Chapter 371: Chapter 245: The Grand Play Begins, Fearing a Slip-up Chapter 371: Chapter 245: The Grand Play Begins, Fearing a Slip-up By this time, Yuan Bao had already returned to the front hall of the Lansheng Courtyard, leisurely nibbling on a freshly washed fragrant melon. While gnawing away, he asked Si Xi beside him, “Are the three baskets of big and sweet fragrant melons selected for Lady Changsheng all picked out?”
Xiao Si Xi grabbed a fragrant melon from the fruit plate on the table, took a crunching bite, and nodded in response, “All set, Lord Yuan Bao, rest assured. Picking fruit is my forte, I guarantee each one is as sweet as honey!”
“That’s great! Only then do I have the guts to go to the Gu Residence!” Yuan Bao sighed while continuing to eat his melon.
Why is it always him that gets hurt?
His master currently isn’t in a position to come forward himself, so it has to be him, but is this an easy task? Let’s not even mention whether Lady Changsheng will investigate to the core; the matter of stealing the Soul Attracting Incense, he simply can’t cover it up!
Just the thought of it is life-threatening, how could he not feel worried?
While Yuan Bao was blaming heaven and others, three-inch-tall San Cunding darted in from the door, casting a cold glance at Yuan Bao and Si Xi. With a raspy, strange voice, he spoke up, “Still eating! A girl from the Guest Garden is heading towards Lansheng Courtyard, do you two want to be exposed?”
“What?” Yuan Bao exclaimed, hastily spit out the melon in his mouth, and hurriedly said, “What’s a girl from the Guest Garden doing here in Lansheng Courtyard? Si Xi, quickly, hide all the melons on the table! We can’t let people from the Guest Garden see them!”
Surprised by the news, Si Xi, with a chunk of melon in his mouth, scooped up the fruit plate from the table and dashed towards the inner room, saying as he ran, “There’s also a plateful in his lordship’s study, I’ll go hide them too!”
Yuan Bao waved his hand, gave him a look that indicated he was teachable, and quickly pulled out a brocade handkerchief to wipe his mouth. Then, looking down at the shorter figure of San Cunding, he inquired, “Lord San, help me check, is there anything left on my lips? I can’t afford to give away the game now!”
San Cunding gave him a disdainful look, picked up a melon seed from the ground, and in the blink of an eye, his figure disappeared.
Seeing this, Yuan Bao checked himself over again to make sure he wouldn’t be exposed, and only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.
He had just said that all the tribute melons were sent to the Guest Garden, and now if the girl from the Guest Garden caught him eating melon, wouldn’t that be blatantly contradicting himself and getting caught out?
If he botched this grand act, Yuan Bao had no doubt that his master would skin him alive!
Just as Yuan Bao was taking a breath of relief, Ru Yu entered, led by a guard, dragging a tray with her.
Upon seeing Yuan Bao, Ru Yu gave a slight bow as a gesture of respect, “Maid Ru Yu greets Eunuch Yuan Bao.”
“Ahem, ahem!” Yuan Bao coughed twice, trying to regain his composure, then put on a pretend serious smile and spoke in a feigned dignified voice, “Isn’t this Miss Huo’s personal servant? What brings you to Lansheng Courtyard, Ru Yu girl?”
While speaking, Yuan Bao couldn’t help but inwardly curse, thinking Lansheng Courtyard wasn’t a place just anyone could enter at will.
That was his lord’s territory!
But now the people from the Guest Garden had a special status, and he had to acquiesce!
The frustration in Yuan Bao’s heart was indescribable!
“My mistress has seen that His Highness Prince Mu has sent all the fragrant melons away and couldn’t bear to eat them alone, so she specially ordered me to bring some for His Highness to enjoy together,” Ru Yu said with neither humility nor arrogance, and she didn’t believe that at this moment His Highness Prince Mu wouldn’t give face to her mistress.
“Is that so… How about I deliver them to his lordship for you?” Yuan Bao asked softly.
His lord was currently preoccupied with military affairs in Southern Fujian, with no time to meet a mere servant girl.
“My mistress instructed me to present them personally to His Highness Prince Mu!” Ru Yu emphasized her mistress’s name significantly, a hint of disdain in her eyes.
“Uh… then wait here for a moment, while I go and report to my lord.” Yuan Bao licked his lips as he thought it over, making a difficult face as he hurried to the study.
Inside the study, Zhou Mu was bending over his writing desk, vigorously writing with an earnest expression on his face, worry glinting at the bottom of his eyes.
He must find a way to swiftly annihilate the million troops from Southern Fujian to rout the Japanese pirates and return victorious soon, to help him protect his Changsheng.
“Lord, Miss Huo’s servant girl has brought over fragrant melons, stating that Miss Huo couldn’t bear to eat them alone and wants to share with you,” Yuan Bao spoke up bravely as he reported back.
“Scram!” Zhou Mu, engrossed in military matters, slightly frowned and coldly uttered one word.
startled, Yuan Bao wiped off his sweat and nervously said, “Lord, it’s not that I don’t want to scram, but you really ought to consider Lady Changsheng’s safety. We have to handle this situation before talking about anything else!”