On the other side, Madam Meng appeared somewhat restless, pacing back and forth in her room.
Nanny Li approached and said, “Madam, don’t you trust Nanny Liu to handle things properly?”
Madam Meng replied, “My right eye has been twitching nonstop. That girl Chu Yun is simply too cunning.”
Nanny Li chuckled, “No matter how cunning she is, once she drinks that medicine, she’ll only be left with the task of undressing.”
Madam Meng pondered carefully and suddenly asked, “Where is Liu Sisi?”
Nanny Li answered, “She’s still locked up in the small prayer room.”
Madam Meng ordered, “Go keep a close eye on her. Don’t let her appear in front of Zhuo’er.”
Nanny Li obeyed and went to the small prayer room, where she happened to see Liu Sisi dressed in flashy clothes, tiptoeing as if trying to sneak out.
Nanny Li’s face darkened. “Where are you going, Concubine Liu?”
Liu Sisi’s expression changed. “I… I’m not feeling well. I just wanted to get some fresh air.”
Nanny Li snorted coldly. “It seems to me it’s not discomfort but rather hearing that the young master has arrived that’s stirred up your restless urges again!”
Liu Sisi flushed red. “No matter how lowly my origins, I am still the young master’s concubine. You’re just a servant—how dare you insult me like this?”
Nanny Li paid her no mind. “If you dare disrupt the young master’s time with the Young Mistress, you’d better watch your skin!”
With that, Nanny Li pushed Liu Sisi back inside and locked the door from the outside.
Liu Sisi gritted her teeth in anger. “You old hag! Just wait until the young master takes me back—I’ll make you pay!”
Nanny Liu quietly approached the flower room, hoping to listen for any sounds inside, but there was not a single noise from within.
Nanny Liu thought something was wrong and was about to peek through the door crack when someone gently tapped her shoulder.
Nanny Liu whispered sharply, “Get away!”
The person also spoke in a low voice, “What are you looking at?”
Nanny Liu found the voice somewhat familiar. Turning around, she saw it was Xie Zhaoshen!
Nanny Liu gasped, “Young Mistress! How did you get out? I clearly…”
She hurriedly tried the lock on the door, but it remained firmly shut.
Xie Zhaoshen said matter-of-factly, “I climbed out through the window.”
As Xie Zhaoshen leaned to the side, Nanny Liu saw the flower room window wide open and silently cursed her miscalculation.
But no matter how she calculated, she could never have guessed that this refined young lady from a noble family would actually jump out of a window!
Seeing Xie Zhaoshen looking perfectly normal, Nanny Liu panicked instantly. If the Young Mistress had drunk the tea and was fine, what about the young master?
Trembling, Nanny Liu fumbled for the key to unlock the door. But as soon as the door opened, Xie Zhaoshen kicked her inside.
With a cry of “Aiyo!”, Nanny Liu, caught off guard, stumbled into a large flowerpot and knocked herself unconscious.
Madam Meng watched the hourglass in the room. When the time came, she led a large group of servants toward the flower room.
Zhaixing followed behind, feeling that something was off, but as a mere maid, she had no right to speak up.
However, when they reached the flower room door, a man’s heavy panting could be heard from inside.
Zhaixing’s face turned pale as she abruptly looked at Madam Meng.
Madam Meng asked knowingly, “What is that sound?”
Nanny Li hinted meaningfully, “How strange. In broad daylight, it sounds like someone is sneaking around.”
As she spoke, Madam Meng prepared to lead the group inside.
Zhaixing quickly blocked the flower room entrance. “You can’t go in.”
Madam Meng sneered coldly, “How dare you! A lowly servant like you dares to stand in front of your master!”
From the flower room behind came the rough panting of a man, and Madam Meng’s expression grew even more excited. As long as the door was broken open, let’s see how Chu Yun could maintain that aloof and arrogant demeanor!
Zhaixing looked at Madam Meng, her eyes red with hatred. “You are the young lady’s own aunt!”
Hearing Zhaixing’s tearful accusation, Madam Meng felt a momentary daze.
Back then, she had truly cared for this niece of hers.
But…
Madam Meng thought of the imminent arrival of Xie Zhaoshen and Eunuch Cai, as well as that useless father and son pair, and ultimately hardened her heart. “Break the door open for me!”
Zhaixing was ultimately outnumbered and was pinned to the ground by a group of servants. She watched helplessly as the crowd was about to break through the door. At the critical moment, a mocking voice came from behind:
“Well, well, what’s going on here?”
Zhaixing looked up and saw the young lady who had caused her so much worry, now appearing safe and sound before her eyes.
She immediately let out a sob and, taking advantage of the momentary distraction of the mamas, broke free and threw herself at Xie Zhaoshen’s feet, clutching her leg as she cried, “Wah, young lady, you scared me to death! I thought…”
“Thought what?” Xie Zhaoshen asked, though her eyes were fixed on Madam Meng, whose face had turned ashen.
Xie Zhaoshen gently pushed Zhaixing aside and walked slowly forward. “Mother-in-law, if you came to see me, why bring so many people?”
Madam Meng took a deep breath, knowing her scheme had been seen through. There was no point in staying here any longer.
Madam Meng was about to leave with her entourage when a sharp, piercing shriek came from the flower room.
Suddenly, Madam Meng realized that Nanny Liu had gone to deliver tea and had never returned.
“Oh my, what is that sound? How terrifying.”
Xie Zhaoshen’s exaggerated voice suddenly rang out. She covered her chest, pretending to be frightened, yet her eyes were filled with an unmistakable curiosity.
Xie Zhaoshen glanced at Zhaixing, who immediately understood. The little maid, who had just been filled with sorrow, straightened her back and eagerly went to open the door, clearly relishing the drama.
Madam Meng cried out in alarm, “Stop her!”
A group of servant women rushed forward, pulling Zhaixing back.
Xie Zhaoshen, never one to shy away from stirring up trouble, immediately lifted her skirt and prepared to open the door herself.
The servant women were too focused on Zhaixing and missed Xie Zhaoshen. Seeing this, Madam Meng, forgetting all decorum, hurried forward and grabbed Xie Zhaoshen. In the chaos, Xie Zhaoshen pushed her hard, nearly causing her to fall.
Madam Meng screamed, “Don’t go in!”
The servant women snapped back to attention and rushed to restrain Xie Zhaoshen.
Xie Zhaoshen was not one to be trifled with. She secretly threw punches and kicked out, causing the servant women to cry out in pain.
The scene instantly descended into chaos.
Just then, the tightly shut door was opened from the inside.
Everyone saw Nanny Liu emerge from the room, her face flushed and her clothes disheveled. Her steps were unsteady, and after just a few steps, she collapsed to the ground, shouting, “Help! Madam, save this old servant!”
And behind her, a disheveled, red-faced man suddenly rushed out—who else could it be but Meng Zhuo?
“Heavens, the young master is actually with Nanny Liu…”
Someone among the servants exclaimed in shock.
“Since when did the young master’s taste become so… unique?”
“Though Nanny Liu is advanced in years, she has been well cared for while serving Madam. Upon closer inspection, she could still be considered a woman in her prime.”
“Silence! All of you, be silent!”
Madam Meng was so enraged by these words that her chest ached.
Before she could even grasp what was happening, she saw Meng Zhuo, disoriented and similarly disheveled, with his hair disarrayed.
Staggering out of the room, Meng Zhuo lunged at any woman he saw, regardless of age, causing chaos once again.