Xu Wanying broke out in a cold sweat; she was genuinely terrified of cold-blooded animals, especially snakes.
Moreover, this snake was clearly in an enraged and aggressive state, making it extremely dangerous.
The scream was already stuck in her throat, but she swallowed it back.
Even if she shouts herself hoarse, it won't help. It might even increase the confusion and make the surrounding maids more panicked, giving the snake an opportunity to take advantage.
She's the backbone now, and we have to keep things stable.
"Don't panic, there are many of us!" Xu Wanying said in a low voice, trying her best to remain calm.
Now, in her panicked escape, she feared she would be both disheveled and unable to outrun the snake. After her initial fear subsided, her first thought was to retaliate and frighten the snake.
Beside her was a table, a heater with hot tea and a few oranges on it.
Originally, we planned to gather around the stove and enjoy tea, but now, before we've even tasted the tea, it's become a defensive weapon.
She grabbed a teacup and threw it at the snake, but the teacup was too hot, and she was flustered, so her aim was poor and she missed.
The teacup fell to the ground and shattered into pieces instantly, the crisp sound so loud it hurt one's eardrums.
The scalding tea splashed everywhere, some of it spraying directly onto the snake, causing it to flick its tongue even more frequently. The snake twisted its body, clearly even more enraged, making the onlookers' hearts pound with unease.
"Cuizhu, you've kicked over the stove!"
Xu Wanying was no longer afraid; instead, she was enraged.
Even a beast dares to bare its teeth at her. It's not like she brought the snake here. The snake shouldn't be angry at her.
Cuizhu's mind went blank. She was also terrified of snakes and wished she could drag her master as far away as possible.
However, Xu Wanying not only didn't leave, but also got into a fight with the snake, even commanding it to join the battle.
Cuizhu was completely unable to think; she simply obeyed orders instinctively, raising her foot and kicking the stove with all her might.
In an instant, the stove tipped over, and the embers inside flew out, sparks flying everywhere, completely engulfing the snake.
Even with its serpentine maneuvers, this beast could not escape its fate.
"Wait!" A shout came from the top of the wall, but it was too late. The snake was already struggling in the charcoal fire and could no longer even hiss.
Xu Wanying turned her head and saw a slender young man sitting on the wall. He had fair skin and looked somewhat like Cen Shi.
He was originally a fair-skinned young man, but now his expression was extremely gloomy, and his cold eyes stared at Xu Wanying in a sinister way, reminding her of the red and black snake from earlier.
He jumped down from the wall and walked straight over here.
"How dare you! Who are you? This is the Third Madam's courtyard. How dare you, an outsider, climb over the wall and barge in?" Cuizhu shouted sternly.
Unfortunately, her voice sounded weak and ineffective, and she couldn't intimidate the boy at all.
"Are you blind? I am the master of the Marquis of Zhongyi's mansion. This is my home, and I can come and go as I please. Who do you think you are, daring to question my identity! Drag me out and beat me to death!"
He gave a cold, gloomy shout, instantly silencing Cuizhu. This young man was not old, but his aura was imposing.
It should be said that his murderous aura was too strong, and his master, who was willing to kill people at the drop of a hat, was not someone to be trifled with.
"Xu, the rumors are true. You are a vicious woman who actually killed my beloved pet!" The young man walked over and stared at Xu Wanying's face, speaking in an icy tone.
"Is this your pet?" Xu Wanying pointed to the snake.
She recognized the young man as Jiang Chengyi, one of the twins born to Madam Cen and the fourth young master of the Jiang family.
"Yes, I raised it for two years, and it only grew to be as thick as a thumb. Its name is Chilian. It is very intelligent and is my precious treasure. I even take it with me when I sleep. I heard that my third sister-in-law has just married into the family and has not left the courtyard. So I thought I would let it come and say hello to her. The affection of these little cuties always brings people a good mood."
"I never imagined that my third sister-in-law would be so bloodthirsty, unable to tolerate even such a lovely person. She killed him on their first meeting. Fortunately, my third brother was away on business, otherwise I would have been really worried about him. The person next to you is a cold-blooded executioner. He can kill a snake today and a human tomorrow."
Jiang Chengyi revealed a mocking smile. Clearly, he had a silver tongue and was eloquent, which immediately elevated the situation.
Hearing him speak so exaggeratedly, even labeling the Third Madam a "murderer," the maids all turned pale.
Cui Zhu's legs went weak, and she knelt down on the ground, taking the blame: "Sir, you have misunderstood. Your beloved pet was killed by this servant, and it has nothing to do with the Third Madam. Our Madam is the kindest of all, and she cannot bear to see bloodshed. She usually eats vegetarian food and chants Buddhist prayers, and is extremely sincere."
In an attempt to exonerate her, Cuizhu would fabricate stories about things she had never done.
"Is that so? Then I misunderstood Third Sister-in-law. But as a person, one must be responsible for one's actions. A life for a life, so it's not too much to ask you, this lowly servant, to pay for the life of Master's beloved pet, is it?"
When Jiang Chengyi saw Cuizhu step forward and clear Xu Wanying's name, he was not angry at all. On the contrary, he smiled slightly and looked smug.
He spoke in a mocking tone, as if he were watching a good show, but his words were chilling.
The green bamboo stood frozen in place, not daring to move an inch.
Even without looking up, she could feel the boy's gaze sweeping over her, as if she were a live target being aimed at, ready to be shot at any moment.
Faced with the aggressive Jiang Chengyi, Xu Wanying didn't even bother to glance at her, but simply sniffed and asked, "Can you smell anything?"
Her witty remark instantly dispelled the tense atmosphere.
Several maids also sniffed, looked at each other, and dared not answer.
What kind of smell could it have? The smell of someone about to kill?
"It smells amazing! I've heard snake meat is delicious. If it's served to us, we might as well eat it. Cuizhu, go and call the cook over and have her prepare this snake. I want snake soup today." Xu Wanying waved her hand, sniffed a few times, and pretended to be intoxicated.
Everyone was startled and didn't react for a moment.
Jiang Chengyi is shouting and killing here, yet she's thinking about eating snake meat. What kind of ruthless person is she?
The boy's face instantly darkened, turning pale and then ashen. He gritted his teeth and said, "Xu, have you gone mad? You not only want to kill my beloved pet, but you also want to eat its flesh? Even the evil spirits in the King of Hell's palace aren't as vicious as you!"
"Hurry up, what are you standing there for? It won't taste good if it gets cold. Eat it while it's still fresh." Xu Wanying ignored him completely and instead winked at Cuizhu.
Cuizhu was slightly taken aback. After being nudged by Hongmei, she bowed and hurriedly took her leave.
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