In the blink of an eye, Mu An Xiao and her companions, led by Mai Liang, stopped outside the reception hall where Mu Gui usually welcomed guests. However, what surprised Mu An Xiao was how quiet it was outside the reception hall today. Not only that, but the surroundings, just like the entrance of the mansion, were enveloped in thick fog.
Looking around, Mu An Xiao couldn't help but wonder if this place was truly the "home" she had been in for nearly a year. In any case, the gloomy and strange environment made her extremely uncomfortable.
Just then, the servant who had blocked them at the mansion gate earlier walked towards them from the side. "How did you get in?" he asked, ignoring Shen Lü and focusing his gaze entirely on Mu An Xiao.
Mu An Xiao felt nothing from this. Instead, she calmly looked at the servant, whose face was filled with surprise, and said coldly, "Didn't you say the master and madam went to the palace? Excuse me," she glanced at two maids who happened to walk out, "why is the maid serving the madam here?"
"...This.." The servant was speechless.
Mu An Xiao calmly looked at the servant, who suddenly didn't know what to say, and sneered, "I knew you were lying to me."
"You.."
"Shut up. I have something to tell the master. Either you go in and announce me, or you disappear quickly." Mu An Xiao interrupted coldly, her face devoid of any expression.
This servant had never shown Mu An Xiao much respect since they met. Even when he saw her, he acted as if she were invisible because, in his eyes, Mu An Xiao was truly worse than a servant. But today, he had seen a side of Mu An Xiao that was completely unknown to him.
Therefore, he was now afraid of her.
"You'd best not anger the master," the servant said in a low voice, glancing at the two maids staring at them, and quickly turned to leave.
After the servant walked away, Mu An Xiao finally withdrew her gaze and looked at the two maids who were also walking towards them, without saying a word.
At the same time, Shen Lü also fixed his gaze on the two maids.
Then, Jia narrowed her eyes and whispered, "They... don't look like people."
"Not necessarily," Mu An Xiao said softly, taking a step forward and standing before the two maids. "Did the madam send you out?"
Maid Number One, "The madam said to let you in." After speaking, she didn't forget to glance at Mai Liang beside them.
Mai Liang averted his gaze.
"And him?" Mu An Xiao deliberately pointed to Shen Lü beside them.
Shen Lü deliberately straightened his back to appear dignified.
Immediately, Maid Number Two looked at the distinguished Shen Lü and exclaimed, "General."
"You have some sense then," Shen Lü said coldly.
Maid Number Two smiled and said, "General, please come with me to the side hall to rest."
"Why can't I go?" Shen Lü feigned anger.
Seeing this, Maid Number Two did not dare to slight Shen Lü and patiently explained, "To be honest, the madam heard her voice and asked us to bring her in for questioning. Who knew..." She nodded slightly, "You are here too. If that's the case, then this servant can only make her own decision and bring you to the side hall, and then report to the master."
"You certainly know how to make decisions for the master. If I'm not mistaken," Shen Lü sneered, "you probably have an unusual relationship with your master, don't you?"
Upon hearing this, Maid Number Two hurriedly said, "General, please don't speak carelessly. If the madam hears about this, this servant will... truly not survive." After speaking, she quickly lowered her head.
Shen Lü smiled, "Your madam's reputation outside has always been very good. Your saying 'not survive' is probably an exaggeration."
"This servant..."
"Think about it, if what you said reaches your madam's ears, your madam will likely be disheartened, won't she?" Shen Lü said deliberately.
It was also at this moment that Jia realized... the two maids before them were human, not demons.
Mu An Xiao looked at Maid Number Two, who was rendered speechless by Shen Lü, and then thought about what they were about to face. Her eyes darkened, and she deliberately said, "Let the General go in instead." She looked at Maid Number Two.
Upon hearing this, Maid Number Two's gaze "killed" towards Mu An Xiao's face.
Mu An Xiao was startled by this direct stare from Maid Number Two. "I'm doing this for your own good. You're being ungrateful like this." As she spoke, she also grew cold.
Maid Number Two said in a cold voice, "What I do has nothing to do with you, you..."
"What I do indeed has nothing to do with you. Since... you refuse to be polite and insist on being difficult, fine," Mu An Xiao said, deliberately glancing at Shen Lü, and then lowered her voice, "I'll be the one to tell the madam about this matter."
"You... what do you want to say?" Maid Number Two was frightened by Mu An Xiao.
Hearing this, Mu An Xiao's lips curled into a smile, and she fixed her gaze intently on Maid Number Two's face. "You should know better than anyone why the madam has always disliked my mother."
"You..."
"It's precisely my mother's unfashionable status. If I remember correctly, you've been by the madam's side for less than half a year, haven't you?"
"What exactly do you want to say?" Maid Number Two was scared.
Mu An Xiao: "I don't want to say anything, it's just that I've always had a question. This..." She glanced at Maid Number Two again, "General maids are usually carefully selected by the madam before they can reach this position. You... seem to have been promoted by the master, haven't you?"
Upon hearing this, Maid Number One immediately shifted her gaze to Maid Number Two's face.
Maid Number Two, after Mu An Xiao's words, averted her gaze and said, "Don't talk nonsense."
"I'm just telling the truth," Mu An Xiao said in a provocative tone.
Maid Number Two clenched her fists.
Meanwhile, inside the reception hall, the madam and Mu Gui heard Mu An Xiao's voice from outside. Thus, the madam shifted her gaze, which was previously fixed on Mai Xia, to Mu Gui.
Mu Gui, seated in the main position, also noticed the madam's gaze at the same time. However... the truth was the truth. As the head of the household, how could he deny it? Helplessly, he could only pretend not to have heard anything and stared intently at Mai Xia, who was kneeling in the center of the hall.
Mai Xia lowered her head and listened without a word to the conversation outside... between Mu An Xiao and the maids.
Outside the room.
After being provoked by Mu An Xiao, Maid Number Two finally blurted out the truth, "I was brought back by the master. So what?"
Mu An Xiao hadn't expected that a casual provocation from her would actually force the truth out of Maid Number Two. Looking at Maid Number Two, she smiled, "You have a relationship with my father, and you're still being unreasonable? It seems," she crossed her arms, "you really aren't afraid of the madam."
However, Shen Lü had only said that earlier to be able to enter with Mu An Xiao and the others. He didn't expect that after going in circles, he would actually give Mu An Xiao an opportunity to make a fuss, and moreover, Mu An Xiao had actually solved the problem. Regarding this, Shen Lü couldn't help but admire Mu An Xiao.