CHAPTER 173: CHAPTER 173: A RABBIT SUSPECTED OF SEEKING REVENGE

Xie Yingying’s order immediately excited Lu Yunsheng’s servants. How much silver could a rabbit be worth? But this rabbit could earn them a sum equivalent to the price of dozens of rabbits. So, the two servants exchanged a glance and began to work with renewed vigor!

Ji Youzhi, hidden in the shadows, witnessed all of this. His eyes narrowed slightly. He caught the large date pit he had just spat out and, without a sound, flicked it directly at the lantern.

The lantern’s swinging arc widened, and Xiaobai leaped straight down from it.

Xie Yingying, standing beneath the lantern, was overjoyed. She opened her arms to catch it, but...

Pain... A searing, burning pain...

She also felt a warm liquid oozing from her face. Her left eye could no longer open.

"Ah... my eye... my face..."

Everyone on the Qujiang Riverbank heard this heart-wrenching scream.

Xiaobai looked at its own paws with an air of complete innocence. This woman must be deranged, it thought. When it jumped, it had clearly aimed for a spot where there was no one, having calculated its landing point precisely. It hadn’t expected her to suddenly dart out. Its claws had accidentally injured one of her eyes and left two deep scratches on her left cheek.

The Lu Family’s servants rushed over, looking fierce and menacing, their sticks swinging down hard towards Xiaobai.

Suddenly, a pair of slender, fair hands reached out and snatched away Xiaobai, who was still staring blankly at its paws.

"Third Miss! We brothers caught this rabbit! Please return it to us!"

Lu Yunsheng’s servants were fixated on the reward Xie Yingying had promised. Seeing the rabbit about to be beaten to death by them, they were greatly displeased that someone had suddenly intervened to snatch their Merit.

That’s right. In their eyes, this Third Miss of the Xie Family, Xie Pan’Er, was here to steal their Merit. This perception held true whether considering her standing within the Xie Family or in the eyes of the Lu Family, with whom the Xies were currently discussing a marriage alliance.

The existence of Xie Pan’Er, the Third Miss of the Xie Family, was considered utterly insignificant; she was no different from a mere maidservant. Nominally, she was a young lady of the Xie Family. In reality, however, everyone knew she was merely Xie Yingying’s lifelong little follower!

So, when they saw Xie Pan’Er snatch away the rabbit they were about to kill, the servants brazenly laid claim to the Merit.

"This rabbit has caused a terrible disaster! If you kill it now, you’ll be the ones losing your lives later! Hurry and get a Doctor for your Young Mistress! If you delay her treatment and she is disfigured, just see if your Young Master doesn’t flay you alive!"

Upon hearing Xie Pan’Er’s words, the servants finally regained their senses. That’s right! How much Merit could they gain from catching a rabbit? If they fetched a Doctor in time and the Eldest Miss Xie’s injury was properly treated, *that* would be a great Merit!

The servants scrambled away.

Xiaobai twitched its nose, a trace of disdain in its eyes. Its claws were unique: any wound they inflicted would never heal. If this Xie family woman didn’t lose her life, it would only be because her ancestors had burned a great deal of incense for her.

For some inexplicable reason, Xie Pan’Er had a feeling. She thought she actually saw disdain and... a look that screamed ’serves you right!’ in the rabbit’s eyes?

Was she just imagining things? This rabbit... it seemed as if it was trying to avenge its Master and vent its anger!

She gently patted the rabbit’s small head and whispered, "Little rabbit, you seem quite intelligent. If that’s truly the case, you should flee quickly! This is all I can do to help you."

Her voice was very low, so low that no one else could hear it. And yet, just as she finished speaking, the rabbit actually leaped from her embrace and bolted away!

Xie Pan’Er stared, dumbfounded, completely stunned.