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墨書 Inktalez
Yun Kexin nodded with a smile, "I have always believed in my brother and in the Second House."
"Is there nothing else besides the knife wounds that the Coroner found during the autopsy?" Feng Yinxiao pondered.
"There is. The murderer is not very tall, and while agile, is not very nimble," Yun Ke thought for a moment.
"How did you deduce that?" Feng Yinxiao asked, staring at the ground.
"The Coroner found only the footprints of the Second Master and the murderer at the scene. The latter's footprints are obviously short, which leads to the conclusion that he is not tall. The lack of nimbleness comes from the knife wounds; the force was not strong, which might also indicate that the murderer has recently been injured."
"I see," Feng Yinxiao raised his head, gazing ahead thoughtfully. "If he hasn't gotten what he wants, he will come back..."
"Young Lord, do you mean that the murderer won't give up and will come looking for the Brocade Box again?" Yun Ke's eyes lit up.
"That's one way to put it," Feng Yinxiao turned to Yun Ke and said, "Have Lord Yun go greet the Ministry of Justice first. When searching for the murderer, do so discreetly; it’s crucial to keep it under wraps. Otherwise, if the murderer catches wind of it, he will hide or even flee."
"Understood," Yun Ke replied.
"Additionally, since this place has already been compromised, it’s not advisable to keep the Brocade Box here," Feng Yinxiao said thoughtfully. "'Luring the snake out of its hole' does not necessarily require physical items."
"Rest assured on that point, Young Lord," Yun Yan smiled. "After the incident, my brother has already moved the Brocade Box to a very secure location."
Feng Yinxiao seemed troubled, his brows furrowed as images flashed through his mind: he felt a sense of familiarity with a short figure from the Second House but couldn’t recall where he had seen it before.
"But since Tian Zhuang has already been exposed, how could the murderer not realize that what he wants has been moved?" Yun Kexin asked in confusion.
"As long as he has guilty knowledge, he will definitely come back," Feng Yinxiao's eyes flickered. He then turned to Yun Kexin decisively. "Seventh Sister, I want to arrange for a few guards to protect you. What do you think?"
This thought had lingered in his mind countless times since Fan City; now he finally had an opportunity to act on it.
"Guards?" Yun Kexin was taken aback and then shook her head. "No."
"Why not?" When Feng Yinxiao asked this question, there was a hint of grievance in his expression. "Seventh Sister, please don't misunderstand. I just hope you can have someone capable by your side to handle emergencies. It wouldn't be like ordinary servants who would just panic when something happens."
Feng Yinxiao cautiously concealed Yun Kexin's "Fan City Incident," as he sensed that she did not want to add new troubles and anxieties to Second House at this time, so he did not reveal the true reason for his actions.
"That's not it," Yun Kexin said, momentarily stunned. "I have mostly male guards following me, which might cause many inconveniences and lead to gossip, and it wouldn't be good for my reputation..."
Feng Yinxiao smiled slightly: how could she think he would arrange male guards to protect her?!
"No, they are all female," Feng Yinxiao replied.
Yun Ke, Yun Yan, and Yun Kexin were all taken aback at the same time. "Female?" Especially Yun Ke, who added, "Doesn't Young Lord usually dislike dealing with women?"
"I don't deal with them," Feng Yinxiao explained calmly, resting his chin on his hand. "They are a few women I once saved who want to join the Imperial Guards after training, but I didn't allow it."
"A few?" Yun Yan asked with great interest.
"Three!" Feng Yinxiao replied openly. "The oldest is twelve, the youngest is ten, both without parents. If Seventh Sister doesn't mind, you could take them as your maids. They would work for Third House in the open while secretly protecting you."
Yun Kexin suddenly teased, "But Young Lord, they are all capable women who want to serve the country. Having them as my maids would be a waste of talent, and I don't think they would agree."
"I'll personally ask the three of them; they will agree," Feng Yinxiao said confidently with a smile.
"That won't do," Yun Kexin insisted, pouting. "If Young Lord asks them, it would be putting pressure on them. Moreover, out of gratitude for saving their lives, even if they are unwilling in their hearts, they might feel compelled to agree. So I must ask them myself; only if they agree does it count. If these three sisters do not consent, you must not make it difficult for them. Can you promise that?"
"I can," Feng Yinxiao replied succinctly.
Seeing this, Yun Ke and Yun Yan exchanged glances and smiled slightly.
"Young Lord, when will you take us to meet those three girls?" Yun Yan asked with a smile.
"It's still early; should we go now?" Feng Yinxiao sought their opinion.
"Let's go together," Yun Ke said casually.
Thus, the four of them left Tian Zhuang and went to another ordinary house. When Feng Yinxiao approached and knocked on the door, a girl around ten years old opened it. Upon seeing Feng Yinxiao, she broke into a sweet smile:
“Young Lord, what brings you here?”
“Shan Yue, I brought a few friends to visit you three sisters.” Feng Yinxiao replied politely with a nod, “Are Shanling and Shining inside?”
“Both of my sisters are home right now, please come in.” Shining sweetly ushered the four outside into the house.
As Shining led the way, she called out to the inner room:
“Sisters, Young Lord has come to see us and brought his four friends.”
Soon, two young women emerged from the nearby inner room, around the same age as Feng Yinxiao, no older than twelve. They looked decent but did not have the “tall” stature that Yun Kexin imagined a martial artist should possess.
The three young women were about to kneel and pay their respects to Feng Yinxiao, but he stopped them.
“Shanling, Shining, Shan Yue, have you found a place to settle down?” Feng Yinxiao asked them.
“No,” Shanling admitted, “Young Lord, we three sisters are orphans without parents. We are fortunate that you saved us and sent people to train us in martial arts. Now we only wish to follow you and serve the court…”
Feng Yinxiao did not respond to Shanling’s words but got straight to the point:
“If a wealthy family is willing to take you in as maids, would you be willing?”
“This…” Shanling, Shining, and Shan Yue were all momentarily speechless, staring blankly at Feng Yinxiao. After a while, they looked troubled: “Young Lord, may I ask if it’s because we are girls that you are unwilling to take us in?” Shanling gathered her courage and asked while meeting Feng Yinxiao’s gaze.
“That is one reason; I do not have the habit of giving orders to women,” Feng Yinxiao explained patiently. “Secondly, there are currently no women in the Imperial Guards of the imperial city, so… I hope you three young ladies can understand.”
The three young women fell silent. They stood still for a moment before Shan Yue spoke with a choked voice:
“Young Lord, my Father and Mother both died from illness while serving in a wealthy household. The masters do not regard their servants as human beings; maids are treated however the Master or Young Master pleases. There’s also the humiliation from the lady and the Concubine. A maid's life is cheap and miserable; I would rather follow you, Young Lord, even if I cannot serve you, I would prefer to die on the battlefield…”
“Shan Yue!” Shining shot her a glare, raising her voice before turning to Feng Yinxiao, calmly asking, “May I ask which wealthy family you plan to send me to?”
“Duke of E State Mansion, Third House!” Feng Yinxiao replied in his usual slow tone—unmoved by Shan Yue’s lament. He was also not angered by the emotion in Shining’s words; he pointed at Yun Kexin and introduced her, “This is Third House Seventh Sister.”
Shanling looked up and down at Yun Kexin. Her gaze dimmed, as if resigned, and she said softly:
"Since the Young Lord has given the order, we three sisters will comply."
"No, you don't have to force yourselves to 'comply,'" Yun Kexin stepped in front of Shanling. Looking at her with a smile, she said, "Before coming here, I had already spoken with the Young Lord. I want to personally ask if you are willing to serve as maids in my household. If you are unwilling, the Young Lord must not make it difficult for you."
Shanling looked up in surprise at the girl before her, who had delicate features and a slight smile—she appeared a few years younger but did not have the haughty demeanor typical of young ladies from wealthy families. Instead, she seemed quite understanding. In that moment, Yun Kexin left a good impression on Shanling.
"Seventh Sister, don't be so formal," Shanling replied cheerfully. "Our lives were saved by the Young Lord, so even if he sells me to another noble family as a maid, we would have no complaints. It's just a pity that all the hard work I put into my skills would go to waste, which is why I expressed some 'rebellious' feelings."
Only then did Yun Kexin understand the "crux" of the three sisters' situation and smiled, saying: "The Young Lord wouldn't waste your talents by making you serve as maids. He wants you to appear as maids while secretly protecting me."
A glimmer of surprise crossed the faces of Shanling, Shining, and Shan Yue, their eyes reflecting: Is this really true?
"Yes, that's right," Yun Kexin smiled. "Could the three of you show us some of your skills?"
Feng Yinxiao nodded in approval, and the three sisters showcased their abilities in front of Yun Kexin, Yun Yan, and Yun Ke, earning cheers and applause. Yun Kexin suddenly felt grateful to Feng Yinxiao, who had considered her needs so thoroughly.
Although he did not know what her ultimate goal was, she indeed needed a few capable attendants. It was an idea she had long held but struggled to realize. When she first met the Crown Prince, she almost brought it up but never expected that Feng Yinxiao would generously offer her a "Wife's Army." How could this not touch her? She felt sweetness in her heart.
"That's enough, that's enough," Yun Kexin smiled and waved for them to stop. "You three—Shanling, Shining, and Shan Yue—you were amazing."
The three sisters stopped simultaneously and stood in front of Yun Kexin with smiles.
"Now, are you willing to serve as maids for Seventh Sister at the Duke of E State Mansion Third House?" Feng Yinxiao asked with a smile.
In unison, they replied, "We are willing."
"However, I still need to mention that serving in the household requires signing a contract of servitude. Do you agree?"
"In response to Seventh Sister, I have no objections," Shining was the first to express her agreement with a smile.
"In response to Seventh Sister, I also have no objections," Shan Yue said sincerely, having shed her initial resistance.
"There's also me," Shanling said calmly with a smile.
"Alright, it's settled then," Yun Kexin replied cheerfully, "Are there any writing tools in the house? I'll have my brother prepare the contract for you to sign."
"Yes, follow me, Seventh Sister."
The three of them stood up and led the way into the inner room, where they sat around the table. Shanling took out the writing tools and placed them on the table. Yun Ke quickly wrote up the contract and read it aloud to them before they signed and sealed it.
"Master above, please accept our three bows."
Once everything was prepared, Shanling, Shining, and Shan Yue knelt before Yun Kexin and bowed three times.
"Get up," Yun Kexin suddenly remembered that some things needed to be clarified, so she composed herself and said seriously, "From now on, you are all my people. Remember, you will only obey me, and," she pointed at Yun Ke and Yun Yan, "these two are your older brother and sister from the Second House. You can trust them completely, understand?"
"Understood!" the three sisters replied as they stood up. "We will follow Seventh Sister's arrangements and orders."
Yun Kexin smiled slightly and looked outside; the sun had already risen high in the sky, brightening everyone's hearts... (To be continued)
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