"But something about this really doesn't add up. Why would this maid target you and Jiang?" Song Tianyang asked, puzzled. He looked at the spirited woman, then finally couldn't hold back any longer. "Miss, I remember she's been with you for quite some time, hasn't she?"
"It's been two years. I saw her at a border market and took pity on her, so I paid to buy her freedom. Otherwise, she would probably have ended up being sold to those Nanman..." The spirited woman paused, her voice catching. Then, as if a thought had suddenly struck her, she said, "Nanman? Could she be...?"
Song Tianyang drew a deep breath, his expression dawning with understanding. "No wonder. Now it all makes sense. Miss, you must have fallen into the Nanman's trap. This maid was a spy they planted by your side, which is why she knows martial arts. She hid it incredibly well—even your guards never noticed."
"Your status is distinguished, and the lord of your estate holds high office and commands the army. The Nanman have long wanted to invade the north, but they've always been wary of the three thousand Moyun Iron Cavalry under your Ye family's command. You're a thorn in their side, a pain in their neck."
The more Song Tianyang spoke, the more smoothly his explanation flowed. Ye Qiutang's expression darkened with every word, and even a trace of fear crept into her eyes. She had guarded against every possibility, yet she'd never imagined those Nanman would still harbor evil intentions and plant a spy right beside her.
Jiang Cheng had planned to muddy the waters and, while he was at it, persuade Ye Qiutang and Song Tianyang, the leaders of the group, to work with him. But who could have guessed that the two of