Yu Si Yu strode into the courtyard with pent-up anger and saw a group of pozis[1] and maidservants with wooden boards used for punishment in their hands staring at her. Her legs immediately went soft. She held onto her imposing manner and slowly walked into the room step by step. Yet, she saw Yu Xiang lying on the couch eating melon seeds and her dark, shiny eyes drifted over revealing 30% pity and 70% sharpness in her gaze.
Qiu Shi knelt at her feet and surreptitiously shrank into a corner.
âGreat ⊠Itâs you, the old dog again! Do you think Yu Xiang is someone who is easy to handle? She is someone who wouldnât even spit out your bones[2]. She will kill you the instant you know about her nefarious secrets and no longer useful!â What else was there that Yu Si Yu didnât understand? Her face scrunched up as she yelled at Qiu Shi and how she wished that she could swallow her alive.
âEnough. Qiu Shi is a loyal person who knows how to protect her master, but it is merely because you donât appreciate it.â Yu Xiang straightened up and leisurely patted the melon shells off her skirt and sighed, âDiscard the scissors in your sleeves, or I will have them break your arms. Do you believe my words or not?â
As soon as the words were spoken, Tao Hong forcefully hit the board she was holding in her hand against the ground, the remaining people looked over at her like âdevils and monstersâ viciously[3].
Yu Si Yuâs fingers trembled and the scissors in her hand were thrown to the ground, the sharp point of the blade almost pierced her foot, causing her to immediately break out in cold sweat.
Yu Xiang leaned over with a lazy smile on her face and spoke slowly, âTell me, what nefarious secrets does Qiu Shi know about me that makes me want to kill her?â
âYouâŠYou have caused harm to your family member and ruined my reputation! You are selfish, cruel and vicious! You are not even human!â Yu Si Yu was a bit guilty at first, but gradually straightened her back and shouted.
âSpeak with more detail. How do I frame my family member and ruin your reputation?â Yu Xiang placed one elbow on the soft pillow and gently held her cheek. Her big eyes twinkled as if she was very eager to learn.
Yu Si Yu was quite flustered at the sight of her brilliant gaze. She secretly swallowed a mouthful of saliva and then complained, âDid you send the old dog to steal my Dudou in Fang Zhi Chenâs hand? The reason why the Fang familyâs mother and son went to the capital to cause trouble was also on your orders, right? You gave them travelling allowance and rent for the courtyard, didnât you? Youâve really gone great lengths to hurt me!â
As if she heard some hilarious joke, Yu Xiang burst out laughing so hard that the blouse on her shoulders slipped off, revealing half of her snow-white arms. She didnât care that her mannerism was provocative, her expression darkened and flicked her index finger at Yu Si Yu, âCome over here!â
The originally clear and melodious voice was slightly hoarse. It contained a heavy, heart-stopping sense of oppression, and several women with sticks took a few steps forward as they gave off a threatening attitude. The anger and complaints that had been drumming up in Yu Si Yuâs chest escaped with a âhissâ like a deflated ball. Whatâs left occupying her entire heart was trepidation.
She was extremely reluctant, but she was unable to control her feet from moving forward. She reluctantly moved forward as she stared at Yu Xiangâs gloomy face with timid eyes. Yu Xiang leaned in to scrutinise her, her sharp eyes were like steel knives slicing through bones, cutting her exposed flesh one by one.
Just when Yu Si Yu couldnât stand it any longer and wanted to retreat, the corner of Yu Xiangâs lips suddenly quirked and smirked. She slapped her so harshly that she fell to the ground.
Yu Si Yu was in pain. She covered her swollen cheeks and yelled, âHow dare you hit me? You caused me harm yet you still dare to hit me? Heavens is watching from above, sooner or later you will be punished!â Tears welled up as she spoke.
At this moment, she felt helpless. Having struggled for so many years, even though she refused to face it, she had to admit that she was jealous of Yu Xiang. More than that, she was afraid. She liked to provoke her, but was afraid of really making her angry, because she was aware she was incapable of going against against Yu Xiang
However, at this moment, Yu Xiang seemed to be really furious.
Yu Xiang was indeed furious and clasped Yu Si Yuâs jaw with her five fingers. She lifted her chin up and spoke in a deep voice, word-for-word, âYu Si Yu, do you know that you are really extremely stupid? Iâm going to shed some light for you. That Dudou was stolen by a second-rank maidservant named Jiang Xue, who was your personal maid and in charge of your daily living needs[4] in your courtyard. She handed it over to Jin Momo, who in turn gave it to her second-in-law to take down to Yangzhou. Her son-in-law hired a thug to lobby the Fang family, saying that he had been ordered by me to destroy your reputation and to create a scene, the bigger the better. Come and tell me, how did you offend Yu Miao Qi for her to set up such a venomous plan to harm your marriage? Do you think that the antique jades and even the farm lands that you took away from her were all blown away by the wind? Sheâs so quiet and obedient on the outside, but sheâd stab you to death on the inside!â
Yu Miao Qi was dumbfounded and a bolt of lightning flashed past in her head. In the last few sentences, she suddenly realised. If one ask how she offended Yu Miao Qi, wasnât it because she knew about her pedigree? Yes, if she were to marry to a family in the capital, how would she survive if she couldnât keep her mouth shut and spread the news about her pedigree? Whatâs more, she has asked for things from her three or four times privately, and everything is worth a fortune. It would be a wonder if she doesnât hate her!
If the two had exchanged position, Yu Si Yu would have trouble sleeping and eating racking her brain to deal with her.
However, on second thought, she hesitated and shouted, âYu Xiang, you donât need to sow discord between us. Qiâer is gentle, obedient and sincere. She would never harm me! You, on the other hand, squeeze me and force me all the timeâŠâ
Before she could complete her sentence, Yu Xiang smacked her again, clasping her jaw even harder and sighing, âWhy canât you wake up even after being slapped? Your life is a life of being sold and counting money for others! At least we have been together for so many years, you should know something about my character. I like to set fire openly and I dislike to play dirty tricks behind oneâs back. In addition, let me ask you, in all these years have I ever framed you behind your back?â
The corner of Yu Si Yuâs mouth slowly oozed out a trace of blood. She furrowed her brows for a moment, and reluctantly replied, âNo.â
âHave you ever had a servant give you a hard time?â
After a moment of silence, she shook her head. âNo.â
âHas anything ever been withheld from you?â
The silence grew shorter and shorter, âNo.â
âHave I ever embarrassed you in front of an outsider?â
âNo.â Thatâs because you are going to disgrace me immediately when you get home!
However, after she thought about it following Yu Xiangâs trail of questions. Yu Si Yu suddenly realised that she had been living a very comfortable life all these years, except for the bit of reluctance in her heart, and what she wore on her body and head, the things she ate, even though they werenât expensive or exquisite, but they were so much better than the other Duke or Marquisâ di daughter. Moreover, she had never been subjected to glares and disrespect from the servants. It was just that Qiu Shi, who was a bit annoying. However, most of the time, she bowed to her knees, buried herself in her work and never went wild in front of her. Although Yu Xiang was sharp-tongued and sometimes vicious, she never did anything behind her back. If she liked something, she would like it. If she hated someone, she would never disguise herself, unlike the duplicitous Yu Miao Qi.
As she recalled the memories, it became clearer and Yu Si Yu was rendered speechless. It turned out that her life all these years were not bad at all.
Yu Xiang let go of her bruised jaw and sneered, âBesides, if I wanted to harm you, I should have urged you to marry into the Fang family in the first place. Why would I need to stop you repeatedly? If you had married there, you would now be the Madam of the Fang family, and you would have a share in the disaster of your family properties being confiscated. Staying in prison would be a better outcome. The worst would to be forced into slavery and your dowry being confiscated. Iâm not sure where you got your arrogance from, but you charged in with scissors. I treated you with kindness and you treated me as if I am an evil spirit. But Yu Miao Qi was obviously trying to set you up behind your back, and you still develop a deep sisterly bond. Do you think you are stupid or not? Whatâs the point of having these two-face tricks? Might as well dig it up!â
These words were simply too reasonable that she couldnât even find the slightest flaw in what was said. Yu Si Yu was deep in thought for a long time and suddenly covered her face and cried. The words came out of her throat, âIâm stupid! I really donât know how to judge people!â If she had stabbed Yu Xiang today, she probably would have immediately been thrown by her Elder Brother to the mother and son of the Fang family, and disowned. Yu Miao Qi was really scheming!
In an instant, her hatred for Yu Xiang, Yu Pin Yan, and even for the Old Madam was all transferred to Yu Miao Qi, expanding and fermenting exponentially.