Her Graceful War Song novel Chapter 1028

The next morning, when Rafael went to the palace to retrieve the approved documents, he casually remarked, "I heard from Carissa that the orchids at Edgeview Estate are blooming beautifully. They have a wide variety, and there are many skilled and unusual individuals in the estate. Even the servants and maids all seem to possess martial arts skills."

Salvador paused, surprised. Ian had been secretly investigating Edgeview Estate for a while and hadn't been able to uncover what gave Yuvan the confidence to remain in the capital for so long.

But now, Rafael and Carissa had uncovered it in just one visit?

"We didn't find any guards at Edgeview Estate, but there's concern that suicide soldiers might be hiding nearby. They're highly skilled, making it difficult to detect them, so we didn't dare to intrude recklessly," Ian had reported.

Salvador went quiet for a moment, then asked, "Were they suicide soldiers?"

As soon as the question was out, Rafael smiled at him. "No."

Salvador shot him an irritated look. "Why are you smiling? What's so funny?"

Rafael's smile only widened. "I've recently developed a liking for pointless smiles."

Salvador glared at him but then couldn't help but chuckle. "You fool."

The two brothers exchanged a quick glance and smiled at each other. That smile carried an unexpected power, as if it had cracked the high, sturdy wall Salvador had built around himself.

His question about suicide soldiers suggested that he hadn't reached that part of the investigation yet. However, his willingness to ask indicated he was open to sharing the general progress Ian had made, and possibly seeking some information in return. There was a hint of trust in his approach, a small step away from his previous tight-lipped position.

-

Under Yuvan's urging during dinner, Molly used a sum of money to quash the rumors about Skye Embroidery. The same group that had spread the rumors was now responsible for clearing them up. Although it wasn't entirely convincing, Molly had at least made a financial sacrifice to resolve the issue.

When Jessica learned of this, she immediately sought out Molly, but the latter avoided her.

Hannah sat back in the carriage, massaging her temples. "Still acting like a duchess…"

"Madam Hannah, the problem is that it's easy to invite the gods, but hard to send them away," said Gertrude, a maid. "She's like chewing gum—it sticks no matter how hard you try to shake it off."

Hannah thought for a moment, and then came up with an idea.

"Go back to the workshop. Tell them that from now on, only buy Jessica's portion of food. Everyone else will return home to eat. If she wants to eat, she'll have to cook it herself. If she doesn't know how, she can ask them to teach her. Under no circumstances are they to cook for her. And she'll have to clean the house, water the plants, and tend the garden. If she doesn't do it, no food will be provided the next day."

Gertrude laughed. "Madam Hannah, that's a brilliant plan! She'll be working in the workshop anyway. At least there, she'll get food. If she takes up a job, she'll have meals and a small wage. She'll surely know which is a better option."

Little did they know, Hannah's momentary kindness would soon spark a whole new wave of criticism.