Tao Yong’s eyes instantly filled with panic as he silently looked at Su Lingqing, silently pleading.
Old Madam Zhou also lifted her gaze to the young lady towering above them.
Su Lingqing simply raised a finger to her lips, signaling them to stay silent.
Outside, Zheng Rui’s cold eyes stared down the two guards blocking her path.
The men were all under Su Huai’s command, so she had a way to make them obey.
One of the men immediately denied upon hearing Zheng Rui: “Madam, we were ordered by our master to guard here. We did not see the young mistress approach, nor is it possible she is currently inside the wood storage.”
They would never allow anyone in or out.
Zheng Rui sneered. “Many maids on the road claimed to have seen Su Lingqing heading toward the wood storage. This place is remote if she didn’t come here, where else could she go?!”
The other guard shook his head honestly. “I don’t know.”
Zheng Rui: “……”
“Step aside immediately!”
The two men raised their sticks to block her. “Madam! Please don’t make things difficult for us! If you force your way in, once the Minister returns, we will report this ourselves!”
Zheng Rui, infuriated, slapped one of them.
“A mere watchman dares to snarl at me!”
The man was stunned; his companion equally dumbfounded. The struck man’s jaw tensed, and a shadow of resentment flickered in his lowered eyes.
Zheng Rui: “Since you’re mere servants, then get your attitude right!”
With that, the woman walked past them.
Inside the wood storage, everything had been heard clearly. Su Lingqing calmly played her part, while Tao Yong and Old Madam Zhou subconsciously relaxed.
Su Lingqing found it amusing and turned toward the window she had entered through.
Seeing this, Tao Yong hurriedly asked, “Young mistress, when will you…”
The girl looked back at him. “Wait.”
The young man could only sit awkwardly.
Old Madam Zhou’s gaze flickered, but she remained silent in the end.
Su Lingqing leapt gracefully right in front of them and jumped out the small window.
The two inside gaped in astonishment.
Su Lingqing… actually knew martial arts?!
Something inside Old Madam Zhou seemed to collapse.
Su Lingqing left the wood storage, using lightness skills to swiftly return to Weirui Pavilion.
Along the way, a small smirk curled at her lips.
Save their lives? She wasn’t foolish.
It was just… the spectacle of dogs biting each other that she particularly wanted to watch.
Half an hour later, the sun had risen high it was nearly noon.
The two guards stationed outside the wood storage saw a figure approaching from afar.
Remembering Zheng Rui’s earlier display, their bodies tensed, and without a word, they raised their sticks.
As the person approached, they realized it was the young mistress and stiffly said, “Young mistress.”
Su Lingqing looked at the two and suddenly exclaimed, “Your face… what happened?”
Her delicate finger pointed at the man who had been beaten.
Seeing the girl staring at his face, the man immediately became nervous. “Thank you for your concern, young mistress. The madam came by not long ago, but we were strictly guarding the area, so…”
Su Lingqing was surprised and quickly took out a bottle of ointment.
“Don’t worry, I’m not here to make things difficult. I just saw Old Madam Zhou covered in injuries this morning… so I thought I’d bring a bottle. Since the madam already came, has she treated her wounds?”
The man’s eyes flickered a few times before settling into sarcasm.
Even the young mistress, nearly slandered, knew to bring medicine. Madam’s so-called kindness was all for show; in reality, she only made things difficult for others.
The man took the bottle without looking and said, “The madam didn’t bring medicine. We will remember your kindness, young mistress.”
Su Lingqing smiled. “After what happened last night, the residence is full of gossip. I imagine Old Madam Zhou’s heart isn’t easy right now either.”
“Apply some of this on your face first, and give the rest to Old Madam Zhou.”
After the girl left, the man sat for a while, still unable to recover.
“Hey! Don’t stare! That’s the young mistress you could never compare.”
Teased by his companion, the man’s face turned crimson. “Don’t talk nonsense!”
He carefully scooped some ointment and tossed the rest through the door crack.
Tao Yong, who had been listening, immediately caught it and stirred the ointment inside with his hand, quickly finding a small note.
Old Madam Zhou saw this, rushed over, shoved the young man aside, and grabbed the note to read:
(Second quarter of the hour of the Monkey someone will meet you)
Tao Yong panicked. “You!!”
Old Madam Zhou laughed heartily.
“Good! Excellent! Now I can show my face in front of the madam again! Thanks to Su Lingqing’s foolishness, she gave me this perfect chance!”
Tao Yong hurriedly covered her mouth, fearing the crazy woman would lead the guards back.
“Shut up! I said shut up!” he snarled, pressing down on Old Madam Zhou’s mouth and nose with surprising strength.
Even drained from last night, Tao Yong was still a young man. Old Madam Zhou struggled with all her might but couldn’t break free.
Her nails left streaks of blood on his arms. Enraged, Tao Yong thought: anyone blocking my path deserves death!
Old Madam Zhou’s weakened body soon lost all strength, and then… she went still.
Tao Yong pressed her tightly for a long while until her body grew cold, finally releasing her.
The woman slid down like a noodle, her fingertips tinged purple a clear sign of asphyxiation.
Tao Yong felt fear, but more than that, he feared death. He quickly covered her body with dry wood and straw, hiding it in a corner.
Less than two hours remained until the second quarter of the hour of the Monkey. Once someone came, he would survive!
Tao Yong hadn’t expected that the young mistress, whom he had schemed against, would actually give him a chance to live.
Thinking of her beautiful, calm profile, Tao Yong blushed, feeling an unusual twinge of genuine admiration.
……
At the second quarter of the hour of the Monkey, Tao Yong listened anxiously to the sounds outside.
The sky had darkened, yet the person supposed to meet him hadn’t arrived.
Anxiously, a stone tapped against the small window. Tao Yong immediately looked over.
The window had been opened, and a hemp rope was thrown in, presumably to let him climb out.
Time was critical Su Huai was already on his way back.
Tao Yong climbed out along the rope, only to find the other end tied to a tree, with no one there to meet him.
A stone was thrown from behind a wall, striking his side. Seeing this, Tao Yong jumped down and continued following the guidance.
At that moment, his mind unused to thinking suddenly clicked.
Following the directions, he navigated a hidden path, winding and twisting, until he reached a dog hole.
His heart raced he had never felt more alive!
He crawled through the dog hole; this time no stone was thrown, and he could run freely, as long as he got out.
Tears welled at the corners of Tao Yong’s eyes.
“Good nephew, why run so fast? Auntie would have had such trouble finding you!”
Zheng Rui emerged like a specter from around the corner, flanked by servants.
“Speak! Who saved you?” Her expression was fierce, lips stained like blood.