The maidservant, Dai Mei, even cursed at the woman in white. The latter's face flushed with anger but she dared not retaliate, evidently aware of the other's superior strength. If she dared to utter another word at this moment, she would likely be thrown into West Lake, never to be seen again.
This master of Qiye was hardly a kind soul.
"We hope the楼主 (Louzhu, Master/Owner) will give us another chance. I will report to our master and arrange another date."
The woman in white stood up and spoke before Liu Liu could leave the private room. Liu Liu paid no mind; she could investigate the woman's background through other channels.
Inside the private room, the woman's face was ashen. The light veil, stirred by the wind, revealed a terrifying, contorted visage. Even her subordinates trembled, lowering their heads, afraid to meet her gaze.
She slammed her fist onto the table, a cold snort escaping her lips, "Detestable Qiye, how dare she be so arrogant! If I ever get my hands on her, I won't let her off."
After speaking, the woman swiftly rose from her seat and walked to the door. Seeing her two subordinates standing obstinately blocking the way, she angrily flicked her wrist, slapping one of them again.
"Get out of the way."
The subordinate, rubbing his stinging cheek, seethed with resentment. He had just been hit, and now this. The first blow was because he was in the way; this mistress hitting him in her anger, was there any justice in this world?
Despite his inner fury, he dared not utter a word, quickly following the retreating figure out of Mingyue Tower.
After Dai Mei and Liu Liu were enthusiastically escorted out by the waiter, Dai Mei looked at her thoughtful master and asked, "Master, should we track these two people?"
"I have already instructed Feng Guai Wu Lang Jun to follow them. We are in the open now, and they are in the shadows. Every move we make is likely within their calculations. Since they are watching us, these people must know that Feng Xie resides at Wan Feng Tea Estate. Why then do they need to go to such lengths?"
Liu Liu paced outside, unable to fathom their scheme. Were they trying to recruit them, knowing she and Feng Pi were at odds? If so, there must be an inside informant in the estate. Who could it be?
She wondered if any new people had joined the estate recently. She would have Lu Qing conduct a thorough investigation upon their return. A cool breeze blew, clearing Liu Liu's mind significantly.
If there was an inside informant in the estate, the most likely candidate was Bu Xiang Yin. Since those people were seeking their cooperation, one thing was certain.
This time, they were absolutely intent on taking Feng Xie's life, or perhaps his empire. Liu Liu scoffed. While she didn't covet the empire, she wouldn't let those people have it so easily.
"Master, what are you thinking about?" Dai Mei, who had been following Liu Liu, saw her master's expression soften, knowing she had figured some things out. She quickly asked.
"These people know I live with the Emperor, yet they contacted me to kill him. They must not know that the Emperor has agreed to release our batch of tea, and we are safe for the time being. However, someone reported our discord with the Emperor, prompting immediate contact for cooperation, aiming for an inside-outside pincer attack to capture us all. They must have arranged for someone to infiltrate Wan Feng Tea Estate, and that person is most likely Bu Xiang Yin. Bu Xiang Yin's mastermind is the one who hired us to kill Feng Xie. I wonder why he speaks with such authority, allowing us to name our price. Does he truly have that much money?"
Dai Mei snorted, "How is that possible? Perhaps they know we are loyal and wouldn't exploit them, but what would they feel if we demanded half the empire?"
"Let's head back. We'll see what information Wu Lang Jun brings back. For now, we must confirm who the mastermind is."
"Alright," Dai Mei replied. Neither of them cared to admire the beauty of West Lake, and they headed straight back to Wan Feng Tea Estate.
As Feng Guai Wu Lang Jun was out on a mission, Liu Liu instructed Cui Er to keep Mu Xing indoors and not let him leave. The boy must have been bored to tears. Liu Liu bought two candied hawthorns from the street for her son.
Mu Xing, who had been sulking, cheered up immediately upon seeing what his mother brought back. He played with her for a while, and then evening came.
Wu Lang Jun returned, his face grave. Liu Liu, unaware of the situation, immediately asked Cui Er to lead Mu Xing to have dinner. Cui Er complied and took Mu Xing away.
In the drawing-room, Liu Liu sat at the head, with Wu Lang Jun and Dai Mei seated on either side.
Wu Lang Jun cupped his fists respectfully, his expression solemn, and spoke with gravity.
"楼主 (Louzhu), as instructed, I followed that woman. They stopped at a large mansion on the outskirts of the city. I took a peek inside. Fearing discovery, I kept my distance, but I still recognized someone within."
"Who?" Liu Liu asked coldly, her voice tinged with urgency as she didn't know what kind of acquaintance it was. Her dark, deep eyes fixed on Wu Lang Jun below.
Seeing his master's concern, Wu Lang Jun knew she feared a betrayal from a familiar face, which made her so flustered. He quickly replied.
"Hua Wu You, the Palace Master of the Demonic Palace, Hua Wu You. Although I don't know what was said, I saw a figure in red robes and silver armor. Very few people in this world are so distinctive. Therefore, I am certain that person is Hua Wu You."
Liu Liu's expression darkened upon hearing this. So, Bu Xiang Yin was Hua Wu You's subordinate. No wonder. She had always suspected Hua Wu You. Once, while playing with Mu Xing, he had spilled water on her clothes.
She had pulled up her sleeve then, and no one else but him had seen the red mole on her arm. There were also the maids who had served her in the palace before.
If those maids were informants, they wouldn't have waited five years to act.
But how did Hua Wu You know Feng Xie had left the palace? Did he have an informant in the palace? And had Hua Wu You sent people to kill Feng Xie before? Liu Liu's mind was a muddle, but her heart ached inexplicably.
Although she hadn't fallen in love with Hua Wu You, she had treated him sincerely. For years, he had free access to Xiaoyao Island and played with her son. Now, she thought of it with lingering dread. If his intentions had turned malicious then, wouldn't Mu Xing have fallen into his clutches?
Several times he had been angry, his ferocity making her believe he was merely annoyed, never imagining it was hatred born from the fact that Mu Xing was Feng Xie's child.
Dai Mei, standing by, was stunned. Although she often scolded Hua Wu You, hearing that he had deliberately plotted against the Emperor made her feel uneasy.
How could this man commit such a treasonous act? What deep-seated hatred did he have for the Emperor that he was determined to kill him?
Liu Liu grew increasingly weary as she thought about it. People's hearts were not as they used to be. After trusting someone for years, only to discover she might have been used all along. Perhaps he had cared for her a little, but it couldn't outweigh his hatred.
In fact, this was all due to her own carelessness. Hua Wu You had once attempted to assassinate the Emperor in the palace, so he must have had some grievance with the Emperor.
"You can all leave. I'm tired and want to rest for a while."
Dai Mei and Wu Lang Jun understood that their master must be heartbroken. She had considered the other party a friend, only to find out she was merely being used. Anyone would be saddened.
Bu Xiang Yin's every word and action were likely the result of the Palace Master's constant observation and rigorous training, making her imitation so lifelike. But why did she resemble the楼主 (Louzhu) so much?
Was it disguise? Facial expressions wouldn't be so realistic with disguise. Even the high-quality human skin masks that the楼主 (Louzhu) used to wear couldn't achieve such results.