Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Do As I Say If You Don't Want to Die

Cuizhu was utterly stunned.

Collapsing on the floor, she stared blankly at the ground. After a while, she raised her hand to touch her burning face and then spat out an unfamiliar object in her mouth.

"Tooth... My tooth..."

Holding the bloody tooth in her palm, Cuizhu's mind went blank. Suddenly, she lifted her head and glared fiercely at Ye Xiyao, erupting in anger.

"You... You dare hit me? You silly girl..."

Slap!

"What are you...?"

Slap!

"You..."

Smack! Smack! Smack!

Without saying a word, Ye Xiyao unleashed a series of slaps, transforming Cuizhu's pretty face into a swollen mess. This time, Cuizhu dared not utter a sound. Clutching her face in fear, she stared at Ye Xiyao with trembling limbs.

Cuizhu was genuinely terrified. In her eyes, Ye Xiyao at this moment was even more terrifying than a devil. Especially that icy and piercing gaze – just one glance sent chills down her spine!

But wasn't she supposed to be foolish? How could she... how could she...

Suddenly, a hint of suspicion surfaced in Cuizhu's frightened eyes. Yet, Ye Xiyao finally spoke up,

"If you want to die, just say it. I won't mind sending you on your way right now."

Her voice was bone-chilling, causing Cuizhu to shudder. She quickly shook her head.

"I don't want to die. I'll do as you say, get up."

Cuizhu hastily stood up.

"Take me somewhere to change my clothes."

At this moment, Cuizhu was already intimidated by Ye Xiyao's display of power. With her instructions, she dared not delay and led Ye Xiyao out from behind the artificial mountain. They then navigated through winding paths until they reached an inconspicuous side palace.

"C-Countess, this is the royal palace. I'm, I'm not very familiar with it, so please wait here for a moment. I'll go fetch you, fetch you some clothes right away," Cuizhu stammered in fear.

Ye Xiyao nodded, but as Cuizhu turned to leave, she called her back once more.

"Just a moment."

With that, Ye Xiyao stepped forward to stand before the trembling Cuizhu. Her gaze swept over the girl's swollen, red face, and she said,

"If anyone asks about your face later, you should know how to respond, right?"

Cuizhu was momentarily bewildered by Ye Xiyao's question, but fortunately, she still had some wits about her. Recalling Ye Xiyao's previous words, she quickly nodded like a chicken pecking at rice, "I know, I know. It was, it was Miss Shen who hit me. Yes, it was Miss Shen."

Cuizhu didn't know which Miss Shen it was, but guessing correctly seemed to be the safest option.

"Good, remember, it was Miss Shen who did it. Both of them. Not only did they hit you, but they also attacked me. Do you understand?"

"Indeed, indeed, this, this servant knows, this servant understands!"

**

With Cuizhu gone, Ye Xiyao began to examine her surroundings and then pushed open the door to enter a side chamber.

Due to years of neglect, the room was dimly lit, and a faint musty scent lingered in the air. Looking around, Ye Xiyao noticed that there was a small window hidden behind the chamber.

Approaching it, she opened the window and discovered that beyond the side chamber lay a bamboo grove. The lush green leaves formed a canopy, blocking out the sunlight, and the soft rustling of the wind could be heard. However, amidst these sounds, a barely audible conversation unintentionally reached Ye Xiyao's ears...