Song Yue stood on tiptoe and ground her heel fiercely into the woolen carpet, not stopping until she had twisted a vortex into the fabric.
“You!” Nanny Zhang’s eyes widened.
“It’s just a carpet, yet you dare raise your voice at me over it. It seems Concubine Yuan has been too lax with you old shrews over the years.”
The mention of “Concubine Yuan” and “old shrews” left Nanny Zhang dumbfounded.
How dare Third Miss speak of the mistress this way!
“Third Miss, how can you be so ill-mannered? This old servant only has your best interests at heart. The villa is not as lenient as the Duke of Jing’s Mansion. If you bring shame upon the Duke’s Mansion and are punished, don’t blame this old servant for not warning you.” Nanny Zhang continued her endless lecturing.
Song Yue bent down to sit, glancing at the teacup on the side table—not a drop of water inside.
Looking further, she saw a layer of dust on the table, clearly indicating a lack of care in cleaning.
Or perhaps, they simply didn’t take her seriously at all.
“Third Miss has broken the rules. This old servant will punish you by forbidding you from having dinner tonight. You may eat again only when you have reflected and admitted your wrongdoing.”
This was how Nanny Zhang had treated her in the past.
Starving one meal, barely eating the next, constantly threatening her, sometimes even humiliating her—adding things to her food and forcing her to kneel and lick it off the floor.
Scenes from the past flashed through her mind.
Song Yue took a deep breath.
Sometimes, being cautious and careful doesn’t earn others’ understanding—it only fuels their arrogance.
…
Main Hall
Grand Madam dismissed the maids and glanced at Yuan Fuling’s aggrieved expression, patiently explaining, “These are extraordinary times. Who knows when the Emperor might summon her? She has suffered much outside. You should be more accommodating.”
Hearing this, Yuan Fuling felt as though she had swallowed bitter herbs.
She had endured ten long years to reach her current status, yet the moment Song Yue returned, she tore open old wounds. How could Yuan Fuling not resent her?
“Grandmother, Yue sister is unruly. Since her return, she has thrown the mansion into chaos—hitting me, defying Mother, and even disregarding Eldest Brother. What will become of us in the future?” Song Yao said unhappily, suggesting they send Song Yue to the estate.
Song Hengchuan nodded in agreement.
“She is too wild.”
If not for their shared mother, he would have beaten this shameless girl to death.
Grand Madam, too, wished Song Yue were not staying in the mansion.
Especially today, when Song Yue repeatedly mentioned Princess Jiahua—Grand Madam longed to send her away immediately.
But with the Emperor of Beichu’s intentions unclear, for the sake of the Duke of Jing’s Mansion, Grand Madam could only force herself to endure. “It’s not yet time to send her away. We must wait a little longer.”
“But…” Song Yao was about to say more when a scream from outside startled everyone.
“Grand Madam, n-no, it’s terrible! Third Miss has smashed up Yuhan Courtyard!”
At these words, Grand Madam’s vision darkened. Gripping the armrests, she stood up and asked sternly, “What exactly happened?”
Beside her, Yuan Fuling’s eyelid twitched, and a sense of foreboding suddenly gripped her heart.
Song Hengchuan gritted his teeth and rushed out. “Today, we must send that troublemaker away!”
Yuhan Courtyard
Song Yue stood with her foot pressed against Nanny Zhang’s face, looking down at her. “I am the master, and you are the servant. How dare you lecture me?”
And even dared to forbid her from eating.
Utterly reckless!
“Third Miss truly lacks manners. This old servant will certainly report this to Grand Madam,” Nanny Zhang shouted defiantly, her face filled with resentment.
Song Yue raised her hand, bent down, and crouched, wearing a half-smile. “Concubine Yuan sent Nanny Fang and Nanny Tan to the villa to fetch me. Outside, it’s said they both died in a fire. Guess how they really died?”
Nanny Zhang was suddenly taken aback. She looked up and met Song Yue’s murderous gaze, shuddering all over. “H-how did they die?”
No, it couldn’t be. Song Yue was just a fool at the villa, bullied by everyone. How could she possibly have killed two nannies?
“One had her heart cut out by my own hand and died in agony. The other was knocked unconscious and placed in the fire, burned to charcoal.” Song Yue spoke casually, as if discussing something ordinary.
Nanny Zhang was stunned.
Song Yue slowly stood up, finding the furnishings in the room displeasing to the eye. She walked toward the vase on the antique shelf.
Under the watchful eyes of several maids.
She picked it up and smashed it.
Bang!
The vase shattered into pieces.
The maids were shocked.
But that wasn’t all. Song Yue proceeded to smash every piece of porcelain in the room.
Crash after crash.
In no time, the room was in complete disarray.
Nanny Zhang scrambled to her feet, staring at Song Yue in disbelief as if looking at a monster. She signaled to one of the maids to go and report.
Song Yue sneered but made no move to stop her. Only when the room was thoroughly wrecked did she bend down and sit contentedly.
Soon, Song Hengchuan appeared before her.
He stared at the mess in the room, his eyes wide with disbelief. His chest heaved with rage. “Song Yue!”
Song Hengchuan had never seen such a brazen, reckless woman. In his mind, his sister should be like Yaoyao—well-mannered, gentle, and charming.
He charged toward Song Yue, murderous intent flashing in his eyes.
It was genuine killing intent.
Song Yue felt it clearly. She raised an eyebrow, and without needing to give an order, Ling stepped forward to block Song Hengchuan. Song Hengchuan, already seething with anger after his whip was destroyed earlier, was now boiling with rage.
His blood surged as he swung a fist at Ling. “You’re asking for death!”
“Ling, fight back!” Song Yue shouted.
Ling swiftly raised his hand and caught Song Hengchuan’s fist, exerting force. Song Hengchuan’s expression changed slightly, and he gritted his teeth to keep from crying out.
“How dare you! I am your master, and you are a servant. How dare you defy your superior!” Song Hengchuan roared.
Song Yue sneered. “Ling is a guard I brought with me. He doesn’t belong to the Duke of Jing’s Mansion. If you beg for mercy, I’ll have Ling let you go. How about that?”
“Don’t even think about it!” Song Hengchuan was extremely proud. How could the legitimate eldest son of a Duke’s Mansion apologize to a mere guard?
He fumbled at his waist, drew a sharp dagger, and thrust it toward Ling’s vital point. Ling dodged nimbly, avoiding the strike, and simultaneously punched Song Hengchuan in the chest.
Thud!
Song Hengchuan suffered internal injuries, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
He glared fiercely at Song Yue, unable to contain his anger. “Men! Attack! Show no mercy.”
Over a dozen guards rushed forward.
Song Yue had originally thought Song Hengchuan was merely selfish and self-serving, but she hadn’t expected him to be so despicable and shameless. Each of the dozen guards wielded swords and knives, and their stance wasn’t about teaching a lesson—it was about taking her life.
Ling moved like a ghost, and the dozen guards were no match for him. In the blink of an eye, they were sent flying.
In less than the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, the room fell silent again.
Only the corpses lying scattered on the floor remained.
Nanny Zhang and several maidservants were all dumbfounded.
Song Hengchuan narrowed his eyes, staring at Ling Yi: “Just who are you!”
Ling Yi did not respond, lowering his gaze as he stood behind Song Yue.
Song Yue raised her chin, disdainfully saying: “Useless!”
“You!” Song Hengchuan was so angry his head buzzed, his fists clenched with a creaking sound.
Grand Madam entered and saw the mess all over the floor, her face darkening. Nanny Zhang, seeing Grand Madam arrive, knelt on the ground with a thud: “Grand Madam, save me!”
Yuan Fuling was also quite frightened by this scene, her brows furrowed.
“Yue sister, it was Grandmother who asked you to move to Yuhan Courtyard. Even if you’re dissatisfied, you didn’t have to smash everything, did you?” Song Yao reproached.
Upon hearing this, Grand Madam’s expression could be imagined.
“Mother, since Song Yue wants to move to Yuehua Pavilion, I will clean it out immediately,” Yuan Fuling said cautiously.
“Grandmother, she’s just a madwoman. Keeping her in the residence will be a disaster sooner or later. In my opinion, she should be sent away immediately,” Song Hengchuan said.
Grand Madam took a deep breath, looking at Song Yue with an unusually calm expression: “Do you have anything to explain?”
Song Yue, changing from her previous arrogance and domineering manner, said aggrievedly: “No one welcomes me back, I can leave overnight.”
“How can you still play the victim first?” Song Yao sneered. A crude country girl who had never seen the world, did she really think pretending to be pitiful would work?
“You continue!” Grand Madam said calmly, waiting to hear the whole story.
Song Yao unwillingly fell silent.
Song Yue pointed at Nanny Zhang: “Just now when I entered, I stepped on the wool carpet. Nanny Zhang punished me to reflect on my mistake, not allowing me to eat tonight, and said I was a motherless wild child, unworthy of such an expensive carpet…”