The temperamental white moonlight is back, and the entire Marquis's family obediently calls him

Cuilan paused.

"Why are you suddenly asking about this, sir?"

Liu Muyuan sat down casually, slowly wiping his hands with a handkerchief: "I'm just a little curious, you've been following Zhou Ming'an for quite a few years, haven't you? How could you agree to conspire with Chu Yuan'er to harm her?"

Cuilan's smile was somewhat stiff: "Actually, this servant wanted to act as a matchmaker for Master and Miss, also for Miss's sake. After all, the old lady treated Miss so harshly, this servant... just wanted Miss to live a better life."

Liu Muyuan chuckled softly.

"I don't mean to question you. Now that we both know what kind of people we are, why hide anything from each other?"

"And Cuilan, you need to understand one thing."

Liu Muyuan leaned forward slightly, his smile fading as he stared at Cuilan: "Now, you are a member of the Liu family. No matter what benefits Chu Yuan'er promised you, I can't give them to you now."

"I don't mind having one more person in my yard, nor do I mind having one less person."

Cuilan was terrified; she never expected that she would fall into a wolf's den after escaping a tiger's lair.

She composed herself, took a deep breath, and clutched her sleeve, saying, "This servant is not familiar with Chu Yuan'er... This servant was initially bought into the Marquis's mansion by the Old Madam."

Back then, she and several other maids were personally selected and bought into the Marquis's mansion by the old lady, and were given names and assigned to the side of various young masters.

Because she was about the same age as Zhou Ming'an, she went to Zhou Ming'an's side.

At first, the old lady didn't tell her what to do; she just served the girl like an ordinary maid.

Several years after the Marquis left the capital, the old lady suddenly summoned her and instructed her to keep a close eye on the young lady's movements and report back to her every so often.

At first, she was naturally unwilling.

After all, she had been with the young lady for many years and had developed feelings for her. Moreover, the old lady usually tormented the young lady in various ways, so she knew without a doubt that what she was doing would not benefit the young lady at all.

But the old lady held her indenture, so she had no choice but to bite the bullet and become the old lady's spy.

However, over the years, she had only been in contact with the old lady, who had never even mentioned Chu Yuan'er.

Until half a year ago.

The old lady called her over one last time and said something that was hard to understand.

Liu Muyuan narrowed his eyes: "What did you say?"

Cuilan: "She said that in the future, new people will take over the servants, and the servants will have to listen to the new people in everything they do."

"She even said... that even if the other party wanted to kill her, she should do as the other party said."

Not long ago, Chu Yuan'er came to her with a token, saying that she was the one who was in charge of her and asked her to cooperate with her in doing these things.

Cuilan was originally unwilling.

After the old lady's personality changed drastically, she never looked for her again, as if she didn't remember her at all.

Since her indenture was in the old lady's hands, why should she take any more risks? If she displeased the old lady, wouldn't she be sold off anyway?

But Chu Yuan'er said she had found her family.

As long as she obediently works with Chu Yuan'er, once the work is done, she will be sent to see her family.

Cuilan was moved.

"My lord does not know, I have been without parents since I was a child. As far back as I can remember, I have been bought and sold by human traffickers. I always think that if my parents were here, I would never live such a life."

Cuilan gave a bitter smile.

However, even though she confessed everything when the truth came out, Chu Yuan'er still didn't tell her where her parents were.

Cuilan knew that Chu Yuan'er was afraid that she would turn against her and wanted to use this to keep her in check.

Chu Yuan'er was like this, and so was Liu Muyuan in front of her; everyone wanted to take advantage of her.

"No one has ever truly treated me well in my life. Perhaps this is my fate. Everything is out of my control."

Liu Muyuan scoffed.

"No one treats you sincerely? What about Zhou Ming'an?"

Cuilan was taken aback.

……yes.

The girl was really good to her.

When there's something delicious to eat or drink, the girl thinks of her; when there's something fun to do, the girl also thinks of her.

But Cuilan knew from a very early age that only those who hold power are the true masters.

What good is it if the girl treats her well? The one holding the contract of servitude isn't the girl.

Cuilan also felt heartbroken and remorseful in the middle of the night, thinking that she shouldn't have treated the girl that way.

But in the end, she realized she hadn't done anything wrong.

People should act for themselves.

Especially for someone like her whose fate is not in her own hands, if she doesn't think about herself, who else will care?

Cuilan slowly lowered her head: "I accept that the young lady hates me and the master looks down on me, but I have no regrets."

"Do whatever you want to do to me, Master. This is how I've lived my whole life."

"Anyway, I can't be a good person anymore."

Liu Muyuan stared at her for a while, then reached out his hand to her: "Get up."

"..." Cuilan looked up at him, but did not get up.

Knowing her doubts, Liu Muyuan continued, "You can't be a good person, but you can at least make up for your past mistakes."

"In the end, if you hadn't been threatened by the old lady and Chu Yuan'er, you could have been a well-regarded maidservant by Zhou Ming'an's side, without having to consider betraying your master or worrying about being sold off."

"Do you really want to be controlled by others for the rest of your life? Don't you want to turn the tables on her?"

Cuilan frowned slightly, her expression suspicious: "What does Master mean...?"

Liu Muyuan: "I'm fed up with being manipulated by Chu Yuan'er. Back then, when we conspired together, we were equals. Now she wants to suppress me and make me do whatever she wants. I can't do that."

"If you'd like to try it too, come and help me."

Cuilan bit her lip: "Then my family..."

Liu Muyuan lowered his eyes: "I will try my best to find it for you, but I am not sure I can find it, and... you may not even live to see that day."

Cuilan looked stunned for a long time before slowly getting up.

"This servant... will think about it carefully."

*

"If you're not focused, you might as well not practice at all."

Duan Tianyin struck Zhou Ming'an's slumped back with the bamboo pole, neither too hard nor too soft.

Zhou Ming'an cried out in pain and quickly came to his senses.

She turned to look at her master, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopping herself.

Duan Tianyin asked expressionlessly, "Is something on your mind?"

"...Hmm." Zhou Ming'an responded listlessly.

She thought that her parents must have told Duan Tianyin about Cuilan and Liu Muyuan.

However, after waiting for a while, Duan Tianyin did not continue to ask questions.

Zhou Ming'an couldn't help but turn his head and glance at his master again.

Duan Tianyin showed no intention of asking.

But the less she asked, the more Zhou Ming'an wanted to talk.

"Master, do you know?"

"What?"

"It's... my problem."

Duan Tianyin threw down the bamboo pole, turned around and sat on a chair covered with a blanket: "I see you're not in the mood to practice martial arts anymore. Fine, I'll let you rest for half a day today. Speak your mind."