Chapter 19: What Can You Do to Me? (2)

She had just clearly seen it—the real whip striking Chang Ge Yu Jiao, while the shadowy figure caught the porcelain.

Watching Chang Ge Yu Jiao’s flesh torn and bloodied, screaming in agony, Chang Ge Yu Qing glanced at Chang Ge Yue holding the painted ceramic with an unruffled expression and instinctively took a few steps back. “Ah!” At that moment, Chang Ge Yue’s face no longer evoked disgust in her; it was pure terror. “You’re not human... you, you, you…”

Chang Ge Yue caressed the whip in her hand and stepped coldly toward Chang Ge Yu Qing. Her shining, terrifying eyes fixed on her as she gently lifted Chang Ge Yu Qing’s chin. “Second sister was right…”

Indeed, she was no human—she was a demon clawing her way out of hell!

The sorrows of this life, the grudges of the past, she intended to uncover them all!

“You—you’ve hurt Fifth sister. Mother will never let you off!” Chang Ge Yu Qing clung desperately to this shred of hope, her eyes suddenly brightening.

A faint smile curved at the corner of Chang Ge Yue’s lips, her brows untroubled by any fear. “Second sister, this is your whip. You’d better have the antidote for the poison on it…” Otherwise, that delicate little face of Chang Ge Yu Jiao’s will soon resemble mine.

And it might be even worse.

Chang Ge Yu Qing’s earlier vigor vanished instantly. “You—you’ve plotted against me!” Poisoning the whip was no trivial matter, but how could a mere concubine’s daughter possess such potent poison?

Remembering her stepmother’s cunning and cruelty, Chang Ge Yu Qing collapsed weakly to the floor, unable to imagine whether she could survive long enough to marry if her stepmother even glanced her way.

“No, no, it might be worse than death.” Her eyes glazed over, she bit her lip and suddenly wailed, “It’s all your fault, you despicable woman, you, you—you’ve framed me!”

Chang Ge Yue sneered, “Was it me who secretly hoarded poison, second sister? Today it’s on the whip—tomorrow, will you smear it on Lady Zhuge’s pillow?”

“You’re lying! I wouldn’t, I wouldn’t.” Chang Ge Yu Qing was clearly drained of the strength she had when she first entered.

Chang Ge Yue, however, approached her slowly and began to open the bundle Chang Ge Yu Qing had just packed, her gaze cool as she returned the gold, silver, and jewels they had intended to take away, placing them carefully back beneath the bedboards.

Clenching her teeth, Chang Ge Yu Qing suddenly lunged at Chang Ge Yue. “Third sister, third sister, it’s all second sister’s fault. We’re sisters—please help me, help me!” She didn’t know how many schemes she had to carry out to convince her stepmother she was harmless, a loyal dog—but this one incident could undo everything.

Her stepmother could make her life a living hell in an instant.

A faint smile lifted the corner of Chang Ge Yue’s mouth. Looking over at the other side where Chang Ge Yu Jiao was still being whipped mercilessly, she smiled softly. “I heard the steward Zhang’s youngest son is still unmarried. Second sister has met him.”

Chang Ge Yu Qing shook her head violently. “Don’t say anymore, please don’t...” The steward’s son had been simple-minded and prone to biting since childhood, and unfortunately, steward Zhang was one of stepmother’s favorites.

If stepmother married her off to Zhang’s youngest son, she might as well die.

“Third sister, please help me, help me.” She had thought that poisoning Chang Ge Yue would be enough to pacify Chang Ge Yu Jiao, that the foolish girl would keep silent. No one would investigate the poison she possessed.

But fate had conspired to hurt Chang Ge Yu Jiao instead.

Chang Ge Yue’s lips curled slightly. “Helping you is not out of the question.”