Nanny Yu ran all the way just to barely keep up. Having reached a certain age, she leaned against the door gasping for breath for quite some time before finally easing the pain in her throat from running too quickly.

Li Shi had already begun smashing things inside the room. Her temper had never been particularly good—it was only because of Song Yi that she always chose to swallow her anger.

But this time, she truly couldn’t endure it. Song Yi was going to take up an external post, and would be gone for three years. Old Madam Song wouldn’t allow her, the wife who should rightfully go, to accompany him, but instead wanted him to select a concubine to go along!

What kind of logic was this?!

She smashed the complete set of blue and white porcelain tea ware from the Jingdezhen imperial kiln on the table, then went to grab the crystal ornaments from the treasure cabinet.

Su Wen, Su Xin, and the others ran about frantically in circles, yet none dared step forward to dissuade her.

When Li Shi became furious, she didn’t recognize anyone—turning around and hurling objects at your face was a common occurrence.

Fortunately, Nanny Yu had already stumbled in, rushed forward to snatch the item away, and used a bit of force to pull Li Shi back. “Madam, what are you doing?!”

Li Shi shook off her hand. Looking at Su Wen and Su Xin reaching to close the door, she only felt her anger rising from multiple sources at once. She raised her voice. “What am I doing?! What do you think I’m doing?! What kind of life am I living now? She clearly knows I cannot be separated from the master—why won’t she allow me to go?! That old hag!”

Su Wen and Su Xin had already busied themselves closing the door. The two exchanged glances, both seeing the terror in each other’s eyes.

Nanny Yu was also frightened out of her wits. Without hesitation, she reached out to cover Li Shi’s mouth. “Dear lady, are you afraid the old madam won’t hear the commotion?!”

Li Shi wouldn’t let it go. Tears fell from her eyes as she furiously shook off Nanny Yu’s hand, trembling all over with rage. “What does it matter if she hears or not?! She just dislikes me! She’s deliberately targeting me! No matter how well I do, she won’t see it. I’ve exhausted myself trying to please her, but what’s the result?! What’s the result?!”

The door was pushed open with a bang. Everyone froze and looked over.

Song Chuning entered expressionlessly, cradling a small kitten. Without looking left or right, she sat down on a chair to the side and laughed once at Li Shi. “Go ahead and make a scene, Mother. Keep making a scene. Sister Yulan is still outside. If you’re dissatisfied, feel free to make all the noise you want—she can hear you.”

With a thud, Su Wen hurriedly closed the door again.

Li Shi stood dazed for a while. Her daughter’s gaze made her heart panic, and she couldn’t help irritably reaching out to shove her. “You have the nerve to say I’m making a scene? I said before that this matter might be too hasty, but you insisted it was fine! That old hag is very shrewd—she’ll definitely think I’m using her son as a weapon. You just love being too clever for your own good…”

Unable to accompany Song Yi to his external post, Li Shi felt as though a bucket of cold water had been poured over her heart. Her entire being was immersed in irrepressible fury.

Song Chuning stared at her fixedly for a long while, then suddenly stood up.

Li Shi’s heart turned cold under her gaze, and she couldn’t help stepping back.

Song Chuning violently hurled the small kitten that had been pawing at her sleeve heavily onto the ground, as though throwing a lifeless object.

The small kitten struggled and let out a weak cry, forcing itself to climb up.

Song Chuning reached out and grabbed the crystal ornament that Nanny Yu had just seized, then viciously threw it at the cat that was trying to jump onto a stool and escape through the window.

Everyone in the room was stunned by her. Only when she picked up the crystal ornament did Su Wen react, her body trembling as she tried to snatch the item from her hands.

“If you’re unhappy, go find the person who made you unhappy.” Song Chuning watched as the weakened little cat jumped down from the window sill, then turned back to look at Li Shi, her expression cold. “You could simply do as I did—take this ornament and smash it on her head, smash it until she can never again say things that make you angry. Don’t vent your rage on irrelevant people. Others don’t owe you anything.”

Li Shi actually felt somewhat guilty under her gaze and retreated several steps, only managing to steady herself when her hand braced against the table.

For a little girl just under six years old to be able to cruelly strike with her own hands at a small pet she had just said she liked—this ruthlessness made one’s heart shake with alarm.

Looking into her eyes, Li Shi felt as though she were seeing a cold, emotionless snake. Chills rose strand by strand from within her heart.

Nanny Yu was so frightened she couldn’t utter half a sentence, her face deathly pale as she looked at this child she had watched grow up from infancy.

The second household’s main courtyard, which just moments ago had been in tumultuous uproar as though it would never quiet down again, finally fell silent. Song Chuning reached out and used the surviving teapot to pour herself a cup of cold tea. After drinking a mouthful, she flung the cup to the ground.

With a crash, the cup shattered into pieces, fragments flying everywhere.

“A miscalculation.” She stared at the mess on the ground, her face still calm. “That fool has made progress.”

No one in the room dared respond to her words.

Song Chuning laughed once herself. That laugh seemed both mocking and indignant. She raised both palms to look at them, then spoke to herself word by deliberate word. “You want us to stay behind? Then I’ll stay and show you.”

The unease in Li Shi’s heart had already overwhelmed her initial fury. Trembling, she stepped forward wanting to take Song Chuning’s hand, but when she was about to touch her daughter, she couldn’t help stopping.

She couldn’t forget Song Chuning’s expression when throwing the cat just now, much less not be shaken by her actions.

Though this was flesh fallen from her own body, she suddenly realized she seemed never to have truly known this daughter.

Song Chuning wouldn’t let her touch her. She brushed off her skirt and stood up on her own. Looking at Li Shi, her expression remained as bland as before. “Since she said to make you stay, then don’t entertain other schemes. Don’t you know she’s shrewd? You’re not yet qualified to contend with her.”

Nanny Yu rushed forward to pull Li Shi back, suppressing the stormy waves in her heart as she repeatedly agreed.

“When I said earlier that Yulan was still outside, that was false.” Song Chuning turned her head to look at the several people standing dumbfounded like wooden chickens. Her gaze finally settled on Su Wen and Su Xin. “If any news is heard by others tomorrow, the two of you and those keeping night watch outside will all go to Changsha together.”

Go to Changsha? More like go to the King of Hell’s palace! Su Wen and Su Xin were nearly in tears, nodding frantically.

Li Shi watched her daughter leave through the door, then collapsed weakly onto the couch as though all her strength had left her. She only felt her right eyelid twitching frantically. Somewhat irritably pressing white paper against her eyelid, she instructed Nanny Yu, “Go watch over her.”

But watch her do what? This little ancestor hardly needed anyone to watch over her—she was alarmingly precocious. It would be good enough if she didn’t go making trouble for others.

Nanny Yu stopped in her tracks, finding it difficult to move. Li Shi herself also buried her head in the crook of her arm in bewilderment.