Although it is said that someone should be sent away, it's not up to oneself to decide who.

  In the needlework room, some people's hearts were unmoved, while others' minds were already racing with thoughts.

  She's not willing to move, like Liu Auntie. She has become a leader here and has the final say on the one mu three fen land in the inner house. She has connections in Huanyi Lane and eats well. Where can she go? It doesn't make sense for her to give up her established business and start from scratch in an unfamiliar place.

  Other elderly people also don't have much hope for this. The best times of their lives are already gone, and they can only do some needlework now. What else can they do after moving to a new place?

  But those who are younger, one by one, have sharpened their heads to rush out, such as Man Er.

  The first one in this house is Feng Yan.

  She was born delicate, with apricot kernel eyes and white skin, always having a bit of "heart higher than the sky". I don't know how she was assigned to the palace at first, but she was assigned to Huanyi Lane. Feng Yan didn't complain about her fate, she always felt that she was unlucky, but now her chance had come.

  Actually, Chao Sheng thought that she was born well, but it was a good mistake. Her temper was quick and her mouth was bad, which made things worse. There wasn't any imperial concubine or mistress who liked having such an eyesore of a palace maid in front of them, not to mention adding trouble for themselves.

  As the saying goes, one mountain cannot accommodate two tigers. Since Chao Sheng arrived, Feng Yan has been looking at her with disapproval everywhere. Chao Sheng is more beautiful than anyone else in this house, to be honest, not only more delicate than Feng Yan, but also with a different temperament. Others whispered behind their backs that although she was guilty and demoted, her whole demeanor was vastly superior to the laborers in the washing alley who had never seen the world. Every gesture, every word, and every step were completely different from others.

  Feng Yan also heard these words, although she stubbornly refused to admit it, but the more she looked at Chao Sheng, the more she found that there was a gap between them, and the more she felt that she couldn't compare to her.

  But even if she was talented, what could she do? Having failed to perform her duties properly, she had been flogged and demoted to this place as punishment. This time, the opportunity would not fall into her hands no matter what.

  Feng Yan thought so, and her heart felt a little more at ease.

  However, she regarded Chao Sheng as a mortal enemy, unaware that in other people's eyes, she was also a thorn in the flesh.

  It's really... a sudden gust of wind ripples the surface of the water, and shrimp and crab soldiers will jump out one after another to show off.

  Chao Sheng shook his head, put down the work in his hand, and massaged around his eyes.

  It's actually the eye care exercises we did in school.

  Who took it seriously when they were in school? Ninety percent of the students didn't even know where the acupoints were, and every day when it was time, they would just randomly press on their faces. After doing it for many years, they still hadn't figured out where those few acupoints were. Chao Sheng had once been bored and played with the acupoint chart posted on the wall, gradually getting more accurate. At the time, he didn't think much of it, but now after half a day of needlework, pressing and rubbing his own body, it really did help to refresh his eyes and relieve fatigue.

  She was closing her eyes to meditate, when suddenly the door burst open with a loud crash, and Feng Yan stormed in with a furious face, flipping over the sewing basket on her knees: "You shameless woman!"

  Chao Sheng was taken aback, but he didn't panic. He stood up calmly and said, "Sister Feng, why are you speaking so hurtfully?"

  "You're still pretending!" Feng Yan's eyes were about to spout fire: "It was you who poured the sewage water on my bedding!"

  She was taken aback for a moment.

  Feng Yan, although of humble status, had some luxurious habits, one of which was being a cleanliness freak. Normally, whoever sat on her bed while talking would make her unhappy, let alone pouring that water on it.

  "How did Sister Feng know it was me who poured it? Who saw me pouring it?"

  "It's not who you are! Smiling on the surface but harboring evil intentions!"

  Chao Sheng only found it laughable: "When everyone got up in the morning, your quilt was still fine, right? From morning till now, I've been in this room without leaving, even if I wanted to play a prank on you, would I be able to split myself?"

  This remark suddenly shut Feng Yan up.

  Following Feng Yan, the people who came in and those who surrounded her had different expressions on their faces. Some were gloating, some had flickering eyes, and others were advising reconciliation, but their words sounded insincere.

  Chao Sheng didn't have the heart to get entangled with Feng Yan, and called over Liu Auntie. No matter who was right or wrong, or if there was any wrongdoing at all, it would definitely not end well.

  "Feng sister, you'd better hurry up and wash and dry your bedding now. It's probably not going to be dry today, so just find an old set to make do with it. Otherwise, how are you going to sleep tonight?"

  Feng Yan shot her a fierce glance, but it no longer had its initial sharpness.

  Someone outside shouted: "Liu Aunt has arrived." Instantly, all the people in the house scattered like birds and beasts.

  Aunt Liu has absolute authority in this house and does not tolerate any provocation.

  Chao Sheng bent down to pick up her own sewing basket, the things inside had fallen all over the floor. The skirt she was just mending now had two footprints on it, grey and dusty. Before she could finish picking everything up, Liu Ayi had already come in.

  She looked at the fallen thread ball and then at the people in the house who were all lowering their heads to work, humming coldly, and turned around and left.

  Although Chao Sheng didn't know who had poured dirty water, as long as Feng Yan and she conflicted with each other, even if they were both scolded by Liu Ayi and lost the opportunity, the remaining people would have a greater chance.

  Besides, the house they live in is not a particularly important place, with people coming and going all the time, anyone has the opportunity to do so. Even if you suspect someone in your heart, but you haven't caught the other person's hand holding the basin.

  Fortunately, there was Liu Auntie holding everything down. Although she made small moves in private, on the surface everything was still going smoothly.

  Chao Sheng is extremely meticulous about everything, being cautious to the extreme.

  She guarded against everyone who approached her.

  Fortunately, in the alley of washing clothes, even if there are disputes, the means are very rough. At most, it's just like last time, splashing dirty water, provoking, and also finding a thin nail on one's own head. If she didn't look carefully and wore it, she would definitely be pricked.

  Nails are not scary, what's scary is that these nails are rusty.

  People in this era may not know the relationship between tetanus and rust, but this trick is undoubtedly sinister.

  Chao Sheng pulled out the nail and put it away quietly, without making a sound.

  She came across another robe made of the same material as last time.

  Not the same one, but it should be a dress made by the same person.

  Tides have already been able to distinguish the differences in everyone's handmade products through pinching, cutting and embroidery. Each person's habits are different, and probably because of the difference in what their master taught them when they were learning, so each has its own characteristics.

  The stitches on this garment are fine and even, looking pleasing to the eye.

  This is also an old dress, but it's a bit newer than the one last time, and it hasn't been worn as much.

  Aunt Liu gave her the robe and told her to mend it well.

  Chao Sheng shook open his clothes and only then did he see that this robe had a long tear in the hem.

  Looks like it's torn even more severely than last time.

  Tidal thought, how did you tear your clothes like this?

  She carefully mended this garment because it was obviously assigned to her for repair.

  No matter which noble person in the East Wing took a liking to her skills, she would go all out.

  To make oneself valuable.

  It's pitiful to be exploited, but it's even more pitiful to have no value in being exploited.

  Yes, Chao Sheng had vaguely realized that perhaps in the incident at Yunxia Palace, she was just a small role being used.

  A narrow escape from an unexpected disaster.

  But she's still alive after all.

  But at the end of the year, she really lost her life, and her plan to leave the palace and get married also became an empty dream.

  Chao Sheng was concentrating on her work when someone walked over and sat down beside her without saying a word.

  It turned out to be Feng Yan.

  Chao Sheng looked up at her and saw that Feng Yan was also looking at her, but didn't say anything.

  Should I wait for her to speak up?

  Chao Sheng said with a smile: "What can I do for you, Sister Feng?"

  Feng Yan looked at the needlework in her hand: "Why are you using dark blue thread?"

  She didn't mean to say that, but Cao Sheng patiently explained: "The dark green one is inconspicuous, and it's picked up from the inside and continued. Look, doesn't it look like it hasn't been mended?"

  Feng Yan glanced at her: "You still know how to match colors?"

  Look down on people too much.

  Chao Sheng just smiled.

  "Come out for a moment, I have something to say to you."

  Chao Sheng hesitated for a moment, but this was a busy time, and there were people inside and outside the house, so she wasn't afraid of her causing any trouble.

  The two of them left the house, and Feng Yan led her to the back door, where there were fewer people.

  "That thing that day..." Feng Yan said awkwardly: "I was too impatient."

  Is this an apology to her?

  The tide was a bit unexpected, but Feng Yan was also a victim. Although she changed into a new set of bedding, the dirty situation probably left her with a deep psychological shadow. For several days, Chao Sheng noticed that she hadn't been eating well and her chin looked even sharper.

  "It's nothing," said Chao Sheng: "Someone just did it on purpose, you just need to be more careful."

  Feng Yan murmured and fiddled with her hem, lost in thought.

  "If there's nothing else, I still have to go back to work."

  Feng Yan raised her head, and her expression looked very hesitant: "You... uh, are you familiar with that Xiao Bai Rong?"

  Chao Sheng didn't know why she was asking this, and with a hint of caution: "We're not close, it's been several days since I last saw him."

  "You get him to bring you some food from outside..." Feng Yan said: "I've already heard, the day after tomorrow the Yeting Lord's side will come to pick people, these two days don't eat anything here." After finishing speaking, she turned her head and left.

  Chao Sheng was stunned for a moment and didn't react for a while.

  Feng Yan is hinting... could it be that someone has tampered with the food?

  Chao Sheng had also thought of this, so she was particularly careful with her diet these past few days.

  She couldn't understand why Feng Yan reminded her of this.

  They are all fighting for that precious opportunity to leave the Washing Lane now, aren't they?

  The tide was born under the gods, and I went back to continue sewing that piece of clothing.

  After finishing, she handed it over to Aunt Liu for review. She examined it carefully and nodded slightly.

  Chao Sheng felt relieved in his heart, this was passing the test.

  Liu aunt is very strict and demanding, if she nods in approval, it means this task has met the standard.

  "The day after tomorrow someone will come to pick people," said Liu Auntie, "you should also get ready."

  "Ah, I know."

  Does she have a chance too?

  But she still bears the black pot of Yunxia Palace, can she really be chosen?