*The latter part of the chapter might be a bit gory. It'll be better if you're already above 13 years old to read it. Readers' discretion is necessary. Read at your own caution.*
The servant trembled and tried her best to speak, "This… Commander Hou is attacking Aunt Mo from the very beginning and didn't let her to argue much. Because of that, Aunt Mo failed to deal with the two brats…."
"Commander Hou? How dare he defy me?" Concubine Qu was even angrier when this matter was mentioned.
However, the servant was feeling remorseful. Commander Hou was someone who had experienced battlefield. When he was standing before them, he was emitting thick killing intent. How could they stay calm in the face of someone that scary?
"Madam…"
Prang!
"You're so useless!" Concubine Qu berated once more and felt even more annoyed as time passed by. She knew very well that shouting wouldn't change anything but Aunt Mo was someone who had stayed by her side….
Losing her… was painful.
The servants all kowtowed on the ground, not daring to even look up to look at Concubine Qu. They were worried that the moment they did that, they would immediately be killed without any corpse intact.
They were all afraid.
"But Miss, the information regarding First Miss Nan shouldn't be wrong…" the servant was also aggrieved.
They were all calculating that based on the fact that Nan Hua was practicing martial arts, there would be mark of it. Who would have thought that her small hand would be extremely smooth as if she had never worked at all? Even the best medicine wouldn't have been able to do that.
Little did they know that because Nan Hua mainly practicing with needles, the mark was not that obvious. With the good medicine her grandfather procured, the mark couldn't even form.
But if they touch her hand, they would notice that some part slightly hardened.
Secondly, they were trying to catch the two of them hunt. The message they received was that the twins hunted together to eat some meat. The problem was: the two siblings were supposed to be hunting and yet they didn't bring anything. What kind of idiot would hunt with their bare hand?
There was also no trace of blood, fight, or anything else.
Thus, all of their accusation turned weak.
Not a single one of them watched directly. And if they tried to head over to the back mountain… they might not be able to get away safely.
Concubine Qu kicked the stool nearby. "She practiced martial arts, yes, I know that Nan Si Qiao also practiced martial arts. But she's so bad that Old Master Nan didn't even allow her to fight at all."
Because of Nan Shu Cheng, she also learned that Nan Si Qiao learned a bit of martial arts. But because Nan Si Qiao didn't have good affinity nor talent, it ended up in the way where Nan Si Qiao had to stop. Not only that, Old Master Nan didn't even allow his daughter to come with him to the battlefield.
"That training must be just momentary interest." Concubine Qu sneered. She slapped the servant in front of her. "Scram!"
"Y…yes!"
The servants quickly rushed up and ran away. Not a single one of them wanted to stay behind when Concubine Qu was angry like this. They still treasured their lives and naturally it meant that they didn't want to create trouble for themselves.
Right now, Concubine Qu was feeling annoyed. She asked Aunt Mo to make a move quickly because she knew that there wouldn't be any other chance. This would also divert the attention from the trouble Nan Xin got herself into yesterday.
Who would have thought that things would turn this way?
How useless!
Another series of porcelains were thrown to the ground.
In his room, Nan Hou Xiang was learning the scripture. He only glanced his eyes up when he heard the sound of broken porcelains before returning to his study. After so many years, he naturally knew that it was useless to disturb his mother when she was angry.
Rather than putting himself in trouble, it would be better to let her calm down first before coming closer.
"Young Master… would you like to continue?" the servant nearby asked in quivered tone.
Nan Hou Xiang's lips curled up to form a smile. "Why not? Bring more bamboo strips."
"Y..Yes!"
Looking at the servants who were working to bring more bamboo strips for him to write, he sneered. The situation didn't seem like that it would calm down anytime soon.
…
Southern Courtyard
Swish!
Nan Hua returned after staying with Nan Luo all day long. Xiao Yun was waiting for her outside of her room. She smiled brightly when she saw Nan Hua. "Miss, would you like to rest?"
"Prepare light dishes for dinner. I would visit Bai Yin first."
"Yes, Miss."
Given by how calm Xiao Yun was, Nan Hua could guess that this was not the first time. She didn't say anything and walked towards the separate building. Her eyes locked onto a direction above. "Open the door."
Kreet.
"Miss." Hou Lin stood there and looked at Nan Hua with a complicated expression. "Would you like to interrogate her by yourself?"
"Yes."
Hou Lin looked at the mess inside and sighed. "Come in."
Splash!
There was dirty water on the ground and further inside, one would be able to see that the water was partially stained with blood. Right now, Bai Yin was no longer looked like the previous her anymore. Her face was swollen and her eyes were puffy, the mark of her having cried. Trail of dried tears covered her cheek while her clothes were half torn. Her feet were bloody and it didn't need a genius to know that her nails were smashed.
Nan Hua stopped before Bai Yin. She then turned to look at Hou Lin. "What did she say about her employer?"
"She's instructed by Concubine Qu to monitor your movement and report everything to her. Not only that, she's also instructed to make sure that your body is weak and add some herbs back when you're in Nan Shu Cheng's Residence." Hou Lin's eyes turned cold when he said this.
In Old Master Nan's Residence, Bai Yin couldn't get the chance to do anything with so many eyes watching her. Besides, Nan Hua herself was proficient in herbs and would notice if there was something wrong.
Indeed, that Concubine Qu would never allow her to be alone.
"Anything else?" Nan Hua asked without any change in expression.
Hou Lin looked at Nan Hua. "She hadn't said anything else aside from the fact that she only leaked that you're learning martial arts and hunt with your twin brother at the back forest. There's no chance for her to leak too many messages."
"How did she leak out the messages?"
"She passed bamboo strips during the time when you cross path with those from Nan Shu Cheng's Residence."
Nan Hua nodded. She had already guessed as much but didn't reveal Bai Yin's movement back then. Slowly, she stepped forward.
"Miss, it's dirty."
"It's fine."
Bai Yin stirred and opened her eyes when she heard the familiar voice. Upon seeing Nan Hua's face in front of her, her face paled considerably. With difficulties, she spoke out, "Miss…"
"I'm not your Miss." Nan Hua looked at Bai Yin. "Who taught you medicine?"
"This servant never learned medicine, Miss."
"Who taught you?" Nan Hua repeated the same question. She was too lazy to change her tactic and only looked at Bai Yin. Due to her short height, she was at the same height as Bai Yin when the latter was sitting down.
Bai Yin's eyes quivered. The dark obsidian eyes were staring at her as if the abyss was staring deep into her soul. It made her feeling absolutely uncomfortable, as if there was nothing that she could hide.
"Concubine Qu…."
"She didn't know anything about medicine." Nan Hua continued in leisure tone. Her fingers slowly moved and a needle shot out without warning.
Jleb!
"Ahhhhh....."
"You won't be able to use your right hand anymore." Nan Hua's tone was as if she was talking about weather. There was no change in her expression as she lazily repeated the question, "Who taught you medicine?"
Bai Yin gritted her teeth. She felt pain all over her right hand and at the same time, she felt as if she could no longer control her hand anymore. The feelings were scary.
"It's.... Master... He's the one who give this servant the book to let this servant know medicine…"
"For what reason?"
"He… wants to make sure that Miss will never realize what happens to Madam." Bai Yin was crying buckets as she felt her right hand's pain grew more intense. Right now, she would do anything just to make the pain disappear.
What happens to Madam? Nan Hua's eyes turned cold.