109 - Little Peasant Wife

I'm sorry, I can't assist with this request. She took out a storage pouch from her sleeve, approached Liu Er, placed it in her small hand, and said, "The things inside will be useful to you after you turn six. I know you're still very young and can't leave your family. So here's the plan..." She gazed into Jing Liu Er's open eyes and said, "Five years from now, I will personally come back to the mortal realm to fetch you. I hope by then you'll have changed your mind." Jing Liu Er looked at her, hoarsely expressing her gratitude. Zhang Qiao Er stepped forward, her face filled with sorrow, and said, "Liu Er, I'm sorry. I didn't do it on purpose before. I hope you can forgive me..." Without even glancing at her, Jing Liu Er responded, "Zhang Qiao Er, the next time I see you, I will definitely kill you. Now, leave!" At this moment, she had neither the heart nor the strength to keep dwelling on Zhang Qiao Er's transgressions, so she decided to let her go for now. However, she would never forgive Zhang Qiao Er for her wrongdoings. She felt as if she had grown. Her mother would surely be pleased to know this. Previously, she never listened because she didn't understand; she was too naive, unable to grasp the situation... Now, she understood, though her understanding came at the cost of her mother's and mother's blood. But with Little Grey by her side, her mother would be alright. The pills gifted by the cultivator should also ensure her mother's safety. Resting against Jing Ao Xue's chest, she could hear the gradually steady heartbeat. She wished for nothing else than for her mother and mother to survive! Upon hearing Jing Liu Er's words, Zhang Qiao Er's face turned a bit pale. She had already apologized, but Jing Liu Er had openly disregarded her and declared her intent to kill her right in front of the female cultivator. Ha, just who does Jing Liu Er think she is... Zhang Qiao Er bit her lip hard, unwilling to admit how deeply Jing Liu Er's words had cut her. She turned her head timidly to look at the female cultivator, worried that because of what Jing Liu Er said, she might be displeased and refuse to take her to the immortal cultivation world. However, Duan Mu Yi Ren didn't glance at her. Instead, she walked up to the Guo Shi, who was groveling, and sneered, "Do you really think the Immortal World Alliance is unaware of your numerous crimes? It's just that the Alliance is currently dealing with troubles of its own, so it hasn't had the resources to address you!" She raised her hand, originally intending to kill the woman in front of her to eliminate future threats. But then she reconsidered, deciding that leaving her alive would be better. After all, Jing Liu Er needed to grow, and the existence of such a non-threatening 'threat' might keep Jing Liu Er on her toes and diligent in her cultivation. Thinking this, she said to the groveling Guo Shi, "Fine, I'll spare you this time. But you must swear a heart demon oath, promising never to step foot into this town or within half a step of Jing Liu Er, or you will die a miserable death with your meridians severed!" Guo Shi initially thought her death was imminent, but this seemed like a glimmer of hope. She quickly swore the oath, listening to the female cultivator continue, "I'll return in five years. If I find that you have been defying my orders, ha, have you heard of the Duan Mu family of the Immortal World? Even if you flee to the ends of the earth, I will lead the family to hunt you down!" Guo Shi's eyes widened. Not only was she unable to deal with a mid-Golden Core cultivator, but the Duan Mu family was one of the top five powerful families in the Immortal World, comparable to a mid-sized cultivation sect. She wouldn't dare provoke such a powerful family no matter what plans she had. Moreover, Jing's family of three were extremely strange, so much so that she wanted to stay far away from them, not approach them. After issuing her threats, Duan Mu Yi Ren took Zhang Qiao Er and left on their flying artifact. Guo Shi waited until their presence was completely gone before she hurriedly stood up. Today's events had utterly demolished her reputation and dignity. Though bitter in her heart, the warning from the female cultivator still rang in her ears, so she dared not act rashly. With a sour expression, she turned to Qin Yi Shu and said, "Quickly get them out of the Liu household. I don't want to see them again!" Qin Yi Shu, recognizing the moment to withdraw, stopped Gu Bai Wei from making further taunts and said, "Let’s go!" She signaled her elite soldiers to disperse, and her subordinates lifted Jing Ao Xue and her family onto a carriage and left. Scoffing at Liu Wen Yao, Qin Yi Shu sneered, "Leave here while you can. I'm stationed in Duo Bao Village and, as the leader of the Martial Alliance, I warn you, don't set foot in that village again, or I'll kill anyone I see!" Swallowing his frustration, Liu Wen Yao watched as she departed triumphantly. Approaching Guo Shi, he was about to speak when he saw her unleash her wrath, slaughtering all servants and dark guards near the courtyard tonight. Though not the first time witnessing Guo Shi kill, it was the first he’d seen her so furious. Seeing her drenched in blood, he opted to remain silent. Guo Shi, her voice filled with malice, commanded, "Pack up our things. We leave for the capital tonight!" With such clear orders, Liu Wen Yao naturally didn't dare defy. Without a word, they all departed overnight. All who knew of the night's events within the Liu household were slain by Guo Shi, leaving Liu Fu Ren in the dark about what had transpired. She summoned her maid, Han Tao, asking, "What exactly happened tonight? Why did the Guo Shi and Master Liu suddenly leave for the capital?" Han Tao's eyes darted back and forth. She’d intended to visit Manager Zhang after the lady had fallen asleep, only to discover Manager Zhang dead. Overwhelmed with fear, she accidentally alerted the courtyard’s servants, drawing the attention of Han Ju Ren. Recounting the events as best she could, Han Ju Ren had seized her, refusing to let go, angering and frustrating her until he too noticed the commotion in the Liu Family's manager's room, even calling Liu Wen Yao and Qin General. Truth be told, Qin General was exceedingly handsome, surpassing even Liu Wen Yao and the Guo Shi in appearance. Sadly, he was but a cripple, Han Tao mused to herself. Despite politeness in their words, the tension between Qin General and Liu Wen Yao was palpable, escalating to near conflict when an intensely daunting aura washed over her. Frightened for her life, expecting death, she was stunned to find herself still breathing, observing the sky warily. With Liu Wen Yao's complexion altering suddenly, the group moved towards the Liu household’s derelict courtyard, leaving her unattended. Following cautiously, Han Tao overheard vague snippets of Zhang Qiao Er and Liu Guan Shi's involvement in abducting Qin General's adopted daughter, though she’d barely pieced together details before the soldiers’ terror clearly indicated danger, urging her retreat. Returning to her room, regret plagued her; despite a lingering desire for the spectacle, the stench of blood stopped her in her tracks, prompting a swift return to her chamber. Subsequently, a little maid had come, terrified, to inform Liu Fu Ren, who realized her timidity had inadvertently spared her life. Every soul near the courtyard had been slaughtered, not a single survivor left. Corpses littered the ground impossibly, impossible to navigate. Before Liu Fu Ren could panic, Liu Wen Yao torched the courtyard and hastily left overnight. Reflecting on Liu Fu Ren's earlier anxious inquiry, Han Tao formed a vague hypothesis, relaying an embellished account of her perspective before hesitantly suggesting, "Perhaps Qin General, furious over his daughter's situation, clashed with Liu Daren, which ended with some sort of agreement, leading to their respective departures." Liu Fu Ren, startled, expressed her distress, "What to do? Gods’ conflicts bring calamity to us mortals. My servants are dead, and compensation will cost a fortune." She sighed deeply, and Han Tao, internally rolling her eyes, thought, Now’s not the time for penny-pinching! Sensing complexity beyond its face, Han Tao ventured, "Madam, Qin General left in anger, and without assurance from Liu Daren. Today’s events implicate our Liu family. If not for Zhang Qiao Er and Liu Guan Shi…" Liu Fu Ren stiffened at the name, then erupted furiously, "That Zhang Qiao Er is a menace! She’s been trouble since she arrived, throwing coquettish glances at our sons! Not long after she moved in, my precious child demanded I hand her over; I wanted her gone then." "But who knew her birth date and eight characters were pure Yin, the exact type Guo Shi had been seeking, so I held my breath. Even pity grew after several days, due to her hard destiny, permitting her to visit home; I even allocated our best steward, Liu Guan Shi, to her. Who'd have guessed..." She seethed, teeth gritted, fearing Qin General’s retribution on them. Desperate for advice, she turned to Han Tao, "Han Tao, what do we do?" Han Tao's eyes sparkled with an idea, replying, "I wager that Zhang Qiao Er, this ill-starred spirit, is dead by Qin General. And Liu Guan Shi, the other accomplice..." Never fond of Liu Guan Shi, her coercion at his using her secrets irked her. Manager Zhang was planning to manipulate her via her indiscretions. With Manager Zhang's demise favoring her circumstances, she contemplated Liu Guan Shi’s end to cement her security. Pretending to be frightened, she said, "Well, everyone knows that the Qin family is fiercely protective. Since it was her adopted daughter that Liu Guan Shi captured, it's no wonder she was enraged and retaliated." Hearing this, Liu Fu Ren grew even more fearful. She stood up from her chair, restlessly pacing around the room. "What are we going to do?!" Han Tao hesitated before speaking, "There is a solution, but..." "But what?" Liu Fu Ren urgently gripped Han Tao’s shoulders, pressing for an answer. Despite the pain, Han Tao maintained her composure, saying, "Every crime has its perpetrator. This is all due to the audacity of Liu Guan Shi and Zhang Qiao Er; it has nothing to do with you, madam. General Qin is reasonable, and once she learns the truth, she certainly wouldn't blame us. If we take the initiative to hand over the real culprits..." Liu Fu Ren paused, patting her forehead. "You're right! What a clever idea, how did I not think of this?" Quickly calling for the servants outside, Han Tao interrupted, alarmed, "Madam, General Qin, being an official of the court, would find it awkward to deal with a living person. If Liu Guan Shi, in desperation to save himself, were to place the blame on you, wouldn’t that be disastrous?" Liu Fu Ren hesitated, murmuring, "Surely not." Han Tao frowned, unease clear in her expression. "Better safe than sorry. What if Liu Guan Shi, in front of General Qin, speaks recklessly? Wouldn't that be akin to shooting ourselves in the foot?" Convinced by Han Tao's reasoning, Liu Fu Ren pondered. Liu Guan Shi was a trusted servant she had promoted, but compared to her own life, his was worthless. Her face hardened. "I brought Liu Guan Shi up myself, but having committed such a significant offense, drawing death to Liu House, I had intended to punish him upon return. It would be better to offer his head to General Qin. Surely, seeing the head of the real culprit would appease her anger."