The maid had served by Qing Mei’er’s side for many years and naturally understood the temperament of this second young lady. Under normal circumstances, if Qing Mei’er ordered her to go east, she wouldn’t dare take a single step west.
But this time, the maid hesitated, standing frozen in place without moving immediately.
Precisely because she knew Qing Mei’er’s temperament too well, she had deliberately omitted one detail when reporting earlier—that the Lord had flown into a thunderous rage over the disappearance of the Flower Queen. The second young lady cared deeply for the Lord, and if she learned how much he valued the Flower Queen, she would surely be in a foul mood. And if Qing Mei’er was in a bad mood, the ones who would suffer would be the maids like her!
She had only reported the disappearance of the Flower Queen. She had thought Qing Mei’er would be pleased by the news—she had merely wanted to cheer her up! But she never expected that, upon hearing it, the second young lady would actually want to send assassins to hunt down and kill the Flower Queen!
Anyone with eyes could see that the Lord treated the Flower Queen differently. If Qing Mei’er really sent assassins after her and the truth came to light, none of them would be spared!
Seeing the maid unmoving, Qing Mei’er arched her delicate brows, her expression darkening. “Why are you just standing there like a fool? Didn’t you hear my order?”
The maid hesitated for a moment before finally nodding. “This servant will go at once!”
With that, the young maid turned and left Qing Mei’er’s chambers.
Sending assassins to find and kill the Flower Queen might lead to exposure later, resulting in their execution by the Lord. But if she disobeyed the second young lady’s orders, the maid was certain Qing Mei’er would kill her on the spot.
As for the Lord’s fury over the Flower Queen, the maid doubted Qing Mei’er would even care to hear it. If she mentioned it, not only would she fail to dissuade her from sending assassins, but she would also provoke her displeasure. And if the second young lady was displeased…
The maid shuddered as she recalled the things Qing Mei’er did when angered, a chill creeping up from her feet and spreading through her entire body. She followed Qing Mei’er’s orders, found the assassins, and relayed the command.
The assassins, upon receiving their orders, immediately set off without delay, leaving the Qing residence.
Once the task was done, the maid returned to Qing Mei’er’s chambers to report.
At that moment, Qing Mei’er sat before her dressing table, holding a bronze mirror and admiring her reflection.
The girl in the mirror had rosy cheeks, lips like flower petals, and eyes as clear as a flowing brook, every glance and smile exuding an indescribable charm.
“Heh!” Qing Mei’er suddenly sneered at her reflection. So what if she wasn’t as beautiful as the Flower Queen?
Since fate itself had helped her by driving that woman out of the Beast Clan… then that woman would never return alive!
“Is everything taken care of?” Qing Mei’er set down the mirror and glanced at the returned maid.
The maid quickly replied, “Yes, Second Young Lady. This servant personally watched your assassins leave the Qing residence.”
“Good!” Qing Mei’er smiled enchantingly, casually picking up a piece of jewelry from her box and handing it to the maid. “A reward for you.”
The maid hurried forward to accept it, showering Qing Mei’er with effusive thanks.
Qing Mei’er chuckled. “This is nothing. Once news of that woman’s death arrives, all of you will receive even greater rewards!”
**BANG!**
The moment Qing Mei’er finished speaking, an object was hurled through her chamber window.
The sudden disturbance startled both Qing Mei’er and the maid. Their gazes snapped toward the intruding object.
It was a corpse—one of the assassins Qing Mei’er had just sent out!
“Ah!” The maid, who had been happily accepting her reward moments ago, screamed in terror.
“Who dares?!” Qing Mei’er rose sharply from her seat, her face cold and fierce as she glared toward the window.
**BANG!**
Another crash sounded—this time from the door.
At the same moment Qing Mei’er shouted, her chamber door was kicked open from the outside!
Qing Mei’er spun around to see Qing Yan’s personal attendant, Qing Yan, striding in with several guards in tow.
“How dare you! Who gave you the right to treat this young lady with such disrespect?!” Qing Mei’er pointed at Qing Yan, her voice trembling with rage—though beneath it lurked a flicker of fear. Her confidence was far from as unshaken as she pretended.
Qing Yan didn’t even spare her a glance. As soon as he entered, he coldly ordered his guards, “Take Qing Mei’er away.”
“Yes!” The guards obeyed immediately, two of them stepping forward to seize Qing Mei’er.
“What are you doing?!” Qing Mei’er’s face twisted in fury as Qing Yan not only barged into her chambers rudely but also ordered her arrest without explanation.
Though Qing Yan was the Lord’s attendant, and Qing Mei’er had always shown him some courtesy out of respect for the Lord, at the end of the day, he was still just a servant!
How dare a mere servant treat the daughter of the Fox Clan’s elder with such insolence!
“The Lord has commanded that Qing Mei’er be brought to the main hall for judgment,” Qing Yan said coldly, his gaze piercing. “Young Lady Mei’er, it would be best if you cooperated. The Lord has also decreed that anyone who resists will be executed on the spot.”
As he spoke, a blade of light shot from his fingertips.
“Ah—!” The maid who had helped Qing Mei’er summon the assassins let out a bloodcurdling scream before collapsing, crimson blood gushing from her body.
After just one scream, the maid lay lifeless on the ground, her form shifting from human back to her true body—a small, fiery-red fox.
Everything happened in the blink of an eye. Qing Mei’er barely had time to react, her mind buzzing with confusion.
Qing Yan’s sudden intrusion, the Lord’s orders, the instant death of her trusted maid—everything was too chaotic. She couldn’t comprehend it, couldn’t fathom what had gone wrong!
“Take her away!” Qing Yan commanded the guards holding Qing Mei’er before turning and striding out of her chambers.
As she was dragged out, Qing Mei’er finally saw the courtyard outside littered with the bodies of her clansmen—those who had died and reverted to their original forms.
She stared numbly at the fallen, her breath growing ragged.
In the main hall of the Qing residence, Qing Yuan and Qing Wu had already been brought before the man radiating killing intent. They knelt on the ground, heads bowed in submission.
Outside, the screams of the slaughtered Qing family servants gradually faded.
Once a glorious household of the Fox Clan, the Qing residence now lay in terrifying silence, steeped in death.
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