The crisp sound of teeth hitting porcelain rang out sharply, but in this moment, no one found it pleasant. The guards all instinctively reached up to clutch their own cheeks.
Blood and broken teeth mixed with shards of porcelain filled Qi Yunting’s mouth. When he opened it, he could feel countless sharp fragments lodged in his tongue, the pain so intense his face twisted grotesquely.
Liu Zhong came stumbling in, half-rolling, half-crawling. When he saw the scene, it was as if he’d seen a ghost, his voice stammering in fear: “Y-Young… Young Miss!”
She couldn’t actually kill him, could she?!
This was the eldest young master!
If she had killed one of Han Yue’e’s maidservants, she could still dig up some ancient ancestral rule from the Taizu era to back herself up.
But this—this was her own elder brother. If she killed him, there’d be no way to explain it!
Qi Yuan shifted her cold gaze to Liu Zhong and asked icily, “How did he get in here?”
Yes—wasn’t he supposed to be confined, even if he hadn’t gone back home to study? How had he ended up in her courtyard?
Liu Zhong swallowed hard. “Young Miss, he… he is the eldest young master, after all…”
Even if he had made mistakes—even if he had done wrong—he was still the legitimate firstborn grandson. The future heir of the marquisate. Who could really stop him?
Qi Yuan suddenly laughed. She let out a soft “Oh” and said meaningfully, “So it’s because you’re afraid of him.”
The guards all involuntarily shivered.
They used to fear Qi Yunting. But from today onward, perhaps they’d all start to reconsider who they should be afraid of.
What kind of family had a daughter like their young miss? When she shoved that cup straight into Qi Yunting’s mouth just now, they had all been completely stunned!
Qi Yunting still thrashed like a wild beast, furious and desperate.
Liu Zhong was on the verge of tears. “Young Miss, please don’t lower yourself to argue with the young master. He’s still just a child…”
That was actually kind of funny—Qi Yunting was a few years older than Qi Yuan.
But no one laughed, because in front of Qi Yuan, Qi Yunting did seem pathetically childish.
Qi Yuan lowered her head and seized Qi Yunting’s jaw, squeezing hard—hard enough that it felt like she might shatter it.
Qi Yunting’s eyes shifted from rage and unwillingness to shock and disbelief. Only now did he realize something was wrong with her strength.
That time he had rushed her and ended up crashing into the screen, bruised all over—he’d thought it was an accident. But now he realized it wasn’t. Qi Yuan knew martial arts!
His eyes widened as he stared at her.
Qi Yuan tugged her lips into a mocking smile and looked at him coolly. “Look at you—stupid and useless. Trained in martial arts since childhood, but couldn’t even beat a girl from the countryside. With your idiotic face, if you weren’t the heir of the marquisate, you wouldn’t even be as good as your own manservant.”
Qi Yunting struggled, but Qi Yuan only tightened her grip, nearly dislocating his jaw. No matter how he squirmed or twisted, he couldn’t break free. At last, he stopped fighting, just glaring at her with hatred in his eyes.
Liu Zhong watched her every move with dread, terrified that Qi Yuan might lose her temper and do something irreversible. He was even starting to wonder if he should call the guards to draw their swords.
Thankfully, he didn’t have to remain in suspense for long.
Qi Yuan let go of Qi Yunting’s face just a beat earlier than expected, casually wiping the blood on his shoulder.
Qi Yunting was notoriously fastidious—he wouldn’t even spit into a spittoon because it smelled. He insisted on spitting onto the maids instead.
And now Qi Yuan had humiliated him like this…
Liu Zhong wanted to speak, but he forced himself to hold it in.
Qi Yuan bent down and slapped Qi Yunting’s cheek lightly. “You’re worthless. Completely useless. The only thing you’ve got going for you is that you were lucky enough to be born into the right womb. Now get lost.”
The guards and Liu Zhong all breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
Liu Zhong quickly said, “Miss, we’ll take the young master away right now.”
Qi Yuan looked at him with a half-smile. “Housekeeper Liu, you’d better be more cautious. Those who aren’t supposed to be wandering around should stay put. Otherwise… it won’t be clear just who that confinement order is really protecting, will it?”
“Yes, yes, of course!”
Liu Zhong gave a quick signal, and the guards dragged Qi Yunting out.
Baizhi let out a long, heavy breath and turned to comfort the frightened maids.
Qi Yuan glanced up at the roof beam, where Xiao Yunting lounged at ease. Her expression indifferent, she turned and returned to the rosewood chair. “What were you laughing at, Your Highness?”
“I was laughing at how vicious you are,” Xiao Yunting leapt down lightly and sat across from her. “I thought I was about to witness your tenth kill.”
Qi Yuan’s expression instantly darkened.
For that fleeting moment, she had wanted to kill him.
So what if he was the heir?
In their past life, when Qi Yunting had ordered Hua Momo to break her legs and then pour salt and honey water on the wounds, there hadn’t been a shred of mercy.
Even if killing him now angered Qi Zhen and the old Marquis, so what?
She could afford that cost.
After all, she had already climbed the towering tree that was Xiao Yunting. With him as her backing, she could still complete her plan for revenge.
But in the end, she held back.
Xiao Yunting had only meant it as a joke, but seeing Qi Yuan’s face suddenly change, he coughed awkwardly. “Miss Qi?”
“A pity,” Qi Yuan replied with a sarcastic smile, “that Your Highness’s entertainment was cut short. I don’t have many skills—but I am quite good at killing. Don’t worry, Your Highness. There will be more to watch in the future.”
…
Why is she suddenly so angry?
Xiao Yunting was completely baffled. He didn’t think she was only good at killing.
Why was she so furious?
Qi Yuan thought back to her previous life, when Feng Caiwei had climbed a tree to rescue a baby squirrel, only to fall and end up in a coma.
Xiao Yunting had blamed her for failing to protect them.
Of course—he’d always seen her as nothing more than a tool for killing.
Qi Yuan snapped, “Your Highness, I’m feeling unwell. You should go.”
…This woman really could change faces at the flip of a coin!
Xiao Yunting was speechless. He stared at her, his tone sinking. “Miss Qi, have I offended you somehow? I had no intention of mocking you…”
“Your Highness didn’t mock me!” Qi Yuan’s eyes were full of suspicion and her expression distant, like she wanted to keep the world at bay. “On the contrary—I’m exactly as you say. Cold-blooded, ruthless. Anyone who crosses me, I’ll kill. Because I only believe one thing: only dead enemies pose no threat!”
Only dead enemies pose no threat…
Countless thoughts raced through Xiao Yunting’s mind. But seeing Qi Yuan’s tightly drawn face, he suddenly blurted out, “Actually, I think the same way.”
He thinks the same way?
Yeah right!
Remembering how he’d protected Feng Caiwei in their past life, Qi Yuan narrowed her eyes and sneered, “Is that so? Then I suggest Your Highness make sure never to become my enemy.”
