Best friends dressed up in ancient times to become mistresses? You run, I run too!

The four of them thought for a moment before standing up.

Fuling pursed her lips, her small hands tightly gripping the hem of her skirt, and whispered.

"This servant only wishes to serve my master for the rest of my life, and has no other intentions. I hope my master will grant my request."

“We servants have absolutely no disloyal intentions.”

The maids said in unison.

Yun'er and Xia'er were Liu Zhiyi's maids. They were sent by the steward of the Prime Minister's mansion when she first arrived, to serve Liu Zhiyi personally.

The two were meticulous and thorough in their work, never making mistakes, and Liu Zhiyi never set any rules for them.

Fuling and Shaoyao came to the capital from Luoshui Town with Shen Ningzhu. They were usually quite lively, and Shen Ningzhu never restricted their personalities.

Unexpectedly, such a simple sentence frightened the four people like this.

At first, the two were a little confused.

But he quickly realized the truth. The ancients valued loyalty above all else. For a master to release a person from their contract and grant them freedom was an immense favor.

Servants who made mistakes would be driven out of their homes and captured again as vagrants to be sold. They usually couldn't be sold to good families or go to good places, and would soon be tortured to death.

To harbor thoughts of leaving one's master without permission is to betray one's master and is punishable by death.

The maids must have been overthinking things to be so frightened.

Having figured this out, Liu Zhiyi had no choice but to patiently explain. After a long while, the group gradually calmed down, but they still firmly assured each other that they did not want to leave their master and only wanted to serve him for the rest of their lives.

The two best friends exchanged a glance, sighed, and decided to drop the matter.

But he still picked out a bunch of materials, saying it was to reward the women for their loyalty and to make jewelry for them.

This time, the group readily accepted.

Uncle Wu watched Liu Zhiyi's every move and saw that she was wearing a well-tailored light purple dress, and even with a cloak draped over her shoulders, her slender waist was still undeniable.

She had a graceful figure, but her back was ramrod straight.

She has a radiant smile, is easygoing, speaks with neither arrogance nor servility, and possesses an extraordinary demeanor.

The girl next to her, Miss Shen, was also there. The two of them stood together, their eyes clear and bright.

The two sisters are strikingly different. One is like a secluded orchid in a valley, noble and elegant, while the other is like a peony with morning dew, delicate yet not seductive, creating a powerful visual impact.

She is unpretentious in her dealings with others, yet possesses an extraordinary, refined, and elegant demeanor.

With such a refined demeanor and appearance, it's no wonder she could captivate those two important figures.

After it was over, it was lunchtime.

Uncle Wu led the group to a small, secluded thatched shed on the side. A table full of dishes was laid out on the table, and he introduced them to the shed.

"These dishes were specially purchased by the Prime Minister from the largest restaurant in the capital. They were brought by fast horse and kept warm in a stove, for fear that they would not taste good if they got cold."

"My lords, please try it. Is it to your liking?"

Char siu venison, three-cup chicken, Longjing shrimp, braised quail, purple ginseng and pheasant soup, bird's nest porridge, red date and snow frog soup, braised fish, and clear stewed crab meat lion's head meatballs.

There were also several plates of vegetarian dishes, two plates of pastries, two braised ducks, and a large plate of roast goose.

Shen Ningzhu picked out two dishes of poria cocos and peony, which they liked, and handed them to the two girls. Liu Zhiyi did the same, picking out two dishes for Yun'er and Xia'er. The two best friends ate at one table, while the four maids ate at another.

After the meal, Uncle Wu had someone bring over a pot of pre-Qingming tea, which was also one of Liu Zhiyi's favorites.

Shen Ningzhu sighed again, saying that her best friend had found a good boyfriend. He was handsome, gentle, and had power and influence outside the home. He was also very capable.

He dotes on his wife, dotes on his wife, and dotes on his wife even more. Such a perfect man is probably one of a kind in this world.

On the way back, the group happily discussed what kind of jewelry they wanted to make and what patterns to carve.

Suddenly, the carriage came to a screeching halt.

Caught off guard, the group was thrown against the hard side of the car, seeing stars and getting large bumps on their foreheads.

"what happened?"

Shen Ningzhu endured the pain, covered her head, and asked outside the car.

The driver said in a solemn tone,

"Master, there is a group of men in black who suddenly appeared out of the sky and blocked our carriage."

Just then, the guards that Song Hanchuan had sent to protect the two of them rushed out from the shadows and stood in front of the carriage.

The leader spoke loudly.

"Who is ahead?"

The other party didn't say a word, but attacked directly.

Shen Ningzhu frowned, cautiously lifting a corner of the carriage window to look ahead. There were about forty or fifty people, each wielding a long sword.

The cold blade gleamed with a chilling light under the sunlight. Their imposing presence, synchronized steps, and deadly strikes made them resemble soldiers.

He immediately became worried and said,

"Xiaoyi, things are not looking good. These people are very skilled, and their numbers outnumber ours several times over."

"I just saw that our men have fired signal flares, but... we are still dozens of miles from the capital. Even at full speed, it will take time. Our men may not be able to hold out until reinforcements arrive."

A guess welled up in Liu Zhiyi's mind.

Her clear almond-shaped eyes narrowed slightly, a resolute glint in them, and she sneered.

"Zhuzhu, I have a pretty good idea of ​​who sent these people. Listen to me, let's split up."

"Don't worry, I'll be fine."

Without giving Shen Ningzhu a chance to refuse, he quickly stepped out of the carriage, pulled a dagger from his sleeve, cut the horse's harness, mounted a horse, and galloped off in the opposite direction.

The men in black paused, and sure enough, they gave chase in droves.

Shen Ningzhu looked unwell and got off the carriage.

"Fuling and Shaoyao, you and Yun'er and Xia'er stay where you are. Leave a few more people to protect them and wait for reinforcements. The rest of you, come with me to chase after them."

"Madam, no, it's too dangerous."

"Yes, Madam, please let me go."

A man in black also stopped Shen Ningzhu.

"Master, let us go. It will be dangerous for you to come along."

Shen Ningzhu firmly refused.

"Xiao Yi is doing this only to buy time and wait for reinforcements. We just need to follow from a distance and ensure Xiao Yi's safety. We won't confront her head-on, so don't worry."

……

Liu Zhiyi wasn't a good horse rider and didn't dare to ride too fast. Before long, she was caught up with.

The man in the lead was Pei Yun Chu.

At this moment, he sat on a tall horse, his gleaming armor making him appear even taller, more imposing, and majestic.

His gaze toward Liu Zhiyi was aggressive, and his tone was filled with undisguised smugness.

"Little Yi, don't waste your energy. There's a bottomless cliff behind you. Just come back with me. I promise you, I will only have you in my life and will never take a concubine."

Liu Zhiyi looked at him coldly, her face tense.

Her long eyelashes exuded a gentle charm, like a warm spring breeze. Her soft hair fluttered in the air, and the refreshing floral fragrance emanating from her body was carried by the wind to Pei Yun Chu's nose.

Her fair fingertips clenched tightly at the cuff of her sleeve.

Pei Yun Chu suddenly recalled their first meeting. She was wearing a moon-white nightgown, and her doe-like, wet eyes were extremely eye-catching, instantly drawing his attention.