C3 Tieh Yaner, the Valet

Xue Chen meandered through the serpentine corridors and stepped into the inner courtyard, casting a glance at the towering two-story Embroidery House nestled within. This was the boudoir of Yin Qionger, the young lady of the Yin Mansion.

By all accounts, Xue Chen, having married into the Yin family, should have taken up residence in the Embroidery House alongside Yin Qionger. Yet, in stark contrast to expectation, not only had Xue Chen never set foot in the Embroidery House, he hadn't even laid eyes on Yin Qionger's face.

In this world, Xue Chen was a meek and honest scholar of modest means. Since Yin Yusheng had selected him as a son-in-law, his life had been dictated by the whims of the Yin Mansion. From the moment he crossed its threshold, he'd only glimpsed Yin Qionger veiled on their wedding day. That very night, rather than entering the Embroidery House, he was hastily settled into a cramped, isolated courtyard to the west of it.

Post-nuptials, Yin Qionger lived a reclusive life, spending her days within the Embroidery House. Xue Chen, resigned to his lot, embraced a leisurely existence, spending his days reading and practicing calligraphy in his own small courtyard, with the couple's paths crossing less and less.

The entire household was well aware that Xue Chen was a son-in-law in name only, and their disdain for him grew. Servants and maids would pass him without the slightest nod or greeting, often peppering their encounters with snide remarks and mockery for their own amusement.

To be blunt, within the Yin Mansion, even the beasts of burden pulling the carts held higher status than Xue Chen.

"One day, you'll all be beneath me!" Xue Chen muttered, his gaze fixed on the dimly lit Embroidery House, a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth. "And when that day comes, even if you beg me to enter, I won't give you the time of day! Just you wait!"

With a flick of his sleeve, Xue Chen turned and made his way through the side door into the side courtyard, returning to his own quarters.

Before long, the Five Tigers, his personal guards, arrived with steaming water, eager to offer their services and scrub his back. Xue Chen, however, dismissed them with a wave of his hand.

Stripping down, he submerged himself in the bath, a sense of utter contentment washing over him as he drifted into a light slumber.

Time passed, and the sound of heavy footsteps approached from outside the side courtyard. Xue Chen, ever perceptive, sensed someone's presence, assuming it to be the routine patrol of the Five Tigers and thought little of it.

But suddenly, the door burst open with a resounding thud. Xue Chen's eyes snapped open, and he lazily chided the intruder, "Ever heard of knocking? Seems you five need a lesson in manners!"

A burly silhouette stepped into the room, startling Xue Chen with their unexpected appearance.

It wasn't one of the Five Tigers, but rather a corpulent woman with a hefty frame and a face so plump her eyes were mere slits beneath bushy, nearly conjoined eyebrows. Had she not been dressed in women's attire, complete with braids, Xue Chen might have mistaken her for a bandit chief from some mountain stronghold.

"Well, well, the young master is enjoying a bath, I see? You certainly know how to live it up!" she exclaimed.

While most women would shriek and flee upon stumbling upon a man in his bath, this stout woman showed no sign of modesty. Hands on hips, she gazed at Xue Chen soaking in the tub, her expression one of mocking amusement.

"Tieh Yaner? What brings you here in the dead of night?"

Xue Chen instinctively sank deeper into the hot water, recalling the woman he had seen on a day of great celebration; she must be Yin Qionger's personal maid, Tieh Yaner.

With a tilt of her chin, Tieh Yaner said, "The miss has sent for you."

"Eh?" Xue Chen doubted his hearing. "The miss wants to see me? Are you sure?"

Impatient, Tieh Yaner snapped, "Enough with the chatter. Come on, let's go!"

Reluctantly, Xue Chen replied, "Alright, just give me a moment outside to get dressed, and I'll be right with you."

"Hehe, the miss is in a hurry. She doesn't have time for your dilly-dallying." Without hesitation, Tieh Yaner strode to Xue Chen's bed, grabbed a thin blanket, and made her way to the bath barrel.

Sensing trouble, Xue Chen's eyes widened as he protested, "Tieh Yaner, what are you doing? You can't—"

But before he could finish, Tieh Yaner had already yanked him up by his hair, pulling him out of the bath like a radish.

Given Xue Chen's Golden Core Stage abilities, Tieh Yaner shouldn't have been able to lay a finger on him, but her formidable appearance and fierce demeanor were another story!

Xue Chen feared that resisting would only result in Tieh Yaner getting an eyeful. Such an incident would mark the greatest blemish and shame of his many lifetimes!

With that in mind, as he was hoisted up, Xue Chen frantically clutched the bath towel over his private areas to keep Tieh Yaner's prying eyes at bay.

Luckily, Tieh Yaner seemed uninterested in Xue Chen's lean physique. She quickly lifted him from the bath, unfurled the blanket, and draped it over him.

Efficiently, Tieh Yaner wrapped the blanket around him several times, ensuring he was completely covered, then hoisted the now bundle-wrapped Xue Chen onto her shoulder and headed out.

"It's over... I've been defiled!" Xue Chen replayed the moment of his abrupt exit from the bath in his mind, silently shedding tears of humiliation.

Hidden among the flowers along the inner courtyard's wall, the Yin Mansion's Five Tigers watched in disbelief as Tieh Yaner carted Xue Chen away.

"Brother Wuh, shouldn't we help the young master?" Guo Tiehtou whispered to Wuh Zhihao.

Wuh Zhihao held back the eager Guo Tiehtou and warned, "Mind your head or I'll crack it open! Didn't you see the young master's display of skill tonight? Even he was turned into a zongzi by Tieh Yaner. What help could we possibly be?"

Wuh Zhihao, with a sleazy grin, added, "Tieh Yaner is clearly acting on the miss's orders. This could be a stroke of luck for the young master! I've heard the emperor uses a similar method of 'wrapping up the pig' when selecting concubines for the night."

Lee Chunhu mused, "Who would have thought that Tieh Yaner, that frightful creature, could so effortlessly overpower the young master! The Yin Mansion truly is a den of hidden dragons and crouching tigers."

"I'm not fond of hearing that kind of talk. Sure, Tieh Yaner might have a somewhat masculine look, but she's anything but lacking in charm!" Yan Aze sniffled, countering Lee Chunhu's 'ugly freak' comment.

The other four martial artists stared at Yan Aze in astonishment, but eventually, they all raised their thumbs in approval, commending his discerning eye. Wuh Zhihao even declared earnestly, "Aze, give it your all! Down the line, I'll play matchmaker for you and help you win over Tieh Yaner!"

"Is that so?" Yan Aze's eyes sparkled with delight as he asked, his voice catching with emotion, "If that happens, won't any of you brothers feel a twinge of envy?"

"Not at all! No way! Absolutely not!" The other martial artists vigorously shook their heads like tambourines, signaling their full support for Yan Aze.

As the Five Tigers bantered, Tieh Yaner had already shouldered Xue Chen into the Embroidery House, swiftly shutting the grand doors behind her.

"Come on, there's nothing left for us in the back. We're done here," Wuh Zhihao declared, rising from among the flowers. He gestured for the others to follow, "Let's move on and continue our rounds elsewhere."