"Pfft! Pfft! You coward! What beheading nonsense!" Even with the veil on, Shen Miao couldn't hide the anger on her face. "What's wrong with that place? Why can Shen Li go there but we can't? Besides, we're just going to pay a visit. What could possibly happen?"
After Shen Miao finished speaking, seeing that Shen Zhen still looked hesitant, she immediately put on a stern look and said, "Shen Zhen, if you're scared, you can just go back by yourself! I'll go visit our sister on my own. But if our sister blames you for not going to see her later, don't blame me for not warning you!"
After saying that, Shen Miao ignored Shen Zhen and turned around to leave.
"This..." Shen Zhen glanced at Shen Miao's retreating back, clenched the silk handkerchief in her hand, and then chased after her.
Although Shen Zhen didn't believe what Shen Miao said about Shen Li blaming her for not going to see her, she still didn't want to offend Shen Miao too much.
As Shen Miao walked in front, hearing the sound of Shen Zhen's footsteps following behind, she slightly curled her lips. Although she somewhat looked down on Shen Zhen, she was afraid of scaring her away, so she didn't say anything sarcastic.
Although the Nightly Phantom Division was located on a bustling street, just like many yamen, there were hardly any passers - by in front of its door. Even those who had to pass by the Nightly Phantom Division would stay at least one zhang away from the door and walk far on the other side of the street, for fear that getting a bit closer would land them in trouble and be interrogated.
Shen Miao straightened her clothes, then held her head high and walked towards the main gate of the Nightly Phantom Division. Shen Zhen lowered her head and carefully followed behind her.
Unlike a yamen, there were no two sword - wielding guards at the main gate of the Nightly Phantom Division.
Shen Miao took a look, then stepped forward and raised her hand to knock on the door twice. The "dong dong" sound echoed far. Passers - by on the road, hearing the sound, looked up and were surprised to see two young ladies standing at the door of the Nightly Phantom Division, knocking on the door.
After knocking twice and seeing no one come out, Shen Miao raised her hand and knocked a few more times. This time, the door opened from the inside, and a skinny, dark - skinned little boy of eleven or twelve years old came out.
"We're from the Shen Mansion. We're here today to catch up with Sister Shen Li. Please go and announce our arrival." Shen Miao was quite polite when speaking, considering that the people in the Nightly Phantom Division were probably not only highly skilled in martial arts but also might have a bad temper.
But the little boy looked up at Shen Miao and Shen Zhen behind her for a moment, then said impatiently, "Wait here!" After saying that, he "bang" closed the door and walked away directly.
Shen Miao didn't expect that even a little boy who guarded the door of the Nightly Phantom Division could be so rude. Although she was unhappy, she didn't show it.
After waiting for about a quarter of an hour, the little boy came back. He opened the door just a crack wide enough for his head to poke out, and said to Shen Miao outside, "The eldest young lady is not here today. You can go back."
Through the not - very - wide crack, Shen Miao opened her eyes wide and looked inside. But since the door was opened only a little, she could only see a small part of a rockery. She couldn't see anything else.
Seeing that Shen Miao's eyes were always looking behind him, the little boy knew she had ill intentions. As soon as he finished speaking, he was about to disappear and close the door just like before. But Shen Miao had experienced this once. How could she let him go? Immediately, she stretched out her arm and grabbed one side of the door, and said urgently, "We're both our master's younger sisters, the second and third young ladies of the Shen Mansion. We haven't seen our elder sister for a long time, so we came here specially to visit her."
"Since she's not here now, can I come in and wait for her to come back? I'm sure she'll be back soon. We just want to take a rest and have a cup of tea!"
The little boy glanced at Shen Miao, sneered and said, "The Nightly Phantom Division doesn't have the habit of keeping guests for tea. If you want tea, go to a teahouse!"
This time, the little boy didn't hesitate. He didn't even try to pull Shen Miao's hand away. He just stepped back and pushed the other side of the door to close it.
At first, Shen Miao thought he would still be a bit scrupulous and wouldn't really close the door. But seeing the gap between the two doors getting smaller and smaller, Shen Miao panicked and quickly withdrew her hand. Just as her hand was withdrawn, the two doors closed with a "bang".
Shen Miao was extremely angry. She thought that everyone in the Nightly Phantom Division was arrogant and domineering. Even a little boy who guarded the door dared to treat her like this.
"Second young lady, let's go!" Shen Zhen looked around and saw that many passers - by on the road were looking at them curiously. She then raised her hand and tugged at the corner of Shen Miao's clothes.
Shen Miao also came to her senses. She glanced at the onlookers but completely ignored them. She just led Shen Zhen away.
However, Shen Miao didn't give up. For the next three consecutive days, she went to the door of the Nightly Phantom Division every morning, knocked on the door and announced their arrival. It was still that little boy who opened the door. Every time they came, he didn't even bother to go inside and report. He just said that Shen Li was not there and then closed the door directly.
If Shen Miao continued to knock on the door, the little boy wouldn't come out. He just threatened her through the door panel. Shen Miao didn't dare to knock anymore and could only leave embarrassedly.
On the fifth day when Shen Miao went again, the little boy didn't just send them away directly. Instead, he opened one side of the door and let them in.
Shen Miao and Shen Zhen followed the little boy. After bypassing the rockery at the door, the front yard, and the garden corridor bridge, they arrived at the small courtyard where Shen Li lived.
It had been a quarter of an hour since Shen Miao and Shen Zhen entered the room, but no maids or servants came to attend to them, and they didn't see a single servant.
After waiting for another quarter of an hour, Shen Miao finally lost her patience. She got up and walked around in the hall. But after walking around twice, she didn't dare to go anywhere else for fear of triggering some mechanism.
"So it's my two younger sisters who've come!" A sound of footsteps approached. Shen Li came in from outside with Jiaoyue. When she saw Shen Miao and Shen Zhen, she said with a smile on her face.
"Sister!" Shen Miao and Shen Zhen greeted her at the same time.
"Don't be so polite, my two younger sisters!" Shen Li was very polite, clearly acting like a kind - hearted elder sister.
"My two younger sisters, you've come to see me, right?"
"Sister, we were worried that you might be bored here, so we came uninvited to visit you and help you pass the boring time. We don't want you to feel bored here!" Shen Miao also had a smiling face. When she spoke to Shen Li, her voice was soft and gentle.
"Oh? Then I really must thank my two younger sisters for your kindness! In this Nightly Phantom Division, there's really no one to talk to me and relieve my boredom. Now that my sisters are here, it's just right. You can talk to me more!"