Cai Qing immediately knelt before Feng Jin, "Thank you, Young Madam. You have shown me immense kindness, and I will repay you by being your loyal servant."
She was a family-born slave, bound to serve her masters for life, subject to their every whim, punishment, or sale, forever denied freedom.
She was fortunate to have encountered the Young Madam, who treated her with such leniency.
"Get up. Don't kneel at every turn. A person should have self-respect. No one is born inherently lowly, nor is anyone born inherently noble. If you want others to respect you, you must first respect yourself. Do you understand?"
"I understand. Thank you for your teachings, Young Madam."
Feng Jin nodded with satisfaction. "Let's go. It's getting late. We should return and rest."
"Your subordinate greets the Young General!"
In the study, a man stood tall by the window, his deep, dark eyes holding a hint of emotion. His low voice inquired, "What have you found?"
"Young General, the Young Madam drowned half a year ago. Upon resurfacing, she had no breath. The doctor was certain she was dead, but after some time, she awoke. The wet nurse who attended her said that the Young Madam was like a different person from that moment on."
"Understood. You may go. Cease the investigation and withdraw cautiously, leaving no trace!"
"Yes, Young General!"
As the words fell, the dark guard who had reported immediately vanished into the night.
...
"Get out of my way! Do you know who I am!"
Feng Jin stood with her hands on her hips, shouting furiously, behaving like a shrew.
"Young Madam, please forgive us. The Young General has ordered that you are not to leave the premises. Please do not make things difficult for us."
The young gatekeeper looked troubled. They were merely following orders, and any mistake would make them scapegoats.
This was truly difficult...
"You... you really are..."
Feng Jin felt a fire burning in her chest, with nowhere to release it.
"Young Madam, perhaps we should return for now!" Cai Qing advised from her side, sensing that if this continued, others from the household would be drawn to the scene.
Feng Jin took a deep breath. A wise person doesn't fight when the odds are against them. If one path was blocked, there were others.
After being turned away from the main gate, Feng Jin tried the back gate and two side gates, but was blocked at each one.
Suppressing the anger in her heart, Feng Jin clenched her fists.
"Young Madam, perhaps we should not go out today. Your injuries have not yet fully healed. We can rest for a couple of days and then go out." Cai Qing said helplessly, realizing they couldn't leave today.
"There is one more place I can get out."
A flash of inspiration struck Feng Jin, and she pulled Cai Qing along.
"This... Young Madam, can this work?"
"Of course, don't worry!"
Feng Jin was full of confidence. With a powerful leap, she landed on a tree branch. "Cai Qing, give me your hand, I'll pull you up!"
Cai Qing hesitated for a moment before reaching out her hand to Feng Jin. After much struggle, she managed to climb onto the tree. Looking down, her legs trembled, and she instinctively hugged the branch, terrified.
"Young Madam... this... this is too high!"
Cai Qing was so scared her words were jumbled. She had never climbed a tree in her life, and it was terrifying.
"It's alright, I'll jump down first, and I'll catch you."
As she spoke, Feng Jin leaped down. "Hurry, Cai Qing, jump down!"
Cai Qing looked down, trembling all over. "Young Madam, I can't!"
"You truly are..." This was the crucial moment, and they couldn't fail now.
"Don't look down. Just leap, and I'll catch you!"
Feng Jin reassured Cai Qing, but her heart was in a frenzy, wishing she could just pull Cai Qing down herself.
"Wife, you are quite experienced. It seems you've scaled walls before!"
Ling Mo Han's voice, tinged with anger, rang out from behind. Feng Jin's heart sank. It was all over.
"Young... Young General!" Cai Qing stammered. Startled, her foot slipped, and she fell. "Ah! Help!"
"Cai Qing!" Feng Jin cried out in alarm.
Lu Shi's figure flashed, and he caught Cai Qing, placing her gently on the ground.
Cai Qing, already shaken, collapsed onto the ground, still recovering from the shock. She vowed never to sneak out with the Young Madam again; it was too terrifying.
"What are you doing here? I have urgent business to attend to. You should go back!" Feng Jin's attitude was arrogant, and she felt utterly justified in her defiance. She would not be outmatched in presence.
"Lu Shi, please escort the Young Madam back!" Ling Mo Han commanded coldly, his face ashen.
If the gatekeeper hadn't reported, he would have been too late, and Feng Jin would have vanished.
If persuasion didn't work, he wouldn't be blamed for taking other measures.
"You dare!" Feng Jin fiercely rebuked Lu Shi, then straightened her back and met Ling Mo Han's gaze. "You have no right to restrict my personal freedom. I am going out."
She was determined to leave today, and she had to examine Princess Qing Ping.
Ling Mo Han's expression darkened. He stepped forward and scooped Feng Jin into his arms.
Startled by the sudden lift, Feng Jin instinctively clutched the man's neck for support.
The sudden movement tugged at the wound on her back, causing Feng Jin to wince.
"What is it?" Ling Mo Han asked in a deep voice.
"Nothing, you just pulled my hair!" Feng Jin fabricated a weak excuse, all for the sake of leaving. "Put me down. I really have urgent business to attend to."
"I'll accompany you by carriage!" Ling Mo Han said in a low voice. He couldn't rest easy letting her go out alone.
"Ah?"
Feng Jin was still in a state of surprise when she found herself seated inside the carriage.
"Lu Shi, proceed to the Yue Guo Duke's mansion."
"How did you know I was going to the Yue Guo Duke's mansion?" She hadn't told him, nor had she told Cai Qing.
"Yesterday, someone from the Yue Guo Duke's mansion sent an invitation. I guessed you would be going out today." He had initially intended for Feng Jin to ask him, but he hadn't anticipated her taking such a risk and attempting to scale the wall.
Feng Jin's lips twitched involuntarily. She genuinely suspected Ling Mo Han possessed clairvoyance, otherwise, how could he be so aware of her affairs? Or was there a spy among her attendants? But Cai Qing didn't seem like a spy. That left only one possibility: Ling Mo Han had her under surveillance.
"Are you spying on me?" Feng Jin directly voiced her suspicion.
Ling Mo Han's hand, which was lifting the carriage curtain, paused. Had Feng Jin discovered something? But his men were always hidden in the shadows, never revealing themselves. How could Feng Jin know? Or was she merely testing him?
"No. The gatekeeper merely saw you scaling the wall and came to report." Ling Mo Han lied without batting an eye, maintaining a sincere expression.
"Is that so?" Feng Jin was swayed by his earnest demeanor and chose to believe him, not pressing further.