When Ye Yuxuan and Su Yufeng heard Ye Shanshan, they turned their gazes to Qing Mama.
“Qing Mama, you have installed a secret compartment in your room; what intentions are you harboring?” Su Yufeng narrowed her eyes, and a flash of viciousness flitted across her well-maintained face.
Qing Mama was Ye Jiuge’s right-hand person, and it would be advantageous if this were an opportunity that would allow her to remove Qing Mama.
Qing Mama’s legs felt weak. Even if she said that Ye Yu was her lover, nobody would believe her. Furthermore, if Fourth Miss, whom Madame had previously accused Fifth Concubine of selling, was discovered in her room, she did not know what mud Madame would throw at Eldest Miss.
Although Ye Jiuge appeared unemotional, she was rapidly thinking of ways to exonerate both Ye Yu and Ye Ruyi.
Should she say that she invited over Ye Yu, a spiritual practitioner, to help find Ye Ruyi?
“Jiuge, what is the meaning of this?” Ye Yuxuan faked a cough, as though he was giving Ye Jiuge a chance to explain herself.
Before Ye Jiuge could say anything, Ye Shanshan interrupted, “Father, it’s obvious that Eldest Sister has instructed Qing Mama to install this secret compartment to hide unpresentable things.”
Finally, Ye Shanshan had found Ye Jiuge’s sore spot, and her face turned red with excitement. She promptly ordered Zhi Hua, “Smash it!”
“Yes.” Zhi Hua led a group of maids and tore down the wardrobe.
Behind the wardrobe, there were two separate secret compartments. They were both empty. Ye Yu and Ye Ruyi had disappeared.
Qing Mama’s eyes brightened immediately. She knelt and said hastily, “Old Master, please be the judge in this matter. The late Madame instructed me to install these secret compartments because she was afraid that she would not be able to protect the Eldest Miss after her death. She wanted me to help the Eldest Miss hide some family heirlooms to prevent them from being stolen. Unfortunately, Madame passed away before the secret compartments could be completed and did not leave anything behind. I could not bear to remove them and kept them for memory’s sake.”
Qing Mama’s words caused both Su Yufeng’s and Ye Yuxuan’s faces to change. Especially Ye Yuxuan. He still felt guilty about Yun Qiaoqiao’s death. If he had not secretly traded away those two bottles of life-saving elixirs, Yun Qiaoqiao would not have died so quickly.
As for Su Yufeng, she recalled how she had secretly moved many of Yun Qiaoqiao’s things into her own keeping after marrying Ye Yuxuan. She was afraid that Ye Jiuge would turn over the old accounts.
“You sly, old servant, how dare you use the late Madame as an excuse. I think that you…” Before Ye Shanshan could finish, Ye Yuxuan interrupted her, “Be quiet! Haven’t you had enough of making a scene for one night?”
“Father!” Unwilling to submit, Ye Shanshan pouted, but Su Yufeng lightly pulled at her sleeves.
Ye Yuxuan was unmistakably displeased, and it would be wise not to infuriate him at that moment.
Ye Shanshan could only keep silent grudgingly. Her eyes were still fixed on the secret compartment. She did not believe that Qing Mama, that sly old servant, would keep these secret compartments for memory’s sake. She must be concealing other designs.
Unfortunately, Qing Mama’s words had evoked Ye Yuxuan’s unpleasant memories, and he left with a flourish.
Su Yufeng and her daughter were unwilling to linger in the residence out of fear that Ye Jiuge would fly into a frenzy and attack them.
After dismissing everyone, Qing Mama’s back was drenched in cold sweat.
“Where are they? Where did you hide them?” Ye Jiuge asked softly.
“They were hidden in the secret compartments!” Qing Mama was also confused as to how they had disappeared.
Ye Jiuge thought of something and hurriedly returned to Qing Mama’s room. She opened her Spiritual Eye and swept the surroundings. Sure enough, she found Ye Yu under the bed using Invisibility. Ye Ruyi was in his arms.
She had not expected Ye Yu to wake up at precisely the right moment.
“It’s alright, they’ve all left.” Ye Jiuge quickly pulled Ye Yu out.
His pretty face was pale. He tried to speak but did not have an ounce of energy. When Gan Mama and the others had entered the room, the commotion had woken him up. He had wanted to hide Ye Ruyi somewhere safer but had not expected Ye Shanshan to arrive so suddenly. His only choice was to muster what remained of his spiritual power and use Invisibility and hide under the bed.
Ye Jiuge noticed Ye Yu’s unhealthy appearance and checked his pulse. The Yin Qi in his body had grown stronger. She had intended to wait until Ye Yu was better before discussing the matter of selling himself into slavery, but it seemed that she could not delay it any longer.
“I have a cultivation technique here. Not only can it resolve the Yin Qi in your body, but it can also take your cultivation and Invisibility to the next level. The price for it is to serve me for twenty years. Are you willing to make this deal?” Ye Jiuge said straightforwardly.
She felt that it was too long to ask Ye Yu to serve her for a lifetime in exchange for a cultivation technique—twenty years was fair.
“Yes,” Ye Yu agreed without any hesitation.
“Aren’t you even going to think about it?” Ye Jiuge had not expected Ye Yu to agree so readily. Initially, she had considered that, if Ye Yu had bargained, she would compromise on ten years.
“You have already saved me twice.” Especially this time, Ye Yu thought he was finished. He had not expected that, not only would Ye Jiuge save him, but she would also give him a cultivation technique. Forget twenty years of service; if he had to sell himself for a lifetime, he would.
“Smart choice!” Ye Jiuge chirped. “Rest well tonight. I will impart the cultivation technique tomorrow morning.”
The cultivation technique that Zi Shang had given her was still in her mind, and she needed to write it down from memory.
“Okay.” Ye Yu nodded; he was exhausted.
Then, Ye Jiuge checked on Ye Ruyi, who was sleeping soundly. She brought Ye Ruyi back to her residence and arranged for Ye Yu to stay in her side of the house.
After that evening’s farce, Ye Jiuge believed that Su Yufeng would not return to search her residence again. However, the matter regarding the jade pendant and the elixirs must be resolved as soon as possible. Ye Jiuge changed into her night clothes and silently crept into the Shuimo Garden.
Meanwhile, in the Shuimo Garden’s main residence, Ye Shanshan was sitting beside Su Yufeng complaining indignantly, “Mother, it was clear that there was something wrong with the secret compartment. How could you let that sly old servant off so easily?”
“That’s enough. Speak less!” Su Yufeng used the tips of her fingers to massage her aching temples while she thought about the request she had made to Su Junqing about dealing with Qiu Mama and her son. She wondered about his progress. Speaking of which, this nephew of hers was becoming more and more unreliable lately. She repeatedly asked him to kill Ye Ruyi, but he refused to listen and allowed someone to rescue her. Useless!
“Mother, are you alright?” Ye Shanshan saw that Su Yufeng’s expression had soured and, in a rare move, obediently walked over and massaged Su Yufeng’s shoulders.
Su Yufeng felt better. She patted her daughter’s hand and asked, “How have you been getting along with the Crown Prince?”
“Not too bad. But ever since Ye Jiuge cheated him out of his Purple Lightning Wood, the Crown Prince has reached an impasse in his cultivation. I am worried about him.” Ye Shanshan sighed. Seeing that the Crown Prince was in a bad mood, she did not feel right.
“Then you should comfort him more. Men love beautiful women who are considerate,” Su Yufeng advised her daughter.
“Oh, by the way, the Crown Prince has requested our help with something,” Ye Shanshan looked at her mother and said hesitantly.
