Chapter 498: Don’t Treat Others as Fools!

Chapter 498: Do You Really Think Everyone Else Is a Fool?

Huya stood dumbfounded, leaning against a tree trunk with cold sweat dripping from her forehead.

Their delicate and lovely Miss Cen had just taken down two burly men with a single packet of medicinal powder. Now, their young mistress was taking no chances, tying the two men up like stuffed sacks—using the very ropes they had brought along, presumably intended for her and Huya.

Just as well—it saved Xingxing the effort.

Huya had been too tense earlier, bracing for a fight to the death, and had exhausted all her strength. Now, she was completely spent, her forehead beaded with cold sweat as she leaned against the tree, at a loss for words.

Xingxing deftly secured the two men tightly before finally standing up and brushing her hands together. "Done!"

It took Huya a while to catch her breath, her voice hoarse as she asked, "What should we do with them?"

Xingxing smiled faintly. *I've got an idea.*

...

Yang Ruyuan had returned to the hot spring lodge halfway up the mountain, awaiting news about her orders.

But she waited and waited, until nightfall, and still no word came.

Yang Ruyuan grew restless.

Just as she was about to send her personal maid to investigate, the lodge's manager arrived.

There were several hot spring lodges on this mountainside, and Yang Ruyuan was currently staying at one belonging to the Yingwang Estate. Naturally, the manager here could be considered a representative of the Yingwang Estate and could not be treated casually.

Yang Ruyuan went out to greet him, only for the manager to respectfully say, "...The County Princess summons you."

Since the Yingwang Consort had not come this time, the highest-ranking person at the lodge was County Princess Qing'an.

Yang Ruyuan steadied herself, tidied up, and followed the manager to meet County Princess Qing'an.

"You summoned me, County Princess?"

County Princess Qing'an glanced at Yang Ruyuan. "Ruyuan. I recall you arrived with four guards. Just now, I had someone check your courtyard—only two remain. Where are the other two?"

Yang Ruyuan’s heart skipped a beat, but she maintained a calm expression. "...I sent them down the mountain on an errand. Does the County Princess need them for something?"

County Princess Qing'an snapped in anger. "Yang Ruyuan! Do you really think everyone else is a fool?! You just had a quarrel with the Lady of Blessed Peace, and immediately afterward, she met with misfortune—do you think no one can guess who’s behind it?!"

*That Yu Xingxing met with trouble?* Yang Ruyuan's heart soared.

County Princess Qing'an’s eyes went wide in disbelief—she didn’t even know what to say to Yang Ruyuan anymore!

Finally, she exhaled sharply, done sparing Yang Ruyuan any courtesy, and coldly had her shown out.

Yang Ruyuan was "escorted" out by County Princess Qing'an.

But the thought that Yu Xingxing had met with trouble put her in high spirits. As she returned to her room, a faint smile played on her face.

...

Next to the Yingwang Estate's hot spring lodge was another belonging to the Duke of Xinguo.

Jiao Shi was lodging there with her second son, Yu Chongen, and her daughter, Yu Mingzhu.

Earlier, when Jiao Shi saw Yu Mingzhu returning early with her maid, she was quite surprised and looked around: "Pearl, what happened? Why are you back so early? Weren’t you going to the nearby hot spring villa to enjoy the hot springs with Princess Qing'an?"

Yu Chongen, who had been accompanying Jiao Shi for tea, also looked over with concern.

Yu Mingzhu sighed softly and said, "Oh, don’t ask. Mother, you know Princess Qing'an brought Miss Yang and Second Miss Wei along to take a dip in the hot springs here, right?... Today, Miss Yang got tired of the hot springs on the mountainside and suggested going somewhere else. Coincidentally, Princess Qing'an remembered a healing spring deep in the mountains that a healer from their estate had mentioned before. So, we went there with our servants and attendants."

Jiao Shi nodded repeatedly. "Your maid told me earlier. I knew all that." She was puzzled. "But by this hour, it’s still too early. Didn’t you go?"

"We did," Yu Mingzhu leaned against Jiao Shi’s shoulder, playing the spoiled daughter. "Mother, guess who we ran into there."

"Who?"

Yu Mingzhu pressed her lips together. "That Lady of Blessed Peace."

Lady of Blessed Peace...

Jiao Shi went quiet for a moment.

Even Yu Chongen froze.

Yet, undeniably, a quiet delight rose from the depths of Jiao Shi’s heart.

Without realizing it, her voice carried a trace of eagerness: "Oh? Lady of Blessed Peace? And then?"

Yu Chongen also leaned in to listen.

Yu Mingzhu sighed, unwilling to speak. But her maid, indignant, chimed in: "...Madam, Second Young Master, you wouldn’t believe it! That Lady of Blessed Peace claimed the healing spring was her property and sent our young lady and the others packing!"

Jiao Shi was taken aback. "What?"

She instinctively found it hard to believe: "...That girl never struck me as the domineering type..."

Hearing her mother unconsciously defend Yu Xingxing, Yu Mingzhu’s heart sank. She gave a meaningful look at her maid.

The maid immediately said, "Madam, you’ve been deceived by that Lady of Blessed Peace! As the heir’s consort, she naturally acts obedient and well-behaved in front of you. But in front of our young lady, she’s like a completely different person."

The maid wore an expression that said it all.

Yu Mingzhu lightly scolded, "...Lady of Blessed Peace is of noble status. How can a lowly maid like you speak of her so casually?"

The maid responded meekly, "Yes, miss," then added, "I just can’t bear to see you treated unfairly, miss."

Yu Mingzhu frowned. "Still talking?"

The maid quickly made a show of zipping her lips. "I won’t say another word, miss."

Jiao Shi was taken aback and murmured, "That child... is really like that?"

Yu Chongen, however, felt something was off.

But his sister Yu Mingzhu genuinely seemed wronged...

Yu Chongen scratched his head and could only cough, changing the subject. He asked Yu Mingzhu, "...And what about Second Miss Wei? How did she seem?"

Yu Mingzhu smiled. "Second Miss Wei was fine. Though after seeing Lady of Blessed Peace today, she didn’t seem too happy either..."

Yu Chongen’s brow also furrowed.

He got fidgety, frequently glancing outside as if eager to leave.

Jiao Shi couldn’t stand her son’s mooning about and waved him off. "Go on, shoo! Seeing you like this irritates me!"

Yu Chongen immediately stood and hurried out.

Seeing her second brother so preoccupied with Second Miss Wei, Yu Mingzhu’s expression turned somewhat complicated. She turned to Jiao Shi and cooed, "Mother, Second Brother only has eyes for that Second Miss Wei. Once she joins our family, who knows if he’ll even remember us anymore."