MCSCPM -Chapter 7 Tainted

Inside the hidden chamber of Luocheng Courtyard, the windows and doors were tightly shut. Sunlight filtered through the papered windows, spilling across the room.

This hidden chamber existed specifically to punish women who either tried to escape Luocheng Courtyard without permission or broke its rules. Since the establishment of Luocheng Courtyard, not a single woman had ever managed to escape—except Yin Qingyue.

Nanny Zhao had never expected it. She had always looked timid, but in truth she was anything but. The courage hidden inside her surpassed that of anyone else.

“Someone, bring in the guard who was stationed at the back gate of Luocheng Courtyard. Yin Qingyue, let’s see what you have to say then!” Nanny Zhao’s eyes flashed with vicious light as she slammed her hand hard against the table.

Standing beside her, Nanny Liu—less senior—immediately poured her a cup of tea and handed it over. “Please calm your anger. His Majesty takes Luocheng Courtyard very seriously. Everyone here obeys your orders and follows your arrangements. If you anger yourself sick, that wouldn’t be good.”

Nanny Zhao snorted coldly. “You’re just hoping I ruin my health so you can take my place, aren’t you? Do you think I treasure this position? Watching over a group of women who are destined to die sooner or later—how is this any different from managing the Cold Palace?” With that, she ignored the darkened look on Nanny Liu’s face and fixed her sharp gaze on Yin Qingyue.

Yin Qingyue carefully analyzed Nanny Zhao’s words. In her view, Luocheng Courtyard was even worse than the Cold Palace. At least the women in the Cold Palace only sank deeper into despair day by day, without constantly facing the threat of being blood sacrifices.

“What is that in your bundle? Someone, take it from her!” Nanny Zhao ordered a guard at the side. Before long, a tall, burly man strode toward Yin Qingyue.

Yin Qingyue remained calm and composed. “If you insist on robbing me by force, fine. Unless I’m dead. Nanny Zhao, if I die—and not as a blood sacrifice—I’m sure His Majesty will hold you accountable.”

She was certain Nanny Zhao wouldn’t dare. If His Majesty truly didn’t care whether the women of Luocheng Courtyard lived or died, Nanny Zhao would have reported her disappearance long ago instead of suppressing it privately.

“You—” Nanny Zhao was completely blocked by her words, anger surging until her head throbbed.

Within three months of Luocheng Courtyard’s establishment, she had overseen a hundred women without a single mistake. Now there were only ninety left—ten had already been taken away as blood sacrifices in those three months.

Just then, the door opened. A man around twenty years old was dragged in by a guard. His body was covered in wounds—it was obvious he had been brutally whipped.

Yin Qingyue looked at him. It seemed the original owner of this body had been able to escape Luocheng Courtyard only because of this guard.

When the man saw Yin Qingyue, hatred flashed in his eyes. This ugly woman! She had deceived him! He wouldn’t let her off easily. He kowtowed several times toward Nanny Zhao, wailing, “Nanny Zhao, please see clearly—I’ve been wronged! She tempted me with money, but I stayed calm and refused to let her go! Who would have thought she’d strip right in front of me, drug me, and force me to do that kind of thing with her! If a blood-sacrifice woman is tainted, that’s a capital crime! How could I possibly dare?!”

Heh. What a slick tongue. Straightaway accusing her of being shameless and utterly without restraint.

“Hmph! Yin Qingyue, being ugly is one thing, but to be so despicable! The Yin family of Shuiling County are merchants, reeking of copper and filth—how could they raise a refined, proper daughter? In my opinion, your body has long been tainted!” Nanny Zhao spat viciously.

Yin Qingyue did not retreat in the slightest. “His Majesty issued an edict selecting a hundred fifteen-year-old girls to enter Luocheng Courtyard. Since we are to be used as sacrifices, unclean women would never have been recruited. If I were tainted, it would have happened right under your nose, Nanny Zhao. Do you really think you could escape responsibility?”

That single counterquestion threw the problem right back at Nanny Zhao, angering her so badly she nearly jumped to her feet.

“Impudent! How dare you show disrespect to Nanny Zhao!” Nanny Liu shouted harshly as she stepped forward and raised her hand to slap Yin Qingyue.

But just as her hand was about to land, Yin Qingyue’s eyes turned icy. She shot up her arm, grabbed Nanny Liu’s wrist, and squeezed hard. Pain shot through it, making Nanny Liu howl.

“Listen carefully. The old me was timid and weak. But now I understand—once you enter Luocheng Courtyard, you’re dead either way. Since death is inevitable, why should I fear you? If anything happens to us sacrifices, the first ones to suffer will be you two!” Yin Qingyue said coldly.

She flung Nanny Liu’s hand aside and turned to leave the room.

Her aura was overwhelming. Everyone present was stunned; no one dared step forward to stop her.

Outside the hidden chamber, Mei’er saw her young lady walk out unharmed. Her small eyes widened, her voice trembling. “Miss! So many people have been punished in the hidden chamber—you’re the first to come out without a scratch!”

Yin Qingyue’s condition was far from good. Her body was too weak; dealing with those people had already drained much of her strength. When she saw Mei’er, she lifted her hand weakly, and Mei’er immediately stepped closer.

“Miss, what’s wrong? Why are you so weak?” Mei’er asked worriedly. Her young lady’s face was no longer sallow yellow, but deathly pale—so pale it was frightening even without powder.

“Miss, don’t scare Mei’er. Did they poison you?” Her voice trembled noticeably. Among the hundred women here, some came from wealthy households in various counties, some were concubine-born daughters of capital mansions, and some were country girls. Their original statuses were vastly different, yet now they all stood on the same line—tragic and pitiful.

“I’m fine. I’m just a bit tired. Help me back to the room,” Yin Qingyue said, resting her head on Mei’er’s shoulder. She was extremely weak—this body hadn’t eaten properly for many days and had even fallen off a cliff. Already delicate, it was now even more fragile.

“Miss, our sunny room was taken by the county magistrate’s concubine-born daughter. We’re living in a west-facing, shady room now. I’ll help you inside first,” Mei’er said softly, supporting her as they walked toward their quarters.

There were over a hundred rooms in the rear courtyard, each woman assigned one maid. Some maids were brought from their original homes, while others were palace maids assigned directly by the imperial court. Each woman lived in the same room as her personal maid.

The paths in the rear courtyard crisscrossed, with many maids coming and going. They all recognized Yin Qingyue—the famously ugly girl, timid as a mouse. Who wouldn’t know her?

“A woman like that—dying sooner would be a relief. Ugly people cause the most trouble, even using her body to seduce a guard!”

“Exactly. I bet her body’s been dirty for a long time! If the higher-ups find out the sacrifices aren’t clean, she’ll definitely be executed!”

Mei’er was furious. Her miss wasn’t ugly! She deliberately put ugly makeup on her every day, precisely because she feared her miss would be taken early as a sacrifice like those ten beautiful women!

She herself had been picked up by an old man of the Yin household and had grown up by her miss’s side—they were the same age. The old man had passed away long ago, and her miss was often bullied by the other young ladies in the household. She would never forget the old man’s kindness. She would protect her miss!

“Mei’er, let’s go inside quickly. Don’t lower ourselves to the level of these crows,” Yin Qingyue said.
As she spoke, she lifted her head from Mei’er’s shoulder, a fierce glint flashing in her eyes as it shot straight toward the gossiping maids.