Xie Zhi replied sullenly, “When you called for me earlier, you never said I’d be staying by myself.”
Changming scratched his head. “So? You don’t want your own room? After what happened, I think it’s better if you stay alone. Aren’t you afraid Shuyue might strangle you in your sleep?”
“But Shuyue will definitely think I’ve been kicked out.”
“Well…” Changming looked even more confused. “Then why don’t you show up in front of her first thing tomorrow morning and scare her?”
“I’m saying she’ll probably sleep soundly tonight,” Xie Zhi muttered, pursing her lips as she carried her belongings into the room. “But I won’t.”
She had thought receiving special treatment wasn’t a good idea to begin with. Who could have guessed it would bring her nothing but trouble—and even ruin several of her favorite dresses? The more she thought about it, the more frustrated she became.
After going in circles, she had ended up right back here.
Changming spoke again.
“Miss Lichun, don’t bother arguing with someone like her. Shuyue was picked up by the late Madam from some mountain village when she was little. She grew up without parents and without proper upbringing. At this point, she’s not going to change.”
Xie Zhi paused in surprise. Hearing that, she didn’t press the matter any further.
“All right, I’ve delivered you here, so I’ll be going.”
Ignoring all her strange concerns, Changming waved goodbye and turned to leave.
“Wait.”
She hurried after him.
“I wanted to ask… was this Nanny Zhai’s arrangement, or…”
“It was the Heir’s order.”
“Then… may I ask why I’m not allowed to go outside? I see everyone else…”
“That was also the Heir’s order.”
Changming yawned.
“Miss Lichun, since the Heir told you to stay put and do your work properly, just listen to him. Stop making him angry. It won’t do you any good.”
After he left, Xie Zhi lay on the much larger bed, unable to fall asleep for a long time.
Why wouldn’t Pei Du let her leave?
And the decision had been made long ago.
Could it be he was still angry about what had happened that night and was deliberately taking revenge?
No.
Tomorrow she had to ask him herself.
After all, her job was simply to serve him tea and attend to him.
With that thought, the next morning she deliberately changed into plain coarse linen clothes, hoping not to provoke his displeasure.
Pei Du had court that morning and left before dawn.
Xie Zhi intentionally waited until he was nearly due back before bringing tea to the main courtyard.
Yet the moment she reached the covered corridor outside, she was stopped once again.
“Without the Heir’s permission, you’re not allowed inside,” one of the guards said.
This wasn’t allowed.
That wasn’t allowed.
Xie Zhi was reaching the end of her patience living on Yangshan Terrace.
She wasn’t allowed to do anything.
She wasn’t allowed to leave.
What kind of logic was that?
Looking at the tea tray in her hands, she resisted the urge to throw it on the ground. Instead, she swallowed her anger and sat beneath a nearby banyan tree to wait for Pei Du’s return.
There was still some time before her next manuscript submission.
Taking advantage of the idle moment, she began outlining the next installment in her mind.
Lost in thought, she didn’t notice someone walking toward her.
A shrill voice sounded above her.
“I thought you’d already been thrown out. I can’t believe you still have the nerve to stay here. Look at yourself—who do you think you are? See? They wouldn’t even let you in.”
The piercing voice made Xie Zhi’s head ache.
Looking up, she found it was indeed Shuyue.
Not wanting to argue, she stood, dusted off her clothes, picked up the tea tray, and prepared to leave.
But Shuyue stretched out an arm to block her.
Caught off guard, Xie Zhi stumbled straight into her.
The teapot tipped over.
Scalding tea poured all over Xie Zhi.
The tray and every piece of porcelain crashed onto the stone floor, shattering into countless fragments.
Xie Zhi’s beautiful face turned pale with fury.
Just as she bent down to grab the tray and hit someone—
“Lichun!”
A stern shout rang out from the distance.
She froze.
Seeing the man approaching, she panicked, loosened her grip, and dropped the tray onto the ground once more.
“Greetings, Heir.”
Everyone hurriedly bowed.
Only Xie Zhi stood rooted to the spot.
She watched as Pei Du bent down, picked up a shard of broken porcelain, and ground out through clenched teeth,
“This was Dingzhou…”
“My Lord, please forgive me! I know nothing about this! Lichun suddenly ran into me—I…”
Shuyue immediately dropped to her knees, anxiously trying to clear herself of blame.
She knew the Heir ruled with strict discipline.
Any servant who made a mistake would be severely punished.
The next moment, Pei Du spoke.
There was restrained anger in his voice—
But it wasn’t directed at Shuyue.
“Lichun. Is that what happened?”
Xie Zhi frowned silently.
After a long pause, she finally answered,
“Of course not.”
“Come inside.”
Xie Zhi followed Pei Du into the main room.
She stood there for quite a while.
He walked over to a carved armchair and sat down, rummaging through a pile of scattered documents on the table as though searching for something, completely ignoring her.
Her clothes were soaked through, clinging tightly to her stomach and making her thoroughly uncomfortable.
She had been sulking and hadn’t intended to speak.
But in the end, she couldn’t help explaining.
“My Lord, I didn’t deliberately break the tea set. It was Shuyue. I was trying to leave, but she insisted on blocking my way. That’s how we collided.”
Pei Du had just raised a white jade teacup toward his lips.
Hearing her words, he paused, then set it back down with visible irritation.
“Shuyue? Was she also the one who caused trouble with you last night? You’ve only been here one day. What conflict could you possibly have with another maid?”
Because of you, Xie Zhi thought inwardly.
She briefly explained the incident without mentioning Shuyue’s blatantly obvious feelings for Pei Du.
After all, Shuyue was merely an uneducated servant girl who had spent her entire life in servitude. Having never received proper guidance and spending every day surrounded by the wealth and luxury of the Pei residence, how could she not long for such prosperity?
More importantly…
Xie Zhi found herself unable to speak because, wasn’t Shuyue’s attachment to Pei Du no different from her own former intentions toward Pei Hong?
The only difference was that Shuyue sought wealth and status.
While she…
Only sought freedom.
Still—
She would tolerate it this once.
If there were a next time, she wouldn’t be nearly so patient.
“Very well.”
Pei Du seemed to accept her explanation as he sorted the official documents in his hands.
“She destroyed your clothes. According to the rules, she’ll compensate you for their value. The amount will be deducted from her monthly wages. I’ll have Matron Zhai handle it.”
Xie Zhi looked up at him before lowering her gaze again.
“Thank you,” she said softly.
“You have something else to say?”
After hesitating again and again, she finally asked,
“My Lord… may I go out today? Just for a little while.”
“No.”
“N-No, I don’t mean leaving the estate. I just want to go to the front courtyard to see a friend. I’ll come right back.”
“No.”
At last Pei Du found the document he had been searching for.
He raised his voice.
“Changming.”
“Yes, My Lord.”
Changming stepped inside from outside.
“Deliver this to Lord Liu’s residence.”
“Understood.”
Taking the document, Changming immediately departed.
Only after finishing his business did Pei Du turn his attention back to her.
“Just stay here and behave yourself. You may leave now.”
“But, My Lord… everyone else is allowed to go out…”
“Everyone else?”
His eyes narrowed.
“Are they also harboring ulterior motives like you and…”
He stopped himself.
“In any case, I won’t let you go outside and stir up trouble.”
“You…”
Xie Zhi frowned.
If he wouldn’t let her leave, how was she ever supposed to see Qingyi again?
And that wasn’t even the biggest problem.
With someone as difficult to approach as Pei Du, when would she ever obtain her slave registration papers?
And without them…
How could she ever escape?