Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Father’s face looked awful.

First Madam cried out, “Absolutely not!”

Second Master’s voice was edged with impatience. “Why not?”

First Madam had no answer, but I knew.

In my last life, after Father became a general, Mother went to him and begged him to buy back my freedom. Instead, Father’s New Madam had her servants beat Mother and throw her out.

Mother died of her injuries that very day. I had someone ask around about that New Madam and learned she had a red mole at the corner of her brow.

I looked up at First Madam. Her anxiety was written all over her face, and at the corner of her brow, a red mole burned my eyes.

When the nest is overturned, how can any egg remain intact? With the Su Clan in this state, First Madam and Su Yueying had both escaped. If Su Yueying had not been so ostentatious, attending several poetry gatherings connected to the cheating case, she probably would have faked her death and vanished as cleanly as First Madam had.

I suspected the Su Clan’s disaster was very likely connected to Father.

If he wanted to leave with First Madam and Su Yueying, why would he ever step into a certain-death trap like this?

Father hurriedly dropped to his knees. “This lowly one is too clumsy. If I pretend to be Third Master, I’m afraid I’ll be exposed within a few breaths!”

First Madam did not even have time to wipe the tear tracks from her face before she hurriedly said, “Guan Qing was not born into the household. How could this possibly work? I’ll find a household-born servant whose background we know inside and out.”

At that, I abruptly raised my head. “Madam, my father is the most loyal and righteous man there is. When Madam was plagued by nightmares and needed human blood to suppress them, Father immediately drew a large bowl of fresh blood from Mother. When he heard something had happened to Eldest Miss, Father was so frantic he kicked over and damaged Grandfather’s spirit tablet. How can you question Father’s loyalty and righteousness just because he wasn’t born into the household?”

Anger hung on First Madam’s face. “Guan Cheng, that is your father!”

“It is precisely because he is my father that I will not allow anyone to slander him!” I said, filled with righteous indignation. “Before, I failed to understand Father’s intentions and take Eldest Miss’s calamity in her place, which meant Father’s loyalty went unseen. This time, no matter what, I will make sure Father fulfills his duty.”

Then I turned and kowtowed to Father. “Father, go. Don’t worry about Mother and me. The respect, obedience, loyalty, and righteousness you taught your daughter, I will remember them all.”

“Good!” Second Master clapped his hands. “Guan Qing, I never realized Big Brother had such a loyal and devoted man at his side.”

The voices of the officers rang out from the front courtyard.

“Quickly,” Second Master said in a low voice. “Do as I said.”

As he spoke, he patted Father’s shoulder. “You are only spending a few days in prison in Third Brother’s place. The Su Clan will make the proper arrangements. We absolutely won’t let you suffer any grievance inside.”

Hearing him say the exact same thing Father had said in my last life when he made me take the blame for Su Yueying, I could not help laughing out loud.