Liu Lanyan smiled innocently at the woman: "Aunt Qin, I haven't finished collecting firewood yet. If I don't finish, I won't have anything to eat."
"Who? Which dog servant said that to Miss?" Aunt Qin roared angrily, hands on her hips.
"It's Sister Xinrong..." Liu Lanyan didn't notice anything amiss and answered truthfully, not forgetting to gently tug at Aunt Qin's sleeve, "Is Aunt Qin angry?"
Seeing Liu Lanyan's timid and innocent appearance, even though Qin Xiu was angry, she couldn't hold back her temper. She suppressed her anger and reached out to pick up the bamboo basket on the ground, which was already full of firewood.
They held it in their hands and weighed it. For demons with magical powers, it was nothing at all. However, their young lady had no magical powers whatsoever.
How could her small shoulders bear such a heavy load of firewood?
"My dear lady, she asked you to come, so you came? You are the true eldest daughter of the Liu family!" Qin Xiu slung the bamboo basket over her shoulder, took Liu Lanyan's hand, and started walking back.
Upon touching that hand, Liu Lanyan instinctively shrank back, trying to hide it in her sleeve, but Qin Xiu swiftly grabbed her and lifted it in front of her eyes.
"I'll beat that bitch to death when I get back!" Qin Xiu gritted her teeth and growled as she looked at the small wounds on the soft hand in her hand. She then embraced Liu Lanyan and transformed into a gentle breeze, returning directly to the Liu residence.
"Liu Xinrong, you come out here!" Qin Xiu kicked open the door as soon as she returned to the mansion and shouted.
Qin Xiu's shout caused all the servants of the Liu family to rush out and point at the arrogant Qin Xiu.
"Oh my, who do we have here? It's Qin Xiu." Liu Xinrong swayed her slender waist and turned around. Her delicate face made her a beauty no matter how you looked at her, forming a stark contrast with Liu Lanyan's plainness. Standing there, one was a wildly blooming red flower, and the other was naturally a green leaf that could be seen everywhere.
"Liu Xinrong, what right do you have to make Miss gather firewood?" Qin Xiu didn't care how many people were watching. She was so angry that she was practically fuming. She just couldn't stand anyone bullying her Miss.
"Why should I?" Liu Xinrong covered her mouth and giggled as if she had heard the biggest joke in the world. Suddenly, her laughter stopped and she scolded sharply, "Qin Xiu, how dare you, a mere servant, speak to me like that?"
"Someone, slap him!" Liu Xinrong ordered, and her personal maid immediately stepped forward to slap him.
"Liu Xinrong, how dare you?" Qin Xiu shouted angrily.
"Hmph, what wouldn't I dare to do?" Liu Xinrong sneered. "Qin Xiu is disrespectful to her superiors. Who gave her that right? Was it our Miss Lanyan?"
"You..." Qin Xiu was stunned, all the words stuck in her throat, and she couldn't utter a single word.
“A servant is always a servant. Remember this: who is in charge of the Liu family now!” Liu Xinrong proudly raised her head. “The current head of the Liu family is my father, not that uncle who ‘sacrificed himself for the Lord’!”
"If it weren't for the Demon Lord's consideration for my master, how could your father have obtained this elder position? My young lady is the rightful daughter of an elder!" Qin Xiu argued relentlessly, not tolerating anyone bullying her young lady, let alone Liu Xinrong, who had usurped the position.
"So what? The Demon Realm Elder is my father now, and I am the Elder's daughter!" Liu Xinrong's arrogance infuriated Qin Xiu.
“You…” Qin Xiu glared angrily at Liu Xinrong.
She had only been away on business for a few days when she returned to find out that her young mistress had been bullied like this. How could she swallow this insult?
"Aunt Qin, let's go back..."
The timid voice and the small force with which she tugged at her sleeve made Qin Xiu's heart ache and her eyes sting. Her young lady was clearly the daughter of a glorious elder in the demon realm.
If it weren't for the accident that happened to the master, which allowed the young lady's second uncle to take over the position of elder, how could Liu Xinrong be here to act so arrogantly?
"Alright, Miss, let's go back." Qin Xiu knew she had to swallow her anger now. For the sake of her mistress having a place to stay, she couldn't fight back. However, sooner or later she would repay her mistress for everything she had suffered, tenfold.
Qin Xiu carried the heavy basket of firewood and, holding Liu Lanyan's cold little hand, headed towards the side courtyard.
"What's going on here?" Liu Jinli shouted irritably when he saw so many people gathered in the front yard.
“Father.” Liu Xinrong turned around and gave a slight bow. “It’s all because Qin Xiu, that servant, doesn’t know her place and is disrespectful and disrespectful, thinking that the master of this Liu family is someone else.”
Liu Xinrong understood that her father couldn't stand hearing others mention his uncle, and he was most averse to anyone saying that he became an elder in the demon realm because of his uncle's favor.
Sure enough, as soon as he finished speaking, Liu Jinli's rude curse was heard: "Did Qin Xiu eat shit?"
Upon hearing her father utter such vulgar language, Liu Xinrong knew she had successfully provoked his anger and quickly tried to appease him: "Father, please don't be angry. It's just the words of a servant who doesn't know his place."
Instead of immediately punishing Qin Xiu as Liu Xinrong had expected, Liu Jinli flicked his sleeve and hastily said, "Hmph, we'll talk about it when you get back."
He turned to leave.
"Father..." Liu Xinrong called out anxiously. How could Father let Qin Xiu off so easily? Wasn't all her instigation in vain?
"Young Miss, the Demon Lord urgently summons you." The personal servant beside Liu Jinli hurriedly put on a smiling face, afraid that Liu Xinrong would be angry.
"Sister Xinrong, does poop taste good?" Liu Lanyan asked curiously, frowning.
"Miss!" Qin Xiu exclaimed helplessly.
"Delicious, so delicious." Liu Xinrong immediately realized what was going on, a gloating smile spreading across her face. How could such a foolish woman possibly compete with her for that man's attention?
"Really?" Liu Lanyan asked in surprise.
“Really, you can ask your father if you don’t believe me. Your father would never lie to you.” Liu Xinrong turned to her father for confirmation. She knew that Liu Lanyan’s existence had always been a thorn in her father’s side.
"Second Uncle..." Liu Lanyan had always been afraid of Liu Jinli, and asked timidly with her eyes lowered.
"Really, it's delicious!" Liu Jinli scoffed sarcastically, flicked his sleeves, and strode away.
If it weren't for concerns about what people would say, how could he have allowed this mentally challenged girl to live in front of him?
Her every appearance was a reminder that he only ascended to the position of elder thanks to his elder brother's "favor," and that he was inferior to his elder brother in every way.
What an eyesore!
Watching her father leave in a hurry, Liu Xinrong swayed her hips triumphantly as she returned to the backyard. Seeing the servants' smirking faces, she felt much better, having achieved her goal of humiliating Liu Lanyan. She then went back to rest.
No one noticed the chilling glint in Liu Lanyan's eyes as she was being helped by Qin Xiu to walk towards the side courtyard.
!
Chapter 3 Novel Desserts
As Liu Jinli stepped out of the mansion, the passersby who had been secretly peeking inside suddenly scattered.
Frowning, Liu Jinli impatiently flicked his sleeve. Having such a mentally challenged girl in the family was truly shameful. And to make matters worse, because that eyesore was his elder brother's only child, he had to treat her well—it was infuriating.
They arrived at the palace very quickly and entered the main hall, where the other three elders were already standing. Liu Jinli hurriedly knelt down and bowed, saying, "Your subordinate is late, please forgive me, Your Majesty."
The Demon Lord waved his hand, signaling Liu Jinli to stand up: "Qing Li is dead."
Upon hearing the news, Liu Jinli immediately beamed with joy: "Qingli was the Lord's greatest worry. Now that he is dead, it truly puts the Lord's mind at ease."
Liu Jinli looked up, about to continue offering congratulations, but found the Demon Lord's face clouded with worry, showing no sign of joy.
What's going on?
Logically speaking, with Qing Li dead, the Demon Lord should be happy to have one less major threat.
Why does the Demon Lord seem even more worried than when Qing Li was alive?
"He...knows about this..." The Demon Lord mentioned someone very vaguely, using a pseudonym, his expression clearly showing that he did not want to mention that person's name.
The only person who could elicit such an expression from the Demon Lord was that person.
Those standing near His Highness felt a sudden tightness in their hearts, as if gripped by an invisible hand, and their breath caught in their throats for a moment.
"My lord, what was the man's reaction?" Another elder, Jiang Zhao, cautiously inquired.
"I'm somewhat displeased," the Demon Lord said in a deep voice after considering the words the man had conveyed.
Upon hearing that the person was merely somewhat displeased, His Highness's men all breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness.
"Third brother, what do you think we should do?" the demon lord asked a man in brocade robes beside him. The man's face, which did not reveal his age, was full of heroic spirit, and his appearance was definitely that of a handsome man who would make women scream.
"Let's play to their strengths," Yu Jinshuo said after thinking for a moment.
The Demon Lord turned his gaze to the others in the prince's group, and they all nodded in agreement, clearly agreeing with Yu Jinshuo's suggestion.
"Third brother is the best." The Demon Lord praised with a smile, then glanced at the prince with displeasure and snorted coldly, "He's good for nothing all day long."
Upon hearing the Demon Lord's words, the four elders reacted differently, all glancing at a person standing casually in the corner of the hall. The person's loose robes were not fastened, and the casual attire was completely out of place in the solemn council hall.
Even her long hair was not tied up, but let it hang loosely behind her. Looking at her appearance, she resembled the Demon Lord somewhat. She leaned against a pillar in the palace, her eyes half-closed as if she was about to fall asleep.
He ignored the Demon Lord's reprimands, completely oblivious to the fact that he had become the focus of everyone in the palace.
After the Demon Lord snorted coldly, he waved his hand, and everyone understood, bowed, and withdrew.
Clearly, the Demon Lord's visit this time wasn't to figure out how to deal with that person, but rather to tell them that Qing Li had been eliminated, that the person was slightly displeased, and to advise them to be more careful in their daily actions and not to provoke that person again.
As everyone parted ways outside the hall, Liu Jinli spoke up, "Your Highness, would you have time to come to the manor for a gathering? That person has been getting more and more arrogant lately."
Normally, Yu Jinshuo would have refused an invitation from someone else, but since he had some connection with the Liu family and that person was mentioned, he didn't refuse.
Upon seeing Yu Jinshuo's reaction, Liu Jinli's face lit up with joy. Turning his head, he happened to see the man who had just been reprimanded in the main hall. With a smile, he asked, "Your Highness, would you do me the honor of joining me for a meal at my humble abode?"
Despite the Demon Lord's constant dissatisfaction with his son, a son is still a son, and he naturally cannot neglect him. Beside him are Yu Jinshuo, currently the most popular successor to the Demon Lord in the entire demon realm, and Yu Xinyi, the Demon Lord's direct descendant. He cannot afford to offend either of them; they are both people he must curry favor with.
"Since Elder Liu has already said so, Xinyi, you should go along." Without giving Yu Xinyi a chance to refuse, Yu Jinshuo directly gave the order.
"Whatever." Yu Xinyi remained as lazy as ever, yawning as if anywhere was just a place for him to sleep.
Several people arrived at the Liu residence in a carriage. Before they even got off the carriage, they heard whispers coming from the side of the street.
"That young lady from the Liu family is getting more and more idiotic; she even eats excrement."
"No way? Wasn't that person going to become a princess? The Third Prince wants someone like that too?"
"What can we do if we don't want to? It was a marriage agreement made between the Demon Lord and the Grand Elder. Just because Liu Jinli has taken his elder brother's place, does that mean they can break the agreement?"
"That's right, that's right. Back then, the Grand Elder made countless contributions to the Demon Realm, and now..."
The passersby, who were discussing the matter, suddenly fell silent upon seeing the carriage from the Liu residence, and hurriedly scattered, fearing they might get into trouble.
Inside the carriage, Yu Jinshuo's face was ashen as he slowly and deliberately uttered each word: "What did they say she wanted to eat?"
Seeing Yu Jinshuo's unfriendly expression, Liu Jinli hurriedly apologized with trepidation: "It's my fault. Xinyan was talking nonsense. Just now, the master summoned me urgently, and I responded to her, which is why this joke happened."
"Hmph." Yu Jinshuo pushed the carriage door open forcefully, jumped off the carriage, and entered the Liu residence with a face as black as the bottom of a pot. Liu Jinli was overjoyed to see his angry back.
He wanted to make Yu Jinshuo dissatisfied with Liu Lanyan.
People say he only became the Grand Elder because of his elder brother's favor, do they think he is no worse than his elder brother?
My elder brother's daughter is so mentally challenged; even if she marries into the royal family, she'll only be a laughingstock. She's angered the prince; what good are my elder brother's contributions to the demon realm if he offends the prince?
He will make the world forget his elder brother and only remember his name, Liu Jinli!
With a sinister smile, Liu Jinli concealed his thoughts by alighting from the carriage. Composing himself, he turned and respectfully bowed to the person in the carriage: "Your Highness, please."