The Birth of a Villainess

"What happened?" Qu Xing Xu asked urgently once they got inside the gate. "I clearly ordered you to look after her while I'm away. So how could she possibly disappear under your surveillance!"

Qu Xing Xu looked on coldly at Gu Yan and his mood was extremely not good. Any discerning eyes could tell that it was not the good time to linger around and witness this if they still wanted to live.

Aside from the four men and Gu Yan, everyone else left for another place, leaving the five to themselves. On the other hand, Wu Xuanyi wanted to stay and listen, but before she could enter the courtyard arranged for Qu Xing Xu to stay there, the door closed to her face and Qi Yandi told her to not enter.

Qi Yandi: "This matter is for the four of us only to discuss. You go back to your own courtyard." 

Wu Xuanyi glanced behind him where the four other men had their backs on her and made their way inside and she felt aggrieved, Ni Zixuan and Jiang Sheng didn't invite her inside even though they saw her looking at them.

"But Yan ge, I'm also part of the group. Didn't you say I'm your little sister? Shouldn't I also know what happened to my sister-in-law? I'm worried something has happened to her." She tried to act worried. 

Qi Yandi ignored how her face had gone sour when she said the word 'sister-in-law' and raised an eyebrow before he said, "I already said it. This time all five men are inside. What would happen if someone were to find out you stayed with us! You're a lady, so you should think about your reputation so that you can marry to someone without worry." He paused. "As for Little Fei, you don't have to worry, nothing bad happened to her."

Without waiting for her to say anything else, Qi Yandi closed the door to the courtyard and briefly told the guards standing there to make sure no one gets inside. This order was to warn Wu Xuanyi not to abuse her position as a commander and someone close to them to forcefully enter.

How could Wu Xuanyi not know what Qi Yandi was trying to tell her? 

Angrily, Wu Xuanyi stomped her leg against the ground, creating a dusty cloud before she left to go to her own courtyard. 

When she arrived there, she somehow guessed that the one who arranged their courtyards must have specifically told the city leader to get her a courtyard that was located far away from Qu Xing Xu.

Once again, Wu Xuanyi was angry to death and kicked her door open with a bang.

"Qi Yandi! How dare you try to come in between me and Brother Xing Xu!" Wu Xuanyi swept the teapot and teacups on the round table with a clatter. The shattered pieces of glass scattered on the carpeted floor and some bit of tea was spilled on her armor, making her even look miserable.

---

The courtyard that the city leader arranged for them to stay in was a large courtyard with a wide garden. It had several rooms they could use. 

"What's wrong with her? She's been looking for trouble ever since we met her outside the capital." Qi Yandi grumbled under his breath once he got inside the courtyard. In front of him, the other four men weren't looking good and he clamped his mouth shut.

"Tell me what happened. Don't hide a single detail from me." Qu Xing Xu sat on the wooden chair meant for the head of the family and looked down on Gu Yan who was kneeling in front.

Gu Yan lowered his head even more in fear and didn't try to hide anything. He told him what really happened from the moment Lin Xiaofei asked him to give Qu Xing Xu the two items, the moment he forgot something and returned, realizing that Lin Xiaofei disappeared, and until he lost sight of Shen Mo and Prince Ziyin while he was trying to locate Lin Xiaofei. 

That night when he returned to get something he forgot, Gu Yan saw several torches lit inside the residence and thus, he asked what happened and if there was an attack. The servant he asked immediately kneeled to the ground and said that the mistress of the residence disappeared.

This event almost made him faint on the spot. He was fooled and yet, Gu Yan didn't want to admit that he was tricked by her. It was only when he realized that Shen Mo and Prince Ziyin were going to where she was that he really admitted to it. 

When Gu Yan lost sight of Shen Mo and Prince Ziyin while trying to locate where Lin Xiaofei was, he was so scared to come and report to Qu Xing Xu. He knew the consequences of not being able to do what he was ordered to do. 

However, Gu Yan feared that if he didn't report to Qu Xing Xu and his master heard it from others, he might never see the light again. 

Hence, Gu Yan quickly rode through the land unhindered and took some shortcuts to reach Qu Xing Xu before he entered the city.

After listening to his report, the room was plunged into deadly silence. No one spoke and tried to make a movement for fear that Qu Xing Xu would pin his anger on them. 

Even Qi Yandi made sure that his breathing was not loud and moved to an unnoticeable corner, fearing that this cold-hearted but lovesick brother of his would implicate him.

But deep inside him, Qi Yandi wondered if Lin Xiaofei ran away.

"So, did you find where she is?" Qu Xing Xu's voice had gone deeper and darker than death. Everyone inside the room felt suffocated. 

Gu Yan shook his head. 

Then as though there was a shadow crawling in the air, his neck was grabbed on into a choke. No one else but him and Qu Xing Xu could see that shadow. Gu Yan could only force himself to swallow his painful groans and didn't beg for mercy.

At that moment when Gu Yan thought that he would soon disappear and see white dots in his eyes, something fell from his clothes.

'thud'

Qu Xing Xu glanced at it and recognized the butterfly embroidery that was on the small pouch and stopped using his shadow to choke Gu Yan.

"Is that what she told you to give to me?" asked Qu Xing Xu.

Gu Yan nodded.

Qu Xing Xu motioned him to give it to him. Gu Yan picked it up and gave it to him respectfully.

Qu Xing Xu opened it and he saw two things inside. 

A satchel and a letter.

The satchel was put on the side for now, and he went to read the letter first.