CHAPTER 99: CHAPTER 99: AMIDST THE CHAOS (4)

Xinzhu and Xinmei’s faces tightened, and they nodded to Xiqiu. The two swiftly slipped out of the courtyard.

Xiqiu stood at the doorway, the courtyard was silent, not even a gatekeeper in sight, which was very unusual... Madam Wang couldn’t have done nothing, she even suspected that this was a trap set by Madam Wang.

She walked to the side door that Tong Xiyan mentioned, and sure enough, she heard someone speaking inside. Upon closer listening, it was indeed Tong Xiyan’s voice: "Young Master Jiang, are you really going to Fujian?"

"I’m considering it. Recently, there’s been talk in the court that the Marquis is seriously injured, and the Emperor plans to send a governor to Fujian... so I’m thinking of going ahead and taking a look... the Marquis has been very kind to me..." A deep, unfamiliar male voice spoke in a very authentic official tone...

It must be Jiang Shilin.

Soon after, there came the sound of Tong Xiyan softly sobbing, followed by Jiang Shilin’s slightly flustered voice trying to comfort her: "I’ll think about it some more, and if I make a decision, I’ll definitely let you know!"

Tong Xiyan didn’t speak and continued to cry softly.

Xiqiu felt a bit awkward, wondering whether she should knock on the door now or wait by the courtyard gate, after all, she was eavesdropping like this...

Just as she was about to leave, suddenly, footsteps came from outside the courtyard, getting closer and closer, accompanied by Madam Wang’s loud voice and Lady’s displeased tone.

Lady is here too?

If Lady could come here with Madam Wang, she must have gone to Tong Xiyan’s courtyard first and discovered Sixing pretending to be Tong Xiyan. Xiqiu was very worried about how Lady would handle them!

She raised her hand and quickly knocked on the door knocker.

The talking inside immediately stopped, followed by the sound of disordered footsteps. Tong Xiyan, pale as a ghost, opened the door...

Upon seeing it was Xiqiu, Tong Xiyan’s eyes lit up, and she let out a dramatic sigh of relief, patting her chest and saying, "So it’s Sixth Sister, you scared me to death." She then turned back to the person inside: "No need to worry, it’s Sixth Sister."

Soon, a man came out, dressed in a lake-blue long coat, not very tall, with long eyebrows reaching into his temples, a high nose bridge, and thin lips that made him seem eloquent and shrewd.

He dared not look directly at Xiqiu, turned his face aside, and bowed deeply, saying, "I greet Sixth Miss!"

Xiqiu nodded, not in the mood to return the courtesy, and pulled Tong Xiyan, saying, "Someone’s coming, let’s go quickly!"

Tong Xiyan swayed, almost collapsing to the ground, she glanced back at Jiang Shilin with a pale face, and the latter, after a brief change of expression, suddenly calmed down: "Ladies, find another courtyard to hide in for now. I’ll explain the rest, no matter what, it shouldn’t ruin Fourth Miss’s reputation because of this."

Xiqiu felt slightly relieved, seeing that Jiang Shilin was a responsible person, she immediately said, "Young Master Jiang, there’s no need for that. You keep walking inwards from here, there’s a side door on the right. The key to the side door is under the fourth brick from the left. Once you’re out, keep walking forward till you reach another side door, beyond which is the outer courtyard..."

Tong Xiyan was utterly surprised, this passageway has been abandoned for years, how did Sixth Sister know it so well?!

Jiang Shilin was also bewildered, ignoring how Xiqiu knew such detailed information, even where the key was hidden, but it was not something he could question. He asked, "What about you two, young ladies?"

Xiqiu waved her hand, "You go quickly, without you, everything can be explained clearly!" After saying this, she was ready to close the door.

Tong Xiyan blushed deeply from Xiqiu’s straightforwardness, standing shyly beside her, tugging at her sleeve. Jiang Shilin also looked embarrassed, clearing his throat and saying, "Sixth Miss misunderstood, it’s all my fault!"

Seeing his attempt to explain, Xiqiu immediately gestured with her hand, "Go quickly, there will be opportunities to explain later." Jiang Shilin took a deep look at Tong Xiyan, gave a grand bow, and said, "Thank you for your trouble, Sixth Miss, I take my leave!"

Tong Xiyan’s eyes were filled with reluctance, unwilling to look away for even a moment.

"Wait!" Xiqiu suddenly called out to Jiang Shilin, with Tong Xiyan’s surprised expression, she asked, "Young Master Jiang, if I may ask, why did you think of meeting with Fourth Sister today?" With so many people around today, why did he choose such a time?

Tong Xiyan was stunned, and Jiang Shilin was also taken aback. He looked at Tong Xiyan and said, "Wasn’t it Fourth Miss who invited me?" Saying this, he searched his pockets and continued, "A maid gave me a letter, asking me to meet at Si hour, and that the location would be later informed."

Tong Xiyan looked completely bewildered, but Xiqiu suddenly understood the link!

By this time, footsteps outside the courtyard were close enough to be heard, and without time to explain, Xiqiu pulled Tong Xiyan out, saying to Jiang Shilin, "I’ll explain later, Young Master Jiang, go quickly!"

Jiang Shilin hurriedly walked towards the other direction!

Madam Wang’s voice has already made its way inside: "Fourth Miss... Sixth Miss!" then she turned to instruct the maidservant and older woman following her, "Go see if Fourth Miss and Sixth Miss are here!"

Xiqiu quickly shut the door; she didn’t have much time to think, nor did she have a choice. Compared to falling into Madam Wang’s trap with Tong Xiyan, everything else seemed insignificant!

She dragged Tong Xiyan quickly into Madam Xia’s courtyard. Seeing it was Xiqiu, the little maidservant in the courtyard welcomed them with a smile, "Fourth Miss, Sixth Miss, hello!" Xiqiu nodded to her and instructed the little maid, "Don’t tell anyone we were here!"

"Ah?" The little maidservant curtsied in surprise but raised her head to find that Fourth Miss and Sixth Miss were already gone from the courtyard!

Xiqiu, with Tong Xiyan, bypassed the main door, went through the corridors, and entered the inner room. From behind, they heard the voice of the old maid, "Lady is looking for Fourth Miss and Sixth Miss, have you seen them?"

The little maidservant, clever as ever, glanced around and replied, "I didn’t go out all day, I haven’t seen Fourth Miss and Sixth Miss."

The old maid rounded the courtyard once, peeked inside the main room, and then turned and left the courtyard gate!

Tong Xiyan, woodenly being pulled by Xiqiu, zigzagging through several rooms, walking familiarly, couldn’t help but ask, thinking of the scene where Xiqiu had mentioned the key earlier: "Sixth Sister, how do you know that passage so well?"

Xiqiu, without even turning her head, replied, "I used to live here with Aunt, often hiding inside alone, undisturbed and very quiet. I would often spend the entire afternoon there with a book." But she didn’t mention using it to enlighten Tong Minzhi.

"Sixth Sister... I’m sorry!" How could she forget that Xiqiu and Madam Xia were once confined here for three years, and it was said that Xiqiu fell gravely ill and nearly lost her life. Madam Xia couldn’t leave the courtyard and knelt at its gate. She still remembers that rainy night with extraordinary downpour, Madam Wang knelt in the rain for a whole day, and it wasn’t until the evening that her mother found out and called a doctor, who luckily saved Sixth Sister’s life.