Maidservant A: “The Seventh Young Master showed her some favor when they were newlyweds, but now she has already fallen out of favor in the blink of an eye.”

Maidservant B: “Fallen out of favor?”

“You don’t know yet? The Seventh Young Master has been away from the mansion for three days running. They say he has been tangled up day and night with a dancer, inseparable.”

“Really? Could that actually be true? The Seventh Young Master seems like such an upright man — how did he end up getting mixed up with a dancer?”

“That dancer is called Qin Peipei. She’s a well-known socialite — apparently drop-dead beautiful with a figure to match. Any man who lays eyes on her is bound to be stirred.” Maidservant A clicked her tongue twice. “Men always think the women outside are better than the ones at home, because women outside have allure and style and are more free-spirited.”

“The Seventh Young Madam is a bit quiet — doesn’t say much. How could someone so reserved hold the Seventh Young Master’s heart?”

“Wasn’t there a rumor before that she wanted to marry the Second Young Master? The Second Young Master is the legitimate son and held in high regard — then she had her engagement broken off and had to settle for second best. Her heart probably still hasn’t let go of the Second Young Master all this time. When a man knows his own wife’s heart is still thinking of another man, of course he feels stifled.”

“If that’s really how it is, all she can do is accept the consequences of her own actions.”

Yan Qing thought of what Luo Huaimeng had said to her yesterday, and matching it against the two maidservants’ “idle chat,” she understood at once. These rumors must have been spreading through the Shi Mansion for some time.

Luo Huaimeng had been afraid she might misunderstand Shi Ting and had given her a warning in advance — it was out of kindness.

Yan Qing rose and stepped down from the pavilion. Murong followed close behind.

“The Seventh Young Madam used to be disabled — bedridden for over ten years. How is it that her legs suddenly recovered? Do you know why?”

“No — what’s the reason?”

Maidservant A’s voice dropped lower. “I heard it’s because a demon has possessed her — a fox spirit with a thousand years of cultivation. First she bewitches people with her beauty, and then she digs out their hearts and livers and eats them.”

“Digs out their hearts and livers?”

“I’ve only read about it in books — I’ve never actually seen it. That must be quite gruesome.”

“Digging out hearts and livers is not as simple as what’s written in books!” A light, unhurried voice cut through the air. “First, you need a sharp instrument capable of cutting through skin and muscle. Once the skin and flesh are cut open, the sternum and ribs remain, encasing the cavity. After breaking through those bones, you can find the pericardium nestled between the left and right lungs. The pericardium is still attached to blood vessels and fascia — you must pull with force to extract it intact…”

The two maidservants had been listening with rapt attention when they noticed something was wrong. They looked up to find someone standing before them, whose gaze held a smile, yet radiated an utter, bone-deep chill.

“Seventh Young Madam?”

The two maidservants came to their senses. Their faces instantly turned scarlet.

Murong said with a cold laugh, “Since you’re so curious about how hearts and livers are extracted, why not see it for yourselves?” She stepped forward and rolled up her sleeve.

“Seventh Young Madam, we were wrong, we were wrong.” The two maidservants threw themselves to their knees with a thud and kowtowed to Yan Qing repeatedly. “Seventh Young Madam, please be magnanimous and overlook this from us lowly servants. We were only repeating what we’d heard from others.”

Magnanimous? Overlook it from lowly servants?

Yan Qing smiled. “Which courtyard are you from?”

One of the maidservants said carefully, “In reply to Seventh Young Madam — I, I am from the Second Young Master’s courtyard.”

“And you?” Yan Qing looked at the other — the one who had so confidently declared she would dig out hearts and livers.

That maidservant quickly lowered her head, her eyes darting. “I — I am not from any of the masters’ courtyards. I am from the kitchen.”

“Oh.” Yan Qing gave a knowing nod. “Take them to the kitchen.”

The Shi Mansion kept many domestic animals and livestock. Behind the kitchen was an open area used specifically for slaughtering chickens and sheep.

That day, the kitchen was to slaughter a sheep to prepare mutton dishes and broth. A mountain goat had already been led out and tied to a post.

The slaughterman was about to bring down the knife when he saw Yan Qing walking over, with several maidservants following behind.

“Seventh Young Madam.” The cook bowed. “Why has Seventh Young Madam come this way? There’s going to be a slaughter here — the scene will be rather bloody. May I ask Seventh Young Madam to step aside?”

Yan Qing smiled. “Don’t mind me. There are two young women here who are curious about how hearts and livers are extracted. I’ve brought them to have a look.”

The two maidservants behind Yan Qing were already trembling with fear. Hearing this, they fell to their knees once more, pleading desperately. “Seventh Young Madam, please spare us — we know we were wrong.”

Murong had already brought over a chair. Yan Qing seated herself with unhurried composure and instructed, “Call all the kitchen staff out here.”

Before long, all the servants from the kitchen had been gathered in the back courtyard. Not knowing what had happened, people exchanged glances but dared not ask, looking at one another in bewilderment.

“Proceed with the slaughter.” Yan Qing looked to the cook.

The cook was equally baffled, but his primary task was to slaughter and skin the sheep to prepare the meal. Taking Yan Qing’s words as his cue, he took his sharpened knife and walked toward the mountain goat.

“Keep your eyes open and watch clearly.” Murong crouched beside the two maidservants.

Neither dared to look, and both kept their heads lowered.

A sharp cry rang out as the cook drove the knife into the goat’s throat. The mountain goat struggled for a moment before going still.

Hearing the sound, the two maidservants began trembling again.

“Were you not curious about how hearts and livers are extracted?” Murong placed a blood-slicked knife in one of the maidservants’ hands. “The Seventh Young Madam is giving you a chance now — go ahead and try it yourself.”

“I dare not, I will never dare again.” The maidservant looked at the knife dripping with fresh blood, and her face immediately went deathly pale. “I was wrong, Seventh Young Madam, I was truly wrong.”

Murong paid no heed to her words. Instead, she hauled the mountain goat over.

“If you don’t dare do it yourselves, that is fine — then keep your eyes open and watch carefully.” Murong picked up the knife, drove it into the goat’s chest, cut open the skin and flesh, pried apart the sternum, and reached in to pull out a blood-soaked heart.

One of the maidservants could not bear the sight and immediately rolled her eyes back and fainted.

The onlookers in the surrounding crowd also watched with trembling legs. Murong’s series of practiced, fluid movements sent chills running through them all. And yet the Young Madam sat in her chair with dignified composure, a faint smile never leaving her lips.

Murong held the extracted heart and liver before the remaining maidservant. “Do you see it clearly? Now you’ll know how to describe it to others in the future, won’t you?”

“I dare not, I dare not anymore. Seventh Young Madam, please spare me just this once.” The maidservant knelt on the ground, quivering uncontrollably.

“Then tell everyone here out loud — what is it you dare not do.”

The maidservant wiped the cold sweat from her brow and said in a voice that had gone hoarse, “I should not have spread rumors about the Seventh Young Master and the Seventh Young Madam being at odds. I should not have said the Seventh Young Madam was a demon who digs out hearts and livers. All of it was my own fabrication. I was loose-mouthed, and I was deliberately trying to ruin the Seventh Young Madam’s reputation.”

As she spoke, she slapped herself hard across the face twice.

Those gathered around now understood what had happened.

“No wonder I heard those same rumors — so someone was deliberately spreading them.”

“Yes, and claiming the Seventh Young Madam is a fox spirit who digs out hearts and livers — that her legs were restored because of this.”

Amid the surrounding murmurs, Yan Qing rose from her chair with unhurried grace and smiled at the crowd around her. “I have not been long in this household, but I know its rules — servants are not to spread or believe rumors. Those who deliberately circulate rumors and sow confusion will be expelled from the Shi Mansion; in severe cases, they will be handed over to the authorities for judgment. Today the rumors were about me — tomorrow, who can say whose turn it will be. I hope everyone will take this as a warning, be cautious with your words, do not lightly believe what others say, and let reason and evidence guide you in all things.”

The crowd nodded in agreement at once. “We understand, Seventh Young Madam.”

Yan Qing made a sound of acknowledgement. “Everyone go about your business.”

She glanced at the two maidservants still on the ground. “Murong, wake her up. We’re going to pay First Madam a visit.”

Yan Qing knew full well that this rumor-spreading maidservant was certainly not from the kitchen. As for who she actually belonged to, it went without saying.

Madam Shi’s side had already received word. She was taken aback. “What? She took the women to the kitchen and had a sheep’s heart extracted right in front of them?”

Shuang Xi nodded. “The scene was quite bloody. Many people were frightened.”

“Outrageous.” Madam Shi slapped the table. “Who does she think she is? She dares discipline my people now?”

Shuang Xi quickly cautioned, “Madam, that maidservant said she was from the kitchen and did not reveal Madam’s name. If Madam acknowledges that she belongs to this courtyard, would that not mean admitting that these rumors were spread on Madam’s orders?”

Madam Shi’s brow furrowed as she was about to speak when someone reported from outside, “Madam, the Seventh Young Madam has arrived.”

“She dares come here?” Madam Shi gave a sharp huff. “Show her in. I want to see what tricks she has up her sleeve this time.”

As the words were spoken, Yan Qing had already entered, the two still-shaken maidservants trailing behind her.

“First Madam.” Yan Qing bowed in greeting.

Madam Shi swept a glance past her at the two behind her. Their hair was disheveled, their eyes unfocused — clearly they had been badly frightened.

But before she could say a word, Yan Qing spoke. “First Madam, I caught these two maidservants speaking ill of their mistress behind her back, and have brought them here expressly to be dealt with by First Madam.”

“You—”

Yan Qing cut her off. “First Madam has always managed the household with such capable discipline — how could she allow servants like these to run amok in the Shi Mansion? So I took the liberty of giving them a reprimand first, and used the occasion to make an example for everyone in the household, helping First Madam establish the proper standards of conduct. After all, within the Shi Mansion, those who commit offenses are liable to be sent to the military encampment as comfort women.”

Madam Shi had been about to question her about the kitchen matter, but being cut off in this way, she found herself at a loss for words.

“First Madam, save us!” One of the maidservants suddenly rushed to Madam Shi and fell to her knees. “Madam, please save us — I don’t want to be sent away.”

Yan Qing parted her lips in apparent surprise. “First Madam has always run a strict household with well-enforced rules. Surely you don’t imagine she would pardon you? Or perhaps… you are not from the kitchen at all, but from First Madam’s own courtyard?”

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