Feng Jin's lips curved into a smile as she observed the suppressed anger on Granny Sun's face, half-wishing the old witch would just keel over from fury.
She was enjoying herself immensely and didn't want it to end so soon.
"If Madam doesn't find this old servant too foolish, then this old servant is naturally willing to speak with Madam for a while longer."
One had to maintain appearances. No matter how unwilling Granny Sun was, she still followed Feng Jin's words, even forcing a smile and pretending to be overjoyed.
Feng Jin watched her, feeling tired for Granny Sun. Why did one have to pretend so much? It was so exhausting!
"It's getting late. I'll be going back. Granny Sun should also return soon. It's getting darker and more dangerous. Let's not have a repeat of what happened that day."
Feng Jin's words were laced with obvious sarcasm, stopping just short of being outright accusatory.
Granny Sun's fake smile froze on her face, but she managed to maintain it. "Thank you for the reminder, Madam. This old servant will naturally be careful when returning."
"Just be careful!"
Feng Jin, no longer willing to feign pleasantries, found a casual excuse and left on her own.
"Granny, her every word was filled with mockery. It's clear she means us no good!"
The maidservant accompanying Granny Sun spoke up, her words immediately followed by a heavy slap from Granny Sun.
"Do you think I can't tell what she means? Do I need you to grovel like this? You wretched little things, what are you plotting? Do you truly think I'm blind and deaf? As long as I'm alive, I will never let you stir up any trouble!"
Granny Sun vented all her anger on the palace maids, still feeling unsatisfied. She then pinched the maids fiercely.
"Spare me, Granny. This servant would never dare to disrespect you!"
The palace maid, holding back tears, knelt at Granny Sun's feet, pledging her loyalty.
"Get up. I doubt you have the guts to do so!"
Granny Sun snorted coldly and waved for her to rise.
She had never imagined that Yu Rong, that wretched wench, would have the audacity to attack her. If she hadn't been prepared, it wouldn't have been just a broken hand; her life would have been in grave danger.
It was a pity Yu Rong was already dead. Otherwise, she would have personally broken all her limbs, gouged out her eyes, and flayed her alive to feed to the dogs.
Granny Sun's face was filled with ferocity, her remaining hand clenched into a fist. Her anger unquelled, she turned and left.
The palace maid beside her scrambled up from the ground and hurried to catch up with Granny Sun's pace.
Back in her quarters, Granny Sun's anger intensified after being taunted by Feng Jin.
"Granny, have a cup of jasmine tea to calm your anger. It's not worth arguing with her."
The palace maid cautiously poured a cup of tea and offered it to Granny Sun, trying to appease her.
"Not worth arguing with!"
Granny Sun snorted. "If you lot were more competent and did less backstabbing, I wouldn't get so angry. Look at the foolish things you all do!"
"It is our incompetence, Granny, that has caused you worry."
"Did you see Xiao Qi? Did you deliver the message I asked you to?"
Granny Sun asked in a deep voice. Xiao Qi was a crucial piece on the chessboard; if played well, she could be of immense use.
"This servant... this servant..."
"Why are you stammering? Speak plainly!"
Granny Sun's tone was displeased, her eyes filled with disgust, as if even a glance would defile her vision.
She usually despised these timid, useless palace maids; they were simply too annoying to look at.
"This servant waited for a long time and only managed to catch a glimpse of Xiao Qi. Before I could relay Madam's message, she left in a hurry..."
The latter half of the sentence was spoken in an even softer voice by the maid, who lowered her head in silence, daring not to meet Granny Sun's gaze.
"Useless! You can't even handle this small matter!"
Granny Sun shouted angrily, smashing the teacup on the table. The flying shards of porcelain cut the maid's cheek, drawing a trickle of blood.
"When she left, how did I instruct you? You were to deliver my words to Xiao Qi. What did you do? You can't even handle this small task. What's the use of keeping you!"
They were all useless wastes, and she had wasted her time teaching them for so long, only for them to fail at such a simple task.
"Granny, it's Xiao Qi... Xiao Qi deliberately avoided this servant. Even if I had the ability of heaven, I couldn't get into the Eastern Chu General's courtyard. Granny, in this servant's opinion, Xiao Qi must have developed other intentions, yearning for wealth and status, and is unwilling to serve Granny anymore!"
Fearing punishment, she shifted all the blame to Xiao Qi. After all, Xiao Qi wasn't here now, and it was entirely up to her to spin the tale.
Indeed, upon hearing this, Granny Sun's expression darkened further. She tightly gripped the armrest of her chair, veins bulging on her arm, her eyes filled with rage.
After a long moment, Granny Sun abruptly stood up and strode towards the East Wing. The palace maid beside her quickly rose and followed.
...
"Sitting here foolishly, aren't you going to rest?"
Lan Cui saw Zhenzhu still sitting by the window as if in a daze. She walked over, sat beside her, and spoke.
"I'm not sleepy. I was just wondering if Cui'er and the others are doing well now."
"If they can leave this wretched place, then everything is for the best. Death itself might be a form of release."
Lan Cui didn't know the truth that Cui'er and the others were still alive. She felt that even if they were dead, it would be a release, at least from living this half-human, half-ghost existence.
"Yes, leaving is good. Even eating coarse grain and wild vegetables would be happiness."
Zhenzhu's thoughts were in turmoil as she constantly wondered how Cui'er was doing now, whether she was also missing the other as much as she was.
"Stop being so melancholic. It's getting late, go to sleep."
"Let's go!" Zhenzhu sighed. Just as she got up to go to rest, the closed door was violently kicked open from the outside.
The loud noise startled even those who were sound asleep.
Granny Sun entered with a darkened face, her expression filled with fury. She banged the ruler in her hand on the table.
The sound struck terror into everyone's hearts, making them tremble.
"You can all sleep so soundly. I see you've grown too accustomed to your comfortable days and have forgotten what kind of hellish existence you led before. Get up, all of you!"
As Granny Sun finished speaking, everyone, terrified, scrambled to their feet. In moments, they were all dressed and stood neatly in front of Granny Sun, the atmosphere in the room instantly becoming tense.