The force of her lunge was so great that even Madam Yao beside her staggered from the impact.
Yet she failed in her attempt—a slender, pale wrist caught her.
"Second Miss Yao..."
Chu Ruoyan parted her lips to speak, but Yao Qing shook her head with bitter despair. "County Princess Changle, there's no need to persuade me... I was blessed with an excellent marriage, a husband who cherished me, yet before his bones had even cooled, I abandoned him and returned to my family. Then I demanded a divorce, and before even finishing mourning, I was paraded around for another match. Ha! This is retribution—well-deserved retribution!"
Madam Yao opened her mouth to say something, but the sight of Yan Zheng sitting nearby made her shrink back in fear.
Chu Ruoyan watched her calmly. "Was any of this your choice?"
Yao Qing froze. Then came the quiet question: "Your entire life has been spent serving your family. Yet on the day of the funeral, you told me yourself that you preferred I call you 'Fifth Younger Brother’s wife' rather than 'Second Miss Yao.' So now, ask yourself—what do you truly want?"
What did she want?
From the moment she understood the world, her parents had drilled into her: the Yao family was in decline, and she must marry into a powerful, noble household.
So she schemed relentlessly, clawing her way into the Yan Family, marrying Yan Fifth Young Master, intending only to manipulate the foolish boy for her family’s gain.
But then the Yan Family fell, their great house collapsing. Her mother ordered her to cut ties and seek another wealthy match...
Only to realize now that she had been nothing but a pawn all along...
Yao Qing let out a hollow laugh. "Thank you, Third Sister-in-law. But it’s too late. My family raised me—I’ll repay them with my life. Consider it settling the debt of their 'kindness.'"
Chu Ruoyan released her wrist. "Fine. Then go die."
Yao Qing turned—but just as she was about to charge forward, that cold voice spoke again. "After all, you’re already the Yao family’s discarded piece. Your death would serve a purpose. With the Tiger-Wielding General grieving his beloved daughter, no matter how urgent the war, the Emperor wouldn’t send a man in fresh mourning to the battlefield."
Yao Qing shuddered violently, whirling back in disbelief.
Her mother and brother averted their faces, refusing to meet her gaze.
And earlier... when she had tried to kill herself, neither had lifted a finger to stop her!
Rage surged through her. She opened her mouth to demand answers—only for a metallic tang to flood her tongue.
The blood she had been choking back could no longer be held in. It spilled from her lips as she stared at her mother and brother. "Is what she said... true?"
Madam Yao and Yao Qi remained silent.
Yao Qing already had her answer. "Good. Good. Good."
With the last word, her gaze sharpened like a blade. "Third Sister-in-law, lend me a knife."
Chu Ruoyan nodded. Meng Yang drew a dagger from his waist. "Be careful with it—"
Before he could finish, Yao Qing snatched the blade, spun around, and plunged it into Prince Zou’s shoulder!
"AHH!! You madwoman!!"
Prince Zou howled in agony. Madam Yao and Yao Qi paled. "Qing’er, have you lost your mind?! How dare you attack Prince Zou?!"
Yao Qing twisted her wrist—the dagger ground inside his flesh, wrenching another animalistic scream from him.
"Stop! Stop! Let’s talk this through!" Madam Yao panicked. If her daughter kept torturing Prince Zou, they wouldn’t just lose an alliance—they’d make mortal enemies!
Yao Qi rushed forward to intervene, but Yao Qing yanked the dagger free and leveled its bloodied tip at him. "Stay back!"
His eyes bulged. "Qing’er, are you insane?! I’m your elder brother!"
"My brother? The one who sold me out and wanted me dead?" Yao Qing’s hair hung wild around her face, her smile chillingly deranged. "I have no brother like you—and no mother—"
The knife swung toward Madam Yao, "—like you either!"
The Yao mother and son finally showed fear. Then, a voice called from outside: "The Lady of Duke Zou has arrived!"
Madam Yao gritted her teeth. "Qing’er, I swear I won’t force you to marry again—or to die. Just put the knife down, please!"
Yao Qing paused, then laughed bitterly. "Mother... this is the first time you’ve ever begged me."
Slowly, she lowered the dagger. Madam Yao exhaled in relief—but the moment the Lady of Duke Zou stepped through the door—
THWACK!
Yao Qing whirled and slashed downward in one motion—severing Prince Zou’s manhood clean off!
Blood sprayed. His shriek pierced the air before he collapsed, unconscious from the pain.
The Lady of Duke Zou rushed forward in horror. "My son! My son! What have you done to him?!"
Madam Yao’s heart turned to ice. It’s over. Everything is over.
The Lady of Duke Zou barked orders for servants to carry her son—and his severed flesh—to a physician. Then she rounded on them, teeth bared. "If my son suffers even the slightest harm, I will bury your entire Yao family with him!!"
Yao Qi waved his hands frantically. "N-Not us! It was her!"
But Yao Qing declared, "It was me, Lady of Duke Zou. You failed to discipline your beast of a son when he violated me. Don’t you owe me an explanation?"
"An explanation? HA!" The Lady of Duke Zou sneered as if hearing a joke. "You, the second daughter of a third-rank idle general, mutilate the heir of a duke? Your crime warrants execution! And you—all of you Yaos—will share in the punishment!"
Madam Yao dropped to her knees. "Mercy, Lady of Duke Zou! Mercy! This rebellious girl acted alone—we had no part in it!"
The Lady of Duke Zou scoffed. "No part? You sent word that my son had been intimate with your daughter, forcing me to rush here. Now I see the truth—your family tried to trap him with her, and when that failed, you set her loose to attack him! Guards, seize her—"
A light cough from Yan Zheng cut her off.
Only then did the Lady of Duke Zou remember Yao Qing had once been his Fifth Younger Brother’s wife. Her expression darkened, but she spat, "Mark my words—the House of Duke Zou, and Princess Yongyang, will not let this stand!!"
With that, she stormed out. Madam Yao called after her several times, but the woman never looked back.
Furious to the point of dizziness, Madam Yao pointed a shaking finger at Yao Qing. "You vile creature! You’ve doomed us all!"
Yao Qing smiled faintly. "Mother, you should thank me. Had I killed the Lady of Duke Zou too, our family would already be reunited... in the afterlife."
Madam Yao trembled with rage. But Yao Qing wiped the dagger clean, then knelt before Yan Zheng. "Marquis of Anning, County Princess Changle, thank you for ensuring I didn’t die a meaningless death. Now, whether you execute or spare me, I ask only one thing—"
Her lips curled as she glanced back at her mother and brother, voice sweet as poison, "—don’t forget to include the Yao family."
Chu Ruoyan burst out laughing.
This Yao Qing had spine—once willing to sacrifice everything for her family, now exacting vengeance without mercy.
She arched a brow at the Yao family.
Madam Yao and Yao Qi had gone deathly pale, knees buckling as they kowtowed. "Marquis of Anning, you saw everything! It was her—all her doing! We’re innocent!"
Yan Zheng lifted his gaze lazily. "Rest assured, Madam Yao. This marquis will faithfully report to the Emperor how your family sold your daughter, and how Prince Zou committed rape. Every detail."
Madam Yao grew frantic: "Even if you submit this memorial, she won’t escape punishment! She slashed Prince Zou with a knife and even severed his—"
"Is that so?" Chu Ruoyan interrupted with a smile. "Madam Yao must have misseen. Prince Zou was the one committing assault, and Yao Qing only wounded him in panic. Isn’t that perfectly understandable?"
Yao Qing lifted her head in a daze, staring at Chu Ruoyan in disbelief…
Even at this point, they were still willing to help her.
Yao Qi snapped to his senses and pointed angrily with his halberd: "You’re deliberately shielding her!"
Yan Zheng let out a cold laugh, his sharp brows furrowed with impatience. "This marquis serves as the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. If you refuse to accept this, go ahead and file a complaint—Ah Yan, let’s go."
Chu Ruoyan acknowledged him, then glanced at Yao Qing, who still stood frozen. "Aren’t you coming?"
Yao Qing’s eyes stung. "Yes… I’m coming."
Once outside Lucky Pavilion, Yao Qing dropped to her knees to bow, but Chu Ruoyan sidestepped the gesture. "You saved yourself, Yao Qing. Do you have somewhere to go?"
Yao Qing replied, "I still have a residence in the western quarter… Marquis of Anning, County Princess, your kindness today is beyond words. I will repay this debt in the future!" After performing a deep bow, she left.
Chu Ruoyan watched her retreating figure before turning to Yan Zheng. "Thank you…"
Yan Zheng raised a brow. "For what?"
"If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have saved her."
Yan Zheng chuckled. "Not entirely. Keeping her around to deal with the Yao Family and watching them tear into the Zou Family like dogs is rather entertaining."
Chu Ruoyan sighed. "I hope Fifth Younger Brother, in the afterlife, won’t worry for her anymore…"
A flicker of emotion passed over Yan Zheng’s face. He wanted to ask, Did you help her because of Fifth Younger Brother?
But before he could speak, she turned back, her expression grave. "The Princess has begun making her move. You must protect Second Sister-in-Law and Wenjing at all costs!"
