The approaching of Dong Ling scared Dong Feixue with a start. The chill crawled up her body. 

"Go! Let's go!" yelled the maids. They came without any sign and ran away even more quickly. Dong Ling and Zhumo were left alone, with the dead body on the ground.

"Zhumo!" yelled Dong Lin.

"Yes, yes... I'm here." stammered Zhumo with a pale face.

"What are you scared of? Go get Fengcai here and throw the dead body away. I'll sleep here tonight. Don't get me upset. Oh, by the way, I'll sleep in the side room. There's a bad smell of oil in the princ.i.p.al room. Go clean it up." ordered Dong Ling.

Staring at the normal look on Dong Ling's face, Zhumo swallowed and said yes.

She then explained, "Miss… Miss Ling, Fengcai felt unwell today and she's having some rest in her room."

Dong Ling could tell the truth from Zhumo's face. But anyway, she was leaving tomorrow. She didn't want to bother. She then said, "Since Fengcai doesn't want to work for me, she'll stay here instead of leaving with me tomorrow."

"Miss Ling, what about me?" asked Zhumo.

"You're a loyal maid. Leave with me tomorrow. At least you'll no longer be bullied. I don't have much on me. Take this bracelet and go get packed." replied Dong Ling.

The bracelet felt heavy. It could measure at least seven of eight taels. That was quite a valuable gift for a maid.

Zhumo thanked her again and again. She didn't know why Miss Dong Ling had changed so much, but she knew no one would manage to bully her again since Miss Dong Ling was brave and smart.

And Miss Ling would turn fifteen six months later. After marrying the crown prince, she would be the crown princess.

Thinking of this, Zhumo went for packing agilely. She said, "Miss Ling, Anxiang's sister was used by Miss Feixue. She was also poor. Why did you kill her?"

"Poor? Aren't we poor, too?" replied Dong Ling calmly, "If I hadn't killed her, you and I would have been killed. That's the law of the jungle."

Upon waking up the next morning, Dong Ling did exercise in the yard.

After a serious of difficult work-out, she wiped off sweat and breathed a sigh of relief.

She asked, "Zhumo, have you finished packing?"

"Yes," answered Zhumo when she took out two bundles, "One for clothes and one for rations. And I packed some silver. We're ready to go."

"Mm." Dong Ling murmured and hummed as she walked to the gate. Unexpectedly, she saw no nothing at the door. The guarding servant was dozing off at the corner.

Dong Ling kicked him and asked, "Where's the cart for me?"

"Oh, Miss Ling. Mrs. Dong asked you to leave from the back door." answered the servant.

"What? I'm the eldest daughter of this family and I can't even go through the front door? Go tell Mrs. Dong. If I failed to leave through the front door, I would take Dong Feixue to my grandma for punishment!"

Soon, she heard some footsteps.

Seeing the woman running towards her, Dong Ling looked gloomy. She greeted, "Mom!"

"Oh, my poor daughter!" wailed Concubine Lin when she wiped her tears and held Dong Ling's hand, "When I heard Dong Feixue pushed you into the water, I hurried to reason with her! Unexpectedly, your grandma stopped me and asked me to kneel at the ancestral hall and copy Buddhist Scriptures for three days!"

Dong Ling had planned to ask where her mother was when she was in trouble. But seeing the worried look on Concubine Lin's face, Dong Ling swallowed her doubt.

She gave a sincere smile and said, "Mom. I'm okay. Sorry to keep you worried!"

"I heard you were going to the suburban house and I asked Taohong to get packed for me. Anyway, no one liked us in this family. I'll go with you so that we can take care of each other."

What she said warmed Dong Ling a lot.

Concubine Lin used to be a dancing girl. Naturally, she was beautiful. She was from a humble family, but the love for her daughter really moved Dong Ling.

Just then, a young man wearing fine clothes and expensive jade pendants walked slowly to them.

"You p.i.s.s me off! One failed to be a good concubine and the other failed to be an obedient daughter. Dong Ling, Mother asked you to leave through the back door. But why must you make a fuss in the front door?" asked the young man.

Dong Ling gave him a quick look and taunted, "Dong Tianlang, Mom gave birth to you. But you always flatter Mrs. Dong and call her Mother. Shame on you! And now you want to mess up with me?"

Hearing what she said, the young man Dong Tianlang, flushed and stuttered, "What… what nonsense are you talking about?"