Even though these people found Ye Qian's sudden appearance at the market somewhat strange, they still maintained full respect.
The market held all manner of goods—Magic Treasures, medicinal pills, everything imaginable.
Such a marketplace existed within the Ye Family's territory simply because the clan's domain was too vast.
Internal members could achieve complete self-sufficiency, which proved incredibly convenient.
Some medicinal pills and Magic Treasures weren't even sold outside, yet they could be found here.
However, only Ye Family members could access this market, apart from outsiders who had received explicit permission.
No one else could enter, even if they possessed mountains of spirit stones—it would be completely useless.
No matter how wealthy you were, could you possibly be wealthier than the Ye Family?
Yun Xi had obviously never visited this market before. This was her first time, and her heart brimmed with curiosity about what it held.
Though the place bustled with activity, voices clamoring in every direction, Yun Xi felt as if she had arrived on some city street.
Yet this wasn't actually a city.
The sudden realization made her feel somewhat insecure, the disconnect between expectation and reality leaving her off-balance.
…
In Ye Qian's palace, Yue Ming naturally knew what had transpired last night between the Young Master and Qiu Lan.
She also knew that besides herself, the other two personal maids—Xia He and Qiu Lan—had already been thoroughly claimed by him.
Upon dwelling on this situation, Yue Ming felt worry creep through her chest.
Would she be his next target?
She was afraid, yet also helpless. And secretly willing, though she hated to admit it.
She simply didn't know how to handle such a situation. If Ye Qian truly came for her and demanded she serve him in bed, could she refuse?
She already knew the answer in her heart. No.
If she refused Ye Qian and displeased him, not only she but her entire family would likely suffer. The thought troubled her deeply.
Although she currently served as a personal maid here, she had once hoped that one day she could escape from Ye Qian.
That had been her strongest thought when she first entered his service.
But after such a long time, that conviction seemed to be slowly eroding away. The urgent desire to leave that she originally harbored was no longer so urgent.
In fact, she might have been lying to herself all along as a coping mechanism.
Yue Ming herself couldn't understand why she had been so eager to leave before, but now that feeling grew weaker with each passing day.
At the end of the day, Ye Qian hadn't done anything truly unpleasant to her.
On the contrary, he knew how to make her feel things she had never thought possible.
And there were many things left unexplored still, mysteries that called to something deep within her.
So why would she want to leave anymore?
Lost in thought, Yue Ming coincidentally ran into Qiu Lan, who walked with a noticeably awkward gait.
Seeing Qiu Lan's slightly stiff movements, Yue Ming felt puzzled and was about to ask.
"Sister Qiu Lan, what's with you—"
But as the words were halfway out, Yue Ming suddenly remembered what had happened last night and immediately stopped.
Although Qiu Lan didn't hear what Yue Ming wanted to ask, she could roughly guess.
Without continuing to press, Yue Ming chose to change the subject.
"Sister Qiu Lan, do you think... I will also... in the future?"
She felt uneasy in her heart, wondering if her future would mirror Xia He and Qiu Lan's.
But for some reason, Yue Ming's heart seemed to hold a hint of anticipation.
If it were the old Yue Ming, she probably would have declared she would resist to the death, but now she wouldn't utter such words.
Why did her heart hold that hint of anticipation?
Yue Ming truly couldn't understand.
Logically speaking, Ye Qian had forcibly made her a personal maid, so she should hate him—even to the point of wanting to kill him.
However, as time passed, Yue Ming found that she didn't seem to hate Ye Qian at all. She was merely afraid of him, nothing more.
She harbored no desire for revenge against Ye Qian, which struck her as deeply abnormal.
Even Yue Ming herself had noticed—why did her heart hold a hint of anticipation for what had happened to Qiu Lan last night?
Could it be that my mind is broken? Have I gone insane?
The reason she had fallen to this state was because of Ye Qian.
If it weren't for Ye Qian, she would now be the Young Miss of the Yue Family, free and unconstrained, absolutely nothing like this.
Shouldn't she hate him for turning her into such a person?
But in the end, she found that she couldn't hate him at all.
Upon hearing this, and seeing Yue Ming's somewhat complex expression, Qiu Lan knew that Yue Ming was different from them.
They had grown up with Ye Qian since childhood, while Yue Ming was more like an outsider who joined halfway. It was natural for her to feel confused or fearful about many things.
"Yue Ming, you must never forget who you are now.
Our worth is measured by our ability to satisfy the Young Master's every desire."
Qiu Lan's voice carried a subtle edge, not just admonishment but warning.
"Also, don't harbor any other useless thoughts.
If you serve the Young Master well, your future will be very good.
But if you dare to betray the Young Master, your future..."
She paused meaningfully.
Yue Ming nodded, a flicker of wrongness twisting in her chest even as the truth settled deeper.
Yes, of course.
Tonight, or the night after, she might be summoned to serve him fully in bed.
And… part of her welcomed it?
That damned anticipation coiled tighter, a faint heat blooming low in her body, urging her toward surrender rather than flight.
She shook her head vigorously, but the thought lingered like a secret promise, softening her resistance into quiet readiness.
Her gaze caught Qiu Lan's awkward steps again, and nervousness spiked through her—mingled now with a curious thrill.
Is he… that ruthless?
Why did the thought of becoming Ye Qian's woman stir her so?
The question lingered in her mind, yet it no longer filled her with revulsion.
Instead, it drew her deeper into the role she had been compelled to play—a maid eager for her master's command.
What Yue Ming didn't notice was that Xia He had been secretly observing her, watching her every move from the shadows.
However, due to Yue Ming's current chaotic state of mind, she didn't detect Xia He's presence at all.
Xia He, hidden in the shadows, nodded to herself.
This Yue Ming is being trained quite well. As expected of the Young Master.
At least she no longer harbored as much resentment as she did initially. The transformation was proceeding exactly as planned.
…
In the back garden of the Ye Family's main palace, Yun Yao eagerly sought out Ye Changkong.
Ye Changkong strode in, his robes billowing with each purposeful step. He immediately spotted Yun Yao in a pavilion and asked as he approached.
"Yao, why did you suddenly call me over? Is something wrong?"
Hearing his voice, Yun Yao looked up at Ye Changkong with an unreadable expression and said cryptically,
"Changkong, guess what I just saw today?"
Being asked to guess right away made Ye Changkong's face fill with helplessness.
He had countless matters to attend to every day—where would he find the time to play guessing games here?
"Dear wife, if there's something I should know, just tell me quickly—I have other matters to attend to."