chapter 9
Chapter 9
After finishing her evening meal, Ye Piaoling had just stepped out of the main hall when a maid rushed over joyfully.
“Eldest Miss, is it really you? You’ve truly come back!”
Qiao Shu dropped to her knees, her face brimming with excitement and delight.
Ye Piaoling looked at her.
Qiao Shu had accompanied the original host for many years, enjoying plenty of benefits during her glory days. But after the original host fell from grace, she quickly attached herself to Aunt Liu and began treating the original host with cold disdain.
Now, Qiao Shu put on a tearful display of overwhelming joy, sobbing, “Eldest Miss, ever since you left, I’ve missed you every day. Now that you’ve finally returned, I can serve you again-I’m truly so happy…”
“Are you done crying?” Ye Piaoling asked with concern.
“Ah?”
Qiao Shu was momentarily stunned.
Ye Piaoling said, “If you’re done, then hurry up and get lost.”
Qiao Shu was shocked, her voice mournful. “Eldest Miss, are-are you abandoning your maid?”
Ye Piaoling laughed. “What a thing to say. You’re Aunt Liu’s maid from Wenxiang Courtyard-what does that have to do with me?”
“Eldest Miss, I only went to Wenxiang Courtyard because I had no choice!”
Qiao Shu quickly tried to play the victim: “It was Aunt Liu who set her sights on me, insisting on transferring me to serve her. Though I stayed in Wenxiang Courtyard for a few days, I never once forgot about you… In my heart, Eldest Miss, you’re the only true mistress!”
With that, she kowtowed forcefully several times.
Ye Piaoling sighed. “If you keep this up, I’m going to throw up.”
Qiao Shu: “…”
Still unwilling to give up, Qiao Shu asked with a plaintive tone, “Eldest Miss, what do you mean by this?”
Ye Piaoling replied, “It means we can’t be together. Please stay far away from me in the future. Thank you.”
“…”
All the words Qiao Shu had prepared were now stuck in her throat.
She lowered her head, resentment boiling in her heart.
This damned Eldest Miss is so petty and refuses to let me return!
Looks like I’ll have to go back to Aunt Liu.
Qiao Shu adjusted her mood and said pitifully, “Eldest Miss is not in good spirits today. I dare not trouble you further. I’ll come to visit another day…”
As she stood up to leave, she suddenly seemed to remember something, her face filled with admiration. “Oh right, I heard that today Eldest Miss was especially formidable, even controlling Aunt Liu to say many things. Did you learn some new magic? I’ve never seen such a miraculous spell that can control others!”
Ye Piaoling sneered. “She said all that herself-what does it have to do with me? Are you dawdling because you want me to throw you out?”
Qiao Shu’s expression shifted, and she bowed. “This maid takes her leave.”
Watching her retreating figure, Ye Piaoling thought: People like this, ungrateful and two-faced, are way too common in TV dramas…
After leaving Ye Piaoling’s courtyard, Qiao Shu was filled with resentment.
Who would have thought the Eldest Miss would become so difficult and refuse to show any sentiment-damnable!
Cursing in her heart, Qiao Shu suddenly spotted someone.
Dressed in black, handsome and dashing, fanning himself leisurely under a large tree for shade.
It was Fox Shadow.
Qiao Shu’s eyes flickered. Since she hadn’t gotten any useful information from Ye Piaoling, she’d have nothing to report if she returned; perhaps she could pry something out of Fox Shadow…
She tidied her hair and approached, offering a polite greeting:
“Brother Fox Shadow, I heard that Eldest Miss’s Immortal Vein will recover next month. Is that true?”
Fox Shadow replied, “Obviously.”
Qiao Shu pressed further: “Once Eldest Miss’s Immortal Vein recovers, will her cultivation return to what it was before?”
Fox Shadow answered lazily, “Not quite.”
Qiao Shu felt a bit relieved at that.
If she’s only recovering her Immortal Vein but not her cultivation, then it’s nothing remarkable!
Fox Shadow continued, “Once Eldest Miss’s Immortal Vein recovers, her cultivation will certainly surpass what it once was-how could it just go back to before?”
Upon hearing this, Qiao Shu nearly spat blood on the spot.
Fox Shadow fanned himself, sighing contentedly, “This Falling Petals Courtyard really is the best place in the entire Ye Mansion!”
“…”
Qiao Shu left in resentment.
Upon returning to Wenxiang Courtyard, the place was already in chaos.
Aunt Liu was gravely injured and could not get up, while Ye Tianbao had no concept of Aunt Liu’s injury and continued to bawl and make a scene.
Although he had been beaten, he was not seriously hurt. In the past, even if he just tripped, there would always be maids and servants coaxing him for a long time. Today, however, no one fussed over him, and no one helped him seek revenge against Ye Piaoling.
“My butt hurts! It’s all that good-for-nothing’s fault! Go beat her to death!”
Ye Tianbao lay on the bed, wailing loudly.
A maid brought in food: “Young Master, please get up and have your dinner.”
“I don’t want to eat!”
Ye Tianbao jumped up and overturned all the food onto the floor.
He then stomped on the scattered dishes several times, turning the decent meal into a total mess:
“If you don’t beat that good-for-nothing to death, I won’t eat!”
The maid had no choice but to withdraw.
Qiao Shu watched the chaos in the courtyard, feeling even more stifled and disgusted.
She reported to Aunt Liu, “The Eldest Miss seems to be much more cunning than before. She won’t reveal anything.”
“That wretch…” Aunt Liu gnashed her teeth in anger.
Qiao Shu said, “Madam, you must come up with a plan quickly! Master needs to be appeased!”
Aunt Liu took a deep breath.
Ye Liaozhai would never forgive her. Sooner or later, he would definitely order someone to put her to death.
If she wanted to survive, there was only one way left…
Aunt Liu beckoned Qiao Shu over and whispered a few instructions into her ear.
…
The next day.
Ye Liaozhai summoned a well-known Jianghu Sorcerer to check on Aunt Liu’s condition.
After performing a ritual, the sorcerer concluded:
“Aunt Liu lost her mind because she was possessed by a Fox Demon. Everything she said yesterday was complete nonsense, utter madness-neither sincere nor in line with the truth.”
Ye Liaozhai nodded in satisfaction-this was exactly the outcome he wanted.
He needed an explanation to restore his own reputation.
After what happened yesterday, rumors of his marital impotence had already spread throughout the Imperial City.
After morning court, even General Hua winked at him and said, “Prime Minister Ye, you’re always busy with state affairs-take care of your health!”
The implication was clear.
What was even more annoying, a Jianghu Physician had just come by, offering to sell him Aphrodisiacs…
Ye Liaozhai was nearly beside himself with rage.
Now that he had the sorcerer’s statement, he immediately ordered his people to spread these words and had the sorcerer perform a ritual to exorcise evil from Aunt Liu.
But all this was just for show-Ye Liaozhai knew that what Aunt Liu had said was most likely the truth!
So he decided that in a couple of days, he would secretly have someone end her life.
Such a hypocritical and venomous woman-how could he possibly keep her around?
After the sorcerer performed the ritual in Wenxiang Courtyard, it wasn’t long before the maid Qiao Shu hurried over to report something urgent.
Ye Liaozhai put on a stern face and scolded, “What’s gotten you so flustered?”
Qiao Shu knelt and said, “Reporting to Master, the Fox Demon that had possessed Aunt Liu has been driven out. When Aunt Liu regained her senses, she was overcome with pain and sorrow, and… and hanged herself…”
Upon hearing this, Ye Liaozhai exhaled deeply.
How convenient!
That wretch knowing to hang herself saved him the trouble of doing it himself.
Qiao Shu continued, “Fortunately, I arrived in time and rescued Aunt Liu.”
Ye Liaozhai: “…”
Qiao Shu said, “Aunt Liu was at death’s door. I immediately summoned a physician, and after checking her pulse, the physician found that Aunt Liu… is already pregnant!”
Ye Liaozhai had initially blamed the maid for meddling, but at these words, his expression changed dramatically:
“What did you say? She’s pregnant again?”
“Yes!” Qiao Shu kowtowed, “Congratulations, Master! The Ye family is about to welcome another precious child!”
After hearing this, Ye Liaozhai did not rush to rejoice.
At this critical juncture, that wretch suddenly turns up pregnant?
What a coincidence!
There’s no telling if she made it up on purpose, knowing her life was in danger.