The Flourishing Era of Female Merchants

Shuangyue exclaimed in surprise, while Anmi raised her lips with interest, "Zhuxuan, what are you doing?"

"Miss, Zhu Xuan knows she was wrong. Zhu Xuan shouldn't have gone to the embroidery appreciation competition without telling you. Zhu Xuan just... just didn't want her skills to go to waste." Yi Zhu Xuan bit her lip, looking pitiful and endearing.

Anmi's eyes were icy cold as she listened to Yi Zhuxuan's words, without intending to speak.

Yi Zhuxuan had expected An Mi to at least say something, but at this moment, she felt like she was performing a one-woman show, and her heart was filled with unease. However, she still had to awkwardly continue, "Miss, Zhuxuan has no intention of climbing the social ladder, nor does she dare to harbor the slightest covetousness towards the Liu family..."

"Oh? I see. After all these years, don't I know Zhu Xuan's character?" An Mi said indifferently, her sarcasm growing stronger. She hadn't forgotten what Yi Zhu Xuan had done at the embroidery appreciation event, asking her to give way. Didn't she want to climb the social ladder? Didn't she dare to harbor even the slightest covetousness towards the Liu family? Hmph, how could she believe Yi Zhu Xuan's words? The more Yi Zhu Xuan acted like this, the more it proved her hypocrisy.

Yi Zhuxuan was secretly pleased, but her face showed even more distress, as if she were worried about something important. "But...but, Madam, Eldest Miss, Fifth Miss, and the others..."

An Mi subtly raised an eyebrow. Ah! This must be Yi Zhuxuan's real purpose! Is she ultimately afraid of the blame from Yu Fangfei and her two daughters? So, she's come to ask for her help now?

Seeing Yi Zhuxuan's conflicted and troubled expression, An Mi remained silent, watching Yi Zhuxuan's hesitant demeanor with a half-smile.

"Miss, you have to help Zhuxuan... Madam and the others..." Yi Zhuxuan was desperate. Although Anmi didn't have much status in the An family, she was still a young lady. Now that the master was here, she might be able to make a difference. Besides, even if she couldn't make a difference, if Madam and the two legitimate young ladies found out that Anmi was pleading for her, they wouldn't let Anmi off the hook. As long as Anmi diverted Madam and the others' anger, she would be in a better position.

Yi Zhuxuan thought to herself that, given Anmi's gentle nature, she would definitely not refuse her if she begged her.

But little did she know that by using past standards to measure Anmi, she had already made a grave mistake.

An Mi was just about to hear how Yi Zhuxuan would persuade her to help when she heard footsteps outside and someone whispering, "Miss, the servants' quarters are not as smooth as our courtyard. It's late at night and we can't see the way clearly. Please be careful when you walk, so you don't trip."

After she finished speaking, there was no response. Miss? What is An Xinlian doing here so late at night?

An Xinlian had only ever gone to the servants' quarters to find her, and every time she did, she had no good intentions!

The visitor's hostile intentions alerted An Mi. As she pondered something, An Mi's gaze swept over Yi Zhuxuan, who had not yet achieved her goal, and caught sight of the fear and panic in her eyes. A disdainful smirk appeared on An Mi's lips.

Just a moment later, An Xinlian appeared at An Mi's door. When An Xinlian saw that there were other people in the room besides An Mi, her already cold face turned even colder.

An Xinlian glanced at the sparsely furnished room with disgust, but still stepped inside. She glanced at the two maids in the room, and when she saw Yi Zhuxuan, her gaze lingered on her for a few moments. Those few moments were enough to make Yi Zhuxuan almost unable to breathe.

"You two, get out of here right now." After a moment of silence, just when Yi Zhuxuan thought the young lady was going to make an example of her, An Xinlian's voice rang out in the room, making no attempt to hide her displeasure.

She recognized Yi Zhuxuan, that wretched girl, who was so ignorant of her place, going to the embroidery appreciation party on her own. Everyone knew what she was up to. Neither she nor her mother would tolerate such an ambitious maid. However, even if she were to be punished, it wasn't now. Right now, she had more important things to do.

Remembering her mother's instructions, An Xinlian turned her gaze to her purpose for tonight—peace and tranquility!

Shuangyue and Yizhuxuan dared not linger. Yizhuxuan hurriedly left the room, while Shuangyue bit her lip and looked at Anmi with concern for a long time. Anmi received her gaze, smiled reassuringly at her, and gestured for her to leave.

When only An Mi and An Xinlian remained in the room, the silence made the atmosphere particularly eerie. An Mi wondered what An Xinlian's purpose was in coming here tonight and did not want to break the silence.

After what seemed like an eternity, An Xinlian finally lost her patience and spoke arrogantly and coldly, "An Mi, listen to me, I have something for you to do tonight!"

"What is it?" An Mi lowered her head slightly, her brows furrowed. In An Xinlian's eyes, it was fear and obedience, but no one saw the glint in An Mi's eyes.

They come to her late at night to tell her they have something for her to do. That thing they want her to do must be something important!

As she pondered quietly, her curiosity grew stronger.

An Xinlian took out a small porcelain bottle from her bosom, raised her chin, and said in a commanding tone, "Take this. Tomorrow, find the right opportunity to sprinkle this on Feng Xianglan's hands, and you'll have accomplished your task."

An Mi raised her beautiful eyebrows slightly, meeting An Xinlian's eyes in what seemed like horror. "What is this? Is... is Miss going to kill Miss Xianglan?"

“Kill her? Why would I kill her? I'll just teach her a lesson.” An Xinlian snorted coldly and glared impatiently at An Mi. “Listen to me, if you don’t handle this well, you’ll regret it.”

An Mi said no more, clutching the porcelain bottle in her hand, her expression suggesting she was wary of An Xinlian's threat.

Having achieved her goal, An Xinlian was unwilling to linger in the simple room. After giving An Mi a few more instructions, she went out and left with her maid. Only An Mi remained in the room. An Mi's lips then slightly curved upwards as she stroked the small porcelain bottle in her hand, a half-smile playing on her lips.

Thinking about An Xinlian's answer just now, was it just to teach Feng Xianglan a lesson? The murderous intent that flashed in An Xinlian's eyes just now was not what she was being told. If she had the opportunity to kill her enemy, An Xinlian would naturally not be soft-hearted and would only teach him a lesson.

Looking at the small porcelain bottle in my hand, what's inside?

Was An Xinlian asking her to do this to use someone else to do her dirty work? Ha! Using her as a tool? A dark cloud gathered in her eyes. There would definitely be a lot of people coming to the An residence tomorrow. Even if she did as An Xinlian said and hurt or killed Feng Xianglan, she would probably still be implicated!

What a brilliant scheme to kill two birds with one stone, using someone else to do the dirty work!

As Anmi was thinking, there was a knock on the door. Anmi frowned. Who would come to her at this hour?

An Mi frowned slightly, but still stepped forward and opened the door. Upon opening the door and seeing who it was, An Mi was taken aback.