Ye Chutang noticed Dan'er hesitating to speak and immediately guessed what was on her mind.
She twirled a strand of hair around her finger, spinning it idly.
"Why did you stop talking?"
Dan'er finally spoke up, "The young master said something very strange the other night."
Ye Chutang instinctively felt that whatever Dan'er was about to say had something to do with Ye Jingchuan bringing her back to the mansion.
"What did Ye Anzhi say?"
"Dead eunuch, dog eunuch, delusional fool!"
Although Ye Anzhi was a useless playboy, he kept his mouth shut when it came to major matters concerning the Ye family.
Dan'er rarely managed to get any useful information out of him.
Mostly, his mouth was used for hurling insults at her.
Two days ago, Ye Anzhi must have gotten carried away in his rage and blurted out such a phrase.
Ye Chutang was a little curious and asked, "Is the Beichen Kingdom ruled by eunuchs?"
The original Ye Chutang had grown up in the countryside and knew nothing about the capital or national affairs.
Dan'er was startled by Ye Chutang's blunt question and hurriedly warned her, "Please be cautious with your words, my lady."
"So, it's true then. This Beichen Kingdom is practically on the brink of collapse."
For eunuchs to overpower imperial authority, it meant the very foundation of the Beichen Kingdom was rotten to the core.
Dan'er, fearing Ye Chutang might say something even more dangerous and invite disaster, quickly shifted the topic.
"The young master beat me terribly that night. I felt like I’d reached the darkest moment of my life and even thought about jumping into a well to end it all. But then I overheard the madam telling the master to bring you back to the mansion."
The madam had always hoped Ye Chutang would stay in the countryside forever. For her to suddenly call Ye Chutang back, she must have had an ulterior motive.
Piecing these two events together, Ye Chutang came to a conclusion.
Ye Anling had caught the eye of a powerful eunuch!
She asked, "Who is the most powerful eunuch?"
Dan'er actually knew the answer. "The Chief Eunuch, Eunuch De."
The Minister's Mansion hosted two grand banquets every year.
Those serving as maids and attendants occasionally overheard secrets about the palace and the political arena.
Eunuch De’s name came up most frequently.
Lustful, greedy, and wielding immense power.
People despised him, yet feared him.
Ye Chutang repeated the name "Eunuch De" aloud, then asked, "Why do you think I can save you?"
Dan'er forced a faint smile.
"I don’t know, my lady. I just wanted to give myself one last chance to survive."
"You’ve made the right bet. As long as you remain loyal to me, I’ll grant you freedom when I leave this mansion."
As soon as Ye Chutang finished speaking, Dan'er dropped to her knees again.
"My lady, I am yours now, and I hope to remain yours forever."
Ye Chutang, though accustomed to being independent, understood that with her current status, she needed someone trustworthy by her side.
But not just anyone could meet her standards.
"I only keep people who are useful."
Dan'er bowed her head deeply. "I promise I won’t disappoint you, my lady!"
Her three years at the Minister's Mansion hadn’t been wasted.
When it came to reading people and gathering information, no one in the mansion could surpass her.
"Stand up."
Dan'er rose and resumed drying Ye Chutang’s hair.
Once dry, she styled it into a youthful cross-shaped bun.
Ye Chutang looked at the hair cascading down her back and thought about how uncomfortable it would be in the heat once she stepped outside.
"Braid the hair at the back."
Although unmarried women weren’t supposed to fully pin their hair up, it didn’t mean they had to leave it loose.
Dan'er felt that loose hair was more attractive, giving off a youthful and sweet vibe.
But she did not go against Ye Chutang's wishes and immediately adjusted the hairstyle slightly, making the braid look nice as well.
Ye Chutang nodded in satisfaction, "You're quite skillful with your hands."
She possessed the memories of the original owner and knew how to style hair, but found it troublesome, opting for the simplest style each time.
"As long as the young lady likes it, I'll apply some makeup for you," the maid offered.
Ye Chutang declined, "No need, just a bit of lip color will do."
Although ancient cosmetics lacked industrial traces, their quality was indeed not high.
Not only did they cake, but they also smudged when encountering water.
Dan'er thought the young lady was naturally beautiful and would look stunning even without makeup, so she only applied lip color.
She opened two jewelry boxes and asked, "Which set of hair accessories would the young lady like to use?"
One set was made of jade, the other of gold, both of decent quality, worth at least a hundred taels of silver.
Ye Chutang didn't like these cumbersome items and said, "I'm going out to buy new accessories later, so there's no need to wear these."
Just as she finished speaking, she heard the sound of chaotic footsteps approaching Ningchu Courtyard.
"Let's get dressed."
Dan'er took out a goose-yellow flowing immortal dress from the wardrobe.
Ancient clothing was intricate, with even a lightweight summer outfit consisting of three layers.
Fortunately, the fabric was mulberry silk, warm in winter and cool in summer.
When Dan'er helped Ye Chutang put on the last outer garment, a clear and melodious voice sounded.
"Sister, it's Ling'er. I'm here to see you."
While helping Ye Chutang with her waistband, Dan'er said, "It's the second young lady."
"You go out and entertain her, I'll handle the rest myself."
"Yes, young lady."
As Dan'er exited the boudoir, Ye Anling was just about to barge in.
She bowed and greeted, "Greetings to the second young lady."
Ye Anling was dressed in a pink gauze dress, her hair styled in twin hanging buns, adorned with pearls and jade.
She appeared playful and lively, yet still exuded an air of nobility.
She asked Dan'er, "Where's my sister?"
"The young lady will be here shortly. Please sit, second young lady, and I'll serve you tea."
Earlier, when boiling water, Dan'er had Wangcai stoke the stove to prepare for brewing tea.
The water should be boiling now.
After Dan'er went to the small kitchen, the smile on Ye Anling's face vanished.
She looked towards Ye Chutang's boudoir with disdain.
If it weren't for needing this country bumpkin to marry Eunuch De in her place, she wouldn't bother trying to please her!
When footsteps sounded from the boudoir,
Ye Anling immediately concealed her contempt and stood up with a smile.
Upon seeing Ye Chutang, who looked as if she had descended from the heavens, Ye Anling's smile froze at the corners of her mouth.
A country bumpkin was actually more beautiful than Princess Anping, the capital's number one beauty!
Ye Chutang looked at the shocked Ye Anling and mockingly asked, "Did you come empty-handed?"
Ye Anling snapped back to reality, speechless for a moment.
"Ling'er was eager to see her sister and forgot to bring a gift."
"It's not too late to go back and get it now."
"..."
Dan'er happened to come over with freshly brewed tea and, hearing Ye Chutang's words, admired her even more.
Ye Anling's pride was hurt, and she looked towards her personal maid.
"Qiulu, go fetch the Eight Treasures Auspicious Bracelet I prepared for sister."
This bracelet was a gift from the crown prince, very precious, and she usually couldn't bear to wear it.
But one must give up something to gain something.
Only by keeping Ye Chutang happy can one gain her trust, making it easier to execute the plans at the homecoming banquet.
Qiulu understood the significance of the Eight Treasures Auspicious Bracelet to the young lady.
She paused for a moment before respectfully responding, "Yes, Second Miss."
After she left, Ye Anling gazed at the stunningly beautiful Ye Chutang with an infatuated expression.
"Sister, you're truly beautiful, even more so than the most renowned beauty in the capital."
Ye Chutang, having watched numerous palace intrigue dramas, knew that Ye Anling was subtly trying to create enemies for her.
If such words were to spread, she would become a thorn in the side of the "most renowned beauty."
And the women worthy of such a title are usually of royal or noble descent.
Looking at Ye Anling, who appeared innocent on the surface but was dark inside, Ye Chutang stepped back disdainfully.
"Don't forge relationships. My mother didn't give birth to a sister for me."
The smile on Ye Anling's face vanished, and her eyes filled with a misty haze, portraying a pitiful look of being bullied.
"Sis..."
"If you can't understand human language, get out!"
