Noticing the maid’s unfriendly gaze, Fengyue smiled and said, “I’m from the Menghui House. Since the young lady has shown me kindness, and considering she has no family here, I’ve come to visit her.”
Contempt flashed in the maid’s eyes as she forced a smile and led Fengyue to an intersection before saying, “This servant has other matters to attend to. Just walk forward a few steps and you’ll see a courtyard. That’s where you need to go.”
Fengyue raised an eyebrow. “Aren’t you Miss He Chou’s maid?”
The maid gave her a cursory bow and left without any interest in further conversation.
Clicking her tongue, Fengyue watched the maid’s retreating figure for a moment while holding her gift box, then followed the indicated path.
The Captain’s Manor didn’t look particularly large from the outside, but once inside, it revealed itself to be quite impressive, with multiple connected buildings and courtyards displaying considerable grandeur.
However, after walking a few more steps, she came upon an old, worn-down courtyard. Its gate was half-open, and not a single servant was in sight.
“Miss He Chou?”
After calling out from the entrance, she heard some movement inside. Fengyue waited for a moment until He Chou herself emerged. She looked Fengyue over with surprise in her eyes. “Miss Fengyue?”
“I came to see you.” Fengyue walked over with a smile and placed the box in her hands. “This is a gift.”
Coming to see her at this time? He Chou pressed her lips together and lowered her gaze. “My situation might not be as favorable as you all imagine. If you’re here seeking help, I’m afraid I won’t be of much use.”
“You misunderstand, Miss.” Fengyue shook her head. “I’m simply here on someone’s behalf to visit you. And perhaps to walk around this courtyard a bit.”
He Chou paused slightly and looked at her.
The woman before her smiled meaningfully as if she knew what He Chou was doing and had come to make contact.
Feeling relieved, He Chou smiled. “I see. Then let’s go for a walk.”
She set down the box and pulled Fengyue outside.
“You’ve been wronged, Miss,” Fengyue said softly as they walked along the path. “It must be difficult?”
“Life isn’t easy, but there’s hope.” Knowing Fengyue was on her side, He Chou’s attitude improved considerably. She spoke gently, “Look at this mansion, so magnificent. There must be many secrets hidden within. It’s only natural that I’m treated poorly, given my humble origins. But precisely because I’m considered lowborn and ignorant of proper etiquette, I can sometimes witness things during my supposed transgressions.”
Fengyue nodded, about to compliment her when she noticed the purple bruises on He Chou’s neck.
“Miss?” Fengyue’s eyes widened in shock.
He Chou started, then touched her neck where Fengyue was looking. She said quietly, “It’s nothing serious. I faced some difficulties, but I survived.”
In such a prestigious household, life wouldn’t be easy for a “fox spirit” from a brothel. Moreover, Zhao Xi is fickle in his affections, once he grew cold toward her, she was left at the mercy of the other concubines.
Men were always like this, changing their minds as easily as turning their hands. They forever chased after what was new, capable of saying anything when they favored you. Once that favor waned, they couldn’t care less whether you lived or died.
Fengyue frowned, her expression turning somewhat sinister, which startled He Chou into quickly saying, “It’s nothing serious. Don’t worry too much.”
“Mm.” Fengyue closed her eyes, took a breath, and when she opened them again, she was back to her alluring smile. “Are we free to move about the manor?”
“Of course not. The study area and the Captain’s quarters in the front courtyard are off-limits,” He Chou explained. “We can only walk around the back courtyards. Last time, I pretended to be stupid and forced my way in, only managing to hear something about account books and glimpse some mechanism through a half-open window before being driven out and punished.”
“You’ve suffered much.” Fengyue said, “Help me with something? I have a way to enter legitimately.”
The Captain was usually not at home, and this manor’s security wasn’t as strict as the General’s mansion, making things much easier.
He Chou nodded.
Zhao Xi returned home after being scolded by his father, extremely unhappy and complaining all the way: “What do the city’s problems have to do with me? Why does he take his anger out on me?”
The servant beside him bowed and said, “The master was just momentarily angry. Young Master, don’t be upset. Why not visit Miss He Chou’s courtyard to relax?”
Women from brothels were usually skilled in bed, more to his liking than those proper young ladies who played coy and hesitated. However, he had grown tired of He Chou. If he wanted to vent, he should find someone new.
Just as he was thinking this, he saw two people standing on the path ahead.
He Chou maintained her gentle demeanor, like an orchid – pleasant at first but less appealing over time. Zhao Xi shook his head, about to turn away when he heard her call out, “Young Master.”
He instinctively looked back and saw the woman beside her turn to face him with curiosity.
Her beauty was as striking as a crabapple flower, with an alluring figure – wasn’t this Miss Fengyue from the Menghui House? He’d heard she was exclusively reserved for important figures, so why was she here today?
Lust immediately arose in him, and Zhao Xi walked over with a smile, looking at Fengyue: “Do we have a guest?”
He Chou nodded: “Miss Fengyue and I have always been close friends. She had some free time today and came to visit. If we’ve caused any offense, I hope the Young Master won’t mind.”
“Oh, what’s there to mind?” Looking at Fengyue, Zhao Xi said, “Since you’re here, why don’t you stay a while?”
“Well…” He Chou appeared troubled and secretly tugged at Zhao Xi’s sleeve, whispering, “Fengyue only serves important clients and visits prestigious mansions. My courtyard is somewhat messy and hasn’t been properly tidied. Could the Young Master perhaps entertain her while I go back to clean up a bit? We shouldn’t embarrass the Captain’s manor.”
Seeing her nervous expression and guessing at the subtle competition between women, Zhao Xi smiled knowingly and nodded, “Alright.”
So He Chou said to Fengyue, “You walk around with the Young Master first. I’ll go get some things.”
Fengyue agreed innocently, “Alright, I’d love to see the Captain’s manor. It looks so impressive.”
After He Chou left, Zhao Xi smiled and stood beside Fengyue: “If Miss wants to look around, come with me. The most impressive part of the manor is naturally in the front courtyard.”
As he spoke, his hand settled on Fengyue’s waist.
Fengyue paused and turned to give him a fleeting look, batting her eyes coquettishly, making Zhao Xi shiver with desire. The lust in his eyes became more obvious: “Shall we sit in my courtyard for a while?”
Biting her lip and fidgeting with her handkerchief, Fengyue removed his hand and moved close to his ear, saying softly, “What’s so special about sitting in a courtyard? It’s just an ordinary bed, isn’t it? If the Young Master wants to play, we should do something more exciting.”
“Oh?” His eyes grew even more excited as he asked, “Where would Miss like to play?”
“Last time at someone’s house… it looked very strict, but that patron liked excitement, so he took me to his stern father’s study… that sandalwood desk was so cool to the touch.”
These seductive words made Zhao Xi swallow hard, his eyes reddening: “Miss truly is a rare treasure. No wonder so many noble gentlemen fall at your feet.”
“Would the Young Master like to try?” Fengyue winked, hooking her finger in his belt.
That gesture made Zhao Xi lose all reason. He quickly led her to Zhao Lin’s study. When guards tried to stop them at the door, he kicked them aside: “I’m here to study. How dare you block my way?”
The guards’ faces darkened – coming to study with a woman? However, subordinates couldn’t argue with their superiors, so they wisely stepped aside, allowing Zhao Xi to push open the door. Before entering, he turned back to say, “No matter what sounds you hear, don’t come in.”
“…Yes.”
Fengyue followed him in with a shy smile. As soon as the door closed, he pressed himself against her.
“Why such haste, Young Master?” She pushed him away coyly and swayed deeper into the room. After glancing at the desk, she gave Zhao Xi a meaningful look.
Zhao Xi was overjoyed and followed her, only to find himself pressed against the desk by Fengyue.
The beauty was incredibly alluring as she tugged at her collar, her fragrant handkerchief brushing teasingly across his face.
Zhao Xi was mesmerized, trying to bite the handkerchief while his hands grasped at her waist.
The feeling was as wonderful as a dream. In his daze, Zhao Xi felt very drowsy, wondering if he was dreaming.
Fengyue smiled as she watched him, noting his heavy eyelids, and asked, “Is my tender embrace beautiful?”
“Beautiful…” Before he could finish speaking, his hands lost strength and fell limply against the desk, swaying slightly.
Standing up, Fengyue glanced outside, then quickly found the hanging scroll on the wall and examined its mechanism. After opening it, she stuffed everything inside into her undergarments, then turned and pulled a silk tassel from Zhao Xi’s belt, hanging it on the mechanism.
Now she needed to leave. Fengyue smiled, stripped Zhao Xi’s clothes, and then disheveled her clothing before opening the door with a muffled whimper.
The guards outside were startled to meet a pair of extremely wronged eyes.
Those eyes seemed full of unbearable shame and humiliation, unable to bear the burden. She ran away in apparent shame.
Knowing their young master’s nature, the guards didn’t stop her, pretending to know nothing and even closing the door behind her.
Fengyue ran out and sat at the manor’s gate, crying loudly, drawing many onlookers.
The gathered crowd whispered among themselves, wondering whose daughter she was, clearly having been wronged. At such a prestigious manor, all she could do was cry outside when wronged – how pitiful.
Fengyue cried very convincingly, even wiping her tears and mucus on her clothes. She wanted the crowd to witness this, to secure herself an escape route.
However, something unexpected happened.
Someone pushed through the crowd and pulled her into a carriage, looking displeased: “Miss Fengyue, what’s going on here?”
Ye Yuqin!
Startled into hiccupping, Fengyue blinked at him, then looked at the other two people in the carriage.
Yin Gezhi’s expression was dark, while Yi Zhangzhu looked surprised.
What kind of ill wind had blown these three together today?
Wiping her tears, Fengyue lowered her head: “Greetings to both Young Masters and Miss Yi.”
Finally gathering herself, Yi Zhangzhu looked at Fengyue’s disheveled state and frowned: “Did you come here looking for business, or what?”