After verifying the name card representing Princess Changrong’s residence, Taosheng followed a pink-clothed maid toward the inner courtyard.

“Sister, is the Princess Residence very large?” the guidemaid asked curiously.

Seeing Taosheng walking forward with his head down, the little maid couldn’t help calling out again: “Sister?”

Taosheng suddenly realized: “Little sister is calling me?”

The pink-clothed maid giggled: “If not calling sister, is there perhaps someone else here?”

Taosheng smiled awkwardly.

How could he have reacted as if that “sister” was addressing him!

Tsk tsk, the little maid was so lovely—how nice it would sound if she called “brother” instead. Calling “sister” was too heartbreaking.

“The Princess Residence is naturally very large. Even the Princess Residence’s garden is bigger than the entire Li Residence.”

“Really?” The pink-clothed maid looked wistful, then sighed: “It’s a pity I’m not Third Miss’s maid; otherwise, if Third Miss became friends with your young lady, I might have a chance to go see it.”

“There will be a chance, definitely a chance.” Taosheng was so nervous that he spoke incoherently.

The pink-clothed maid found this maid from the Princess Residence quite interesting and couldn’t help covering her mouth as she laughed, then called out loudly: “Sister A’Zhu, a guest has arrived—a sister from Princess Changrong’s residence, coming on behalf of her young lady to visit Third Miss.”

A beautiful maid in azure stood by the moon gate—it was A’Zhu.

A’Zhu smiled gently at Taosheng: “Sister, please follow me inside.”

Taosheng was stunned.

So gentle, much better than those shrewish women at the Princess Residence!

“Sister, please wait a moment while I go report your arrival.” A’Zhu stopped at the doorway.

Taosheng nearly crashed into her, hurriedly stopping his steps and grinning: “Alright.”

A’Zhu vaguely felt this maid was somewhat strange, though she couldn’t say why, and couldn’t help examining Taosheng more closely.

Taosheng suddenly came to his senses, eyes observing nose, nose observing heart, putting on a dignified appearance.

Only then did A’Zhu withdraw her suspicion, smiling at Taosheng once more before turning to go inside.

Taosheng secretly wiped away sweat.

He was scared to death!

“Miss, a maid from Princess Changrong’s residence has come, saying she’s here on behalf of her young lady to visit you.”

“A young lady from Princess Changrong’s residence?” Qiao Zhao suppressed her inner confusion: “Let her come in.”

A’Zhu led Taosheng to the outer room: “Sister, please wait. Our young lady will be out shortly.”

“Yes.” Taosheng nodded repeatedly, nervous yet curious.

Ah ah ah, what did the young lady that Young Master kept thinking about look like? That young lady must be Young Master’s beloved, right? She must be, right?

A moment later, the pearl curtain rustled softly as a dressed young lady emerged.

Taosheng was immediately stunned.

Of course, not stunned by beauty, but stunned by shock.

Young Master’s taste was truly… unique!

Qiao Zhao sat down, her voice as gentle as water: “A’Zhu, bring over a small stool.”

Mm, the voice was quite pleasant. Indeed, as the master, so the servant—it was just a pity about that face, which was truly frightening.

Taosheng lowered his eyes, sighing inwardly.

“Sister, please sit.” A’Zhu placed the small stool beside Taosheng.

“Thank you.” Taosheng sat down with a plop.

Qiao Zhao glanced at Taosheng’s sitting posture, her expression remaining calm as she asked gently: “You’re from Princess Changrong’s residence?”

“Yes.” Taosheng straightened his back.

“Oh, I’m truly sorry, I’m not quite sure which young lady you mean.”

Knowing this was the crucial moment to verify his identity, Taosheng’s back tensed as he carefully remembered Chi Can’s words and explained: “Our Princess Residence has only one young lady—Young Master Chi’s concubine-born younger sister. She also attended yesterday’s gathering of young ladies. However, our young lady has always been low-key, so Third Miss might not have noticed her.”

Young Master had said that although the young lady hadn’t actually been a member of the Fushan Society and couldn’t possibly have attended any gathering, Third Miss Li was also attending for the first time and definitely wouldn’t discover this point.

“I see—” Qiao Zhao’s gaze remained fixed on Taosheng as she recalled which young lady from Princess Changrong’s residence this referred to.

After Chi Can’s father’s concubine passed away, she had brought a pair of children to seek them out, and all three mother and children, had been taken in by Princess Changrong. Chi Can’s concubine-born sister should refer to that girl.

Sitting on the small stool, though the young lady’s gaze toward him was as gentle as water, Taosheng inexplicably grew nervous, his bottom feeling as uncomfortable as if pricked by needles, and couldn’t help shifting quietly.

Could Young Master’s instructions fool anyone? If he were exposed, he would meet his heroic end right here.

He was a grown man—if he met his heroic end elsewhere, it could at least count as loyal service to his master. But to meet his heroic end in a young lady’s boudoir, especially while cross-dressed as a woman, would be a rhythm of eternal infamy!

No, no, he needed a quick resolution!

Taosheng presented the gift box with a face full of smiles: “This is Cloudfrost Balm that our young lady is giving to Third Miss. It’s very effective for removing scars. Please don’t disdain it, Third Miss.”

Qiao Zhao glanced at A’Zhu.

A’Zhu reached out to receive it and passed it to Qiao Zhao.

“Please thank Miss Chi for her thoughtfulness.” Qiao Zhao opened the gift box, glanced at the two boxes of Cloudfrost Balm inside, her eyes flashing before she looked deeply at Taosheng.

Taosheng’s heart jumped in terror from that look.

What was the situation? There were just two boxes of Cloudfrost Balm inside, so why did Third Miss have such a strange expression?

“Third Miss, this servant—” Taosheng bit his tongue hard, quickly correcting himself: “Our young lady is very concerned about your condition and is waiting for this maid’s report, so this maid will take her leave first.”

He was met with silence.

Taosheng couldn’t help but muster his courage to look at Qiao Zhao, seeing the young lady’s expression turn cold, her gentle spring-water-like eyes seeming to suddenly encounter a fierce wind, stirring up turbulent waves before finally containing it all in the depths of her eyes and returning to calm.

Taosheng’s legs went weak, sweat breaking out as he forced himself to say: “Third Miss, this maid takes her leave.”

“Wait a moment.” The young lady spoke calmly.

Taosheng was so frightened he nearly fell over, forcing a smile: “What other instructions does Third Miss have?”

“Wait a moment. I have a letter of thanks that I’ll trouble you to deliver to your young lady.”

Perhaps due to his guilty conscience, when he heard the words “young lady,” he felt that Third Miss Li had emphasized them.

Impossible, impossible. He hadn’t revealed any flaws, and Third Miss Li hadn’t become a spirit—how could she possibly discover anything?

The waiting process felt like an eternity to Taosheng. It wasn’t until he received the letter that A’Zhu handed him and followed A’Zhu outside that Taosheng finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He would never do cross-dressing work again even if beaten to death—it was too damn terrifying!

They encountered Binglu head-on.

“Someone else came to see Miss?” Binglu, who had just finished practicing martial arts, had rosy cheeks and casually glanced at Taosheng.

“Yes, I’m escorting him out.”

“Then I’ll go in. I’m exhausted today.”

That bastard Chenguang was truly annoying—since when was anyone so strict?

The Li family’s West Residence was small, so ever since Shao Mingyuan’s instructions, Chenguang had been teaching Binglu martial arts in an empty area beside the second gate.

A’Zhu led Taosheng past, and Chenguang, who was preparing to return to his room, glanced over from afar and his expression changed.