"Here, Chun Tao will attend to you. Madam Gu, you should continue to rest."
"What are you saying, Miss? This old servant was born to serve you. How can I rest while you are unattended?" Madam Gu smiled, but for some reason, her smile sent a chill down one's spine.
She turned to Rong Zhi: "Chun Tao, you are not needed here. You may return."
However, Xing Jiahui cast a pleading glance at Rong Zhi: "Chun Tao, you must not leave. You will stay here tonight."
"Yes." Rong Zhi quickly stepped forward and blocked Madam Gu: "Madam Gu has been working hard these past few days. Allow me to serve the Madam."
"Hmph, you little vixen..." Madam Gu started to protest, but Rong Zhi had already closed the door. Turning back, she saw that Xing Jiahui's face had turned pale, clearly terrified.
"Madam, don't you find Madam Gu a bit strange today?"
Xing Jiahui looked outside with lingering fear. Although she didn't answer, her expression said it all.
She opened her mouth as if to say something, but her expression shifted, and finally, she only uttered: "Chun Tao, you will stand guard outside the door tonight and allow no one to enter."
Rong Zhi nodded, a vague feeling dawning on her that Madam Gu's unusual behavior today was undoubtedly connected to Xia Jin's bloodletting.
As night fell, the entire courtyard grew quiet. The guards who were usually stationed around inexplicably disappeared. The courtyard was empty and eerily silent. Rong Zhi, standing by the door, couldn't help but rub her arms.
At this moment, a scream suddenly echoed from inside the room.
Rong Zhi pushed the door open and found Madam Gu wielding an axe, chasing Xing Jiahui around the room.
Xing Jiahui's clothes were disheveled, her hair unbound, and as she ran, she cried for help, looking utterly disheveled.
Upon closer inspection, the back window was wide open. Madam Gu must have entered through it. Rong Zhi, engrossed in her thoughts about Madam Gu and Xia Jin, had failed to notice the movement at the back window.
Just then, Xing Jiahui spotted Rong Zhi, and like a drowning person grasping at a straw, she lunged towards her. Rong Zhi had intended to use her flying needles to save Xing Jiahui, but in a flash, she suddenly realized she was Chun Tao.
Chun Tao knew no martial arts. Exposing herself for Xing Jiahui was not worth it. Therefore, Rong Zhi grabbed Xing Jiahui and fled, shouting for help loudly.
"Help! Help!"
But inexplicably, no matter how much Rong Zhi cried for help, no one came to investigate. At this point, Rong Zhi was even more certain that this was a trap.
Madam Gu, brandishing the axe, pursued them relentlessly. Rong Zhi pulled Xing Jiahui, dodging everywhere. It was unclear how, but Madam Gu's speed had suddenly increased dramatically. Several times, Madam Gu's axe had grazed Xing Jiahui's hair, and Xing Jiahui's screams filled the courtyard.
"Madam, let's go to the steward's!" Rong Zhi spotted the courtyard gate and pulled Xing Jiahui towards it.
She suspected Xia Jin was behind this. The one who tied the knot must untie it. She refused to believe that Xia Jin actually wanted Xing Jiahui to die in the General's residence!
Wait? Die in the General's residence? Could Xia Jin genuinely intend to kill Xing Jiahui, thereby escalating the conflict between the General's residence and the Prime Minister's residence, and framing Xia Yunting for murder?
Rong Zhi found this highly plausible and couldn't help but marvel at Xia Jin's ruthlessness, even conceiving such a scheme.
In a moment, Rong Zhi saw Xia Jin's room. From afar, she began to shout, "Steward, help!"
The candlelight inside flickered, indicating that someone was still awake. However, despite Rong Zhi's commotion, no one emerged from within.
Seeing Madam Gu rapidly closing in behind them, Rong Zhi moved directly to the doorway. As Madam Gu raised her axe to strike, Rong Zhi pulled Xing Jiahui aside.
"Crack!" The axe landed precisely on the steward's door. The next moment, the steward emerged with a darkened expression.
"Who's making such a racket outside... Oh, it's Madam. Why has Madam graced my humble abode today?"
"Madam Gu..." Xing Jiahui stammered, pointing a trembling finger behind Xia Jin.
There, Madam Gu was attempting to pull out the axe deeply embedded in the door. However, the axe was stuck too firmly. Madam Gu struggled and pulled but could not dislodge it.
Madam Gu no longer resembled a person. Her hair was disheveled, and she looked like a demon, her eyes bloodshot, as if possessed.
She hadn't been this frantic earlier. The moment she entered Xia Jin's courtyard, she transformed. If Xing Jiahui were to be believed, Xia Jin was involved.
Xia Jin turned and saw Madam Gu, frowning. "Madam, how do you manage your servants? You've damaged my door with Madam Gu. How am I supposed to sleep now?"
With that, he touched Madam Gu's head, and she suddenly fainted.
Rong Zhi clearly saw him form a strange hand seal before touching Madam Gu's head. As expected, he was controlling Madam Gu.
Seeing this, Xing Jiahui mustered her courage and asked Xia Jin, "Is this your doing? Did you make Madam Gu like this?"
Xia Jin laughed. "Madam, you wound me. How could I possibly have such abilities? It must be that Madam Gu ate something bad, perhaps poisoned and hallucinating. However..." He cast a meaningful glance at Madam Gu on the ground. "I've heard that when people hallucinate, they see reflections of their deepest inner selves. Madam Gu, wielding an axe and attacking you in her delusion, seems to harbor deep resentment towards you."
Xing Jiahui's face turned ugly upon hearing this.
"Don't spout nonsense. Madam Gu is the most loyal servant I have."
"I've heard of Madam Gu's loyalty before. Otherwise, Madam wouldn't have brought only Madam Gu with her to the General's residence upon marriage. But Madam, look clearly. You only have this one helper in the General's residence. Once this helper is gone, you'll be at the mercy of others..."
Xing Jiahui's expression froze. She hadn't expected Xia Jin to speak to her like this. It was true that when she married into the General's residence, her father had sent her to monitor Xia Yunting. However, she was unwilling to be controlled in such a manner and unable to make her own decisions, even about marriage. Thus, she had brought only Madam Gu, her most trusted attendant, abandoning the maids who might have been sent by her father. She never imagined it would lead to this outcome.
"Madam, do you understand now? If you want to live a peaceful life, you must obey the arrangements from above. You and I are the same. The right path is to curry favor with the General. I've said all I need to say. Madam, please return."
At this moment, Madam Gu also woke up, looking around blankly before her gaze settled on Xing Jiahui. "Miss, why am I here?"
Xing Jiahui snorted and returned in a huff.
Seeing this, Rong Zhi understood everything. This was all orchestrated by Xia Jin. Making Madam Gu go mad was merely a warning to Xing Jiahui that she had a mission in the General's residence.
Was it really necessary to create such a scene just to scare Xing Jiahui?
"Chun Tao." Xia Jin beckoned Rong Zhi. "Come here."
Rong Zhi felt a surge of caution and slowly walked over.
Xia Jin's gaze fell upon Rong Zhi, appraising her from head to toe as if trying to see through her. "I initially found you a bit odd, thinking you might be an imposter, which is why I had you attend to Xing Jiahui. Now, it seems I was overthinking."
Rong Zhi's heart sank. As expected, Xia Jin had become suspicious of her. Fortunately, she hadn't used any special movement techniques when fleeing with Xing Jiahui earlier; otherwise, she would have been completely exposed.
"Madam Gu asked you to serve Xing Jiahui, but don't you dare think you belong to Xing Jiahui. Don't forget who your master is. Come in!"
Xia Jin gestured towards the room. Rong Zhi hesitated before following him inside. Upon entering, Rong Zhi discovered that Xia He, Qiu Ju, and Dong Mei were all present.
They all looked deathly pale, their faces etched with residual fear, as if they had endured something terrible.
"Chun Tao." Seeing Rong Zhi, despair flashed in Dong Mei's eyes.
"What happened to you?" Rong Zhi immediately noticed they all looked unwell. As she stepped forward to examine them closely, she felt a sharp pain in her back, her breathing suddenly arrested.
A few drops of blood fell to the ground, splashing like plum blossoms. Rong Zhi felt a sweet, metallic taste in her throat. This was...
"Chun Tao!" The other girls cried out in alarm, their faces even paler than before.
"What are you yelling about? Be quiet!" Xia Jin impatiently withdrew his blade, its once silver surface now stained with blood.
"No one is to speak of what happened today. Seven days from now, you will naturally be released. Go back."
Xia Jin uttered a cold sentence. The girls supported each other and stood up. Rong Zhi then noticed that their chest garments were torn, revealing bloodstains. It seemed these girls had also had their blood drawn by the steward. Could they all end up like Madam Gu?
"Let's go." Dong Mei, her face ashen, called out to Rong Zhi. Rong Zhi then returned with them to their room.
Once back, all the girls collapsed. If Rong Zhi hadn't guessed wrong, Xia Jin had taken their heart's blood. Such wounds were unbearable for ordinary people. The fact that the girls could still walk back was remarkable. Although Rong Zhi considered the wound minor, to avoid revealing herself, she feigned weakness.
Xia He found medicine and applied it to everyone. Rong Zhi seized the opportunity to ask her, "The steward said we'd be released in seven days. What's that about?"
Xia He replied, "We begged the steward to let us leave, but he refused, saying he would only let us go if we agreed to let him draw our blood every night."
Qiu Ju's face was even paler than the others. Tears streamed down her face from the pain. "I hope the steward keeps his word. I can't endure another day of this."
Rong Zhi thought, it was probably... not that simple.
Rong Zhi's guess was correct. For the next few days, Xia Jin had the four of them go to him every night to draw blood. Xia Jin's actions were quick and discreet. Besides drawing blood, he did nothing else, leaving Rong Zhi no clue as to his intentions.
More importantly, Xia Yunting had been nowhere to be seen for the past two days. Rong Zhi asked Chen Xing, who merely said that Xia Yunting had encountered assassins outside.
Although Xia Yunting had returned to the imperial city some time ago, assassins remained rampant. This time, it was unclear what kind of assassins they were, but they required Xia Yunting to personally pursue them. Rong Zhi had no choice but to inform Chen Xing about Xia Jin drawing blood and ask him to decide.
In the evening, Rong Zhi was sound asleep when she suddenly heard a gust of wind from outside, as if someone was blowing sleeping gas in. Rong Zhi immediately held her breath.
Who?