With a slight movement of his fingertips, the invisible barrier of true energy quietly dissipated.

The carriage curtain was immediately lifted by a trembling hand, and Chunying practically tumbled and crawled off the carriage.

She caught sight of Qin Zhaoyue's unfriendly expression, and her legs went weak, causing her to kneel down with a "plop".

His forehead slammed heavily against the cold bluestone slab, his voice trembling with sobs and fear.

"This servant, Chunying, greets Your Highness, may Your Highness be well!"

Qin Zhaoyue didn't say anything, nor did she ask her to get up.

She simply tilted her head, her beautiful eyes scrutinizing the trembling maidservant from above.

The dim light in the alley cast flickering shadows on her face, adding to the sense of oppression.

Chunying felt that gaze was like a cold needle, piercing her whole body and making her tremble.

Since leaving the manor, she has been running around and waiting, without eating a single grain of rice, and is already at her last gasp.

At that moment, I felt waves of dizziness, and cold sweat streamed down my forehead and temples, soaking my collar and my back.

Time seemed to stretch on endlessly, with only heavy, suppressed breathing and the faint sounds of the city in the distance filling the alley.

She didn't know how much time had passed, so long that Chunying was almost fainting, when she finally heard a slow, leisurely question coming from above her head:

"At your young lady's birthday party that day... you were by her side the whole time, weren't you?"

These words struck Chunying like a thunderclap, as if she had been hit hard by an invisible hammer, and her whole body suddenly lunged forward.

His forehead slammed hard against the hard, cold bluestone slab once again, producing a dull thud that made your teeth ache.

Fear gripped his heart; he worried about being punished by the Sixth Prince and also about failing to fulfill the young lady's important request.

"This servant deserves to die! This servant deserves to die a thousand deaths! I beg Your Highness to have mercy! I beg Your Highness to have mercy!"

Thump! Thump! Thump! He kowtowed repeatedly, as if pounding garlic.

The dull thud was particularly jarring in the quiet alley, and blood instantly gushed from her smooth forehead.

Sweat and dust mingled on his pale face, leaving shocking marks that seeped into the bluestone slabs, spreading a dark red stain.

Qin Zhaoyue coldly stared at the maid who was kowtowing miserably, her eyes showing no tenderness, and even a mocking smile appeared on her lips.