Yao Ling sighed and she recalled what had happened previously. Before she went back home from 'Fu Rong', Ning jie already gave her the list of the kids and short descriptions about them. She had planned to review the list and a.s.signed them to hone their skills first, before appointing them to their jobs respectively.

However, her day was ruined by Liu Li. Yes, she was the one who told her about Yao Ying's issue. When Yao Ling just stepped into her own courtyard, she saw Liu Li pitifully cried softly there.

"What happened? Why are you here?" Yao Ling looked at her in suspicion. She wasn't her maidservant, but Concubine Wan's. So what was she doing standing and crying in her courtyard? If she didn't know better about her personalities, Yao Ling would definitely pity her. However, she had already known beforehand what the b.i.t.c.h had done to Xiao Yu.

Yao Ling didn't show her disdain openly, because she wanted to know what Liu Li was up to. She gave her a concern expression and once again repeated her question because Liu Li didn't answer her, but instead, she only shook her head. "Liu Li, why are you crying inside my courtyard?"

Liu Li looked at her while biting her lower lips in distress. "Young Mistress... this servant saw something and... and... this servant doesn't know whether this servant should tell Young Mistress or not."

Yao Ling wanted to roll her eyes, but she held herself back. This two-faced maidservant still dared to say that she didn't know whether she should tell her or not. If she didn't want to tell her about it, then she shouldn't put an act and wait for Yao Ling there.

Yao Ling glanced at Xiao Yu and saw that the latter was trying to hold back her anger. Xiao Yu looked up and saw the look on her young mistress' face. She understood that her young mistress wanted her to contain her emotions --- which she did. After feeling satisfied, Yao Ling looked back at Liu Li and went along with her act.

"Oh... what happened? It's okay... you can tell me," Yao Ling coaxed her.

"Young Mistress... do you know about this servant's background?"

"Hmm... I only heard that you were brought here by Concubine Wan. That's the only thing I know. Why? Is there something that I should know about?" Yao Ling pretended to be clueless.

Liu Li looked a bit taken aback. She probably wished that Yao Ling would say that Yao Ling had already known about her background. It was actually embarra.s.sing to say where she came from. A brothel girl wasn't exactly a good job. Because of Yao Ling's answer, she could only grit her teeth and be shameless.

"This... this servant was a maidservant that Concubine Wan brought along from a hua lou," Liu Li explained in an embarra.s.sed tone.

Her embarra.s.sment didn't gain herself a pity from Yao Ling, but Yao Ling still put on an act. "Hua lou? Really? It's lucky for you to have such a good master. She could easily leave you behind, but she kindly brought you along and now... she gives you the freedom to roam as a maidservant." The last part was directed at Liu Li for trespa.s.sing her courtyard on her own whim. She was a mere servant and yet, she had the gut to act arrogantly. Even though she appeared to be sad, Liu Liu couldn't erase the smugness in her eyes.

Liu Li seemed like she didn't hear the sarcasm on Yao Ling's words. She continued talking, "Indeed... it's really because of Concubine Wan's kindness."

"So... is there anything else that you want to tell me, except for crying?" Yao Ling asked.

Liu Li shyly said, "This servant had a few kins back at the hua lou and this afternoon... this servant paid a visit to them at 'Thousand Pleasures'."

"So?" Yao Ling once again asked. What's the point of talking in a roundabout way? She just wanted Liu Li to get on with it and finish this meaningless talk.

Liu Li once again squeezed out a few tears from her eyes and finally decided to talk, "This servant feels like Young Mistress is a kind girl who doesn't deserve to be treated badly."

Yao Ling laughed. "Me? Kind? Thank you for thinking highly of this Young Mistress. What do you mean by being treated badly? I think my life is good enough."

Liu Li gritted her teeth in annoyance. She felt like Yao Ling was mocking her with her good fortune when in reality, Yao Ling didn't do that sort of things. It was just Liu Li's spiteful heart that was speaking. Yao Ling never flaunted her new status unless someone provoked her first.

Liu Li masked her annoyance with grief. "But... but... I saw Young Master..."

Yao Ling's attention was piqued because of what Liu Li had just said. Young Master? Yao Ying? What did he do? "Oh... you saw Young Master. Where?" Yao Ling felt a knot in the pit of her stomach because she had a feeling where Liu Li had seen her husband.

"This servant saw Young Master visit the hua lou," Liu Li answered meekly. "But Young Mistress... please don't blame Young Master. I'm sure that Young Master has his own reasons for going there. Young Master is a good and loyal person too."

Yao Ling could see through her white lotus act. If she didn't know better, what Liu Li had said would certainly increase her anger. Hah! A good and loyal person wouldn't be bothered to go to a hua lou! Although she knew that Liu Li was trying to sow discord, she couldn't help but feel angry! Why did Yao Ying give Liu Li a chance to find something to use against them?!

"Did you see who he was with?" Yao Ling asked.

"This servant didn't see it clearly because there were so many women surrounding Young Master." After that she gasped and closed her mouth with her hands, feeling regretful. "I'm sorry, Young Mistress. I shouldn't have said that. This servant didn't mean to hurt Young Mistress' feeling. This servant just momentarily forgot."

Yao Ling was contemplating how she should behave at the moment. Should she behave coldly to Liu Li? Or should she pretend that she trusted her and also put on an act by crying pitifully just like Liu Li?

She didn't want Liu Li to feel suspicious and found out that Xiao Yu had told her the whole truth. Oh, G.o.d! She wasn't a white lotus. What should she do to squeeze tears out of her eyes? Yao Ling looked at Liu Li and wondered how did she make it look so easy? Her tears just flew down like a river.

Yao Ling put her hand on top of the others and carefully covered them with her sleeves. She clenched her teeth and decided to pinch herself until she could produce her own crocodile tears.

*Pinch*

Nothing happened. Maybe it's not enough? She pinched herself harder.

*Pinch*

Still nothing. Oh G.o.d! That was hurt... but still not enough to produce tears. She braced herself and tried to pinch herself harder.

*Pinch*

She succeeded! A tear rolled down to her left cheek. Yao Ling felt like cursing. All that trouble and pain, but she only managed to squeeze out a drop of tear. Great!

Well... at least, the tear was finally showed up. She started to act and asked while biting her lower lip, "Wh... what?"

Liu Li was happy looking at the hurt expression on Yao Ling's face. Hmpf! She was only a peasant and yet didn't want Young Master to have concubines. She didn't even have a great and strong family to back her up and she still behaved arrogantly. It was Yao Ling's own fault for making Young Master have to go to a hua lou just to have some fun.

Liu Li was delusional enough to think about Yao Ying and Yao Ling's personal matter based on her own judgment. Based on her mind, a man was always so fickle and he wouldn't feel satisfied with only one wife. Young Master Yao Ying must not be an exception.

Ha-Ha-Ha! She wanted to laugh at Yao Ling's face but she held herself back. It wasn't the right time... yet.