Chapter 115: The Fence-Sitter

After leaving Jianzhang Palace, Yuan Siyin wandered through most of the palace and coincidentally found the palace maid who had dragged her away that day.

So what if she did it on purpose? She's just petty!

There's a saying that goes, "If someone offends me, I will punish them no matter how far away they are."

She would retaliate in kind, just as Shen Ruolan had done to her.

However, to Yuan Siyin's surprise, the palace maid was actually on duty in Changbai Palace.

She didn't remember Zi Yuan having found such a person, and besides, after Yu Shiyan left the palace to establish his own residence, the people who served him were sent back to the Yeting Palace.

Upon seeing Yuan Siyin appear, the palace maid was clearly startled and panicked. She quickly dropped the bamboo broom in her hand, knelt down, and kowtowed.

Yuan Siyin ignored her and asked casually, "What's your name?"

"Replying to Miss, my name is Yulan."

The palace maid answered tremblingly, her body shaking like a leaf.

Do you know why I came to find you?

Yuan Siyin chuckled softly, walked to the red bean tree, gently placed her slender hand on the mottled trunk, her eyelashes drooping slightly as she stroked it incessantly: "Because of me, I hold a grudge."

"This servant does not understand what you mean, young lady."

Yulan lowered her head in fright until a pair of exquisite embroidered shoes came into view.

She shivered, slowly raised her head, and looked up until she met the woman's beautifully smiling eyes.

Those phoenix eyes were undeniably captivating, yet they held no extra emotion; they simply smiled beautifully, their warmth failing to reach their depths.

"Don't know? That's alright. Then do you know who I am?"

Knowing she had overstepped her bounds, Yulan immediately lowered her eyes and replied in a trembling voice, "You are Miss Yuan."

"That's good then. Shen Ruolan didn't ask you to do murder or arson, so naturally I won't do it."

Yuan Siyin stopped smiling and looked at her coldly.

"This servant deserves to die! This servant...this servant..."

Upon hearing Shen Ruolan's name, Yulan knew that the truth had been revealed. Her face turned deathly pale, her forehead was covered in sweat, and her thin, trembling body resembled a withered leaf in the wind.

"Look how scared you are. Don't worry, if I really wanted to do something, you wouldn't be standing here unharmed."

As she spoke, Yuan Siyin squatted down and gently patted her shoulder, which startled the woman so much that she trembled.

"But now that I've put it in the account, it won't be so easy to get away with it."

Yuan Si smiled.

"Yulan will obey your orders, Miss!"

Upon hearing that things had taken a turn for the better, Yulan immediately began to kowtow repeatedly.

Gently, the bricks of Changbai Hall are not very sturdy to begin with!

Yuan Siyin hesitated for a long time, but swallowed back the words that were about to come out.

"I will take you out of the palace, into the Crown Prince's residence, to serve that person..."

Yuan Siyin racked her brains but couldn't come up with a name.

Her aura as a vicious supporting character has completely collapsed!

Yulan was quick-witted; seeing that she couldn't remember, she immediately reminded her, "Qingzhi."

"That's right, you know how to read the situation."

Yuan Siyin nodded, barely managing to compose herself: "Just serve me wholeheartedly, and there can be no mistakes whatsoever."

"This servant will certainly do her best... but what about Consort Shen..."

As she spoke, Yulan looked at her timidly.

Yuan Siyin immediately understood her unspoken meaning. After all, she was a shrewd person who knew to seek protection from another.

"It's alright, I'll take care of things there. I want to see both mother and child safe and sound in eight months."

This is a chance to redeem myself. I will be leaving the capital soon, and my return date is uncertain. If I return and one of you is missing, you will be held responsible.

She paused for a moment, then spoke.

"One more thing, if you do a good job of being a fence-sitter, you'll naturally be popular with both sides."

If you don't do well, you're just asking for trouble. Think carefully about that.

"This servant understands."

Magnolia collapsed to the ground; her initial plans had been extinguished.