The Crazy Fox Demon Devours My Heart - Chapter 21

Cangya was walking toward the small courtyard carrying something. Seeing Qingyu alone, with no sign of the Young Master behind her, he peered into the courtyard in puzzlement.

Could it be that the Young Master isn’t here?

Qingyu ignored him. Cangya, not thinking much of it, continued talking and handed over the package. “The Young Master instructed me to deliver these peach blossom pastries.”

Qingyu looked at the package thoughtfully. She didn’t take it immediately; only when Cangya’s arm was nearly aching from holding it out did she accept it.

As if verifying something, she carefully peeled back the wax paper and bit lightly into one of the peach blossom pastries, tasting it.

The familiar flavor slowly spread through her mouth, and the tangled confusion in her mind seemed to unravel just a little.

Only two people could make peach blossom pastries with this particular taste—her mother and her nanny. But why would someone in the demon realm be able to make this same flavor?

Qingyu looked at Cangya with a puzzled expression. “Who made this?”

Cangya hadn’t expected her question and hesitated, his face uneasy. “This… was made by an ordinary kitchen maid.”

His answer was guilty, and his nervous demeanor revealed he was lying. Qingyu, noticing his reluctance, could easily guess most of the truth.

This so-called “kitchen maid” had been present when she first arrived in Fuguang Town. She even had someone pretend to sell pastries on the streets. At first, Qingyu had thought it a coincidence, but seeing the exact same peach blossom pastries today confirmed her suspicions. If it were really made by a random kitchen maid, Cangya wouldn’t have answered so evasively. Qingyu had a good idea who had made them.

The only question remaining: where had they learned this exact flavor?

Seeing that Qingyu didn’t press further, Cangya silently breathed a sigh of relief. He certainly couldn’t tell the princess that the “kitchen maid” was the Young Master.

When the Young Master had returned, he suddenly requested peach blossom pastries. Cangya had been puzzled—after all, the Young Master usually didn’t like sweet foods. He tried several cooks, but each one failed to achieve the correct taste. Cangya had to capture countless cooks from the human realm, instructing each to make a plate of pastries for the Young Master to taste. The Young Master’s brow would furrow after every bite, making Cangya feel faintly dizzy himself.

None of the cooks succeeded. When only the last cook from Jiangnan remained, Cangya had given up hope. After all, he thought, it was just an ordinary pastry—how could it have any extraordinary flavor?

The Jiangnan cook carefully presented his peach blossom pastry. He kept his head low, fearing to speak, only knowing that as long as the Young Master approved this pastry, they would be allowed to leave.

Hu Yan tasted each pastry one by one. His expression was dark and almost unbearable, but he stubbornly took the last one. Upon tasting it, his features instantly relaxed, and after repeated confirmation, it was indeed the flavor he had been searching for.

Cangya saw the Young Master’s expression and knew they had finally found the right person.

No one knew how many places he had traveled, and each cook was portly. Flying back to the demon realm with them must have exhausted countless demon beasts.

At last, they could rest.

Cangya was about to take the cook away to receive his reward when the Young Master stopped him—he intended to learn to make the pastry himself. This nearly made Cangya drop his jaw in shock.

The Jiangnan cook, seeing that only his pastries were approved, held his head high. “Not to boast, but my peach blossom pastry skills are unparalleled. Once, a noble from the palace came to Jiangnan and tried it in my shop. She insisted on learning from me, saying her daughter had a discerning palate and would surely love this flavor.”

Cangya noticed a faint smile on the Young Master’s lips, perhaps thinking of someone.

From that moment, the Young Master spent every day in the kitchen learning to make the peach blossom pastry, with Cangya covering for him, fearing that the Grandmother and the elders would find out.

At first, Cangya didn’t understand. Now, seeing the human princess, he finally realized—because she loved this pastry, the Young Master was personally learning to make it.

Having delivered the package to the princess, Cangya prepared to leave but asked one last question, “Has Your Highness seen the Young Master?”

Qingyu looked at the peach blossom pastry in her hand and told him, “He’s inside. Go check on him.”

In the main hall—

Grandmother sat on her high seat, expression unreadable. Those below, however, felt the atmosphere tense and heavy.

“What have you done to Yan’er? How could you bring him to this state?”

Yan’er had severed a tail for this woman, damaging his demon soul. Though he endured pain each time it flared, he had never been unconscious like this. Whatever this woman did to him, it had to be severe.

Qingyu knelt on the ground, held down by two maidservants. Fuyin tried to rush into the hall but was pulled back by Cangya. “If you go in now, you’ll be dead!”

Qingyu shook her head at Fuyin and calmly faced Grandmother.

“I did nothing to him.”

Grandmother’s anger flared at Qingyu’s direct gaze. She felt no guilt for Yan’er’s condition. If it weren’t for the fact that the demon tail had to be removed by Yan’er himself, she would have torn out this woman’s heart long ago—how could she allow her to live until now?

“Guards! Administer the whip punishment to this woman!”

Cangya, although displeased with Qingyu due to Yan’er’s unconscious state, was shocked to hear Grandmother command the use of the whip.

Grandmother must be insane with rage!

The Fox Clan’s whip punishment was no ordinary punishment. The whip was studded with barbs charged with thunder and lightning. A normal small demon struck even twice would feel as though struck by five bolts of thunder; even if they survived, their skin would peel.

A fragile human like Qingyu would likely die from a single strike.

Fox Zhai, looking at Qingyu kneeling on the ground, flashed a thoughtful glance.

“Grandmother, humans are weak. They may not withstand the demon whip. Perhaps a regular whip would suffice.”

Cangya’s heart relaxed. A regular whip wouldn’t kill her, though given her frail human body, even it would be harsh. But since the Young Master had fallen unconscious because of her, this punishment was not entirely unjust.

Grandmother considered Fox Zhai’s suggestion. Humans were not demons, and Yan’er still had his tail inside her—if she were beaten to death, Yan’er’s demon soul might never recover. She agreed to substitute a normal whip.

Qingyu’s hands were bound, her hair swept to one side, revealing her slender back. The executioner, Niu Er, was large and burly, with thick horns on his head and a snorting nose. His fist gripped the long whip tightly.

Niu Er’s eyes devoured the pale skin of her neck, and his face twisted in anticipation. He trembled with excitement at the thought of leaving beautiful marks on such flawless skin. He was determined to strike with all his strength.

Grandmother gave the order. Niu Er swung the whip, the long lash striking like lightning toward Qingyu’s delicate back.

Her thin back was about to be torn open.