Chapter 5

Chapter 5

“Mother was sick, and she never got better. Suisui went to find Father, but Father went to pray at the temple with that bad woman. Father said the bad woman has a little brother in her belly now, and since her pregnancy is unstable, it’s all Mother’s fault! He said he wanted to teach Mother a lesson. Only when Mother realizes she’s wrong and comes to kowtow and apologize will he forgive her.”

“But Mother was sick! She coughed up so much blood, she couldn’t go at all. I went to beg Father, but the bad woman pushed me to the ground. It hurt so much! Father just watched and said I was just like Mother-a wicked child who’s all for show!”

“Mother Yunying, Suisui couldn’t bring Father back. When I got home, Mother was already asleep. No matter how much Suisui called, she wouldn’t wake up. Mother was so cold. Suisui was so scared.”

She curled up in my arms and sobbed. Every word she spoke made my heart race with terror.

“It was the head butler who took Suisui away. He said Mother wanted Suisui to come to the Frontier to find Song Yunying. He said Song Yunying is a great hero, not useless like Mother, and would definitely be able to protect Suisui.”

“But Mother isn’t useless! Mother is the best! Suisui wants to find Mother Yunying to save Mother!”

At that moment, the thunderous sound of hooves approached from the distance.

A messenger ran in to report:

“General! Dozens of armed riders are approaching the city! They claim to be from the Ning’an Marquisate and are demanding we hand over the girl!”

Hearing this, panic flashed in Suisui’s eyes as she gripped my sleeve tight.

“Mother Yunying, save the butler! They want to kill Suisui. He’s the one who held them back so Suisui could run.”

I held the child tightly. No one could see my expression, but my voice was cold and terrifying.

“Let them in.”

The messenger shuddered. “Yes, General!”

The Marquis Manor’s secret guards rode in on tall horses. Behind one horse, an old man was being dragged along. The lead guard looked down at me as I held Suisui and let out a cold sneer.

“So you’re that so-called ‘General’?”

“We are from the Marquis Manor. We are here to seize the young miss who fled her home and shamed our family reputation. Hand her over at once!”

“Otherwise, watch your heads!”

“Presumptuous! Who gave you permission to speak to the General like that!” one of my officers roared.

The guard’s expression remained disdainful. “General? What kind of trash is that? If you offend the Marquis Manor, none of you will die a peaceful death!”

With that, he looked at Suisui in my arms, a flash of murderous intent in his eyes. “Young Miss, you left home with that old dog, ruining the family’s reputation and bringing shame to our name. The Marquis has ordered your arrest. Come with us-”

“The Second Madam pleaded for mercy on your behalf to get you this chance. Don’t be ungrateful-”

His words stopped abruptly.

A long blade pierced his throat, and blood sprayed like a fountain.

He died with his eyes wide open.

The remaining secret guards were in an uproar.

They looked at the culprit-the woman with sharp features and a heavy, murderous aura.

“You… how dare you kill someone from the Marquis Manor!”

But the woman merely covered the child’s eyes with a gentle hand and handed her to the Deputy General. Then she looked up, her gaze as cold as frost.

“Disrespecting a military commander and insubordination. According to military law, he has been executed on the spot. Drag him away and feed him to the dogs.”

“Yes, General!”

The camp fell into a solemn silence.

The guard’s corpse was immediately and efficiently dragged away by the soldiers. Moments later, the sounds of hounds tearing and growling could be heard.

“You, you…”

The group of secret guards panicked. As I stepped forward, one of them threatened, “What do you think you’re doing? We are acting on orders! If we don’t return, the Marquis will not let you off! You’re just a woman… Argh!”

He screamed as his head rolled onto the ground.

Blood splattered across the faces of the survivors.

The surrounding officers and soldiers remained silent, expertly tossing the body into the pack of hounds as if it were a routine task.

The secret guards were finally terrified. They fell from their horses, trembling. “Greetings, G-General.”

It seemed they knew how to speak like humans after all.

I looked down at them coldly. “Who sent you?”

“The Marquis… naturally, it was the Marquis!”

*Pfft.* A blade pierced his heart.

The guard next to him collapsed in terror and shrieked, “It was the Second Madam!”

“When the Marquis heard the young miss had escaped, he was furious and told us to bring her back. But the Second Madam gave us secret orders to make sure the young miss died on the road and never returned!”

I gripped his throat and asked coldly, “What else? All these years, why did the news of Wanqiu always say everything was fine? How did Xu Xingzhou dare!”

Back then, he had constantly claimed he owed Wanqiu and swore to treat her well for the rest of his life!

Why has it only been eight years!

Only eight years, and the news of Wanqiu is that she has already withered away and died!?

“It was the Second Madam! Five years ago, the Marquis was drunk, and the First Madam caught him in bed with the Second Madam. The Marquis felt guilty, so he elevated the Second Madam to the status of Equal Wife.”

“Later, the Second Madam kept crying, so the Marquis gave her the power to manage the household. The First Madam was dissatisfied and targeted the Second Madam at every turn. During the most serious incident, the Second Madam almost suffered a miscarriage. The Marquis was furious and locked the First Madam in a side courtyard, forbidding anyone from giving her food or water until she admitted she was wrong…”

They hesitated before continuing, “These were all the Second Madam’s schemes, but the Marquis… he didn’t care to look into it…”

He just wanted Wanqiu to bow her head and beg him.

So he allowed it again and again, hurting her repeatedly.

He even intercepted the letters I wrote and the letters Wanqiu sent for help, telling the outside world that she was perfectly fine.

I shook with rage.

My grip tightened.

The guard pleaded, “General, have mercy! General, have mercy! We’ve told you everything we know! We were forced into this; the Second Madam is currently in favor, we had no choice but to listen!”

They were “forced,” so they could lay hands on a seven-year-old child and drag an old man for miles behind a horse.

“What a fine ‘forced into it,'” I whispered.

The guard looked hopeful. “General…”

Then his expression turned to horror as he watched his own head fall and roll away!

Amidst the flash of blades, only a blood-stained, grim face was illuminated. I spoke every word through gritted teeth:

“Xu! Xing! Zhou!”

Torrential rain poured down.

Far away in Jinling, a man felt a sudden, violent shiver.