“Lin Yu’er, how dare you—”
Xie Zhiqiu still attempted to intimidate, but what followed was one shoe after another.
In Great Yong, there was no saying that a woman who removed her shoes would become unmarriageable.
Because the previous emperor of Great Yong was an Empress, and the current regent was also a woman, females were not considered inferior.
“Ah, my face! Don’t hit my face!” Xie Zhiqiu’s face was struck again, and she furiously yelled at her personal maid, “Why aren’t you blocking for me? Are you all dead?!”
The maid was pushed forward as a shield, but the shoes kept landing on Xie Zhiqiu one after another.
“Lin Yu’er, you lunatic!!!”
“Neener neener neener…”
“Block this madwoman for me!”
“Neener neener…”
“Xie Xinyue, I’m your cousin! If you don’t help me, you’ll pay for it next time!!”
A smile hung on Xie Xinyue’s lips as she felt elated for the first time in her life: “What are you talking about, cousin? The Madame is playing with you because she likes you!”
“Xie Xinyue, you wretched woman, just as lowly as your parents! Vulgar merchants! Bloodsuckers! Ungrateful wretches!”
“If it weren’t for our main and secondary branches, you’d be nothing!” After being hit several times, Xie Zhiqiu’s anger nearly consumed her reason.
Lin Yu’er continued hitting joyfully, sticking out her tongue: “Neener neener neener…”
Xie Zhiqiu: “How could the Marquis estate let you become the mistress! I’ll definitely have my father impeach the Marquis when I return, saying his household is disorderly, that he married a mentally ill woman as his wife, failed to discipline her properly, and intentionally harmed others. Just you wait!”
Lin Yu’er pressed her nose upward with one hand, making a pig snout shape, while her eyes crossed.
“Neener neener…”
Her loud voice completely drowned out Xie Zhiqiu’s threats.
Xie Zhiqiu felt blood boiling in her chest, murderous intent surfacing in her heart.
Lin Yu’er’s footsteps suddenly screeched to a halt.
With one hand still pushing up her nose and the other holding a shoe, her eyes widened: “You vermin, you actually want to kill me?!”
The moment these words fell.
The calm on Du Du’s face instantly shattered as she watched the commotion, sharp killing intent flashing in her eyes.
Several auras suddenly fluctuated around Bibo Pavilion, multiple gazes locking onto Xie Zhiqiu.
Though Xie Zhiqiu couldn’t detect those gazes, she felt a sudden chill in her heart, her temples throbbing.
It was as if the wind had died down at that very moment.
“What… what nonsense are you talking? Don’t falsely accuse people!!”
Xie Zhiqiu now had hairpins askew all over her head, her face marked with muddy shoe prints.
Her nails dug into her palms as she suppressed her murderous intent toward Lin Yu’er.
The main branch of the Xie family, meaning her father, held a position in the Ministry of Rites, ranked fifth grade.
The secondary branch of the Xie family served as compilers in the Ministry of Personnel, ranked seventh grade.
While the Marquis of Zhaoping was an inspector in the Prison Warden Office, ranked third grade, not to mention being a hereditary Marquis.
Even if Lin Yu’er was mad, as long as she bore the title of Marquis household mistress for a single day, she couldn’t be touched.
Although she harbored such thoughts, she would absolutely never admit it in front of so many maids.
She had a feeling that if she admitted it now.
She might never leave the Marquis estate alive.
Remembering her purpose for visiting today, Xie Zhiqiu shot a sharp look at Xie Xinyue:
“I came to see you today to inform you of one thing—”
“Before your marriage, you promised to fulfill my request but failed, so you must compensate me! I know your parents have a cooperative relationship with Rouge Tower. As long as you transfer this connection to me, I’ll let you off! Otherwise, don’t blame me for asking my father and second uncle to open the ancestral hall and expel your third branch from the Xie family!”
Xie Xinyue’s expression darkened sharply: “Cousin, are you forcing me?!”
Xie Zhiqiu snorted coldly: “So what if I am?”
Xie Xinyue: “The manager of Rouge Tower said they’re willing to cooperate with the Xie family’s third branch not because of the Xies, but because of the Marquis’ residence! Even if I transfer this cooperation to you, you won’t be able to maintain it!”
Xie Zhiqiu completely disbelieved her words, simply stating: “That’s none of your concern!”
“Bang!”
A mud packet unexpectedly exploded, startling Xie Zhiqiu so much her legs went weak, causing her to stumble backward.
Only then did Xie Zhiqiu notice Lin Yu’er, who had been silent earlier, now had her hands covered in mud – the mud packet at her feet had been thrown by Lin Yu’er!
She couldn’t stay here another moment and turned to leave.
Lin Yu’er clapped her hands: “Ooh ooh ooh, the short-lived ghost is leaving, the short-lived ghost got scared away!”
Xie Zhiqiu turned back viciously, “Who are you calling short-lived ghost? You’re the short-lived ghost! People with mental problems have the shortest lifespans!!”
Hearing such curse-like words, Zhang Momo became displeased.
“Miss Xie cursing my lady – I will report these words truthfully to the Marquis!”
Xie Zhiqiu pointed at Lin Yu’er: “She cursed me first!!!”
Zhang Momo shielded Lin Yu’er: “Everyone in the capital knows my lady is immature, like a young child. Her words are considered innocent children’s talk! But Miss Xie is a normal person with proper cognition, so the meaning is naturally different. This servant will inform the Marquis that the eldest daughter of the Xie main branch shows clear malice toward the lady! With ulterior motives! Intentional targeting!”
Xie Zhiqiu’s eyes reddened with anger, pointing at Zhang Momo for a long time.
Ultimately, she couldn’t utter a single word.
She turned and slunk away with her attendants.
Xie Xinyue relaxed with relief, only then noticing Lin Yu’er had already made many mud packets.
“Thank you, lady!”
After expressing sincere gratitude, Xie Xinyue’s brows still carried a trace of worry.
Lin Yu’er: “We’ve driven away the pest, why are you still unhappy? Are you naturally disinclined to smile?”
Xie Xinyue shook her head, kneading mud in her hands: “I’m just worried about my parents. After cousin returns, my uncles will surely cause trouble for them!”
Lin Yu’er picked up a finished mud packet and smashed it violently.
“Maybe I should teach you how to eliminate this pest!”
After all, she was the brilliant and mighty Heir of the Demon Venerable, with sharp perception – that little insect had definitely harbored murderous intent toward her!
Hmph!
Did they think she hadn’t noticed?
How dare they look down on the Heir of the Demon Venerable!
“I have a vicious method! And we don’t need to do it ourselves.” Lin Yu’er crooked her finger at Xie Xinyue.
Xie Xinyue curiously leaned closer, “What method does the lady have?”
Lin Yu’er: “Let’s curse her!!!”
Xie Xinyue: …
If curses were effective, the world would have fallen into chaos long ago.
Not to mention others, even she herself would secretly curse a couple of times whenever Xie Zhiqiu bullied her.
But what use was it?
Her cousin remained well and aloof.
She had even cursed her uncles before, but it was completely useless.
Xie Xinyue, who had thought Lin Yu’er might have a good solution, now felt somewhat disappointed.
Her mind was already racing with thoughts on how to please the Marquis, hoping he could help her parents overcome this crisis. If her uncles truly expelled her parents from the Xie family, what fallback options remained?
“Du Du, where is the Devil God Avatar?!” Lin Yu’er demanded.
Ever since the Demon God statue cracked last time and she was blamed by her mistress, Du Du hadn’t dared to treat the little clay figure lightly. She kept it by her pillow while sleeping, brought it out for offerings during meals, and even when going out, she carefully wrapped it and stored it in her pouch.
“Right here!”
Du Du quickly untied the pouch from her waist and produced the hideously ugly clay figure: “This servant carries it with me at all times!”
Cuihu and Wanqing immediately turned their attention to Du Du.
Previously: They had assumed a personal maid serving the mistress enjoyed good treatment—that bulging pouch at her waist looked so enviable.
Now: “…”
Having witnessed the grotesque clay figure being pulled from that plump pouch, their gazes toward Du Du shifted from envy to pity.
“This is the Demon Lord’s avatar. Du Du, set it up properly and fetch some incense…”
Lin Yu’er enthusiastically introduced the Demon God to Xie Xinyue, who took one glance and covered her eyes.
The next moment, Du Du broke off some tree branches and handed them to Xie Xinyue.
Xie Xinyue: ?
Don’t tell me this thing is supposed to be incense?