Upon entering, Qin Yongtao saw Xu Shi lying on the imperial concubine’s chair with Jin Huan helping her catch her breath, while Yin Huan and Cai Yue attended to the dazed-looking Qin Fangfang. The formerly lively and pretty young daughter now looked like a puppet, her eyes occasionally rolling as tears continuously streamed down.

However, these things weren’t important in Qin Yongtao’s eyes. She was merely a concubine-born daughter.

Qin Yongtao looked directly at Xu Shi, his voice very calm: “Was it you who wanted to ruin Seventh Girl’s reputation, but someone saw through it, so Seventh Girl escaped unscathed while Eighth Girl suffered instead? Yes or no?”

When Xu Shi saw Qin Yongtao’s expression, her heartbeat, which had just calmed down slightly, began racing frantically again. She involuntarily covered her chest. Nanny Liu quickly stepped forward to help Xu Shi calm down, pleading with Qin Yongtao: “Master, Madam can’t take any more shocks…”

Qin Yongtao lifted his foot and kicked, striking Nanny Liu in the chest. She flew several steps away and crashed into the table leg with a “Bang!”, the pain tearing through her, yet she didn’t dare make a sound.

“What are you doing? You might as well kill me!”

Xu Shi screamed. She had hoped her husband would help them turn the tables, but unexpectedly he came to punish her right-hand woman without asking any questions.

“Kill you? I’ll kill these stupid servants first! Without them, there’s one less disaster! All of you get out! Tell Seventh Girl to go back too!”

Qin Yongtao pointed at Nanny Liu, veins bulging on his forehead, yet his voice remained flat and calm.

Xu Shi fearfully shrank her shoulders. Qin Yongtao was truly angry – furious to the extreme. Nanny Liu was so frightened she nearly lost control of her bladder. Covering her chest, she crawled and rolled out, while the three maids also fled in panic.

“Crash!” Qin Yongtao forcefully swept his arm, sending the tea set on the table crashing to the floor in pieces. “Foolish!”

Hearing this in the courtyard, Nanny Liu looked up and met Qin Shuying’s half-smiling expression.

Qin Shuying patted her legs and stood up, saying to Nanny Liu: “Nanny Liu, tell me, why is Uncle so angry? Could it be that my sincerity in confessing wasn’t enough?”

Nanny Liu, still not recovered from being frightened by Qin Yongtao’s murderous aura, was startled again upon hearing Qin Shuying’s voice. She stared at Qin Shuying in a daze.

Had this legitimate daughter from the third branch truly gone mad?

Qin Shuying smiled faintly and said: “Since Uncle doesn’t welcome me, I’ll come again another day.”

Cai Yan also saw Qin Shuying’s meaningful smile, and her body trembled even more violently.

Inside the room.

Qin Yongtao sneered coldly: “You still haven’t answered my question from earlier. Yes, or no?”

Xu Shi didn’t dare look into Qin Yongtao’s eyes, deflecting by talking about other things: “Eighth Girl is in this state, Master, shouldn’t we first think of ways to handle Eighth Girl’s situation…”

Qin Yongtao’s eyes held no warmth as he interrupted her: “Good, very good! I’m struggling to cope outside, Her Ladyship is walking on thin ice in the palace, the Sixth Prince is concealing his talents, and you – with one light sentence – have washed away all our efforts! Very good! Very good! Do you know what people outside are saying about me? Do you know how many censors are submitting memorials to impeach me to the Emperor? Do you know how many rumors Concubine Lian has to deal with in the palace? Do you know how much pressure the Sixth Prince has to bear? Second Girl’s affair – you think I don’t know? You think no one outside suspects? You think you did it flawlessly?!”

Qin Yongzhou’s tone grew higher with each sentence. Xu Shi looked up in terror: “No, no, that’s impossible…”

“Impossible? Go say that to Concubine Lian, go say that to the Sixth Prince!”

Xu Shi began stuttering: “How, how…”

Qin Yongzhou brushed his sleeves, his voice returning to calm: “That business with Yuan Zhen the other day was also your doing, wasn’t it? What, still can’t see that Seventh Girl no longer trusts you?”

Xu Shi stared blankly, still wanting to argue: “I…”

“What? Still won’t admit it?”

Xu Shi opened her mouth but couldn’t speak. At this moment, Qin Fangfang cried: “Father, what should I do?”

“What to do? Marry over there, that’s what! Otherwise, what do you think? Become a nun? Drown yourself in a pond?”

“No, I don’t want to, I don’t want to!”

Qin Yongtao couldn’t be bothered to say more: “This matter will soon have rumors flying everywhere. I don’t have time to listen to your theatrical performance here. I’ll quickly arrange for someone to settle the marriage. As for Seventh Girl, Xu Shi, she is my younger brother’s only bloodline and the daughter-in-law chosen by the Liu family. You actually dared to move against her? What exactly are you trying to do?”

Xu Shi mumbled: “No, there wasn’t…”

Qin Yongzhou’s expression was grim as he slammed the table: “There wasn’t? You foolish woman! Do you want people to point at my spine so I can’t hold my head up? Seventh Girl is Third Brother’s daughter – when the time comes, we’ll just give her some dowry and marry her off. How does that hinder you? Wasn’t the last lesson enough? Very well…”

Qin Yongtao suddenly smiled coldly, lifted the curtain, and strode out.

Xu Shi watched the curtain beads swing back and forth, gripping her handkerchief tightly. Now Qin Yongtao had taken another pretty maid into his service – he was bewitched by that seductive creature…

Xu Shi thought hatefully, while her mind incredulously recalled Qin Yongtao’s words. Seventh Girl no longer trusted her? How had she seen through it? Even if she didn’t trust her, what could a helpless orphan girl do?

Qin Fangfang knelt on the ground pleading bitterly: “Mother, Mother, what should I do? What should I do? I won’t marry, I won’t marry…”

Qin Fangfang knew that as a concubine-born daughter involved in such a disgraceful affair, marrying over would only make her a concubine. She had originally planned to use today’s events to trip up Qin Shuying and then take her place in marrying Liu Junqing.

That Master Sun whatever-his-name – compared to Liu Junqing, he wasn’t worthy of carrying his shoes!

“Enough, enough! What are you making noise about!” Having played the loving mother act sufficiently, and with no outsiders present now, Xu Shi no longer needed to pretend. She shouted once, then looked at the maids who came in trembling to serve: “Where’s Concubine Li? Why hasn’t she been called yet? When she comes, quickly have her take her daughter away!”

Concubine Li soon arrived, tearfully taking Qin Fangfang away.

Xu Shi hatefully slammed the table: “Qin Shuying, you disaster! I want you to die a terrible death!”

Qin Yunyun, who had been silent all along, stepped forward and said quietly: “Mother, Father said not to provoke her, but I just can’t accept it. Mother, let’s go to the palace to beg Elder Sister, to beg Concubine Lian. She must have a way to deal with Qin Shuying!”

Xu Shi hesitated, Qin Yongtao’s warning words still ringing in her ears.

Qin Yunyun continued: “Mother, having Concubine Lian personally teach her about feminine virtue and wifely virtue – what a great honor that would be!”

Seeing Xu Shi still hesitating, Qin Yunyun said: “Mother, Father said we shouldn’t provoke her, but what if she provokes others? There are many nobles in the palace – if she accidentally offends some noble person’s taboo, even Concubine Lian would have to sacrifice family for righteousness!”

A smile appeared on Xu Shi’s lips: “You’re right, having Concubine Lian personally teach her shows such regard…”

Thinking of the last thing Qin Yongzhou had said, a strange smile appeared on Xu Shi’s face: “Mother agrees with you. We must make Qin Shuying unable to live or die!”