FID – Chapter 1044

Chapter 1044: Sorry, I Overlooked You

The eunuch rode alone in a carriage, and the lead elder also had a carriage to himself. The six saintesses rode in three carriages, two maidens per carriage.

As for the accompanying guards and others, they rode on horseback behind the convoy.

The entire caravan was grand and imposing, drawing the attention of many villagers along the way.

By evening, the convoy stopped in a small town and sought an inn for rest.

Although they were anxious to return to the capital, the saintesses were the highest priority.

They could not be overworked, lest it affect their physical constitution and compromise the efficacy of the furnace.

This was always the Emperor’s admonition whenever the eunuch went to the Saintess Village to select maidens each year.

It was also why, when the Sacred Blood Golden Silkworm went missing, the eunuch dared to spend so many days at the inn, sending people to search for whoever had stolen it, trying to retrieve it.

Otherwise, with such a delay, the moment he returned to the capital, the Emperor would likely make him the first sacrifice.

At the inn, the guards forcibly cleared all other guests, and the palace envoy’s troops effectively sealed off the entire inn.

This alone showed how highly the envoy valued the saintesses.

Even during meals, the envoy, the elder, and the saintesses ate first, with the guards standing watch nearby.

After they finished eating and went back to their rooms to rest, only then could the guards take their shifts to visit the Wuzang Temple.

During the last meal shift, the young eunuch in charge of the guards’ miscellaneous supplies quietly sneaked to the innermost table and sat beside an unremarkable guard. He was so ordinary that he could vanish into the crowd with a blink. He grinned foolishly and said, “Big Brother Guard, eating alone is lonely. Shall we share a table?”

The guard looked up, glanced at the young eunuch, then at the other cold-faced guard quietly eating beside him, and said, “I already have company. I’m not alone. Are you blind?”

“Ah,” The young eunuch coughed awkwardly, waved at the other guard, and said, “Sorry, I overlooked you.”

At the neighboring table, a veiled maid couldn’t help but snicker. She looked toward the overlooked guard and said, “Maybe this guard is too inconspicuous. Since he was overlooked anyway, why don’t you scoot over here and share a table with me? Could you make room for this young man?”

The cold-faced guard immediately moved seats, so quickly it was as if he’d been waiting for that invitation.

After him, the ordinary guard also wanted to shift seats, but the young eunuch grabbed his sleeves with a signature goofy grin.

He didn’t even bother denying the veiled maid’s teasing. His thick-skinned boldness was hilarious, and the surrounding guards who were eating along couldn’t help but laugh.

Liu Yusheng buried her face on the table, shoulders shaking as she laughed.

Originally, their plan had been for her to sneak into the Xiliang Palace together with Feng Qingbai. But plans couldn’t keep up with changes: before dawn the next day, Xue Honglian came to inform them that he and Qian Yi would also be blending into the convoy, reminding them not to reveal any flaws.

She had heard the name Qian Yi many times, yet had never seen her true face. Even up to now, she had never seen the woman’s real appearance.

The first time she encountered her, the woman was already disguised as a young eunuch.

And all along, the woman had no idea about Liu Yusheng and Feng Qingbai’s true identities. Clearly, Xue Honglian hadn’t informed her, to avoid stirring up trouble.

His caution was well-founded: the woman’s nature was far too mischievous and unpredictable. If she had been told everything, she might accidentally reveal a flaw.

For example, now—disguised as a young eunuch, she constantly scooted closer to Xue Honglian during meals. She was already behaving somewhat unusually.

Fortunately, the first time the surrounding guards became suspicious, she explained that she had been helped by Xue Honglian and was extremely grateful, which justified her constant proximity and allowed her to smooth things over.

Amid the laughter, a hand slid up her thigh from under the table. Liu Yusheng choked, her cheeks flushing red. Seeing that no one was paying attention, she glared fiercely at the man and discreetly slapped his hand away under the table.

The corner of the man’s mouth curled slightly. Liu Yusheng coughed, her eyes shimmering with moisture, and when she glared at him, it didn’t show anger; instead, there was an added softness and subtle allure, almost as if she were sending him a secret signal.

It was maddeningly enticing.

Noticing that he was smiling, the woman flushed with embarrassment and anger. How dare he gloat when she had choked just now?

“Eat!” Under the table, she kicked the man’s shoe hard, making it impossible for him to eat in peace.

But the man’s foot didn’t move an inch; he let her fuss while the smile in his eyes deepened.

With so many onlookers nearby, they could only exchange brief glances during mealtime.

At the neighboring table, Xue Honglian gave a single look that subdued the brazen little eunuch, and the meal finally proceeded in relative quiet.

However, before they had even finished eating, terrified shouts rang from a guest room upstairs: “Quick, quick, get a doctor! Hurry, get a doctor!”

The guards still eating downstairs immediately rushed upstairs.

Chaos erupted.

Feng Qingbai and Xue Honglian both wore serious expressions, following the guards up the stairs.

Liu Yusheng glanced at the uneaten dishes in front of her and sighed in disappointment—what a waste.

She had specially ordered flavors he liked, and he hadn’t even had a few bites yet.

That careless idiot upstairs, who couldn’t even control himself, had to choose this exact moment to make trouble.

“Hey, you’re leaving so much food, aren’t you going to eat? Such a waste!” Seeing the veiled woman heading upstairs, Qian Yi called out to stop her, frowning at the untouched food on the table.

The people of the Saintess Tribe had always disliked extravagance and waste. How could a maid who had only been out of the clan for a few days pick up such a bad habit?

Liu Yusheng smiled slightly at her and headed toward the stairs. “I could have finished my meal, but something’s happened upstairs. There’s no time to eat. If I don’t go check, we might get blamed later.”

“You’re right. That old… that envoy isn’t easy to deal with. He’s got quite a temper, so we should be careful,” Qian Yi murmured, almost slipping her words, then lightly smacked her own mouth. She got up and followed behind, saying, “Let’s go and see. They’re calling for a doctor in such a hurry. I wonder what terrible thing has happened.”

Liu Yusheng arched an eyebrow subtly. What could have happened? She suspected Honglian was inevitably involved.

The night before leaving the Saintess Village, Feng Qingbai had told her that Honglian always acted with restraint. Seeing the eunuch show no signs the next day, she had been puzzled and thought Honglian hadn’t done anything.

Now it seemed that the effects were only just beginning—Honglian must have used poison.

By the time they reached the envoy’s room upstairs, a crowd had gathered, completely blocking the view of the bed. They could see only the worried expressions of those present.

However, Liu Yusheng smelled blood in the air.

Was he coughing up blood? What kind of poison had Honglian used to make him suffer so badly?

Glancing at the two men standing in the corner on guard duty, their faces showed no sign of emotion. It was as if the envoy’s misfortune had nothing to do with them.