Volume 6, Chapter 348 – Sister, Being a Maid is For Your Own Good

Qi Huang was truly speechless. The feeling was akin to being invited to a grand feast in an eight-man sedan chair, only to be told upon arrival that she couldn’t sit at the table—she had to squat on the floor to eat. The sheer disparity was infuriating, even if the other party had good intentions.

‘They actually look down on me?’

Qi Huang really wanted to step forward and prove herself. But after a brief moment of consideration, she suppressed the impulse. Fine, a maid it is. There were two benefits to this: first, she could maintain a low profile, and second, she could legitimately stay close to Liu Yingyue for protection.

Having made up her mind, Liu Yingyue led her maidservant into the courtyard.

“Esteemed guests, I am Liu Yingyue, the manager of this auction house. As stated in the recruitment notice, I seek to hire two cultivators as bodyguards to escort me to the imperial capital. I never expected so many immortal masters to grace us with your presence, this humble woman is truly overwhelmed. I offer my deepest gratitude to all of you here.”

Liu Yingyue began with a modest introduction, ending with a graceful curtsy.

Having recently lost her father, her face was pale and devoid of makeup, yet it couldn’t conceal her striking beauty. Combined with her alluring curves, she exuded a different kind of charm from her usual coquettishness—a morbid beauty, so to speak.

The cultivators were once again stunned. While the veiled Qi Huang had a figure that tempted sin, Liu Yingyue was the real deal, both face and figure were flawless.

“Who would’ve thought the manager of the Golden Fortune Auction House was a woman, and such a young and beautiful one at that? She’s even more stunning than many female cultivators.”

“Where have you been cultivating, in some backwater village? How do you not recognize the manager of the Golden Fortune Auction House? Everyone knows she’s the Ninth Miss of the Liu Clan, the foremost noble family of the Western Radiance Dynasty, and one of the imperial capital’s Three Great Beauties, Liu Yingyue!”

“The Three Great Beauties? Who are the other two?”

“One is her, another is the Sixth Princess Lin Ran, the top talent of Poyun Peak, and the last is the top courtesan of the Spring Moon Pavilion.”

The cultivators resumed their hushed discussions.

“As you all know, the journey from the prefecture to the imperial capital spans a thousand li and takes over ten days. The world is chaotic, and we may encounter wandering spirits and malevolent ghosts along the way. To ensure my safety and prevent unnecessary loss of life, I must first test your abilities. Only those who pass may become my guards.”

Liu Yingyue tactfully laid out her conditions.

“Enough with the nonsense! Just tell us how the test works!”

Tian Yu of the Huxiao Sect snapped impatiently, still smarting from Qi Huang’s public humiliation earlier.

“How dare you speak so rudely?” Xia Wei immediately scolded.

“Apologies. We of the Huxiao Sect always speak this way,” Tian Yu retorted smugly, flaunting his sect’s name.

“So what if you’re from the Huxiao Sect? You’re here for employment, not to patronize our business! What gives you the right to be so insolent?”

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Xia Wei, a fiery-tempered girl, refused to back down. With Master Liu’s passing, she, as his adopted daughter, was already grieving. This man’s audacity only stoked her fury.

“Don’t like it? Then kick me out! Of course, that’s assuming you have the authority!”

Tian Yu spoke with utter confidence.

“You—!”

Xia Wei’s chest heaved with anger.

Qi Huang watched in amazement. She had met plenty of arrogant people, but a “tyrannical wage-slave” like this was a first.

“Let it go.”

Liu Yingyue bit her lip lightly but restrained her maid with reason. After all, the Huxiao Sect was the local hegemon of Yongning Prefecture, she couldn’t afford to offend them.

“My apologies for rambling. The rules are simple: I will assign numbers, and you will draw lots. Adjacent numbers will duel—one versus two, three versus four, five versus six, and so on. Those who draw a bye automatically advance to the next round. The last two remaining will become my guards. However, I have a few conditions: first, no killing; second, no underhanded tactics like poison or hidden weapons.”

Liu Yingyue succinctly explained the rules.

“Why no poison or hidden weapons?” someone objected.

“As I said, I seek those with genuine strength.”

Liu Yingyue reiterated.

Hearing this, a few cultivators’ expressions darkened, clearly, they had hoped to rely on such tricks.

Qi Huang nodded inwardly. While poison and hidden weapons were part of one’s arsenal, cultivators needed to deal with wandering spirits and ghosts, against which such methods were useless. Pure cultivation was far more reliable.

“Can we start now?”

Tian Yu pressed again, impatient.

Without another word, Liu Yingyue picked up a brush and began writing numbers.

Xia Wei took the opportunity to approach Qi Huang, intending to relay her mistress’s decision.

“What should I call you, sister?”

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Xia Wei asked softly, her tone as if she were addressing a delicate vase.

“My name is Chen Yuzhu,” Qi Huang replied offhandedly, growing even more irritated.

‘How little must you think of me to call me ‘sister’? At least call me ‘Fairy’ or something!’

“Little Zhu, this arrangement is for your own good. The road is fraught with wandering spirits and ghosts. Staying close to the young mistress is the safest option.”

Xia Wei earnestly explained.

“Maid it is, then!”

Qi Huang replied nonchalantly, she had already made peace with it. But she couldn’t stand the nickname any longer. “Could you not call me ‘Little Zhu’? It sounds like you’re calling me ‘Little Pig’ ¹ 小竹 (Xiǎo Zhú) = Little Bamboo, 小猪 (Xiǎo Zhū) = Little Pig. Both Zhu’s are pronounced almost identically with only a slight tonal difference, 竹 is 2nd tone, 猪 is 1st tone !”

“Pfft—then I’ll call you Little Yu instead.”

Xia Wei stifled a laugh and unilaterally decided.

“Hey, hey! Don’t just decide on your own! At least ask for my opinion!”

Qi Huang protested.

Xia Wei ignored her and, with a sympathetic look, asked, “Little Yu, what’s your relationship with Brother Huang?”

“Hmm, we’re siblings. His father is my godfather.”

Qi Huang lied after a brief pause.

“So you’re Brother Huang’s sister! For a young girl like you to seek work so early, you must really need the money, right?”

Xia Wei visibly relaxed and jumped to conclusions.

“Need it? Of course I need it!”

Qi Huang answered without hesitation. Money, who would say no to more?

“Don’t worry. For Brother Huang’s sake, the young mistress will treat you well. Consider this trip a chance to broaden your horizons in the imperial capital.”

Xia Wei comforted her warmly.

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‘Good heavens, since when did this spitfire become so gentle? She wasn’t like this when I was disguised as a man!’

Qi Huang was baffled. Wasn’t it said that opposites attract? Why didn’t that apply here?

By then, Liu Yingyue had finished writing the numbers, and the dozen or so cultivators stepped forward to draw lots.

Poor Qi Huang was excluded, leaving her to watch idly from the sidelines.

After a series of duels, only two remained, a rogue cultivator from Poyun Peak and Tian Yu of the Huxiao Sect.

Qi Huang sighed inwardly. As expected, background matters in the cultivation world. Those from major sects are different, it’s like bloodlines. There’s always a gap between low-tier and high-tier bloodlines.

Though slightly annoyed, Qi Huang consoled herself. Tian Yu’s selection was good for her, at least she’d have a “toy” to play with on the journey.

With the selections finalized, Liu Yingyue wasted no time. The very next day, the group set off.

Meanwhile, back in the imperial capital at the Liu residence, the sudden death of the Liu patriarch had kept the household bustling and brightly lit for days, except for a few secluded rear chambers, as tranquil as a paradise. That was where the Liu family’s matriarch resided.

The Liu matriarch, Lady Shen, was Liu Yingyue’s great-grandmother. She had seven children—four daughters, all married off, and three sons, all of whom had died in accidents while traveling for business. Having endured the pain of outliving her own children multiple times, the family had deliberately kept the news of her eldest grandson’s death from her.

But one person was an exception, Liu Biao. He couldn’t wait to announce his elder brother’s death to the world, having coveted the clan leadership for years.

Knowing that becoming patriarch required the matriarch’s acknowledgment of his brother’s demise, Liu Biao ignored everyone’s warnings and personally delivered the news.

“What? My eldest grandson is dead?”

Upon hearing this, Lady Shen felt as if the sky had collapsed. Her eyes rolled back, and she fainted.

The Liu household descended into chaos again. Servants scrambled to summon four or five physicians, exhausting every effort to pull Lady Shen back from death’s door.

When she awoke, Lady Shen refused to eat, weeping ceaselessly. The greatest sorrows in life were “losing a spouse in middle age and burying one’s children in old age”. She had endured both. Now, even her grandson had preceded her in death.

“Second Brother, forgive your sister-in-law for speaking out of turn, but didn’t you promise me? You said you wouldn’t tell the matriarch until her health improved.”

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Liu Yingyue’s mother, Fang Yun, could no longer hold back her reproach. At around forty years old, Fang Yun was naturally beautiful and well-maintained, exuding an elegant charm.

Her youthful appearance stemmed from the fact that she wasn’t the Liu patriarch’s first wife. Before her, he had married twice—one wife died of illness, the other ran away—leaving behind eight children. Thus, Liu Yingyue was the ninth.

“Sister-in-law, how could such a major matter be concealed? It’s better to speak sooner. Otherwise, we’d have to hold my elder brother’s funeral in secret. Tiptoeing around, how would that honor his spirit?”

Liu Biao argued shamelessly.

“You—!”

Fang Yun clenched her teeth, tears welling in her eyes. She already suspected her husband’s death was linked to this man, but without evidence, she could only endure. Now, seeing him act one way in public and another in private, completely disregarding her, her heart ached.

Liu Biao ignored Fang Yun and turned to the weakened matriarch. “Grandmother, there’s no need to weep. Everyone is busy preparing for elder brother’s funeral, who has time to tend to you?”

Surprisingly, Lady Shen stopped crying at these words, displaying remarkable composure. It was clear this matriarch wasn’t just old, she was shrewd.

“Go attend to your duties. I don’t need your care.”

Lady Shen wiped her tears calmly.

“Very well. But Grandmother, with elder brother gone, someone must oversee his grand send-off. As acting patriarch, I lack the authority to command respect.”

Liu Biao seized the opportunity.

“Enough. Since your elder brother has passed, you are now the rightful patriarch of the Liu Clan.”

Lady Shen waved her hand dismissively.

“Excellent! Grandmother, rest assured. Under my leadership, the Liu Clan will flourish!”

Liu Biao was overjoyed, making bold declarations.

Fang Yun’s face twisted with resentment, but she had no grounds to object. Though her husband had several younger brothers, Liu Biao, as the second eldest, was the undeniable successor.

“By the way, Grandmother, I’d like to discuss Yingyue’s matter with you.”

Liu Biao, drunk on triumph, pressed on eagerly.