chapter 24

Chapter 24

Not long after.

The two at the bottom of the well were just getting into the mood.

Suddenly, something fell down, landing right on Tu San’s head.

Tu San was startled.

He grabbed it and saw-it was a piece of well rope.

Tu San was shocked.

He looked up and saw that the rope tied to the windlass had snapped, and what he was holding was exactly that!

Aunt Liu noticed he had suddenly stopped moving and was a bit displeased. “What’s wrong?”

But Tu San was already terrified, his voice trembling: “The rope… the rope…”

Aunt Liu shuddered and jerked her head up.

She saw that above them, the windlass was empty. The rope they used to climb up was gone!

“Where’s the rope?!”

Aunt Liu’s face instantly turned pale with fear.

Tu San held the broken rope in front of her eyes. “Here.”

“…”

Aunt Liu was horrified, her whole body trembling. “How could this happen? How could the rope suddenly break… Who did this?”

Tu San said, “I don’t know either. I was just… with you… I didn’t pay any attention up there.”

Aunt Liu panicked, “What do we do? Without the rope, can you get up?”

Tu San couldn’t get up.

Tu San said, “Maybe we should call for help!”

“You’re crazy!” Aunt Liu said. “If we call for help, our affair will be exposed. The Prime Minister will definitely kill us!”

Tu San pounded the well wall.

They couldn’t get out, nor dare to call for help. Did that mean they could only wait to die here!?

…

The next day, news of Aunt Liu’s disappearance spread throughout the Prime Minister’s Mansion.

Also missing was Tu San, the cook from Wenxiang Courtyard.

The servants all gossiped, saying Aunt Liu had eloped with Tu San. As for her pregnancy, of course, it was all a sham.

After all, the Master was no longer capable in that regard-how could she possibly be pregnant!

When Ye Liaozhai heard the news, his face instantly turned green!

“Outrageous!!”

Ye Liaozhai flew into a rage, smashing the teacup in his hand.

He gnashed his teeth, wishing he could kill the adulterous pair himself.

“Master, please calm your anger…”

All the household servants were so frightened they knelt on the ground.

Ye Liaozhai panted for a while, then ordered word by word, “No one is to spread news of Aunt Liu’s disappearance! As for that cook, send people to post his portrait all over the Capital City. Say he stole important items from the Prime Minister’s Mansion-he must be caught and brought to justice!”

“Yes!!!”

Soon, wanted posters of Tu San were plastered all over the Capital City…

As the Prime Minister, anyone Ye Liaozhai wanted to find, the whole Capital City would give face. The Capital City Yamen immediately dispatched people to search the city, and even the city guards were on high alert, carefully checking all citizens leaving the city, helping to capture Tu San.

However, Tu San seemed to have vanished into thin air. Two days passed, and there wasn’t the slightest trace of him.

On the other hand, the news of Aunt Liu’s disappearance couldn’t be contained and soon leaked out.

The Prime Minister’s concubine had eloped with someone-All Court Officials gossiped endlessly. When they looked at Ye Liaozhai, their eyes were full of suggestive glances-one part sympathy, two parts empathy, and the remaining seven parts pure schadenfreude…

The common people also discussed the hot topic over tea and meals: where had the concubine gone?

For a while, the Prime Minister’s Mansion was in chaos, everyone on edge.

Ye Xiangxiang hadn’t slept for two days either, feeling extremely anxious.

She knew that Aunt Liu’s sudden disappearance must have been Ye Piaoling’s doing.
It was Ye Piaoling seeking revenge.

But she couldn’t figure out where Aunt Liu had gone. She began to suspect that Aunt Liu had been killed by Ye Piaoling, her body dismembered and hidden somewhere…

Most likely, she was hidden in Wenxiang Courtyard.

This thought filled Ye Xiangxiang with terror.

After all, she had also harmed Ye Piaoling. Now, she was full of regret, worrying that Ye Piaoling would never forgive her, while at the same time, she was extremely curious about Aunt Liu’s true fate.

Late at night, Ye Xiangxiang couldn’t sleep. Unable to resist, she put on her clothes and quietly walked toward Wenxiang Courtyard.

She wanted to find out the truth.

Wenxiang Courtyard.

The cold night was deserted. Ye Xiangxiang searched carefully, terrified yet unable to control her curiosity.

She walked past rows of houses and courtyards.

Finally, she entered a side courtyard where sundries were piled up.

“Is anyone there… Is anybody here?”

Suddenly, a woman’s voice called out from underground.

Ye Xiangxiang was startled and turned to run.

“Help, someone help…”

The faint voice continued to echo.

Ye Xiangxiang couldn’t help but stop in her tracks.

It was clearly Aunt Liu’s voice!

In the darkness, Ye Xiangxiang’s scalp tingled with fear, but she braced herself and crept step by step toward the source of the sound.

At last, she arrived at the edge of a dry well.

She looked down and saw Aunt Liu and Tu San.

“You…” Ye Xiangxiang exclaimed in shock.

The two who had vanished without a trace were actually at the bottom of the well in the Prime Minister’s Mansion!

Aunt Liu was stunned to see Ye Xiangxiang, then burst into wild joy.

She and Tu San were on the verge of starvation. After discussing, they decided that rather than dying here, it was better to call someone over and try their luck getting out…

Unexpectedly, the person who came was the most foolish and timid Second Miss!

Aunt Liu cried out that Heaven had not abandoned her.

“Second Miss, quickly save us!” Aunt Liu said.

Ye Xiangxiang stared at them, “How did you-how did you end up here?”

“We were framed!” Aunt Liu said. “Hurry and find a rope to pull us up!”

Ye Xiangxiang gazed at them in shock.

Even she could see the unspeakable relationship between the two.

“You really are involved with this cook… No, I have to tell Father!”

As she spoke, Ye Xiangxiang turned to run.

“Stop!”

Aunt Liu shouted, “If you bring Master here, I’ll tell him about how you helped me plot against the Eldest Miss! Let’s see how he’ll deal with you!”

“You…”

Ye Xiangxiang was threatened and didn’t know what to do for a moment.

Aunt Liu spoke slowly and clearly, “Plotting against your legitimate sister is a capital crime. If you don’t want anyone to know, hurry and find a rope to pull me up!”

Ye Xiangxiang hesitated.

“Second Miss, we’re in the same boat. We should keep each other’s secrets.”

Aunt Liu switched to a gentle tone, “If you save me today, I’ll be grateful to you for life. I’ll do my best to help you with anything in the future.”

After a round of threats and persuasion,

Ye Xiangxiang hesitated for a long time, then finally nodded.

In the end, she was afraid that her part in harming Ye Piaoling would be exposed, and Aunt Liu sounded so sincere…

There was a rope nearby. Ye Xiangxiang fetched it, and under Aunt Liu’s direction, tied the long rope securely to the windlass and lowered it down.