Feng Xianxian rubbed her throbbing fingers as tears pattered down her cheeks.
Old grudges and new hatred churned within her like raging waves. She wished she could cut Cheng Yao into a thousand pieces.
Shao Yutong strode forward and pressed on relentlessly. “Sister-in-law, where did you get the antidote?”
“Cousin Shao, can’t you bear to see me doing well?” Cheng Yao put on a wounded expression. “I saw a man in black search two porcelain bottles from one of the villagers who had been pretending to be ghosts. Before he had gone far, another group of men in black killed him.
“I picked up the bottles, poured out the pills, and judging by the smell, they seemed to be antidotes, so I gave one to Young Master Wei... We’re all on the same team. If I have medicine, I either picked it up or swiped it—everyone knows that. Why are you questioning me like this? Are you trying to smear me too?”
At once, everyone cast strange looks at Shao Yutong.
Her fingernails dug into her palms. “Sister-in-law, could it be that you killed that man in black?”
Cheng Yao frowned. “Why would I kill him?”
“To take the medicine!” The words were forced out through Shao Yutong’s clenched teeth.
Cheng Yao nodded. “That’s not an unreasonable thought. But...” She spread her hands. “How could a weak woman like me kill a murderer who has slaughtered countless people? Besides, judging by the way you’re demanding answers, Cousin, you seem to know that man in black. Are you trying to stand up for him?”
“I...” Shao Yutong was so furious she nearly spat blood. Zhan Yurong quickly stepped in to defend her. “Hao Ting’s wife, don’t talk nonsense. Yutong is only a young girl—how could she possibly have anything to do with assassins? She’s merely kindhearted and feels sorry that the man died without anyone knowing the truth.”
Madam Zhan immediately spoke up. “Yurong, that assassin was trying to take our lives. How can Yutong feel sorry for him? If he hadn’t died, we would have. The child can’t tell friend from foe—have you lost your head as well?”
When it had only been an argument among the younger generation, she could stay out of it. But now that Zhan Yurong had stepped forward to speak against her daughter-in-law, she could no longer indulge her.
Zhan Yurong’s face flushed red, and her entire body trembled. “Sister-in-law, you...”
Shao Yutong tugged at her sleeve and whispered, “Mother, say no more.”
The more she said, the more likely she was to make a mistake.
“It was my fault. My sympathy got the better of me. Great Sister-in-law, I offended you. Please forgive me.” As she spoke, she took Zhan Yurong’s hand and retreated into the crowd.
“Standing up for an enemy is strange enough, and then she says that—as though I’ve wronged her terribly,” Cheng Yao muttered. Her voice was not loud, but it carried clearly enough for everyone to hear.
The crowd began to discuss it among themselves.
“One of our own died, and Shao Yutong doesn’t spare him a thought—yet she feels sorry for an assassin. Is something wrong with her head?”
“I really suspect she’s in league with those assassins.”
“She’s not part of the Zhan family. It’s hard for her to truly be of one mind with us. She shouldn’t have been allowed to join us in exile.”
Shao Yutong lowered her eyes. Tears fell silently, yet she bit her rosy lips and made no sound. A young girl, aggrieved and quietly enduring it all, was difficult not to pity. Gradually, the voices of accusation faded away.
Cheng Yao looked at Wei Qing. “You see? I merely made good use of something already there. It was only a small favor.”
Wei Qing, however, shook his head and took a jade hairpin from his robes.
The jade was not of the finest quality, and its design was plain and simple. Yet it was smooth and warm to the touch, clearly handled often—a sign that its owner treasured it dearly.
Wei Qing handed the hairpin to Cheng Yao, his expression solemn. “Wei owns little of value. This hairpin is the sole keepsake left to me by my late mother, and it has been with me for many years. Today, I offer it to you as a token of my gratitude. Should you ever need anything in the future, bring this hairpin to me. So long as it is within my power, I will not refuse.”
This was more than just a hairpin—it was a promise.
Cheng Yao was somewhat taken aback. She remembered that in the original novel, Wei Qing had not given Shao Yutong such a token. He had merely made a verbal promise.
Yet he was a man of his word. Later, no matter how many times Shao Yutong sought his help, he had never once refused.
Now that he was even giving her this hairpin, did that make his promise carry even greater weight?
Just as Cheng Yao was about to decline, a voice sharp with jealousy cut in from the side.
“Young Master Wei, my sister-in-law was merely lucky enough to find some medicine and give you a pill. That hardly counts as saving your life. If you give her something so precious, people will gossip. Besides, we have been sentenced to exile. Simply staying alive will be hard enough. She won’t be able to protect that hairpin anyway—it would be wasted on her.”
Exile?
Wei Qing was surprised. Then he noticed Zhan Haoting standing beside Cheng Yao, and at once understood.
The God of War had been exiled for treason—news that had already spread everywhere. On Wei Qing’s journey back to the capital, he had heard people all along the way speaking up for him, even saying they wanted to gather in the capital and petition for justice on his behalf.
He had not expected to encounter the God of War’s exile convoy here.
And this Miss Cheng was the God of War’s...
As though she had seen through his thoughts, Cheng Yao smiled. “Young Master Wei, I did not explain myself earlier. My surname is Cheng, and my husband is Zhan Haoting.”
“Wei pays his respects to General Zhan and Madam General,” Wei Qing said, his heart tightening as he bowed deeply in great respect.
Zhan Haoting gave a slight nod and did not correct the form of address.
For more than ten years, he had fought on the battlefield, pouring his heart and soul into reclaiming lost territory and resisting foreign invaders. Everyone knew the contributions he had made to the nation. The title “General” was recognition of all he had given; it was not something that could be erased by branding him a criminal.
Cheng Yao held the hairpin out to return it. “Young Master Wei, this was your mother’s keepsake. It is far too precious—I cannot accept it...”
But Wei Qing remained firm. He pressed the jade hairpin back into her hand, then turned to Feng Xianxian, his expression composed.
“This young lady, mind your words.
“I was poisoned so severely that I was clinging to life by a single breath. Had Madam General not produced the antidote, I would already have drawn my last breath. How can that not be a life-saving kindness? And you—you are being exiled alongside General Zhan and his family, yet rather than helping your own family, you repeatedly target Madam General. What exactly are your intentions?”
Feng Xianxian had been struck where it hurt. Her face burned with embarrassment, but she remained deeply unconvinced.
How could anyone possibly target Cheng Yao?
She was the one being bullied by Cheng Yao—the one everyone had excluded and oppressed!
And she still had a distinct handprint on her face. Was he blind or something?
“Young Master Wei, my sister-in-law is not as kind-hearted as she appears. I don’t blame you for not knowing her well. But you don’t know me either—so how can you praise her to the skies while putting me down?”
“My own eyes can see, and I’m capable of making my own judgments,” Wei Qing said coldly. “You stab even your own family in the back when they’re down. How good can your character possibly be?”
After a brief pause, he added, “The General has been generous enough not to hold it against you. Otherwise, you wouldn’t even have the chance to make a scene in front of the General’s wife.”
“You—” Feng Xianxian tried to say more, but Zhan Jinmo, his face dark with fury, stepped forward and clapped a hand over her mouth before dragging her away.
She desperately kicked her legs against the ground. Enraged, Zhan Jinmo slapped her twice more before she finally quieted down somewhat.
Cheng Yao held the jade hairpin, still warm from Wei Qing’s touch, in her hand. It felt almost too hot to hold.
She certainly wanted to accept Wei Qing’s favor, but it was a keepsake left behind by his late mother. Holding it made her feel uneasy. She turned to Zhan Haoting with a pleading look.
