Mu Anxiao's sudden words made A Ju panic.
So, she quickly said, "You look again."
"Look..." Mu Anxiao uttered the word, then perfunctorily felt herself all over again and said, "It's really not here." She looked up at A Ju.
However, A Ju's coming here was under Ouyang Ye's command. From the moment she arrived, she had held great hope, but she hesitated for a long time because this was where servants lived. Therefore, encountering 'Cao Gen' here was a stroke of luck for her. In short, everything seemed to be going smoothly in her eyes.
Unexpectedly, just as she thought she could complete her task smoothly, this happened.
Looking at Mu Anxiao, she said again, "You look again."
"It's really not here," Mu Anxiao emphasized.
A Ju's face showed panic, "It must be here, I'll help you." Saying this, she reached out to touch Mu Anxiao.
Seeing this, Mu Anxiao quickly retreated a few steps and said, "A man and a woman should not touch each other. Don't touch me." As she spoke, her heel hit the threshold.
A Ju: "You look again, it must be here." She stopped in place after hearing Mu Anxiao's words.
Mu Anxiao looked at A Ju's expression, which was full of fear of failing the mission. She lowered her eyes and thought, "I'll go with you."
"No need, I, you can just give it to me," A Ju insisted.
Mu Anxiao frowned and said, "I, I really can't find it, it's here, I..." She thought for a moment, "I'll go in and look, you wait here."
"What are you going in for?" A Ju asked, confused.
"To be honest, I changed my clothes, and maybe I accidentally put the silver needle somewhere," Mu Anxiao lied.
A Ju saw through it at a glance, "Your clothes are still those clothes."
"I'm a servant, all my clothes are the same," Mu Anxiao argued.
A Ju hesitated after hearing Mu Anxiao's words but eventually believed her. "Then hurry up."
"Okay," Mu Anxiao nodded, turned, and went inside.
A Ju clasped her hands, feeling inexplicably nervous.
Minutes later.
Mu Anxiao came out after wandering around inside.
Seeing Mu Anxiao emerge, A Ju quickly walked up and asked impatiently, "Did you find it?"
Mu Anxiao feigned a look of difficulty.
Seeing this, A Ju was confused, "What's wrong with you."
Mu Anxiao stared at A Ju's face for a few seconds, then put on an expression as if she didn't know where to begin, saying, "I looked inside, but..."
"Lost?" A Ju interrupted Mu Anxiao, tears welling up in her eyes.
Seeing A Ju like this, Mu Anxiao quickly said, "No."
"Then what is it?" A Ju's voice was choked, and her expression clearly showed a look of impending doom.
Mu Anxiao smiled, "I found it."
"Found..." A Ju repeated, then smiled, "Really, can you give it to me?" She directly extended her hand.
Mu Anxiao kept her hands behind her back, smiling without speaking.
A Ju was bewildered, "What do you mean by that?"
"I'll help you give it to the general," Mu Anxiao said, intentionally raising her eyebrows at A Ju.
A Ju looked at her, becoming hesitant.
Mu Anxiao feigned confusion, "What's wrong? What's with that expression?"
A Ju lowered her head and said, "Actually, I've already arranged with the driver." She then looked up at Mu Anxiao again.
However, Mu Anxiao knew that knowing A Ju's nature, she would definitely push all the blame onto the 'driver,' who seemed to be on good terms with Feng Qishi, at the last moment. As expected, she was right.
So, she deliberately said, "Giving it to him or me is the same, or..." she deliberately knitted her brows, "you don't trust me, only the driver."
"It's not..."
"Then what is it?" Mu Anxiao made things difficult for A Ju.
A Ju lowered her eyes and thought for a moment, saying, "This method was thought of by the driver, and the driver has a good relationship with the general. As for you," she carefully examined Mu Anxiao, and continued, "you're just new, how could you possibly have access to the general? So, give me the silver needle. Don't deceive yourself anymore."
"What do you mean I'm deceiving myself? I'm kindly helping."
"I thank you for your kindness. I've already promised the driver, if I go back on my word, then..." A Ju suddenly stopped speaking.
Mu Anxiao said lightly, "What, if you go back on your word, the driver will..." she leaned forward, deliberately saying, "kill you?"
Upon hearing the word 'kill,' A Ju involuntarily shivered three times. "No." She suddenly became frightened.
This time, Mu Anxiao saw A Ju's nervousness thoroughly. She then stared at A Ju's face for a few seconds and asked, "You insist on giving it to the driver, not to me."
"That's not what I mean, you..."
"Just answer me," Mu Anxiao interrupted, her expression filled with seriousness.
Seeing that Mu Anxiao was displeased, A Ju dared not offend her further and instead nodded.
Mu Anxiao smiled.
Seeing Mu Anxiao smile, A Ju asked in confusion, "What are you smiling about?"
"I'm smiling at you, being afraid of a mere driver," Mu Anxiao said, then suddenly her smile disappeared, and she became even more serious. "It's this, I'll go with you."
"I..."
"Stop with the 'I.' That silver needle is poisoned, and I've done some special treatment to it. It's fine for me to hold it, but if you touch it," Mu Anxiao realized that if she didn't use some trick, no matter how much she explained, she wouldn't be able to convince A Ju. So, instead of wasting more words, it was better to scare her directly, "you will die immediately."
"What?"
"If you don't believe me," Mu Anxiao took out a handkerchief from her clothes, "try it." After saying that, she was about to open the handkerchief.
Seeing this, A Ju got scared, "Really." Her voice trembled.
Mu Anxiao curled the corner of her mouth, "It wouldn't be fun if I tricked you with this." she said, and gently pulled back a bit of the cloth.
A Ju watched Mu Anxiao's deliberately slowed movements and quickly said, "I believe you."
Upon hearing this, Mu Anxiao stopped her actions, looked up at A Ju, and said, "I'll go with you."
"Al...right." Afraid of losing her life, A Ju compromised.
Mu Anxiao smiled, "Lead the way." As she said this, she felt inexplicably excited.
A Ju responded, "Okay," then pointed at the handkerchief in Mu Anxiao's hand and said, "Can you put that away first?"
"Okay," Mu Anxiao agreed and put the handkerchief back into her clothes.
A Ju breathed a sigh of relief, turned, and walked ahead.
Mu Anxiao smiled slightly, then looked at both sides before following A Ju and asking, "A Ju, can I ask you a question?" she came up beside A Ju.
A Ju cautiously glanced at Mu Anxiao and said, "You stand behind me."
"Why?" Mu Anxiao asked without reservation.
A Ju uttered two words: "Rules."
"Rules, oh, I almost forgot," Mu Anxiao said, stepping back two paces, and continued, "A Ju, do you have a man you fancy?"
"Why are you asking this?" A Ju tilted her head.
Mu Anxiao smiled, "I want to ask."
"I don't. Stop asking," A Ju said, as if avoiding something.
Mu Anxiao heard this and said, "Oh."