"Somebody! There's a thief in the manor!"
Yuzhu's shrill cry was so sharp it felt like it could rip the roof apart.
Xie Zhaolin lunged forward in "panic," slapping a hand over her mouth. "Don't, don't shout…"
"Get off me!" Yuzhu shoved her away, her voice rising even higher. "Somebody! Help! Murder! There's a killer—"
Seeing she couldn't stop her, Xie Zhaolin staggered back, her face suddenly drained of color. Her lips trembled as she whispered, "Don't, don't call out…"
But Yuzhu didn't care. She'd hated this slut from the gambling den from the start. Now that she finally had the chance, she wasn't going to let it slip, no matter how strange she might be. She was going to stomp her down hard!
"Somebody! Hurry! Come quickly!" Yuzhu screamed even louder, glaring viciously at her. "Wait till Madam comes, let's see how you die!"
When Xie Zhaolin kept her head lowered, Yuzhu felt even more confident. She threw her voice with even greater force. "Somebody come! Drag this whore out and beat her to death—"
Her scream cut off.
Silence fell.
No hurried footsteps, no servants questioning what was happening, not even the sound of leaves rustling outside.
The entire Chu Manor was deathly quiet.
The smugness on Yuzhu's face froze, replaced by confusion and unease.
"W-what's going on…" Her voice shook as her eyes darted to the door, then snapped back to Xie Zhaolin, staring at her in terror.
Xie Zhaolin was still standing in the same spot, her face pale as ever. But those eyes—
Those eyes held not a shred of fear.
"Why'd you stop shouting?" Xie Zhaolin asked softly. The corners of her lips curled, her eyes glittering with mocking amusement.
Yuzhu's throat went dry.
"Y-you… what did you do?!" Her voice quavered, all trace of her earlier smugness gone, leaving only raw terror.
Xie Zhaolin slowly raised her hand. Black qi coiled lazily around her fingertips.
"I told you not to call out," she said unhurriedly, her pallor replaced by a chilling smile. "This room is already completely sealed off by my divine sense."
Yuzhu's pupils shrank to pinpoints. At last, she realized—she was trapped.
"Y-you're not Zhang Xiuxiu!" She forced out the words with difficulty, her throat rasping. "Who the hell are you?!"
Xie Zhaolin tilted her head, her smile deepening. "You're only realizing it now? How slow."
Yuzhu's legs went weak. She wanted to run, but her body was nailed in place, unable to move.
As if reading her thoughts, Xie Zhaolin flicked her finger.
Smack!
Yuzhu's right hand flew up uncontrollably, slapping her own cheek. The sound cracked through the room. Her face swelled red in an instant, blood trickling from the corner of her lips.
"You… you can't touch me!" Yuzhu's voice broke with panic. "I serve Madam directly! If you hurt me, she'll never let you off!"
Before she finished, both her hands slapped her face. Her eyes went wide with horror. "No… don't…"
"See?" Xie Zhaolin tilted her head, voice light. "Your body's a lot more honest than your mouth."
Smack! Smack! Smack!
Crisp slaps echoed one after another. Yuzhu's cheeks swelled grotesquely, blood streaked her lips, and tears rolled down her face like rain. She didn't even dare scream from the pain.
"Better now?" Xie Zhaolin asked, her eyes full of childlike innocence, as though none of it had anything to do with her.
Yuzhu said nothing, only glared with venomous eyes.
"Heh." Xie Zhaolin leaned close, her lips brushing Yuzhu's ear, voice as soft as a lover's whisper. "Guess… will your Madam arrive first…" Her fingertip traced lightly along her neck, "or will my hand move faster?"
Yuzhu trembled violently. Tears mixed with blood rolled down her cheeks as she finally broke, nodding frantically.
Satisfied, Xie Zhaolin smiled. "Now, I'll ask, you answer. If you satisfy me…" She paused, a wicked curve tugging her lips. "Maybe I'll help you… become the Young Madam of the Chu Family."
Yuzhu's head shot up, her terror suddenly replaced by shock and greedy desire.
"You… what did you just say?"
"Don't act dumb." Xie Zhaolin chuckled. "You hoard Chu Huaizhou's handkerchiefs, fix your makeup whenever he passes…" With a flick of her fingers, black qi pulled a silk handkerchief embroidered with the characters Huaizhou from Yuzhu's sleeve. "Did you really think no one noticed?"
Yuzhu's face went white.
"I can help you," Xie Zhaolin whispered like a devil in the dark. "As long as you give me the answers I need."
Yuzhu's lips trembled. Her eyes wavered between fear and longing.
At last, she gritted her teeth. "You… you can really help me?"
Xie Zhaolin's smile widened, though her eyes stayed cold. "Do you think… you're in any position to bargain?"
Yuzhu's entire body shook, then she blurted out desperately, "I'll talk! I'll tell you everything!"
"Chu Manor really has no other cultivators?" Xie Zhaolin asked.
Yuzhu swallowed back the blood pooling in her throat. "None! Ever since the old master died, Madam dismissed all the hired cultivators, saying it was to cut costs. Now only Young Master remains…"
"And this engagement between Chu Huaizhou and me, what's the truth?"
Yuzhu's eyes darted wildly, her voice unsteady. "It… it was you who begged for it yourself…"
"Heh." Xie Zhaolin sneered, flicking her fingers.
"Aahhh!" Yuzhu collapsed to the ground, writhing in agony. "I was wrong! I was wrong! I'll tell the truth! It was when the old master was still alive… he and Master Zhang drank together one night and drunkenly arranged the match!"
Xie Zhaolin narrowed her eyes. "Drunk?"
"I don't know the details…" Yuzhu gasped for breath. "But the old servants said they drank all night at Zuixian Tower, and the next day he suddenly announced the betrothal…"
A coil of black qi snaked around Yuzhu's neck.
"I swear it's true!" she shrieked in terror. "Even Young Master doesn't know the details! Madam smashed several tea sets in fury, saying… saying the Zhang Family's nothing but fallen nobodies, unworthy of Young Master!"
Xie Zhaolin eased her grip, thoughtful.
So the engagement was indeed strange. Two drunken old men made the decision, the rest of the Chu Family knew nothing…
"When did the old master die?"
"Half a year ago," Yuzhu answered quickly this time, clearly afraid of being punished again.
"And what about…" Xie Zhaolin's tone lowered, "my parents, and my grandfather?"