Jia watched Mu Anxiao’s stunned expression, saying nothing, just looking at her to see what she would say.
Mu Anxiao sighed repeatedly, then said, “What you’re saying makes sense.” She thought about her own behavior at the main gate not long ago, and her heart sank. “I just thought of a problem,” she said, looking at Jia.
Jia raised his chin. “Go on.”
“Mu Gui already hates me and often ignores me. Tell me,” Mu Anxiao stared at Jia’s face, “if I make this scene, will he expel me?”
“That won’t happen.”
“Really?”
“Of course. Your master is an immortal in this city of Jin. Just for that connection with your master, Mu Gui can’t expel you. Don’t worry,” Jia smiled. “At most, he’ll just not pay you any mind. You, in this house from now on, will be worse off than servants. Thinking pessimistically, he might make you serve a young lady you detest.”
“Ah?”
“That’s usually how it goes,” Jia spread his hands.
“You little brat, you’re really not afraid of being precocious. You think too much.”
“You’ve learned quite a bit in the mortal world.”
“Passably,” Mu Anxiao said without modesty, lowering her eyes to think before asking, “Hey, when you first arrived, did you see anyone who looked like Feng Qishi?”
“Someone who looked like him?” Jia appeared surprised. “How is that possible? Feng Qishi is an immortal. There can’t be anyone in the mortal world who looks like him.”
Mu Anxiao smiled at Jia’s resolute expression. “Believe it or not, there really is.”
“Really? How is that possible?” Jia thought Mu Anxiao was joking with him.
“How is it possible? Go and see for yourself.”
“I’m not going,” Jia shook his head and stood up. “Do you need me to untie your ropes?” He put on an arrogant expression.
Mu Anxiao: “Of course, but…” she hesitated.
Jia: “What’s wrong? I’ve never seen you so hesitant before.”
“I’m thinking, I’ve already offended him. If I suddenly show up again, will he…” Mu Anxiao said, “really make me a servant to one of his daughters? From what I know, the masters in this Mu mansion are all ill-intentioned, especially the old and young maids by the Madam’s side. Their methods of dealing with people are extremely vicious.”
There was a common ‘problem’ with the people in this Mu mansion: they’d always oppress those of lower status. The masters never treated their servants as human beings. Many servants, who were plump when they first arrived, would turn into walking skeletons after staying with them for a while.
Mu Anxiao had witnessed all this, which was why she was worried.
“Why didn’t you consider this when you offended him?”
“At that time, I was only thinking about the mission. Besides, look…” Mu Anxiao lowered her gaze to the rope tied around her ankles, continuing, “I’m already like this, which shows how furious Mu Gui was.”
Jia laughed. “You have only one good quality: a strong sense of self-reflection.”
“What about the others?” Mu Anxiao changed the subject.
Jia’s smile vanished. He thought for a moment and said, “The others are all flaws. Now, tell me, are you going to let me help you, or not? If not, I’m leaving.”
“You can’t leave.”
“I am leaving. This dilapidated woodshed is more oppressive than a mass grave. Make up your mind quickly,” Jia said, then paused and asked, “Also, tell me what your plan is.”
“It’s no use telling you. I’ve already offended Mu Gui.”
“Tell me, perhaps you can even use it to your advantage,” Jia said calmly.
Mu Anxiao looked at Jia’s grown-up demeanor and chuckled, “What you said makes sense.”
“Elaborate,” Jia sat down opposite Mu Anxiao, unconcerned by her laughter.
Then, Mu Anxiao thought for a moment and said, “Doesn’t the third young lady of this mansion have three days a month to enter the palace? I was thinking of taking this opportunity from her. But if I asked for it directly, Mu Gui would definitely beat me, wouldn’t he?”
Jia nodded.
Mu Anxiao continued, “So, I went to the mansion gate to wait for my chance. When Mu Gui arrived, I told him everything that had happened to me in the past three months, hoping he would take pity on me and agree to my request. Who knew,” she sneered, “I was too naive.”
“You were indeed naive,” Jia said, his expression serious. “Do you know you’ve brought trouble upon yourself?”
“What trouble?”
“Mu Gui and his wife are of one mind. When he sees his wife, he will surely tell her about you. And that third young lady is his wife’s own daughter. If you snatch her opportunity, she’ll be furious, wouldn’t she?”
“What opportunity did I snatch from her? Her going into the palace is nothing more than eating, drinking, and playing. If I play for her this time, what’s wrong with that? If you talk about rules,” Mu Anxiao snorted, “I can learn them. I’m not stupid, after all.”
“…” Jia rolled his eyes at Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao looked at Jia’s disdainful expression and said, “What I said isn’t right.”
“What do you think?”
“I think my idea is fine, of course, I also know… they think people like me are not worthy.”
“Whether people like you are worthy or not is another matter. Snatching your daughter’s opportunity is where you are wrong.”
“Opportunity? What opportunity?”
“The opportunity for his daughter to marry the King of Jin. That’s the opportunity,” Jia said, rolling his eyes at Mu Anxiao again. “There’s a selection of consorts going on recently, and this family’s third daughter is among them. Her three days a month are for this purpose.”
“Selection of consorts…” Mu Anxiao had always stayed in the countryside and was not very familiar with the ways of the palace. Hearing Jia say this now, she was truly confused. “What is that?” she frowned.
“Haven’t you watched dramas?”
“Dramas… I watch ghost movies, police thrillers, comedies, and such. What you’re talking about… I’m really not clear,” Mu Anxiao said truthfully.
Jia gave a dry laugh and said, “Then let me explain it to you properly.” He cleared his throat and asked, “Can people here have three wives and four concubines?”
“Yes, Mu Gui has several concubines, but as far as I know, he only has one wife.”
“That’s for ordinary people. But the King of Jin is different. He has countless wives, and his wives are collectively called consorts. Of course, there are other titles, which I won’t detail for you. In short,” Jia said, “he holds a selection of consorts every three years, choosing only five each time, with thirty women participating. This family’s third daughter is one of the dozens.”
“Thirty choose five, that’s not difficult.”
“Thirty choose five isn’t difficult, then tell me, what is difficult?”
“One hundred choose one is difficult,” Mu Anxiao said from a position of comfort.
Jia was speechless.