I started out with seven husbands, and I worked hard to support my family while crying.

Chapter 486: Escaping the Jiaofangsi

After the people left, Fang Xiaoxiao turned back to look at the two people beside her. Li Wan'er curiously stepped forward and took her hand, asking anxiously, "Xiaoxiao, why did you make the scholar report to the authorities? And didn't you think that doing so would harm the scholar and also harm ourselves? You should know that the Jiaofangsi is controlled by powerful people in the court. If it weren't for that, Fuxiangge wouldn't be so arrogant and domineering."

Hongxiu nodded in agreement, saying, "That's right, it's too risky."

Fang Xiao smiled and explained to the two women, "Wan'er, Hongxiu, sending the scholar to report to the authorities was just a ploy to lure them away from the mountain. The purpose was simply to draw Jin Sanniang and the others' attention to the scholar, so that their guard would be relaxed, and we could take this opportunity to find someone to contact Pei Yan and the others."

Li Wan'er suddenly realized: "So that's how it is, but how are we going to get out?"

Fang Xiaoxiao thought for a moment: "I've observed that the backyard wall is relatively low and there are relatively few guards. We can climb over from there."

Hongxiu said worriedly, "Even if we manage to get out, we don't know anyone here. Where are we going to find Pei Yan and the others?"

Fang Xiaoxiao took out a handkerchief from her bosom, which had a special pattern embroidered on it: "This is a token that Pei Yan gave me. As long as I take this to the largest inn in the city to inquire, I should be able to find their whereabouts."

Li Wan'er and Hongxiu exchanged a glance and nodded.

"Then let's get started and prepare immediately," Fang Xiaoxiao said.

The three of them quickly tidied up and changed into clothes that were easy to move in.

Just as they were about to leave, they suddenly heard footsteps outside the door.

Fang Xiaoxiao quickly signaled the two to be quiet, and the three of them hid behind the door, not daring to breathe.

"Open the door!" Jin Sanniang's voice rang out again.

Fang Xiao's heart tightened. Had their plan been discovered?

Li Wan'er turned pale with nervousness and tightly gripped Fang Xiaoxiao's clothes.

Fang Xiaoxiao took a deep breath, calmed herself down, and slowly opened the door.

"Jin San Niang, it's so late, what else do you need?" Fang Xiaoxiao asked, feigning composure.

Jin Sanniang said coldly, "I'll ask you one more time, is there something you're hiding from me?"

Fang Xiaoxiao said, "Third Aunt, really, there's nothing we're hiding from you. What could we possibly be hiding from you?"

Jin Sanniang stared at Fang Xiaoxiao for a while and said, "It would be better if that's the case. None of you are allowed to step out of this room tonight."

After saying that, Jin San Niang left with her people.

Fang Xiaoxiao closed the door, her brows furrowed: "It seems they've already noticed something. We need to act quickly."

The three quietly opened the window and crept towards the backyard wall.

The three of them quietly opened the window and crept towards the backyard wall. The night was deep, with only the faint moonlight illuminating their path.

Fang Xiaoxiao walked in front, carefully avoiding any clutter that might make a sound. Li Wan'er and Hongxiu followed closely behind, their breathing becoming rapid with tension.

Finally reaching the wall, Fang Xiaoxiao peered around to check the surroundings. After confirming there were no guards, she whispered, "I'll climb over first and then meet you from the outside."

After saying that, she grabbed the top of the wall with both hands, pushed off with all her might, and successfully flipped over.

Seeing this, Li Wan'er and Hongxiu mustered their courage and began to climb. Just then, they heard footsteps and voices not far away.

"Oh no, someone's coming!" Fang Xiaoxiao shouted anxiously from outside the wall.

Li Wan'er and Hongxiu panicked and almost fell off the wall. But they couldn't worry about that now; they quickened their pace and finally climbed over the wall.

Fang Xiaoxiao quickly led the two into a nearby alley.

"Shh, be quiet." Fang Xiaoxiao gestured for the two to be quiet.

The footsteps grew closer, and their hearts leaped into their throats.

Fortunately, those people didn't notice them and walked straight past.

"Let's go!" Fang Xiaoxiao whispered.

The three of them wandered through the dark alleys and finally made it to the main street.

The streets were deserted at this time, without a single person in sight.

"Let's hurry to the inn." Fang Xiaoxiao led the two of them and quickened their pace.

Finally arriving at the largest inn in the city, Fang Xiaoxiao took out her handkerchief and asked the innkeeper about Pei Yan's whereabouts.

The shopkeeper glanced at the handkerchief, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure.

"Please wait a moment, I'll go and inform them right away," the shopkeeper said.

The shopkeeper left quickly and returned a short while later to tell Fang Xiaoxiao and the other two that Pei Yan had gone to Jiangnan Province, but had already sent a message by carrier pigeon, and that the three of them should go back first. Left with no other choice, the three had to return the way they came.

They had just returned to the hut when there was a rapid knocking at the door, and then Jin San Niang and her entourage burst in again. Fang Xiao and the other two pretended to have just been woken up, rubbing their eyes and asking curiously what was going on.

Seeing that all three were present, Jin Sanniang turned to a maid beside her and gave her a reprimanding look. The maid shrank back in fright. Jin Sanniang then smiled and apologized to Fang Xiaoxiao and the other two, explaining that someone had just reported that thieves were in the courtyard, and she had broken into the small house for everyone's safety.

Fang Xiaoxiao let out a long "Oh," expressing her dissatisfaction: "They probably think we're the thieves!" This made Jin Sanniang's face turn ashen. However, Jin Sanniang quickly recovered her composure, slapping the maid beside her who had fabricated the story to frame Fang Xiaoxiao and her companions hard across the face, angrily calling the maid a dog with bad eyes, and gouging out the maid's eyeballs in front of everyone. The maid fainted from the pain, and everyone gasped.

Li Wan'er and Hongxiu hid behind Fang Xiaoxiao, trembling with fear. Fang Xiaoxiao, suppressing her fear and anger, said, "Third Sister, you're too cruel! Even if this maid gave the wrong information, it doesn't deserve such cruelty!"

Jin Sanniang snorted coldly: "Dare to talk nonsense in front of me, this is what you get! You better behave yourselves and don't try anything funny!"

After saying that, Jin San Niang led her people away.

Fang Xiaoxiao and the other two closed the door, still shaken.

"Xiao Xiao, this Jin San Niang is simply a demon!" Li Wan'er said, her voice trembling with tears.

Hongxiu's face turned pale: "What should we do? What if she discovers our plan..."

Fang Xiaoxiao gritted her teeth: "Don't be afraid, we must find a way to break free from her control."

Just then, Fang Xiaoxiao noticed a note on the table. She opened it and read: "Be careful, someone is watching you."

Fang Xiao's heart tightened, and she said in a low voice, "It seems that our every move is being watched."

Li Wan'er panicked: "Then aren't we in great danger?"

Fang Xiaoxiao pondered for a moment: "Let's pretend we don't know anything and see how things go."