Chapter 149: The Signature
"Let’s go to my courtyard then..."
Wang Gege said, looking at Qing’er as though asking her to help the frightened Yun’er.
Qing’er merely moved closer, but her expression looked gloomy, with Serve you right practically written all over her face.
Wang Gege blinked at her reaction before glancing at the maid. She recognized that expression immediately.
Qing’er had probably never liked this maid too. After all, she had been Madam Liu’s closest maid and was nearly as annoying as her mistress.
"Qing’er..." Wang Gege called helplessly.
"Yes, Young Madam." Qing’er sighed before reaching out to support Yun’er. "Come. Let us go."
"Young Madam," Yun’er suddenly spoke again.
"Yes?" Wang Gege turned to her side as they halted their movement.
"Will I be really safe by your side?"
Hearing Yun’er’s question, Qing’er instantly let go of her arm and rolled her eyes, no longer bothering to hide her annoyance.
"Young Madam, pardon this servant," Qing’er let out a frustrated sigh, "but this servant feels like it would be better to just leave her here."
Wang Gege blinked but before she could say anything, Qing’er beat her.
"You asked us to help you, and now you are asking whether we can keep you safe?" Qing’er frowned at Yun’er. "If you do not trust Young Madam, then why did you come to her in the first place?"
Yun’er immediately lowered her head, her face turning slightly red.
"This servant... did not mean it that way."
"Then what way did you mean it?"
"Qing’er." Wang Gege gently called her name before she could continue, "She is just frightened. Do not scare her further."
Qing’er pressed her lips together, clearly unconvinced, but reluctantly reached out and supported Yun’er’s arm again. "Yes, Young Madam."
They slowly made their way back toward the secluded courtyard, with Qing’er supporting Yun’er along the way while Wang Gege walked beside them, occasionally glancing at the frightened maid to make sure she was keeping up.
The further they went, the more Yun’er seemed to relax, perhaps because no one had appeared to stop them along the way.
When they finally reached the courtyard, Wang Gege immediately looked toward the chamber.
"Husband?"
There was no response.
She stepped inside, only to find the room completely empty.
The table where they had been eating earlier had already been cleared, and Xie Rong was nowhere to be seen.
Wang Gege frowned slightly. "Where did Husband go?"
Before anyone could answer, a maid suddenly approached after hearing her question.
The moment Yun’er noticed the approaching maid, she immediately turned herself around, making sure her face could not be seen.
"Young Madam, Young Master has gone to meet Master and Old Madam," the maid explained while lowering her head. "He left in a hurry because it seems the Master is extremely angered about something."
Wang Gege arched her eyebrows, rather curious. "The Master did not call for me too?"
"No, Young Madam. From what this servant heard, Master and Old Madam are quite saddened by the death of Late Madam Liu."
"Hmm..." Wang Gege looked down for a moment before raising her gaze again. "All right, you may leave."
She smiled at the maid.
The maid bowed and excused herself, but Wang Gege noticed that she took a quick glance at Qing’er and Yun’er before leaving.
The moment the maid disappeared from sight, Yun’er immediately fell to her knees in front of Wang Gege.
"Young Madam, this servant pleads for your protection. This servant does not think she will survive if she remains here." She gulped hard, her face pale. "Young Miss Xie... is not someone you could afford to offend,"
Yun’er finally finished, her voice trembling as she lowered her head. "If she learns that this servant knows what happened two days ago and what Madam Liu had been hiding, this servant is certain she will find a way to silence me."
Wang Gege looked down at her quietly. "So you are afraid of Xie An’an?"
Yun’er nodded immediately. "Yes, Young Madam."
She hesitated before continuing, "Madam Liu used to warn this servant never to speak carelessly around Young Miss, because Young Miss may appear gentle in front of everyone, but..."
Yun’er swallowed hard, "She is not as harmless as she wishes everyone to believe."
Qing’er was frowning hard as she listened, her expression becoming increasingly serious.
Wang Gege, however, remained unusually calm. She glanced toward the direction in which the maid had just disappeared. "Yun’er."
"Yes, Young Madam?"
"If you are truly afraid that she will come after you, then from this moment onward, do not leave my side without telling Qing’er first." Wang Gege said firmly.
Yun’er immediately looked up. "Young Madam will protect this servant?"
Wang Gege nodded. "Since you came to this one for help, this one will not abandon you halfway." Her gaze slowly hardened. "But in exchange, you must tell this one everything Madam Liu told you, no matter how insignificant you think it is."
Yun’er hesitated. "Everything?"
"Everything." Wang Gege’s eyes narrowed slightly. "If we are going to deal with Xie An’an, this one would rather know what kind of person she is before she realizes that we are already looking at her."
But Yun’er still looked hesitant as her eyes darted around. A second later, she looked back at Wang Gege before her gaze landed on Qing’er.
"How do I believe..." She paused, seemingly struggling to find the right words. "How do I believe... Young Madam and..." She looked at Qing’er again, "would not send this servant back to Young Miss after hearing everything?"
Yun’er looked at Wang Gege with a sorrowful expression before letting out a quiet sigh.
"This servant did not have anywhere else to turn anymore... and Young Miss Xie has eyes everywhere." She paused for a moment, her fingers tightening against her clothes. "This servant believes it would not take long for her to find this servant here..."
She then gave a bitter smile.
"So this servant thought... this servant would at least give Young Madam one of the proofs, although it has already been badly burned."
Yun’er slowly slipped her hand into the pouch hidden at her waist before taking out a small, badly scorched pouch.
"This servant barely managed to save it..."
She carefully held it out toward Wang Gege.
"This is the pouch Young Miss Xie used when she paid that man. Madam Liu managed to obtain it afterward."
Wang Gege reached out and took the burned pouch, carefully turning it over in her hand.
Even though most of its surface had been scorched, a small mark embroidered along one corner remained surprisingly clear.
Yun’er pointed toward it.
"Young Miss Xie always has her personal signature embroidered onto her pouches. Madam Liu recognized it immediately, which was how she knew the silver given to that man had come from Young Miss."
Wang Gege’s expression gradually became serious.
"Young Miss gave it to the man, so he could tell others that Madam Liu was the one who had instructed him to lure Young Madam to the Punishment Courtyard."
Yun’er paused as she gulped, seemingly forcing herself to finish every word she needed to tell Wang Gege.
"This servant managed to grab the proof after they brought Madam Liu’s body back from there..."
The moment Yun’er revealed the truth, the air in the chamber seemed to turn cold.