Feng Qishi also sat down, looking at Mu Anxiao's guilty expression opposite him. He narrowed his eyes and looked at the little boy sitting beside her. "Do you not know who your master is?"
The little boy flinched at Feng Qishi's tone and averted his gaze. "I do," he said.
"You know, so why do you listen to her?" Feng Qishi asked coldly, glancing at Mu Anxiao.
The little boy mumbled, "I... I'm sorry." He lowered his head.
"Go out, starve for three days, and don't come looking for me," Feng Qishi said. Noticing Mu Anxiao's gaze, he slowly turned his head to look at her, who was staring at him. "Don't look at me," he said coldly.
"You are his master," Mu Anxiao stated, glancing at the little boy who was standing up with a wronged expression, and then back at Feng Qishi, who refused to engage with her.
The little boy froze, his gaze fixed on Mu Anxiao's face. "You should have helped me," he said.
Mu Anxiao withdrew her gaze from Feng Qishi's face and looked at the little boy. "Why should I help you?"
"You..." The little boy had intended to cover for Mu Anxiao, but to his surprise, she wasn't playing along. He decided he wouldn't endure this any longer. "Master, she forced me," he said.
"She forced you, and you did it?" Feng Qishi said without even looking at the little boy.
"Master, I'm just a child, and I'm not tall. I wouldn't dare to oppose her. Besides, I'm afraid to disobey her words. If I don't listen, I fear..." he trailed off.
Mu Anxiao propped her chin with one hand, watching the little boy who had suddenly fallen silent. She smiled. "You don't even believe your own words. You're quite amusing, child." She then turned to Feng Qishi. "That person just came over, and I wanted to use him to scare that guy when he had nothing to talk about. That's all."
"You're breaking the rules like this," Feng Qishi said stiffly.
Mu Anxiao chuckled and looked at the little boy. "Sit down."
"..." The little boy dared not obey Mu Anxiao's command and lowered his head.
Seeing the little boy's reaction, Mu Anxiao raised an eyebrow. "Scaredy-cat, if your master doesn't give you food, I can," she said.
The little boy frowned at this and looked up at Mu Anxiao. "How would you give it?" he asked.
The little boy became excited whenever food was mentioned. Feng Qishi knew this well. Therefore, he didn't interrupt their conversation and picked up the teapot to refill his own cup.
Mu Anxiao continued to prop her chin with one hand, watching the little boy. "Does your master sleep?"
"..." The little boy stiffened and cautiously glanced at Feng Qishi, who seemed indifferent to them, then nodded.
"That's right," Mu Anxiao said with a faint smile. "When he's asleep, I'll cut his finger with a small knife, and then you'll have something to eat."
"..." Feng Qishi paused upon hearing this, put down the teapot, and said, "Mu Anxiao, you're quite resourceful." He raised his eyes to look at her.
Mu Anxiao smiled. "I have a habit, which is... I act on impulse. Not only that, I have another habit," she leaned forward slightly and glanced at Feng Qishi's finger, "whatever I think of, I must achieve it."
"I won't agree to your plan," the little boy said hastily, fearing Feng Qishi might misunderstand him.
Upon hearing this, Mu Anxiao turned to the determined little boy and said with a smile, "Then you can go hungry." She waved her hand.
Seeing this, the little boy looked confused. "What are you doing?"
Mu Anxiao's lips curved into a smirk. "What else? Your master told you to go out. Why are you still here? Disobeying your master's orders?"
"You..."
"Sit down," Feng Qishi interrupted the little boy, glancing at Mu Anxiao. "Stop talking to her."
"Yes, Master," the little boy replied and sat down.
Mu Anxiao watched the little boy with a smile. "Thank me," she said faintly.
The little boy remembered Feng Qishi's instruction and remained silent.
Mu Anxiao smiled at the stubborn little expression on the little boy's face and picked up her cup. "Shen Moyun, if Mai Xia is treated unfairly in prison," she took a sip of water and shifted her gaze to Feng Qishi, "I won't let you off."
"Those two servants are the most suspicious," Feng Qishi said, looking at Mu Anxiao.
"What about Mai Xia?" Mu Anxiao asked.
"I'm just a general, I don't arrange these things. How she is now, I..." Feng Qishi took a sip of water. "I don't know."
"What?" Mu Anxiao had assumed Feng Qishi was in charge of everything. Hearing him say this, she couldn't help but feel a sense of disappointment.
"..." Feng Qishi intentionally remained silent.
Mu Anxiao stared at Feng Qishi's face, impatiently asking, "Are you saying you're not going to handle this matter?"
"What do you think?" Feng Qishi played coy.
Mu Anxiao's lips curled. "Fine. Since you can't handle it, I'll take matters into my own hands. I refuse to believe I can't save her." With that, she stood up.
"You think you can handle it?"
"Whether I can or not, I'll know once I do it. Besides," Mu Anxiao lowered her head and stared at Feng Qishi, "didn't you say I wouldn't die? At worst, I'll take Mai Xia's place."
"You're crazy," Feng Qishi growled.
Mu Anxiao said, "I thought you would investigate this matter thoroughly. I didn't expect that since it's not within your jurisdiction, I would have to rely on myself."
"Don't be so conceited."
"Conceited..." Mu Anxiao snorted. "The Madam is quite capable. If she just slips some silver to that manager, Mai Xia will be the murderer. Don't you understand this?"
"The manager wouldn't take her money."
"How could he not? The Madam does this all the time at home. Let me give you some juicy gossip today," Mu Anxiao said, leaning forward to whisper, to prevent anyone nearby from overhearing. "The Madam has bribed all of Mu Gui's servants. Otherwise, Mu Gui's concubines wouldn't have been divorced. So, she can kill anyone she wants in minutes. Don't think too highly of yourself."
"That's in your household, so she can bribe people freely. In other words," Feng Qishi became serious, "do you think people outside are foolish? Do you understand the rules of Jincheng?"
"Can you stop speaking in riddles? Just say what you mean, can't you?" Mu Anxiao said impatiently.
Feng Qishi said, "Bribery is a crime. If the Madam of the Mu Estate dares to do it, she'll be finished. So," he said, "don't worry, there will be a result."
"You're not just comforting me, are you?" Mu Anxiao frowned.
"I can't be bothered to comfort you," Feng Qishi said, picking up his cup and taking a sip of water. "Narcissism isn't good."
"You're the narcissist," Mu Anxiao shot him a sidelong glance and then shifted her gaze back to the little boy.