Chapter 12: The Marquis's Residence Takes Advantage of Misfortune

He had clearly hidden himself so well, and for so many years, no one had ever discovered him.

“Yet in just six years, he was supposed to die…” Kong Yi gritted his teeth and said, “It’s all your fault, you brat with the yellow hair, ruining my plans!”

“So it really is you…” Ye Jincheng’s face grew colder by the inch. With a swift motion, he slapped Kong Yi across the face.

The slap was infused with inner strength, leaving Kong Yi no room to dodge. Just from that one strike, his jaw and nose shifted out of place, a tooth fell from his mouth stained with blood, rolling onto the ground, and a fresh stream of crimson seeped from the corner of his lips.

My goodness…

Yun Qing swallowed hard. Luckily, Kong Yi hadn’t held a grudge over her slapping him earlier. Had he demanded she repay those dozen or so slaps, her face might have been beaten to a pulp.

“Take care of it,” Ye Jincheng ordered Yun Qing.

Yun Qing raised an eyebrow. “Not going to ask anything?”

Ye Jincheng glanced at Kong Yi. Having followed him all these years, how could he not know him well? Despite the heavy slap, Kong Yi hadn’t uttered a sound. Was there any hope of extracting information from him?

Coldly, he said, “There’s nothing to ask.”

Yun Qing clicked her tongue in admiration, eyeing Kong Yi’s increasingly darkened face. She muttered an incantation, drawing out the malevolent energy from his body and slaying it one by one.

Without the evil energy, Kong Yi’s complexion turned as pale as paper, as if he had lost all breath. His eyes rolled back, struggling a few times, writhing pathetically on the ground like a worm, crying out in agony before falling silent.

Yun Qing looked down at him and said, “Shan Qing is truly unscrupulous. After being defeated by Master, he shamelessly profited handsomely in the capital…”

Ye Qianing poked her head out from Ye Jincheng’s arms, trembling as she asked, “What happened to him?”

Yun Qing sighed lightly. “He was possessed by an evil spirit for years. His body has long been taken over by the spirit—a mere empty shell, a walking corpse. He won’t live much longer.”

Ye Qianing gasped, and those close to Kong Yi broke out in cold sweat.

Yun Qing clapped her hands softly, exhaling, then said to Ye Jincheng, “Your mansion is clean now. Don’t forget the ten thousand taels you promised me.”

“I am a man of my word,” he replied solemnly.

Yun Qing smiled, her spirits lifted, humming a tune as she headed back to her residence.

***

At dusk, as the sun set, the clear blue sky was brushed with streaks of red clouds.

A maid entered carrying a plate of pastries and presented them to Yun Qing. “Miss Yun Qing, before the Eighth Princess left, she sent you a plate of osmanthus cakes.”

Yun Qing, seated and reading, raised an eyebrow, flipping a page. “Leave it there.”

After a while, she uncovered the ceramic lid, a slight smile lifting her lips though her eyes never left the book. She picked up a piece and said, “I see you have some conscience left, at least you know to thank me.”

With that, she took a bite. The relaxed expression on her face instantly darkened.

“Ugh!” Yun Qing spat out the sour, bitter remnants in horror, tossing the rest of the cakes back onto the plate as if they were burning hot coals.

She frowned deeply, rummaging through the table for a few preserved fruits, stuffing them into her mouth to wash away the taste. “Despicable scoundrels, making such awful things to trap me!”

Just as she was cursing, Su Lan hurried in from outside, clutching her stomach and gasping for breath.

Yun Qing paused, raising an eyebrow. “What’s the rush? What happened?”

Su Lan took a deep breath. “Fairy Sister, the Hou family has gone to the Sansheng Hall.”

“What?” Yun Qing frowned, her eyes narrowing.

That couldn’t be right. Besides Sheng Jintang, who in the Hou family could know her true identity?

“It was Lord Hou himself,” Su Lan explained, “He says Fairy Sister bullied his niece and wants to settle the score with you.”

Yun Qing’s voice deepened. “Isn’t the Sansheng Hall closed?”

“Exactly,” Su Lan nodded. “The Hou family is just outrageous. The hall didn’t open this morning. When someone asked me about you, I kept quiet, but Lord Hou took advantage of the situation, spreading rumors that you insulted and framed his legitimate eldest daughter. He even smashed things up in front of the Sansheng Hall…”

“Unbelievable!” Yun Qing slammed the table in anger, then winced as she touched her delicate palm.

“Don’t worry, Fairy Sister. The Sansheng Hall has such a good reputation in the capital, the people won’t believe his one-sided lies.”

Su Lan sat beside her proudly. “When I arrived, not only did I see patients you had treated before helping clean up, but many people went to the Hou family’s doorstep to curse them. Rotten vegetables and spoiled eggs were thrown at their gate. The Hou family shut the doors tight, not daring to show even a crack.”

Yun Qing smiled confidently. “That’s the will of the people. We disdain his slander.”

***

“Fairy Sister is right,” Su Lan said, picking at the pastries, mumbling, “Fairy Sister is the best… Ugh, what is this? Not even a dog would eat it!”

She scowled, throwing the pastries to the floor, tears streaming from her eyes in misery.

Before Yun Qing could stop her, she saw Su Lan’s face contort from the bitter taste and couldn’t help but smile. She returned to her chair, flipping through her book leisurely. “I’ll take the Eighth Princess’s gift as your gratitude.”

That night.

In a hazy dream, she found herself in the familiar back garden of the Hou estate. The cries of a child rang out, filled with pain and sorrow.

An eight-year-old boy sat in a wooden wheelchair, his face dark and sullen, sweat beading on his forehead.

He was the young master of the Hou family, Sheng Yi, the youngest son of Sheng Yukun.

His hands clenched tightly on his robe, veins bulging on his forehead. “It hurts! My leg hurts so much!”

He covered himself, wailing in agony, evoking pity.

Sheng Jintang hurried over and took a small porcelain bottle from his bosom, pouring out some pills for Sheng Yi to swallow. His cries slowly subsided.

Soon after, Sheng Yukun and his wife, Madam Bai, arrived. Madam Bai held Sheng Yi, weeping uncontrollably, while Sheng Yukun looked at Sheng Jintang with deep gratitude.

Another year passed, but little Sheng Yi’s health had not improved. His complexion grew paler by the day; his frail body twisted and emaciated. The surrounding dark energy had infiltrated his internal organs, and his already powerless legs were now completely numb.

Yet Sheng Jintang’s status within the Hou family only grew more important. Over the years, Sheng Yukun had witnessed her tireless care for his nephew. She had risked falling off a cliff in search of medicine.

She became a great benefactor of the Hou family. Even the two cousins who had once resented her now showed respect. With such a reputation, Sheng Yukun arranged a marriage for her with the current crown prince, transforming her into the esteemed Crown Princess.

Sweat beaded more heavily on Yun Qing’s forehead. She suddenly woke from the dream, sitting up with a light gasp.

Closing her eyes to calm herself, she rubbed her temples and exhaled softly.