Not long after.
The two at the bottom of the well were gradually getting into the swing of things.
Suddenly, something fell down, landing right on Tu San’s head.
Tu San was startled.
Grabbing it to take a look, he realized it was a section of well rope.
Tu San was horrified.
Looking up, he saw that the rope tied to the windlass had clearly snapped, and what he held in his hand was exactly that!
Concubine Liu noticed he had suddenly stopped moving and was somewhat displeased. “What’s wrong?”
But Tu San was already frightened limp, trembling as he said, “The rope… the rope…”
Concubine Liu was alarmed and abruptly looked up.
Above her, the windlass was empty—the rope used to climb up had vanished!
“Where’s the rope??”
Concubine Liu instantly turned pale with fright.
Tu San held up the broken rope before her eyes. “Here.”
“…”
Concubine Liu was terrified, her whole body trembling. “How could this happen? How could the rope suddenly break… Who did this?”
Tu San said, “I don’t know either. I was just busy with you… I didn’t pay any attention to what was above.”
Concubine Liu panicked. “What do we do? Without the rope, can you get up?”
Tu San couldn’t get up.
Tu San said, “How about we call for help!”
“Are you mad!” Concubine Liu said. “If we call for help, our affair will be exposed. The Prime Minister will definitely kill us!”
Tu San punched the well wall.
Unable to climb up and too afraid to call for help—did that mean they could only wait here to die!?
…
The next day, news of Concubine Liu’s disappearance spread throughout the Prime Minister’s residence.
Also missing was Tu San, the cook from the Wenxiang Courtyard.
The servants all gossiped, saying Concubine Liu had eloped with Tu San, and as for her pregnancy, it was obviously fake.
After all, with the master’s bedroom abilities no longer functional, how could she possibly be pregnant!
Upon learning this, Ye Liao Zhai turned green in an instant!
“Bastards!!”
Ye Liao Zhai was furious, his hair standing on end as he fiercely smashed the teacup in his hand.
Gnashing his teeth, he wished he could personally execute the adulterous pair.
“Master, please calm down…”
The servants were so frightened they all knelt on the ground.
After panting for a while, Ye Liao Zhai ordered word by word, “The news of Concubine Liu’s disappearance must not be leaked! As for that cook, have people post his portrait all over the capital. Say he stole important items from the Prime Minister’s residence and must be captured at all costs!”
“Yes, sir!!”
Soon, wanted posters of the fugitive Tu San were plastered all over the capital…
As the Prime Minister, Ye Liao Zhai’s search was given face by everyone in the capital. The capital’s yamen immediately dispatched people to search the entire city, and even the city guards were on high alert, carefully checking commoners leaving the city to help capture Tu San.
Yet Tu San seemed to have vanished into thin air. Two days passed without even the slightest trace of him.
As for the news of Concubine Liu’s disappearance, the attempt to suppress it failed, and it quickly leaked out.
The Prime Minister’s concubine had eloped with someone. The entire court buzzed with discussion, and the looks directed at Ye Liao Zhai couldn’t help but be suggestive—carrying a hint of pity, a touch of sympathy, and the remaining seven parts pure schadenfreude…
Commoners also discussed the hot topic during their leisure time: Where Did the Concubine Go?
For a time, the Prime Minister’s residence was in chaos, with everyone on edge.
Ye Xiangxiang hadn’t slept for the past two days either, her heart filled with panic.
She knew that Concubine Liu’s sudden disappearance was definitely Ye Piaoling’s doing.
It was Ye Piaoling’s revenge.
But she couldn’t guess where Concubine Liu had gone. She began to suspect that Ye Piaoling had killed her, dismembered the body, and hidden it somewhere…
It was most likely hidden in the Wenxiang Courtyard.
This speculation filled Ye Xiangxiang with dread.
Because she had also participated in harming Ye Piaoling, and now she deeply regretted it. On one hand, she worried that Ye Piaoling would not forgive her; on the other, she was intensely curious about Concubine Liu’s true fate.
Late at night, unable to sleep, Ye Xiangxiang couldn’t resist putting on her clothes and quietly making her way toward the Wenxiang Courtyard.
She wanted to uncover the truth.
Wenxiang Courtyard.
The cold night was empty of people. Ye Xiangxiang searched cautiously, terrified to the core, yet unable to control her curiosity.
She passed by rows of houses and courtyards one by one.
Finally, she entered the side courtyard where miscellaneous items were stored.
“Is anyone there…? Is anyone here?”
A woman’s call suddenly echoed from beneath the ground.
Ye Xiangxiang shuddered and turned to run.
“Someone, come quickly…”
The faint voice continued to drift over.
Ye Xiangxiang couldn’t help but pause.
That was unmistakably Concubine Liu’s voice!
In the darkness, Ye Xiangxiang was so frightened her scalp tingled, but she mustered her courage and cautiously moved step by step toward the source of the sound.
Finally, she reached the edge of a dry well.
Looking down, she saw Concubine Liu and Tu San.
“You two…” Ye Xiangxiang exclaimed in shock.
These two, who had vanished without a trace, were actually at the bottom of the Prime Minister’s residence’s well!
When Concubine Liu saw Ye Xiangxiang, she was stunned at first, then overjoyed.
She and Tu San were nearly starving to death. After discussing it, they decided it was better to call for help and take their chances above ground rather than die there…
Unexpectedly, the one who came was the most foolish and cowardly Second Miss!
Concubine Liu exclaimed that heaven had not abandoned her.
“Second Miss, quickly help us up!” Concubine Liu said.
Ye Xiangxiang stared at them. “How… how did you end up here?”
“We were framed!” Concubine Liu replied. “Hurry and find a rope to pull us up!”
Ye Xiangxiang stared at them in disbelief.
Even she, as foolish as she was, could see the unspeakable relationship between these two.
“You actually really are with this cook… No, I have to tell Father!”
As she spoke, Ye Xiangxiang turned to run.
“Stop!”
Concubine Liu shouted, “If you bring the master here, I’ll tell him about how you plotted with me to harm the eldest miss! Let’s see how he deals with you!”
“You…”
Ye Xiangxiang was threatened and momentarily at a loss.
Concubine Liu said word by word, “Harming your elder sister is a capital offense. If you don’t want anyone to know, quickly find a rope and pull me up!”
Ye Xiangxiang hesitated.
“Second Miss, we’re actually grasshoppers tied to the same rope. We should keep each other’s secrets.”
Concubine Liu softened her tone. “If you save me today, I’ll be grateful to you for the rest of my life. In the future, I’ll do everything I can to help you with your affairs.”
A mix of threats and persuasion.
Ye Xiangxiang hesitated for a long time before finally nodding.
In the end, she was afraid that her involvement in harming Ye Piaoling would be exposed, and Concubine Liu’s words sounded so sincere…
There was a rope not far away. Ye Xiangxiang found it and, following Concubine Liu’s instructions, tied the long rope securely to the windlass and lowered it down.