Chapter 96: We Are Proud Indeed!

"Madam, I am a woman of little means; please do not laugh at me!" Tan Xiyin said, feigning misery as she watched Linglong accept the bracelet, terrified that the First Madam might think her stingy.

Linglong weighed the jade bracelet in her hand. Aifei then said coldly, "Indeed, it is nothing of value. Compared to the things my husband has given me, this is truly lacking!"

Pfft!

Tan Xiyin felt as though she might cough up blood from pure rage.

"Brother Daofei dotes on you, Madam. Naturally, your belongings are incomparable to what a concubine like me possesses. Please, do not laugh at me!" Tan Xiyin said, looking aggrieved.

Linglong gestured for Aifei to use her skills to disguise herself as someone else, then pressed a single copper coin into her hand, telling her to give it to Tan Xiyin.

Aifei, feeling utterly helpless, walked out clutching the coin and tossed it down to the courtyard. The maid below caught it. Aifei gave the maid a deep, meaningful look before turning back into the room.

Once inside, Aifei announced, "Your bracelet is not exactly a high-quality piece, either. I felt embarrassed to give you a return gift of too much value, so this copper coin is my reward for you!"

Linglong clutched her stomach, laughing until she nearly cramped.

Tan Xiyin could no longer hold herself together; she was so infuriated that tears welled up in her eyes.

At that moment, the Princess of Qin, Xiang Yu, arrived carrying Feng Yixiao. Seeing Tan Xiyin in the courtyard, she asked coldly, "Why are you here?"

Tan Xiyin had seen Feng Yixiao before. She pointed at the child in shock and cried out shrilly, "Why is she here?"

"Because... her mother is here, of course! How have you been, Concubine Tan? I'm back, you see?" Seeing that Feng Yixiao had arrived, Linglong knew she could no longer keep up the act, so she stepped out openly and admitted her identity.

Tan Xiyin nearly fainted on the spot. She pointed a trembling finger at Linglong and asked, "How are you here?"

"Well, your old madam offered a dowry, and your dear Brother Daofei knelt and begged me, marrying me into this house all over again!" Linglong’s smugness was beyond words.

Tan Xiyin’s eyes turned bloodshot. She hissed, "That is impossible! How could Brother Daofei be so absurd?"

Having seen enough of such scenes, the Princess of Qin, Xiang Yu, no longer wished to speak. She carried Feng Yixiao upstairs and shoved her into Linglong’s arms. "She has been crying since morning because she didn't see you. Hush her and bring her to me when she's settled!"

*Pah!*

Linglong cursed inwardly, "Why should I bring her to you? She isn't even your child!"

Holding Feng Yixiao, she watched the Princess of Qin walk haughtily past Tan Xiyin, then waved Feng Yixiao’s tiny hand. "Ladies, it is time for Yixiao to eat. She cannot stand ugly things; they ruin her appetite. Please, do leave!"

Tan Xiyin’s fingernail snapped with a click. A deep gouge appeared on the wooden armrest of her wheelchair, a testament to just how much she loathed Feng Linglong.

Seeing she was on the verge of fainting from anger, Linglong added, "Do not faint in my courtyard, mind you. You know full well that I am an expert at 'treating' those who faint!"

"Let’s go, we are leaving!" Tan Xiyin, no longer caring to maintain her composure, stormed off in a rage.

Having driven away Tan Xiyin and the Princess of Qin, Linglong paced her room with Feng Yixiao. "Yixiao, you didn't come back last night; Mother missed you so much!"

"I missed you so much too, Miss!" Hua'er entered, looking listless as she carried a tray.

Seeing the dark circles under Hua'er’s eyes, Linglong asked with a laugh, "Sister Hua'er, did you spend your wedding night in the bridal chamber? You look so exhausted."

"I won't let you eat!" Hua'er, annoyed, turned to leave with the tray. Linglong quickly rushed over with Feng Yixiao, offering every apology: "I was wrong, I was wrong! I won't do it again!"

Only then did Hua'er place the beef noodles on the table. She took Feng Yixiao to feed her, all while trying to sneak a peek at Linglong.

Linglong boldly bared a shoulder and said with unbothered candor, "Take a look, nothing happened at all!"

"Miss, what did you do to the Master?" Hua'er felt that if Linglong hadn't been a beast, Qin Daofei wouldn't have been treated worse than one.

Linglong just smiled without a word.

Hua'er yawned. "Last night, the Old Madam insisted on taking Yixiao to sleep with her. Yixiao wouldn't have it, so I coaxed her into staying with me. But as soon as she fell asleep, the Old Madam took her away again. And as soon as she was taken, Yixiao cried. It was like that all night, I’m exhausted."

No sooner had Hua'er finished speaking than Feng Yixiao fell fast asleep with her mouth full of food; it was clear she had been just as exhausted from the night before.

Linglong skillfully cleared the food from Feng Yixiao’s mouth and said, "Why don't you two go get some sleep?"

"And you, Miss?" Hua'er asked curiously.

Linglong smiled. "Now that I'm back at Xiaoyao Manor, it's time to start stirring up some trouble."

"Please don't stir it up here at Linglong Pavilion, thank you!" Hua'er said, carrying Feng Yixiao off to sleep.

Left alone, Linglong pondered how she could stir up trouble without it looking like she was the one actively picking a fight.

***

At the Yuelai Inn in the capital.

Xiaoyu pushed the door open and entered, saying angrily, "Brother Hanzhi, how could Sister Linglong marry that Qin Daofei all over again?"

Hu Hanzhi’s unique eyes were filled with sorrow. He looked into the distance and said faintly, "This was Linglong’s dream. She struggled for so many years to realize it; now, she has finally gotten her wish, hasn't she?"

"Are you not heartbroken, Brother Hanzhi? You treated Sister Linglong so well!" Xiaoyu said, feeling the injustice for him.

Hu Hanzhi shook his head. "You don't understand. In matters of the heart, being 'good' isn't enough. She and I... we were never destined to be together."

Xiaoyu wanted to say more, but seeing that Hu Hanzhi had no intention of continuing, she dared not speak.

***

Elsewhere, at the Sizhu Music House.

Lu Siniang bowed to Qin Daofei. "Congratulations on your marriage, Manor Master!"

"Thank you!" Qin Daofei was in high spirits, his expression much softer than usual.

Siniang was curious. "How was things at Xiaoyao Manor last night?"

"Well, as you wished—no doors or windows were smashed, and no one was beaten half-to-death. It went much better than expected," Qin Daofei replied candidly.

*Heh.*

Siniang laughed. "It seems the First Madam has truly grown up and become sensible!"

"Has she?" Qin Daofei didn't feel it.

After a pause, Qin Daofei asked, "Have you heard anything?"

"I have already told Old Zhu what I found last time. Uncle Kang has also been investigating in secret. We have kept this trail extremely confidential; you can go and ask there." Siniang smiled and casually slipped a note into Qin Daofei’s hand.

Qin Daofei remained calm, gripping the note. "Prepare some food Linglong likes and send it over. Since there's a little ancestor in the house now, prepare something suitable for a child as well."

"Understood!" Siniang turned and left.

Qin Daofei did not linger and headed toward Old Zhu’s place.

At Old Zhu’s Trotter Shop.

From afar, Old Zhu saw Qin Daofei coming. She slammed her knife onto the chopping board, walked inside, and shut the door, showing no intention of seeing him.

Qin Daofei walked up with a smile, softening his tone. "I don't really like smashing doors."

With a creak, Old Zhu opened the door.

"I truly don't know what kind of spell you're under, insisting on hanging yourself from the tree that is Feng Linglong. What is so good about her?" Old Zhu asked.

Qin Daofei countered, "Then tell me, what is so good about you that Uncle Kang is so singularly devoted to you?"

*Uh...*

She couldn't exactly say it was because she was fat!

"Old Zhu, if I knew exactly why I liked her, wouldn't it be too fake?" Qin Daofei walked into the room.

Old Zhu, unable to contain her anger, stomped inside and stood before him. "Fine, even if you like her, you know full well she..."

"Old Zhu, I used to think she had returned to take revenge on me. But after our trip to the desert, she made it very clear: she is here for revenge, but she will never target me. She will never do anything to harm me." Qin Daofei spoke with conviction.

Old Zhu retorted without hesitation, "Then why did she tie you up last night and refuse to let you consummate the marriage?"

*Uh...*

Even a thick-skinned person like Qin Daofei couldn't help but blush at Old Zhu’s words.

"We are an old married couple; is consummation really that important?" Qin Daofei said.

Old Zhu pointed a chubby finger at him. "You’re already an old married couple, yet you insist on marrying her again. Does it have any meaning?"

"I think it feels quite nice," Qin Daofei replied smoothly.

Old Zhu was defeated.

Kang Juncai walked out from the inner room, smiling with his eyes narrowed. "I said the Manor Master is a man of wisdom; how could he let the First Madam do as she pleases outside?"

"Uncle Kang, how is the investigation going?" Qin Daofei asked.

Kang Juncai smiled. "We found it. Not far north of the city, there is a place called Liu Family Village, a gathering place for a clan. I heard that twenty-four years ago, when Hu Meiniang was the most famous woman in the capital, one of the people there was close to her. But because he was a married man, he never publicly sought her out, which is why we couldn't find any trace of her in the beginning."

Qin Daofei nodded. "In that case, I will take a trip to Liu Family Village. I want to see exactly who is behind the scenes, blocking me from investigating this matter!"

After Qin Daofei left, Old Zhu looked at Kang Juncai with concern. "Old Kang, are you really going to let the Manor Master keep investigating?"

"The other day, I heard Tang Li mention that the Manor Master and Hu Hanzhi had an agreement: if he couldn't uncover the truth, Xiaoyao Manor would have to pay a massive compensation—a sum that would almost drain the entire manor!" Kang Juncai said worriedly.

Old Zhu sat on a chair, fuming, and slapped the table with a bear-like palm, shattering it. "It’s all that disaster Feng Linglong’s fault. If it weren't for her, there wouldn't be so many problems!"

"Alright, don't complain anymore. The Manor Master loves her, and neither you nor I can do anything about it. Things are as they are; we’ll just have to take it one step at a time." Kang Juncai took Old Zhu’s hand. "Don't be angry, look, you've reddened your hand!"

Old Zhu acted coyly. "You old ghost, you only know how to coax me!"

While the two were being affectionate, Qin Daofei had already taken Tang Li and Jifeng to the village. Strangely, the three did not take the main road; they took a narrow path and, without alerting anyone, quietly arrived at the spot Uncle Kang had designated.

Truth be told, the place did not look as grand as described; it was, in fact, utterly dilapidated.

A massive, overgrown courtyard, rarely visited by anyone.

A dark shadow flashed across the rafters, too quick to identify.

Suddenly, with a *bang*, the mysterious shadow was smashed down into the courtyard, curling into a ball before finally uncoiling after a long moment.

It was a person! A man in black!

He scrambled up, guardedly looking toward where he had fallen, only to find a young man in black squatting on the roof, looking rather carefree, chewing on a stalk of foxtail grass.

On the other side, a young man in purple stood with his hands behind his back, staring at him coldly. Behind him, another young man in black watched him with equal coldness.

The positions of the three seemed casual, but they were not. The distance between them was small, and all three appeared to be experts. Being surrounded like this, it would not be easy to break out in any direction.

The man in black looked up at the young man in purple and said in a strangely raspy voice, "Qin Daofei, you are truly cunning!"

Indeed, the three youths were Qin Daofei, Jifeng, and Tang Li.

"Compared to your master, I suppose I am nothing!" Qin Daofei said coldly.

The man sneered, "Indeed. You are far inferior to my master. Do you think catching me will allow you to catch him?"

"Not necessarily. I just wanted to confirm if you were hiding around me, and I was unable to detect you. It seems your master is truly capable, being able to hide people right under my nose!" Qin Daofei genuinely admired this. He couldn't even fathom how these people had been tracking him; tracking an expert like him was no easy feat.

"So now that you know we are hiding around you, what can you do?" The man in black sneered. "You can't kill me, can you? Doing so would only alert the snake in the grass!"

Seeing his unbothered demeanor, Qin Daofei smiled coldly. "Why would I kill you? Wouldn't it be much better to turn you into a mindless fool?"

"You..." As a martial artist, being humiliated like this was worse than death.

Qin Daofei watched him calmly, and he watched Qin Daofei just as coldly. He was calculating how to escape unscathed, while Qin Daofei was watching him perform.

Two completely different states of mind!

Suddenly, the man attacked. He fired a poisoned dart backhanded toward Tang Li. He was smart—he knew Tang Li was the weakest of the three, and breaking through there was his best bet.

As the dart flew, he followed it. In a flash, Qin Daofei shifted to Tang Li’s position, blocking the attack, while Tang Li took Qin Daofei’s previous spot with lightning speed.

With one kick, Qin Daofei sent the man in black flying back to his original position.

This time, the man did not uncoil quickly; he curled into a ball, lying still as if dead.

Tang Li grew anxious and was about to leap down, but one look from Qin Daofei kept him calm.

Jifeng drew a sharp dagger from his waist and aimed it at the man’s eyes.

Just as the dagger was about to strike, the man did a kip-up, flipping over and firmly catching Jifeng’s dagger.

"Oh my, still trying to play dead? In front of us, if you can't beat us, just cry! If you cry, I’ll let you go!" Jifeng said with a mocking smirk.

The man coldly tossed the dagger back to Jifeng. "Boy, when I was terrorizing the martial arts world, you weren't even born!"

"So what? You can't start throwing a tantrum and demand I spare you because you're an old man, can you?" In some aspects, Jifeng was truly like Linglong.

Enraged, the man attacked Jifeng regardless of the consequences. But as he lunged, his back was left completely exposed to Qin Daofei. With a strange, fluid movement, Qin Daofei flew in, pressed his palm against the man’s spine, and gave a sharp twist. With two *cracks*, the man collapsed like a boneless shrimp.

He tried to rise again, but it was clearly impossible.

Jifeng and Tang Li jumped down from the roof. Jifeng reached out and ripped off the man’s black mask, revealing an old, yet completely unfamiliar face.

"Manor Master, I haven't seen this person before," Jifeng said.

Qin Daofei took a faint look. "Judging by his martial arts style, he must be from the Qunying Villa. The villa is highly respected in the pugilistic world; while their disciples' skills aren't great, their character is beyond doubt. At his age, he must be He Zhongtian, the eighth of the 'Thirteen Taibao' who raped and killed the villa master’s niece eighteen years ago and fled."

"Hmph, you truly are the master of Xiaoyao Manor. I only revealed one move from the Qunying Villa, and you guessed who I was!" The man admitted his identity.

Qin Daofei said calmly, "As I said, there are very few scoundrels in the Qunying Villa, so it was easy to identify you."

"Kill me if you want; I have nothing to say!" He Zhongtian closed his eyes, hoping only for a quick end.

Qin Daofei squatted down. "You’ve been living like a coward for so many years. Don't you want to say something and continue living like one?"

"If I could live, I would. But I have no such chance, so you might as well kill me. I will not tell you anything—anything at all!" he emphasized.

Jifeng placed the jade pendant Linglong had ripped from the black-clad man earlier before the captive’s eyes. "Do you recognize this?"

"No, I don't!" Despite his words, his entire body couldn't stop trembling.

Qin Daofei noticed this. He took the pendant from Jifeng and held it before He Zhongtian. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I don't recognize it. Even if I did, I couldn't tell you. If I tell you, people will die!" To make a hardened criminal fear this much—Qin Daofei was becoming very curious about who truly owned this pendant.

Qin Daofei stood up, elegantly flicking the dust off his clothes. "Since he’s useless, proceed with the original plan: cripple him, leave him here, and let his master deal with the headache!"

"You got it!" Jifeng said with a wicked grin. "Senior, the medicine we are giving you was developed by the Ghost Doctor’s master with his life’s work. We guarantee your master won't be able to figure out how you became a fool. Since you want to protect your master, don't blame us—after all, your master has always had us in his crosshairs."

Jifeng pried open He Zhongtian’s mouth and placed a pill near his lips.

He Zhongtian closed his eyes in despair, accepting his fate.

Jifeng felt a little disappointed; he had thought such a person would be the most desperate to survive, but it seemed useless. He couldn't tell if the master was just that terrifying or if the man was simply that loyal.

Jifeng stuffed the pill into He Zhongtian’s mouth, forced him to swallow, and even checked his mouth to ensure it had dissolved before letting go.

He Zhongtian did not struggle. After swallowing the medicine, he seemed to relax, spreading his limbs on the floor, drooling and giggling mindlessly.

About a quarter of an hour later, he remained in the same state. Jifeng asked, "Manor Master, has the medicine taken effect?"

Qin Daofei nodded. "Seems like it."

Though he said this, Qin Daofei did not leave. Jifeng asked curiously, "Manor Master, do you think he was too loyal to his master, or just too afraid of him?"

"For a desperado like this, there is no such thing as loyalty. It is mostly fear. His master must be a person of formidable means. I am becoming increasingly curious about who he is." Seeing that He Zhongtian was truly insane, Qin Daofei walked out.

After leaving Liu Family Village along the narrow path, Qin Daofei stood at the ferry crossing and asked Jifeng, "Where did you get that jade pendant?"

"Oh, right. I’ve been so busy I forgot to tell you. It’s what the First Madam ripped off that black-clad man when she was attacked at Hanshan Temple. We didn't know what it was. We were going to show you, but then you lost your memory... and we forgot. Today, when I caught He Zhongtian, I thought I’d try to see if they were in cahoots. Sure enough!" Jifeng handed the pendant to Qin Daofei.

After examining it repeatedly, Qin Daofei said quietly, "I thought these were two separate groups, but they are one and the same. This means that when they poisoned Linglong four years ago, they were already plotting against me. He has been lurking around me even longer than I imagined."

"What do we do now?" Jifeng realized the gravity of the situation and turned serious.

Qin Daofei said calmly, "If he doesn't show himself, I can't catch him. We can only wait."

This wait might take a very long time.

***

Returning to Xiaoyao Manor, Qin Daofei had barely sat down and taken a sip of water when someone entered and whispered in his ear, "Manor Master, that man was killed by a person in black. One strike to the throat."

"Could you tell if it was a man or woman, old or young?" Qin Daofei frowned.

The man shook his head. "Too fast. I only saw a black shadow flash by. But they checked He Zhongtian’s pulse before slitting his throat. I was worried about being discovered, so I didn't dare follow."

"I see. That’s all, go now. And keep Linglong well-protected!" Once Qin Daofei finished, the man vanished.

Qin Daofei narrowed his eyes, staring toward Linglong Pavilion, pondering for a long time before finally rising to head there.

Seeing Qin Daofei enter, Linglong glanced at him sideways with no further expression.

Feng Yixiao, however, started demanding to be held the moment she saw him. As soon as Qin Daofei picked her up, she enthusiastically leaned in to kiss him.

"How rare!" Linglong sneered at Feng Yixiao’s lustful display whenever she saw a handsome face.

Qin Daofei easily held Feng Yixiao in front of him, sat down, and said calmly, "Today, I met someone. After seeing the jade pendant you ripped off that black-clad man, he became very agitated and terrified. When you fought him, did he have any distinct features?"

"Features?" Linglong narrowed her eyes and thought. "Very tall, about your height. An old man. His martial arts were bizarre—I’ve never seen anything like them!"

Qin Daofei made a mental note. "That’s good. At least we know he’s a tall, old codger."

"He’s not just some old codger; he was holding back the whole time. He wasn't really trying to kill me, otherwise, I wouldn't have survived a single move!" Linglong bared her teeth in a smile. "Do you think he might be Tan Xiyin’s paramour?"

Qin Daofei shot Linglong a glare. Linglong slammed a palm on the table, giving Feng Yixiao such a start that she shivered. Qin Daofei was even more annoyed. "You're over twenty, can you not be so impulsive?"

Linglong immediately apologized to Feng Yixiao. "Sorry, sorry! Go back to looking at the handsome man!"

Once Linglong finished, she kindly helped Feng Yixiao adjust her posture to look at Qin Daofei, and Feng Yixiao played along, furrowing her faint brows as she gazed intently at him.

Qin Daofei felt helpless. "If I hadn't personally brought this child to you, I would suspect she was yours. You look at people the same way!"

"Hey, hey, stop changing the subject. Your Qin family’s spies are everywhere; I don't believe you don't know your Concubine Tan has been cuckolding you!" Linglong’s face grew hot; she didn't want the focus on her, so she intentionally diverted the conversation.

Qin Daofei said helplessly, "I always thought she was innocent, so I never investigated her. It was only later that I found out..." Despite having no feelings for Tan Xiyin, he was a man, and having his concubine cuckold him was no small matter.

"And only then did you find out she gave you several large green hats, right?" Linglong teased.

Qin Daofei poked her forehead. "You just know everything, don't you!"

*Hmph!*

Linglong stood up and said haughtily, "Don't touch me so casually; I have my pride!"

She then walked away with her head held high, leaving Qin Daofei in a state of disarray.

He had thought that even if she hated him to the core, given her temperament, she wouldn't hold a grudge for so long. It seemed he had truly underestimated a woman’s capacity for staying angry.

To coax his wife, Qin Daofei sat on the roof, racking his brains, but he could find no solution.

***

Meanwhile, at Linglong Pavilion, Tang Li sat beside Hua'er, holding Yixiao and watching Hua'er sew clothes for the child. Hua'er’s peaceful, unassuming demeanor made Tang Li’s heart itch. He wondered if he should do something.

Seeing Tang Li staring at her, Hua'er said bashfully, "What are you doing?"

"Well... I'm a bit hungry!" As soon as he said it, Tang Li regretted it—it sounded a bit flippant.

But Hua'er took it literally, thinking he meant actual hunger, not the kind of hunger he meant. She set down the fabric and said, "It just so happens I need to make food for Feng Yixiao. And that one sleeping belly-up there will probably wake up hungry soon. I won't make beef noodles today; I'll make pancakes for you two, and for Yixiao, I'll make noodles."

"Wait, the First Madam has already been married back in, why do you still call her Feng Yixiao? If the Old Madam finds out, she'll scold you again!" Tang Li always called her Qin Yixiao.

Hua'er looked at Tang Li. "I only listen to my Miss. My Miss says she is Feng Yixiao, so she is Feng Yixiao. If my Miss tells me she is Qin Yixiao, then she is Qin Yixiao."

"Then what surname will you give your own child in the future?" Tang Li asked, raising an eyebrow.

Hua'er looked up at the sky, speechless and resentful. "What does that have to do with you?"

*Uh...*

Hua'er left, and Tang Li quickly picked up Feng Yixiao to follow. "Everyone’s not busy anymore, is it a problem to discuss it now?"

Tang Li followed closely, but Hua'er pretended not to hear and quickened her pace toward the kitchen.

No matter how fast she walked, she was no match for Tang Li. He caught up in a few strides. The kitchen staff at Xiaoyao Manor stepped aside when they saw Hua'er, and she, long used to their disdain, didn't care at all.

With only the three of them in the kitchen, it was quiet.

Tang Li held Feng Yixiao and looked at Hua'er. Hua'er instructed him, "They’ve all been scared off by me, go help me start the fire!"

*Oh.*

Tang Li was torn. Was he not being clear enough? Why did it seem Hua'er didn't understand his meaning at all?

*Oh my, what should I do?*

Tang Li sank into distress.

"Oh dear, we’re out of green onions. Brother Tang, could you go buy some for me?" Hua'er set the dough to rise, washed her hands, and took Feng Yixiao.

Tang Li, needing something from her, dared not disobey her.

After Tang Li left, Hua'er played with Feng Yixiao in the kitchen. Yixiao had a lively nature and found everything interesting, wanting to grab at whatever she saw.

*Creak, creak!*

The sound of a wheelchair rolling over stone slabs approached, and Hua'er’s mood soured.

She knew there was no avoiding Tan Xiyin now, but she truly didn't want to deal with her; from the bottom of her heart, she looked down on that woman.

Yet, Tan Xiyin seemed to have come specifically for her.

At the kitchen door, Tan Xiyin’s personal maid pushed her wheelchair to a stop.

Hua'er offered a hollow bow. "Good day, Second Madam!"

"Do I look like I’m having a good day?" Tan Xiyin said with a bitter smile, patting her legs.

Hua'er knew her legs were fine and felt even more disgusted, so she didn't respond.

Tan Xiyin said, "Come to think of it, there’s something I haven't spoken to you about yet. Since the kitchen is empty, why don't we chat? Chunhua, take this little brat away!"

The maid reached out to grab Feng Yixiao, and the child’s mouth turned down, ready to cry.

Hua'er quickly coaxed the child. "Second Madam, Yixiao doesn't like being with strangers. If you have something to say, just say it; if not, I’m leaving!"

"What I have to say is very important and not suitable for a child to hear. Take her away!" Tan Xiyin emphasized again.

Hua'er said coldly, "Since you want to talk to me, you must need something from me. If you need something, can we talk properly? If you insist on taking Yixiao, I’m going to call for help!"

What kind of woman was Tan Xiyin? Hua'er wouldn't dare entrust Feng Yixiao to her even if she were dying.

Seeing Hua'er’s persistence, Tan Xiyin stopped pressing. She sneered, "On the way to seek medical help at Wuyou Pavilion, do you remember what I told you?"

"Second Madam, don't try to mess with me again. That matter can no longer hurt me. But I must tell you: even if it can't hurt me, if my Miss finds out, I suspect she won't hesitate to expose all your dirty secrets. By then, even if your legs aren't crippled, it will be hard for you to survive out there. The hardships of the outside world are not something you can comprehend. The Master protected you for the first half of your life; for the sake of your own survival in the second half, I suggest you don't dig your own grave." Hua'er’s words were sharp, growing more imposing with every sentence.

Tan Xiyin’s face twitched, and she nearly slapped Hua'er several times, but for the sake of her mission, she held back. After Hua'er finished, Tan Xiyin smiled faintly. "Yes, Feng Linglong is powerful, and I won't provoke her. But what I want to say has nothing to do with that. I want to say that you have poison hidden in your body. Are you really not worried at all?"

Hua'er remembered Tan Xiyin saying that her poison had only *appeared* to be cured, but wasn't. Hua'er hadn't paid it any mind, as her health had always been good, but she wondered why Tan Xiyin would bring it up now.

"I told you, the poisons of the Nether Hall are not easily cured. But since I bought the poison, I also bought the antidote. After all, I don't want you to die!" Tan Xiyin rolled her wheelchair closer to Hua'er.

Hua'er backed away, not wanting to be near her.

"If it is my fate, I have nothing to struggle against. If you want to use me to harm my Miss, then don't bother. Even if you held a knife to my throat, I wouldn't help you harm her. If anything happens to my Miss, I’d be the one to kill you!" Hua'er had become strong; she would no longer run, and she bravely fought back against Tan Xiyin.

Tan Xiyin narrowed her eyes and hissed, "I never expected there were people in this world who didn't fear death!"

"Indeed. When something is too important to you, life and death become trivial matters. I’ve been with my Miss since I was little. She never treated me like a servant and never allowed others to bully me. Although I take care of her, she treats me like a sister. So, even if I had to die for her, it would be worth it. But telling you this is useless; you would never understand, because a person like you could never receive anyone’s genuine heart."

Hua'er turned and left, abandoning the cooking to return to Linglong Pavilion with Feng Yixiao.

Tan Xiyin gripped her wheelchair armrest, seething. "That bitch actually said nobody loves me?"

The maid remained silent.

Back at Linglong Pavilion, Hua'er fed Feng Yixiao a few pieces of pastry, lulled her to sleep beside Linglong, and then headed out.

Tang Li returned through the main gate with a bundle of onions. The people at Xiaoyao Manor laughed at him, but he just smiled honestly and ran to the kitchen.

Yes, Tang Li had bought a whole bundle of onions.

He entered through the front, but Hua'er had slipped out the back.

When Tang Li reached the kitchen, the pots were nearly burning, but Hua'er was nowhere to be found. Confused, he went to Linglong Pavilion to look, but Hua'er wasn't there either. He sat on a bench in the corridor, scratching his head, utterly perplexed.

Jifeng flipped down from the rafters, looking triumphant.

"Have you seen Hua'er?" Tang Li asked.

Jifeng laughed. "I have. Will you treat me to a meal?"

"I’ll tell the Manor Master," Tang Li said very seriously.

Jifeng scolded him with a laugh, "Brother Li, you’re a grown man, can you stop running to tell on people? Aren't you ashamed?"

"Tell me, or I’ll tell Aifei all about your glorious history!" Tang Li asked anxiously.

Jifeng pointed toward the kitchen. "Just after you left, Concubine Tan went to the kitchen. The Manor Master was on the roof, racking his brains on how to coax his wife, and when he saw Concubine Tan go to the kitchen, he had me go check. Do you know what she said to your Sister Hua'er?"

"Jifeng, if you keep this up, I’m going to lose my temper!" Hearing that Tan Xiyin had gone to see Hua'er, Tang Li was immediately furious.

*Tsk, tsk, tsk!*

Jifeng still wasn't in a hurry. He shook his head and said, "Don't worry, Concubine Tan tried to scare Hua'er by saying she was poisoned, but you weren't there—Hua'er was so cool, she gave a beautiful counter-attack."

"I’m going to find her!" Tang Li stormed off.

Jifeng rubbed his nose and muttered, "Why the rush?"

"Don't you think Tan Xiyin wouldn't say those things without a reason?" Aifei descended from the rafters, looking at Jifeng coldly.

Jifeng scratched his head. "What do you mean?"

"Even a pig would understand. I don't know why you don't!" Aifei was always ready to snipe at someone.

Jifeng glared. "I’m not friends with a pig, how would I know what it thinks... wait, are you saying Hua'er might really be poisoned?"

"Manor Master, do you not want to come down and chat?" Aifei didn't answer Jifeng but asked Qin Daofei for his thoughts.

Qin Daofei said quietly, "All of you, come up."

Jifeng and Aifei climbed up. Seeing Qin Daofei with a cloud of gloom over his head, Jifeng couldn't help but want to laugh.

"You’ve noticed it too, haven't you?" Qin Daofei asked.

Aifei sneered, "Poison from the Nether Hall—who would have thought it had such lingering effects?"

"No way. If Hua'er really has an incurable poison, what will Brother Li do?" Jifeng finally grew anxious.

Qin Daofei said coldly, "Then go call Ye Lishang."

"Yes, yes, I’m going right now!" Jifeng was so scared he couldn't think straight and rushed off to find Ye Lishang.

After Jifeng left, Aifei felt bored and wanted to go down.

"Wait!" Qin Daofei stopped her. "That..." but he trailed off.

"Manor Master, I’m very busy!" Aifei retorted rudely. Qin Daofei shot her a look. "How do you make her happy?"

"Who, Feng Yixiao?" Aifei was doing it on purpose. She knew full well he meant Linglong, but she refused to give him an easy answer.

Qin Daofei was furious!