Chapter 142 Don’t cause trouble, but don’t be afraid of trouble!

Hearing Zi Yan's words, Zhong Min was immediately puzzled. She didn't even know Xu Ji, so how could she be involved in this matter for no reason? Seeing Zi Yan's hesitant expression, she felt that there was something strange going on.

Guessing that this matter would take more than a few words to explain, Zhong Min carried Ruyi back to the house and asked Xier and Ziyan to follow them in to talk about it. Although there was no one else around at the moment, someone might show up at any time. The yard was no longer like before when only the three of them lived there. The servants Jiang Xiyan brought over were respectful on the surface, but no one could tell what they were like in private.

After entering the house, Xier cleverly closed the door. After making sure that no one was eavesdropping, she let Zi Yan tell her the whole story in detail.

It turned out that Xu Ji had not done anything excessive. She just complained a few times while chatting with several other concubines in the mansion. She just said that Jiang Xiyan was too fierce and had no tolerance at all. Now she was so powerful before she officially became the Princess Mu. Their lives would be even more difficult in the future when she had a legitimate title.

Xu Jixu couldn't stand Jiang Xiyan and taunted her a bit, saying that no matter how arrogant Jiang Xiyan was, she was no more than this. On the surface, it looked like the prince was completely obedient and doting on her, but in reality, in all his time at the palace, the prince had never spent a night in Tingyu Pavilion. She was no better off than someone who wasn't favored. It was unclear what Jiang Xiyan could do to be so arrogant when she hadn't even slept in the prince's bed.

But who knew that these words would reach Jiang Xiyan's ears soon after they were spoken? Jiang Xiyan had always been proud and arrogant, and couldn't stand looking at the women in the back garden. Now that she was being mocked like this, she naturally felt it was a great humiliation. Therefore, she immediately had Xu Ji tied up and taken to Tingyu Pavilion for questioning.

Xu Ji was a brave person. She admitted it without saying a word. She thought it was just a matter of house arrest and a scolding. However, she didn't expect Jiang Xiyan to be so cruel. Without saying anything, she had her dragged out and beaten. She was beaten with more than thirty boards in a row. When the person in charge said that she would die soon if she was beaten again, Jiang Xiyan stopped.

Afterwards, Jiang Xiyan had Xu Ji dragged back and did not allow anyone to seek medical treatment. It was obvious that she wanted to establish her authority and let everyone in the mansion see the consequences of being dissatisfied with her.

After hearing this, Zhong Min didn't feel too much sympathy for Xu Ji. She knew Jiang Xiyan wasn't a good person, yet she overestimated her own abilities and shot herself in the foot. Such a person was quite foolish. Regardless of whether Jiang Xiyan had slept with Xiao Mingzheng or not, she was now the official in charge of the Mu Palace's backyard. Not only did she not shy away from it, but she foolishly went after her. Aren't you dissatisfied with your own peaceful life?

"That's all? What does this have to do with me?" Zhong Min looked at Zi Yan in confusion. After listening to it, she felt that all the suffering Xu Ji suffered was caused by this silly woman's careless talk, and it had nothing to do with her.

"That's right, don't keep talking nonsense. People who don't know would think you're throwing mud at Jin'er." Xi'er also said, "If there's a villain spreading rumors here, I'll show you how I'll deal with that bitch."

Xier was naturally not talking about Zi Yan, but the person who turned around and passed Xu Ji's words to Jiang Xiyan. Originally, it was just a few complaints, and Xu Ji trusted those people so she would say it in private. Who would have thought that people's hearts are hidden, and they would stir up such a big wave for no reason and cause such a disaster for no reason.

When Zi Yan heard this, she thought Xi'er was talking about her, and quickly said aggrievedly: "Sister Xi'er, please don't misunderstand me. I didn't spread rumors, and I wouldn't do that. I always remember how good Miss Min'er was to me, so how could I..."

"Okay, Xier isn't talking about you." Zhong Min interrupted Zi Yan and said, "You haven't said anything yet. What does this have to do with me?"

Hearing this, Zi Yan finally breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing Xi'er also smile at her, she finally understood. She quickly explained, "It's like this. Actually, the reason Xu Ji was treated so badly by Jiang Xiyan this time was because, in addition to what she said, she also said something that made Jiang Xiyan the most angry."

"Xu Ji said that the person the prince cares about most isn't Jiang Xiyan at all, but..." Zi Yan paused, looked at Zhong Min, and then continued, "It's you, Miss Min'er. She said that ever since you became the prince's personal maid, the prince rarely went into the back garden to ask for concubines to sleep with him. This was even more so since he returned from the capital. He even stopped favoring his former concubine, Liu. Later, when Jiang Xiyan came, although she seemed very favored, she didn't actually sleep with him. Xu Ji said that if you, Miss Min'er, hadn't refused, the prince would have married you long ago, and Jiang Xiyan wouldn't have been a problem at all."

As soon as these words were spoken, Zhong Min fell silent, and Xi'er, beside her, didn't dare to speak a word. Xu Ji's words might have sounded like a vent of anger, but they were naturally well aware of what was going on in the back garden, especially the details of who had slept with her and when. It was impossible to get them wrong. This was the first time she had heard this, and she felt an indescribable feeling within her, one she couldn't quite place.

However, Xu Ji was a bit too arbitrary in one respect. Xiao Mingzheng's seldom visiting the back garden couldn't be entirely due to her. Firstly, Xiao Mingzheng wasn't one for sensual pleasures. Secondly, he'd been incredibly busy these days, barely getting enough sleep. How could he possibly have the energy to dwell on matters of love? As for Jiang Xiyan, Xiao Mingzheng knew that woman had ill intentions, so how could he truly be fooled by appearances?

"Xu Ji really thinks highly of me, but I don't have the ability she says I have." Zhong Min chuckled softly, stroking Ruyi in his arms and muttering to himself, "If he's really willing to remain a virgin for me, from now on, I'll truly believe in fairytale love."

Xi'er and Zi Yan naturally didn't quite understand what Zhong Min was saying. They exchanged a glance, but didn't dare ask any further questions. Zhong Min placed Ruyi on the ground, stood up, and patted the remaining fine hair in his arms. He continued, "This silly woman, it's fine if she's just looking for trouble, but she actually dragged me into this for no reason. She's really worried that I'm not getting too comfortable in this palace."

"Jin'er, you mean Jiang Xiyan will get angry with you because of this?" Xi'er finally realized what was going on and said with a hint of worry, "What should we do then? Jiang Xiyan is really not someone you can easily deal with."

"What should we do? Forget about it." Zhong Min didn't care too much. "Even if I flatter her every day, she still doesn't like me in her heart. Isn't the previous incident the best example? Forget it, let her be. We don't cause trouble, but we are not afraid of it. I am not those women in the back garden. She won't use such means to deal with me. Just be careful and try not to give others a handle. Let everything else take its course."

As he was speaking, there was a commotion in the yard outside. Zhong Min immediately stopped talking and winked at Xier, indicating that she should go out and see what was going on.

Unexpectedly, just as the door opened, a maidservant named Chu'er ran in. Seeing Zhong Min, she quickly reported, "Miss Min'er, Xiang'er and I just came back from the kitchen and saw someone rushing into our yard. We asked and found out it was Wu Ji, who said she had something important to discuss with you. Seeing that she looked a little strange, I didn't dare let her in directly, so I asked Xiang'er to hold the person back first."

"Wu Ji? I don't know her, why is she looking for me?" Although he said this, Zhong Min felt in his heart that it was most likely related to Xu Ji's matter.

"I don't know about this either. She won't tell me anything even when I ask her. She insists on meeting you in person." Chu'er was quite clever and immediately added, "But Wu Ji and Xu Ji have always had a very good relationship. Today, I heard that Xu Ji committed a serious offense and was punished by Miss Jiang. Perhaps she came to see you because of this matter."

After hearing Chu'er's words, Zhong Min looked at Chu'er with a little interest. He didn't look at her closely on weekdays, but after looking at her from such a close distance today, he felt that Chu'er was quite smart and clever. He didn't know who she had served in the past.

"You are quite well-informed. I don't even know what happened in the mansion today." She said this casually, but her eyes were staring at every subtle expression on Chu'er's face extremely sharply.

"I just heard about it when I went to the kitchen. Now the matter has spread throughout the mansion. Miss Min'er seldom pays attention to these trivial matters, so it is normal that she doesn't know about it." Chu'er looked calm, without any abnormality, and her expression was quite calm and generous, but not as cautious as other maids.

"What's your name? Where did you work before?" Zhong Min immediately became interested in the maid in front of him.

"My name is Chu'er, and the one outside is Xiang'er. We were both chosen by Miss Jiang to serve Miss Min'er a while ago." Chu'er said respectfully, "Xiang'er and I used to work at Tingyu Pavilion. Actually, before we went to Tingyu Pavilion, Butler Liu had planned to have me and Xiang'er serve Miss Min'er together, but Miss Min'er felt that too many people would be troublesome, so he only asked Butler Liu to find Sister Xi'er to come. Later, Miss Jiang was worried that Miss Min'er wouldn't be able to serve well with so few people here, so she specially selected two people from Tingyu Pavilion. This is how Xiang'er and I have the opportunity to serve Miss Min'er again."

After hearing Chu'er's explanation, Zhong Min suddenly understood. No wonder she felt that the two girls looked familiar. It turned out that they were the ones Xiao Mingzheng wanted to send to serve her. However, she didn't think about it at the time. She didn't expect that after a change of hands, Jiang Xiyan sent the two girls back by mistake.

"In that case, according to your opinion, should I meet Wu Ji outside or not?" Since it was the maid that Xiao Mingzheng picked for her, she would naturally not be ignorant. Zhong Min was not suspicious of anything, but just wanted to see how smart this girl was.