MCSCPM -Chapter 226 Courting Disaster

“What nonsense are you causing now?” Shangguan Qingyun strode in, positioning himself between his daughter and the room.

Shangguan Jiaoran, furious and out of control, shouted, “Father! I’ve been wronged! Do you expect me to just sit here and take it?”

“Why are you always so unreasonable? Every time you act, it causes chaos across the city! Last time it was the prince’s matter—I already went to the palace and spoke to the emperor. And now, it’s all about that so-called divine healer. How long do you intend to keep making a scene?”

“Father, just leave me alone! I know what I’m doing, so don’t interfere!” Jiaoran tried to push him away, but Qingyun grabbed her back.

Fuming, Shangguan Qingyun said, “I’m telling you, you’re not going out today. You’ll stay in your room and go nowhere.”

Then he summoned a number of guards. “Stand watch here. If the young lady disappears or runs off, you’ll regret it!”

“Yes, sir.”

Qingyun’s tone left no room for argument. He turned and left in anger.

With guards now filling the outside, Jiaoran had no chance of escape. This time, Qingyun was serious—even with her whip, there was no way she could break free.

Yun’er said, “Miss, please stop arguing with the master. You just woke up, and the doctor prepared some medicine for you—you need to take it quickly to fully recover!”

“Out! All of you, out!” Jiaoran, full of rage, shouted and waved Yun’er away, tossing her whip aside.

Yun’er hurriedly prepared the medicine, but Jiaoran had already smashed everything in the room. This wasn’t the first time; Yun’er was helpless, unsure what to do.

“Miss, you can vent your anger on me if you want, but please drink this medicine.” Yun’er held the bowl out.

Seeing the medicine, Jiaoran immediately remembered the tea Yin Qingyue had tricked her into drinking before, and her anger flared again. She grabbed the bowl and smashed it to the floor with a loud crash, spilling it all over the room.

“Everyone, get out! Leave!”

Yun’er turned pale and said nothing, knowing better than to argue and quickly left.

Jiaoran’s hatred for Yin Qingyue had grown stronger. Now under house arrest, she had nowhere to go. The fire of her fury was bound to erupt sooner or later.

Unbeknownst to her, during her unconscious days, Ding Ying and Yin Qingyue had grown much closer—closer than Jiaoran herself had been to Yin Qingyue.

On the second day after returning to the residence, Ding Ying went again to Yin Qingyue’s place.

Yin Qingyue was slightly surprised to see her.

“Why are you here?”

Ding Ying smiled and had someone bring in the gifts she’d prepared—boxes of various sizes.

“These are for you,” Ding Ying said. “I carefully picked each one, many little trinkets.” She reached to open a gift, but Yin Qingyue stopped her.

“Ding Ying, what are you doing?”

“Qingyue, don’t be so polite. I brought everything I thought you might need. I mean nothing else by it. I see you as my friend, and this is a gift for a friend. Please accept it.”

Looking at the array of items, even if somewhat flashy, they were thoughtful and clearly from a girl. Compared to medicines brought by Chu Jingcheng, which were practical, Ding Ying’s gifts carried a girl’s heartfelt sentiment.

Seeing Yin Qingyue hesitate, Ding Ying quickly called Mei’er. “Mei’er, please put these away. I also brought some more for you.”

“Miss Ding, why bring so many? Our lady—”

“Enough! Do you two servants not even want to accept my sincerity?” Ding Ying turned to Yin Qingyue, holding her hand. “Qingyue, I know you have a kind heart. I want to be friends with you. What about you?”

“Friends?” Yin Qingyue didn’t know how to process that. In Xize, she had no friends. Even now, she couldn’t believe Ding Ying actually meant it. Of course, she was touched.

“Ding Ying, how can I refuse? Whenever you’re free, come by and sit with me. I only have Mei’er for company here, so it’ll be nice to talk if you visit.”

“Thank you, Qingyue.”

Seeing her smile, Yin Qingyue felt lighter—girls should smile more, she thought.

From that day, Ding Ying began to grow closer to Yin Qingyue, visiting frequently and chatting. As familiarity grew, Ding Ying sincerely regarded Yin Qingyue as a friend.

News of this soon reached Shangguan Jiaoran.

Hearing it, Jiaoran felt the only thing she could: betrayal.

“Miss Shangguan, while you were unconscious, my lady kept running over to the witch. Almost every day she went, sometimes for several days without returning. She even brought things. Miss Shangguan, you must help my lady!” said Xiang Xu, who had observed Ding Ying’s frequent visits.

“Ding Ying, I treated you as a friend, yet you didn’t help me. Instead, you grew so close to her while I was unconscious, hmph!”

“Miss Shangguan, you’ve misunderstood! My lady must have been bewitched by that witch. You have to help her!” Xiang Xu knelt and pleaded, tears streaming.

Though Jiaoran felt uneasy, she couldn’t understand why Ding Ying went to Yin Qingyue instead of her. Grabbing her whip, she stormed out. With only two guards in the room after days of house arrest, she lashed the whip and charged toward Yin Qingyue’s residence.

Upon entering, she saw Ding Ying and Yin Qingyue sipping tea, chatting, and laughing.

Jiaoran’s fury boiled over. She swung her whip at a large vase near the door, shattering it completely.

Yin Qingyue and Ding Ying jumped, spilling their teacups. Ding Ying, especially, turned pale in shock.

Jiaoran pointed her whip at Yin Qingyue, shouting, “Witch! Tell me, what did you do? You dared to drug me? You dare use such despicable methods on me? Today, it’s either you die, or I do!” She raised her whip to strike.

Ding Ying immediately stepped forward, pleading, “Jiaoran, no! Don’t! Don’t let this get out of control!”

“Out of control? Ding Ying, when did you start siding with this witch?”

“She’s not a witch! Stop calling her that!”

“Ding Ying, are you crazy? Look closely! Behind you stands the witch. She fed you something, making you act for her. Don’t forget—I’m your friend. If anyone deserves your loyalty, it’s me!” Jiaoran yelled.

Ding Ying’s heart ached at Jiaoran’s words, but she couldn’t let her friend attack anyone.

Yin Qingyue saw everything and, after a brief glance at Jiaoran, read her thoughts. She coldly snorted, feeling sorry for Ding Ying.

“Miss Shangguan, I advise you not to use force. You should leave quickly,” Yin Qingyue said calmly.

“Leave? Who do you think you are? I said today, it’s either you die or I do! You bewitched the prince first, and now you want to manipulate Ding Ying. I will never forgive you!”

“Manipulate Ding Ying?” Yin Qingyue stepped forward, her expression darkening. “Tell me—who is manipulating whom? You, who wanted to use her, or me?”

“You’re talking nonsense!” Jiaoran panicked, looking guilty.

Ding Ying grabbed Yin Qingyue’s sleeve. “Qingyue, what is she saying? Using? Explain it!”

“Miss Shangguan, Ding Ying told me that you encouraged her to marry Leng Feng. At first, I thought it was a kind gesture, but now I see—it was for yourself. You hoped that if Ding Ying married Leng Feng, you could use visits to see her as a pretext to get close to the prince. Isn’t that using her?” Yin Qingyue spoke bluntly, leaving no room for evasion. She did not tolerate bullies, nor did she hide her intentions.

Though her words would hurt Ding Ying, they would help her see the truth sooner.

Hearing this, Ding Ying staggered backward, shocked, whispering, “How… how could this be? No… no…”

Yin Qingyue held her hand firmly. “Ding Ying, it’s true. She wanted to use you. I’m not joking.”

“Witch! You dare speak such lies!” Jiaoran shouted at Ding Ying. “Ding Ying, don’t believe her! I did this for you! I’m your friend! How could I ever hurt you?”

“I… I don’t know… I don’t know,” Ding Ying shook her head.

Without warning, Jiaoran lashed her whip at Yin Qingyue—but Ding Ying quickly stepped in, taking the blow herself. The whip struck her heavily.