“Little sister!”
Yuchi Dun stared at her with delight, grinning foolishly in her direction.
Yan Zhuxing had no time to ponder why he called her “little sister.” As long as he was willing to listen, that was enough.
Her gaze fell upon the abandoned old water vat in the courtyard.
She led Yuchi Dun over. “Big brother, hide here and count to one hundred. I’ll come back then, alright?”
Just as she was about to lift the worn-out lid covering the vat, she discovered someone else hiding inside.
It was actually Jiuzhi!
What a stroke of luck—after searching far and wide, she had found her without even trying.
She had been looking for so long, never expecting to encounter her under such circumstances.
Jiuzhi leaped out of the vat, her sword drawn and pointed at Yan Zhuxing and the other.
Yan Zhuxing decisively blocked with the lid.
She spoke concisely: “I am Yan Zhuxing, the eldest daughter of the Dingyuan Marquisate. I can help you escape. In return, you will serve as my maid for one year, protecting me. After a year, you may leave freely.”
She would only stay at the Dingyuan Marquisate for one year.
That year would be enough for her to eliminate everyone in the Dingyuan Marquisate.
Jiuzhi paused her sword, her initial skepticism shifting. “Will there be monthly wages?”
Yan Zhuxing was taken aback but immediately nodded. “Yes.”
Jiuzhi asked again, “Will meals be provided?”
Yan Zhuxing nodded once more. “Yes. Meat with every meal.”
“Deal,” Jiuzhi agreed without hesitation.
Her agreement came so readily that Yan Zhuxing was momentarily stunned.
In her past life, did the Second Prince use the promise of meals to trick people into risking their lives for him?
During their conversation, Yuchi Dun had been obediently counting.
“Eighteen, nineteen…”
But as he counted, he couldn’t help but complain about the heat.
“Little sister, it’s so hot.”
After saying this, he forgot what number he had reached and stubbornly started counting from the beginning again.
“One, two, three…” Yuchi Dun covered his eyes and continued counting.
Seeing Jiuzhi’s pale face, Yan Zhuxing knew her wounds must have reopened during their earlier scuffle.
Without hesitation, she had Jiuzhi change into the maid’s clothes, then together they threw the maid’s body into the abandoned well.
“When you encounter my maid later, tell her my shoes are wet and ask her to take you to fetch a new pair. Once you leave the Marquis’s Mansion, turn left to the alley entrance. My carriage is waiting there. Give this to the coachman, and he will take you to a safe place.”
After describing Shuangli’s appearance and attire, Yan Zhuxing handed her a wooden hairpin she had prepared in advance.
Just as the two were about to leave, Yuchi Dun lunged toward Yan Zhuxing.
“It’s uncomfortable… hug…” He reached out, dazed, trying to tear at Yan Zhuxing’s clothes.
Yan Zhuxing stepped back several paces, calling out “big brother” several times.
But he seemed to have lost all reason, showing no response.
Yan Zhuxing realized the drug’s effects had fully taken hold.
She told Jiuzhi to leave first, while she stayed behind.
She dared not act rashly.
If she harmed Yuchi Dun, how could she face the Lieguo Duke?
After all, he was now delirious, his movements erratic, and his frame nearly twice her size.
She feared that if she tried to subdue him, she might misjudge her strength and accidentally kill him—that would be disastrous.
But if things continued like this, those plotting against her would surely be alerted.
Just as she was agonizing over whether to take the risk and knock Yuchi Dun unconscious, a figure leaped down from the courtyard wall, landing behind him.
With a sharp thwack, Yuchi Dun collapsed, unconscious.
“What did you say? How could Dun’er have gone missing?” Lady of Duke Lieguo, Zhao Yurun, abruptly stood up, her body swaying unsteadily.
In this lifetime, what she owed most was her son.
Back when her husband was struck by a hidden arrow outside Yumen Pass, she stayed by her unconscious husband’s side day and night, reciting scriptures, but neglected her six-year-old son, letting him burn with fever for several days.
Then she caused him to become a fool.
She deeply regretted it.
Later, she offered an Eternal Lamp before the Buddha for ten years and finally received a daughter as delicate as a powder dumpling.
Who would have thought their mother-daughter bond would be so short-lived? Last year, her daughter, only thirteen, accidentally fell into a lake and passed away.
She was devastated. If not for her son, she probably wouldn’t have held on until now.
Her son was the life lamp that tethered her Three Hun and Seven Po. If even this last hope were to be snuffed out, she wouldn’t want to live either.
“Hurry, go find him,” Zhao Yurun stammered.
The Dowager of Weining Marquis hurriedly comforted her, telling her not to worry, and ordered the servants to search the courtyard, determined to find Yuchi Dun.
Zhao Yurun couldn’t sit still. “No, I must go look for him myself.”
The ladies who were close to her also quickly stood up and accompanied her to search for her son.
Zhao Yunfei gave Yan Mingyue a look, and Yan Mingyue timidly spoke up, “My sister went to change clothes quite a while ago and hasn’t returned. I’m worried something might have happened to her. Could the Dowager also send someone to look for her?”
Hearing this, the Dowager of Weining Marquis frowned almost imperceptibly.
The fool heir and the daughter of a Marquis’s Mansion attending the banquet disappearing at the same time—this was not a good sign.
“Go, also look for the eldest daughter of Dingyuan Marquisate,” the Dowager ordered again.
Zhao Yunfei gave Cui’er a look, signaling her to lead Lady of Duke Lieguo, who was searching for her son, to the abandoned courtyard.
Unexpectedly, halfway there, the group saw Yan Zhuxing appear gracefully before everyone.
Her hair was slightly disheveled, but her clothes were still neat.
Zhao Yunfei and Yan Mingyue’s pupils contracted sharply.
How was this possible!
Shouldn’t Yan Zhuxing have been forced by Yuchi Dun in the abandoned courtyard, with the rice already cooked? Why did she look completely unharmed?
Yan Zhuxing turned to Lady of Duke Lieguo. “Are you looking for the heir, Madam?”
Lady of Duke Lieguo nodded hurriedly. “Yes, have you seen Dun’er?”
Yan Zhuxing replied gently, “The heir has been escorted back to his courtyard by Prince Yong’an and is waiting for you, Madam.”
Lady of Duke Lieguo didn’t have time to ask for details. Concerned for her son, she thanked her and hurriedly left.
Upon hearing the name “Prince Yong’an,” Zhao Yunfei was so startled that her nails dug into her palm, while Yan Mingyue’s face turned pale, then green, then pale again.
Zhao Yunfei gently nudged Yan Mingyue.
Yan Mingyue bit her lip and spoke, “Sister, didn’t you say you were going to change clothes? Why haven’t you changed, and how did you run into Prince Yong’an?”
She voiced the question everyone present was curious about.
“That’s something you should ask Miss Zhao,” Yan Zhuxing said, looking at Zhao Yunfei.
“Earlier, your maid led me to the warm pavilion to change clothes but didn’t return for a long time, so I decided to go back to the banquet to find my own maid. Unexpectedly, on the way, I ran into Prince Yong’an and the heir. They were lost and asked me for directions, so I showed them the way.”
This explanation was reasonable, and Zhao Yunfei couldn’t say anything about it.
She forced an awkward smile. “When Cui’er returned, I had her fetch something for me and assigned another maid to escort Sister Yan. Did you not run into her?”
“No.” Yan Zhuxing firmly denied.
She made no mention of the things they had done.
The maid was already dead, and there was no evidence, so why should she say more?
After all, she wasn’t the only victim.
Presumably, the Lady of Duke Lieguo would be more than happy to investigate who had framed her son. Let her handle it.
“It was my negligence in managing my servants that made Sister Yan laugh. Once I find that maid, I will reprimand her severely and make her apologize to you.” Zhao Yunfei swallowed her anger and apologized.
“Well, it’s getting late. Mother, sister, let’s head back first.” Yan Zhuxing looked toward Wen Rushuang and her daughter.
Wen Rushuang had already noticed the subtle exchange between her daughter and Zhao Yunfei earlier and guessed that the two must have done something behind her back.
Hearing Yan Zhuxing mention Prince Yong’an and the heir of Lieguo Duke’s Mansion, her heart skipped a beat.
Now that Yan Zhuxing wanted to return to the Marquis’s Mansion, she naturally agreed.
“Old Madam, we shall take our leave now.” She bowed to the old madam of Weining Marquis Estate and then left the estate with the two of them.
Yan Zhuxing spotted Shuangli standing by the carriage and saw her nod at her, knowing that Jiuzhi had already left safely.
Only then did she feel at ease and boarded the carriage.
Once inside the carriage, Wen Rushuang wanted to probe Yan Zhuxing about what she had discussed with Prince Yong’an. But before she could speak, Yan Zhuxing closed her eyes and pretended to sleep.
Yan Mingyue wanted to say something but was silenced by a sharp glance from her.
Some things were not convenient to discuss now.
Yan Zhuxing had no time to pay attention to the silent exchange between the mother and daughter. She was still recalling her earlier encounter with Prince Yong’an.