The matrons were guarding the courtyard entrance, but Tian Fang climbed out over the garden wall from a tree behind the house. She had already changed into servant’s clothing, and, following a secluded path, she slipped away toward the main kitchen.
The main kitchen was a flurry of activity, with everyone wearing expressions of frantic anxiety. This banquet was of the utmost importance today; should anyone slip up, they would likely face more than just a punishment—they would be sold off by the estate. Tian Fang hid in a quiet corner and dispatched a kitchen maid to find Mother Wang. Since this was her first time doing something like this, she was inevitably agitated, pacing back and forth in the shadows while keeping a sharp eye on every movement inside the kitchen.
She didn't spot Mother Wang, but she did see a shifty-eyed servant boy sneaking out the back door of the kitchen. Tian Fang narrowed her eyes and followed him with her gaze, only to see the servant run behind a tree to meet with a handsome man. Who was that? A grown man from the inner household with such a distinguished air, and not in the West Courtyard... Tian Fang’s eyes darted, and she instantly guessed his identity. It had to be the heir apparent of the Marquis' Estate, Qi Xiuyu. Why would he be sending someone to the kitchen?
Chapter 70