“You wanted to sell flowers, right? I’ll buy all of them. How about that?”
Xiliya smiled. “One copper coin per bunch, wasn’t it? That’s the price you just agreed to.”
The little boy was momentarily speechless on the spot. He had originally planned to keep harping on how Ximo was bullying people, but he hadn’t expected her to agree so quickly.
At that moment, the City Guard soldiers patrolling East Street noticed the commotion here and came running over.
“What’s going on? Why are so many people gathered… Oh, Lady Xiliya?”
The soldier naturally recognized Xiliya. A flash of surprise passed through his eyes, and he immediately saluted her.
“Lady Xiliya, what happened here?”
“Just take them away. Let the parties involved explain back at the City Guard station.”
Xiliya glanced at the little boy. She didn’t even need to think to know whose scheme this was today. The best solution was not to resolve it here—the longer they argued in public, the more likely it was to give people something to gossip about.
When faced with accusations of eating two bowls of noodles but only paying for one, Xiliya’s approach was to take the people away first and then have a proper talk later.
“So it’s the young lady of the Camberlan Family… No wonder…”
“What, does that mean the Camberlan Family can bully people at will? Everyone knows their young lady is now in charge of the City Guard. Who knows how this will be handled once they’re taken back to the station…”
Sure enough, several pointed whispers immediately arose from the crowd, seemingly from those who had been stirring things up earlier. Xiliya precisely locked eyes on one of the speakers in the crowd and coldly crooked her finger at him.
“Sir, you seem to have such keen insights into this matter. Why don’t you come with me to the City Guard station as a witness and share your thoughts?”
The whispering voice that had been murmuring in the crowd vanished instantly. Xiliya waved her hand. “Let’s go.”
Xiliya handled it quickly, and this little farce on East Street didn’t attract much attention.
As it turned out, the same trick didn’t work after two or three uses, let alone deliberately spreading rumors to tarnish Xiliya’s reputation. The incident didn’t even spread through the city.
Masha’s original plan had been to make an issue out of Xiliya and Ximo’s “improper” relationship, accusing Xiliya in front of Selina of shielding her little maid who bullied honest folk.
Of course, Masha wasn’t one to give up easily and brought the matter up with Selina anyway, but Selina politely cut her off, her tone icy.
“Madam Masha, haven’t we already settled this? Or do you have some other motive for not wanting Miss Xiliya to become City Lord?”
Selina had originally considered letting Masha remain City Lord, but that was when Xiliya seemed unreliable. Now, she thought highly of Xiliya, and Masha kept using these petty tactics one after another—it was starting to annoy her.
That evening, Masha, who had hit a wall, stood alone on the balcony nursing a bottle of liquor. She hadn’t held high hopes for this attempt anyway, but Selina’s stance was too unyielding, leaving her without a shred of hope for a comeback.
If things continued like this, the City Lord position would truly slip away. Then all her “businesses” would be finished.
Could she really use Samuer’s method and take out both Xiliya and Selina…?
A surge of malice rose in Masha, but after weighing the pros and cons, she couldn’t bring herself to go through with it. Colluding with the Beastmen Clan to kill an imperial envoy was a crime too grave; she feared she couldn’t bear it.
Irritated, Masha grabbed the bottle, abandoning noble decorum. She no longer sipped from a glass but tilted her head back and gulped it down with loud “glug glug” sounds.
After finishing, Masha let out a long breath and habitually turned the bottle, peering through the glass to check if it held any hidden message this time.
This batch of liquor had been delivered by Hans and Luo Keke the day before. Masha had been so vexed by Xiliya lately that she hadn’t even felt like drinking; this was the first time she’d opened a bottle from this shipment.
Masha squinted for a long moment, a flicker of surprise crossing her eyes. The message from Samuer this time was beyond her expectations—he had never asked her to do something like this before.
Had Samuer already learned of the recent situation in the city through scouts? Had he given up hope on her and decided to take matters into his own hands?
Masha used her old method, passing the bottle’s label over a candle. Her heart was both uneasy and tinged with thrill.
The unease came from knowing she had no right to refuse Samuer, but cooperating in murder was something even she had never done.
The thrill came from her utter hatred of Xiliya now—she wanted nothing more than to deal with her once and for all.
Fine… In any case, she absolutely could not let Xiliya become City Lord!
Masha tossed the bottle aside, her expression dark.
—
Three days later, one evening as night had already fallen deep, Masha—who should have been in bed—sat quietly alone by the bedside.
She had coaxed Malisi to sleep. The little rascal was now hugging her teddy bear plush on the bed, breathing evenly.
Masha glanced at the clock on the wall. It was about time.
“Hoo—”
After seeing Malisi sleeping soundly on the bed, Masha’s gaze gradually hardened with resolve. She stood up and quietly slipped out the door, leaving the Camberlan residence through the back door of the Rear Garden.
Sure enough, just as the bottle had indicated, Masha spotted the carriage parked in the darkness at a glance. The carriage bore the emblem of the Black Currant Chamber.
“Let’s go.”
Masha boarded the carriage and carefully veiled her face with black gauze. The driver, similarly shrouded head to toe, said nothing and drove the carriage toward the direction outside the city.
…
After some time, the carriage stopped by the city walls. Masha got off and quickly found the secret passage out of the city.
This tunnel had been secretly built by Masha long ago. Samuer always used it to enter the city for meetings with her, and the beastmen who attacked the Black Currant Chamber last time had entered through here too.
The coachman showed no intention of following Masha; he simply parked the carriage in place, seemingly waiting for her return.
Nightfall draped a veil of mystery over the outskirts of Camberlan City. It was still winter, and the chill of the dark night made Masha pull her clothes tighter. She walked on foot for about five minutes, then entered a grove of withered trees as instructed.
A tree with a red ribbon tied to its branch… Masha quickly found her target.
“Samuer, I’ve come.”
In the silent night, Masha’s voice rang out exceptionally clear. As her words fell, a figure emerged from the bushes not far away.
“Madam Masha, punctual as always.”
