Transmigrated Genius: Fragile Heiress Reigns Supreme-Chapter 440 - 442: Avoidance (5)

So, she felt emboldened.

But she never expected that Fourth Madam would have Biwu and Ziyang deceive her into the courtyard and then, without asking any questions, bind her.

Fourth Madam, what a skilled hand!

She sneered and said, "Fourth Madam, I’ve told you, I don’t understand what you’re saying." She paused and continued, "I haven’t finished my tasks yet; Nanny Wu is still waiting for me to report. If she finds I’m not in the room and comes looking for me here, it will be difficult for you to explain."

"Oh, really?" Xiqiu smiled and said, "So, you’re saying you won’t talk?!" After speaking, she turned to Chunliu and instructed, "Treasure Bead is back as a guest, aren’t you going to serve her some tea?"

After Xiqiu spoke, Chunliu hesitated for a moment but then understood, turned around, and went into the tea room to pour some tea.

Treasure Bead was also startled, thinking Xiqiu was genuinely worried about being discovered by the Grand Dowager and thus had concerns.

A look of smugness appeared on her face.

Chunliu came out carrying tea, and Xiqiu leaned against the back of the rosewood chair, looking at Treasure Bead with an expressionless face, saying, "Miss Treasure Bead, please have some tea."

Treasure Bead sneered and said, "Fourth Madam invites me to have tea, maybe you should untie the ropes for me first."

Xiqiu raised an eyebrow upon hearing this, but Chunliu walked over with a smile, holding the tea and said coldly, "Untying is unnecessary; since you can’t hold the tea yourself, let me feed you."

Saying so, she uncovered the lid of the teacup, the freshly brewed water steamed, hot vapor wafting onto Treasure Bead’s face.

Treasure Bead shivered.

Originally, she thought Fourth Madam was afraid of the Grand Dowager and planned to ask no more questions, but now seeing Chunliu holding the hot tea, she suddenly realized that Fourth Madam was threatening her.

Such scorching tea, saying drinking it would burn the hand even just touching the porcelain wall.

Treasure Bead, scared, couldn’t help but shrink back a little more.

Chunliu approached with the teacup, coldly smiling and saying, "I advise you to be honest; Madam just asks you a question, and you answer. There isn’t that much fussing about!" She was most annoyed by people like Treasure Bead, who are indecent all day long, not behaving properly, but choosing to act like ghosts!

Treasure Bead couldn’t help but look at Xiqiu, seeing Xiqiu’s calm expression as she sat there. She hadn’t expected that the gentle Fourth Madam would use such methods.

Looking at Treasure Bead, Xiqiu coldly laughed internally; if the portrait were still in Treasure Bead’s hands, then even if torn or destroyed, it would not be a big deal. But what if she casually threw it away and someone picked it up?

This matter could be significant or trivial; she had to figure it out, no matter what!

Such coercive little tricks, she certainly knew how to use them, but only despised doing so.

"Speak up, did Lord Qian have you bring the portrait in, and where is the portrait now?" Xiqiu squinted, not wanting to waste words.

As Xiqiu spoke, Chunliu moved the boiling hot tea closer to Treasure Bead’s face.

Treasure Bead shuddered and said sternly, "Fourth... Fourth Madam, I am... I am a maid from the Grand Dowager’s room, you... you can’t do this." Yet, she still refused to speak.

Xiqiu frowned.

Chunliu angrily grabbed Treasure Bead’s hand, thrusting the teacup towards her mouth, "Do you think you are more important, or do you think you are more important than Fourth Madam?" Chunliu coldly shouted, "I’ll tell you, drink this tea, and when the Grand Dowager asks, I can say that you accidentally burned yourself!"

"You... you dare!" Treasure Bead thought that Xiqiu was merely scaring her and didn’t really dare to burn her.

But with Chunliu like this, who knows, the next moment she might really pour the water into her mouth.

This matter isn’t such a big deal after all; she withstood saying nothing just because she disliked Fourth Madam growing more powerful with Fourth Master’s favor, but if she had to pay another price, then she...

"Fourth Madam!" Treasure Bead tensely tensed her body, afraid that any movement might touch the hot water: "I’ll speak, the portrait was indeed entrusted to me by Lord Qian, but I... I threw it away on the road."

"Threw it away?"

Indeed, thrown away!

Xiqiu squinted and asked, "Where did you throw it?" Treasure Bead replied, "I threw it in the birch grove by the gate of Yimen, Fourth Madam could send someone to search if she doesn’t believe me..." Saying this, she was stunned; the mansion is cleaned daily, how could the portrait still be there?

There had been no snow or rain that afternoon, if a servant picked it up, upon seeing the person in the portrait, they would know it was him, wouldn’t leave it in hand and not report it, could the portrait still remain in the grove?

Xiqiu felt a bit of luck, regardless of whether it was still there, she had to find it to feel at ease, she looked at Chunliu and said, "You go with Biwu and find it."

Chunliu now fully understood what Xiqiu meant, immediately nodded, opened the door, and left.

Chunyan replaced Chunliu and entered the room.

"Fourth Madam, please let me go, I won’t dare anymore!" Treasure Bead shouted, "I’m not lying to you!"

Xiqiu was about to speak when suddenly, outside the door rang Ziyang’s somewhat frantic voice: "Fourth... Fourth Master."

Treasure Bead instantly beamed with hope, Fourth Master couldn’t possibly ignore Fourth Madam privately executing punishments within the room, Treasure Bead immediately screamed ahead of Xiqiu, crying out, "Fourth Master, save me!"

Xiqiu took a look at Treasure Bead but did not move.

Chunyan was visibly nervous.

The door was pushed open, revealing Ziyang’s somewhat apprehensive face, then Fourth Master Xiao strode in.

Standing with hands behind his back, his gaze swept over everyone inside and settled on Xiqiu.

Treasure Bead cried out, "Fourth Master, save me; Fourth Madam wants to kill me, Fourth Master, save me!"

Fourth Master Xiao did not respond, however, Xiqiu greeted him saying, "Fourth Master is back." Then she turned to Chunyan, who was dumbfounded, saying, "Make tea for Fourth Master."

Chunyan anxiously glanced at Xiqiu and retreated to the tea room.

Fourth Master Xiao didn’t even look at Treasure Bead, directly went into the Warm Pavilion on the left, and sat down in the chair.

No one paid attention to Treasure Bead.

Treasure Bead became even more nervous, her panic surged as she called out, "Fourth Master!"

Xiqiu naturally followed Fourth Master Xiao into the room, smiling, asking, "Has Lord Qian and the Princely Heir Shen left?"

Fourth Master Xiao nodded and replied, "Hmm, they’ve gone." After a pause, he continued, "My older brother drank a few more cups, I sent him back before coming."

Xiqiu could also smell a faint smell of alcohol on him: "Let Nanny Cen make you a sober-up soup, if Fourth Master has nothing to do this afternoon, rest for a while!" Fourth Master Xiao looked at Xiqiu with a smile, responded, "Have all the ladies in the inner court left?" After saying this, his gaze swept over Xiqiu’s figure.

Concerned about her health.

Xiqiu’s face immediately reddened; at this moment Chunyan brought in tea, and Xiqiu went over to take the tea Chunyan had brought, her awkwardness had receded, handing the tea to Fourth Master Xiao, she said, "After lunch, it dispersed, mother is elderly, having spoken all morning was quite tired, I also didn’t stay long."