After staring at Feng Qishi for a few seconds, Mu Anxiao revealed a confused expression. "Why are you looking at me?"
"What did you mean when you said she knew quite a bit?" Feng Qishi became curious about what Mu Anxiao had muttered to herself.
Mu Anxiao looked at Feng Qishi calmly, a smile playing on her lips. "You're quite bothersome." As she spoke, she glanced back in the direction Gu Yan had gone, and continued, "She's still a little afraid of Ouyang Ye, so there are some things she's unwilling to say. However, I believe if I speak to her encouragingly, she'll be fine." After saying this, she nodded, feeling she had made a very sensible point.
Feng Qishi asked, "What are you planning to do next?" He was curious about how Mu Anxiao would answer.
However, the moment Feng Qishi asked, Mu Anxiao showed a troubled expression. "Before I talk about what I'll do, I still think there's something wrong with that servant who passed the message. But," she took a sharp breath, "I still can't pinpoint what's wrong with him. Never mind, perhaps I'm overthinking it."
"Just go with your gut feeling," Feng Qishi said calmly.
Listening to Feng Qishi, Mu Anxiao thought for a moment and said, "Perhaps I'm overthinking it." As she spoke, she looked up at Feng Qishi and asked, "What did you say?"
Feng Qishi replied, "I asked what you plan to do?" Seeing that Mu Anxiao was preoccupied with her thoughts, he decided not to say anything more.
Mu Anxiao said, "I've finished looking for the servants, now I should go find those...."
"You're going to find those maids?" Feng Qishi interrupted, his expression one of surprise.
"It's not a big deal for me to go take a look. What, you don't want me to go?"
"It's not that I don't want you to go, but do you think it will be meaningful for you to go?"
"Not meaningful? I have my own ways, don't worry, I won't let anything slip."
"You..."
"Enough of your 'you'. I'm leaving now." Mu Anxiao, too lazy to exchange more words with Feng Qishi, patted his shoulder and walked away.
Feng Qishi knew Mu Anxiao was full of tricks, but he also understood that she became brainless whenever she interacted with ordinary people. Therefore, his heart sank, and with lingering worry, he turned and quickly followed her.
In the blink of an eye.
They arrived together at the entrance of the courtyard where the maids lived.
Then, Mu Anxiao glanced into the courtyard and noticed that the courtyard where the women lived was indeed different from the one where the men lived. Looking into the courtyard, it was filled with flowers and plants. Although some flowers had already withered in this season, in Mu Anxiao's eyes, it was still much better than the bare, drab courtyard of the servants.
At this moment, Feng Qishi was looking at Mu Anxiao, who had run over to 'inspect' the courtyard, with a speechless expression. "What are you doing?"
"Don't say it, women are indeed better than you stinky men," Mu Anxiao said, retracting her upper body and turning to fix her gaze on Feng Qishi.
Feng Qishi looked down at Mu Anxiao's expression, which had clearly forgotten her own identity. He cleared his throat and said, "You're a man right now."
"And then?" Mu Anxiao asked deliberately.
Upon hearing this, Feng Qishi stared at Mu Anxiao's face for a few seconds, then suddenly bent down, met Mu Anxiao's eyes closely, and said, "The way you are now, you really look like a peeping tom." After saying this, he straightened up and deliberately moved a few steps to the side.
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao clenched her fists in anger. "Can you speak properly?" she glared at Feng Qishi.
Feng Qishi's lips curled. Just as he was about to continue teasing Mu Anxiao, a woman's voice suddenly came from within the courtyard. He then swallowed the words he was about to say, reminded her, "They're here," and turned to leave.
Mu Anxiao was stunned. The moment she turned her head, two maids walked out of the courtyard and came up to her.
Then, the first woman said, "Who are you?"
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao was startled and quickly turned her head to say, "I'm new." As she spoke, she smiled at them.
Seeing Mu Anxiao's smiling face, the second woman also smiled. "This is the women's courtyard, what are you doing here? Could it be you're looking for a place to stay?" she asked teasingly.
Mu Anxiao did not expect this second woman to be so unreserved.
Therefore, she took a deep breath and said, "I just came out of the men's courtyard and got lost here."
"When did you enter the manor? I haven't heard about anyone coming today," the first woman was more cautious.
Mu Anxiao said, "I came in directly with the general. Actually, I'm here to stay with relatives."
"Relatives?" the first woman repeated, glancing at the second woman.
Mu Anxiao nodded. "Yes, I'm a relative of Shuer. She told me to come here, saying that the wages are good, so I came. Who knew I'd be robbed outside, and then rescued by the general, so I came straight in," she said, smiling. "Don't you think it's a coincidence?"
"It is a coincidence, but this coincidence is preposterous," the first woman scanned Mu Anxiao from head to toe.
Mu Anxiao was speechless.
The first woman continued, "Tell us the truth, did you sneak in to steal something?" Her eyes were fixed directly on Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao frowned under the first woman's intense gaze. "You can say I'm trying to curry favor, but you can't say I'm a thief. You woman," she got angry, "can you speak properly?"
The first woman retorted, "You mean you're not a thief."
"I'm not a thief in the first place, so don't try to slander me." Mu Anxiao widened her eyes, suddenly having the urge to teach her a lesson, but due to the matter of 'gender,' she could only endure it.
"If you're not a thief, then why are you here?"
"I've already explained myself clearly, there's no need to say more."
The first woman said, "If you want me to believe you, repeat that story. Otherwise," she narrowed her eyes, "I'll deal with you on behalf of the general."
"You're just a mere maid, and you want to deal with me on behalf of the general?" Mu Anxiao looked at the first woman's arrogant demeanor and was also furious. "Why don't you fly to the sky?"
"I handle most of the affairs of the General's Manor. If you don't believe me, go ask the general," the first woman did not believe that Mu Anxiao knew Feng Qishi, so she became arrogant.
Mu Anxiao calmly looked at the first woman, who had several more layers of cunning compared to men, and sneered, "You really know how to use a chicken feather as an arrow. Fine, I'll go ask the general then." As she spoke, she deliberately glanced at the second woman, who hadn't said a word.
The first woman said, "Go ahead, I'll see if you can find the general. I'll watch," she snorted coldly, "how capable you little thief are."
"Speaking of capability, I really can't compare to you. Your skill in boasting," Mu Anxiao gave a thumbs-up, "is truly superb. I won't waste any more time with you. Just tell me, where is Shuer?"
"Didn't you want to find the general? Little thief, why aren't you going? What are you looking for Shuer for?" the first woman asked sarcastically.