"Tsk tsk, isn’t that a dog leash? The Ye family’s eldest son really doesn’t treat maids as human beings, does he?"
"Not just as less than human—those two maids don’t have a single patch of unbruised skin on their bodies. How tragic!"
"With such a huge scandal, the eldest son will have a hard time finding a wife now."
"What do you mean ‘hard’? Minister Ye is a favored official. Plenty would still throw their daughters at him!"
"……"
For a time, it seemed as if the entire capital was gossiping about the Ye family—especially Ye Anzhi.
He had toyed with maids, forcing them to serve as concubines. Though it wasn’t against the law, it violated propriety and revealed his utter lack of virtue.
His reputation was ruined, and so were his prospects.
Of course, Ye Anzhi had always been worthless scum, with no prospects to begin with.
But he didn’t see himself as lacking. Locked in his room, he cursed the two maids who had destroyed him.
"Where’s Hongxiu? I’ll kill her!"
Hongxiu was the maid who had fled the Ye household and thrown incriminating objects at the gates of noble estates.
She had been caught and was now locked in the woodshed.
"Young Master, you’re under house arrest. You mustn’t do anything to anger the master."
Ye Anzhi snatched a purple clay teapot from the table and hurled it to the ground.
"That bitch ruined me! She deserves to die!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Ye Chutang appeared.
"Who deserves to die?"
Dan’er stood beside her.
The moment Ye Anzhi saw the stunningly beautiful Ye Chutang, his fury vanished, replaced by a simpering smile.
"Elder Sister, you’re the only one who cares for me. You came to see me."
"Delusional fool. You’re wrong—I came to laugh at you, and then beat you up."
Dazzled by Ye Chutang’s smile, Ye Anzhi didn’t grasp her meaning.
"Elder Sister, what are you saying?"
Ye Chutang ignored him, turning instead to Dan’er, whose eyes burned with hatred.
"Go on. Return the suffering you endured."
Dan’er nodded, pulling a leather whip from behind her back and slowly advancing toward Ye Anzhi.
She had always been the one beaten, and a primal fear of Ye Anzhi still lingered.
With every step, her terror grew.
But she knew that only by conquering this fear could she start anew.
So she walked forward, unwavering.
Ye Anzhi glared at Dan’er, the whip in her hand. "Mingyue, what are you doing?"
"Mingyue" was the name he had given Dan’er when she was his maid.
Her answer was the whip lashing across his arm.
Crack!
The flesh split open.
"Ah!"
Ye Anzhi screamed, clutching his bleeding arm as cold sweat poured down his face.
A servant lunged at Dan’er.
"You damned wench, how dare you rebel!"
Ye Chutang hooked a stool with her foot and sent it flying, knocking the servant unconscious.
Dan’er held nothing back. Every strike was fueled by hatred, each blow merciless.
Ye Anzhi’s screams were unending.
He tried to fight back.
But Dan’er was lost in a frenzy, and he stood no chance.
Soon, his cries weakened.
Dan’er finally stopped, panting from exertion.
She crouched beside Ye Anzhi, staring coldly at his lacerated face.
When his eyes met hers—filled with murderous intent—he lost control of his bowels in terror.
Humiliated, he quickly looked away.
"G-get away from me!"
Dan’er pressed the tip of the whip into one of his wounds.
"Funny, isn’t it? Only when the whip strikes your own flesh do you understand the pain. Young Master, we’re even now."
She had been nothing but a lowly maid, sold by her father, abused and tormented until she no longer wished to live.
But Ye Chutang had given her dignity, kindness, and the chance for vengeance.
She had severed Dan’er’s past and granted her a new life.
Dan’er knelt before Ye Chutang, her reddened eyes glistening.
"My lady, from this day forward, I pledge my life to you!"
Ye Chutang helped her up.
"Don’t worry. With me, you won’t die—you’ll live in luxury."
Then she nudged Ye Anzhi with her foot, her icy gaze dropping lower.
"If you ever lay hands on another woman, I’ll make sure you become a eunuch."
She couldn’t change the rigid hierarchy of this era, nor did she want to—after all, she benefited from it.
But keeping one or two men in line? That was within her power.
Ye Anzhi felt a chill between his legs and hastily clamped them shut. "Y-yes, I understand."
Ye Chutang and Dan’er left, heading for Glazed Courtyard.
There, they ran into Shuang’er, who had just stepped out.
Shuang’er froze, panic flashing across her face.
"My lady, I—I—"
She tried to explain, but her mind went blank.
Kong Ru, hearing the commotion, came out to intervene.
"Ling’er’s wedding is approaching, and the manor is short-handed. I’m borrowing servants from every courtyard to help."
Shuang’er seized the excuse. "My lady, for the next ten days, I won’t be able to attend to you. Please forgive me."
Ye Chutang smirked, eyeing the unrepentant Shuang’er.
"Did you forget? I still hold your deed of servitude."
Terrified of being sold to the lowest brothel, Shuang’er dropped to her knees.
"I would never forget! If my lady dislikes—"
Ye Chutang cut her off. "Since you’re so eager to work, I’ll oblige. From now on, you’re responsible for every chamber pot in the minister’s manor."
"But my lady, my injuries haven’t healed. I can’t do heavy labor!"
Shuang’er dared defy Ye Chutang because she believed her to be kind and lenient.
The midday meal had been proof of that.
Ye Chutang crouched before her, tilting Shuang’er’s chin up.
"When did I ever give you the impression that I was a saint?"
Then she leaned in, whispering into Shuang’er’s ear, "Do you want me to tell Kong Ru why you weren’t sold to a brothel after betraying me?"
Shuang’er felt the suffocating grip of fear again.
Her face drained of color, and she hastily corrected herself. "I’ll scrub every chamber pot clean."
Ye Chutang stood. "Good. And after you’re done, wash yourself thoroughly before returning to Tranquil Dawn Courtyard."
She hadn’t exposed Shuang’er’s double-dealing in front of Kong Ru because she could still use her—to betray Kong Ru again.
Shuang’er kowtowed. "As my lady commands."
With that, she hurried away.
Kong Ru knew Ye Chutang was behind her eldest son’s disgrace and yearned to tear her apart.
But both her life and her younger son’s were in Ye Chutang’s hands. She had no choice but to endure.
"Chu’er, what brings you to Glazed Courtyard?"
"Give me Hongxiu and Chunlan’s deeds of servitude. In return, I’ll let you live until Su Ling’er’s wedding."
Hongxiu was locked in the woodshed; Chunlan had hanged herself.
Kong Ru, desperate to survive, trembled. "And after?"
Ye Chutang ignored the question. "The deeds."
"Wait here."
Kong Ru retrieved the documents and handed them over.
Ye Chutang took them and turned to leave—only to find Old Madam Ye blocking the gate, supported by Nanny Gui.
