The butler glanced pityingly at Wenxiang, who was standing there dumbfounded, and ignored the servants whispering among themselves before turning and leaving.
Although he didn't know why, yesterday they said he would be transferred to another residence, but now they want to drive him away, his master's order is an order, and he only needs to carry it out without hesitation.
"Hey, what did I tell you? This girl looks aloof, but who knows what she's plotting? She's always thinking about climbing the social ladder and becoming a phoenix."
"Tch, she doesn't even know her own worth. She thinks she's a princess. She's not even worthy to carry a princess's shoes."
"What are you standing there for? Didn't you hear what the butler said? Are you trying to freeload here?"
"She really thinks she's some kind of rich heiress. She doesn't even know her own worth."
"I get angry just seeing how superior she always is."
...
The cooks, who had always disliked her, finally seized the opportunity and crowded around, chattering as if they would be at a great loss if they didn't say a word.
Hua Cai looked down at her toes, calculated the time, and thought it should be about time: "Shi Tou, is the target nearby?"
"In the attic in the southeast direction." The system paused for two seconds, then quickly realized that "Stone" was calling it.
Hua Cai felt reassured, glanced sadly towards the study, and lowered her head in disappointment: "Brother Guard, I'll pack my things and leave right away."
Without waiting for the onlookers outside to react, he quickly went inside and closed the door.
The people outside the door didn't react for a moment, and as they watched the door close, an uproar broke out.
"What's there for a little maid to pack? She came in tattered clothes, but now she's wearing and using things from the manor."
"Exactly, she's definitely trying to steal something. The young prince used to spoil this slut and must have given her a lot of things. Could she be trying to take it all with her?"
"Brother guard, we absolutely cannot let this wretch run away with all the things in the manor."
Several guards brought by the steward stood watch at the door, ignoring the group's open and subtle provocations.
These are just petty schemes that can't be brought to the table; those who have been with the steward and the young prince for years have seen plenty of them.
Inside the room, Hua Cai quickly pulled out a set of clothes that had been folded together and put them on.
The clothes were old, with several stains that couldn't be washed out, and patched on top of ...
This was the only thing that Hua Cai had managed to find that belonged to the original owner—a set of clothes that couldn't even be called a rag.
These clothes are from three years ago, and Wenxiang has been growing a lot in these years, so they don't fit her well now; the pants and sleeves are too small.
Fortunately, the clothes in this world are generally long, and the socks cover the ankles, so nothing that shouldn't be exposed is revealed.
Hua Cai looked at herself in the mirror, found nothing wrong, picked up the scroll she had wrapped, opened the door and went out.
The moment the door opened, the noisy commotion immediately subsided.
"I... I only have this outfit and this painting. Everything else I wear and use belongs to the Prince's Mansion. Now that I'm leaving, I won't take anything else with me," Hua Cai said softly, nervously tugging at her slightly short sleeves.
"First, do you remember what she was wearing when she first entered the manor? Was she carrying a scroll?" On the pavilion not far away, Zhao Qiang frowned as he looked at Wen Xiang's patched clothes.
He had been pampered since childhood and could hardly imagine that clothes in this world could be so torn.
"It should be... this outfit now." The man in black only vaguely remembered that when Wen Xiang first arrived, she was wearing a tattered rag that was hard to tell what it was originally made of, which left a deep impression on him. He couldn't remember exactly what it looked like. "That scroll should be from a few years ago. The creases on the scroll look like it's quite old. It must have been folded up and carried on her back then."
When they brought her in, they didn't actually search her body.
"A few years ago?" Zhao Qiang's eyes turned cold, and he suddenly felt like he had been tricked by a servant.
Was it a coincidence or intentional that he brought her into his mansion back then?
"Immediately expel them from the palace, and no one is allowed to provide them with any assistance."
With a cold remark, Zhao Qiang turned and left.
The man in black turned his head and looked at Wenxiang, who was surrounded by the crowd.
You probably can't find another piece of clothing this tattered in the Prince's mansion.
Three years have passed, and this little maid still hasn't thrown away these tattered clothes. She's even mended them so carefully. She really... hasn't forgotten her roots.
For the first time, the man in black began to doubt what he was seeing. Could it be... that he was mistaken? Was the person in the painting not the young prince at all?
The world was silent for two minutes, then finally sounds came out again.
"You said it was just a painting, but the cloth covering it must have been expensive. It must have been the best fabric bestowed upon us by the young prince."
People who want to find fault can always find an opportunity to nitpick.
"Exactly, who knows if it contains a famous painting treasured in the mansion?"
The kitchen manager, who disliked Wenxiang the most, was even more smug when he saw her in such a state, and reached out to snatch the painting from Huacai's hands.
Hua Cai quickly took a step back, tightly clutching the scroll to her chest, and warily watched the crowd.
Her appearance did not deter the men; instead, it stirred up their darker side, and they pushed Hua Cai aside with even greater force.
Hua Cai lost her balance and crashed heavily into a tree, the scroll in her hand slipping from her grasp and rolling to the ground.
The burly cook was taken aback, then awkwardly withdrew her hand, seemingly somewhat frightened.
Wenxiang's identity was no longer the same as before. Soon someone realized this, mustered up their courage, picked up the painting, quickly unwrapped the cloth, and took out the painting inside.
The scene fell silent for a moment, then erupted into chaos again.
"This must be... the young prince."
"I think so."
Everyone stared at Wenxiang in disbelief. They never expected that this quiet little maid would have such great ambitions. Judging from the color of the drawing paper, it must have been several years ago.
What kind of scheming is this? He's been hiding it so well for so many years, acting like nothing's wrong.
"As expected, you have ulterior motives. The young prince must have known about your filthy thoughts, which is why he ordered you, a delusional person, to be driven out."
It has to be said that the cook unintentionally revealed the truth.
As the cook spoke, her eyes grew increasingly envious of the two figures in the painting. Her eyes reddened, and with a sharp tug, she tore the painting in two with a "rip".
Hua Cai, still somewhat disoriented from the shove, heard the sound and abruptly looked up.
"Stop! Stop!"
With a few more soft sounds, the entire painting was reduced to a pile of fragments.
"Stop!" Hua Cai's eyes turned red, and she pounced on him as if she wanted to devour him. The ferocity on her face startled even the black-clad man who was still monitoring the mission from the upper floor.
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