The Cage - Chapter 3

Doctor Ye wouldn’t arrive for a while, and since she had to wait anyway, Liu Chunxi sat down nearby.

Suddenly, she thought to herself, Hmm. She realized the new maid had excellent bone structure, though her complexion was lacking. Her skin was sallow, and her cheeks were dotted with fine freckles. Yet her facial contours were smooth and harmonious, her tightly closed eyes lending an air of tranquility to her face. Her slender, high nose was the focal point of her features, while her full lips beneath resembled a ripe fruit.

Lost in thought, Liu Chunxi stared intently. She only snapped out of her reverie when she heard Ye Lin’s approaching footsteps. To cover her distraction, she poured herself a cup of tea and drank it. Why was I so absorbed in looking at just a maid? she wondered.

Puzzled, she shook her head slightly, as if to shake off the lingering thoughts.

Ye Lin’s voice preceded her into the room. “I heard you summoned me urgently over a maid?”

Liu Chunxi lifted her chin. “There she is, on the couch. Go check on her. We don’t want a fatality.”

Bai Yisi barely dared to breathe. The Princess had been staring at her intently, her gaze crawling over Bai Yisi’s face like a snake. Even with her eyes closed, Bai Yisi could feel that cold, viscous stare.

Afraid of giving herself away, she remained perfectly still, suppressing her thoughts. She had originally planned to wake up before Doctor Ye arrived, knowing it would be disastrous if the doctor exposed her ruse in public.

If publicly exposed, she would have no choice but to kill Liu Chunxi immediately. However, that would mean losing the chance to obtain Liu Chunxi’s face—a regrettable outcome.

As Bai Yisi pondered this, Ye Lin approached the bedside and took the woman’s pulse. Her eyes flickered briefly before she lifted the woman’s eyelids.

Interesting.

Ye Lin glanced discreetly at Liu Chunxi, who sat nearby. Despite Liu Chunxi’s strict enforcement of the manor’s rules, some still sought loopholes. This newcomer, however, was remarkably bold, daring to feign unconsciousness right in front of Liu Chunxi and even having the Master carry her to the bed.

Newcomers typically had a rough first day, but none had ever dared to deceive their Master so brazenly.

Ye Lin found herself admiring Bai Yisi’s audacity. She decided to help her maintain the charade, reasoning that such an intriguing person deserved to stay. With her around, life in the Princess’s Manor wouldn’t be so tedious.

With an impassive expression, Ye Lin withdrew her hand and said calmly, “She’s just suffering from heatstroke. She’ll recover with some rest.”

“Good, I’m relieved,” Liu Chunxi murmured, visibly relaxing. It seemed she wouldn’t need to call for assistance after all.

Bai Yisi’s heart jolted. Why hadn’t Ye Lin exposed her? Instead of relief, she felt profound confusion. Before coming, she had researched Doctor Ye of the Princess’s Manor, Ye Lin, who was said to be a disciple of the legendary Medicine Saint, Ye Songxue.

Three years prior, Liu Chunxi had been assassinated and poisoned, her life hanging by a thread. Emperor Liu had dispatched envoys to summon the Medicine Saint, but Ye Lin arrived instead. Her master, Ye Songxue, had already passed away.

At the time, no one believed a seventeen-year-old could save Liu Chunxi. Yet Ye Lin not only cured her but also improved her health beyond its previous state. Since then, Ye Lin had resided at the Princess’s Manor.

Having lived there for three years, Ye Lin’s bond with Liu Chunxi must be far stronger than with a newcomer like herself. So… why would she cover for her? Could Ye Lin’s presence at the Princess’s Manor serve a hidden purpose?

Ye Lin’s medical skills were exceptional. Bai Yisi wondered if she had detected her Face-changing Art. If so, had she also guessed her true identity? These questions weighed on Bai Yisi’s mind, but she remained calm, always believing that divine intervention would resolve any impasse. What she couldn’t understand now would naturally become clear in due time.

In reality, Bai Yisi was overthinking things. Ye Lin simply assumed she was trying to shirk her duties. With her limited intellect, Ye Lin couldn’t grasp such complex schemes.

“Not to criticize you,” Ye Lin said, settling onto the stool beside Liu Chunxi and pushing a teacup forward, gesturing for her to pour a cup. “But making people sweep the courtyard all day in this heat? Demanding they sweep up every few fallen leaves? Don’t you think that’s a bit much? The poor girl fainted in the courtyard on her first day.”

This remark brought a rare moment of embarrassment to Liu Chunxi. She had never encountered such a situation before. She couldn’t decide if the girl’s weakness was genuine or if her demands were truly excessive.

Perhaps… she should allow the courtyard workers to rest during the hottest hours of the afternoon?

The moment the thought arose, Liu Chunxi made up her mind. This is how it will be done. She had no desire for a repeat of today’s incident.

Ye Lin hesitated for a moment before speaking, “Why don’t you transfer this maid to my service?”

“Hmm?” This was the first time Ye Lin had ever actively asked for someone. But… what was so special about this maid? Liu Chunxi’s eyes filled with confusion. “Why do you want her?”

“She suits my taste.”

Liu Chunxi glanced at Bai Yisi’s face, raised an eyebrow, and agreed, “If you want her, take her.”

After all, she was just an insignificant maid.

Bai Yisi listened silently, speechless. Can they really decide someone’s fate so casually?!

Though her destination mattered little as long as she remained within the manor, she had finally gained entry to Liu Chunxi’s courtyard, and everything had been proceeding according to plan. Now, this incident had marred her perfect scheme with a stain.

And Bai Yisi loathed nothing more than having her plans disrupted. She resolved to add the Medicine Saint’s Disciple to her assassination list.

Liu Chunxi and Ye Lin sat and chatted for a while before rising to leave. Before departing, Ye Lin reminded Liu Chunxi, “Remember to send her to me when she wakes up.”

Liu Chunxi immediately instructed the servants and then left the room, likely wanting to avoid being alone with Bai Yisi. Good riddance, Bai Yisi thought. I don’t want to be stuck with her either.

As night fell, Liu Chunxi donned dark clothing, masked her face, and extinguished the candles in the room. She waited silently for a while, and when she heard no movement outside, she slipped out through the window, evading the Shadow Guards’ watchful eyes as she moved in a specific direction.

Vice Minister of Personnel Li Changfeng had been murdered recently, and his body hadn’t yet been buried. Liu Chunxi landed silently on the roof tiles, making no sound—a testament to her exceptional martial arts skills.

As merely a Vice Minister, Li Changfeng’s residence naturally lacked the stringent security of Princess Chunxi’s manor. She easily bypassed the night watchmen and entered Li Changfeng’s study.

She quietly searched the room, hoping to find something. Liu Chunxi had a strong intuition that the mysterious figure must have given Li Changfeng something or said something to him, otherwise he wouldn’t have been silenced that very night.

Please let there be some physical evidence, Liu Chunxi prayed inwardly. Otherwise, this trip will have been for nothing. If I find something, I’ll have a bargaining chip.

Finding nothing suspicious on the desk, Liu Chunxi turned to the bookshelf. To her surprise, she discovered something truly suspicious: a locked iron box hidden in one of the drawers. She touched the lock.

Forged from Profound Iron.

Profound Iron was exceptionally hard, typically used for crafting weapons. Weapons made from this material were incredibly sharp, capable of slicing through stone with ease. Liu Chunxi was intimately familiar with this material, as she carried a Profound Iron weapon strapped to her calf.

But familiarity alone couldn’t open the lock. Moreover, the box itself was also made of Profound Iron. Just as Liu Chunxi was fretting over this dilemma, she heard footsteps approaching from outside. Her eyes sharpened, and she immediately ducked behind a pillar, crouching low.

She wasn’t the only one who had come here tonight.

This confirmed that Li Changfeng had indeed obtained something significant.

Liu Chunxi held her breath, daring not to move. The intruder climbed through the window, clad in dark night clothes. Judging by his build, he was likely a man. He immediately headed for the desk and began rummaging through it. Seeing this, Liu Chunxi unconsciously tightened her grip on the box in her hand.

After finding nothing on the desk, the black-clad figure turned to the bookshelf. Liu Chunxi cursed inwardly. She hadn’t closed the drawer after searching it earlier.

She slowly lowered her hand to her calf, where a long, raised shape gave Liu Chunxi a sliver of reassurance.

As expected, the black-clad figure stopped before reaching the bookshelf, his gaze fixed on the open drawer. Suddenly, he whirled around, and a flurry of fine needles shot from his sleeves.

The pillar shielded Liu Chunxi, catching several needles that sank halfway into the wood. She exhaled quietly, but remained tense.

Seeing his needles had failed to flush out anyone, the black-clad figure hesitated, unsure whether the intruder had already fled or was still lurking in the shadows.

After a moment’s pause, he resumed his search. Finding nothing of interest, he left without lingering. Liu Chunxi waited a few more moments to confirm his departure before coming out from hiding.

Under the moonlight, she examined the box. It was clear she had no way to open it without the key. Such a vital item would never be stored with the box itself, and her earlier search had yielded no sign of it.

Tonight, besides her, a man in black had also come here. There was no guarantee others wouldn’t follow. To avoid trouble, Liu Chunxi left immediately, clutching the box as she departed.

But as soon as she stepped out of the mansion, she sensed something was wrong. Someone was following her.

Her eyes turned icy. Abandoning her original plan to return home, she headed toward a less populated area, quickening her pace. Unfortunately, she couldn’t shake off her pursuer.

This person’s qinggong (lightness skill) was no less skilled than hers.

The situation was becoming precarious. Their qinggong levels were likely evenly matched, making it impossible to lose him. If that was the case, there was only one solution.

Kill the man behind her.

Liu Chunxi stopped in an open clearing. The man in black halted immediately as well, watching her draw a short sword from her calf.

Holding the short sword, Liu Chunxi turned around. With a flick of her wrist, the blade transformed into a three-foot-long sword. Both edges of the sword were serrated, resembling the teeth of a ferocious beast. A single strike would tear away a chunk of flesh.

The black-clad man’s gaze gradually turned serious.

Liu Chunxi tossed the box in her hand and called out in a certain direction, “If you want it, come and take it yourself.” Her gaze was fixed on the very spot where the black-clad man was hiding.

Seeing this, the man abandoned his concealment. He drew a broadsword from his back and charged forward.

Just as he reached her, Liu Chunxi, who had been standing motionless, suddenly vanished. His momentum faltered, and he immediately spun around, raising his broadsword horizontally to block an incoming strike. The blade became lodged in the serrated edge of her sword, preventing him from withdrawing it instantly and giving Liu Chunxi an opening.

She tossed the box into the air and simultaneously thrust her palm forward. The black-clad man hastily dodged, pulling his broadsword downward and bracing his other hand against the ground to propel himself away from her.

The box landed securely in Liu Chunxi’s hand. She regarded the black-clad man coldly, a flicker of disappointment crossing her face. He was far weaker than she had anticipated. She had hoped for a satisfying fight today, but it seemed that wish would go unfulfilled.

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