"My lord?" Concubine Yun swiftly answered the Left Chancellor's call, as if she had been waiting for him to summon her. She approached with poised grace, Xuyue and two other maids trailing quietly behind her.
"I hope I did not disturb your night's rest, Concubine Yun," he said, his expression stern, contrasting sharply with the wide grin on her lips.
"Of course not, my lord," she replied smoothly, bowing deeply. "I am always at your beck and call." However, his next words wiped the smile from her face instantly.
"Ling'er has refused to see me, claiming she is suffering from severe bellyaches due to her monthly blood flow," he stated, deliberately quoting A'bao's exact report from the servant he had sent earlier.
"I want you to verify if the water in that bowl is truly discolored," he commanded, nodding toward Yu'er, who kept her head bowed. Sweat dripped from her forehead into the bowl, her fear intensifying with every drop.
"As you wish, my lord," Concubine Yun replied, bowing again. Concealing the lower half of her face with the drape of her sleeve, she leaned over Yu'er, scrutinizing the water.
"It is indeed discolored, my lord," she announced after a suspenseful silence.
"The Fourth Miss is truly indisposed," she declared, stepping back beside the Left Chancellor.
"You may dispose of the water now," he waved at Yu'er. Although unseen, she understood the gesture was meant for her alone. Urgency pressed upon her, her aching bladder threatening an embarrassing release.
Yu'er bowed deeply and hurried away, leaving A'bao alone with her desperate thoughts.
"You should return as well, Concubine Yun. Ling'er needs her rest. My meeting with her can wait until tomorrow," he said, finally deceived by their ruse and ready to retreat to Ziran Hall.
"Aiya!" Concubine Yun exclaimed, refusing to comply. "My lord! How can you expect me to rest well while the Fourth Miss suffers such severe bellyaches? I, too, am a woman and her only maternal figure. I must care for her. Do you not agree?"
'What is this witch plotting?' A'bao's fears surged, leaving her speechless as she awaited permission to speak.
The Left Chancellor studied Concubine Yun suspiciously. She and Ling'er had never shared a close bond. Though Concubine Yun had watched her grow up in the mansion, their relationship remained distant, often fraught with conflict, with him forced to mediate their disputes.
As Ling'er matured, she learned to avoid Concubine Yun's meddling, and the Concubine returned the favor, maintaining a fragile peace in the Ming mansion. Or so he believed. Beneath the surface, their conflict had deepened into tangled secrets.
Yet here she was, feigning care for his daughter. 'What is she really after?' he wondered. Perhaps she sensed something was amiss and wanted to investigate. Allowing her entry might uncover the truth behind Ling'er's frequent disappearances—especially on the nights he wished to discuss her marriage or other important matters. She was already eighteen years old, and he felt it was time to have such conversations with her.
"Good. I'm glad you see it that way, Concubine Yun. I hope this marks the beginning of a better relationship with Ling'er. Go on," he waved his hand dismissively. "Give her all the care she needs, and have her meet me for tea in the morning." With a final glance, he turned to leave, hopeful that his discussion with Ling'er would finally take place.
"Rest well, my lord," she bowed. Once he was ten steps away, she turned toward Cui Hall and began walking.
A'bao was at her wit's end. She couldn't stop Concubine Yun from entering the Fourth Miss's chambers and discovering their lie. But she could at least delay her.
"Concubine Yun," she called calmly, halting her steps. "The Fourth Miss is resting and does not wish to be disturbed."
"Do you, a lowly maid, dare block my way?!" Concubine Yun's voice trembled with accusation. With the Left Chancellor gone, she shed the soft façade she had worn so well.
"I'm only following orders, Concubine Yun. Please don't make this difficult for the both of us," A'bao stood firm.
"Get out of my way." Concubine Yun struggled to maintain her composure. This maid was a constant thorn in her side, always trailing the Fourth Miss and getting under her skin. If she pressed further, punishment would follow—unforgettable and severe.
"Return to your Yandan Hall. The Fourth Miss neither needs nor wants your help."
That was the final straw. She had decided to teach this insolent maid a lesson—right here, right now.
"Grab her!" she ordered the two maids behind her. They immediately seized A'bao, holding her down.
"Let me go! Leave me alone!" A'bao cried, struggling futilely against their strength.
"Keep her head steady!" Concubine Yun commanded, removing the hairpin from A'bao's hair and inspecting its sharp tip.
"What do you intend, Concubine Yun?" A'bao's voice quivered with fear. "The Fourth Miss will never forgive you if you harm me."
"The useless brat can go to hell for all I care. Besides, she should worry about her own safety—I plan to punish her far worse than you," Concubine Yun smirked. "You've always had a sharp tongue. How about I pierce a hole through it? Just a little something to blunt it. What do you say?" She smiled cruelly, clutching the hairpin tightly as she raised it.
"Argg! Arggg!" A'bao struggled, but was held fast.
Tears streamed down her cheeks. No one would come to her rescue. The only people who cared were other servants, and they'd be punished if they interfered. Her only hope was the Fourth Miss—but she was gone. Resigned, A'bao closed her eyes and braced for the pain. She already bore an injury beneath her right foot, and now she faced another.
While all her hopes were lost, she heard her. As calm as she always sounded.
"Back from Yanhui flower house so soon, I see…"