Qin Shuying looked toward Nanny Fu, whose eyes gleamed with cold intent. She nodded and said: “Miss, this old servant will go give them all a good talking-to!”

Qin Shuying nodded, saying: “Nanny, I trouble you with this.”

“Miss, this is also for their own good.”

In the courtyard, the maids and servants had already lined up neatly despite the cold wind. Nanny Fu gave them a thorough scolding with both warnings and threats, then instructed: “Matters of Yilan Garden – without Miss’s permission, absolutely no one is allowed to speak of them outside! If anyone thinks they can protect themselves by betraying their masters, just wait to see Hui Qin’s fate!”

In the cold wind, all the maids and servants trembled continuously, whether from cold or fear was unclear.

Hearing Nanny Fu’s words, Qin Shuying sneered coldly in her heart, her eyes glinting with icy intent, saying: “Change my clothes and shoes – I’m going to Yanfei Pavilion to confess my guilt!”

On the road from Yilan Garden to Yanfei Pavilion, Qin Shuying wept and wailed miserably, making such a commotion that the entire Qin mansion knew that Qin Shuying was going to Yanfei Pavilion to confess her guilt.

People from all the branches crowded at their courtyard gates to watch. Jin Huan had gone to Duke Chu’s mansion today, so it was Yin Huan at home. Yin Huan drove them away several times, but those maids and servants wouldn’t leave, hiding nearby to observe the situation at Yanfei Pavilion.

When Xu Shi heard this, she came out of the courtyard and saw Qin Shuying kneeling straight on the ground. She was so angry her whole body trembled: “Seventh Girl, what are you doing?!”

On the carriage ride home, Qin Fangfang had already told Xu Shi everything that had happened. Qin Shuying was clearly lying, but she couldn’t expose her lies. As for that little maid, she couldn’t possibly stand up to testify either. Xu Shi had lost this move quite badly.

Xu Shi had been holding in a bellyful of anger on the road.

But Qin Shuying knelt on the ground, moved forward a few steps, and tightly embraced Xu Shi’s legs: “First Madam, the urgent matter now isn’t to beat me, but to watch over Eighth Sister and not let her seek death!”

Nanny Liu looked at Qin Shuying with fear in her eyes. How had Seventh Miss become so bold? When Qin Fangfang told Xu Shi about today’s events, Nanny Liu had also been present.

— She had actually dared to personally push Eighth Miss into that room!

Qin Fangfang’s personal maid Cai Yue hurriedly entered. Qin Shuying shouted: “Cai Yue, you must watch over your miss, absolutely don’t let your miss seek death!”

Cai Yue was stunned for a moment but was clever enough not to speak, lifting the curtain and immediately going inside.

“Lu Ye! Why don’t you quickly help your miss back!” Nanny Liu was both anxious and annoyed, calling to Lu Ye while trying to pull apart Qin Shuying’s arms, saying: “Seventh Miss, please release the First Madam.”

Xu Shi’s eyes were already blazing with fury. When Qin Shuying relaxed her grip, she clutched her chest and hastily retreated.

Lu Ye said calmly: “Our miss feels guilty in her heart. Today she shouldn’t have listened to Sixth Miss and gone along to change clothes, and shouldn’t have twisted her ankle. When Eighth Miss said she was going to find people, Miss didn’t stop her – this was most inexcusable! Miss wants to kneel here and beg Master’s forgiveness. Nanny Liu, in matters concerning the masters, I as a servant dare not interfere.”

Xu Shi was so angry she nearly fainted, secretly gritting her teeth. Begging for Master’s forgiveness? Why did you make such a grand spectacle all the way here, alarming everyone in the Qin mansion?

Seeing Xu Shi couldn’t save face, Nanny Liu quickly said: “Madam, you are Eighth Miss’s pillar of support. With me here, please go in first to comfort Eighth Miss.”

Xu Shi also knew this wasn’t the time to reason with Qin Shuying. Qin Shuying was a demon!

Sure enough, Qin Shuying said: “First Madam, you should go in and see Eighth Sister first. I’m worried she might blame Sixth Sister, since it was Sixth Sister who told her to go…”

Xu Shi pointed at Qin Shuying about to scold her when Nanny Liu quickly tugged at her sleeve. Xu Shi’s chest heaved violently, and finally she bit her teeth hatefully, turned around, and was helped inside by Jin Huan.

Nanny Liu remained at the door to watch Qin Shuying, fearing she might say more shocking things. Seventh Miss was now simply unbelievable – who knew what other surprising things she might do.

Cai Yan’s leg was broken and she couldn’t move, so she had been carried back and placed in the middle of the courtyard with no one having the mind to deal with her. At this moment, she watched Qin Shuying tremblingly, her eyes filled with indescribable fear and terror.

She had never imagined that a sheltered young lady would dare to personally commit violence and break her leg! And at this very moment, Seventh Miss’s every word was enraging the First Madam.

Qin Yongtao was urgently called back from the government office. On the road, he hadn’t asked clearly what the situation was. Stepping into Yanfei Pavilion, he saw his niece kneeling on the ground, with a stretcher nearby holding a trembling Cai Yan, and some maids and servants standing in the courtyard, all looking alarmed.

Qin Yongtao stopped beside Qin Shuying, asking in confusion: “Seventh Girl, what are you kneeling here for?”

“Uncle!” Qin Shuying’s eyes were full of tears: “Shuying begs Uncle’s forgiveness!”

“What happened?”

Nanny Liu anxiously tried to interject: “Master…”

Qin Shuying turned and angrily said: “When the master is speaking, what business does a servant have interrupting! What kind of rule is this!”

Qin Yongtao was also somewhat displeased. Regardless, Qin Shuying was his niece after all. With his niece kneeling and a servant standing there wanting to interrupt her words – this was indeed improper.

However, the current situation looked strange no matter how one viewed it. He continued asking Qin Shuying: “Speak then, what happened.”

Nanny Liu became even more anxious, but without Qin Yongtao’s permission, she truly didn’t dare say anything.

At this moment, Qin Shuying again displayed her sharp tongue like a street shrew: “Eldest Uncle, at today’s banquet a maid soiled my dress. Sixth Sister wanted Ziteng to go out and get clothes for me to change. I thought it was too troublesome, but Sixth Sister insisted, and instructed Eighth Sister to personally lead me to change clothes. That path was not only remote but difficult to walk on. I twisted my foot, and Eighth Sister, worried I was in pain, took Cai Yan to find people from Duke Chu’s mansion while I waited alone in place for Eighth Sister. After waiting a long time, Ziteng found me, but I still hadn’t seen Eighth Sister return. Worried about Eighth Sister, I had Ziteng help me go to the place Eighth Sister mentioned. The result, the result… in that rest room, Eighth Sister was defiled by someone! Eldest Uncle, it’s all your niece’s fault! Eldest Uncle, your niece doesn’t dare ask for your forgiveness!”

She spoke ramblingly, as if nervously confused and disorderly, yet still hit the key points.

Many thoughts turned in Qin Yongtao’s mind, his emotions barely changing, finally saying: “I understand!”

“Eldest Uncle! Eldest Uncle! Please listen to your niece…”

Qin Shuying’s explanations and crying, Qin Yongtao didn’t listen to at all. With a wave of his hand, he stepped up the stairs and walked into the room.

Nanny Liu didn’t dare go in but was worried about Xu Shi, so she called two maids to watch Qin Shuying and followed inside herself.

Qin Shuying lowered her eyelids. Qin Fangfang was Qin Yongtao’s concubine-born daughter. Upon learning that Qin Fangfang had been defiled, how much pity did Qin Yongtao feel?

Concubine-born daughters were merely tools to him.

If the person who had followed her today had been Qin Yunyun, what would Qin Yongtao’s reaction have been?

Qin Shuying’s eyes flickered with strange light, appearing eerie and mysterious in the dim lamplight.