Empress’ Game: Make-up Master Chapter 46 - White lotus in the Mud

“Concubine, should I have these guards escort you back? After all, it is dark. If something else from my place follows you, that would not be good.”

Concubine Meng’s face turned pale. She said resentfully, “No need.” Then she helped Wu Jinghua up, and together with Chuntao, the three dragged and supported one another as they went back.

Wu Sheyue turned and returned to the courtyard. Sisi and Xiaoling didn’t dare ask much. They simply went to clean up the mess before the gate.

Inside the room, Ning’er helped Wu Sheyue remove her clothes while asking quietly, “Miss, did Second Miss secretly come here today to cause trouble on her own?”

Wu Sheyue removed her outer robe and said, “Mm. And their target should have been you. They just didn’t expect that the one serving me was Bailian, not you.”

Ning’er felt a wave of fear. Thinking that the person lying naked outside just now could very well have been herself, she shivered. No wonder Wu Jinghua and Chuntao had looked at her strangely.

“Then tomorrow, will Second Miss be punished?”

“She probably will be, but I’m afraid the Old Madam may also feel that there is something unclean here and use that to trouble me.” Wu Sheyue was still a little worried. From the day the Old Madam believed her lies, she knew the old woman was deeply superstitious. Since she could believe that an immortal had helped, she could also believe that ghosts and monsters were causing trouble.

“Then what does Miss plan to do?” Ning’er was very worried. Matters of ghosts and gods were the most taboo.

Wu Sheyue shook her head. “Respond as it comes.”

“But why was Second Miss so certain there was a ghost here? She described it so clearly, as if it were real.”

Wu Sheyue smiled. “I made some things.” Wearing only her inner clothes, she walked to the table and lifted from beneath it the ghost head she had set on the carved window, along with an arm painted only halfway.

“Wha—ah!” Ning’er covered her unfinished cry and pointed at the pile of heads, trembling. “M-Miss? You… why are you holding—”

Wu Sheyue casually picked up the ghost head and bounced it in her hand. “Don’t worry. It’s carved from wood. Fairly light.”

“Heavens…” Ning’er slowly drew a little closer, but she still felt it was a real ghost. Nothing about it seemed fake. “Miss… it’s too, too frightening. Please put it away.”

Wu Sheyue tossed the ghost head casually onto the table and wrapped it in cloth.

Still frightened, Ning’er patted her chest. “Too scary. I won’t be able to sleep tonight… Who carved this? It’s terrifying.”

Wu Sheyue thought for a moment. “I’ll tell you later. Tomorrow, we have other things to do.”

A light rain fell in the morning. Wu Sheyue sat by the window and watched the flowers and grasses outside sway softly in the rain. Water droplets condensed on petals and blades of grass. Fine threads of rain dampened the soil. When the wind blew, it carried freshness with it.

Early in the morning, Ning’er braved the light rain and went to Qunxing Studio.

Originally, Wu Sheyue should have gone too, but she already knew today’s result, so she was too lazy to watch the play again. She had Ning’er say that she had cried herself hoarse and caught a chill, so she could not go out.

Everyone knew her body was weak and sickly anyway, so there should be no issue.

Less than half an hour later, Ning’er returned with many tiny beads of water clinging to her hair.

Wu Sheyue continued looking out the window and asked, “How was it?”

“Second Miss did not go to Qunxing Studio today.”

Mm, as expected.

“And then?”

Ning’er was not very happy. “Concubine Meng and Chuntao went. Concubine Meng kept crying, saying Second Miss developed a high fever after returning last night and was frightened by unclean things. She even begged the Old Madam to invite a Daoist priest.”

“The Old Madam agreed, right?”

“Yes. The Old Madam relented and said Second Miss would be dealt with after she recovered. For now, she will remain confined in her courtyard, as before, not allowed out. But Chuntao wasn’t so lucky. She has already been taken away by a slave broker.”

Wu Sheyue withdrew her gaze and looked at Ning’er. “This matter needed a scapegoat, or it couldn’t be explained. Chuntao incited her master, so she has reached the end of her road.”

Ning’er sighed with some alarm. “Concubine Meng is so ruthless. At a glance, this was Second Miss’s idea, but she pushed Chuntao out.” People truly could not be compared. The gap between Second Miss and Third Miss was too great.

Wu Sheyue patted her to comfort her. “Come. Go check Bailian’s injury. Once she is better, she should also leave my place.”

Ning’er’s heart tightened. She immediately said, “I understand.”

Inside Bailian’s room.

She frowned slightly as her mind slowly cleared. But as soon as she opened her eyes, everything before her was blurry, and the back of her head hurt as if stabbed by needles. “Hiss, it hurts…”

“You’re awake?”

Bailian blinked. She made out Ning’er looking at her with concern—and she was lying in her own room?

“What happened to me?”

Ning’er slowly helped her sit up. “Last night, someone knocked you unconscious. We were terribly worried.”

“Wh-why?”

“Ai. It was Second Miss and Chuntao.” Ning’er sighed sadly. “Who would have thought they would actually rob you? Fortunately, Miss hadn’t slept and heard the sound, then ran out and caught Second Miss red-handed.”

“How is that possible?” Bailian held the back of her head and stared at Ning’er in surprise. Second Miss came to hit her? Was she insane?

“I didn’t believe it at the time either. But… ai, the guards came then, and the First Madam and Concubine Meng both arrived. Second Miss is at the Old Madam’s place right now.”

“…”

Seeing Bailian lost in thought, Ning’er stuffed a pile of odds and ends into her hands. “Here. These were pulled off you by Second Miss.”

“These really are mine!” Bailian looked at the jewelry in surprise and asked again, “Everything you just said is true?”

“Why would I lie to you?” Ning’er continued smiling. “Rest properly. Miss just came to see you. Miss also said that since you were injured like this, the First Madam is very angry. These next few days, let me take your place. You should recover in peace for a while.”

Bailian was startled and tried to get up. She had pushed Ning’er aside and done so much work, yet had gained nothing. Was she already about to be pushed back out?

Ning’er smiled and pressed her down with one hand. “Rest properly. Miss said to let you rest plenty, plenty more.”

“…” Ning’er had used several plenties, and Bailian’s worries grew worse.

She felt something was not right, as if she had missed something. But nothing in Ning’er’s words was afraid of being verified. That feeling of having missed something important truly frightened her.

In the following days, the Chancellor’s residence again fell quiet. Concubine Liu and Wu Lixiang had seen Wu Jinghua’s condition. After witnessing Wu Sheyue’s complete victory and Wu Jinghua being punished after being the first to test the waters, they would certainly think twice for a while. Concubine Zhao and Wu Yin’er were already low-key, while Wu Liuyun was too proud to bother with them, so nothing happened.

Ning’er very naturally returned to Wu Sheyue’s side, while Bailian had no choice but to properly “recover.” From beginning to end, Sisi and Xiaoling only listened to Ning’er. Bailian had almost no use at all.