"You! You... you..." Wen Qi was both furious and helpless, his face twisted in terror as he turned away and swung his sword down.
"Thud—"
Blood splattered, drenching Wen Lingyu from head to toe.
General Pang stared in shock.
This woman... she actually dared to kill her own father. How ruthless!
Wen Lingyu watched as her father's breath faded, her hands trembling as she stumbled backward. She then hurried to Luo Jingfeng and said, "Jingfeng, I’ve avenged you. Are you satisfied now?"
Luo Jingfeng narrowed his eyes and smiled faintly. "Very."
Wen Lingyu let out a relieved sigh before quickly adding, "My father was bound by too many secrets and couldn’t speak the truth. Now that he’s gone, I’ll tell you everything!"
"What secrets?" Luo Jingfeng watched calmly as she spun her tale.
Wen Lingyu lowered her voice and revealed a shocking truth: "Though my father recommended your third sister’s entry into the palace, the real reason was the Emperor’s pressure..."
Luo Jingfeng’s gaze sharpened. "What did you say?!"
Wen Lingyu cowered. "It was him... Otherwise, how would a mere third-rank civil official like my father dare provoke the Prince of Southern Pacification's Mansion? Someone powerful was behind it. Your sister was targeted by all the nobility the moment she arrived in the capital—including the Emperor!"
She shook her head pitifully. "Jingfeng, you know how deeply we once cared for each other. I longed to marry you. But the Emperor gave the order, and my father had no choice but to obey for the sake of our family’s safety. That’s why we ended up in this mess. Jingfeng, I love you—truly. I’m willing to divorce my husband and marry you, even if only as a concubine."
Luo Jingfeng finished her thought for her: "So you can scheme in my household, kill the main wife, and take her place?"
Wen Lingyu recoiled in horror. "No, no! I would never dare! I’d obey the main wife’s every word, paying respects morning and night..."
Luo Jingfeng cut her off impatiently. "You claim your father acted on the Emperor’s orders, yet in over two years, his rank never rose. Meanwhile, you married into the Ministry of Revenue—the most favored household in court. Wen Lingyu, did you kill your father out of fear of my orders, or to silence him before he exposed your lies?"
Wen Lingyu staggered back in shock, edging toward the door. "Jingfeng, you—you misunderstand me! I know you don’t trust me, but it’s fine. I’ll go home and arrange the divorce. Wait for me—I’ll return soon..."
With that, she turned and fled like a hunted animal.
Luo Jingfeng had promised to let her leave if she killed her father. Once she stepped outside, she’d be safe!
General Pang followed, blade in hand.
The moment Wen Lingyu crossed the threshold and saw the bustling streets, hope surged in her heart: It worked! Luo Jingfeng would never kill me in public!
But the next instant, a blade came down.
"Ah—!" Wen Lingyu screamed.
She collapsed in agony, the crowd shrieking in panic: "Murder! The soldiers are killing people!"
Wen Lingyu gasped in disbelief. "No... impossible... Luo Jingfeng... you’re insane... insane!"
Luo Jingfeng stepped out of the courtyard, his cold gaze fixed on her as he crouched beside her. "Wen Lingyu, I could never understand why you appeared in my life only to betray me without hesitation. But just now, when I realized you used us to climb into the Ministry of Revenue, it all made sense."
He gripped her chin, forcing her to look up. "That day when my elder brother and I were punished, we knelt apart. Wen Lingyu... you mistook me for someone else, didn’t you? Your real target was—the Prince of Southern Pacification’s firstborn heir."
Blood trickled from Wen Lingyu’s lips. With death looming, she shed all pretense and sneered, "Luo Jingfeng, you’re nothing but a heartless beast. If I hadn’t picked the wrong man, I’d be the Princess of Southern Pacification now, and you’d be bowing to me every day, calling me sister-in-law!"
She wasn’t wrong.
Clever, beautiful, and manipulative, she was a master of deception—unlike Concubine Pei’s blatant cruelty. Having grown up in Yunnan, neither Luo Jingfeng nor his brother had ever encountered a woman so cunning. Had his elder brother fallen for her, he’d never have escaped her clutches.
Luo Jingfeng stood and ordered, "Kill her. Dump her in the streets."
"Yes, sir!" General Pang obeyed without hesitation.
Once it was done, he announced loudly, "The Wen daughter committed patricide—an unforgivable crime! The Great General acted in the people’s name to rid the world of this evil! Summon the Three Judicial Offices!"
The crowd watched in terror as the soldiers departed.
Though the justification sounded righteous, the common folk had never witnessed such brazen public slaughter. Even the Emperor wouldn’t flout the law so openly.
But Luo Jingfeng, a war hero feared like a god of death, faced no opposition. The people kept their distance, awed and terrified.
Upon his return to court, the Emperor was overjoyed. Not only did he ignore the deaths of the Wen father and daughter, but he also bestowed upon Luo Jingfeng the title of Great General of Pacifying the West.
Yet when it came time to surrender military power, Luo Jingfeng smiled and refused: "The borders remain unstable. I must remain ready for battle—I’ll hold onto the troops for now."
The Emperor’s face darkened.
Military authority was the court’s lifeblood. How dare Luo Jingfeng withhold it?
Luo Jingfeng bowed slightly. "Your Majesty, I’ve traveled day and night to return. May I retire to rest?"
The Emperor studied him before forcing a smile. "Go. Reunite with your family. Tomorrow, I’ll host a banquet in your honor. Consort Shu has missed you dearly."
Luo Jingfeng clenched his fists but replied obediently, "As you command."
---
Great General’s Mansion
Lu Zhu waited with the concubines and children.
When Luo Jingfeng arrived, his icy demeanor faltered at the sight of the plump, fair-skinned toddler in her arms.
"Husband!" Lu Zhu sprinted toward him, the child bouncing in her embrace. "Welcome home!"
The concubines chorused sweetly behind her, "We greet the Great General’s triumphant return!"
Luo Jingfeng frowned at the boy. "...What is this?"
Lu Zhu laughed. "Not a what—a who! Our son, Luo Ji! Your heir! I wrote to you about him!"
Between battles, Luo Jingfeng had received her letters but never read them. Now, returning home...
He had a child?
He reached out, and Lu Zhu urged, "Ji’er, call him Father!"
Little Luo Ji, still struggling with words, stared wide-eyed at Luo Jingfeng. But the man’s aura was too intimidating—the boy shrank back into his mother’s arms.
Luo Jingfeng paused before saying flatly, "Let’s go in. Bathe and eat."
Lu Zhu handed the child to a nursemaid and fussed over Luo Jingfeng as he washed up, chattering nonstop about household affairs.
It turned out that while he was away on the campaign, things at home hadn’t been idle. Apart from her, the other two concubines had also given birth—one boy and one girl.
At the dining table, little Luo Ji sat on the side farthest from Luo Jingfeng.
Lu Zhu, while ladling soup for him, asked considerately, "Husband, would you like to see them? Should I have the concubines bring the children over to join us for the meal?"
Luo Jingfeng’s expression darkened as he reprimanded, "Concubines and their illegitimate children are not permitted at the table."
