Talisman?
Lin Yu’er looked astonished. When had she ever given the Marquis a protective talisman?
So the Marquis was fine, he just couldn’t attend the banquet?
If he’s not attending the banquet, why is he looking for me?
The steward waited a few seconds, noticing Lin Yu’er staring at him with a strange expression. Unsure if she understood, he steeled himself and spoke.
“The Marquis sent this servant to ask if Madam could… bestow more of those artworks from last night to him?!”
Lin Yu’er: “No!”
The steward managed the estate’s accounts, treasury, and social interactions. The concubines in the inner quarters respected him greatly, and his position as the Marquis’ steward earned him considerable face outside.
No one had ever refused him so decisively before.
Lin Yu’er’s rejection actually made him pause momentarily.
Then he asked:
“Why not?”
Lin Yu’er: “Should I just give him whatever he wants? Pfft, how dare a mere male concubine take advantage of this venerable one! Have you ever seen any Heir of the Demon Venerable be so accommodating? Shouldn’t we be performing a thousand blood sacrifices while laughing triumphantly three hundred times?”
The steward, completely baffled by Lin Yu’er’s nonsense, forced an awkward smile.
“This servant has never seen a Heir of the Demon Venerable before – Madam is the first!”
Lin Yu’er waved her hand grandly: “Last night I already said my artworks are extraordinary! Countless mortals have fought bloody battles over my paintings, yet he refused to believe me. Hmph, too late now! Everything comes too late now!”
The steward tried to say more, but Lin Yu’er had already lost interest.
“Du Du, throw him out! His words offend me!”
Du Du, her devoted follower, immediately rolled up her sleeves and stepped forward. With a gentle push, the steward staggered back over a dozen steps as if he’d been violently shoved.
His eyes widened in shock.
“Du Du, don’t you want your monthly allowance?”
Du Du lifted her chin: “I don’t need it! Madam will provide for me! I’m easier to keep than a dog! And I don’t relieve myself anywhere!”
“Madam…” the steward called out.
As he tried to approach Lin Yu’er, Du Du pushed him again.
This time, the steward stumbled backward several steps before falling flat on his back.
Du Du clapped her hands: “Coming to see Madam empty-handed, then having the nerve to ask for her things! Hmph, I never thought you were that kind of steward!”
Steward: ?
Had bringing gifts when visiting the Madam become an unbreakable rule in the Marquis’ estate?
After the steward picked himself up and limped away, cheerful laughter once again filled the courtyard.
“Yueyue, did you see that? This venerable one merely casually displayed some talent last night, and already people come begging today.”
“Madam is truly remarkable!”
“Of course. This venerable one already said painting is my special skill, but they refused to believe me! Those blind little creatures! Ah, like a solitary shadow over cold rivers, a transcendent master like myself from beyond this world… no, from beyond the universe, is truly lonely.”
“This concubine is truly curious about what Madam has painted.”
“Considering you provided me with my first bucket of gold, Yueyue – Du Du!” Lin Yu’er, thoroughly enjoying her act, called out loudly: “Bring my artworks to show Yueyue! Let her witness what a true transcendent master looks like!”
“Yes, this maid will go immediately!”
Soon, Du Du returned carrying a messy stack of painting papers.
Even though Xie Xinyue had mentally prepared herself.
She was still shocked when she saw those artworks.
What in the world were these?
Completely unrecognizable.
They looked exactly like ghostly talismans!
Ghost talisman? Talisman?!
Wait!
The steward just came to report that when the Marquis went to interrogate a prisoner in the jail, he was attacked by the inmate. The Marquis was unharmed, but the protective talisman turned to ashes, and then… the steward came to ask Madam for her paintings!
Her heart trembled violently.
These paintings.
Could they truly have the power to protect lives?!
When Madam said people would fight bloody battles over her paintings, could it actually be true?!!!
But Lin Yu’er is clearly insane, how can her words be trusted?!
No, that’s not right either!
Xie Xinyue suddenly pinched her own thigh hard: Damn it, how could I be so confused and forget why I came to Crabapple Courtyard?
I came to thank Madam! To thank her for the curses that brought retribution upon the first and second branches of the family!
If curses directed at little clay figures can come true, why couldn’t a painting ward off disaster?!
Madam is insane!
But she’s definitely a powerful, skillful madwoman!
She flipped through the paintings, then picked up one.
“Madam, this painting with many small dots inside a circle – what does it mean? This humble one doesn’t understand! Is there some special meaning to it?”
Lin Yu’er leaned over to look.
She immediately felt somewhat confused.
Did I paint this?
Whenever inspiration strikes, she just focuses on painting, feeling satisfied during the process and considering everything she creates to be masterpieces. But she rarely looks at the finished works afterward.
A true strong woman never looks back.
But Du Du, being her little fan, definitely wouldn’t bring out fake works – this must indeed be her painting.
“This is a circle…”
She secretly glanced at Xie Xinyue and found the other genuinely looking at the painting while waiting for her explanation.
Lin Yu’er coughed once, pointing at the painting with her finger: “This is a face! The small dots on this face represent bumps, pimples, and allergies!”
Xie Xinyue said seriously: “If this painting were given to someone, would the recipient become disfigured?”
Lin Yu’er nodded: “Yes indeed! They’d become disfigured, the kind that makes them look utterly hideous! Our Demon Realm specializes in these unorthodox, twisted little tricks. Every soldier in the Demon Realm feels proud and honored to know how to cause mischief!”
“As the next Demon Lord, I’m the master chef among a thousand practitioners, hehehe…”
Xie Xinyue was taken aback: “Master chef?”
Zhang Momo explained with a numb expression: “Madam means she’s exceptionally skilled at this!”
Xie Xinyue nodded, feeling a wave of retrospective fear.
Thank goodness she had sided with Madam. Otherwise, not only would the curses be impossible to guard against, but there were actually such vile methods too.
Lin Yu’er noticed Xie Xinyue’s pale complexion and thought she was frightened by her power, growing even more pleased with herself.
She picked up the painting of the flower on her own. “This is a flower, you can tell that right? I painted it so wood-wood-like.”
Zhang Momo supplemented: “It’s vividly lifelike.”
“Ah yes, vividly lifelike.” Lin Yu’er didn’t like Zhang Momo interrupting and glared at her before continuing: “The petals are full of teeth! Have you heard of man-eating flowers? This is one! But it’s just a baby man-eating flower, so it can only eat very, very small things!”
“It has a very good temper and is quite loyal too!”
Xie Xinyue didn’t dare to touch the flower’s stamens with her fingers, afraid they might get bitten.
Lin Yu’er was pleased with Xie Xinyue’s reaction and grew increasingly excited as she elaborated: “This one’s a turtle with a black pot on its back. Hehehe, with this drawing, even if I steal everything from the kitchen, they’ll never catch me—they’ll catch someone else instead! Hehehe… This is called ‘Turtle Bearing the Blame’!”
“That blame-shifting little turtle is truly wicked and deserves to be caught!”
“Though it’s a pity my turtle can only carry one pot. This venerable one possesses endless methods, but this world doesn’t permit me to be too flamboyant, ahahaha…”
Xie Xinyue sharply inhaled amidst Lin Yu’er’s laughter.
To think it could achieve this!
The significance of this talisman was far greater than merely stealing from the kitchen…
This type of talisman was truly formidable.
As Lin Yu’er proceeded to explain other talismans, Xie Xinyue, after hearing the descriptions of those artworks, could only form one thought: Madam’s drawings were truly filthy!