Three days later, inside the inner courtyard of the Zhang Residence.
In the open space before the Laundry Bureau, five or six maids sat on stools, scrubbing clothes with washboards.
“Hey, have you heard?”
“Heard what?”
“A few days ago, the Second Young Master just recruited a personal maid, right? The one named Zhang Qingyao? Turns out she’s actually a miss from the Zhong family.”
“The miss from the Zhong family? Wasn’t the Young Master ambushed when he went there to propose not long ago? So many people died at the residence.”
“Exactly. Now she’s an enemy of the Zhang family.”
“Then why is she now the Second Young Master’s personal maid?”
“You’re asking me? I have no idea.”
The maids chatted noisily among themselves.
One of them lowered her voice and said mysteriously,
“Hey, I’ll tell you something. Someone told me this, but don’t go blabbing it to others.”
“Of course not. We’re all tight-lipped.”
“Oh, just rest assured. I’m only telling you because I’m bored.”
“Stop teasing and just say it already.”
Under the urging of the others, the maid finally spoke up.
“I heard from the retainers over at the Council Hall that the elders didn’t want Zhong Bailing to live anymore, but the Second Young Master kept pleading for her, so she was spared.”
“Wow, the Second Young Master really likes that Zhong miss that much?”
“Isn’t it dangerous to carry such a hidden threat around?”
The maids expressed their confusion and disbelief.
“But it seems the elders agreed mainly because Zhong Bailing apparently lost her memory.”
“Lost her memory? Really?”
“Could she be faking it?”
“No one knows. The Second Young Master even ordered us not to speak to her.”
As the maid chattered, someone patted her on the shoulder.
“Lower your voice, she’s coming.”
At the reminder, the maid immediately fell silent and resumed scrubbing clothes quietly.
Zhang Qingyao walked past the group of maids without a word.
It seemed they hadn’t been overheard.
After a while, Zhang Qingyao came out of the kitchen carrying a tray with breakfast for the Second Young Master.
Once she was out of sight, the maids started chatting again.
“Did you see? She didn’t even glance at us once.”
“Heh, we’re all servants now. Who knows what she’s so proud of.”
Zhang Qingyao could hear their conversation.
She had thought about giving them a lesson, but Zhang Yuge had already issued strict orders—if she laid a hand on any servant, no matter the reason, she would face Punishment by Lightning.
Zhang Qingyao had also tried secretly to wash off the Seal of Lust tattoo just below her navel, but every attempt ended in failure.
Worse still, Zhang Yuge caught her every time, and she was shocked with electric punishment.
Speaking of Zhang Yuge, Zhang Qingyao hated him with a burning passion.
Since returning to the Zhang Residence, every night she was summoned to serve him in bed, and they had tried every position imaginable.
The worst was last night— that damned bastard even played a disgusting trick!
He pushed the carriage halfway and suddenly slammed on the brakes.
Who could stand that?
Just thinking of how last night she was backed into a corner and ended up tearfully begging him to go on made Zhang Qingyao feel both embarrassed and angry.
Yet, by some twist of fate, she gradually adapted to Zhong Bailing’s body, skillfully harnessing the internal qi and the external spiritual energy.
Although she had lost the status of the Zhang family’s young lady, her cultivation level had suddenly increased from Qi Refining Stage Two straight to Stage Six.
Previously, Zhang Qingyao had longed to increase her cultivation to catch up with her elder brother.
Now that wish was fulfilled, but at a tremendous cost.
Arriving at Zhang Yuge’s door, Zhang Qingyao paused.
“Young Master, your breakfast. Qingyao has brought it.”
“Come in.”
Receiving the reply, Zhang Qingyao gently pushed open the door and stepped inside.
The room she once entered freely now required so many rules, and her heart ached at the change.
Zhang Yuge sat in a reading chair, flipping through classics borrowed from the Zhang family’s Book Repository.
“Young Master, Qingyao has placed the breakfast here. Please enjoy.”
After putting down the tray, Zhang Qingyao quickly took her leave, not wanting to face Zhang Yuge for even a second longer.
“Wait.”
Called back, Zhang Qingyao stiffened and turned around, forcing a smile.
“May I ask if the Young Master has any orders?”
“Xiao Yao, ever since you returned to the Zhang Residence, you don’t seem to have eaten properly. These days you’ve been eating the same meals as the other servants, right?”
“Yes, Young Master.”
“In that case, eat breakfast with me too.”
“No, that’s not necessary, Young Master. Please eat, Qingyao doesn’t need to.”
Zhang Qingyao didn’t understand Zhang Yuge’s good intentions and dared not accept casually.
“Is that so?”
Zhang Yuge sounded a bit disappointed.
“I always thought the Zhang Residence’s breakfast was quite extravagant. Eating alone feels wasteful, so I wanted you to join me. Since you refuse, then forget it—no more meals together. Once this chance is gone, there won’t be another.”
Hearing this, Zhang Qingyao instantly regretted her refusal.
She was used to the fine meals of the Zhang family and was certainly unhappy about the worse food now.
“Young Master, if you don’t mind, let Qingyao accompany you for breakfast.”
Her tone was anxious, afraid Zhang Yuge would change his mind.
“Hmm, that’s better.”
Zhang Yuge nodded in satisfaction.
“However, before that, I’ll eat first. I’ll treat you to something else.”
He smiled with ill intent.
Zhang Qingyao had a bad feeling and instinctively took two steps back.
“Never mind, Young Master, Qingyao just remembered something urgent and will get going first.”
Turning to leave, Zhang Yuge grabbed her wrist.
“Where do you think you’re going, my dear maid?”
Zhang Qingyao knew she couldn’t escape.
Her face turned pale and her lips trembled.
“Y-Young M-Master…”
“Ha ha, come here.”
That day, the Zhang family received a letter from the capital.
After reading it, the entire residence was thrown into chaos.
Lin Yi hurried with the letter to Zhang Yuge’s room, even forgetting to knock and pushing the door open.
“Yao’er, bad news! You have to see this letter!”
Lin Yi instinctively looked toward the bed, but it was empty.
“Mother, why are you looking for me?”
Following the voice, she saw her son sitting in the reading chair, eating breakfast.
The table and floor were piled high with books and scrolls, forming little towers.
Yao’er was surprisingly up so early, and had borrowed so many books?
Lin Yi’s eyes softened, but she was here for a more urgent matter.
“Yao’er, the Ye Family in the capital sent a letter. They want us to hand over Zhong Bailing.”
Zhang Qingyao, hiding under the desk, tensed and instinctively loosened her grip and lifted her head.
Her head bumped the underside of the table, causing her to grunt in pain.
No good, she might be discovered!
Zhang Yuge immediately pressed her head back down, silencing her mouth again.
In a low voice, he warned the girl kneeling under the desk,
“If you dare make a sound, you know the consequences.”
The girl could only nod humbly in shame.
“Yao’er, what was that sound just now?”
Lin Yi looked around, confused.
“Ah, nothing, Mother. That was just me.”
“May I see the letter?”
To avoid suspicion, Zhang Yuge didn’t leave his seat but gestured for Lin Yi to bring the letter to him.
Taking it, he put on an act and began reading.
“Yao’er, where is Zhong Bailing now?”
Lin Yi thought only she and Zhang Yuge were in the room, unaware of the third person kneeling beneath the desk.
“After delivering breakfast, I sent her away. Also, Mother, she now goes by Zhang Qingyao, a servant of the Zhang family, no longer a miss of the Zhong family.”
“Hmph, since you say she’s just a servant now, she should be loyal and always by your side. But she doesn’t act like a proper servant at all.”
Since learning Zhong Bailing had stabbed her son, Lin Yi harbored deep resentment toward her.
Even though Zhang Yuge often defended Zhang Qingyao, Lin Yi held grudges and frequently made things difficult for her.
But Zhang Qingyao believed Lin Yi’s hostility was due to Zhang Yuge’s interference.
Hearing Lin Yi insult her again, Zhang Qingyao’s anger grew.
It was all Zhang Yuge’s fault!
If you’re so pleased, I’ll make sure you enjoy it to the fullest!
Zhang Qingyao increased her pressure.
“?!”
Zhang Yuge’s expression darkened.
“Yao’er, are you feeling unwell? Should I call a doctor?”
“No, haha, I’m fine.”
Zhang Yuge gritted his teeth.
“What should we do? The Zhong family had secretly betrothed her to the Ye Family in the capital, and now the Ye Family demands we hand her over.”
“Surely the Zhong family found out Zhong Bailing isn’t dead and reported us to the Ye Family.”
Lin Yi said angrily.
“Mother, from your tone, is the Ye Family very powerful?”
Zhang Yuge asked.
He was holding back, pretending nothing was wrong.
“Yao’er, although the Zhang family is formidable, compared to the five great families of the capital, we’re still a bit lacking. The relationships among those five great families are much closer than ours was with the Zhong family. They often intermarry. Although there is competition, they mostly unite to suppress outsiders. Even the Great Zhou Royal Clan can’t deal with them.”
Zhang Yuge felt a chill in his heart.
“If we refuse to hand her over, what will the Ye Family do?”
“Sigh, these days we’ve been striking back at the Zhong family constantly, but the Ye Family has been supporting them, so the Zhong family hasn’t fallen. Now the Ye Family is just keeping the Zhong family alive by a thread. If we don’t comply, they’ll have a legitimate reason to declare war on the Zhang family. If that happens, we’ll be fighting the five great families of the capital along with the Zhong family.”
Lin Yi explained the pros and cons, but Zhang Yuge no longer wanted to listen.
His hands trembled, and he couldn’t hold back any longer.
He pressed down hard on Zhang Qingyao’s head under the desk.
“?!”
Before the girl could react or struggle, a warm current surged into her throat.