MCSCPM -Chapter 13 You’ll Pay for This

“Everything depends on you. I have proof that you stole the ginseng. If you don’t believe me, feel free to try your luck.” She looked up at him, her eyes shining with sharp, piercing light.

Though her face was ugly, he saw beauty in those eyes. Perhaps… she really was connected to Prince Jing.

“It seems I don’t even need your answer; I already know your choice.” She smiled lightly, then turned to look at the other guard who was still wailing in pain.

“The search is complete. You won’t find what you’re looking for. Although the women of Luocheng Courtyard may later be sacrificed, for now, you will serve them properly. If a single woman goes missing due to negligence, you’ll regret it!” Yin Qingyue’s cold voice rang through the courtyard.

“Boss, it must have been this woman who stole it! She even hurt me—Boss, catch her now!”
Before he could finish, the guard captain scolded him sharply.

“Out! There’s nothing suspicious in the Yin family girl’s room. Apologies for the inconvenience!” With that, he turned and left.

The guards left in the room were stunned. Just a few words spoken quietly to the captain, and he had changed his attitude. Could it be that this woman had a powerful backer, so he dared not touch her? Thinking this, one guard glanced at her, blushing. Her thick black eyebrows and a few black moles around her mouth made her undeniably ugly. How could such a woman threaten the captain?

“The captain is gone. What, do you intend to stay here overnight?” Yin Qingyue’s calm voice reached the guard, sending a chill down his spine.

“Ugly woman! Shameless! Trying to seduce me? Not a chance!” The guard cursed and stormed out quickly.

Mei’er finally relaxed and quickly closed the door. “Miss, if I had known you became this strong, I wouldn’t have persuaded you to return to Luocheng Courtyard that day.”

Yin Qingyue smiled. “It’s fine. Luocheng Courtyard is decent. At least the people I meet here, even if bad, are only bad on the surface.”

Hearing this, Mei’er couldn’t help but cry. “Miss, when you left Luocheng Courtyard, were you going to see Young Master Xiao?”

“Young Master Xiao?” Yin Qingyue looked puzzled. The original owner had risked her life to escape Luocheng Courtyard just to see him. So this person was the original owner’s lover.

“Miss, forget Young Master Xiao! Although you were betrothed to him long ago, and though you are the eldest daughter of the Yin family, the matron is gone, and the family’s power has fallen. The day before you left the Yin residence, your father agreed with Master Xiao that you would be sent to the capital—never to return. Naturally, Young Master Xiao would not marry you,” Mei’er said sorrowfully, watching her miss’s expression closely. Because Miss loved Young Master Xiao so deeply, she had kept this secret from her.

“I understand.” Her indifferent tone shocked Mei’er. Every time Young Master Xiao was mentioned, her miss’s emotions would soar. Why was she so calm this time?

“You know I entered Luocheng Courtyard. The current Yin Qingyue is no longer the same as before. Mei’er, get some rest. Sleep on the small couch nearby.” Even though Mei’er was sincere and loyal, Yin Qingyue was used to sleeping alone and didn’t like sharing a bed.

Mei’er watched her miss lie down, her mind replaying the earlier conversation. Surely, her miss went to see Young Master Xiao after leaving Luocheng Courtyard. Young Master Xiao must have spoken harsh words, completely wounding her miss, who finally decided to let go of the past. Mei’er’s heart ached; her miss had suffered too much. Orphaned of paternal love, losing her mother early, and now her fiancé taken away… silently, she lay down on the small couch nearby.

The next morning, before dawn, Yin Qingyue awoke. Looking at the bundle of clothes on the bed, she wondered if she should sell them today. Keeping them was like holding a hot potato.

Pulling back the covers, she quickly dressed. Mei’er brought washing water and a bowl of white fungus and lotus seed soup just then.

Yin Qingyue’s eyes brightened. White fungus and lotus seed soup was excellent for nourishing the body! She washed up immediately, then took the spoon and began drinking bowl after bowl.

“Miss, I heard something in the kitchen. Today, Nanny Zhao and Nanny Liu both went out. Don’t know what they went to buy.”

Yin Qingyue arched her brows. It was good that the two old hags were out! With the guard captain already intimidated by her, as long as those two didn’t see her, leaving Luocheng Courtyard would be easy. She wasn’t in a hurry to leave; her body wasn’t fully recovered, and at least she got free meals and lodging here.

“Miss, what are you doing?” Mei’er called out in concern as her miss walked straight out the door.

“I’m just going for a walk. Wait here for me,” Yin Qingyue replied lightly, then immediately moved forward.

After taking a ginseng slice yesterday and drinking the white fungus and lotus seed soup today, her energy had recovered considerably. She wanted to find someone mysterious to test whether her mind-reading abilities could work.

She walked along the small path toward the back gate of Luocheng Courtyard. With her ugly face, people barely paid attention to her. At most, they would just spit in disgust after she left.

With the guard captain’s help, she smoothly exited Luocheng Courtyard. The captain obeyed her only because of Prince Jing. He had carefully considered the Beihai royal family’s embroidery; the hem of the clothing matched exactly. A woman with Prince Jing’s clothing could not be ordinary!

Yin Qingyue wore a pink dress, her figure extremely slender. From behind, people would have thought she was beautiful. But seeing her ugly face, they shook their heads in disappointment. She didn’t care; a few silver ingots were hidden in her sleeves.

She had two goals today: inquire at the pawnshop and buy some ordinary tonic herbs at the pharmacy.

Walking along the street, she observed with her eyes, asking no one for directions, just taking in her surroundings.

On the third street, she spotted a pawnshop. As she stepped forward to enter, she froze.

A tall, imposing man in white robes with cloud patterns, radiating an icy aura, walked out. His strong, defined features and long black brows stunned her again.

This man—the one from the outskirts! Her hand, hidden in her sleeve, slowly clenched. She stared at him silently, trying to read his thoughts, to see if he knew she was the one who had taken his clothes and money.

Chu Jingcheng’s gaze was cold, and he glanced at her casually. The woman in front of him kept staring, as if they already knew each other.

Beside him, Leng Yi drew his sword and pointed at Yin Qingyue. “Bold woman, how dare you!”

Before he could finish, the prince’s voice stopped him.

“Lower your sword. Do not stoop to the level of an ugly woman.” With that, he walked forward.

As he passed by her, she quickly shifted and lowered her head, no longer looking at him.

Chu Jingcheng walked a few steps ahead when a faint breeze blew past. He twitched his nose—familiar scent!