Chapter 18: Venting Frustration

Chapter 18: Venting Frustration

In the Autumn Fragrance Courtyard.

Qiu Ling served Cheng Yunshuo dinner with joy and enthusiasm.

The small courtyard was lit by flickering lamps, and Qiu Ling kept telling Cheng Yunshuo amusing stories from the past.

As they talked, Cheng Yunshuo, who had initially maintained some distance from Qiu Ling, gradually relaxed.

After all, the weight of old friends in one's heart is different.

At first, Cheng Yunshuo had driven Qiu Ling away out of sheer passion.

He had just spent ten thousand taels of gold at the Fragrant Drift Courtyard, competing with a group of aristocratic sons to redeem Xing Dairong forcefully. At that moment, he truly felt ready to defy the world for her sake.

When Xing Dairong said she wanted to be his only love forever, he immediately sent Qiu Ling away upon returning home.

Without any hesitation or consideration.

Now that Qiu Ling had returned to his side, their past affection slowly resurfaced, and he couldn't help but feel that he had indeed been too passionate about Xing Dairong back then.

There is no lasting fiery passion in this world. If there isn't shared adversity, the initial fervor will eventually fade.

"Would you like to stay here tonight, Your Highness?" Qiu Ling asked gently.

Cheng Yunshuo responded indifferently, "Mm."

Qiu Ling couldn't hide her delight. Just as she was about to serve him more food, she heard Qiu Kuai's voice from outside.

"Your Highness..."

Qiu Kuai entered with her head bowed low, lowering it even further when she saw Qiu Ling. She spoke softly, "Sister Qiu Ling."

Qiu Ling noticed the slap mark on her face. "What happened to your face?"

Cheng Yunshuo also looked at Qiu Kuai's face.

Qiu Kuai hurriedly covered her face. "Nothing, I accidentally bumped into something."

"Sure! You can't bump into something and get a slap mark. Did the person in your room do this?" Qiu Ling saw through her lie instantly.

Qiu Kuai dared not say more. "No, no, it was just an accident."

"Don't speak for her anymore. We're all our own people here; the Prince should know what kind of person she is!"

"Sister Qiu Ling, please stop. Miss Xing was just upset when she heard the Prince wasn't coming back," Qiu Kuai said, covering her face in embarrassment.

Hearing this, Cheng Yunshuo threw down his chopsticks. "With that temper, she wants me to go back!"

"Tell her I won't go back! If she dares to make things difficult for you again, she'll never see me again!"

Qiu Ling's joy was evident once more.

That night, the Prince indeed did not return and stayed in the Autumn Fragrance Courtyard.

However, he still did not share a room with Qiu Ling. It was as if he was sulking with Xing Dairong, both of them in a huff.

Finally, on the third day, Xing Dairong could no longer bear it. She left Yaoguang Pavilion and rushed to the Autumn Fragrance Courtyard.

"Cheng Yunshuo!"

Xing Dairong shouted outside the gate of the Autumn Fragrance Courtyard.

Soon, the door opened.

But only Qiu Ling came out, fanning herself with a round fan. "Oh, who's this?"

"You bitch!" Xing Dairong's anger flared up at the sight of Qiu Ling, and she lunged at her.

Qiu Ling stood tall, presenting her face. "Hit me, hit my face. Hit me so the Prince can see clearly."

Xing Dairong's rage subsided at these words. Damn, this bitch used the same trick last time to frame her.

Fortunately, Qiu Kuai intervened from behind, and Xing Dairong stopped, pointing at Qiu Ling and cursing, "You bitch, framing me twice! How dare you be so cheap! Cheap, cheap, cheap! You're dead cheap!"

"Haha, really, someone so cheap doesn't even realize it. I may be cheap, but I'm not as cheap as you. When you can't win, you resort to violence. Do you really think you're the mistress? Take a good look at yourself; the Prince used to pamper you, making you arrogant. Everyone in the mansion sees you as a joke!"

Xing Dairong couldn't argue with Qiu Ling, her chest heaving with anger. "How dare you talk to me like this! I'll have Cheng Yunshuo kill you!"

"Oh, go ahead, go ahead. Oh, wait, I almost forgot to tell you, the Prince left early this morning. He left so early, it's clear he didn't want to see certain people who think too highly of themselves! Certain people should really reflect on whether their favor has run out!"

"You're lying! Cheng Yunshuo promised me he would only have me for life! He's mine! No matter how much you talk, you can't hide the fact that you stole my man! You're a cheap mistress! A cheap mistress!"

"Stop acting crazy in front of me!" Qiu Ling shoved her aside, glaring and pointing at her nose. "You keep saying the Prince is yours, as if you were the real mistress of the mansion! You're nothing but a bed warmer, not even a concubine! If you can't see your place, I'll show you myself!"

Qiu Ling went back inside, grabbed her chamber pot, and threw its contents at Xing Dairong.

Xing Dairong dodged just in time.

The stench filled the air, and she trembled with rage.

Just as she was about to rush at Qiu Ling, Qiu Ling slammed the door shut.

"What kind of thing are you? Thinking you're the mistress, coming to my room to show off!"

Xing Dairong trembled with anger, her mind blank. She kicked the closed door fiercely.

But the kicks only hurt her feet. Filled with anger and resentment, she ran back to Yaoguang Pavilion.

Just as she ran back, the last two sentences from Qiu Ling suddenly enlightened her.

The mistress of the household?

Lingyun?!

At this moment.

The autumn wind rustled, and the sun was just right.

In the small parlor where the through-breeze felt comfortable, Lu Lingyun was looking at the account books.

"Relieving, relieving, truly relieving!"

"Just now, Aunt Qiu took the chamber pot from the room and splashed it out, drenching Xing Dairong so thoroughly that she couldn't even let out a single word."

Chunhe and Shuang Hong were both laughing uncontrollably, and Little Wei, who came to deliver the message, was laughing so hard that tears flew from her eyes.

"Young Lady, people like her deserve this treatment! Let her go mad in front of us every day!"

Lu Lingyun, flipping through the account books, smiled faintly.

She hadn't expected Aunt Qiu's ability to infuriate others to be so great.

In just a couple of days, she had made Xing Dairong so agitated that she couldn't sit still, and had tormented her severely.

"Alright, Shuang Hong, you should go out of the estate later and tell Zhiran to start stockpiling charcoal extensively during this period. It's just the beginning of autumn, so the acquisition price is better."

"Yes." Shuang Hong stopped laughing and responded while holding her stomach.

After becoming familiar with the affairs of the estate, Lu Lingyun was about to start managing the manors and properties under her name.

As a reborn person, she had to seize some crucial time points. She clearly remembered that this winter would be particularly cold, causing the price of charcoal to skyrocket, making it difficult to buy even with a lot of money later on.

In her previous life, she was in the Li family estate at that time, and the Li family didn't have enough charcoal, prioritizing the head of the household and the eldest brother's family. She suffered greatly from the cold following Li Er, and her health deteriorated then.

This life, she would take the initiative early and stockpile charcoal first.

Just as she arranged these tasks, another report came in.

"Young Lady, the one from Yaoguang Pavilion has come again!"