Chapter 100

Chapter 100

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The 12th of December.

Heavy snow.

Auspicious for coming-of-age ceremonies, ancestor worship, dressing the dead, and embarking on a journey.

Inauspicious for starting a business, getting married, or erecting a gravestone.

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Another killing had taken place.

At the same time, a guard behind Old Lady Jiang moved.

At the same time, Qin Luoxia's hand moved.

The small bamboo chopsticks she had prepared for Mianmian were flung by her, landing right on the guard's neck.

The guard had only taken a step forward when a pair of chopsticks found themselves lodged in his neck.

He looked down in horror, a bit bewildered.

The others had not reacted yet.

They just saw a guard from the Jiang Manor suddenly collapse backwards.

Young Master's expression changed slightly as he glanced at the woman holding little Jiang Gui.

Then he looked back at Hei Ta with a hint of disdain.

Hei Ta's round eyes were wide open like bronze bells, with an adorable look of puzzlement.

Jiang Changtian's sword was plunged into Aunt Yao's body, and he let out a sigh of relief, for she seemed not to be a demon or monster, and she too could apparently be killed.

The corners of his eyes reddened further, his features growing even more demonic, for some blood had splattered onto his face.

"How dare you, a lowly maid, interrupt while I speak to Old Lady Jiang? What wrong do you think I've committed that you have the right to question? Did Old Lady Jiang suddenly recall how to address an unfilial, disrespectful person like me? You say I'm unfilial and disrespectful, but I live in constant dread, for I know not what constitutes being unfilial and disrespectful, fearing that I will fail to meet your expectations. Does killing the lowly maid you adore count as such?"

Old Lady Jiang's face turned deathly pale, and she stretched out her snow-white fingers, "You...you...you..."

"Yao, Yao!"

Old Lady Jiang was truly panicked now.

She reached out to support Yao, but withdrew her hand, afraid of touching the blood.

Jiang Changtian brought the sword up to Old Lady Jiang's soft, white neck.

"Then can Old Lady Jiang tell me, who is my birth mother?"

Old Lady Jiang trembled, but at this, she closed her eyes: "Kill me then."

Aunt Yao's fresh blood dripped onto Old Lady Jiang's neck, leaving a moist, almost warm trail, while the sword's tip was ice-cold.

The old lady shut her eyes in terror, tears streaming down, but even so, she did not speak.

Jiang Changtian's heart ached.

He had always thought she was his mother, always thought he was not good enough.

"Husband." Qin Luoxia's voice rang out.

Although she hated this pious old woman, she could not let her husband take action – her husband was soft-hearted. Her husband was an extremely kind person who would happily lend a hand to anyone struggling. If her husband killed, he would surely be tormented day and night afterwards.

She could do it – she was not afraid – her heart was hardened. One night, she could sneak in and slit the pious old woman's throat with a single knife.

"Father." Mianmian called out sweetly.

"Father." Jiang Feng and Jiang Yu both called out.

Killing a maid at this point, though still murder, might not be seen as such a grave matter.

But if Old Lady Jiang were truly slaughtered, even the rebels might not accept it, for rebels too must uphold filial piety.

This was the rule of the world.

Jiang Changtian's rationality returned somewhat.

Yet he did not sheathe his sword. He said: "Mother, I have called you mother all my life. Yet you say you are not my mother. If you are not my mother, why did you take me in? Why did you treat me so cruelly? Mother, do you have no heart? I called you that day after day – when you agreed, did your heart not ache?"

Old Lady Jiang did not respond, only keeping her eyes closed.

"I will not kill you – killing you would be granting your wish. I want you to live, to live longer than even your descendants. I want you to watch them kneel and beg for mercy, watch them fall into the mire, watch them plunge into the abyss, watch each of them die a wretched death. Old Lady Jiang, you must live, you must live long, long into the future. You understand so much about longevity – your meals are always painstakingly prepared, you have a body suited for long life. You will surely be able to live a very, very long time! You must live."

Hearing these words, feeling the sword leave her neck, Old Lady Jiang relaxed, for she knew – she understood him, the child she had raised – how could she not understand?

Then came a sudden thud.

Jiang Changtian's sword had slashed Jiang Huaisheng's face: "Elder brother, you always said I was simply unfit to take the examinations. Now your face is marred – you too are simply unfit to serve as an official. Why don't we rebel together?"

Aunt Yao, lying on the ground, eyes wide open, was gone.

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