The clip-clopping of horse hooves echoed incessantly in the dark night, only coming to a halt on the edge of a residence that, even by night, seemed grand and imposing.
She dismounted her horse, donned a black mask, and with the aid of a tree trunk, leapt onto the top of the wall. Casting a quick glance around to ensure no one was in sight, she deftly jumped off the wall.
After she landed, she quickly headed to the west side of the mansion. This was where the scholars who were either unwilling to return home or lived too far away stayed in the academy – it was easy to find.
Moreover, each room had a small sign hung outside it, which showed who resided inside. It would be more challenging to not find the person than to find him.
Yang Chuxia, hunched, checked one room after another until she finally reached the last room in the first row, where she found the person she was looking for. Pricking a hole through the window paper with her index finger, she saw that the person inside was fast asleep, just like a dead pig, so she slowly blew in the sleeping drug.
After she finished, she tidied up her tools and started moving towards the east side of the courtyard, where the teachers resided.
She had previously asked a couple of petty thieves who mentioned that the Dean’s place was the largest one in the teachers’ quarter and was right in front.
Following the clues given by her informants, she quickly found the largest home on the eastern side of the courtyard. Although it was said to be the largest, it wasn’t especially big, just a slightly larger courtyard house.
Seeing no trees around that she could use to jump, she planted her dagger into a crack in the wall and used it to propel herself up. The dean’s home didn’t have many servants, just two cleaning ladies, a doorman, and Yang Aoshuang’s personal maid.
After leaping down the wall, Yang Chuxia figured the couple who were the dean and his wife probably lived in the middle of the courtyard, while Yang Aoshuang probably lived in a room on the side. There were no lights on in the central room, but a lamp was still burning in a room on the left side. Yang Chuxia moved closer and heard the voices of two women talking.
"Miss, don’t worry anymore, let’s find another way!"
"Another way? What other way could there be?" The voice was clearly Yang Aoshuang’s, "That little wretch, she actually managed to escape. And the jailer was such an idiot, turning traitor for just a few taels of silver." In the room, Yang Aoshuang massaged her somewhat swollen cheek, furrowingly irked, "That fool Yang Lichun dared to hit me, just wait and see how I’ll make her pay. Ouch... it’s killing me..." Her face had been slapped by Yang Lichun and Ms.Ye in the county office; even after applying medicinal ointment it still hurt.
"Miss, those like Yang Lichun are small fry, we can deal with them any way we want. The main issue is Yang Chuxia."
At this, Yang Aoshuang sneered, "That cheeky girl. By the way, has not Young Master Li, from the town, always been sending gifts? Tomorrow, go tell him that as long as he helps me with one thing, I will accede to his request."
"What does miss want him to do?" The maid asked again.
"I’ve heard that little beggars have never tasted the touch of a maiden. I, the gracious lady, am happy to fulfill their desires."
"Yes, I will go first thing in the morning..."
Yang Chuxia, who had been eavesdropping outside, heard every word the mistress and maid shared and sneered at the corner of her mouth. At first, she had reservations about striking too hard. But after listening to them, she realized her methods weren’t aggressive enough. If that’s the case, then they couldn’t blame her!
With that, she blew in smoke with properties akin to sleeping gas.
A moment later, Yang Aoshuang and her maid collapsed one after the other. Yang Chuxia deftly pushed the door open and walked in.