"So that's how it is..." Anning drew out the end of her sentence, her expression obscure.
Yun Weishu frowned and said coldly, "If Princess Anning doesn't trust me, this humble subject will serve you."
"Alright!" Anning agreed.
Yun Weishu was taken aback. She thought Anning would refuse.
"Miss Yun, please lead the way," Anning said.
Yun Weishu regretted saying those words, but she was also a little strange. Why was her brother's head maid here?
Because she found it strange, she followed with a roll of her eyes.
Bai Mei hadn't expected her young lady to follow as well and felt a pang of nervousness. "My lady, there are other noble ladies who need your hospitality. His Highness the Princess can be attended to by this servant."
"What is your status? Can you attend to His Highness the Princess?" Rong Cui was displeased, thinking that her princess was someone anyone could approach and serve? What a joke.
Bai Mei's expression changed slightly, but she still smiled and said, "Miss, please don't be impatient. His Highness the Princess is naturally precious, but Miss is also someone who is served by others. This servant is just afraid that Miss might not serve properly and instead trouble His Highness the Princess."
"It's alright," Yun Weishu said. She didn't want Princess Anning to find any fault with their Yun State Duke's Mansion at this moment.
"No need. This older sister here is not wrong. Miss Yun's precious body probably cannot serve me either. I've changed my clothes and will come out, it should be fine. Miss Yun, what do you say?"
Yun Weishu looked at Anning, who was smiling at her, her expression inscrutable.
Her heart skipped a beat inexplicably. "Your Highness, please rest assured, not just anyone can enter the State Duke's Mansion. We will certainly not let Your Highness discover anything unsavory."
"That's good. Sister, please lead the way," Anning said to Bai Mei.
Bai Mei's face turned slightly pale.
However, she was now in a difficult position and said, "Your Highness, please follow this servant."
After Anning left, Bai Weishu felt that things were not as simple as they seemed. She summoned her personal maid, Bai Tang, and said, "Go to the Bamboo Leaf Green Pavilion and see if His Highness the Heir is there."
Bai Tang nodded. "This servant will go now."
Bai Weishu felt her heart in a turmoil. She knew that her brother had a fixation on Princess Anning and feared that he would do something that would bring shame to the State Duke's Mansion.
After all, she was a princess. If she was not favored, it would be fine. But when the Emperor favored her, offending him would bring the State Duke's Mansion close to ruin.
"Sister, haven't we arrived yet?" Rong Cui couldn't help but ask. They had been walking for about half an hour.
Even if the State Duke's Mansion was large, where could they not...
find a place to change clothes? Why would they take so long?
"Your Highness, please don't be anxious. We are almost there," Bai Mei said.
"I am not anxious, but is your young master anxious?"
Bai Mei trembled all over. The moment she turned, she felt a sharp pain in her neck, and then the world spun. She fell to the ground.
Rong Cui was also startled by Anning's swift move. "She..."
"Fainted," Anning said.
Rong Cui nodded, still feeling apprehensive. "Your Highness, where did you learn this? You are so skilled?"
"Second Eldest Sister," Anning said.
Rong Cui believed what Anning said without question. After all, the Second Princess always thought of becoming a female general and it was not unusual for her to know some martial arts.
It was not impossible for her to teach His Highness the Princess.
"Your Highness, what about this sister?" Rong Cui asked.
Anning looked at the courtyard not far ahead and said, "Rong Cui, change into Bai Mei's clothes, and then we'll go in."
Rong Cui nodded, took off Bai Mei's outer garment, put it on, and then found some leaves to cover Bai Mei.
This place looked very secluded. It was likely that very few servants in the mansion came here. As they walked to the door of the room, at Anning's signal, Rong Cui knocked. There was no response. Just as Rong Cui was about to say no one was there, she heard a man's voice from inside, "Fainted?"
Rong Cui looked at Anning. She nodded. Rong Cui said, "Yes."
Footsteps were heard from inside. Anning pressed her entire body against Rong Cui. Rong Cui lowered her head. The door was opened, and the man's voice came, "Bai Mei, you've done very well."
Rong Cui still kept her head lowered and said, "Your Highness the Heir, will someone discover us?"
"If they discover us, it will be a done deal, too late. Give the person to this lord."
Yun Duanghai reached out to take her. Before his hand could touch Anning, he was kicked into the room.
Yun Duanghai trembled all over, immediately got up from the ground, and angrily said, "Bai Mei, what are you doing? Are you crazy?"
Rong Cui raised her head and said indignantly, "Your Highness the Heir, look clearly. I am not Bai Mei. I am Rong Cui, the head palace maid by His Highness the Princess's side."
Yun Duanghai's body stiffened, and he wasn't feeling well. "You..."
Anning, who was supposed to be unconscious, raised her head. Her eyes were filled with a chilling clarity. "Young Master Yun, I didn't expect to meet you here. What were you trying to do, Young Master Yun? To force an accomplished deed?"
Upon hearing this, Yun Duanghai wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, stood up, and smiled, "Since Your Highness knows, this subject can only force the princess."
"You... are you sure?" Anning asked with a smirk.
Yun Duanghai looked at her and smiled meaningfully. "Does the princess think it's just you and this palace maid?"
"Does the young master think I only brought Rong Cui?"
"Why else? I have investigated. Besides Rong Cui, where else would Princess Anning have anyone? Clearly, this is meant to frighten me and give me courage to say this."
Anning clicked her tongue twice. "Knowing yourself and your enemy is the key to victory. For the young master to act like this without knowing the other party's background is clearly inappropriate."
As expected, how could they not be of the same family?
Yun Weishu and he were indeed siblings, doing things in the same way.
Yun Duanghai heard some unexpected things at this moment and couldn't help but ask, "Isn't it?"
"Mo Yuan," Anning called out softly.
Mo Yuan descended gracefully, landing in front of Anning. "Your Highness the Princess, Mo Yuan is here..."
Yun Duanghai trembled all over. Such an elusive person, he was no match for him. A wise man knows when to cut his losses.
He knelt on the ground with a thud. "It was all my obsession. I beg Your Highness to forgive me."
Anning walked forward and said, "This princess and your Yun State Duke's Mansion have always had no interaction. This princess doesn't understand why you would design this plot against this princess?"
One Yun Weishu wasn't enough, and now another Yun young master?
Yun Duanghai remained silent. Anning sighed and said, "Even if you don't say it, this princess knows. It's An Ping, right!"
Yun Duanghai kowtowed and begged for mercy. "Your Highness, you are magnanimous. Please don't..."
"Don't what? Don't involve the Yun State Duke's Mansion, right?"
Yun Duanghai was stunned. At this moment, he deeply regretted listening to An Ping's words in a moment of impulsiveness and attempting to ruin Princess Anning's reputation.
If the deed was done, the Yun State Duke's Mansion would prosper. If it failed, it would mean the destruction of the entire family.
If such a thing hadn't happened, he would still be the young master of the Yun State Duke's Mansion. He regretted it, thoroughly regretted it.