Agarwood Pavilion, backyard. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

The intermittent sound of pounding medicine echoed for three days.

At last, it finally calmed down.

Inside the bamboo house.

Su Jin placed the prepared pills into a brocade box.

On the day she visited the Dongxiang Marquis Mansion, she took the pulse of Old Duke Chong and taught Doctor Li how to perform acupuncture on him.

Doctor Li had been staying at the Dongxiang Marquis Mansion.

Previously, he lived there cautiously.

Ever since he learned the true identity of Marquis Dongxiang, he no longer feared him.

Thanks to Doctor Li’s meticulous care, Old Duke Chong’s complexion improved somewhat.

Su Jin helped Old Duke Chong change his prescription.

These pills were prepared for Old Duke Chong.

Su Jin handed the brocade box to Xingxing, "Take it to the Marquis Mansion."

Xingxing accepted the brocade box, holding it in her arms, her eyes curving into crescents with her smile.

Su Jin twitched the corner of her mouth upon seeing this.

Was there really a need to be so happy just to deliver medicine?

Xingxing looked at Su Jin.

"What about you while I deliver the medicine?" she asked.

"Should I call Bi Zhu in to serve you?"

Su Jin was about to say no, but seeing the overflowing smile in Xingxing’s eyes, she teased, "I’m not used to it, maybe I should give the medicine delivery task to Bi Zhu instead."

Xingxing holded the brocade box tightly, "Bi Zhu doesn’t know the young master’s preferences, and last time, the girl visited the young master empty-handed, so the visit gift still needs to be made up."

"I also need to buy embroidery threads for Lady Chi."

"I’ll head out first then."

Afraid that Su Jin might change her mind, Xingxing ran quickly.

Ever since the girl married into Prince Zhenbei Mansion, she hadn’t gone out alone.

It was hard to get such an opportunity.

By letting the carriage go faster, she could have more time to wander around the streets.

Carrying a bundle, Xingxing walked cheerfully toward the entrance of Prince Zhenbei Mansion.

Midway, she saw a maid heading towards the front yard.

The back seemed familiar.

"Caiju?" Xingxing called out.

Upon hearing someone call her from behind, the maid turned around.

Seeing Xingxing approaching quickly, she smiled happily.

"It’s you," Caiju said.

Caiju was one of the two maids chosen by Manager Li, on the Prince’s order, to serve Lady Chi.

The other maid was called Lu Qiao.

Caiju was holding a tray and noticed Xingxing holding a bundle, so she asked, "Where are you going?"

"The young lady asked me to deliver something to the Marquis Mansion," Xingxing replied.

"What are you delivering?" Xingxing asked out of curiosity.

Caiju raised the tray in her hand, "The Prince helped Madam, and even sent Lu Qiao and me to serve her. To thank the Prince, Madam made a brocade robe."

The two maids chatted as they walked past the second gate to the front yard.

After some time, they went their separate ways.

Caiju headed towards the study.

Xingxing exited the mansion.

Inside the study, the Prince was reviewing account books.

A knock on the door sounded.

"Prince, Caiju, Lady Chi’s maid, is here," the servant said.

The Prince furrowed his brow slightly.

Caiju?

It seemed she was the maid sent by Manager Li.

This visit might mean there’s something up with Qingqiu Garden.

"Let her in," the Prince said.

The servant pushed the door open.

Caiju walked in carrying the tray.

After paying her respects to the Prince, he asked, "What is it?"

Caiju presented the tray, "Lady Chi is grateful to the Prince and specially made a brocade robe for him, sending me to deliver it."

The Prince’s gaze swept over the tray.

For years, Lady Chi had made him one or two brocade robes each year.

The Prince had never worn them and had told her to stop making them.

She was quite persistent.

Since the brocade robe was made for him, if he didn’t accept it, Lady Chi had nowhere else to send it.

"Leave it," the Prince said.

"Is there anything unusual in Qingqiu Garden?" the Prince asked.

Caiju knew her role was to serve and keep watch over Lady Chi.

After spending a few days there, Caiju genuinely felt there was nothing worth monitoring.

Lady Chi’s life was too simple.

But since the Prince had asked, saying nothing would make her seem incompetent.

If the Prince deemed her unfit and replaced her...

Caiju didn’t want to lose her position in Qingqiu Garden.

She racked her brain to think of two things to report.

"A couple of days ago, the Heir’s wife sent a maid to deliver a lot of ointment to Lady Chi," Caiju said.

"Lady Chi has quite a few whip marks on her body, and those ointments are for her to remove the scars."

"Whip marks?" The Prince furrowed his brows tightly.

"I didn’t see it with my own eyes, it was told by Xique, a maid who has served Lady Chi for years," Caiju said.

"Lady Chi injured her knees from kneeling, and when the Heir’s wife helped her apply medicine, she noticed the whip marks, so she sent a lot of ointments to Lady Chi."

"To avoid causing trouble for the Heir’s wife, Xique also instructed me not to spread the word about the ointments."

The Prince’s furrowed brows didn’t relax.

He waved his hand, and Caiju retreated.

Caiju completed her task smoothly on one side, while Xingxing continuously met obstacles on the other.

Xingxing walked to the main gate of the Prince Mansion, ready to leave, just as she ran into Xie Jinxiu and the Third Madam returning to the mansion.

Seeing Xingxing carrying a bundle, Xie Jinxiu frowned and said, "Since when can a maid exit through the main gate of the Prince Mansion?"

Xingxing was a bit puzzled.

Why can’t she use the main gate?

"I’ve always exited through the main gate," Xingxing said.

She was beginning to doubt if she had flown out before.

Such improper conduct!

Xie Jinxiu’s eyes filled with disdain.

The maid accompanying her said, "Following the Heir’s wife, of course, you can go through the main gate. By yourself, you can only go through the side gate."

"That’s the rule!"

The maid emphasized the last four words clearly.

Both are maids.

Both working in the Prince Zhenbei Mansion.

Xingxing’s monthly salary is five times hers, and she doesn’t even use the basic servant address, calling herself "I".

This unruly maid causes trouble and still remains unscathed.

The maid felt envious, jealous, and hateful.

If you’re a maid, you have to follow a maid’s rules!

Xingxing didn’t argue, puffed up her cheeks, embraced her bundle, and headed toward the side gate.

Then—

She was stopped at the side gate as well.

"Without a waist badge, you’re not allowed to leave the mansion," the gatekeeper woman said expressionlessly.

Getting a lucrative job like guarding the gate meant one was a savvy individual among the maidservants.

Xingxing came over looking frustrated.

Clearly, she hit a wall at the main gate, so she went to the second gate.

Besides, the one stopping her exit wasn’t ordinary; otherwise, who among the gatekeeper servants would dare stop the Heir’s wife’s maid?

The task of gatekeeping can be strict or lenient.

It all depends on whether the maid has a knack for it.

Obviously, Xingxing didn’t. Her mouth wasn’t sweet, and she wouldn’t slip anyone silver.

Being a former bandit, the words "robbery" were carved into her bones; bribing was out of the question.

Xingxing’s face showed displeasure, "What waist badge?"

"It’s the waist badge for leaving the mansion," the gatekeeper woman said.

"Leaving the mansion without a waist badge is sneaking out; my poor supervision would get me punished. Miss Xingxing, please don’t make things difficult for me."

Xingxing’s temper was rising, she almost felt like hitting someone.

She still wanted to leave quickly to have time to stroll around.

But she was stopped, going back and forth between the main and second gates.

If the main gate won’t let her out and neither will the second, does she have to carry a ladder and climb over the wall?!

Xingxing angrily hugged her bundle and turned to leave.

Halfway through, she suddenly remembered she didn’t know what a waist badge looked like, so she grabbed a passing maid to ask.

Xingxing vaguely recalled that after the lady married in, Manager Li sent a few wooden plaques, engraved with "Agarwood Pavilion".

Beautifully carved, she liked them a lot, but not knowing their purpose, she hung them in her room as decorations.

She hung a whole row of them.

Xingxing, "...."

If she went back to get them now, not only would it waste time, but it’s embarrassing enough that her first solo outing ended with her unable to even leave the mansion.

She simply couldn’t believe she couldn’t get out.

Xingxing turned and headed toward the main gate.

The servants watched her approach, a little confused.

Wasn’t she just taught that she couldn’t go through the main gate?

Xingxing approached, but was stopped by the servant.

Xingxing put her hands on her hips and said, "I’m a little maid, and I don’t have a waist badge, but in my satchel, there’s a whip granted by the Emperor to our lady."

"Imperial Gift, let’s see who dares let it go through the side gate."

The servant, "...."

Xingxing rummaged through her satchel.

She didn’t take out the whip, but she pulled out a Jade Pendant, showing it to the servant, "This Jade Pendant can even enter the Imperial Palace. If you don’t let me out of the mansion, I’ll use the whip on you."

The servant silently knelt down.

Is this even a maid?

The things she carries are more valuable than the next.

With the Emperor’s personal Jade Pendant, even the Prince wouldn’t dare stop her, let alone the servants.

After Xingxing left the mansion, she looked around.

"Where’s the carriage?" she asked.

"...."

"At the side gate," a servant’s weak voice answered.

Xingxing, "....!!!"