That night, Qingxin had dressed up carefully.
She wore a thin purple gauze top. After taking it off, only a delicate light purple bellyband embroidered with lotuses remained.
She raised a slender, graceful arm. On that arm was a gruesome wound, one that looked like it came from a bite.
Besides that, the exposed skin on her upper body had bruises here and there, some blue, some purple.
This took away from the original beauty of her skin, which was like fine white jade, but added a kind of beauty that came from being bullied and abused.
“Master, the eldest young master… he…
“Your servant has many more wounds like this on her body…
“If I continue to stay by the eldest young master’s side, I probably… don’t have many days left to live…”
Qingxin sobbed.
Sheng Yong took two steps forward and stood in front of the kneeling Qingxin.
Up close, Sheng Yong caught a whiff of an alluring fragrance.
For a moment, he was entranced. His large hand couldn’t help but touch Qingxin’s face. The feel was delicate and smooth.
“Master, the truth is… your servant has… been deeply in love with you for a long time…
“If I could choose… I would… want to be your woman…”
It sounded like she was hesitating and stumbling over her words, but in reality, she had said everything she needed to say.
Sheng Yong watched as Qingxin lifted her head, tears in her eyes, the corners of her eyes flushed red, with a look that seemed to hold back words yet conveyed deep feelings…
His gaze fell on that tempting mouth…
It felt like he had returned to his younger, more impulsive days. He reached his fingers into Qingxin’s mouth and stirred them around…
For Sheng Yong, a woman who couldn’t bring him any advantage was pretty much like an object.
Since she was an object, as long as he liked her, there was no harm in playing around with her a bit.
Dongsheng, standing in the distance, had long sensed something was wrong and turned his back.
He wiped the sweat from his forehead.
A very strange feeling welled up inside him. Since when did none of the masters or servants in this household act normal anymore?
The real daughter and the fake daughter were locked in open and secret struggles.
Brother and sister didn’t seem like brother and sister; they seemed like mortal enemies with a deep, blood-soaked grudge.
The eldest young master was attracted to both men and women, and his private parts were ruined…
Now, the eldest young master’s woman was openly coming to seduce the master…
Ah, which household had so many messy problems?
After quite a while, Sheng Yong finally left with Dongsheng.
Qingxin couldn’t stop the smug smile spreading across her face, because the master had given her a clear answer.
He told her to wait.
She had already captivated him.
He would definitely find a way to free her from the eldest young master.
She was about to escape her suffering!
Qingxin put on her outer clothes and returned to her courtyard, absolutely thrilled.
What Qingxin didn’t know was that Xiaoque, the maid by her side, was nearly scared out of her wits and was no longer on the same page as Qingxin.
Xiaoque had thought things through very clearly.
She was just a servant girl. Her indenture contract was in the madam’s hands.
If Qingxin’s seduction of the master came to light, the madam would fly into a rage and definitely want someone to take the fall.
It was hard to say if the master could even protect Qingxin. And even if he could protect Qingxin, he certainly wouldn’t protect her.
Not to mention the eldest young master… He’d be furious and humiliated and would also need someone to take it out on.
When that time came, she would be the unlucky one bearing the brunt of everyone’s anger!
During these days she had followed Qingxin, she had only gotten better food and clothing. She hadn’t actually received much tip money.
She didn’t want to lose her life over this!
So, when she saw Qingxin return to the room with a radiant face and tell her that she had succeeded,
Xiaoque offered her congratulations on the surface, but in her heart, she had already decided to report the secret.
The next evening, Qingxin was called over by the eldest young master again. Xiaoque quietly slipped through the night to the Peony Courtyard.
When Sheng Minmin heard that Qingxin had deliberately seduced Sheng Yong and that Sheng Yong had taken the bait, she was stunned for a moment.
“What did you say?”
Sheng Minmin leaned half her body forward and asked urgently.
Xiaoque’s body trembled. She prostrated herself on the ground and explained the matter again.
After hearing this, Sheng Minmin was overjoyed.
She had a solution for all her other enemies by now. Only Sheng Yong was someone she still didn’t quite know how to handle yet…
And now, Qingxin had gone and hooked up with Sheng Yong all on her own.
If there hadn’t been an outsider present, Sheng Minmin would have burst out laughing immediately.
But she still had a shred of sanity left and knew how she should react, given her current identity.
Smack—
Sheng Minmin raised her hand and smashed a tea cup.
“How outrageous, how utterly outrageous—” she pretended to be furious.
Xiaoque, kneeling on the ground, trembled even more with fear and didn’t dare lift her head.
Just then, Qingdai stepped forward to console her, again and again.
Over the years, the two had developed a deep understanding. During this round of consoling, Xiaoque gradually understood the situation.
Qingxin’s shameless seduction of the master had made the madam very angry.
The madam, on the one hand, felt sorry for the eldest young master, but on the other hand, didn’t want to offend the master.
Because the madam and the master had already been on bad terms before, and now she didn’t want to start another conflict with him over a woman.
The madam seemed quite conflicted inside, but it also seemed like there was nothing she could do about it, Xiaoque thought.
After all, as a woman, how could she constantly clash head-on with her husband?
At least now she had let the madam know the truth. In the future… she probably wouldn’t be made a scapegoat, right?
Sheng Minmin felt that Xiaoque should understand her “difficult position.” Only then did she say, heaving rough breaths,
“You’re a good one. As long as you work single-mindedly for me, I will definitely treat you well!
“Help me keep a close watch on them.”
Qingdai immediately pulled Xiaoque up from the ground, tucked a banknote into Xiaoque’s sleeve, and personally escorted her out.
“Sister Qingdai, the madam’s meaning…”
Xiaoque felt she understood the madam’s intent, but she wasn’t entirely sure, so she couldn’t help but ask.
Qingdai looked around. Only after confirming there was no one else did she speak.
“You know how things are between the madam and the master right now… It’s not worth hurting their relationship over a lowly woman like that.
“If the master really likes her, even if he brings her outside the household, the madam will turn a blind eye…
“You just stay by Qingxin’s side, keep a close eye on her, and privately report anything to me. The madam will reward you handsomely!”
“I understand. Thank you for the guidance, Sister Qingdai.”
Sheng Minmin decided to do a good job of “bringing together” Qingxin and Sheng Yong. That night, she slept incredibly soundly.
The next day, Sheng Mingzhu came to pay her respects and said she wanted to go out to buy some spices.
Sheng Minmin suspected Sheng Mingzhu was up to her usual tricks again. She gave a slight smile and gave her permission.
It was good that her enemies were stirring!
When they stirred, they left behind evidence for people to catch!
