Taking her into his tent, he incurred the wrath of a powerful and mad minister, from which he could

Chang Yu couldn't help but feel a chill for the people in the courtyard.

This cousin is really something. She's been following the Second Master all along, so why is she still secretly keeping the things that the young master gave her?

Unfortunately, the Second Master happened to be there, and who knows how much resentment he might harbor.

Chang Yu was secretly speculating that her master was about to rush into the courtyard and smash all the broken ornaments when she suddenly heard the man beside her say in a cold, deep voice with a half-smile, "Look, when others praise Xie Huaiyu, she seems quite pleased."

Chang Yu dared not breathe too loudly; his master's demeanor was even more chilling than anger.

Zong Xian slowly stroked the jade thumb ring, his gaze falling on the woman's smiling face, a layer of gloom in his eyes.

I wonder what he's thinking.

A moment later, he turned to his attendant beside him, gave a low, cold laugh, and said in a detached tone, "What? You think I'd barge in and smash all these little trinkets? Do you think I'm as jealous as those petty women who only know how to be sour and envious?"

Chang Yu lowered his head even further, "This humble one dares not."

Zong Xian withdrew his gaze, giving the girls in the courtyard one last cold look.

He already owns everyone, so it doesn't matter if she likes to hide some things.

She spends her days surrounded by old objects, her thoughts turning to him, yet she can only face him every day. She tries to torment herself, and he lets her do as she pleases.

Zong Xian said no more, his face darkened as he turned and left.

For the next two weeks, Mingyi did not see Zongxian again, nor did he send anyone to summon her to Songhe Garden.

It's as if they've forgotten about her.

However, Mingyi could not leave the mansion if she wished.

From the day she returned to the Zong family mansion, Zong Xian explicitly forbade her from going out, and her activities were limited to the square Zong family mansion.

In the end, she was just transferred from the Qingzhou prison to another cage that looked more luxurious.

Rumors began circulating in the Zong family that Mingyi had fallen out of favor, especially since Zongxian had recently brought back two beauties from a palace banquet and settled them in a secluded courtyard very close to Songhe Garden.

Beautiful music can often be heard coming from behind the courtyard wall.

Those servants who fawned over the powerful and looked down on the weak, upon seeing Mingyi in the mansion, no longer dared to openly express their contempt and disgust.

Sometimes, even before Mingyi had gone far, those vicious and contemptuous voices would continuously reach his ears.

Yuegui was furious. She put her hands on her hips and yelled, "Xinglu! Say that again!"

Xinglu raised her eyebrows, her nostrils flaring: "I said someone's indecent, flirting with all sorts of women, thinking she can use her looks to climb the social ladder and become a phoenix. Little did she know, a pheasant is a pheasant, she's not destined for that!"

The last sentence was pronounced with extreme emphasis.

Xinglu is a kitchen maid who tends the fire. Even she dares to step on Mingyi's face like this, which shows how disrespectful the people below her are. There are probably even more unpleasant things they say.

But then again, she was a powerless orphan who had been forced to depend on a man. What respect could she possibly have?

Mingyi's expression remained calm. She glanced at the water vat beside her, which was still full of water, but the water lilies floating on top had withered and were lifeless.

Seeing that Mingyi remained silent, Xinglu assumed she knew she had fallen out of favor and dared not retaliate. Her arrogance grew even stronger, and she began to curse even more recklessly:

"You must be regretting it to the core now. If you had married Young Master Xie, you would have been the county magistrate's wife long ago. But you insisted on climbing the social ladder, coveting what didn't belong to you. In the end, Second Master was just playing with you, treating you like a plaything. He'd kick you to the curb once he was done with you!"

That's a really harsh thing to say.

Yuegui rolled up her sleeves, ready to tear Xinglu's mouth apart, but Mingyi grabbed her arm.

Mingyi looked at Xinglu and said, "Have you said enough?"

The girl's voice was soft and emotionless, but her jade-like eyes were chillingly cold.

Xing Lu showed a hint of fear for a moment, but quickly regained her composure and said in a fierce but inwardly weak voice, "I can't be bothered to talk to someone like you."

"What kind of person am I?"

Mingyi murmured, and before Xinglu could come to her senses, Mingyi suddenly stepped forward, grabbed her hair, and forcefully pushed her into the water tank!

Xinglu sobbed and struggled, seemingly calling for help, but unfortunately her voice was muffled by the water tank.

Yuegui was stunned by her daughter's ruthless action, but she quickly realized that her daughter was never weak-willed.

If they were truly weak, they would have died more than a decade ago.

Mingyi was already in a bad mood, and Xinglu just had to run into her, so naturally she was going to take it out on her.

It's one thing for her to be subservient to Zong Xian, but for a servant to try and step on her head?

"Girl! Stop right now!"

Manager Chang's exclamation brought Mingyi back to her senses, and she released Xinglu, who was about to drown.

Xinglu fell to the ground with a thud, looking utterly disheveled, clutching his chest and coughing incessantly.

Manager Chang Yu approached, looked at Xing Lu, then at Ji Mingyi, and said, "Miss, what are you doing?"

Xinglu used all four legs to crawl behind the steward and hide; she was truly afraid of Ji Mingyi.

The girl calmly wiped her hands with a handkerchief, as if she hadn't just reprimanded the servant. "As you can see, she spoke rudely to me, and I was just giving her a lesson."

Seeing the steward's exaggerated reaction, she retorted, "What, don't I even have the right to reprimand a servant?"

Chang Yu said awkwardly, "Of course not, you're right to reprimand me, young lady."

He was simply shocked that the girl, who was usually so gentle, could be so ruthless.

"That's good." Mingyi returned the handkerchief to Yuegui, then looked up at Steward Chang and said, "Please pass on a message to the Second Master for me."

"Yes, you said."

Mingyi said coldly, "If I have done anything to displease him, please tell me. But if he has grown tired of me, please lift my ban and let me go. I am a human being, not a bird."

Chang Yu hesitated for a moment, then said, "If you have doubts, why don't you go to Songhe Garden and ask the Second Master in person? If the Second Master doesn't come to you, can't you take the initiative to go to him?"

Before Mingyi could speak, Changyu continued, "Does the young lady mind those two beauties from outside?"

He explained in a low voice, "Those two were bestowed upon us by His Majesty, and I couldn't refuse, so I had no choice but to bring them back to raise. You can rest assured, Miss, they can't get past you."

Little did he know that Mingyi didn't care at all how many women Zongxian kept in his backyard.

He was even somewhat disappointed when he learned that Zong Xian was only putting on a show for the emperor.

She actually hoped that Zong Xian would be seduced by another woman, so that he wouldn't always be watching her.

Understanding the hint in Chang Yu's words, Mingyi thought about it and decided to go to Songhe Garden after all.

She really didn't want to be locked up any longer.

She was trapped in the mansion and had no chance to escape.

Later that evening, she took some snacks to Songheyuan.

The journey was smooth and unobstructed; there was neither the sound of stringed instruments nor the sight of any beautiful women.

Songhe Garden remained as quiet and solemn as ever.

Zong Xian was discussing matters with someone in his study.

The cold wind is blowing, and the weather is getting colder and colder.

Mingyi waited under the eaves for a while, and then Aqing lifted the curtain and invited her in.

Unexpectedly, Xie Huaiyu was also among them.