Chapter 8: 8 窝里反

Upon returning to Li Pavilion, Qian Yunniang dismissed all the maids, leaving only Hongyun behind.

Hongyun followed behind her with her head bowed submissively, serving her with trepidation. Unexpectedly, Qian Yunniang suddenly turned around and swung her hand, slapping Hongyun. The sudden force knocked her to the ground.

With tears welling in her eyes, Hongyun had no idea what she had done wrong. She pleaded in a low, aggrieved voice, "Madam..."

"Tell me, how much did you take from that girl! To think you would betray me!" At this moment, Qian Yunniang seemed like a completely different person. She had long since torn off the mask of the noble and reserved mistress of the Qin family. With a cold expression and a mean-spirited countenance, she glared at Hongyun. "You dared to tell an outsider everything about my business! To think I trusted you so much!"

"Madam, I didn't!" Hongyun crawled on her knees to Qian Yunniang's feet, clutching at her skirt and weeping in plea, "I truly did not betray you. Hongyun has been loyal to you heart and soul; how could I do such a thing!"

"Didn't? If you didn't, how would that girl know my business?" With a forceful kick, Qian Yunniang sent Hongyun flying. Hongyun crashed into a nearby blue-and-white porcelain shelf, and the porcelain shattered all over the floor. The flying shards cut Hongyun's face, carving a bloody gash from the corner of her right eye to her left cheek; it was a gruesome sight.

However, the moment Qian Yunniang saw her beloved porcelain shattered on the floor, a surge of rage blocked her chest. Glaring at Hongyun with murderous eyes, she ordered someone to bring a whip and began to lash her. Before long, Hongyun was covered in wounds.

The cries and pleas for mercy coming from the inner room were shrill and desperate, yet the maids waiting in the outer room acted as if they heard nothing, holding their breath as they waited for this agonizing torture to pass.

Hongyun continued to cry and plead with her last breath, until finally, she drew her last breath in resentment. Her wide-open eyes stared at Qian Yunniang, filled with hatred; she died without her eyes closing.

Once the fire in her heart gradually subsided, Qian Yunniang spat, called for another maid, and commanded, "Go, clean her up. Looking at her is irritating."

The maid calmly called for others to help, dragging Hongyun's corpse away. Their movements were composed, as they were long accustomed to such things.

"Hongyue, what should we do about this in the future?" After venting her rage, Qian Yunniang felt utterly exhausted. Her gaze fell upon her other confidante, and she murmured irritably.

"As long as a priest is invited, the Third Young Lady's injuries can be healed. Madam does not need to worry too much," Hongyue replied calmly, assuming she was worried about Qin Qin's condition, without mentioning Hongyun's death at all.

"Sigh, that's not what I'm worried about. I'm thinking about something else," Qian Yunniang leaned back on the soft couch, her charming features filled with unease. Clutching her chest, she said, "Did you not see her eyes today? I have never seen anyone with eyes like hers. When she looks at you, it's like a knife being plunged into your heart—cold and bone-chilling, and as shrewd as if she weren't just a fifteen-year-old girl."

A flicker of surprise finally appeared in Hongyue's calm eyes. She hadn't expected Qian Yunniang to give such an evaluation after just one visit to the Sixth Young Lady's courtyard. Wasn't this Sixth Young Lady famously useless?

After a moment of silence, Hongyue said in a low voice, "If Madam is uneasy, find an opportunity to deal with her."

Qian Yunniang's eyes lit up. "Good." Then, remembering a certain concern, she added hurriedly, "Tell Qian Shan to find people to deal with that girl the moment she leaves the house. She must die after she has left the Qin family gates; otherwise, it will be difficult to explain things to the Master."

"Yes." Only after seeing Hongyue leave to handle the matter did Qian Yunniang's heart settle slightly. She thought maliciously, *If I had known, I would have killed that girl along with her mother back then to save myself the trouble, and she wouldn't have harmed my Qin'er...*

Thinking of Qin Qin, the look in Qian Yunniang's eyes softened, her features filled with an indescribable heartache. She sighed inwardly and stood up, giving orders as she walked, "Prepare everything. I need to go to the Magic Guild."

Qin'er's injuries could only be healed by a Light Priest from the Magic Guild. No matter how much money it cost or how great a favor she had to owe, she had to go.