"Hey, you three," Ying San was startled by the three voices speaking in unison, slapping his chest, "Why are you shouting so loudly? You scared me! I’ve never heard you speak in such a synchronized way."

  "Ying San, if you don't speak, don't blame me for inviting you to North Tower for some tea." Ying Si's tone was neither fast nor slow, and it lacked any fluctuation, but Ying San was afraid of Ying Si like this—not because she was a woman he needed to respect, but because the North Tower she controlled had too many tricks and schemes. Every time he went to the North Tower, he felt like he had to endure severe treatment.

  Whenever Ying San went to the North Tower, he would dream at night about how Ying Si would torment him, and those dreams were far from pleasant.

  "Don’t, Ying Si." Ying San jumped back, waving his hands, "I was wrong! I was wrong! I'll speak now, okay?"

  Ying Er laughed at Ying San, "You should’ve spoken earlier. Why did you have to make Ying Si step in?"

  "Hehe," Ying San smiled awkwardly, "The master said, tonight before Hai time, all four of us must reach the National Master’s study."

  "That’s it?" Ying Er thought there should be more to it.

  "There’s more." Ying San said straightforwardly, "The master also said that each of us must bring a different pastry."

  "Clang." The teacup in Ying Er's hand fell to the floor and shattered. He shouted in distress, "My teacup…"

  Ying Si didn’t react as dramatically as Ying Er, but from the frown on her face, it was clear she was suspicious of the master’s command.

  Only Ying Yi seemed to have guessed it, "Is it for that little fox?"

  "Ying Yi really understands the master. He guessed it right away," Ying San bragged proudly, thinking back to his own reaction when he first heard the order. He looked at Ying Er, who had just shattered his favorite teacup.

  "Fox? What fox?" Ying Si hadn’t gone to Wuqie Mountain with the master, and due to too many matters in the North Tower recently, she hadn’t been able to visit the National Master’s residence, so she didn't know about the little fox the master had recently adopted.

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  "It’s the fox the master brought back from Wuqie Mountain during the royal hunt. It’s very smart and loves to eat," Ying Yi said, remembering the scene at the Taibai Residence, frowning. The master seemed to be treating this fox too well.

  "Ying Yi, you can say 'fox' here, but when you’re in front of the master, don’t mention the word 'fox'. That’s the little ancestor now," Ying San reminded Ying Yi kindly. The master was really fond of that little ancestor, and when he called it a 'little fox' earlier, the master almost killed him with a look.

  "Yeah," Ying Yi nodded. He wasn’t a talkative person and wouldn’t bring up sensitive subjects in front of the master.

  "Is it just a fox? Why is it called a little ancestor? Is it some kind of fox spirit?" Ying Si sarcastically remarked. She rarely acted this way, especially without meeting the person, just based on Ying San’s words.

  "Ying Si, don’t say I didn’t warn you. When you’re in front of the master, don’t bring up the word 'fox' or 'fox spirit.' The master really cares about that little ancestor now. If you offend him, you know what the consequences will be."

  Though they joked, Ying San seriously reminded Ying Si. He didn’t want any of them to suffer punishment over trivial matters.

  "Hmph, I’m leaving. I’ll make sure to arrive on time tonight," Ying Si said as she turned to leave.

  "Ying Si, I hope you don’t do something foolish," Ying San muttered quietly as he watched her leave.

  "Ying San, does the master really care about that little fox so much?" Ying Er, after mourning his teacup, decided to probe for more information.

  "Of course. You don’t know. Today, the master even went..." Ying San was about to reveal more, but stopped short.

  "Ying San!" Ying Yi interrupted.

  Talking about the master behind his back was never a good idea.

  Ying San regretted speaking out and slapped himself on the face. He knew he couldn’t keep his mouth shut, always wanting to share everything. Ying Yi had warned him many times that his loose tongue would eventually get him into trouble.

  "What was that? Ying Yi, you stopped him at the wrong time. Let Ying San finish, I need to know so I can prepare for tonight," Ying Er, who was in charge of intelligence, said. He wanted to be fully prepared before heading to the National Master’s residence that evening.

  "What did you want to say?" Ying Yi asked coldly. "That the master dotes on the little fox? Or that the master is indulging in something trivial?"

  Ying Yi’s words stunned Ying Er and Ying San. They had never noticed that Ying Yi was so bold. He had no qualms about speaking his mind.

  Ying Yi ignored their surprise and turned, leaping up onto the roof. He still had to go to the palace to protect Wen Chengyu. Before leaving, he threw out one last line, "I’ll bring the pastries back from the Huan Shanfang tonight," and disappeared.

  Huan Shanfang? Ying Er and Ying San exchanged glances. That was a place for sycophants!

  "Ying Er, I’m going to Huaxiang Lou to buy pastries, you don’t follow me to the same place."

  Ying San preemptively took the lead. Huaxiang Lou was one of the best restaurants in Tancheng, and its pastries were so famous that people from all over the area came just to queue up and buy them.

  After Ying San ran off using his light skills, Ying Er watched him go and chuckled, "Is there really nowhere else to buy pastries besides Huaxiang Lou?"