So at many times, she truly regarded herself as a concubine, forgetting her once noble status.
"Liu'er." Li Sinian stepped forward and took her hand. Her hand involuntarily wanted to shrink back, but she held back.
"My Lord, why didn't you inform me of your arrival? So that I could come to greet you." Aunt Liu pulled Li Sinian to sit on the couch.
Li Sinian patted her hand and said, "After such a long time without seeing you, are you angry with me?"
"My Lord, what are you talking about? Even if I were angry with anyone, I wouldn't dare be angry with you!" Aunt Liu said.
Li Sinian smiled, "You say you're not angry? But your words don't sound like you're not angry at all."
Aunt Liu chuckled softly, "You haven't visited me for so long, you must have forgotten me. Since you have forgotten me, do you still expect me to remember you? My Lord is too greedy."
Li Sinian sighed, "I've been quite busy lately, Liu'er, please don't blame me."
"How would I dare?" Aunt Liu pouted.
Li Sinian embraced her and said, "How about I apologize?"
With that, he pulled her down to lie down, and the curtains were drawn. Ping'er quickly withdrew outside the door.
Suddenly, she heard Aunt Liu's voice from inside, "Ping'er..."
Ping'er was startled but dared not hesitate, so she walked in. She saw that in the tent, His Lord was lying stiffly on the bed. Aunt Liu, on the other hand, only had her clothes slightly disarranged, but was otherwise unharmed.
A strange thought inexplicably arose in her heart.
"Go get me a bucket of water. I want to bathe," Aunt Liu said, getting off the bed.
"Yes, Auntie." Ping'er left.
Aunt Liu looked at Li Sinian behind her and sneered, "You want me? Dream on."
Without hesitation, she walked out of the inner chamber. A wooden tub was already filled with hot water. She sat down and scrubbed her skin fiercely.
Ping'er watched her rub her skin until it was red and couldn't help but say, "Auntie, it's already red."
"Get out," Aunt Liu said angrily.
Ping'er did not dare to linger and quickly retreated.
Before Li Yaoqin could lie down, Lian Xin came in and said, "Eldest Miss, Ping'er, Aunt Liu's maid, wishes to see you."
Li Yaoqin was startled. Lian Xin said, "Shall I refuse her for you?"
Li Yaoqin shook her head, "Let her in!"
This was Ping'er's first time entering the Eldest Miss's boudoir. She looked at the Eldest Miss sitting there, her legs went weak, and she knelt on the ground, "Eldest Miss, I beg you to save this servant."
Lian Xin said displeasedly, "You just came in and you're already asking the Eldest Miss to save you. Anyone would think you came to instigate trouble between the Eldest Miss and Aunt Liu."
Ping'er shook her head, looked up, her expression somewhat terrified, "Eldest Miss, this servant knows some of Aunt Liu's secrets."
Li Yaoqin looked at Ping'er and said, "Do you know that you are Aunt Liu's personal maid? If you tell me these secrets, do you know what plight you might fall into?"
"This servant knows she might have no burial place, but it doesn't matter if this servant dies. This servant still has parents and elder sister. This servant doesn't want her family to die with her in the end. Therefore, after weighing the pros and cons, this servant has decided that it's enough for this servant to die alone. I implore the Eldest Miss to fulfill my wish."
Li Yaoqin was slightly taken aback. Lian Xin, standing beside her, couldn't help but sob. She too had parents, and if it came to this, she would probably do the same, sacrificing herself to protect her family.
"From your words, you are a filial person. If I can do it, I will. Rest assured," Li Yaoqin said.
Ping'er kowtowed twice and said, "This servant has no other requests. I beg the Eldest Miss to protect my family. Even if this servant dies now, she would be willing."
"I might not have the strength," Li Yaoqin said.
Ping'er looked up at her and said, "This servant knows the Eldest Miss has a way."
Upon hearing this, Li Yaoqin gave a bitter smile, "If I had a way, I wouldn't let Aunt Liu continue to exist in the manor."
"The Eldest Miss cannot, but the Flower King can," Ping'er said.
Li Yaoqin's body trembled. She looked at Ping'er coldly and said, "How do you know?"
Ping'er gave a tragic smile, "The Eldest Miss probably doesn't know. Aunt Liu secretly sent people to track the Eldest Miss. Aunt Liu knows very clearly who you meet with."
Li Yaoqin's body trembled, "She... she actually tracked my whereabouts."
Ping'er nodded and said, "Eldest Miss, seeing how much I know, do you think Aunt Liu would let me live?"
"What else do you know?" Li Yaoqin asked.
Ping'er revealed everything she knew, and with each piece of information she shared, Li Yaoqin felt a chill deepen in her heart.
Aunt Liu had done so many things, so many that even she found terrifying.
"What about the Northern Territory? Does Aunt Liu have contact with the Northern Territory?" Li Yaoqin asked.
Ping'er nodded, "Yes, they do. I discovered it two months ago. I went to inquire, and that pigeon flew towards the Northern Territory."
"You truly know a lot," Li Yaoqin said.
Someone like that, even she might not keep them around.
Ping'er gave a bitter smile, "So this servant needs to make plans for herself."
Suddenly, she asked again, "Sister Lian Xin, what time is it?"
Lian Xin said, "It is already midnight."
Ping'er said, "Eldest Miss, this servant must return, otherwise Aunt Liu will discover this servant's absence and become suspicious."
Li Yaoqin nodded, "Don't worry, I will arrange for your family to be protected tomorrow."
"Thank you, Eldest Miss. This servant will certainly keep a close watch on Aunt Liu."
As Ping'er reached the door, she suddenly said, "Eldest Miss, Aunt Liu said her surname is not Liu, but Xue."
After saying that, she left.
Li Yaoqin was stunned. Xue?
Lian Xin asked, "Eldest Miss, what does Ping'er's sentence mean?"
Li Yaoqin shook her head, "I don't know either."
Lian Xin said, "Why don't you ask the Flower King, Eldest Miss?"
Li Yaoqin nodded, "That's a good idea. Let's do it after tomorrow."
Early the next morning, Li Yaoqin left her room and went to the main courtyard, where she saw Aunt Liu giving instructions to her maids in the courtyard.
Lian Xin, who was beside her, said, "Eldest Miss, why is Ping'er missing?"
Li Yaoqin's heart sank, but she walked forward with a calm expression and said, "Aunt Liu, are all the preparations complete?"
Aunt Liu smiled and said, "Eldest Miss, please be assured. Everything that should be prepared and that shouldn't be prepared has been properly arranged by this concubine."
"That's good. When His Majesty arrives later, Aunt Liu, please do not be disrespectful."
"Thank you for the reminder, Eldest Miss. This concubine will certainly not be disrespectful," Aunt Liu said with a smile.
Li Yaoqin nodded, "I'm going to the study to find Father."
After leaving, Li Yaoqin said, "You go and look for Ping'er."
Lian Xin nodded, "Alright, this servant will go now."
Arriving at the study, Li Yaoqin saw Li Sinian looking exhausted and couldn't help but ask, "Father, what's wrong?"
Li Sinian rubbed his forehead and said, "I didn't sleep well last night. Are today's arrangements in order?"