In her previous life, Shen Ruyi had read novels and watched TV dramas where the servants of a declining noble family often had more wealth than their masters.
Back then, she had been skeptical—but now she truly believed it.
The Wu’an Marquis Mansion was currently at its peak. Just the small treasuries of Guo Ping and Guo An, the Third Young Master’s two attendants,
Shen Ruyi estimated, were probably more than the private hoards of the mansion’s less-favored illegitimate sons and daughters.
Combined, the two families’ chests—seven or eight in total—were overflowing with valuables, probably surpassing a minor official’s household in wealth.
And now, all of it belonged to her—yay, blissful!
Rubbing the corners of her mouth in silent glee, Shen Ruyi exited her space and continued her idle wandering for the day.
“Elder Sister Baibi, I heard your alley was very lively last night? What happened?”
Early in the morning, Shen Ruyi was strolling near the rockery when she overheard a few young maids whispering around a corner.
Though the little maid asked what happened, her bright dark eyes betrayed her curiosity and love of gossip.
No one would believe she didn’t know anything.
“You little brat, still asking me what happened? Your mother guards the back gate, and she was on duty last night. How could you not know?”
The two seemed friendly. Dressed in a second-rank maid’s uniform, the maid named Baibi teased the questioning little maid by tapping her forehead playfully as she spoke.
“Hehe, that’s because my mother was on duty and couldn’t leave. But Elder Sister Baibi, since your family has a good standing in front of the masters and lives in the back alley, you must know more than I do. Good sister, please tell us.”
The little maid shook Baibi’s arm while speaking. She was young, her face still sweet, and Baibi, a second-rank maid, clearly enjoyed the attention.
“It’s not really a secret. If I didn’t tell you, you’d find out today anyway.
The Third Young Master’s attendants, Guo Ping and Guo An, were robbed last night. I heard all the locked chests in their houses were emptied.” Baibi glanced around and lowered her voice.
“Ah?” The other maids gasped, covering their mouths.
“Just their two houses?” The first maid asked, confirming the details.
“Yes, just those two. Two houses were in between them, and those weren’t touched.
Oddly, the courtyard and room doors were fine, untouched—but the chests inside vanished.
Even during the day, no one on duty heard a sound, and the children playing in the alley saw no one carrying anything out.”
“Surely it’s because they always—”
“Cough, cough! You little maid, can you even say that?”
Baibi jabbed her elbow, cutting off the little maid mid-sentence and gave her a sharp look.
The little maid quickly covered her mouth, smiling apologetically at Baibi.
Her bright eyes still darted around—apparently, the two had a real friendship.
“Go do your work now. Remember, don’t say what you shouldn’t.” Baibi looked around again and then walked off.
The other little maids exchanged glances, their mouths twitching, but ultimately obeyed and dispersed.
Soon, the opportunity Shen Ruyi had been waiting for arrived—the Madame’s birthday banquet!
The Madame had petitioned the Old Madam and the Marquis several times. Finally, the two big figures agreed to let the Third Young Master attend the banquet that day.
Since the Madame’s birthday was approaching, they needed lots of flowers and plants.
Wang Pozi, in charge of the rear garden, was extremely busy with her team lately.
During this time, Shen Ruyi didn’t idle at all—she helped carry and move things every day, keeping busy.
The little maids and servants in the back courtyard found her efficient and quiet; they had no idea how much silver she had pocketed, yet their appreciation for her skyrocketed.
With everyone’s favor rising sharply, Shen Ruyi finally mapped out the back garden perfectly.
Since it was the Madame’s birthday banquet, the Third Young Master, as her favored youngest son, would certainly go to pay respects.
From his courtyard to the Madame’s, the back garden was a must-pass.
The back garden was also where the ladies gathered the most.
And women were the fastest messengers, loving to spread news.
Shen Ruyi carefully measured the garden’s dimensions with her feet—where could she hide? Where could she briefly appear without being noticed?
She rehearsed it in her mind multiple times, and during hot, empty middays, she tested it physically several times.
Once everything was foolproof, the Madame’s birthday banquet finally arrived!
Shen Ruyi, an almost invisible low-ranking maid, was easily overlooked.
She ended up among the most idle group in the mansion that day—perfect for her plans.
After mingling briefly among the other little maids, she made her way to the rockery, to a corner closest to the garden’s pavilion.
She picked a spot along the Third Young Master’s inevitable path, verified no one was watching, and quickly slipped into her space.
Using the space’s teleportation function, she moved to the location she had previously scouted—right along the path the Third Young Master would walk, directly opposite the pavilion.
Only a few clusters of low flowers separated her from the pavilion.
The arrangement was originally designed for subtle glances between men and women—close enough to see clearly, but not too close to be improper.
At noon, the Third Young Master, accompanied by Guo Ping and Guo An, emerged leisurely from behind the rockery.
To the unknowing observer, he appeared the perfect picture of elegance and grace.
Unfortunately, his two attendants looked exhausted, no matter how hard they tried to hide it.
Ten steps, nine steps, eight steps…
“Whoosh—”
The young ladies in the pavilion, secretly observing the Third Young Master, were shocked when a torrent of bright red blood suddenly poured down on him from above.
Even the two attendants behind him weren’t spared.
“Ah—”
All of this happened in an instant. The young ladies’ faces, still flushed from their shy hearts, froze as they saw the Third Young Master instantly transform from graceful to monstrous, furiously shouting, cursing, and letting out terrified cries.
Deep in hiding, Shen Ruyi quickly teleported back to the rockery hole, then dashed again to the back courtyard, fully satisfied with her first strike.