Chu Nian: "Sorry, I'm not dead. I'm sorry to disappoint you." She felt that this fox spirit was constantly using the seductive arts of the fox clan.

Liu Ying hurriedly said, "Niannian, what nonsense are you talking about? Can't you... get along with me like you do with the other sisters? Waaah... Just because my mother wasn't around when I was little, does that mean you have to... waaah..."

Liu Nian's maid, named Tao Zhu, was the one who had just spoken to Liu Ying. Upon seeing this, she said, "Yes, Fifth Miss. Look, Third Miss is worried about you and has been staying here watching over you. Don't always be so upset with her."

Chu Nianhao said impatiently, "I feel really uncomfortable right now because I was just punished. All of you, get out of here and stop arguing with me."

Upon hearing this, Liu Ying burst into tears and ran out, crying so pitifully and sadly that it was as if she, not the original owner of this body, had been beaten.

Taozhu said, "Fifth Miss, what are you doing? Third Miss has such a good temperament, she never competes with you or fights with you, why are you treating her like this?"

Chu Nian said coldly, "Taozhu, as my maid, it's quite disloyal of you to say such things!"

Tao Zhu was stunned for a moment. The Fifth Miss of the past would only act unreasonably and make a fuss, but she would never say such things. She unconsciously looked at Chu Nian, and when her eyes met Chu Nian's cold eyes, she immediately felt as if she had fallen into a bottomless ice cave, which made her feel cold to the bone.

She shuddered and said, "Fifth Miss, I'm doing this for your own good! Think about it, the master and madam, and even the young masters, all like the Third Miss very much, but you always go against her. Naturally, the master and madam and the young masters will not like you. In the end, you will be the one who suffers."

For some reason, the more she spoke, the more fearful and humbled she felt, and eventually she unconsciously switched to using honorifics.

Chu Nian said coolly, "Although what you said does make some sense, I don't like the master, mistress, and young masters, nor do I like you and those maids and old women who hang out with you all day." After saying that, she rolled her eyes.

Tao Zhu lowered her head meekly, cold sweat pouring down her face, not daring to utter a sound. She had never imagined that the Fifth Miss, who was only thirteen years old, could be so terrifying when she was in a commanding manner.

Although she couldn't help but feel disdain for what the Fifth Miss said about disliking the Master and Madam—after all, the Fifth Miss relied on the Master for food and clothing—she dared not show it at all.

Chu Nian instructed, "Go and summon Aunt Liu."

Tao Zhu said, "Fifth Miss, Master previously ordered that Concubine Liu is not allowed to..."

"Hmm?" Chu Nian interrupted her coldly, raising her eyelids to glare at her, her gaze several times colder than her voice.

Taozhu quickly bowed and said, "Yes, this servant will go right away."

Liu Tuan deliberately wanted to kill the original owner of this body. After ordering someone to beat him, he specifically ordered Aunt Liu to come and visit him, so that Aunt Liu wouldn't bring any ointment to treat the injury. Therefore, although the original owner was in unbearable pain, he could only endure it.

In the original owner's memories, after being beaten, she suffered from a high fever for several days without any treatment. She herself didn't know how she survived. Although she didn't die, it ruined her health, and she died of a cold two years later.

Chu Nian wasn't the original owner of this body; she used spiritual power to heal her injuries as soon as she transmigrated.

Although the original owner of this body was human, she was ultimately the reincarnation of the ninth tail of a nine-tailed fox, possessing the strongest innate magical power. Therefore, her innate talent was exceptional. Given the opportunity to cultivate, her achievements on the path to immortality would likely rival those of that Willow Oriole.

Unfortunately, she was unlucky. Although she and Liu Ying were both born to Liu Tuan, Liu Tuan never treated her as his own daughter, but always regarded her as a part of Liu Ying's body.

Chu Nian guessed that since it was the ninth tail of the nine-tailed fox with the strongest magical power, the original owner of this body must have possessed extremely powerful magical energy, but it had never been awakened. After healing her injuries, she began to tentatively explore the original owner's brain...

A moment later, Taozhu, who had gone to find Aunt Liu, still hadn't returned, but Liu Ying, who had run out crying earlier, was pulled back by Liu Rong.

As soon as she entered the house, Liu Rong questioned her impatiently, "Niannian, what's wrong with you? You've been beaten like this and you still haven't learned your lesson. Do you always bully Yingying because she doesn't have a mother? Do you believe I'll go and have Dad beat you again?"

Chu Nian immediately chuckled and said, "Liu Ying has no mother? Who told you that?"

Liu Rong was stunned. Liu Ying was taken in by Liu Tuan when she was very young, and there was no mention of Liu Ying's mother. So everyone thought that her mother had died long ago.

Chu Nian sneered sarcastically, "And Liu Rong, although we are blood-related siblings, there is still a significant difference between men and women. Please do not enter my bedroom again. You are a man and do not need to care about your reputation, but I am a respectable young woman. Do not ruin my reputation. Please leave!"

“You…” Liu Rong pointed at her, speechless for a moment.

Liu Ying gently shook Liu Rong's arm, pleading with tears in her eyes, "Brother Rong, let's hurry up and leave, don't disturb Niannian's rest. She must have been beaten because of me, so it's natural that she's upset to see me now."

"Look at Yingying, she considers everything for you," Liu Rong said sternly to Chu Nian.

Chu Nian: "Shameless scoundrel! I don't have a brother like you! Get out!"

Liu Ying keenly sensed that Liu Nian was different today than usual. In the past, Liu Nian would feel very sad when she saw Liu Rong always speaking up for her, but today Liu Nian didn't seem sad at all. On the contrary, she seemed like she might stand up and beat them up at any moment, with a very strong aura.

She guessed that Liu Nian was probably too angry after being beaten, which was why she acted that way. She decided to wait until Liu Nian's anger subsided before coming to see her again. So Liu Ying pulled Liu Rong away and advised, "Brother Rong, let's leave first and come to see Nian Nian again in a few days when she's feeling better."

It's likely that Liu Rong felt Chu Nian was genuinely embarrassed by those comments about "the relationship being too complicated" and "shameless," so he let Liu Ying pull him away.

No sooner had they left Liu Nian's small courtyard than the sound of a zither drifted from the bedroom inside. The music was extremely unique and alluring. Then they heard a woman reciting poetry to the zither accompaniment.

The poem reads: "A wisp of white mist rises over the Eight Immortals Bridge; what does it matter whether one is male or female? A night's fragrant sweat soaks her slender waist; her beauty is unparalleled, I am a demon." (Note)

Upon hearing the poem, Liu Ying was startled and unconsciously stopped in her tracks, turning to look at the small courtyard she had just left.

You should know that although it was her severed tail, Empress Bai Jiuxiao told her that since the Nine-Tailed Fox had developed its own sentience, it meant that she had also become a different demon. However, since she had been reincarnated, she might not have the memories of her time as the Nine-Tailed Fox.