Soon, Mu Anxiao followed A Ju back to the courtyard gate. Just as Mu Anxiao was about to follow A Ju into the courtyard, she suddenly remembered her current gender. She immediately put on a hesitant expression and said, "It's not right for me to go in directly like this."
A Ju understood this feeling of wanting to enter but not daring to. She stopped at the threshold, turned to look at Mu Anxiao, and said indifferently, "It's fine as long as you follow me."
"This is a lady's boudoir after all. You are all unmarried maids. It wouldn't be proper for me to come in," Mu Anxiao feigned the demeanor of a proper gentleman.
A Ju smiled, "It's alright, isn't the coachman also coming in?"
"He's already a father, and I'm not married yet. If I follow you, I fear..."
"You've already traveled with me. Now you say it's not right to follow me. You," A Ju interrupted, unable to help but smile, "are indeed strange."
"Just now, there was no one around, so I naturally wouldn't think too much about it. But this place is different. This is your ladies' room, and there are people inside. If they see me and spread gossip, I wouldn't care. But what about your reputation? Therefore," Mu Anxiao smiled, "call the coachman out."
"This..." A Ju hesitated.
Mu Anxiao looked at A Ju's hesitant expression and smiled faintly, "What, you can't?" she said, deliberately probing.
A Ju replied, "It's not impossible, but if such a thing were to be said here, I'm afraid..." She glanced around, "it wouldn't be appropriate either."
"What's not appropriate? It's just..." Halfway through her sentence, Mu Anxiao suddenly thought of Ouyang Ye's unpredictable temper. If she said something unpleasant here and angered him, and he secretly used sorcery to harm someone, it would be troublesome. Therefore, for everyone's safety, she conceded, "Then let's go in."
"I'll lead the way," A Ju said, relieved, and turned to walk ahead.
Mu Anxiao took a deep breath and followed.
Immediately after, Mu Anxiao followed A Ju into the room. The moment A Ju alerted him, Ouyang Ye had reverted to his coachman's appearance. He was now sitting at a table, calmly watching Mu Anxiao enter, and said, "Cao Gen."
Mu Anxiao grinned playfully, "Hello there." As she spoke, she stepped forward and put on a show of being unsophisticated, "Hmm, a lady's room smells different."
Ouyang Ye frowned.
Mu Anxiao sniffed the air and said, "It smells so good."
Seeing Mu Anxiao's actions, A Ju suddenly felt uncomfortable. "Can you stop that?" she said, actively moving to Ouyang Ye's side.
Upon hearing this, Mu Anxiao snapped back to attention and looked at A Ju, who had consciously moved to Ouyang Ye's side. She said, "This is your room, isn't it?"
"Yes," A Ju nodded.
Mu Anxiao smiled, "I've always longed to marry a particularly fragrant woman. To be honest," she deliberately ignored Ouyang Ye, portraying herself as a superficial man, "you're also good-looking. If you don't have a man you fancy, let's just make do and spend our lives together."
"What are you talking about?" A Ju's face turned red with anger.
Mu Anxiao smiled, "Let me tell you, my family is a renowned TCM family. Once I master my skills, I'll open a pharmacy here in Jincheng. Then, I'll get to know some imperial physicians from the palace. This way, my pharmacy's reputation will be established. If you follow me," she maintained her smile, "you'll definitely have a good life."
"You..."
"However, let me be clear upfront. My father said that if I'm to marry, I must marry four wives. If it's possible, I can let you be the head wife. What do you say, A Ju?" Mu Anxiao then pretended to eagerly await A Ju's response.
A Ju lowered her head.
Seeing this, Mu Anxiao's expression changed instantly. She turned to Ouyang Ye and said, "Don't tell me you like the coachman."
"Stop talking," A Ju growled.
Mu Anxiao became angry, "It seems I've hit the nail on the head. You'd rather be with this coachman than with me. Or is it that you think this coachman is closer to the General?" she said, becoming even more indignant. "A Ju, you truly judge people by their appearance! I'm telling you, I'm much wealthier than him. If you follow me, you'll have a good life. But if you follow him, your life will only get worse. Not only that, but you'll also have to take care of his children. You'll be very tired then. A Ju, don't you understand this?"
At this moment, Mu Anxiao's self-directed performance had dragged A Ju into a abyss. Clenching her fists, she became enraged, "Cao Gen, that's enough!" As she spoke, she raised her head and glared at Mu Anxiao.
Seeing this, Mu Anxiao fell silent.
Ouyang Ye picked up his teacup and said, "Cao Gen, you've only just arrived at the manor and you're already looking for a wife. You're quite bold!" As he spoke, he stood up.
Mu Anxiao sneered, "You're criticizing me, but what are you doing here? Are you here to give her advice?"
"You..."
"Stop with the 'you'. She said you're here to give her advice and hand over the silver needles to the General, right?" Mu Anxiao stated the facts plainly.
Ouyang Ye's brow furrowed.
Mu Anxiao scanned Ouyang Ye from head to toe and said, "Let me tell you, I'm new here, and I desperately need the General's favor. You're just an unknown coachman, so don't try to snatch my work."
However, Mu Anxiao had not said this to A Ju. So, when A Ju heard Mu Anxiao say this, she became angry. "Cao Gen, you didn't say that to me just now."
"I just thought of it," Mu Anxiao said directly.
A Ju stiffened, as if stimulated by something, and shifted her gaze to Ouyang Ye's face.
Seeing Mu Anxiao act this way, Ouyang Ye let out a cold snort.
Upon hearing this, Mu Anxiao shifted her gaze back to Ouyang Ye and said, "How about this? Shall we go and give these needles to the General? Then, the credit will be split between us."
"Cao Gen," A Ju called out.
Mu Anxiao completely ignored A Ju and continued to stare at Ouyang Ye without speaking.
Ouyang Ye let out a cold laugh, "Your calculations are quite good," he said, then looked at A Ju, "Why did you bring him here?"
"The silver needles are poisoned. My A Ju was afraid of dying, so she asked me to come along," Mu Anxiao explained to help A Ju out of a tight spot.
A Ju froze.
Ouyang Ye glared fiercely at A Ju, then slowly turned to look at Mu Anxiao and said, "Cao Gen, I truly didn't expect you to be such a cunning and ambitious person. Since that's the case," a smile flickered across his lips, "you can follow me." He gestured with his chin.
"You're just a coachman. What future can I have by following you?" Mu Anxiao said disdainfully, feeling more confident now.
Then, Ouyang Ye smiled at Mu Anxiao and said, "Since we're all on the same path, it doesn't matter that you know my identity." As he spoke, his expression suddenly turned stern, and he reverted to his true form.
Upon seeing this, Mu Anxiao immediately took half a step back, feigning fear. "You're a demon," she said, her voice trembling and her expression contorted.
Seeing Mu Anxiao's frightened expression, Ouyang Ye burst into laughter.
A Ju glanced at 'Cao Gen', who was clearly terrified by Ouyang Ye, and sighed.