I Became the Devil Queen's Heart Demon

Chapter 553 - 215: Yu’er’s True Identity! Sister Cover…Within the Cover!

"Ruoyan?"

Upon hearing this name, Yu’er paused slightly, then resumed as usual, walking slowly forward.

With the moonlight pouring in from the window, she could faintly see the woman in front of her.

She wore a gray coarse cloth dress, covered by a worn-out patched blanket. Her body was thin, like a withered wood, cheeks sunken, bones prominent, chest barely rising and falling with her weak breaths.

Yu’er sat sideways at the bedside, whispering, "Liu, you’ve mistaken me for someone else. I am Yuqiong."

The woman on the sickbed struggled to open her eyes wide, carefully scrutinizing her. The glimmer that had just sparked in her eyes dimmed again, like an exhausted deep pool.

"Ah, my mind... Ruoyan has long since... Yu’er, what brings you here?"

Yu’er replied softly, "I heard Liu is not feeling well, so I came to check on you."

Liu frowned slightly and said, "It must be Ling’er who told you. That girl is really not obedient. Just wait till I teach her——cough, cough!"

The urgency in her tone seemed to aggravate her condition, causing her to double over and cough violently.

Yu’er gently soothed her back with concern, "Please don’t be angry, Liu. It’s not Linger’s fault. I insisted on asking... You can’t just keep enduring like this with your weak constitution."

After Liu calmed down, she retrieved an oil-paper package from her wide cloak.

"This is a medicinal dish I prepared from Herb Hall. It can invigorate energy and blood, support and stabilize the body, and has calming effects."

"But Liu’s body is frail, should not be overly supplemented. Brew one dose each day, and I will explain this to Ling’er... Once you recover a bit, I’ll find a doctor to examine you in a few days..."

Liu shook her head, her voice rasped, "Don’t waste your efforts. My ailment is of the heart, medicine cannot cure it. Ever since Ruoyan left, my health worsens every day... Alas, the past is better left unmentioned."

She searched with her palm in the crevice of the wall, pried away a loose brick, and took out a cloth package.

"Recently, you have given Ling’er a lot of silver. Besides some necessary expenses, Liu hasn’t spent a dime, storing it all up."

Liu stuffed the cloth package into Yu’er’s hand and said, "As female relatives of disgraced officials, we can never escape the clutches of the Imperial Music Bureau in this lifetime. But you are different, you have a close relationship with Mr. Chen, there’s a chance you could leave this hellhole..."

"To buy your freedom takes a lot of silver. Save it properly and don’t waste it on us useless people... cough, cough, cough..."

Yu’er looked down at the layers of cloth package in her hands, biting her lip with her chest feeling tight.

After hesitating for a long while, she whispered:

"Actually, I..."

At this moment, a sudden clamor erupted outside.

"I told you, the silver isn’t stolen!"

"Not stolen, was it picked up by the roadside then? There are well over a hundred taels of silver notes here, enough to buy your life. You’re quite bold!"

"You must be itching for the whip again!"

Pa——

Pa——

The sound of lashes echoed in the courtyard, accompanied by muffled cries of pain.

Yu’er and Liu exchanged a glance, eyebrows furrowing immediately.

This voice sounded like...

Xu Ling’er?

"I’ll take a look!"

Yu’er abruptly stood up, just about to head out when the door was pushed open with a "bang."

A group of people filed in, making the already cramped room seem even more crowded.

Leading was a woman in narrow-sleeved short clothes, draped in a gray cloth cloak. With a sharp chin and high cheekbones, her black bean-like eyes were as sharp as needles, giving an impression of being shrewish and acrid.

It was none other than the chief instructor of the Imperial Music Bureau, Wan Fang.

Following behind were several burly women, among whom the stout woman from earlier was also inside.

One hand clutching a whip, the other holding Xu Ling’er like a chick. Xu Ling’er was bundled tightly with ropes, her delicate face newly marred with whip marks.

"I long suspected her of dishonesty, she hardly performs her tasks yet her mouth is ever so busy, secretly profiting behind our backs?"

"Search her!"

"I want to see just how much silver she’s hoarding!"

With a wave of Wan Fang’s hand, her followers rolled up their sleeves and started rummaging through the room.

The bedding was turned over, clothes thrown across the floor, trampled underfoot without care. They even went to search Liu’s bed...

Yu’er couldn’t stand it anymore, blocking their path, speaking in a steady voice, "Instructor Wan, what is the meaning of this?"

"Oh, Miss Yu’er is here too?" Wan Fang seemed to notice her for the first time, pulling an unpleasant smile and said, "The girls under me are dishonest, I’m merely following procedures. Miss Yu’er, perhaps you should step back for a moment?"

Yu’er noticed the scent pouch Wan Fang was twirling in her hand, her brows furrowing even deeper, "That silver was given to Ling’er by me, she did not steal it."

"Given by you?" Wan Fang raised her eyebrows slightly.

"Do you doubt that I can’t even produce a hundred taels?" Yu’er retorted.

"Not at all, Miss Yu’er is the foremost Oiran now. The tea service fee at The Cloudwater Hall has even risen to eight taels, such silver means little to you," Wan Fang shook her head.

Whether it’s tea service fees or customer tips, the Imperial Music Bureau takes the main share, leaving only a small portion with the girls.

But for a top oiran like Yu’er, saving several hundred taels is no challenge.

After all, the base of her expenses is substantial.

"Since you’re aware, why not release her promptly?"

Yu’er stepped forward, intending to untie Xu Ling’er, but Wan Fang shifted her steps, blocking her path.