Third Young Master Ling’s face turned pale with fright, and he hurried forward to mediate: “Second Brother, don’t act rashly. I believe Sister-in-law isn’t that kind of person. Moreover, before Big Son left, he specifically told us to take good care of her.”
Ling Shen then seemed to remember something and pulled out a letter from his sleeve, his hands trembling as he handed it over. “This… this is Big Son’s last words, left for you.”
Ling Xiao stared at the letter for a moment before finally sheathing his sword with a grim expression. He took the letter, unfolded it, and read it carefully.
“Second Son, I won’t live to see your return. By the time you read this letter, I hope you’ve achieved your ambitions, earned glory in battle, and made a name for yourself. The Ling Family will ultimately rest in your hands.
Mother is old and only wishes for your safe return. Third Brother is a bit impulsive, but he has talent—he may pass the imperial exams next year. The money you sent home, I’ve kept safe for you in the hidden compartment at the bottom of the cabinet in my room. It will be useful for you and Third Brother when you marry and start families.
And Yue Yao, my wife—she has no one to rely on, and her gentle nature makes her vulnerable to those who would take advantage. After I’m gone, I hope you’ll watch over her in my stead.
Life and death are but natural. Though my life was short, it was fulfilling. Don’t grieve for me.”
The handwriting was familiar to him, but the strokes were weaker than before, the last few lines nearly illegible—proof that the writer had been on the verge of death.
Ling Xiao’s face tightened, his knuckles whitening as he gripped the letter, unable to calm himself for a long while.
Ling Shen’s voice was choked with emotion. “Big Son knew you wouldn’t make it back in time, so he left this letter for you. He didn’t want you to blame yourself.”
Ling Xiao took a deep breath, folded the letter, and tucked it into his robe.
“Big Son was always kind-hearted. It’s possible this woman deceived him to his death.”
Unless he investigated this himself, he would never let her off the hook.
He strode to the coffin and pushed open the lid with one hand. Ling Chen had passed away the night before, and his body lay intact inside.
Seeing his beloved elder brother’s lifeless form, Ling Xiao’s heart ached, but he forced himself to conduct a quick examination, checking for signs of poisoning.
Ling Chen had been ill for years, his frame gaunt, his face unnaturally pale.
If he had been poisoned, the body would show signs—after years on the battlefield, Ling Xiao had seen enough corpses to recognize the symptoms easily.
But there were none.
“Why did Big Son die so suddenly?” Ling Xiao demanded coldly.
Ling Shen struggled to answer. “Big Son’s illness was an old affliction from childhood. It never healed. In his letters to you, he only shared good news, but the physicians had long said he wouldn’t live more than a year or two.”
“That doesn’t explain a sudden death!” Ling Xiao’s sharp gaze swept over Jiang Yueyao, his eyes dark with fury.
“A month ago, Big Son and I took Sister-in-law to the county market. By chance, we ran into Rong Shichang, the magistrate’s son. He took a liking to Sister-in-law and wanted her as his concubine. When she refused, he spread malicious rumors about her. The village was soon filled with gossip, but Big Son never believed any of it.”
Ling Shen clenched his teeth. “When Rong Shichang saw his schemes fail, he secretly hired bandits to abduct Sister-in-law and defile her. Big Son fought them off with his life, and I rushed to the County Office with your official seal to summon officers and scare them away.”
Ling Xiao hadn’t contacted his family in a year. The court had been unstable, and he had been working in the shadows, unable to send word. Letters from home reached him only after long delays, and he destroyed them after reading, never replying.
His family only knew he had risen to the rank of eighth-grade military advisor through his battlefield achievements. He had once sent home a stamped document as proof of his authority, in case of emergencies.
Though his rank wasn’t high, it was enough to intimidate local officials.
And it was precisely because Rong Shichang feared the Ling Family had a military officer as a son that he didn’t dare act openly, resorting instead to underhanded tactics.
Ling Shen wiped his tears. “But Big Son was badly injured by those bandits. His vitality was drained. Several physicians examined him afterward, but none could save him. He held on for two more days before passing last night.”
Jiang Yueyao lowered her head, her nails digging into her palms inside her sleeves. Tears streamed down her face like broken threads.
If not for protecting her, he wouldn’t have been hurt by those bandits. He wouldn’t have died.
Yet even in his final moments, he had comforted her: “Yue Yao, don’t cry. I was already a dying man—one day sooner or later makes no difference. Meeting you in this life was enough. From now on, live well. Don’t do anything reckless, and don’t grieve too long. Yue Yao, you must live on for me.”
Jiang Yueyao shut her eyes, suppressing the despair in her heart, her shoulders trembling faintly.
Ling Xiao’s expression darkened, the veins on his sword hand bulging.
The son of a petty magistrate had killed his brother.
He would tear him apart limb from limb!
Suddenly, an elderly voice called from inside the house: “Third Son.”
Ling Shen hastily wiped his face. “Mother’s awake. She fainted when she heard about Big Son’s death. Second Brother, go see her. She’ll be overjoyed to know you’re back.”
Ling Xiao pressed his lips together and strode out. But as he passed Jiang Yueyao, he paused.
His sharp eyes bore into her. “I won’t let Big Son’s death go unpunished. If I find you had any part in it, I’ll make sure you die without a grave.”
Without another glance, he turned and entered the eastern main room to see Madam Lin.
Once Ling Xiao left, the oppressive tension in the hall dissipated. Jiang Yueyao remained kneeling before the coffin, as if she could finally breathe again.
When she lifted her head and saw the coffin before her, fresh tears spilled uncontrollably. She covered her face and wept.
---
Madam Lin had just regained consciousness. When she saw Ling Xiao enter, she thought she was dreaming.
“Mother,” Ling Xiao called.
Only then did Madam Lin recognize him. She clutched his arm in excitement. “Second Son! You’ve finally come home!”
Her second son had been away for ten years, fighting on the brutal battlefield. Madam Lin had worried day and night. Now that he had returned, she burst into tears of joy.
Ling Xiao comforted her for a long while before she finally calmed down.
Madam Lin wiped her tears. “If only you’d come back two days earlier… you could have seen your brother one last time.”
Ling Xiao’s expression darkened again. “Who is that woman outside?”
“Yue? She’s the wife your brother married a year ago.”
Over the years, the family had exchanged letters with Ling Xiao. But with the constant warfare and his heavy responsibilities, even a single letter every few months was a rarity.
And this past year, as he supported the new emperor in purging traitors and securing the throne, it had been even harder to send word home.
Madam Lin sighed. "She's a pitiful child indeed. A year ago, Yizhou suffered first from floods, then a plague. Her parents tragically fell ill and passed away. Her uncles and elders sought to sell her to a brothel for money, but she fled alone all the way to Xingfeng Village, where Big Son happened to rescue her. Later, her family arrived with county officers in tow. To settle the matter, Big Son paid fifty taels of silver to secure her freedom."
Ling Xiao frowned deeply. In his memory, his eldest brother had always been a rule-abiding man—how could he have done something so reckless for a woman?
The Ling Family had once been ordinary farmers. Their father passed early, and Ling Chen, the eldest brother, had been sickly since birth. Thus, Ling Xiao had shouldered the family's burdens from a young age.
Over the years, while away at war, Ling Xiao sent home every reward and silver earned from his military exploits. In total, he had remitted roughly three to five hundred taels.
Yet his brother never spent a single tael, insisting on saving it all for Ling Xiao’s eventual return—for settling down and starting a family.
A man so frugal… had actually spent fifty taels on a woman?!
"Mother objected at first," Ling Shen added. "But Big Son was adamant. She then suggested keeping the girl as a concubine or maid, but he refused even that. He insisted on a proper wedding. Anyone could see—Big Son truly loves his wife."
Ling Xiao scoffed. "Brother may be devoted, but I doubt that woman is as simple as she seems."
