered the room, she knelt down and kowtowed to Jiang Changning, "Your servant Wanling pays respects to the princess. Long live the princess."
"Don't be afraid, stand up and talk." Jiang Changning said gently.
Wanling stood up, folded her hands on her abdomen very properly, lowered her head, and looked very obedient and honest.
"Wanling, how many years have you been in the mansion?"
"In reply to the princess, I have been in the mansion for ten years."
"How old are you this year? Whose family is your husband from?"
For people like Wanling who were selected from the Slave House, if their master did not issue them a contract and let them leave the house, those who reached the age would usually be assigned to servants.
The children born would become house children, be slaves for generations, and serve the masters of the palace.
"In reply to the princess, I am twenty-five this year. Six years ago, the mistress, Concubine Dao, arranged for me to marry Wang Jianxin, the second son of the Wang family. I have already given birth to two children."
"Do you remember your family?"
"In reply to your question, my father died young and my mother was ill and weak, unable to support my sister and me. It happened that the slave shop was recruiting people, so I signed a contract and became a slave. My mother took the money I earned from selling my body and moved back to my hometown with my brother and sister. Since then, I have never seen my family again."
Jiang Changning's eyes flickered, and he asked directly, "Your family is here and wants to see you. Are you willing to meet them?"
"My family came to see me?" Wanling was excited and claimed that she was all wrong.
"Yes, it is said that they are your older brother and younger sister. Would you like to meet them?"
Wan Ling thought for a moment and said, "It's all up to the princess."
"Then go and meet him." Jiang Changning glanced at the four people from the Slave House, "I'm not the kind of master who is unkind."
He secretly mocked Wanling's family and judged others by his own standards.
The four people from the Slave House laughed and said, "The princess is very sensible and considerate. She is the most caring person."
Jiang Changning pulled the corner of his mouth and revealed a fake smile, "Wanling, you and Wang Jianxin are already married, so let him accompany you to meet your family."
"Thank you, Princess." Wanling thanked happily.
"Go ahead." Jiang Changning asked her to find Wang Jianxin.
Wanling bowed and left. Jiang Changning smiled at the four people from the Slave House and said, "Please wait for a moment, my lords."
"It's okay. It's as it should be."
Is it right to wait for a servant
Jiang Changning became more and more curious about Wanling's family.
A quarter of an hour later, Wanling came in carrying a small bag and leading a tall man.
Jiang Changning felt that Wang Jianxin looked familiar, but she didn't pay much attention to it. Wang Jianxin also worked in the mansion. She might have seen him before, but she didn't know his name.
The people from Sinuofang took Wanling and her husband away. Jiang Changning looked at the housekeeper and said, "Tell me where the people from Wang Jianxin's family are working?"
Wanling lives alone in the mansion, and in the laundry room. It is really useless to develop her into a spy. It is definitely against her husband's family.
Her family did not contact her privately, probably because they were afraid of arousing suspicion, so they deliberately let the people from Sinufang come "openly".
But doing so would only make things more obvious.
"In reply to your question, Wang Jianxin's father is Wang Shengli, the manager of the stables. He was picked from the Slave House when the old prince left the palace to build a mansion. His wife is in charge of the affairs at the Second Gate."
Jiang Changning raised his eyebrows. The Wang family was the elder family of the palace and had complicated relationships in the palace.
"Wang Dacai, the eldest son of the Wang family, is in charge of the shopping. The eldest daughter-in-law of the Wang family is pregnant and is now at home to take care of the baby."
Jiang Changning suddenly realized that Wang Jianxin was Wang Dacai's younger brother. No wonder he looked familiar to her.
"The second one, Wang Jianxin, guards the north corner gate."
"The third son of his family, Wang Shanzi, followed the prince out."
Jiang Changning frowned. Just by looking at the names of the three brothers of the Wang family, one could not tell that they were brothers.
"Wanling's family has come to look for her with such a big force. I think they are rich now. I am afraid they want to redeem her. You guys should be more careful."
"Yes, princess."
Jiang Changning did not give too many instructions. Even if Wanling's family wanted to use the Wang family to get things done, they would not bring it up when they met for the first time.
Two hours later, Wanling and Wang Jianxin came back from outside. Wanling came to Rujingyuan specially to pay her respects to Jiang Changning.
Jiang Changning thought about it and didn't meet her.
For a daughter-in-law of a laundry house, meeting her before could be considered as giving face to the Sinuofang, but when she came back from seeing her relatives, meeting her again was too much of an honor for her.
Fangju went out to see Wanling, "Are your family members planning to redeem you?"
Wanling's smile froze on her face. Her elder brother and younger sister did not tell her about redeeming her.
Fang Ju pretended not to notice and continued, "According to the rules of the mansion, for a wife like you who has worked in the mansion for ten years and has been married off, the redemption price is seven taels of silver."
"Miss Fangju, I don't, I don't want to redeem myself."
"Is that so? Okay, if you want to redeem yourself, come find me again. Go back and do your job well." Fangju said lightly.
"Yes." Wanling bent her knees and turned to leave.
Fangju returned to the courtyard. Jiang Changning asked Xiulan, "Have you arranged for the people?"
"It's all arranged."
Seeing Fang Ju coming in, Jiang Changning raised his eyebrows, "How is it?"
"She was smiling happily, probably because she really saw her older brother and younger sister. I asked her if her family wanted to redeem her, but she said no."
"Even if her elder brother and younger sister didn't say they would help her redeem herself, she would still show off to others." Jiang Changning said with a smile.
As Jiang Changning expected, half an hour later, she knew the situation of Wanling's elder brother and younger sister.
Wanling's older brother works as an accountant in a big restaurant in the city.
Her younger sister married into a good family.
"Let someone investigate it secretly." Jiang Changning ordered Xiaochun.
"I understand. I won't alarm them."
That night, Prince Jin came back very late and the couple had no chance to talk.
However, Jiang Changning had no intention of telling him about this. He was already busy enough with the affairs of the court, and she could handle the affairs of the mansion.
Three days later, Xiaochun brought back information about Wanling's brother and sister-in-law. Wanling's eldest brother worked as an accountant at Fuchun Restaurant. "The owner of this restaurant is the wife of the Earl of Longxi."
Jiang Changning frowned slightly. She remembered that Longxi Bo was attached to Prince Qing. Was Wanling's eldest brother working for Prince Qing
"Wanling's sister is Huang Shidu's concubine."
Jiang Changning's eyes sank slightly. Although the tutor was only a fourth-rank official and was not very prominent in the capital, he was a close minister who accompanied the emperor in reading and discussing studies or gave lectures to the princes.
When he was young, Huang Shidu was quite popular with the emperor.
After the current emperor took power, Huang Shidu's promotion path was very smooth.
It is said that Huang Shidu was a neutral minister, but now it seems that he has already secretly defected to Prince Qing.
She had to remind King Jin about this.
"Keep having people keep an eye on them. They will definitely meet Wanling again. Also keep a close eye on Wanling and the Wang family." Jiang Changning gave orders to Xiulan and Xiaochun.
Xiulan is in charge of the interior of the mansion, while Xiaochun is in charge of the exterior of the mansion.
Everyone around me has died, and I'm afraid I might too, so I try to save up my manuscripts before they die. But after just saving a few chapters, my teeth start to hurt again. I'm really going crazy. Can't you just let me write comfortably for a few days
(End of this chapter)