The Reborn Princess Has Turned Evil

"Then what do you think should be done?" Xiao Heng asked.

Jing Anle looked at Xiao Heng with unwavering determination in her eyes. "I have my own plans for this matter. But you said last time that I could come to you if I needed anything. Do you still stand by that promise?"

"Of course, just say the word!"

"I'd like to ask you to help me investigate someone!" Jing Anle looked at Xiao Heng and continued, "General Qin's aunt, Cao Wantang!"

"Okay!" Xiao Heng readily agreed.

Jing Anle was taken aback. "Aren't you going to ask why?"

"I won't ask." Xiao Heng stared intently at Jing Anle, his expression serious.

Jing Anle felt uncomfortable under his gaze. She snapped out of her reverie and tried to pick up some food, but failed several times. Xiao Heng, on the other hand, used other chopsticks to pick up some fish and put it in her bowl. "I'll help you!"

"Thank you!" Jing Anle said, looking at the fish in the bowl and then at Xiao Heng.

“However…” Xiao Heng hesitated, then stopped himself from speaking.

"But what?"

"I have a condition." Xiao Heng smiled at Jing Anle's suspicious gaze, his tone gentle, "Don't always have a stern face towards me in the future."

Jing Anle had already prepared herself mentally, but she was stunned by Xiao Heng's condition and didn't know how to respond.

Just then, hurried footsteps sounded outside the door. Xiao Heng looked at the doorway and said, "It's settled then."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Heng leaped out of the window and disappeared, leaving only the sound of his footsteps fading into the distance.

The door was pushed open from the outside, and it was Afang who had returned.

Afang ran very fast. She was afraid that something might happen to Jing Anle if she was alone in the room. When she opened the door, she saw Jing Anle sitting there safely, and her heart finally settled down.

“Princess, I’m back.” Afang said, glancing at Jing Anle’s expression like a child who had done something wrong.

Jing Anle pretended to be angry and said, "Why did it take you so long?"

“Princess, I was wrong, I won’t do it again next time…” Afang thought Jing Anle was really angry, so she waved her hand and explained.

Seeing her flustered state, Jing Anle couldn't help but laugh out loud. "Alright, I was just teasing you. Let's see if you dare to eat random things again."

Seeing that Jing Anle wasn't really angry, Afang's mood immediately improved, and she said blankly, "Princess, you're so kind. Afang promises that she will never eat random things again."

Her earnest expression made Jing Anle happy and touched at the same time; her Afang would always be so innocent.

"Mu Ping is back!" A Fang exclaimed with delight as she saw Mu Ping climbing up through the window.

“Princess…” Mu Ping said upon seeing Jing Anle.

In contrast to her, Jing Anle was much calmer. She waved her hand at Mu Ping, stopping her from continuing, "We'll talk about this when we get back to the palace. Right now, there's something more urgent."

"There's no time to explain all that right now. I'll just ask you, can your lightness skill take me out the window too?" Mu Ping was taken aback by the question, but still answered truthfully, "Yes!"

Hearing this, Afang, who was standing nearby, broke out in a cold sweat and stammered, "What? Princess, you...you want to go down?"

"Afang, you stay here and help me deal with those two guards at the door. Muping and I will be right back." Jing Anle put his hand on Afang's shoulder, his tone firm.

Although Afang didn't know what Jing Anle was going to do, she would obey whatever the princess asked her to do, so she nodded and said, "Princess, you should go quickly. I will wait for you to come back here."

Jing Anle smiled with relief, then walked to the window and called out, "Mu Ping!"

Mu Ping naturally understood Jing Anle's meaning. She put her arm around Jing Anle's waist and said, "If the princess is scared, close your eyes." As soon as she finished speaking, Jing Anle felt her body lighten and land on the roof tile. Mu Ping's lightness skill was excellent, but because she was carrying someone, her speed was a little slower. Even so, Jing Anle still felt the wind whistling past her ears and stinging her face.

"Princess, we've arrived." Jing Anle was gently placed on the ground, and for the first time, she felt the solid ground beneath her feet.

Jing Anle nodded. Her luck wasn't too bad; she just happened to see the brother and sister close the door and go inside.

As soon as Ye Zhaoping and his sister Ye Yifan entered the house, there was a knock on the door. Their family had always been poor and they didn't have much contact with their neighbors. Who could it be? Just as they were thinking this, the knocking on the door became more and more urgent.

"Brother, it can't be them again, can it?" Ye Yifan was still recovering from the shock, and she tugged hard at Ye Zhaoping's arm, her body trembling with fear.

Ye Zhaoping gently patted Ye Yifan to comfort her and said, "Don't be afraid, sister. It shouldn't be them. They are unreasonable and wouldn't knock on the door. You go into the inner room first, and I'll go take a look."

Although Ye Yifan was a little scared, she still turned around and walked inside, saying as she went, "Brother, be careful."

Ye Zhaoping smiled and nodded to Ye Yifan. After watching her go inside, he took a stick from behind the door, weighed it in his hand, and then went outside. He called out from the courtyard to the gate, "Who's outside?"

Hearing the conversation, Jing Anle and Mu Ping, who were outside the door, Mu Ping spoke up as Jing Anle had instructed her: "Young master, we mean no harm. We are here to lend you a hand. Please open the door first."

Ye Zhaoping, who was inside the house, temporarily relaxed his guard when he heard a woman's voice, but he still didn't throw away the stick in his hand. He opened the door a crack and looked outside, but there was no one there. He opened the door completely and saw two women, one wearing a veil and looking noble, and the other dressed neatly and capablely.

"Who are you?" Ye Zhaoping asked.

"I apologize for disturbing you, young master. May I come in and speak with you?" Jing Anle said.

Ye Zhaoping carefully examined the two women and thought it was alright that they were young girls. He had a large bruise on his face, and his already worn clothes were covered in mud. Although he looked disheveled, he still spoke politely and reasonably. "Please come in, both of you."

Jing Anle nodded. "Thank you."

Although the courtyard was simple, it was very clean, which showed that the residents were very diligent. "I just saw you being harassed on the street, which is why I disturbed you, young master. I wonder what grudge you have with that domineering person?" Jing Anle asked bluntly.

Ye Zhaoping hesitated, not knowing Jing Anle's background, and dared not speak recklessly.

“Young master, there’s no need to be afraid. My young lady said that if she can help you, she definitely can,” Mu Ping said.

Ye Zhaoping decided to try anything, even if it seemed hopeless. He sat down on the stone bench, sighed heavily, and let go of the stick in his hand, causing it to roll away.

“I did not know Fang Xianda. A few days ago, my sister and I set up a stall on the street to sell some calligraphy and paintings to supplement our family income. Who knew that he coveted my sister’s appearance and insisted on taking her away to be his concubine.”

"Although we come from a poor family, we are not vain people, nor do we have any desire to become concubines of wealthy families. We refused, and even moved our stall to a different location, but he still harassed us every day. If it weren't for that young master today, I'm afraid..."

Ye Zhaoping couldn't continue speaking for a moment. His parents had passed away early, and if something happened to his sister, he would have no face to face his parents even in the afterlife.