What a soul-searching question this was.

Zhu Yao knew Qiu Shu’s capabilities. If she refused, there would only be two outcomes.

Either the other party would pester her relentlessly, or she would thoroughly offend Qiu Shu and from then on be constantly restricted in Yanjing City, suffering targeted attacks from those young ladies one after another.

Both outcomes were disadvantageous to her! But—if she agreed, wouldn’t she be opening a backdoor for the other party? If word got out, the Zhu Family would suffer disaster. No matter how naive Zhu Yao was, no matter how innocent, she understood this underlying principle. Therefore, she absolutely could not implicate her own Zhu Family because of this.

What a monumental dilemma! Seeing that she had thought for so long without giving her an answer, Qiu Shu continued: “Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone about today’s matter, and no one will know. Besides, if I speak of it, it would do me no good either. You don’t need to worry about anything—nothing will happen! You just need to say a few words in front of your father. This doesn’t count as bribery. Even if someone investigates, they won’t find anything conclusive. What’s there to fear!”

Zhu Yao thought it over again and again.

“Stop hesitating. I guarantee nothing will happen. It’s just saying a few words—it doesn’t amount to anything!”

“But…”

“No ‘buts.’ If you refuse, it means you don’t forgive me and don’t consider me a sister.”

Zhu Yao took a deep breath. With no other choice, she could only grit her teeth: “Fine, I’ll agree, but I’m only mentioning a few words to my father, nothing else intended.”

“Naturally nothing else intended!”

How shrewd Qiu Shu was! She thought to herself that if Zhu Yao was willing to mention a few words before Minister Zhu, it clearly showed they had a good sisterly relationship. When the time came, Minister Zhu would definitely look after her, and passing the initial selection would be no problem!

Now her heart was finally at ease. Afterward, she placed her attention on the box she had brought, patted it with her hand, and said with a smile: “This hairpin is extremely precious. Since I brought it, I have no intention of taking it back. Just accept it—it’s a token of my sincerity, consider it… my apology to you. I shouldn’t have treated you that way before! Since it was my fault, let this hairpin serve as our reconciliation.”

“Thank you for your kind intention, but please take it back.”

“You must accept it!” Qiu Shu stood up, not giving Zhu Yao another chance to refuse. With a beaming face she said, “Well then, I won’t disturb you any longer.”

With that, she turned to leave.

Her feet suddenly stopped at the doorway. Turning back, she said: “The most famous dishes here are the trotters and pear soup. I’ll have someone send some over shortly.”

This time she really left!

Left with complete joy!

Though Zhu Yao breathed a sigh of relief, she still quietly sighed, looking at the box before her with complicated feelings.

Cai’er had been watching all of this from the side. She asked softly: “Miss, that Miss Qiu has always bullied you in the past. Now she’s being so ingratiating simply because she wants to use you. You’re not really going to help her, are you?”

“What do you think?”

“If it were this servant, I definitely wouldn’t help.”

“If I hadn’t agreed, she wouldn’t have left.”

Cai’er also looked conflicted and continued asking: “What about this hairpin then? Miss, you’re not really going to keep it, are you?”

This was also what troubled Zhu Yao! She opened the box—the jade-green hairpin inside was indeed beautiful, but she preferred simple and elegant styles. How could she like this kind? After closing the box, she instructed Cai’er: “When we return, take this and return it to Miss Qiu, and prepare some small gifts to send along with it.”

“Yes!” Cai’er put the box away for the time being.

…

On another side, Li Shiyan brought Luo Yang into a private room and ordered much wine.

The two began their “killing spree”!

They drank relentlessly, bottle after bottle poured down their throats.

As a result, both got thoroughly drunk and spouted much nonsense.

Fortunately, Xiao Luzi hadn’t been drinking and kept trying to dissuade them: “Young Master, don’t drink anymore. You can’t keep drinking like this!”

“Let me drink, get… away!” Li Shiyan, drunk and high-spirited, swung his arm forcefully, causing the wine from the flask in his hand to spill out.

Because his arm moved with too much force, the wound on his arm split open and began bleeding, blood slowly seeping through his clothes.

This terrified Xiao Luzi, who cried out: “Oh no, Young Master, you’re injured.”

“It’s nothing, just a small wound.”

“How is this nothing?” Xiao Luzi forcibly snatched the wine from Li Shiyan’s hand, his face full of worry. “Young Master, we need to quickly go see a physician.”

“I said… it’s not necessary!”

“If something happens to you, the Marquis will worry, and I’ll lose my life too.”

Xiao Luzi hurriedly called several servers from outside to help the completely drunk Luo Yang and Li Shiyan out.

On the way out, Li Shiyan and Luo Yang kept insisting they wanted to drink…

Xiao Luzi watched as the blood on his master’s arm increased, and could only carefully support him, afraid of touching the wound.

Who would have known they would run into Qiu Shu.

Qiu Shu and Luo Yang already had bad blood between them. Running into him now, a surge of anger welled up again. Seeing that he was drunk, she felt the time for revenge had finally come, so she blocked their way.

A server said: “Miss Qiu?”

She asked with feigned concern: “What happened? How did they get so drunk?”

“This humble one isn’t sure.”

“Though it’s not particularly unusual—everyone knows the Young Master likes to drink.”

Xiao Luzi was anxious to take Li Shiyan to see a physician. With Qiu Shu blocking them like this, he hurriedly said: “Miss Qiu, the Young Master is injured. I need to quickly take him to see a physician.” As he spoke, he pointed to Li Shiyan’s arm.

Qiu Shu took a look: “Then you’d better hurry and go.” Then she glanced at Luo Yang. “His name is Luo Yang. I’m acquainted with him. You take the Young Master quickly to see a physician—leave him to me. I’ll send him back shortly.”

“Then I’ll trouble Miss Qiu.”

“It’s a small matter.”

Xiao Luzi and two servers supported Li Shiyan and left, leaving behind the completely drunk Luo Yang, whose consciousness was already blurred.

Qiu Shu looked at Luo Yang, who was like half a corpse. She reached out and lifted his drooping head, looked at his confused eyes, and the corner of her mouth curved wickedly as she said: “You little punk, you too have a day when you fall into my hands.”

Luo Yang looked at her groggily, but the shadow before his eyes swayed indistinctly. He asked with drunken breath: “Who are you?”

“Who am I? I’m your great-aunt.”

“Great-aunt? My great-aunt… should have died long ago. How did you… come back to life? Is it cold underground?” Luo Yang suddenly reached out to touch the face of the person before him. “Great-aunt, don’t be afraid, let me… touch you.”

Qiu Shu looked disgusted and slapped away the hand reaching toward her.

Fortunately, a server was supporting Luo Yang, or he would have already fallen. After stumbling a few steps, he said again: “Great-aunt, why… are you hitting me?”

Qiu Shu’s face darkened!

Her chest hurt with anger.

Who would have thought this little brat could still insult people even drunk like this—truly detestable.

Enraged, she reached out and gripped Luo Yang’s cheeks, glaring at him: “A dog’s mouth spits no ivory—you’re just asking for a lesson.”

Who would have known Luo Yang would suddenly belch, his alcoholic breath hitting Qiu Shu’s face directly, rushing into her nose.

That moment, Qiu Shu’s face turned livid with anger!

Then she pushed Luo Yang away again and ordered the two servers beside her: “Bring him along.”

The servers didn’t know what was going on, but they complied anyway.

Supporting Luo Yang, they followed Qiu Shu to the private room.

“Let go of him!”

A server said: “Let go? Won’t he just fall to the ground?”

“I told you to let go, so let go.”

“Yes.”

As soon as the two servers released him, Luo Yang collapsed to the ground like a boneless kitten, his body still wriggling a few times, his mouth continuously calling out: “Wine, I want to drink wine.”

What a drunkard addicted to alcohol like life itself!

Qiu Shu stared at him and said: “Fine, you want to drink wine? This young lady will let you drink your fill.” She ordered the servers, “Go fetch two basins of water—one with ice, one hot.”

The servers couldn’t figure out her scheme, but as masters give orders and they serve, they just needed to obey. They hurriedly went to fetch two basins of water.

One cold!

One hot!

Qiu Shu walked before Luo Yang, who lay like a puddle of mud. Looking down at him from her superior position, the corner of her mouth curved up wickedly, extremely sinister. She glanced at the cold water and ordered: “Pour it!”

“Miss Qiu, this could cause someone’s death.”

“What’s there to fear? If something happens, I’ll take responsibility.”

The server hesitated briefly but ultimately poured it. “Splash!”