Chapter 55: Killing Steward Cao

Qianliu stood outside the door of Steward Cao’s room for a while before she finally gathered the courage to knock.

Steward Cao opened the door and lit up with excitement the moment he saw her. “Come in first, we’ll talk inside.”

Qianliu nervously tugged at the corner of her garment. After a moment of hesitation, she stepped into the room.

Steward Cao’s eyes greedily scanned her slim waist and curvy figure. He swallowed lewdly and quickly shut the door behind her.

Suddenly, Qianliu turned and dropped to her knees in front of him. “Please lend me one hundred taels of silver. I can write you an IOU. I will definitely pay you back. I’ll repay you with a lifetime of service if I have to.”

Steward Cao’s gaze locked on her fair and slender neck, nearly drooling.

“Tell me more,” he said, grabbing her hand and beginning to grope her.

Startled, Qianliu immediately jerked her hand back.

“Get up. You’ll hurt your knees kneeling like that makes my heart ache,” he said with fake concern as he helped her to her feet.

Qianliu’s heart pounded with anxiety. She stepped back cautiously.

Steward Cao ogled her from head to toe, then pulled out a money pouch from his chest. “I have silver. If you behave and do what I say, it’s all yours.”

He chuckled wickedly, tossing the pouch in his hand.

Qianliu’s anxiety grew. She stared at the pouch and asked nervously, “What do you want me to do?”

Hearing this, Steward Cao’s expression turned even more sinister.

“Spend the night with me, and the hundred taels are yours.” He licked his lips with a lascivious grin and lunged at her.

Qianliu’s face went pale with fear. She tried to escape, but it was too late.

Steward Cao grabbed her and began to grope her all over. “My sweet, I’ve missed you so much.”

He had lusted after her for days, and now finally had his chance.

“What are you doing?! Let me go!” Qianliu screamed, struggling with all her might.

“You wanted the silver, didn’t you? As long as you’re mine, all my silver will be yours,” he cooed as he tried to kiss her.

Qianliu struggled to push him off, but she couldn’t. She slapped at him frantically. “Let me go! I don’t want the silver anymore!”

She regretted everything. She knew exactly what kind of man he was, yet she still walked into the tiger’s den. She felt utterly foolish.

“My sweet, just give in. I’ll treat you well,” Steward Cao said as he pinned her to the floor and began tearing at her clothes.

The timing was perfect, his wife wasn’t around. If she were, how could he have such an opportunity?

Just the thought of sleeping with the woman he had long fantasized about made him even more excited.

“No!” As she felt her clothes being torn, Qianliu panicked. In desperation, she kicked him hard in his groin.

“Ugh” The sudden pain made Steward Cao freeze. His face twisted with rage as he slapped her hard. “Bitch!”

Somehow, Qianliu found the strength to shove him away and tried to run.

But he wasn’t about to let her escape. He grabbed her hair, dragged her to the floor, and climbed on top of her again, slapping her repeatedly.

BANG! Suddenly, the door burst open.

Tang Mi stormed in, saw the scene, and without thinking, pulled the hairpin from her head and stabbed it straight at Steward Cao’s neck.

Squelch! Bright red blood sprayed across Qianliu’s face, stunning her.

Ban Xia, who had followed behind Tang Mi, was also in shock. She never knew her mistress had such a fierce side.

But Tang Mi didn’t stop. She stabbed again and again, furiously plunging the hairpin into Steward Cao’s neck. Only when he collapsed silently to the ground did she finally stop.

The world fell silent. The only sounds in the room were their panicked breathing.

Ban Xia snapped out of it and hurriedly shut the door.

Qianliu finally managed to push Steward Cao’s corpse off her. Staring at all the blood, she fought back her terror and didn’t scream.

Shaking, she looked at Tang Mi, confused. Why did she save her? Why go so far as to kill for her?

It was Tang Mi’s first time killing someone. She stood there frozen for a moment before snapping out of it. Then, she knelt and wiped the blood off the hairpin onto the corpse.

“Miss Tang…” Qianliu said worriedly.

They had killed someone, Steward Cao, no less. What now?

Tang Mi calmly glanced at her. “Go. Nothing happened here today.”

She hadn’t thought about the consequences when she acted, but she already had a plan now.

Realizing Tang Mi truly meant to help her, Qianliu was deeply moved. “Thank you.”

She left the room quietly.

Once outside, Qianliu stood there in a daze for a moment, then tightened her cloak and hurried back to the northern wing like she’d just woken from a dream.

“Miss, what do we do now?” Ban Xia looked at the corpse, deeply worried.

Steward Cao deserved to die, but what should they do with the body?

“Get Grandmother,” Tang Mi said coolly, staring at the corpse.

Ban Xia frowned. “Are you sure you want to alert the old matriarch?”

If the matriarch asked questions, how would they explain this?

“I said go.”

“Yes.” Ban Xia dared not hesitate and left immediately.

Once she was gone, Tang Mi slumped to the ground, sitting right in the pool of blood. Then she ripped her clothes, messed up her hair.

In the shadows, Ye Chenxuan had seen everything. The corner of his lips curled in admiration.

He knew what she was trying to do. She was a clever woman.

Soon, Ban Xia returned with the Old Madam and Nanny Gui.

When they entered and saw Tang Mi in that state, they were both horrified.

Especially the old matriarch, her heart nearly stopped. “Shut the door!”

Ban Xia, shocked by Tang Mi’s appearance, quickly obeyed and closed the door.

“Mi’er!” The old matriarch rushed over and held Tang Mi in her arms. “Don’t be afraid. Grandmother’s here.”

Tang Mi stiffly allowed herself to be held. The tears she had been holding back finally fell.

“Grandmother, he…” she began.

But before she could finish, the old matriarch gently patted her and said, “I know. Don’t think about anything. Grandmother will handle it.”

She now hated Steward Cao with all her heart. He dared lay a finger on her beloved granddaughter, she wished she could kill him all over again.

“Grandmother…” Tang Mi sobbed and buried herself in her grandmother’s arms.