The maids spoke with grievance, mentioning several times how Huo Jingsha would deal with them. They knew he had more than just the four of them as his spies, and if word got back to him, it would be a matter of life and death. Even as their mistress, she couldn't force him too much. On one hand, she felt sorry for him, and on the other hand, she was afraid of backfiring and arousing suspicion.
Since the plan to lure the tiger away from the mountain didn't work, she had to think of other ways. However, with four people guarding her during the day, and Huo Jingsha returning at night, she had even less chance to leave.
Damn it! Shu Yao was so angry she wanted to smash things! With such tight security, she had searched the entire courtyard but still couldn't find a suitable way out. Frustrated, she could only sit in the pavilion by the pond, her mind in turmoil.
"Could you please leave me a little further away? I want to be alone for a while." The four maids followed her everywhere, which was really annoying to see.
"Aunt Yao, please forgive me. Your Majesty has an order..."
"You all know I'm a concubine, not a prisoner. Can't I even be alone for a while? Now I order you all to stay away!" she coldly rebuked.
The maids looked at each other... Although the master had ordered them to guard Aunt Yao, he had also said not to displease her. So they had no choice but to retreat to a place ten meters away from the pavilion. This way, they could both obey the master's orders and fulfill Aunt Yao's wishes, while also having a clear view of everything in the pavilion.
Although the four of them hadn't gone far, at least they had given her some space. You Shuyao stopped looking at them, turned around, stood up, and went to the edge of the shimmering pool to stare blankly.
Just when she had finally managed to get rid of the maids, another woman arrived uninvited, disturbing Shu Yao's rare peace and quiet.
Aunt Shao, accompanied by a maid, was also taking a stroll in the garden. When she saw You Shuyao, she tried to approach her to strike up a conversation, but the four maids immediately stepped forward to stop her.
Seeing this, Aunt Shao was not angry. She smiled politely and said, "I just wanted to chat with Sister Shuyao about everyday things. I have no ill intentions. I hope the four of you will let us through."
Concubine Shao was bestowed upon Huo Jingsha by the Emperor. She was incomparably beautiful and charming, and was already quite favored by Huo Jingsha. Her status was above that of the other concubines. When she came to chat with Shu Yao, it could be said that she was giving her face.
Chai'er, the maidservant beside Consort Shao, was displeased to see that her mistress was being stopped from seeing a concubine of lower status than herself.
“My aunt isn’t a wolf or a tiger. We all serve the master in the backyard, so we should get along peacefully. Can’t we even greet each other? You’re the only ones who know how to cherish your masters?”
Aunt Shao, relying on her power, indulged Chai'er's loud voice, which was also a deliberate reminder to the person in the pavilion.
You Shuyao heard this and turned to look at Aunt Shao. She had originally wanted to find some peace and quiet by herself, but after seeing Chai'er's arrogant and domineering attitude, she suddenly had a flash of inspiration: perhaps she could make use of her.
Concubine Shao was originally the most favored among the dozens of concubines. Now that she has risen to the top and stolen the other's favor, even if Concubine Shao does not show it on her face, she must be full of resentment in her heart.
Hmph! I was just looking for an opportunity, maybe I could start with this spoiled and arrogant concubine.
Thinking of this, You Shuyao smiled at Aunt Shao and told Chunlu and the others not to stop them, but to let the two of them come over and chat in the pavilion to relieve their boredom.
As Aunt Shao stepped forward, You Shuyao also noticed something amiss. Perhaps Aunt Shao remained expressionless, but the maid beside her, Chai'er, was less experienced and betrayed her hidden ill intentions.
You Shuyao was very curious. In front of her four maids, what did they want to do to her? Why did she feel a strange sense of anticipation?
As soon as Aunt Shao arrived, she adopted a gentle and virtuous demeanor, greeting her with a beaming smile and saying some polite words. Very well, as the saying goes, one doesn't hit a smiling face; she was adept at putting on a show. You Shuyao, however, simply smiled and watched her without showing any emotion. Who can't put on a show? But secretly, she was carefully observing, waiting to see what the other would do so she could respond accordingly.
You Shuyao noticed that Aunt Shao had moved her position closer to the edge of the pool. There was a pillar not far in front of her, which blocked her from standing there. Hmm... this angle was quite intriguing, and she couldn't help but watch with great interest.
Before the two could exchange more than a few words, Aunt Shao couldn't wait any longer. Suddenly, she screamed and fell into the pond with a "plop."
Actually, as she kept getting closer to the edge of the pool, You Shuyao had already roughly guessed what was going on, but she didn't expect her to actually dare to do it.
Although the pond was dug by hand, the water level under the pavilion is not shallow. If someone falls in, they will really drown if they are not rescued in time. It seems that Aunt Shao is going all out to trip me up. How can I not grant her wish? If gaining Huo Jingsha's favor is so important to her, then she can just say so. She is willing to offer it to her with both hands.
The sudden situation caught the four maids off guard. Chunlu's first reaction was to come and guard Aunt Yao. Then she turned to Dongxue and gave her a wink. Dongxue understood and immediately used her lightness skill to pull Aunt Shao out of the water.
As soon as they reached the shore, Aunt Shao cried out loudly as if she had suffered a great injustice, attracting the attention of the nearby servants.
"You, you've gone too far! If you don't like me, I'll leave. Why did you have to push me into the water like that? You're trying to kill me! Cough cough cough... Waaah... Are you taking advantage of the adults' affection to treat people's lives so lightly?"
You Shuyao simply looked at Aunt Shao, neither refuting nor explaining her accusations. Instead, she smiled and continued watching, as if she were watching a play in a theater.
Aunt Shao deliberately jumped into the water, knowing full well that someone would rescue her. Once rescued, she naturally wanted to make a big scene. Her maid, Chai'er, had long been in cahoots with her mistress, and their cooperation was seamless, making her cry even more earth-shattering.
"My master simply misses you dearly, and asked Aunt Yao to convey his message to you. If you are unwilling, you can simply refuse. Why get so angry and push my master into the water!"
The two women, mistress and servant, sang in unison, their cries so pitiful and tragic. Aunt Shao was responsible for crying, while Chai'er was responsible for pleading her innocence, as if they wanted everyone to hear how ruthless Aunt Yao was, daring to openly push Aunt Shao into the water in the Huo mansion, intending to kill her.
You Shuyao looked at Aunt Shao, then glanced at Chunlu and the other three.
Just now, Aunt Shao stood in a position that blocked the view of Chunlu and the other three by using the pillar, making it impossible to know whether she framed them or whether You Shuyao really pushed them down.
After observing the expressions of Chunlu and the other three, You Shuyao knew that they had indeed not seen anything, but they were also staring straight at her. If she were to deny it even once, the four of them would immediately stand on her side, condemning Aunt Shao for making false accusations and protecting her to the end.
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