Immediately after, Fan Qi also discovered this problem.
Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he asked Zhou Shaojin, “Second Young Miss, what, what should we do?”
Without any grievance or resentment, they had actually come to someone else’s house to set a fire, and moreover, it was a relative by marriage—if they were caught, what would become of them!
Zhou Shaojin also didn’t know what to do.
According to her original plan, they would quietly set the fire and quietly return, without anyone knowing, and just wait for the Fifth Branch’s elders to discover the problems with the Fifth Branch and reorganize it…
But now, they were trapped here!
She asked Fan Qi, “Can we go back through another route?”
The Fifth Branch—she had only visited twice in total and was completely unfamiliar with the layout.
Fan Qi was nearly in tears.
He had only been at Nine-As-One Lane for a few days; how would he dare run around randomly? If it weren’t for Zhou Shaojin’s instructions, and the fact that the Fifth Branch was the weakest among all the Cheng family branches with servants who didn’t really manage things well, even if you gave him the courage of a bear’s heart and leopard’s gall, he still wouldn’t dare wander around the Fifth Branch at will!
As for the First and Second Branches, he only dared to make a quick circuit outside. Before getting familiar with the servants of the First and Second Branches, he absolutely wouldn’t dare move about freely.
But since Zhou Shaojin had spoken, he couldn’t say he didn’t know!
“Second Young Miss,” his voice trembling slightly, he said, “We can only go south. There’s a road that leads to the West Servants’ Quarters…”
Throughout Nine-As-One Lane, there were two servants’ quarters—one in the northwest near the Fifth Branch, and one in the east near the Third Branch, where the servants resided. The West Servants’ Quarters and East Servants’ Quarters were somewhat different. Since ancient times, the east has been considered the position of honor. Additionally, the Cheng family school was carved out from a section of the original East Servants’ Quarters, right next to it. Those who could live in the East Servants’ Quarters were either prominent, capable head stewards, or accountants and attendants. The West Servants’ Quarters, however, were much more complicated—influential nannies from each branch, hereditary servants who could never advance despite generations of service, minor stewards, the young masters’ personal attendants, coachmen, carriages… a mixed bag of people. Like a large miscellaneous courtyard.
“No!” Before Fan Qi could finish speaking, Fan Liushi immediately said, “How can we lead the young miss to the outer courtyard? The night patrol in the outer courtyard consists entirely of guards. Unlike our inner courtyard, they’re formidable! Moreover, to reach the West Servants’ Quarters, we’d have to pass through the entire Fifth Branch. What if someone discovers us along the way? Even if we successfully reach the West Servants’ Quarters, there are all kinds of people there. As soon as we show our faces, everyone in Nine-As-One Lane will know by tomorrow. In the dead of night, if we rashly run there, and the Fifth Branch has had a fire… how would we explain this to the Cheng family’s ancestors?”
Many families had lost their ancestral estates to fires and were ruined.
Therefore, wealthy households all kept large water vats under the eaves—precisely for fire prevention.
“Then, what should we do?” Fan Qi asked.
Everyone’s gaze fell on Zhou Shaojin.
Zhou Shaojin’s palms were sweating profusely.
Since this matter had been started by her, at this critical moment she couldn’t shirk responsibility…
She hesitated, “How about we find a way to get to Jing’an Studio?”
The small garden of the Fifth Branch’s inner residence and the Cheng family’s inner residence garden faced each other across the water, connected by a stone slab nine-curve railed bridge in between.
As long as they reached Jing’an Studio, no matter which route they took, she could avoid the night patrol and lead everyone back to Wanxiang Residence.
Everyone’s gaze turned toward that pitch-black lake surface.
The nine-curve railed bridge was faintly visible.
Shi Xiang couldn’t help but say, “If only tonight’s moon weren’t so bright!”
If there were no moon, the other side wouldn’t be able to see clearly at all.
When coming, they complained the moonlight was too dim; when escaping, they complained it was too bright.
All in all, they had thought things through too simplistically.
Zhou Shaojin sighed.
A clattering of footsteps approached, stopping on the pathway not far from them.
“You from the Fourth Branch who’s leading, what’s your name? Take your Fourth Branch people to fight the fire.” Steward Qin’s authoritative voice rang out again as he commanded with composure. “You all go see what’s happening at the water pavilion.”
Everyone responded in a confused chorus, rushing toward the water pavilion in a flurry.
That Steward Qin stood in the passage with two others.
Shouldn’t he personally go check on those people in the water pavilion?
Zhou Shaojin grumbled inwardly, unable to resist turning her head slightly to look.
Under the firelight, Steward Qin had a rough-hewn face, wore a Hangzhou silk straight robe, a cloth belt around his waist, was tall and robust, and looked not only shrewd and capable but also powerful and formidable at first glance.
In Zhou Shaojin’s mind, stewards should all be like Ma Fushan, carrying a smile on their face even when not speaking.
She couldn’t help pondering inwardly.
Where had this person emerged from?
She hadn’t expected the Cheng family to have such a steward!
Everyone called him “Steward Qin.” Could he have some relationship with Head Steward Qin Shouyue?
Zhou Shaojin hunched her shoulders, feeling somewhat afraid in her heart.
They needed to find a way to leave here quickly.
If Steward Qin discovered them, things might become even worse than she imagined.
But Steward Qin was standing not far from her location, and she really didn’t dare move.
Fortunately, those who went to inspect the water pavilion quickly returned: “Steward Qin, it’s Fourth Branch’s Second Master Yi, Fifth Branch’s Master Nuo and Master Ju with several schoolmates gambling there. As for how the fire started, they don’t know either.”
“Gambling?” Zhou Shaojin heard Steward Qin laugh coldly and say, “Tell them the arsonist hasn’t been found yet and is likely still wandering around the inner courtyard. To avoid the young masters encountering danger, please ask the young masters to temporarily rest in Fifth Branch Master Nuo’s room and not move about randomly. After daybreak, they can each disperse then.” Then to the two people holding lanterns beside him, he said, “Come, let’s go take a look. The Fourth Branch discovered the fire here, yet the Fifth Branch has no reaction at all. It seems the Fifth Branch’s internal affairs are in quite a mess…”
Several people followed Steward Qin toward the water pavilion.