Free Web NovelChapter 49: Chapter 49: Confinement
"Guards," the Duke said, turning to the side.
The group of servants and guards following behind him hurried forward, dropping to one knee in unison.
"From this day forward, lock this courtyard. No one is to enter or leave."
"Yes, sir."
Yu Zhizhi froze on the spot.
The Duke walked down the steps. Yu Zhizhi tried to follow, but a guard blocked her with his sword.
"Ms. Zhi Zhi, please go back inside."
’Isn’t the Duke returning to the study tonight?’
He walked off in another direction, accompanied only by a single personal attendant.
Trailing behind the group, Teacher Dai Li let out a long sigh of relief—
’It seems the Duke has decided to lock Ms. Zhi Zhi up for now. As for whether there will be further punishment...’
’That will depend on what the Duke is thinking after this guest banquet is over.’
Yu Zhizhi stood in the doorway, watching the man’s departing figure.
She looked to Teacher Dai Li, her eyes pleading for help.
Dai Li smiled. "It’s alright, Ms. Zhi Zhi. Why don’t you go back inside and rest? Dinner will be brought shortly."
"Mmm..." Yu Zhizhi replied softly.
She hugged the books, stepped over the threshold, and entered the familiar courtyard.
A pond of blue Ghost Lotuses shimmered with a faint light.
She was all alone.
Yu Zhizhi stepped onto the wooden floorboards at the entrance, took off her shoes, and entered the study barefoot.
A Firefly Lamp was lit on the desk. She placed the books she was holding on the table, then glanced back at the courtyard. The moonlight was quiet, and the Ghost Lotuses swayed in the breeze.
A servant soon brought her dinner.
But he didn’t dare enter the courtyard.
He could only leave it at the gate.
Hearing the sound, Yu Zhizhi walked over to find a small, low table set with four exquisite dishes.
She knelt, sat on a soft cushion, and silently picked up her chopsticks to eat the roasted seasonal vegetables before her.
In the past, dinner was always inside the house, with the lights on. The Duke carried a faint, clear fragrance, a scent much like the blue lotuses in the pond.
Sometimes, he would hold her and feed her spoonful by spoonful.
In contrast, sitting at the gate and eating alone now felt especially lonely and desolate.
The servants didn’t dare to approach.
Even Teacher Dai Li just stood by the gate, a trace of pity in her eyes as she watched Yu Zhizhi.
’This is actually quite good.’
’The Duke has never been this patient with his pets in the past.’
"It will be alright," Dai Li comforted her. "Once this busy period is over, the Duke will come back."
’He won’t neglect her forever.’
Yu Zhizhi ate a piece of toasted bread with a layer of creamy spread, nodding slightly.
After finishing her meal, she returned to the house alone.
The steaming pool in the backyard was for bathing.
After washing up, she went back to bed, hugged her pillow, and fell asleep.
This time, there was no Duke to "dry" her hair. She woke up the next morning with a sneeze. Her nose was red and her throat felt scratchy; it seemed she had caught a chill.
When Teacher Dai Li found out, she gave her a small pill.
For several days in a row, the Duke did not return.
Furthermore, no Beastman was allowed to enter the courtyard, nor was Yu Zhizhi allowed to leave. Her range of activity was limited to only the front and back yards.
Yu Zhizhi understood that she had been imprisoned.
She was burning with anxiety.
But there was still no sign of the Duke. She heard from Teacher Dai Li that he had been staying in his own sleeping quarters the entire time.
He even had a desk moved into his bedroom to handle his work.
The study was left for Yu Zhizhi to live in alone.
The day of the guest banquet arrived, and Yu Zhizhi was still not allowed to go out.
She had been completely cut off from the outside world.
"Only one week left..."
Yu Zhizhi sat on a soft chair, counting the days. There was exactly one week left until the deadline for her third main mission.
Tonight, the entire Duke Mansion’s focus was on the banquet.
This area was rather remote, and only two guards were left to stand watch at the gate.
Perhaps because Yu Zhizhi had been so well-behaved all week—eating and sleeping on time, never once attempting to "break out"—the guards had unconsciously let their guard down.
Besides, with a grand banquet happening up front, everyone wanted to join in the excitement.
Yu Zhizhi secretly made her way to a corner of the backyard.
She had previously discovered a "passageway" here. It was low and small, but just big enough for her to crawl through.
In the process, however, her hands and clothes got dirty, and she scuffed her cheek with dust.
From the backyard, it was just a short run to the utility room.
She crept over under the cover of night.
Unlike during the day, the path at night was strangely silent and eerie. The shadows of the trees were perfectly still, and not even a hint of wind could be felt.
Seeing the utility room, she felt a little more at ease.
’Anyway, first I’ll go inside and wash my face and hands. Then I’ll figure out a way to "run into" a male from the Snake Clan.’
As Yu Zhizhi approached, she knocked softly on the door. "Ping’an, are you in there?"
It had been a week.
Teacher Dai Li had said that servants brought him food every day.
His injuries were mostly healed.
The Wild Dog, who was lying on the bed, heard the familiar voice, and his eyes froze for a moment.
’I haven’t seen her all week.’
’I thought...’
’...she’d gotten tired of me.’
He immediately got up, strode to the door, turned sideways, and opened it a crack.
Standing outside was, indeed, the female from the Rabbit Clan.
When Yu Zhizhi saw the door open, she held out her hands. "I want to come in and wash my hands and face. I won’t bother you for long."
The girl’s eyes were as bright as stars, and the Wild Dog couldn’t help but look away.
"Oh."
He turned and opened the door wider.
After the girl entered, he gently closed the door. But then he felt that wasn’t right, so he left it ajar, leaving a small crack.
Yu Zhizhi knew his washing area was further inside. She went into the bathroom, turned the faucet, and rinsed the dust from her hands.
She tried to turn on the light but found it was broken.
Luckily, there was a small window that let in a little moonlight.
Yu Zhizhi crouched down under the sink and silently chanted in her mind—
’I want to take out the Eavesdropping Heart Card!’
’Tonight is very important.’
’At the most critical moment, I have to use this last Heart Sound Card.’
A floating, light-blue item bar slowly opened in front of her. A card fell into her hand, gradually solidifying into a real object.
She held the card in both hands.
Because of its time limit, she had to save it and activate it at the very moment she needed it. frёeweɓηovel.coɱ
Footsteps approached the door.
The Wild Dog came to check on her after she had been inside for a long time. He found her crouching under the sink, muttering something. freewebnσvel.cøm
But he couldn’t understand what she was saying.
"Are you done?" he asked.
Yu Zhizhi nodded lightly. "Yes."
"If you’re done, then hurry up and leave."
It was so late. If another Beastman saw her in the utility room, gossip would spread throughout the entire Duke Mansion by the next day.
Yu Zhizhi looked at him, hesitating to speak.
"Something wrong?" He stared intently at the girl crouching on the floor.
"I want to ask you for a favor—"
Yu Zhizhi’s heart pounded with unease. "Many distinguished guests have come for the banquet today. I want to avoid them and find Count Gray. Could you please help me pass a message to him?"
The Wild Dog was listening intently, his canine ears twitching. He suddenly entered the bathroom, crouched down, and covered the girl’s mouth.
He made a hushing gesture.
’Someone’s coming.’
Moreover, a foul, malicious aura reeked from the newcomer. The Wild Dog, with his keen sense of smell, furrowed his brow as a sense of foreboding rose in his heart.
Soon, they heard a ghastly, distorted laugh.
"Stop hiding, Ms. Zhi Zhi. I know you’re in there~"
