Ren Yaoqi instructed people to carry Yun Qiufang back and comforted everyone: “This is the white tiger raised by the County Princess. Don’t be afraid – it’s intelligent and won’t harm people.”

Yun Qiufang was carried away, and Yan Ningshuang was helped to her feet.

The terror on her face hadn’t yet faded, and her gaze at Ren Yaoqi revealed undisguised disgust and hatred.

She pushed away the maids supporting her and took a step toward Ren Yaoqi: “You…”

But when she tried to take a second step, Silly Girl, who had been lying obediently under the tree, suddenly stood up, arched her body, and growled low in this direction. This growl was completely different from her usual coaxing “roar” – it carried the true dominance of the king of the mountains and forests, frightening everyone into taking an involuntary step back.

Yan Ningshuang was also scared into withdrawing her step. She looked with an ugly expression at the white tiger staring at her with hostility, as if it would pounce and bite through her throat if she dared take another step forward.

Ren Yaoqi stood there without moving, not turning to comfort Silly Girl, only quietly watching Yan Ningshuang. After a long while, she smiled and gently instructed: “Why don’t you quickly help Miss Yan back to rest.”

Only after everyone had left the garden did Ren Yaoqi walk to Silly Girl and stroke her head, saying softly: “They say beast hearts are the purest, so they can easily sense others’ hostility.”

Silly Girl couldn’t understand what Ren Yaoqi was saying, but she liked having her head petted, so she ingratiatingly rubbed her big head against Ren Yaoqi’s hand: “Roar—”

Ren Yaoqi patted her again: “You snuck out today and caused trouble. I estimate your master will probably punish you with three baths before giving up.”

Silly Girl’s body, which had been acting cute and coquettish, stiffened. She looked up at Ren Yaoqi pitifully: “Roar—”

Seeing this, Leshan and Leshui couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

Leshui said, “Miss, this tiger is so smart, it must have become a spirit! This servant heard that white tigers are spiritual, so they easily become supernatural creatures.”

Ren Yaoqi walked outward, with Silly Girl following dejectedly behind her.

Ren Yaoqi instructed Pingguo: “Go find Nanny Duan and have her find someone to take Silly Girl back.”

She had originally thought today’s drama was about to end, but unexpectedly, today’s events weren’t finished yet.

The earlier commotion in the garden had drawn back some curious young ladies who hadn’t gone far, while others with more cautious temperaments sent their maids or attendants to see what had happened.

When Ren Yaoqi emerged from the garden with Silly Girl, she heard successive screams.

Ren Yaoqi sighed and turned to glance at Silly Girl behind her.

Silly Girl stared with innocent big eyes: “Roar?”

She was about to say a few words to calm the chaotic scene when she heard an even more piercing scream from the distance: “Ah—there are thieves—someone come!”

This cry of alarm would normally terrify people, but tonight, because of Silly Girl’s appearance, everyone had already been frightened once. Now when they heard someone shouting “there are thieves,” the scene wasn’t too chaotic – people’s faces showed more bewilderment than anything.

Hearing this, Ren Yaoqi’s heart tightened, and she quickly said: “Don’t panic, everyone, go to Yunqi Pavilion!”

If there were thieves, these people running around blindly would inevitably cause accidents. If they all took refuge in Yunqi Pavilion and secured the doors, they’d be safe once the guards heard the commotion and arrived.

But although this wasn’t the inner courtyard of the hot spring villa, guards were stationed outside as well. How could thieves get in?

These young ladies who had returned to watch the excitement were all quite young and all ran into the Yunqi Pavilion. But before Ren Yaoqi could reach the entrance to Yunqi Pavilion, she saw a black-clothed figure run out from the shadows. Both sides froze when they came face to face.

This black-clothed person wore night clothes with mouth and nose covered, leaving only a pair of eyes exposed. When Ren Yaoqi met that person’s gaze, she was momentarily stunned, while the black-clothed figure stopped and stood motionless.

Those who hadn’t yet managed to hide in Yunqi Pavilion screamed again.

Ren Yaoqi had once heard that some cat burglars or spies would cover their faces when operating at night. She felt that if this practice was to prevent being recognized, then either the two parties were complete strangers who had never met, or the thief’s appearance was too ordinary, without any distinctive features, so that even without a mask they wouldn’t be recognized.

This thief, before her, met neither condition, so Ren Yaoqi recognized at a glance that this was an acquaintance.

Ren Yaoqi didn’t know why she still had the leisure to ponder this at such a time. Perhaps it was because Leshan, Leshui, and Silly Girl were all nearby, making her less afraid, or perhaps the current situation was too absurd, making her feel somewhat powerless and helpless even when facing it.

The guards of the hot spring villa reacted quickly. Before the black-clothed figure could approach them, they arrived.

“Who are you?” The guard saw that this black-clothed person stood there without speaking or moving, and didn’t seem about to attack anyone. Finding this strange, he shouted a rebuke.

Just then, someone exclaimed stutteringly: “Yun, Yun, Second Young Master Yun…”

Some people admired the Yun family’s eldest young master’s gentle, jade-like scholarly demeanor, while naturally others were infatuated with the Yun family’s second young master’s handsome, romantic, graceful, and unrestrained character. Among the young ladies of Yunyang City, quite a few regarded Yun Wenfang as the man of their spring boudoir dreams, openly and secretly paying attention to him. This young lady, who recognized the masked Second Young Master Yun, was one of them.

At this point, the guards also reacted, looking questioningly at the black-clothed man.

The black-clothed man thought of something, laughed mockingly, then raised his hand to tear off the face covering, revealing a handsome face with shapely eyebrows and starry eyes.

Seeing it was indeed Second Young Master Yun, the guards couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. Just as they were about to ask why he appeared here in such attire, a voice spoke first: “Second Brother? Why are you here? What’s with this outfit?”

Not far away, the Yun family’s eldest daughter, Yun Qiuchen, and the Su family’s eldest daughter hurried over.

Hearing this, Yun Wenfang looked toward Yun Qiuchen. His starry eyes were bottomlessly black, and even the mocking smile that had hung on his face earlier was restrained.

Yun Qiuchen met Yun Wenfang’s eyes, then nonchalantly turned her gaze away, scanning the people present before stopping on Ren Yaoqi. She glanced at Silly Girl behind Ren Yaoqi and stopped five or six steps away from her: “Miss Ren, what happened? My second brother didn’t cause trouble, did he?”

Ren Yaoqi looked at Yun Qiuchen: “I just finished escorting Third Miss Yun and Miss Yan back. I’m not clear what happened here.”

At this moment, rustling sounds came from nearby bushes. A guard who had been standing aside moved like lightning, reaching into the bushes to grab and pull out a person dressed as a servant carrying a bundle, throwing him to the ground.

The servant fell face-first, tremblingly raised his head to look, then was so frightened he immediately lowered his head again. The bundle he’d been clutching fell to the ground, scattering banknotes and gold and silver ingots everywhere.

The guard frowned, bent down to pick up the bundle: “Did you steal this?”

The servant quickly shook his head: “No, no, no, I’m not a thief, I…”

Yun Qiuchen nearby glanced at the servant and said with a darkened expression: “Afu? Why are you here?”

Ren Yaoqi looked at Yun Qiuchen, then at the servant kneeling on the ground, frowning.

Seeing that the Yun family’s eldest daughter knew this servant, the guard was even more puzzled. But this servant, clutching a bundle of money and acting sneakily, definitely had some hidden story. He looked around at everyone, then walked to Ren Yaoqi: “Miss Ren, this person’s behavior is suspicious. Should we take him away for questioning first?”

Today’s guards at the hot spring villa were all Xiao Hua’s people, and Xiao Hua was Prince Xiao Jingxi’s trusted confidant, so they had received instructions early on. Now that the real masters of Prince Yanbei’s mansion weren’t present, they consciously sought instructions from the future mistress.

Just as Ren Yaoqi was about to respond, the servant called Afu suddenly scrambled toward Yun Wenfang: “Young Master, save me—Young Master, save me—this slave was following your orders to wait for you here! You said you were coming to take Ren… uh… pff…”

Before Afu could finish speaking, Yun Wenfang’s eyes suddenly turned vicious, and he kicked Afu in the throat. Afu’s words were stuck in his throat, and he spat out blood.

Yun Wenfang’s gaze was ice-cold. Before the guards could rush over to stop him, he moved with extreme speed, stepping his hard-soled boot on Afu’s neck. With a “crack,” Afu died before he could even cry out in pain, his throat crushed by the foot. He died with wide-open eyes.

This sudden turn of events came too quickly. Everyone stood stunned watching this scene until someone screamed out loud.

Yun Wenfang expressionlessly wiped his boot clean on Afu’s corpse, then slowly turned to look coldly at Yun Qiuchen, approaching her step by step.

Yun Qiuchen felt cold inside. She forced herself not to retreat, but her body couldn’t help trembling.

She had never seen Yun Wenfang like this. She had always thought she understood this second brother of hers. From childhood, whenever Yun Wenfang wanted something, he would try every means to get it, even using unscrupulous methods regardless of the consequences. He didn’t care if his actions would hurt anyone, nor did he fear bringing disaster to his family. He was accustomed to supreme arrogance, only seeing what he wanted.

Yun Qiuchen had thought this time would be the same.

“Second Brother, what are you trying to do?” Yun Qiuchen tried to calm herself down, softening her tone.

Yun Wenfang continued staring at her with those dark eyes. When he reached a step away from her, he extended his hand.

Yun Qiuchen was startled, turned to glance at Ren Yaoqi, her voice somewhat uncontrolled as she called: “Second Brother!”

Yun Wenfang paused, lowered his hand, and pulled at the corner of his mouth in a smile that didn’t reach his eyes: “Don’t you know what I’m trying to do? Aren’t you the one who knows best?”

Yun Qiuchen breathed a sigh of relief and forced a smile: “What does Second Brother mean by this?”

Yun Wenfang looked at her and raised an eyebrow, returning to his usual careless tone, but his words were suggestive: “Weren’t you the one who instructed that slave to say I came here for an elopement? Now you ask what I mean? I’d like to ask you how this play should be performed!”

As soon as Yun Wenfang’s words came out, the people present couldn’t help but gasp. Everyone’s astonished gazes shuttled back and forth between Yun Wenfang and Yun Qiuchen. This blood-pumping secret made people forget their earlier fear of the dead man. Those who had originally wanted to avoid the scene couldn’t help but stop to listen to what these siblings would say next.

Yun Qiuchen’s face had paled somewhat, though she still maintained her usual composure: “I don’t understand Second Brother’s meaning. What elope… how can you say such things in public?”

Yun Wenfang laughed mockingly, then suddenly changed expression and viciously slapped Yun Qiuchen across the face.

Yun Wenfang had practiced martial arts, and after several years of training, his skills were quite good. Ordinary men couldn’t withstand such a blow from him, and this slap showed no tender mercy toward the fairer sex, nor any consideration for sibling affection. Yun Qiuchen was struck to the ground by his slap, blood immediately flowing from her mouth and nostrils. One side of her face quickly swelled up. She couldn’t even cry out before collapsing to the ground, unable to get up, though she didn’t lose consciousness.

“This slap should help you remember that climbing up the ladder shamelessly is one thing, but don’t think you can use just anyone as your stepping stone!”