Emperor's Cunning Wife

"Oh, it seemed Lady Taoyi is busy. Then this one will not bother. However.." The young guard paused. Her heart tightened afraid that there was something she missed.

"This one is wondering if Lady Taoyi has a free time, this one has a friend and thinks the lady and he shared some affinity." Situ spoke; his teasing tone could be detected. He was gentle with the fairer s.e.x since he has a close relationship with his sisters at home.

Exhale…

A Matchmaking! Ning Lou never expected that the young man has a habit of building bridges. She initially took his casual attitude as a front, and never considered him to show such a caring side.

Ning Lou laughed dryly putting a tight leash on her emotions.

"This one is young and not ready for a relationship." The little maid's timid voice clawed his heart. Suddenly, he seemed to spot something amiss, Lady Taoyi grew a bit? Or Maybe it is just him overthinking?

Situ stretched out his hand intending to return the bronze token, upon contact, Situ loosen his grip, and the bronze token fell, nearly landing in the ground. Ning Lou hesitated in catching it.

She saw him doing it intentionally and kept quiet. Good thing she didn't react.

Situ manage to catch it in when it was a few centimeters from the ground. In his squatting form, he rubbed the bronze token surface, whilst his eyes casually roaming calculating her stature. He stood up and passed the object to the girl.

"Thank you. Is everything alright? This one is in a hurry." Ning Lou received her identity token and smiled without any guilt. The sudden question snapped his string of suspicion.

"What a shame but then that is also good, finding a suitable man should not be rushed. This one asks for your forgiveness as I realized my actions earlier were a bit rude." Situ apologized while lifting his lamp to Ning Lou's hair.

In a swift motion, he touched her head pretending to pat it. Ning Lou didn't avoid, her actions shouldn't incite any suspicions, and a girl like Taoyi couldn't possess any fast reflex, if Ning Lou was able to avoid it, she's afraid this guy would have her detain. Her simple make up wasn't durable than those prosthetics or silicon masks, a splash of water would tear her disguise.

This guy has a dangerous sixth sense!

She felt him pressed the pin on her head lightly and withdraw, before pausing near her neck. That brief moment, Ning Lou felt herself choked as if this guy would strangle her.

An assassin would have aversion from being in contact, especially if they were touched in the vital parts. The neck for example, is the most s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e part of the assassin; this part was akin to an assassin's Achilles heels. How did she knew? Even if she has never eaten pigs, she saw one running. She would be stupid if she didn't pick up knowledge from associating with some of her colleague.

After several seconds passes, Situ let his hand down. "Then this one bid Lady Taoyi a safe trip." His suspicion eased a bit and just one matter more to have it erase totally.

Ning Lou's mouth twitched, cursing this deceptive dude.

She nodded, walked out, and deliberately made her steps a bit heavier for the guy to hear.

Situ laughed, his earlier suspicions were nowhere to be seen. He also thought that this lady was a bit cute.

....

Reaching the laundry department, fatigue rammed her body. The trip a torture, this physique was too weak and couldn't endure long walks.

Adjusting her breath, only one guard stood at the entrance. This place appeared to be desolate, in huge contrast with the Empress' palace. The shabby courtyard had no trace of decorations, even the weeds were wilting. Just based from it, people could guess how living in this environment would do to the people.

When she showed her token, wide smile bloomed on his face, and he welcome her like he welcome his ancestors.

After two paths appeared, she stopped and decided to ask someone the way to her two previous maids' current location.

A female laundry staff passed by and was startled at the sight of her, particularly the uniform on her. A first class palace maid the one that served high rank mistresses in the harem!

Ning Lou also spotted her and approached her with quick steps.

The female laundry stood still and tidied some creases on her coarse attire hoping that she would be more presentable.

"Jiejie. Are you a staff here?" Ning Lou asked scanning the female from the head to toe.

She never expected that the palace maid dressed in fine fabric was actually just in her teens upon closer look.

"This lonely one indeed is a staff here." She replied and kept herself composed.

"Then do you know two girls that got recently transferred?" Ning Lou asked keeping a close look at her expression.

"Why does Miss wanted to ask about it? Does Miss have grudges against them?" The female inquired testing the waters and riding the waves.

Of course she knew that two, those two were always the topics of everyone's conversation, and she also had some misgivings against that Xiao Yan. If this Miss was planning to exact revenge, she would gladly help.

"Indeed I have, can you point the way." Ning Lou scrunched her nose while watching her being calculative.

"Alright. This one will accompany Miss to their room." The female rubbed her calloused hands from excitement of possibly watching someone's downfall.

She lifted her feet and proceeded to embark to the southern part of the courtyard where the two was residing.

Ning Lou followed her, not entirely noticing a silhouette hiding in the darkness. It sneered and also followed them in secret.