Chapter Fifty: The Servant

Chu Bing waited in the courtyard until dusk, yet not a single soul appeared. It was all too abnormal. In her heart, she grew more certain that something had happened to Li Haoran, though she had no clue where to start searching for him.

Just as she was about to leave, she saw a servant boy walking down the corridor, carrying a food box and hanging his head, oblivious to her presence. Chu Bing glanced around to make sure no one else was near, an idea quickly forming in her mind.

She teleported behind him in an instant, pressing a hidden weapon to his neck. "Don't move, or I'll kill you!"

The servant froze for a moment, then suddenly hurled the food box backward at her. Chu Bing hadn't expected him to fight back and took the blow head-on; pain washed over her, draining the strength from her grip.

The servant seized the chance to bolt, shouting as he ran, "Help! Assassin! There's an assassin!"

Hurried footsteps echoed from beyond the courtyard—no doubt the patrolling guards had heard the commotion. Flustered, Chu Bing sprang forward and struck the servant's neck with the edge of her hand. He crumpled to the ground, limp.

Without hesitation, Chu Bing leapt onto a rooftop beam and raced toward the outer courtyard. Worried about Li Haoran, she didn't leave the Li residence, but instead hid atop the roof, waiting until lanterns began to glow and the courtyard finally stirred.

A group of people entered, led by a middle-aged man of forty or fifty in a vermillion official robe, with two men following close behind—none other than Li Mohan and Li Yuxi.

So, this middle-aged man must be their father, Chancellor Li.

Li Yuxi and Li Mohan trailed behind him, all three bearing the same cold, stern look—and, upon closer inspection, strikingly similar features.

Startled, Chu Bing nearly slipped from the rooftop.

"Who's there?" Li Mohan and Li Yuxi looked up in unison.

Chu Bing scarcely dared to breathe. She wouldn't stand a chance against either brother, let alone both! She froze, not daring to move.

Detecting nothing further, Chancellor Li waved dismissively, "Probably just a stray cat passing by. No need to worry."

With that, he strode into the house, Li Mohan close behind, and Li Yuxi last. But before entering, Li Yuxi paused, his gaze sweeping in Chu Bing’s direction, a chill in his dark eyes that sent shivers down her spine.

Only after the door closed did Chu Bing finally let out a shaky breath.

She patted her wildly thumping heart and carefully lifted a roof tile. Inside, Chancellor Li was feeling around the bookshelf, which slowly slid aside to reveal a secret chamber.

Indeed, there was something odd about the Li family! What ordinary household would install such elaborate mechanisms?

All three men entered the hidden room, leaving Chu Bing bored and alone. She wandered back to Li Haoran’s courtyard, still quiet and deserted, her spirits sinking.

“System, can’t you assign me a different task?” she asked, hands folded behind her head as she lay on the roof, gazing at the night sky. “Must I really stay tied to Li Haoran?”

Sensing her mood, the system replied in a rare gentle tone, “This task isn’t difficult. Li Haoran thinks highly of you and is willing to listen, plus he’s very talented. You’ll complete your mission soon enough.”

Chu Bing snorted. “But you can’t see I don’t even know where he is! How am I supposed to teach a student who’s vanished?”

“Don’t worry. Your opportunity will come,” the system said, then fell silent no matter how much Chu Bing threatened.

Puzzled by its words and rubbing her empty stomach, Chu Bing decided to find something to eat in the kitchen.

There, the lights were still on and a cook was chatting with several maids.

“I heard the master wants to buy some new servants.”

“Isn’t there already enough staff here?”

“Oh, in a wealthy household, you can never have too many maids...”

Maids?

A spark lit in Chu Bing’s eyes—a way to stay near Li Haoran! If she became a maid in this household, she could openly remain by his side.

But plenty of people here had seen her real face. If she entered looking like herself, she’d surely be recognized.

Her mind whirled as she summoned the system with a grin. “Dear system, help me out, quick!”

The system pretended to be unresponsive.

Chu Bing continued, “Think carefully—if you don’t help, I can’t complete this mission!”

The system relented. “Fine! I’ll give you the art of disguise! But it only works on yourself!”

Chu Bing's eyes gleamed. “Great!”

The system provided her with an ancient secret technique: using special medicines to alter facial features. Chu Bing followed the recipe, prepared the disguise, and applied it to her face.

“Is that really me in the mirror?” She stared in disbelief at the bronze mirror.

A round-faced young girl looked back at her—different from her own delicate features, this new face was even younger and utterly endearing.

The system crowed with satisfaction. “Surprised? Everything I offer is top-notch!”

For once, Chu Bing didn’t retort. She stroked her new face, wondering how Li Haoran would react when he saw her like this.

Soon, the day arrived for the Li family to buy new servants.

Early that morning, Chu Bing went to the slave market. The Li household’s head steward had already chosen quite a few people. Chu Bing saw the throng of slaves huddled together and slipped into their midst, knowing that with so many, one more would go unnoticed.

The steward selected over twenty, taking them all back to the Li residence.

Once there, he lined everyone up in the courtyard.

“Step forward and introduce yourselves, one by one, so I can assign you to your posts.”

Chu Bing kept her head down. She wanted to go to Li Haoran’s courtyard, but she knew that newcomers like herself wouldn’t be placed near the masters so soon.

Where should she go?

While she pondered, a woman sidled up to her—about eighteen, striking but thin, clearly accustomed to hardship. Her eyes glinted as she sized up Chu Bing. “Where do you want to be assigned?”

“I don’t know,” Chu Bing replied, feigning innocence.

“I heard there are three young masters in this family. If only I could serve in one of their courtyards!”

“Hmph, don’t kid yourself! Someone like you couldn’t get such a post even if they gave it away!” sneered a woman behind Chu Bing.

The pretty girl bristled, and soon the two were quarreling, their voices rising until everyone in the courtyard turned to watch.