The Eunuch Has A Wife - Chapter 48

After exchanging greetings, the five elders led the villagers back into the village, surrounding the elder. Zhou □ remained standing in place, gesturing toward Bai Zhi and Wei Ziwan with a polite “please.” “Since you two are new here, let me show you around.”

Bai Zhi glanced at the departing villagers and smiled faintly to herself, thinking she might have been overly suspicious. For a moment, she had felt that the villagers were there to welcome her, not the elder. But now, it seemed like an unfounded thought—perhaps she was overthinking.

She turned her attention to Zhou □, whose demeanor was neither cold nor overly enthusiastic, making her feel comfortable despite their first meeting.

“Thank you, Miss Zhou.”

Zhou □ looked at her and suddenly smiled. “No need to thank me, Young Master Bai. It’s my duty. Is this your wife, Madam Bai?”

The term “Young Master Bai” caught Bai Zhi off guard, and what followed was even more surprising.

“Indeed. May I ask Miss Zhou’s age? Since we’ve met, it must be fate. We might as well address each other as sisters.” Wei Ziwan said with a gentle and graceful smile, appearing genuinely delighted, as if she had met a kindred spirit.

Zhou □ raised an eyebrow slightly and replied modestly, “I’m twenty-two this year.”

“I’m just twenty. Greetings, Sister Zhou.”

“Younger sister Ziwan, you’re too polite.”

The two of them continued to smile, seemingly hitting it off. In the blink of an eye, they were addressing each other as “Sister Zhou” and “Younger sister Ziwan.” appearing quite close.

Zhou □ walked slightly ahead, occasionally explaining and introducing the village’s situation.

Bai Zhi and Wei Ziwan walked side by side, listening to Zhou □ while carefully observing their surroundings.

The village was small, with only a few dozen households. The houses were old and dilapidated, giving the impression of a remote and impoverished area.

Despite being so close to the capital, the village was tucked away at the foot of Qingshi Mountain, far from the main road. The path into the village was narrow and muddy, and the farmland didn’t look fertile. It seemed like life here was tough.

However, after encountering some villagers along the way, Bai Zhi dismissed her earlier thoughts. The villagers all looked healthy and well-dressed, appearing to lack nothing in terms of food and clothing. They seemed to be living comfortably.

Though there was a faint sense of incongruity in her heart, Bai Zhi felt more at ease as they walked, seeing no one who resembled her in appearance. It was unlikely that such a coincidence would occur again.

Lingjue Mountain Manor had been an exception. As for Song Village, since they were here, they might as well settle in.

She was just an imposter, an outsider. If she kept a low profile and stayed cautious, they should be able to coexist peacefully. For now, she would observe the situation.

Wei Ziwan, on the other hand, remained vigilant. Like Bai Zhi, she was carefully scrutinizing everything in the village.

After seeing a middle-aged man smile and greet them before walking away, she glanced back at his retreating figure, her brows furrowing briefly before smoothing out again.

After Zhou □ had shown them around the village, they stopped outside a courtyard. “This is the courtyard prepared for you. The village’s current state is roughly as you’ve seen. If you want to learn more about the villagers, you can approach the five elders. They are the true authorities in this village. The elder has long since stepped back and now spends her time chanting Buddhist scriptures, no longer involved in village affairs.”

Her words seemed both candid and suggestive. After speaking, she left.

“Was she trying to intimidate us?” Bai Zhi wondered aloud, feeling a bit confused. Considering their competitive relationship and the elder’s attitude, she couldn’t help but overthink.

Perhaps Zhou □ was only superficially friendly. Otherwise, why would she say something so ambiguous, almost like a warning that the elder’s favor alone wouldn’t be enough?

Wei Ziwan watched Zhou □’s retreating figure intently and said calmly, “Perhaps it could also be interpreted as a reminder.”

“A reminder?” Bai Zhi was puzzled.

Wei Ziwan tugged at Bai Zhi’s sleeve as they entered the courtyard. “A reminder that if we want to establish ourselves here, the most important thing is to gain the approval of the five elders, not just rely on the elder’s favor alone.”

She wasn’t sure how to explain it. Perhaps she was being overly sensitive, but the similarities were hard to ignore.

Should she share her observations with Bai Zhi?

After a moment of silence, Bai Zhi hesitantly said, “You mean she meant well? Wanwan, appearances can be deceiving. Some people seem friendly, but in reality…”

“But in reality, they might be harboring ill intentions, right?” Wei Ziwan finished the sentence with a smile.

Bai Zhi pursed her lips. That was exactly what she meant.

It was only their first meeting, yet Wei Ziwan seemed to have become too familiar with Zhou □ too quickly. They were already addressing each other as sisters, and Wei Ziwan believed Zhou □’s words were well-meaning advice.

Bai Zhi knew she shouldn’t jump to conclusions and assume the worst about others, but Wei Ziwan had never been this forward with anyone else before.

It felt strange. Seeing Wei Ziwan and Zhou □ smiling at each other made her feel uneasy.

This unease extended to Zhou □, making Bai Zhi predisposed to interpret her words as a warning.

But Wei Ziwan believed Zhou □ was offering friendly advice.

This realization made Bai Zhi even more frustrated.

One must always be cautious. How could Wei Ziwan let her guard down so easily?

They had just escaped from Lingjue Mountain Manor. They should be even more careful now.

Just last night, Wei Ziwan had reminded her to be cautious. What was going on now?

Was it because Zhou □ was somewhat attractive? Beautiful women should be even more guarded against.

People as reliable as herself were rare. In her past life, she had been implicated by Wei Ziwan, yet in this life, she had let go of past grievances and even developed feelings for her.

Bai Zhi’s expression stiffened, her lips pressing into a tight line as her thoughts momentarily scattered.

Seeing her silence, Wei Ziwan knew she had hit the mark. She explained, “I haven’t let my guard down. I just wanted to lull them into a false sense of security. Don’t you think this place is strange?” Just like Lingjue Mountain Manor.

She felt it was better to share her suspicions with Bai Zhi. Though it might be disheartening, it was better than the worst-case scenario becoming reality.

“What’s strange?” Bai Zhi snapped out of her thoughts, forcing herself to remain composed and pushing aside her chaotic emotions.

In truth, she also felt a strange sense of incongruity, but she couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was.

Wei Ziwan said softly, “Back at Lingjue Mountain Manor, I noticed that some of the servants didn’t seem like ordinary people. They walked with steady steps, their backs straight, and their movements coordinated. If it were just one person, it wouldn’t be noteworthy, but most of the servants in the manor were like that—just like the middle-aged men we encountered earlier.”

The elderly and women aside, she was certain that at least those middle-aged men were not ordinary villagers—or perhaps not villagers at all.

She had seen people walk like this before. The soldiers who had escorted her from the Western Islands to Bai Yue for the marriage alliance walked in the same manner. Yes, they were well-trained soldiers.

Bai Zhi paled, unable to believe it. “You’re saying they’re soldiers? Then we—”

Wei Ziwan nodded slowly. Though the words were left unspoken, both of them understood.

They had just escaped from the wolf’s den, only to possibly fall into the tiger’s mouth.

The two of them stared at each other in silence for a long time.

“Maybe we’re overthinking it. Manager Xi… maybe it’s all just a coincidence.” Bai Zhi said, glancing at the low straw fence surrounding the courtyard. From outside, anyone could see them standing in the yard.

Perhaps they weren’t overthinking.

Wei Ziwan followed her gaze, then quietly looked away. “Let’s go inside. We’ll know soon enough whether we’re overthinking or not.”

Just like at Lingjue Mountain Manor, they had initially felt relieved after narrowly escaping danger, and Bai Zhi’s connection to Bai Shu had made them complacent.

Perhaps from the very beginning, from the moment they first left Lingjue Mountain Manor, someone had been watching them.

As for this so-called Song Village, if it had some ulterior motive like Lingjue Mountain Manor, testing the waters would be simple. They could find an opportunity to leave in a few days and see what happened.

Bai Zhi nodded slightly and followed her inside.

The furniture in the room was new and well-equipped, even with two stoves thoughtfully lit, so the room was warm as soon as they entered.

Bai Zhi’s expression softened. “Regardless of the situation, they seem to value me highly.”

Just like at Lingjue Mountain Manor, they hadn’t been mistreated in terms of food, clothing, or accommodations. In fact, they had been treated quite well.

Wei Ziwan glanced at her. “Husband, do you think that’s a good thing?”

Why did she sound so pleased?

Bai Zhi coughed lightly and said calmly, “If they don’t go against our wishes, if they’re open and honest, and if we can discuss things openly, perhaps we could even participate in whatever they’re planning.”

Her words were bold. Perhaps the closed door gave her a sense of security, or perhaps the newly realized feelings in her heart made her anxious. She suddenly felt the need to take action.

Could they really drift through life like this?

If she were alone, it might be different, but now…

Now, it seemed like she was still alone, but… but the woman before her didn’t seem opposed to living together.

Bai Zhi thought about everything that had happened between them, her eyes filled with fervor as she gazed intently at Wei Ziwan.

It was as if lifting a thin veil would reveal a priceless treasure. Just lift the veil—

“If what they’re planning is treasonous, what good would it do to discuss it with you? We…” Wei Ziwan’s voice trailed off as she met Bai Zhi’s overly intense gaze, her words fading.

The heat in those eyes seemed to burn her, making her heart tighten and her breath slow.

“Husband—why are you looking at me like that?” Her voice was faint, tinged with a hint of anticipation.

Bai Zhi looked at Wei Ziwan’s bright eyes and delicate features, her lips twitching before she suddenly turned her head away. “It’s nothing. You’re right, If they’re up to no good, we naturally can’t aid them. So let’s figure things out first.”