"I knew you were wearing a human skin mask, but I never imagined you were Madam Xu. They say Young Master Xu has been searching all over the city for you, and yet you end up living in the capital under a different guise." As the human skin mask was removed, revealing her hideous face, Wu Caiwei was also surprised. She hadn't expected her to remain in the capital. If it were her, she would have fled long ago. She wondered who was behind this woman; someone capable of placing such a formidable maid by her side must be no ordinary person.
A commotion erupted from the surrounding crowd. They hadn't realized the woman before them was the one the Young Master Xu had been desperately searching for. Even more surprising was her disfigured face. No wonder the rumors suggested a strained relationship between the Young Master and his wife. Thinking from their perspective, facing such a terrifying visage would be a nightmare; how could there be harmony?
"No, you've mistaken me. I'm not her," Mu Fei cried, clutching her face in panic. She lowered her head, unable to bear the gazes of the crowd. This scene had played out countless times in her dreams. Each time, it was followed by mocking and disdainful eyes. She would wake up in a cold sweat, relieved to find herself in the darkness of her room, only to have her nightmare manifest in reality.
Seeing her rush into the crowd without a care, Liu Yue threw a silver ingot and quickly followed.
Wu Caiwei calmly finished her tea, paid with a placid expression, and then, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, exited the tea house to return to her manor. Since Mu Fei dared to scheme against her, she would have to face the consequences. She trusted Xu Minghui would not disappoint her.
Although Xu Minghui felt the chances of finding Mu Fei in such a vast population were slim, he still dispatched people to search for her. Upon hearing news, he hurried to her location.
Meanwhile, Mu Fei returned to her small courtyard and began packing her belongings. She had long grown weary of life in the Xu household and loathed being confined like an animal. However, to her surprise, Liu Yue, who had always been so obedient, stood with her arms crossed, maintaining an air of detached indifference.
"Quickly notify your master and have him take me away. I can't stay here. Mu Yan has already exposed me, and I'm sure the Xu and Mu families will receive the news soon." Although Mu Fei was angry, she suppressed her rage and urged Liu Yue on.
"So you're scared now? It's too late. I told you not to go out so recklessly, but you not only paraded yourself on the streets, but you also stirred up trouble. Now you've been discovered. Unfortunately, my master has already gone south and won't be back anytime soon. No one can help you now," Liu Yue said, gloating.
"What kind of attitude is that? Are you actually hoping I'll fall into misfortune? When your master left, he specifically instructed you to take good care of me. You agreed readily then, but now you're acting in blatant opposition. Be careful, I'll report you to your master when he returns," Mu Fei retorted, displeased. If it weren't for Liu Yue enabling her to walk the streets openly, she would have found a way to deal with her long ago.
"You don't need to worry about my affairs. Focus on yourself. If I heard correctly, there are many people gathered at the entrance of the courtyard. They're likely here for you." With that, she leaped onto the rooftop and disappeared before Mu Fei's eyes.
"You..." Mu Fei stamped her foot in anger, feeling wronged. Liu Yue had left without a second thought, completely disregarding her fate, after all the pleasantries she had exchanged with her during this time. Su Dan Novel Network.
"Bang, bang, bang..." Urgent knocking sounded from outside the door. "Who is it?" the old servant cleaning the courtyard asked, bewildered.
There was no answer. Recalling the recent unrest in the capital, she reluctantly opened the door. Seeing the distinguished gentleman standing before her, followed by similarly dressed housekeepers, she broke out in a cold sweat, wondering when her young lady had offended such a group.
As she stepped forward to inquire, Xu Minghui pushed her aside.
This time, Xu Minghui was truly enraged. Mu Fei had failed to grasp the gravity of the situation. Could that face even be shown to others? Now, the truth he had tried to conceal was exposed by someone else. He saw the sympathetic glances people cast at him as he walked down the street.
Mu Fei had held onto a sliver of hope, believing the visitors couldn't possibly be Xu Minghui. She thought he had given up on her, so how could he have found her so quickly? If she was faster, she could escape. But when he truly stood before her, she froze, not even noticing her bundle fall to the ground.
Xu Minghui’s gaze was grim as he looked at her and slowly approached. Mu Fei instinctively retreated. Seeing him slowly crouch down to retrieve her bundle, Mu Fei rushed to snatch it back. He turned, evading her grasp, and opened the bundle. Seeing the neatly stacked banknotes inside, he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. The rumors were true; the twenty thousand taels of silver that had gone missing from the Liu family's elder were indeed in his wife's possession.
Mu Fei seized the opportunity, snatched the bundle back, and hid it behind her, defensively saying, "This money is mine. No one can touch it."
Xu Minghui ignored her and walked straight into the house. After searching, he couldn't find the rumored maid. Seeing her protectively clutching the bundle, he felt he must have been blind in the past to have fallen for this greedy woman, leading to so many embarrassing incidents and nearly ruining his reputation.
"Where is your maid? I have something I want to ask her." Xu Minghui felt he couldn't reason with her and wanted to question the legendary maid, to see if she was as formidable as rumored, with her exceptional martial arts and medical skills.
"Her? She left long ago. People like her are best off dying outside and never returning." Mu Fei's teeth itched with hatred whenever she thought of Liu Yue. If she had taken her away, Mu Fei wouldn't have ended up in this predicament. She couldn't fathom how Xu Minghui would punish her.
Seeing her demeanor, Xu Minghui knew there had been trouble between them. However, his wife never got along with anyone and could be excessively erratic at times, making even him feel apprehensive when facing her. He walked forward and snatched the bundle from her arms.
"Mine, it's mine! You can't take it..." Mu Fei felt an emptiness where the bundle had been. She quickly moved to stop him, trying to retrieve her belongings from his grasp. However, before she could touch him, several servants restrained her. Her eyes were fixed on the bundle, her face contorted with unwillingness, frightening the more timid onlookers.
"Yours? Are you sure? Believe it or not, if I get angry, I'll send you to the county magistrate. Stealing so much silver will definitely earn you a beheading in autumn. That would be a perfect way to get rid of a menace like you."
Seeing that he wasn't bluffing, Mu Fei was terrified. The thought of being beheaded by the executioner in front of everyone made her tremble. She didn't want to die that way. She looked at Xu Minghui with pleading eyes, hoping he would spare her.