Chapter 161: Arson

Chapter 161: Arson

Wei Xun pressed his lips together, his usually composed face showing a hint of panic.

He lowered his gaze slightly, unable to meet Xie Zheng’s eyes. "A Yuan is pregnant."

"What?"

"Whose child is it?"

Xie Zheng flew into a rage. He’d only been gone a few months, and now his sister was pregnant again.

And who else’s could it be?

Xie Zheng grabbed Wei Xun by the collar. "You bastard!"

Wei Xun had no defense. While that night with A Yuan was an accident, he had planned it.

"General Xie, our lord was just trying to save Mistress Xie!"

Zhang Feng quickly recounted the events of that day in detail, but Xie Zheng wasn’t buying it.

"Ha! If he didn’t want it, how could a weak woman like A Yuan force him?"

Xie Zheng’s fury burned white-hot, his fingers cracking with tension. "A damn opportunist! If A Yuan suffers even the slightest harm, I’ll end you!"

If A Yuan hadn’t been kidnapped by Prince Jing, he’d have made Wei Xun pay.

Suppressing his rage, Xie Zheng shoved Wei Xun away, snatched his sword, and stormed out.

"General, where are you going?"

His men, stunned by the sudden outburst, hurried after him.

Xie Zheng’s face was stone-cold, but he didn’t slow down. "I’m going to kill Zhou Jing!"

"General—" His men couldn’t stop him.

Xie Zheng was beyond caring. The thought of his sister, heavily pregnant and helpless, drove him mad with worry.

But even the formidable Young General Xie couldn’t fight alone against an army. One of his men clenched his jaw and grabbed his weapon. "I’m coming too!"

"And us!"

One by one, the soldiers stepped forward. They were Xie Zheng’s brothers-in-arms for years—without him, they wouldn’t be where they were today.

Now that their young mistress was in danger, how could they just stand there and watch Xie Zheng charge into the enemy’s lair alone?

"You all—?"

Xie Zheng froze. The normally stoic man’s eyes welled up.

He blinked back tears.

"Good! From this day forward, you’re all my brothers now! As long as I, Xie Zheng, have food to eat, none of you will ever go hungry!"

"Kill! Bring back our young mistress!"

The men shouted as one, surging toward the imperial mausoleum in a mighty tide.

"My lord..."

Zhang Feng was shocked, turning to look at Wei Xun.

Young General Xie's devotion to his sister was so intense that he would rather die than leave her in danger. In comparison, his own master appeared far too detached.

"Rush the production of the masks. Don’t wait for all of them to be finished—send whatever's ready now to the imperial mausoleum. We must ensure Xie Zheng and his men survive!"

"Yes!"

Zhang Feng immediately went to relay the orders. By the time he returned, Wei Xun had changed into black attire, his face masked with a dark cloth.

"My lord... where are you going?"

Wei Xun lowered his gaze, fastening his sword. "To save A Yuan."

Did they think he wasn't frantic after A Yuan was taken?

But unlike Xie Zheng’s reckless haste, he knew full well that direct confrontation would only provoke Prince Jing further.

"Have the Wei army bring the masks to support Xie Zheng. You and Chang Yuan, gear up and follow me."

"Yes!"

......

Trapped in the imperial mausoleum, A Yuan was unaware her brother and Wei Xun were already on their way to rescue her. She and Chun Tao had been seized by Shen Qiuyu.

"Madam, shall we lock them in the front hall?"

The front hall was where Prince Jing resided. The old servant asked this because she sensed Prince Jing’s particular interest in A Yuan, assuming he would want regular reports about her.

But Shen Qiuyu sneered. "No, take them to the side hall."

She had finally caught A Yuan—she wouldn’t let her escape so easily.

The side hall was located at the far western side of the mausoleum. Originally servants' quarters, it had been emptied after Prince Jing, fearing Xie Zheng’s forces might storm in, confined all the servants to the front hall to prevent them from relaying information.

Now deserted, it was the perfect place for Shen Qiuyu.

She had changed into a flaming red dress, her skeletal frame making her look like a vengeful spirit risen from hell.

Step by step, Shen Qiuyu advanced as the hall doors shut behind her.

Two old maids stood guard like sentinels at the entrance, eliminating any chance for A Yuan and her maid to flee.

"Lady Xie, do you think Wei Xun will come to save you this time?"

The woman’s poisonous stare fixed on A Yuan’s belly, her hatred palpable.

It wasn’t just directed at her—but also the child she carried.

A Yuan instinctively turned, drawing her wide sleeves to shield her pregnant stomach.

"Tch!"

Shen Qiuyu scoffed, her eyes brimming with malice.

"No surprise for a brothel girl—so good at trapping men. Pretending to resist Wei Xun, yet secretly carrying his child. Xie Yuan, have you no shame?"

"You bear his child, but has he given you any status? Is he willing to save you? Now, you’ve still fallen into my hands!"

Shen Qiuyu wished Wei Xun could witness how she was tormenting A Yuan.

Back then, just making that lowly woman kneel for three hours had caused Wei Xun to break off their engagement. Now, if she burned A Yuan and the child in her belly to ashes, would Wei Xun kill her for it?

"Hehe..."

Shen Qiuyu's expression was frenzied, her eyes even gleaming with anticipation.

If she could do it all over again, she would never have used such lowly methods. A Yuan couldn’t be left alive, but she could have waited until after marrying into the Marquis' household to torment her slowly.

She understood men—men always want what they can't have. If Wei Xun truly loved A Yuan, how could he stand denying her proper status?

She had been too impatient back then, thinking the title of Marchioness was as good as hers.

Given another chance, the outcome would surely be different.

Thinking of Wei Xun marrying her, Shen Qiuyu’s face broke into a delirious grin. "He was supposed to marry me. I was meant to be Lady Wei."

"It’s all your fault!"

Her expression contorted suddenly, her once-smiling eyes now poisonous as she stared at A Yuan.

"It’s all your fault for stealing what was mine! You and that bastard in your womb deserve death!"

"My lady..."

Chun Tao, terrified, clutched A Yuan’s arm. This woman in front of them was utterly deranged!

A Yuan was also afraid. Shen Qiuyu had schemed against her so many times, and now that she had finally succeeded, she wouldn’t let her go this time.

She tightened her grip on Chun Tao’s hand and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear, "When the commotion starts, you run."

Shen Qiuyu’s hatred was directed at her—Chun Tao had nothing to do with it.

The poor girl had endured enough because of her. She couldn’t drag her down again.

Chun Tao stiffened, her voice trembling as she whispered fiercely, "My lady, I won’t!"

"Listen! Only if you escape can you find someone to save me!"

Though A Yuan said this, she wasn’t sure if anyone would come to her rescue.

Shen Qiuyu dared to defy Prince Jing’s orders—she must have prepared to die together with her.

This woman was a raving lunatic now!

"I..."

Tears welled in Chun Tao’s eyes. She knew A Yuan was right, but her lady was seven months pregnant. The slightest mishap could mean three deaths. How could she flee alone and leave her behind?

Shen Qiuyu spat venomously. "How touching—such loyalty between mistress and maid. What a pity—today, neither of you will leave!"

"Granny Wang, Granny Zhang, bar the doors and light the fire!"

This time, she wouldn’t give A Yuan any chance to escape her fate. Only if she died before her eyes would Shen Qiuyu feel satisfied.