Chapter 2 is about protecting one's shortcomings

  When the people discussing matters had dispersed, Yun Pei-xin finished handling government affairs and writing his report, it was already approaching midnight. Qin also tidied up the study's objects, then dragged his tired body to lock the door and prepare to return to his room.

  From the study to the residence of the lower-ranking official, one had to cross half of the Chancellor's front courtyard. Carrying a small lantern, she walked up the corridor built along the wall, and her mood became somewhat excited again. Everything in front of her was so similar to her long-held dreams. The flying eaves and painted buildings were elegant and refined, with corridors and pavilions winding around each other. The only difference was that there was no figure in a green robe in the garden as there had been in her dream.

  The same room's Yun Tao had already gone to sleep, but still carefully left her a lamp, and on the wall corner stove was warming up a pot of hot water with several pieces of charcoal. She roughly wiped herself clean, this body didn't know how old it actually was, heard Yun Tao say it was around fourteen years old, yet thin and small without any signs of development, but like this it was also convenient to continue hiding her identity. The Prime Minister's residence had very strict rules, the study did not allow female family members to enter, even the main wife was no exception, if discovered to be a woman, estimated that what awaited oneself would only be the punishment of being beaten to death.

  She quietly climbed onto the cold and hard kang, Qin Yī only felt extremely nostalgic for her home's Simmons bed. For someone like her who could lie down but never sat up, a bed was one of the most important parts of life. After finally finding a position that wasn't too uncomfortable, she continued with her daily routine - daydreaming. The owner of this body, why on earth would a girl disguise herself as a boy and stay in the Prime Minister's estate as a book servant? Was she an undercover agent? However, over these few months, she had been taking turns working in the study every other day, treating court politics like a storytelling session to listen to, yet not a single person came into contact with her... But just like usual, before she could even think of a reason why, she had already fallen asleep.

  When she was sleeping soundly, she was suddenly woken up by someone. Qin Yimeng listened to the voice of Yun Tao in a daze, thinking it was her own dream. At this time, Yun Tao should be on duty in the study room. She turned over and prepared to continue sleeping, but heard another woman's voice outside the door: "The great lady lost a pair of golden hairpins, I am ordered to search for them, do you dare to stop me?"

  Then Yun Tao accompanied Xiao Xin's voice: "It wasn't me who stopped the girl, this is an outer house, we've never been to the inner courtyard, how would we lose something and have it searched on us?"

  "Who knows if you're colluding with the people inside, you're blocking me left and right, are you afraid I'll get away with it?" The woman's voice grew sharper.

  Qin Yi slowly came to his senses, quickly got up and rushed to the door without even putting on his clothes. He flung open the door and found Bi Tao, the lady-in-waiting of Madam Qin, standing outside with a "I'm looking for trouble" expression on her face, which made him feel like he was about to explode with anger.

  The sound of the door made Bi Tao and Yun Tao both turn their heads to look at the entrance, only to hear Bi Tao let out a sharp cry of "Ah!" and raise her delicate hand to point at Qin Yi, saying: "You... you shameless...!" Bi Tao had been serving in the inner courtyard with her mother since she was young, and the only men she had seen were the few masters in the mansion. She had never seen an outside man dressed improperly before, and she couldn't help but feel so embarrassed that she couldn't speak.

  Qin followed her finger and bowed his head to examine himself, wearing a white long gown and trousers that wrapped him tightly, except for his face and hands and feet, not revealing any part of his body. Suddenly thinking that ancient times were too conservative, he smiled wryly and said: "I was sleeping soundly in the house, hearing the chirping voices outside, I thought it was a magpie flying into the noble's courtyard by mistake, so I rushed out to take a look, and it turned out to be Sister Baitao."

  Bi Tao didn't catch the sarcasm in her words, and her expression slightly relaxed, but she still lectured sternly: "The Xiang manor is a high-ranking household, you are people by Master's side, how can you be so unrefined, dressing sloppily and running outside? If outsiders see this, they'll think our manor has poor discipline. I really don't know how Steward Rui usually teaches you."

  Qin deliberately looked at Bi Tao's back for a while, and she couldn't help but turn her head before saying: "Sister Bi Tao, if I'm not mistaken, this courtyard is where the outer courtyard servants live. You're an inner courtyard maid, and you've come to our place so early in the morning. It seems like you've seen something you shouldn't have, and we can't be blamed for that." She saw that Bi Tao had come alone and knew she was looking for trouble again, so her words were not polite: "Let's not mention that there are people in charge of these things in the mansion. We two are at least the old master's personal attendants. Even if the madam doesn't care about us, she can't let you behave so recklessly and search wherever you want. Moreover, Sister Bi Tao, if you want to search, it's not like it's impossible. Before entering the house, you should make things clear first. If you don't find anything, what will happen then?"

  Bixia was so angry that her face turned red and white, she just found an excuse to pick on someone, Madame He had never really lost any golden hairpin, but after being ridiculed by Qin Yi, she still couldn't find a place to vent, her small face was suffocated with redness, and tears were already rolling in her eyes.

  They didn't have any major issues before, and this Bi Tao is a strange master. She herself looks good, but unlike other girls who want to climb up the high branches of the old masters and young masters, she has taken a liking to the honest Yun Tao. Every three days or two heads, she runs to the outer courtyard, and the little girl's face is thin. What she did was all attributed to the reward given by the old lady, and Yun Tao is also a real person who took it all without suspicion.

  It started out peaceful, but the conflict occurred two months ago. Yun Tao took a set of clothes and socks that Bi Tuo had personally sewn and gave them to Qin Yi. Qin Yi unknowingly wore them out and was seen by a maid in the inner courtyard. The news spread like wildfire, and by the time Bi Tuo heard about it, she was furious and humiliated, as the servants in the inner courtyard were gossiping about it loudly and shamelessly.

  As a result, the three of them often stumbled over each other. Bi Tao would seize every opportunity to pick on and provoke Yun Tao, who was an honest person. After Qin Yi's analysis, he realized that others were actually trying to get along with him, so he felt guilty and would silently endure being bullied.

  Qin Yiqi wasn't someone who could be easily controlled by others, and she didn't take her usual sarcastic remarks to heart. After all, she was just a teenager, not worth arguing with. However, every time she saw her bullying Yun Tao, she couldn't help but feel infuriated. It seemed that this habit of protecting the weak, even after switching bodies, still couldn't be changed.

  At this thought, Qin suddenly felt a wave of boredom. What was the point of arguing with a little girl in her teens? It would be better to go back and catch up on some sleep. He had also forgotten to ask Yuntiao why he was still in the house at this hour. He simply waved his hand at Bitao and said, "Sister Bitao, please go back. We're being rude and dirtying your embroidered shoes. Later, if the old lady can't find you, it will become our fault again."

  After sending Bi Tuo away, Qin Yi turned around and went back into the house, throwing herself onto the bed, turning over and preparing to continue sleeping.