The mother and daughter sat silently facing each other. Outside the door, someone listened and, upon hearing the calm inside, finally entered.

Zhou Xiuer glanced up to see a plump-faced nanny dressed in an indigo outfit entering with two young maidservants carrying items.

"Who is this nanny?" Zhou Xiuer glanced at the clothes in the hands of the two young maidservants, feeling puzzled.

Nanny Shen bowed politely and smiled as she said, "I am here on Miss Purple Jade’s orders to deliver some clothes. Miss Zhou and Eldest Sister-in-law Zhou are requested to change into them."

"What does this mean?" Madam Lu stepped forward, curiously flipping through the clothes in the young maid’s hands.

Nanny Shen replied, "Our County Lord has made it a rule that anything coming from the Wu Family is strictly prohibited from entering, especially in the Madam’s courtyard. Apart from people, even objects must be kept under guard."

Madam Lu and Zhou Xiuer’s expressions changed slightly.

"Please change, and hand the clothes you take off to us." Nanny Shen said with a smile.

"Zhou Meiniang, what does she mean?" Madam Lu’s voice got sharper.

"This is the County Lord’s intention," Nanny Shen said flatly. "Madam is in a delicate condition; at such a critical time, no mishaps can be allowed. Eldest Sister-in-law Zhou, the inner courtyard is full of intrigue, and this is to prevent you from being used as pawns."

Madam Lu argued, "They just want to reconcile with us, why think so ill of them?"

Zhou Xiuer tugged at her sleeve and said to Nanny Shen, "Better safe than sorry, after all. Nanny, we will change."

As soon as she finished speaking, the maid on the right offered the clothes forward.

Zhou Xiuer took them and went into the inner room; seeing this, Madam Lu had no choice but to take the clothes and change as well.

After the sound of rustling, Zhou Xiuer had changed and came out, handing over the clothes she had taken off to the young maid, and also proactively stuffed over the two bundles, saying, "These were prepared for us by the first lady of the Wu Family."

Nanny Shen glanced over her body, her gaze resting on the purse at her waist.

"Miss Zhou, this purse is quite exquisite," Nanny Shen noted.

Zhou Xiuer quickly untied it, handed it over, and said, "I brought it from Huaan, it only contains some spices."

She lied because she couldn’t bear to part with the purse.

Nanny Shen took it; a light fragrance wafted up, and she opened it to sniff, took out some spices to look at, put them back, and returned it.

Zhou Xiuer breathed a sigh of relief and put it back on.

Madam Lu also came out, having changed, and heavily stuffed the clothes back to the maid, noticing the bundles were taken. She said, "They’ve taken everything, what will we wear?"

"Eldest Sister-in-law, don’t worry, we will prepare other clothes for you to change into."

"They better be of the same quality, theirs are from a well-known Embroidery Workshop," Madam Lu sniffed. "Don’t bring any old tatters to replace them."

Nanny Shen glanced at the clothes with indifference and said, "Recognized it, this is styles from Ronghua Pavilion seven years ago. Nowadays, such patterns have long fallen out of fashion in the Capital."

Madam Lu’s face froze.

Zhou Xiuer originally felt reluctant too, but upon hearing this, also felt embarrassed.

They treated these clothes like treasures, yet even the servants here looked down on them. How could one not feel awkward?

"Thank you, Nanny!" Zhou Xiuer managed a forced smile and bowed.

Nanny Shen led her people away and soon reported to Purple Jade.

Purple Jade said, "Understood. I will tell Madam the truth, burn those things." Even her own daughter is so ruthless; it shows the character of this family.

She took out paper and pen, wrote about these events, and dispatched it with the courier hawk.