CHAPTER 215: CHAPTER 215: FAINTING

Xingxing was in a rush.

Before leaving, she casually slipped the key she got from the maid into the peony flowers.

Xingxing came back to the room and said, "Miss, I found the key."

Su Jin was a bit weary, but she still got up.

Hopefully, the backyard wouldn’t surprise her too much.

She walked out.

At the entrance of the courtyard, Xingxing unlocked it with the key.

Pushing open the gate, Su Jin stepped inside.

Xie Jingchen was drinking tea inside the bamboo house.

Su Jin walked toward her own bamboo house.

The windows and doors of the bamboo house were tightly shut.

Xingxing walked in and pushed open the door.

Inside the bamboo house, there were three men passed out.

She shouted, "Miss, there are people passed out inside the bamboo house."

The backyard was secluded.

Xingxing’s voice was particularly loud.

Xie Jingchen furrowed his brows slightly, "What happened?"

The Hidden Guard said, "It seems someone fainted."

"How could someone faint in the backyard?" Xie Jingchen was puzzled.

The Hidden Guard didn’t know.

Xie Jingchen put down the teacup, got up, and walked out.

Inside the bamboo house.

Xingxing and Su Jin did not enter the house; they stood on the corridor.

Xie Jingchen walked up the steps and saw three men lying on the ground.

The Hidden Guard, "..."

Xie Jingchen, "..."

Xie Jingchen was about to go inside when Su Jin said, "Don’t go in yet, wait for the anesthetic in the bamboo house to dissipate before going in."

The Hidden Guard, "..."

Xie Jingchen, "..."

"How did you apply the anesthetic?" Xie Jingchen asked.

Su Jin shrugged slightly and said, "I turned the anesthetic into scented balls. As the incense burned, the anesthetic would be released."

The effect of her anesthetic was inherently strong.

Coupled with the closed doors and windows, they almost fainted as soon as they entered.

Because Xie Jinyu climbed a ladder to retrieve a kite and entered the backyard, Su Jin was not at ease.

If they moved around her bottles and jars in the room, in case of poisoning, she would not only have to save them but also explain to Princess Nanzhang and the Old Madam.

In order to prevent such grievances from happening, she specially formulated the anesthetic.

In the future, just light one when going out, whoever comes will be unlucky.

Su Jin glanced inside the bamboo house, "They probably came in batches of three, and when nobody came out for a long time, they got anxious and wanted to borrow the Military Book."

Unfortunately, the courtyard door was locked, and the maid couldn’t find the key.

Su Jin really admired Xingxing.

She hid it so casually yet managed to fool so many people.

"Young Master, what should we do now?" the Hidden Guard asked.

"Throw them into the front yard, splash them awake with water, and interrogate them in public," Xie Jingchen said.

Actually, the anesthetic in the bamboo house had almost dissipated.

Su Jin’s anesthetic could only last for two hours.

After the servants came in, the windows weren’t closed, and the air had been circulating.

The Hidden Guard went inside, hoisted a man onto his shoulder, and walked out.

There was a small maid guarding the entrance to the courtyard.

Seeing the Hidden Guard carrying a servant out, her eyes widened.

The backyard usually only had the Eldest Young Master, the Eldest Young Madam, the Eldest Young Master’s Hidden Guard, and the Eldest Young Madam’s maid.

How did there come to be an extra servant?

And he was unconscious...

Even under the condition that the courtyard door was locked.

The small maid smelled a strong unusual atmosphere.

And then——

She was startled out of her wits.

The Hidden Guard moved his shoulder, and the servant on his shoulder was thrown to the ground.

The heavy thud as he hit the ground was startling to everyone’s heart.

Maidservants and older maids in the yard gathered around.

The servant woke in pain only to faint again from it.

The Hidden Guard turned to leave.

The maids and older maids whispered to each other, discussing in hushed tones.

They then saw the Hidden Guard return with another servant.

The maids, "..."

Similar to before, the person was thrown down, and the Hidden Guard turned away again.

"Shouldn’t there be no more?" a small maid said weakly.

The maid beside her shook her head.

Who knows.

A backyard that shouldn’t have even one servant somehow popped out two; it was going to be quite a spectacle.

Soon after, the Hidden Guard brought in another servant.

The older maids, "...!!!"

This time, it wasn’t just the Hidden Guard coming out, but also Xie Jingchen and Su Jin.

The servant was thrown to the ground.

A maid brought a bucket of cold water.

The Hidden Guard was about to pick it up when Xingxing took the task.

Xingxing picked up the wooden bucket and said, "Everyone back up a bit."

The maids stepped back one after another.

Xingxing splashed the water out.

With great momentum, water droplets flew everywhere.

Under the sunlight, her fresh face wore a particularly bright smile.

The three servants shivered in unison, waking up.

At Qihao Hall.

The Old Madam closed her eyes and let Hongxiu massage her shoulders.

Ever since Hongxiu had followed Mrs. Wang to the Agarwood Pavilion for half a month, massaging shoulders and backs became her task.

She massaged the Old Madam for at least two hours every day, making the Old Madam very pleased; she was now the top maid at Qihao Hall.

The Second Madam sat close by and laughed, "Hongxiu only learned a few skills from the Eldest Young Madam and already makes the Old Madam so happy. No wonder the Beauty Pavilion is so enticing."

The smile on the Old Madam’s face faded a bit.

The Third Madam glanced at the Second Madam and said, "Second Sister-in-law doesn’t intend to let the Old Madam go to the Beauty Pavilion, does she?"

"I don’t think so," the Second Madam said.

"The Eldest Young Madam previously wanted to give Huanhuan and the girls discount cards. Huanhuan intended to accept but didn’t dare take them because of the Eldest and Second Misses," the Second Madam said.

The Second Madam’s eyes showed a bit of dissatisfaction.

Because of Princess Nanzhang, when the Beauty Pavilion opened, nobody from the Duke Zhen Country Mansion went to support the Eldest Young Madam’s business.

So, they didn’t even buy the discount cards.

Now if they want them, they have to spend a thousand taels of silver to buy them.

And now, esteemed madams in the Capital City love going to the Beauty Pavilion, and not having a discount card is disgraceful to one’s status.

The Third Madam saw the Second Madam siding with Su Jin, her expression cold.

Outside, a maid walked in and said, "Old Madam, something happened at the Agarwood Pavilion."

"What happened at the Agarwood Pavilion?" The Third Madam was a bit excited.

"..."

"Three servants broke into the backyard of the Agarwood Pavilion and were caught. The Eldest Young Madam is currently interrogating who sent them."

The Second Madam, "..."

The Third Madam, "..."

The excitement on the Third Madam’s face faded.

She had thought the trouble would befall that female bandit, never expecting it to be someone else.

And that person was clearly Princess Nanzhang.

Thinking of this, a hint of schadenfreude appeared on the Third Madam’s face.

Princess Nanzhang is truly unfortunate.

Entering the palace to request a marriage, she ended up with an esteemed misfortune, specialized in scolding her.

Inside the Peony Garden.

Princess Nanzhang received the news that three servants were caught.

Her face was as unpleasant as if she had been slapped three times.

Useless fools!

They were going to be the death of her!

Were three servants needed to investigate the bamboo house?!

Why didn’t they bring in all the servants of the Duke Zhen Country Mansion?!

Princess Nanzhang was fuming.

Mrs. Zhao didn’t dare to speak, thankful that this lousy idea wasn’t hers.

At the Agarwood Pavilion, in the yard.

The three servants woke up, only to see the Eldest Young Madam smiling at them.

Her clear eyes were gentle and full of smiles, twinkling like shattered gold.

The servants’ minds blanked for a moment.

A gust of wind blew.

Drenched, they shivered, and their minds cleared.

Mother!

They’ve been caught!