Ye Qingcheng began to survey the woodshed. She rarely came here, as it was typically the servants' work, and she hadn't much occasion to visit.
The woodshed was not large, and quite narrow, filled with a lot of straw. However, this straw was generally used for fires. There was also some split firewood placed by the heated brick bed. The surroundings were sealed, with no windows to allow ventilation except for the wooden door in front. After surveying the area, Ye Qingcheng shook her head. Hearing Xiao Wangye's hidden guards lock the woodshed door, a surge of anger welled up within her.
Ye Qingcheng's hands were bound by ropes by Xiao Wangye's damned hidden guard. Standing up was difficult for her. She walked to the gap beside the woodshed door, her entire face pressed almost against it. Enraged, Ye Qingcheng shouted from inside towards the outside, "You little bastards, how can you ask for favors like this?"
As she yelled, Ye Qingcheng grew even angrier and simply stopped shouting. From the original owner's memories, she recalled some information about Xiao Wangye's hidden guards. Xiao Wangye's hidden guard was named Lin Xiao, who had grown up with Xiao Wangye. While it was said they grew up together, it was more accurately a relationship of mutual exploitation. Ye Qingcheng seemed to know nothing else about him.
Ye Qingcheng sulkily sat on the straw pile, her mind filled with complaints about Xiao Wangye.
Meanwhile, Bi Xi, who had been kicked over by Xiao Wangye, also woke up. Perhaps it was due to the severe kick from Xiao Wangye, but the moment Bi Xi woke up, she felt incredibly nauseous, as if something was trying to come up. Bi Xi held onto a pillar and gagged several times towards the flower bushes, but unfortunately, she couldn't throw anything up. She could only lean against the pillar to calm herself.
After composing herself, Bi Xi still remembered to call for her master, only to discover that Ye Qingcheng was no longer beside her. She was greatly alarmed. She remembered that just a few seconds ago, Prince Xiao had suddenly barged into her mistress's courtyard and violently attacked Ye Qingcheng. Bi Xi panicked and began searching everywhere for her mistress.
However, no matter how hard Bi Xi tried to search, she couldn't see Ye Qingcheng. This made Bi Xi so anxious that tears welled up in her eyes.
At this moment, Yu Jian received the news that Ye Qingcheng had been locked in the woodshed by Prince Xiao. Her eyes narrowed, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curl upwards, giving people a chilling impression. She quickly called for a few of her closest sisters and first went to a spot not far from Ye Qingcheng's courtyard to survey it. The courtyard door had been forced open, and Yu Jian could clearly see the shoe prints on it. A trace of coldness flickered in her eyes, a coldness like a sharp dagger. Her mood today was exceptionally good; after all, how could she not be happy hearing that the person she disliked was locked in the woodshed by Prince Xiao?
Yu Jian's heart bloomed with joy, thinking, "He really didn't lie to me."
Yu Jian wore a dark green, symmetrically cinched waist, floor-length top, and a light green floral patterned silk skirt. Her sleeves were simply overlapped in dark green and light colors. She watched Bi Xi, who was frantically rushing around, humming an unknown song. She walked with a swagger of utter indifference towards Bi Xi, and Bi Xi, caught off guard, bumped right into Yu Jian.
"Still looking for your mistress?"
Seeing this, Yu Jian couldn't help but laugh out loud. Her laughter caught Bi Xi's attention. Bi Xi became nervous upon seeing Yu Jian, her face changing drastically in an instant. Bi Xi was not good at handling such isolated situations. She silently took a few steps back, now very flustered. She didn't understand why Yu Jian would appear in her mistress's courtyard.
Seeing her reaction, Yu Jian couldn't help but chuckle. To be honest, she had long found Bi Xi's demeanor unbearable. Bi Xi was very beautiful, with a petite and adorable appearance, and an expression that made her seem harmless. Yu Jian watched Bi Xi frown and said with a cold sneer, "It's futile to look for your princess. Your princess is currently locked in the woodshed. That kind of place is only for servants like us, you know~~"
The smile on Yu Jian's face grew more evident. She had never forgotten the humiliation of that day. The moment Ye Qingcheng had Bi Xi slap her, that hatred had deeply embedded itself in her heart. Sometimes, when a person endures for too long, their heart begins to change.
"Sister Yu."
A familiar voice reached Yu Jian. She turned to look at her former companions and smiled. She had two faces, one for friends. Bi Xi was somewhat at a loss, standing there blankly.
"Oh, you're here?"
Among Yu Jian's friends was a very tall girl, wearing a silk skirt similar to Yu Jian's. She walked over to Yu Jian, leading several other girls who usually followed them. The tall girl called Yu Jian "Sister Yu." Among their group of maids, Yu Jian was the boldest. In the circle of maids, if you were timid, you would immediately be bullied. Even being honest was useless.
Among these maids, some began to survey Ye Qingcheng's courtyard, while others looked at Bi Xi. That girl looked at Yu Jian and pointed at Bi Xi, saying, "Sister Yu, is this the maid who slapped you before?"
What the maid brought up was precisely the most infuriating matter for Yu Jian. Her expression instantly soured, turning darker than anyone could imagine. However, facing her friends, although she was very reluctant to bring up the matter, Yu Jian didn't hold a grudge. She crossed her arms, and her icy, feminine voice reached Bi Xi's ears, each word extremely sarcastic.
"That's right, I thought Ye Qingcheng was so formidable?"
The girl circled Bi Xi and then grabbed her hair, saying to Yu Jian, "This one is quite dull, isn't she?"
The girl pursed her cherry-like lips, her eyes filled with smiles as she looked at Yu Jian. Yu Jian shrugged and said, "Ye Qingcheng used to be even duller. She wouldn't dare fight back even when we bullied her. I don't know what's happened now, she's like a different person."
"So, Sister Yu, since that Ye Qingcheng is locked in the woodshed by the Prince, what's the point of hitting her?"
"Exactly."
Bi Xi stared at them dumbfoundedly. Seeing Bi Xi's state made Yu Jian angry. She turned to her sisters and said, "Then, let's have a fight with her. If she dares to fight back, hey, you know what will happen if I get angry and tell the Prince? Do you think your princess will die because of you?"
"Yes, it's rather something to look forward to~~"
Bi Xi hugged her head, holding back her tears. She dared not fight back, fearing that her princess would lose her life for nothing because of her. After they had played enough, she slowly got up. Bruises were visible all over her face and hands. Bi Xi gritted her teeth and went to Xiao Wangye's room.