Chapter 95

Zhao Shi's attitude was very humble, while Ye Qingran's attitude was cold and indifferent, making the onlookers furious.

"Ye Qingran, sister has done this much for you, that's already doing one's utmost. If it were someone else, even a birth parent might not manage it. If you're not grateful, that's fine, but what attitude is this?"

The speaker was Wang Yan.

Probably after obtaining the Huanfeng Herb, Zhao Hao's vital part received timely treatment and has mostly recovered; Wang Yan's complexion today is much better than before.

Besides, Ye Qingran had cost the Zhao family a lot of money, and just now she sowed discord between Ye Sisi and Zhao Yan, causing them to come to blows and lose face; looking at Ye Qingran, her eyes filled with toxic frost.

"As an unmarried woman, you've lost your chastity, Miss Ye, do you still have any shame?"

"Exactly, consorting with a wild man is bad enough, and you're pregnant, truly disgracing the Ye family!"

"It's Zhao Shi who suffers, worrying herself sick, yet Ye Qingran doesn't appreciate it—truly speechless."

……

Wang Yan seemed to voice the thoughts of many onlookers, and many people echoed her.

Although these voices were deliberately lowered, with Ye Qingran's hearing, how could she not hear them clearly?

"You all keep slandering my lady—do you have any evidence? If not, be careful I'll file a lawsuit and take it to the Yushi Tai for the Yushi Daifu to judge!"

Han Xing said coldly, "These people are mere commoners, most afraid of officials; hearing they'd be taken to the Yushi Tai, they all fell silent, not daring to even pass gas."

As the wife of a Guanglu Daifu, Wang Yan naturally didn't take Han Xing's words seriously.

She snorted coldly and sneered, "How dare you consort with a wild man, bear a child, and refuse to admit it? As a miss of the Prime Minister's Residence, you lack any noble lady's decorum!"

Leng Yue stepped forward and mocked, "How can our miss compare to your lady? In someone else's courtyard, cavorting with another man!"

She chuckled, then Leng Yue said, "Could this be what the illustrious Guanglu Fu considers noble lady conduct? Truly astonishing."

"You!" Wang Yan was so angry her nose almost twisted; her finger pointing at Leng Yue trembled from fury.

"Madam Zhao, instead of waving your hands here, you'd better go home and properly discipline your daughter, who lacks propriety and ignores noble lady image, brawling in the street."

Ye Qingran tossed off a light remark, instantly shifting the blame onto Wang Yan.

No matter how many faults Ye Qingran has, it's not up to Wang Yan to discipline her!

Her own daughter is riddled with misdeeds—what right does she have to criticize others?

Wang Yan couldn't think of a rebuttal, so she just stiffened her neck, face flushed red with anger.

"Qingran, Aunt Zhao is at least your aunt; you shouldn't speak to her like that." Zhao Shi whispered a lecture from the side.

Ye Qingran glanced at her, as if hearing something highly amusing, a breathtaking smile playing on her peerless visage.

"My mother Yun Sui Feng seemingly has no siblings, so where does this aunt come from? Aunt Zhao, don't randomly claim kinship, lest you sully my mother's and General Dingyuan's gate."

That remark was blunt yet entirely justified.

General Dingyuan Yun Sui Feng, though his origins are mysterious, has never been heard to have siblings. As the general's daughter and a war god's descendant, Ye Qingran naturally looks down on lowly concubines.

Zhao Shi was seething inside, silently cursing Ye Qingran for not knowing gratitude, yet she showed nothing on her face, only pursing her lips with a wronged expression.

"Qingran, I know you look down on me, but as long as I live I'll strive to change your opinion of me; I believe one day you'll open your heart and accept me from the bottom of yours."

Zhao Shi saw Ye Qingran's expression soften, her resolve firm, appearing like a model stepmother.

Many passersby were misled by her false appearance, thinking the title 'First Stepmother' truly deserved.

"Aunt Zhao, you're really good to me!"

Ye Qingran said with a half-smile. Her slender jade hand rubbed the little milk tiger's back intermittently.

Upon hearing Ye Qingran's words, the little milk tiger, which had been snoring loudly, suddenly opened its eyes and let out a low sound from its throat.

"However, my little kitten seems to have some objections."

As the words fell, the little milk tiger turned into a bolt of lightning, shooting from Ye Qingran's embrace and, with the speed of thunder, lunging at Zhao Shi's face; Zhao Shi only saw a white flash before feeling a chill and pain on her face.

The little milk tiger, secretly urged by Ye Qingran, unleashed again the move it used against Ye Huanhuan in the Yaowang Valley—meowing punches with tiger-like vigor, swift and fierce, utterly unexpected and dazzling.

Ye Huanhuan beside her watched the scene, the first thing that came to mind was when she went to the Yaowang Valley seeking the Sword Spirit Pill and was scratched on the face by that little tiger.

This scene is so familiar, it feels like déjà vu!

Her pupils contracted sharply, her face turning pale.

"Could Ye Qingran be that Yaowang Valley valley master's disciple from back then?"

A terrifying thought rose in Ye Huanhuan's heart, but she quickly dismissed it.

"How could Ye Qingran possibly be a disciple of the Yaowang Valley master?"

"That's absolutely impossible!"

"She must be overthinking!"

Ye Huanhuan examined the little milk tiger closely and found it was just a cat, vastly different from the little tiger of the Yaowang Valley.

Ye Huanhuan exhaled in relief, nearly frightened by her earlier thought.

As she said, how could the lowly Ye Qingran be a disciple of the Yaowang Valley master? She isn't even fit to hand the valley's servants their shoes.

The little milk tiger landed its hit, didn't linger, flashed back into Ye Qingran's arms, raised its head, and uttered a 'wu-wu' sound, seemingly seeking praise.

Zhao Shi, scratched by the little milk tiger, covered her face, her hairpin scattered, and she lost an earring.

"Ah!!! It hurts so much!"

Zhao Shi covered her face and let out anguished cries.

Blood flowed from her fingertips.

Everyone was already shocked by this sudden turn; before they could react, they saw the Xuan Yue Yinlang, which had been obediently following Ye Qingran like a dog, suddenly charge over, knock Zhao Shi to the ground, bare its fearsome fangs, and emit a low beastly howl, looking as if it wanted to tear her apart and devour her.

Zhao Shi lowered her hand from her face, took a clear look, and nearly fainted from fright.

The Xuan Yue Yinlang's saliva dripped from its fearsome fangs onto Zhao Shi's blood‑smeared cheek. She didn't even care about the pain on her face or body, or her appearance, and scrambled backward with all her might.

As she crawled she screamed for help, a sorry sight—no trace of her usual dignified grace, looking worse than a street beggar.

"Little Silver, Little White, you've gone too far!"

Ye Qingran shouted as if angry.

"Although you don't approve of Zhao Yi Niang's behavior, you cannot arbitrarily harm her!"

After speaking righteously, Ye Qingran looked at Zhao Shi, smiling innocently: "Zhao Yi Niang, since you treat me so well, you surely won't blame me, right?"

Zhao Shi, helped up by Ye Huanhuan, was still unsettled in her three souls; hearing Ye Qingran say that, she almost spat out a mouthful of blood, and was even closer to tearing her face apart and collapsing her persona on the spot.