"Princess?"
Mo Chou's voice trembled slightly. Little Yu'er immediately sensed it, and her narrow, finely drawn eyebrows arched as she spoke in a deep voice, "What is it? Mao Xueqiu has been located."
"Mhm," Mo Chou nodded. Little Yu'er rushed over, asking nervously, "Where is it? Where is it?"
Mo Chou's gaze was somewhat unfocused. She glanced at a package in her hand, wrapped in oil paper, making it impossible to see clearly. However, judging by her actions, Little Yu'er seemed to have some inkling. She took a step back, pointing at Mo Chou's hand, "It can't be?"
"Yes, Princess."
Mo Chou nodded. Little Yu'er then rushed forward. Mo Chou, unable to bear letting her face such cruelty, raised her hands forcefully, stopping her. "Princess, please don't look. It's already dead. I'll bury it when I get back."
"No!!!"
Little Yu'er shrieked, her roar filled with sorrow, like a wounded wolf howling in the twilight, leaving behind a desolate echo.
Her small body suddenly leaped, as if driven mad, wanting to see what had happened to Mao Xueqiu.
Mo Chou was caught off guard by this move. With a slip, the oil paper package in her hand overturned, spilling the gruesome, bloody remains onto the ground.
Bloody, its fur stripped away, its eyes wide open in death, unclosed. The moment Little Yu'er saw Mao Xueqiu like this, her stomach churned violently, and she stumbled backward, rushing to the side to vomit profusely.
At that moment, she wished she could expel everything from her stomach until it was completely empty.
Her Mao Xueqiu, the little fox that had accompanied her for so long, had met such a tragic end.
Such a beautiful creature, and a vain one at that, had died so miserably. Little Yu'er's tears finally couldn't be held back.
In the evening breeze, a single tear traced a path down her small face.
So, it was true that wherever there were women, there was war. The women in the harem were truly terrifying.
Mo Chou had already swiftly rewrapped the oil paper. She knew this would happen.
Seeing the girl's face as pale as paper, almost transparent in the pale light, her eyes wide open, reflecting the cold, late autumn twilight, a voice like ice broke the silence.
"Where was it found?"
"Wendegong Palace."
Mo Chou spoke slowly. As soon as her words fell, the little figure had already rushed out wildly, like an angry lioness.
Mo Chou was startled, fearing she might get hurt. She immediately handed the oil paper-wrapped Mao Xueqiu to a young eunuch beside her and said in a deep voice, "Take it back and bury it immediately."
"Yes, Sister Mo Chou."
The young eunuch's voice trembled slightly. He had also seen Mao Xueqiu's tragic state and felt a chill, his legs feeling weak. He felt as if Mao Xueqiu's large, eerie eyes were staring at him, and he quickly turned and hurried back.
The others followed Mo Chou towards Wendegong Palace.
In the main hall of Wendegong Palace, illuminated by palace lanterns, Concubine Mei, dressed in a red silk dress, smiled lazily and triumphantly, a smug expression in her eyes.
Beside her stood a pretty palace maid, speaking softly and massaging her shoulders.
"Your Highness, you seem very happy today?"
"Thinking of getting rid of that little beast makes me happy. Let's see what the Princess can do to me."
Concubine Mei spoke triumphantly. That girl had dared to hit her last time. This time, she had stripped her little fox. Did she dare to strip her?
Concubine Mei laughed triumphantly. The maid beside her forced a smile, not understanding why her mistress would contend with a child.
The little princess was inherently mischievous. If you ignored her, why would you bother with a child? Catching the princess's pet, this matter was unlikely to end well.
As the maid pondered this, she broke out in cold sweats.
Yet, her mistress seemed to be losing her mind. It was only because the Emperor favored her, but didn't she realize that behind the Princess was the Empress? The Empress's influence in the Great Xian was no less than the Emperor's.
Would the Emperor offend the Empress for her? It was simply impossible.
Although the maid knew these truths, she was reprimanded when she tried to mention them to her mistress.
She had found a skilled subordinate from the Scholar's Mansion to enter the palace, caught the little princess's pet, and cruelly stripped its fur, hanging it on a tree to dry.
Now that there was a witness and evidence, there was no way to deny it, or perhaps her mistress never intended to deny it. She thought she had done something very capable, but she didn't realize that disaster was likely imminent.
At this moment, a eunuch rushed in from outside, his face ashen.
"Reporting to Your Highness, the little princess is here."
Upon hearing this, Concubine Mei's lips curved into a wicked smile. She slammed the tea bowl in her hand onto the low table and reprimanded coldly.
"What are you panicking about? She's just a child. What are you afraid of?"
After speaking, Concubine Mei tidied her hair, adjusted her clothes, and waved her hand elegantly. "You may go. Let her come if she wishes."
She thought that if the princess dared to hit her again this time, she wouldn't believe the Emperor would tolerate her hitting her repeatedly.
This time, if she hit her, the Emperor would surely deliver justice for her. As Concubine Mei was scheming, the maid behind her turned green.
Disaster was imminent, yet her mistress remained so complacent. She truly admired her. What was she thinking? Her voice trembled, "Your Highness, perhaps you should avoid her. I can send someone to invite the Emperor, perhaps Your Highness can still be alright?"
"What? I'm afraid of her?"
Concubine Mei's eyes widened, and she glared angrily. Looking at these useless servants beside her, her heart was filled with rage.
Indeed, that little princess was spoiled and willful, but could she still beat her? It was just a pet. If it was stripped, it was stripped. Could she kill it?
If she dared to hit her again, she could report it to the Emperor, including the previous incident. Concubine Mei was still calculating.
A small figure rushed in from outside the hall, like a whirlwind sweeping fallen leaves, leaving no trace. In an instant, she stood before Concubine Mei, her small hand coldly pointing accusingly at Concubine Mei.
"Did you kill Mao Xueqiu? Or were you instigated?"
Little Yu'er's black pupils widened, and a killing intent radiated from her entire being. Her lips curved into a bloody, murderous smile, rising from her head.
Concubine Mei, being slow to react, felt a little scared. But at this moment, she still cared about maintaining appearances.
"So what if I did it? You hit me last time, so I stripped your little fox. Is this not even revenge?"
"Ah—"
Little Yu'er let out a fierce roar, and her small body leaped forward, grabbing Concubine Mei's hair and desperately pulling it down, completely gone mad.
She was driven mad by anger. The thought of Mao Xueqiu's tragic state made her disregard everything. Although she was only five years old, due to her martial arts training, her strength was considerable. She pressed Concubine Mei's head down with both hands, forcing her to the ground.
Everyone in the hall was terrified, crying out, "Princess? Your Highness?"
Little Yu'er was truly enraged. Having experienced many lifetimes, though she only lived a few days in each, she believed she had never encountered anyone as wicked as the woman before her.
It was too cruel. The thought of Mao Xueqiu brought tears to her eyes.