Empress’ Game: Make-up Master Chapter 10 - Settling Scores and Paying Back Grudges

“She just told you to watch me?”

After Wu Sheyue finished combing her hair, she turned back and looked at Ning’er.

Ning’er always felt that Wu Sheyue now had a chilling quality beneath her beauty. She lowered
her head and did not dare look at her.

“M-Miss, Ning’er won’t. Ning’er does not plan to leave Miss and go elsewhere.”

Wu Sheyue rummaged through the wardrobe.

“I was only asking. What do you think all those words she said earlier meant?”

“Ning’er thinks… could it be that Miss, the way you acted yesterday… was discovered by people from the first branch?”

“Then she could have led people over directly to punish me. Why bother hinting at shit?”

“Uh…” Ning’er scratched her head. “I… I also don’t believe Second Miss wouldn’t complain.”

“You big households really have enough rights and wrongs.” Wu Sheyue turned back, holding
an old light-blue garment. “Let’s go. We’ll go out and see what’s going on.”

A short while later, the two of them stood one behind the other beneath a large banyan tree
outside a courtyard, staring together at the tightly closed courtyard gate. This was the
courtyard of the Chancellor’s fourth concubine, Lady Liu.

Ning’er had said that coming from First Madam’s side to the West Courtyard, one would
definitely pass through Lady Liu’s place. Because Lady Liu could bear sons, First Madam was
relatively pleasant toward Lady Liu’s branch. If Nanny Jin came to the West Courtyard, she
would certainly stop by Lady Liu’s branch on the way to deliver the monthly allowance.

Ning’er was almost about to cry. In the past, Third Miss would be beaten whenever she left the
courtyard, and later she stopped going outside at all. Why had she suddenly decided to follow
Nanny Jin? What if they were discovered…

“Miss…”

As if Wu Sheyue knew what Ning’er was about to say, she indifferently cut her off.

“The way I look now, would anyone still recognize me?”

“Probably not,” Ning’er said weakly.

“Miss, you are too beautiful now.”

As they were talking, Ning’er suddenly tugged Wu Sheyue’s sleeve.

“Miss, look. That’s Nanny Jin. This servant knew it. We were sure to catch her here.”

Oh? Wu Sheyue watched as two maids thanked a plump old woman repeatedly and saw her out. Wu Sheyue suddenly grabbed Ning’er by the wrist and followed. Ning’er almost cried out and quickly covered her mouth as she followed Wu Sheyue.

Perhaps because she was old and could not walk quickly, Nanny Jin walked very slowly. Wu Sheyue followed while looking at the scenery along the path. She was not only familiarizing herself with the route, but also checking for any convenient tools.

Very soon, she took a liking to a stone. The instant she picked it up, Ning’er pounced over, using frantic silent gestures to stop her.

Wu Sheyue lightly trapped Ning’er under one arm with one hand and ducked behind a flowering tree nearby. Then she swung her arm in a full arc and let go. The stone seemed to have eyes as it struck the back of Nanny Jin’s head.

“Ow-!”

The old woman almost lost her balance and fell. She clutched the back of her head, looked around, and cursed angrily,

“Who? Which little bastard? Got fat on courage, have you?”

With that much force, it had to be some young male servant or odd-job boy.
Ning’er was tucked under Wu Sheyue’s arm. Seeing Nanny Jin like that, she nearly laughed despite her worry.

“M-Miss, will this really be all right?”

Wu Sheyue flicked Ning’er on the forehead.

“Didn’t she withhold several months of your allowance?”

“Mm… yes.”

Ning’er looked blankly at Wu Sheyue. Was Miss standing up for her?
Wu Sheyue slowly released Ning’er. Ning’er was the first person close to her whom she had met after arriving here. Helping with a small effort like this was only right.
Over there, Nanny Jin kept cursing. Later, after cursing herself tired and still seeing no one come out, she threw down more harsh words and turned to leave.

Wu Sheyue bent down and picked up a larger stone. Ning’er grabbed Wu Sheyue’s sleeve in horror.

“Miss! She’s old. Someone could die!”

“That’s true…”

Wu Sheyue weighed it twice in her hand, then swung and smashed it toward Nanny Jin’s lower leg.

“Oh, my mother-!”

With Nanny Jin’s old bones, one fall felt like her whole skeleton had been taken apart. Every part of her hurt.

“Which murderer did this? I’ll make your whole family die badly- ow-”

Make my whole family die badly? Wu Sheyue looked around the Chancellor’s Estate. Mm. That would work too.

This time, Nanny Jin twisted her waist and could not get up at all. She lay in the middle of the path and groaned for a long time. Wu Sheyue and Ning’er remained hidden without moving.
During that time, Wu Sheyue could not help wanting to throw a few more stones, but later two passing maids saw Nanny Jin and ran over to help her up.

Wu Sheyue was displeased. Wasn’t that meddling? What kind of skill was helping an old lady here? Go help an old lady in the twenty-first century and see what happens.

Ning’er had vented her anger and felt entirely refreshed, but she was still worried.

“Miss, let’s go back. Nanny Jin is furious right now. What if she sends someone to check on our mourning hall later…”

“Leave the mourning hall for now. Follow her.”

Wu Sheyue had no intention of letting Nanny Jin have an easy time.

“S-Still follow her?”

Ning’er could no longer tell whether she felt happy or afraid.

(To be continued)