Chapter 018: Dog-Eat-Dog Drama in a Bloody Feud

The man’s large hands tore through the Moon Brocade Silk dress. With a sharp cry from Bai Yuning, the fabric of her collar was ripped open, revealing her fair, delicate body beneath.

This was everything Zhou Yuanting had longed for day and night—Bai Yuning in her entirety.

Bai Yuning was tall and slender, and the body hidden beneath her dress was just like her face: smooth, pure white, and exquisitely curved. But as Zhou Yuanting’s eyes fell upon it, they widened in fury.

There, on Bai Yuning’s chest, was a bite mark!

At the sight of it, Zhou Yuanting felt his vision darken.

Bai Yuning was no longer a virgin!

In the entire Houfu, the only one who could have done such a filthy thing with Bai Yuning was Zhou Chiye—his own brother, his dear younger brother! Without his knowledge, these two had already engaged in such disgusting acts behind his back!

“Let go of me!” In the moment Zhou Yuanting was stunned, Bai Yuning screamed, “Shizi, you are already married. Please show some restraint.”

“Restraint?” Zhou Yuanting snapped back to reality in an instant, a surge of rage boiling up to his scalp. “How dare you speak of restraint? To marry you, I never once laid a finger on that Liu Yandai! And you? You’ve already rolled into bed with my brother! Engaging in illicit acts before marriage—how dare you talk about restraint! You fickle, promiscuous slut!”

Not satisfied with just cursing, he grabbed Bai Yuning by the hair, dragged her closer, and slapped her twice across the face.

Bai Yuning’s frail frame was like a carefully tended white peony outside the window—delicate, boneless, and pitiable. How could such a tender flower withstand Zhou Yuanting’s hatred?

Her face swelled instantly from the blows, and she could only sob out curses: “You’ll pay for this.”

Zhou Yuanting didn’t care in the slightest.

He tore off Bai Yuning’s clothes, hurling the vilest insults at her: “Pay for it? I’m about to become the Marquis! Who could possibly make me pay?”

The old Marquis was dying, the outside son was crippled, his mother was a muddle-headed woman confined to the inner quarters—oh, and there was still his second brother.

A boiling, frenzied, uncontrollable hatred flashed across Zhou Yuanting’s refined face.

In the Small Kitchen, the embers in the stove still glowed faintly. Outside the window, cicadas in the bamboo grove cried out with all their might. The food box had long since fallen and rolled to the ground, its pristine pastries now covered in dust. The surroundings were so quiet that only Zhou Yuanting’s voice remained.

“Do you think I’ll let Zhou Chiye live? He stole my woman. He will die.”

If he could cripple one outside son, why couldn’t he do the same to Zhou Chiye?

Today’s success had blinded Zhou Yuanting, making him suddenly realize that his decades of abiding by rules and propriety were nothing but a joke. What he wanted couldn’t be begged from others—he had to find a way to seize it.

If he could seize it once, he could surely seize it again!

With this thought in mind, he leisurely untied Bai Yuning’s waistband, saying, “If you behave obediently, I might spare your life.”

He wouldn’t let Bai Yuning die. Those who betrayed him deserved to kneel before him for eternity, atoning for their sins.

For a moment, the only sound in the Small Kitchen was the tearing of fabric.

—

Meanwhile, in the Sickroom of Qiufeng Hall, where Zhou Wenshan lay.

Concubine Fang threw herself onto her son’s bed, weeping as if on the verge of collapse, consumed by grief. Just as her sorrow reached its peak, Zhou Wenshan on the bed suddenly stirred and awoke.

“Mother—” The son lying on the bed murmured in a daze, bringing a flicker of joy to Concubine Fang’s tear-streaked face.

With trembling hands, she reached to touch her son’s forehead, wanting to ask, “Does it hurt, my son?” But before the words could leave her lips, she heard her son struggle to utter: “Mother, avenge me.”

Concubine Fang was shocked and quickly leaned in to ask, “What happened? Avenge you for what?”

Zhou Wenshan strained to say, “It was Zhou Yuanting who harmed me. He doesn’t want to give me the Juewei.”

He wanted to say more, to provide evidence, but as he spoke these words, darkness swept over his vision, and he fainted once more.

Beside him, Fang Qingqing sat in a daze for a moment before suddenly understanding—her son had been harmed by Zhou Yuanting. No, perhaps not Zhou Yuanting alone; maybe Qin Chanyue was involved too. How could Qin Chanyue and Zhou Yuanting stand by and watch the Juewei fall into her son’s hands? They must be wishing for her and her son to die together!

No, she had to find the Marquis. Only the Marquis could protect her.

Fang Qingqing scrambled up in a frenzy, rushing out while shouting, “Where is the Marquis? Where is the Marquis?”

The maid guarding the door quickly bowed and replied, “In response to Concubine Fang, the Marquis was too exhausted from worry and has retired to his chamber to rest.”

Hearing this, Fang Qingqing’s anger flared. The damp sorrow she had felt moments before was instantly scorched dry by rage, giving rise to a venomous, twisted resentment.

How could Zhou Ziheng sleep at a time like this, when their son was in such a state? He was their only son!

Filled with fury, she stormed into Zhou Ziheng’s chamber, brushing past the quietly hanging bead curtain and scattering the curling wisps of incense smoke. She threw herself at the bed, startling the weary, drowsy Zhou Ziheng awake.

“Marquis!” Her shrill, tearful voice pierced Zhou Ziheng’s ears in one continuous assault.

Zhou Ziheng had endured an exhausting day. He could still move only because Qin Chanyue, not wanting him to die too soon, had refrained from poisoning him and had instead nourished him with good medicine. But his body had already been ravaged by poison, leaving his movements sluggish. When Fang Qingqing’s cries erupted, his heart lurched violently, pounding as if it would burst from his chest. The thudding echoed in his ears, blurring the sound of her wails.

Fang Qingqing rambled incoherently, “Our son was harmed! He said it was Zhou Yuanting! It was Qin Chanyue! Because Zhou Yuanting wants to steal our son’s Juewei! Go question Zhou Yuanting! Go break his spine!”

Startled by her shouts, Zhou Ziheng sat up, gazing at the weeping, frantic Fang Qingqing with a pang of heartache.

Zhou Ziheng sighed and said, “I know you’re grieving, but you mustn’t speak recklessly. Zhou Yuanting is my own son, always gentle and humble in temperament. Though there have been some tensions lately over inheriting the title, his character is upright. He would never do such a thing—it couldn’t be him. Qin Chanyue may be proud, but she has always listened to me. If she didn’t want Wenshan to inherit the title, she could have said so openly. There’s no need for such underhanded harm. You must be overthinking this.”

Fang Qingqing refused to relent. She screamed, shedding all her usual gentleness and obedience, forcing Zhou Ziheng to confront Zhou Yuanting.

Zhou Ziheng sighed once more.

The Marquis seated on the couch reached out and gently wiped the tear-streaked cheek of his beloved concubine, then said in a helpless tone, “Since you insist on investigating, I will order someone to summon Zhou Yuanting right now. We’ll question him face to face, alright?”

This was the woman who had endured a lifetime of grievances for him, so he could not bear to see Fang Qingqing distressed. Even if it seemed impossible, he was willing to investigate for her sake.

Yet Fang Qingqing remained unwilling. She threw herself onto Zhou Ziheng’s lap, weeping, “Let’s go catch him now. Accompany me yourself—don’t send servants to summon him. We must catch him off guard.”

Though Zhou Ziheng found it absurd, seeing Fang Qingqing’s tearful face, he lowered his head and agreed.

“Alright, I’ll go with you.”

He rose, dragging his weary body, and went with Concubine Fang to find Zhou Yuanting.

Zhou Yuanting originally resided in Qiufeng Hall. The wound on his chest had only just healed, with some lingering injuries still unhealed. Qiufeng Hall was where the Estate Physician of the Houfu lived, functioning as a half-clinic and the most convenient place for treatment. However, when Zhou Ziheng and Concubine Fang arrived at Zhou Yuanting’s quarters, they found no one there.

Frowning, Zhou Ziheng summoned Zhou Yuanting’s servant for questioning. The servant stammered evasively, arousing Zhou Ziheng’s suspicion.

The gravely ill Marquis furrowed his brow, his voice hoarse as he commanded, “If you won’t speak—guards, twenty strokes.”

He was ill, but not dead! How dare these people conceal things from him—they must have grown tired of living.

The servant couldn’t withstand the threat. Those who beat the young master might go easy, but they would beat him to death! He immediately knelt and kowtowed, saying, “Reporting to the Marquis, the Eldest Young Master has gone to see Miss Bai. He is currently in Miss Bai’s Guest Wing Room.”

Miss Bai!

Zhou Ziheng recalled the incident where Zhou Yuanting and Zhou Chiye had fought over a woman, feeling a wave of shame. Now, his eldest son had gone to see this Miss Bai again, stirring his anger. He immediately gathered a few servants and, together with Concubine Fang, rushed straight to Bai Yuning’s Guest Wing Room.

When they arrived at the Guest Wing Room and followed the path to the kitchen, they heard the unmistakable sounds of illicit intimacy inside. As Zhou Ziheng ordered someone to kick the door open, they were met with a disgraceful scene.

Zhou Yuanting was actually pinning Bai Yuning down, forcing himself upon her! Their clothes were nearly torn off—if they had arrived any later—

Bai Yuning’s face was swollen from slaps. Seeing others enter, she began to sob pitifully. Zhou Yuanting, startled, hurriedly stood up and dressed, stammering, “Father! It was… it was Bai Yuning who seduced me.”

Zhou Ziheng’s face turned ashen with rage. He was deeply disappointed in this son, but no matter what, this was still his child. He couldn’t allow others to mock them. He took a deep breath, preparing to order the servants outside to leave and let Zhou Yuanting dress before speaking.

But before he could utter a word, Concubine Fang let out a resentful scream, “Zhou Yuanting, was it you who harmed my son? My son said it was you—”

Concubine Fang paid no heed to the indecent acts between Zhou Yuanting and Bai Yuning. Her heart was consumed with thoughts of her son, and she rushed in recklessly, pointing at Zhou Yuanting’s face and beginning to curse.

Zhou Yuanting naturally refuted, “No, no, I don’t know what Concubine Fang is talking about.”

How did the matter get exposed so quickly? He had clearly bribed everyone involved—no matter what, he would never admit to it.

At this moment, Bai Yuning, who had been lying on the ground, finally regained her senses.

Her face was bruised and swollen from the beating. Earlier, she had thought she was done for, but now that people had arrived, she no longer cared about her appearance. Hastily wrapping herself in the torn outer garment to cover her tattered clothes, she crawled forward on her hands and knees.

She had never dreamed she would end up like this—stripped naked in front of everyone, with even servants peeking in from outside the door! How was she any different from a prostitute?

Hatred surged in her heart, and she threw caution to the wind, screaming recklessly, “It was Zhou Yuanting who ordered someone to harm Zhou Wenshan! I have proof!”

Everyone present was shocked!

—

Amidst this chaos and conflict, Qin Chanyue returned to the estate.