Having stealthily entered her chamber using a ladder, Yang Ning swiftly changed into the dress she had worn that morning.
As Yang Ning changed her clothes, Xiaowei hastened to clean up the mess her lady had left behind and carefully bundled the garments Yang Ning had worn to the market, ensuring no traces of her secret excursion remained in the room.
"Go and prepare a bath for me. I need to freshen up before Zhang Liang arrives. His gaze is as sharp as an eagle's, and I cannot afford to be caught by him," Yang Ning commanded Xiaowei.
Having run extensively and walked miles to explore the market under the scorching sun, Yang Ning knew that if she didn't cleanse herself before meeting Zheng Liang, he would surely discern that she had ventured out earlier.
His eyes were akin to those of an eagle, capable of uncovering any hidden truth.
"If anyone asks why we were inside the chamber all day, inform them that I had a severe headache and spent the entire afternoon resting while you were giving me a massage. Understand?" Yang Ning instructed Xiaowei.
"Milady, do you truly believe others will find my explanation convincing?" Xiaowei asked with uncertainty.
"Absolutely. As my personal servant, your words hold authority. They will have no choice but to trust your explanation. Is that clear? Now, stand tall and put on a smile." Yang Ning gently patted Xiaowei's shoulders, encouraging her to exude confidence.
Xiaowei reluctantly nodded, her brows furrowing. She worried about not being able to lie convincingly and potentially exposing their lie to others.
However, after listening to Yang Ning's encouraging words, she took a deep breath and decided to endure this ordeal for her lady's sake. Despite its impropriety, she believed that as long as Yang Ning had fun and enjoyed their trip to the market, all the challenges were worth it.
With a heavy heart, Xiaowei nodded and politely bowed before leaving the chamber. Yet, an unsettling feeling lingered within her.
She distinctly remembered locking the door before they escaped from the residence. How could it have been left unlocked? Had she truly forgotten to secure it?
It was quite peculiar that no one had come to serve the lady with evening tea and snacks. The absence of any maidservants visiting the chamber in the afternoon was an unusual occurrence.
As Xiaowei proceeded to prepare the bath for her lady, she encountered the other maidservants, who greeted her as usual without any indication of something amiss. Doubt crept into Xiaowei's mind. Could she be overthinking the situation? She couldn't help but wonder if her concerns were unfounded.
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Gu Lan, who stood outside the royal residence alongside and was waiting for Zheng Liang's command so that they could enter the royal residence, let out a loud sneeze and began to feel an unexpected chill.
He rubbed his nose and shivered, puzzled by the sudden cold sensation. "Why am I feeling cold all of a sudden? The wind isn't blowing, so what could be causing this?"
The other guard, who accompanied Zheng Liang for the city inspection earlier, was now standing next to Gu Lan, leaning wearily against the wall. Observing the goosebumps on Gu Lan's arms, he teasingly remarked, "Seems like someone must be thinking about you. Otherwise, why would you feel cold out of the blue? The weather is pleasant and warm here."
Gu Lan glared at him, furrowing his brow. "Someone thinking about me? Besides the people I have beaten up in the past, who else would even bother?" he questioned seriously.
The guard's expression fell, and he shook his head helplessly. It appeared that Gu Lan's sense of humor and love cells had disappeared completely. He was no longer as entertaining as before.