"Open the gates! Open the gates!" The shouts from beyond the mountain villa's walls were accompanied by ferocious pounding on the main gates, loud enough to make the earth tremble. Inside, the assembly of servant girls and young lads exchanged terrified glances, their faces paling.
After all, under such circumstances—a torrential downpour rendering the roads impassable—who could possibly be knocking at the gates of this secluded mountain villa, so far from civilization, at such an ungodly hour?
Could they be brigands? Or perhaps mountain bandits?
The mere thought sent shivers down their spines, their faces draining of color. They were utterly at a loss.
"Who on earth could it be? Seeking lodging at this hour?" Miao Ansu, herself a rather timid soul, felt her own small face turn deathly pale at the exaggerated clamor of fists against wood and the boisterous shouts from outside.
"What's there to fear?" Zhao Zhangru, however, was utterly unfazed. She brandished a fist, her voice ringing with confidence, "With this Heroine Zhao present, which brigand or miscreant would dare to cause trouble? Watch me send them to greet King Yama in Hell with a single strike!"
"My Lord Marquis! Your Grace..." Dou Zhao blinked, turning her gaze to Wei Tingyu, who had already risen to a sitting position. "Shall we grant them entry?"
Dou Zhao, in truth, felt quite secure. Never mind the eight Silver Shadow Guards—four men and four women—currently stationed within the villa, even Zhao Zhangru, Su Xin, and Su Lan had seen their martial prowess advance by leaps and bounds.
And that wasn't even mentioning the unfathomably skilled Wei Tingyu. If he were to make a move, there was likely no one in this world who could withstand a single bout against him! Of this, Dou Zhao was absolutely certain!
However, as the First Mistress of the Marquis's Manor, it was only natural for her to defer to her husband in all matters. Thus, even though this mountain villa was registered under her name, she still awaited Wei Tingyu's directive.
"But of course!" Wei Tingyu replied with a smile and a nod. "This group is hammering away with such vigor. If we don't open up, I fear they might just break down the gate! This is your villa, my dear wife; it would pain me to see it damaged!"
A light, knowing smile touched Dou Zhao's lips upon hearing Wei Tingyu's playful remark. She then cast a subtle glance towards Su Xin and Su Lan.
The two maids, acknowledging the silent command, turned and departed. Moments later, under the anxious gaze of the assembled young servants and servant girls, they unbarred and opened the great gates of the mountain villa.
With a protesting groan, the heavy gates swung inward, revealing the true forms of those who stood without!
Leading them was a burly, whiskered man, appearing to be in his fifties. Flanking him on either side were two figures cloaked in black, their features obscured by conical bamboo hats and straw rain capes.
Yet, as these three strode in unison through the gateway, the villa's inhabitants were startled to realize that the whiskered man was not, in fact, the leader of this entourage. For trailing behind him was a young man, entirely enshrouded in a black cloak! The hood was drawn so low that, even in the faint, flickering light, one could only discern the portion of his face below the nose. He appeared to be a young master. And further behind him still, a contingent of more than ten other men, identically attired in black, with bamboo hats and rain capes, stood in silent formation—unmistakably his personal guard!
"Forgive our intrusion at this late hour! My master bears the surname Mei; he is a merchant from the southern lands!" The whiskered man at the head, upon seeing Su Xin and Su Lan who had opened the gates, discerned from their attire that they were head maids of considerable status within this villa. He offered a smile and continued, "We were merely passing through this region and hope to impose upon your hospitality for a single night's shelter."
Simultaneously, the so-called "master" in the black cloak, who had been standing behind him, had already swept into the villa with a few of his guards, his strides long and purposeful.
And from the very beginning, this entire procession moved with an unnerving silence, as if they collectively wore an invisible banner proclaiming: "We are enigmatic, and equally perilous."
...
Meanwhile, at a side window of the main hall, Wei Tingyu, along with Dou Zhao and the other two ladies, stood observing the unfolding scene in the courtyard below with quiet contemplation.
"My Lord Marquis, who are these people? And why the insufferable airs?" Zhao Zhangru was the first to voice her displeasure at the newcomers' demeanor. "If they seek lodging, then let them seek lodging. What's with this charade of mystique? Is there anything truly remarkable about them?"
Dou Zhao and Miao Ansu, however, were rather amused by Zhao Zhangru's blunt outburst. They exchanged a knowing look before their gazes, as if by unspoken agreement, shifted to settle upon Wei Tingyu, who stood serenely between them. Inwardly, both ladies felt a surge of relief that the Marquis was present. Had they been alone to face such an unnerving situation in the dead of night, their composure would undoubtedly have been shaken. After all, this group's arrival reeked of abnormality.
"My Lord Marquis! Madam! Honored Concubines!" Just then, Su Xin hurried back from outside. After offering her salutations to the four within the room, she reported with a slight frown, "They claim to be merchants from the southern regions, seeking shelter from the storm to pass the night."
"Their leader refers to himself as Young Master Mei!"
"Yet, from what I observed, every single one of them has calluses on the webbing between their thumbs and forefingers, and their steps are utterly silent..."
"You mean to say they are all martial practitioners?" Upon hearing Su Xin's assessment, Zhao Zhangru's eyes instantly brightened with keen interest.
"Why do you look so delighted?" Miao Ansu shot Zhao Zhangru a look, then rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Ghouls knocking at one's door in the dead of night is never a good omen! It's more likely to stir up trouble!"
"Who would dare stir up trouble in our villa? This Heroine will personally tear them limb from limb!" Zhao Zhangru, seeing Miao Ansu's frightened expression, couldn't help but laugh. She proudly puffed out her petite chest and declared, "Besides, with this Heroine and the Lord Marquis holding the fort, you two little ladies need not fret!"
"You've been reading too many of those heroic storybooks, haven't you?" Miao Ansu felt a wave of exasperation. Had this lass already slipped into her role-playing fantasy? Did she truly fancy herself some righteous, wandering swordswoman?!
Still, Zhao Zhangru hadn't been entirely wrong about one thing. With the Lord Marquis present in the room, Miao Ansu did indeed feel a significant measure of reassurance. However, even if her own safety was assured, she still harbored a deep aversion to violence and bloodshed.
"If it truly is 'night ghouls at the gate,' then this is a confrontation we cannot evade," Dou Zhao said, stepping forward and gently taking Miao Ansu's hand to comfort her. "Susu, dear, there's no need for alarm. Haven't you noticed how composed the Lord Marquis remains?!"
"My Lord Marquis! Madam! Honored Concubines!" Just then, Su Lan returned, and with her was an elderly man dressed in the robes of a scholar. After offering his respects, Su Lan announced, "Scholar Chen requests an audience!"
This Scholar Chen had been Dou Zhao's tutor since her childhood. He had consistently offered her counsel and strategies, contributing significantly with his efforts and wisdom to the substantial family assets Dou Zhao possessed today. However, after Dou Zhao married into the Marquis's Manor, it became rather inappropriate for him, a man, to remain constantly by her side. Thus, he had been arranged to reside in this mountain villa. For him to suddenly request an urgent audience at this juncture, even Dou Zhao found a trace of bewilderment surfacing in her eyes.
...
"I fear we may have stumbled into grave trouble!" Scholar Chen, upon being granted an audience, wasted no time in relating his concerns to Wei Tingyu and the three ladies.
"That group... their origins are far from simple. They are men under the command of Duke Dingguo!"
"The man in azure robes, who claimed to be an accountant, is surnamed Yan, with the given name Chaoqing. He is one of Duke Dingguo's most trusted and capable retainers!"
"Scholar, you recognize this man?" As Scholar Chen was her former tutor, Dou Zhao directly posed the question.
"I have abused your ladyship's trust and concealed my true past!" Scholar Chen suddenly dropped to his knees before Dou Zhao with a thud. He then continued, his voice heavy, "My true name is not Chen Qushui, but Chen Bo! I was once an advisor to Zhang Kai, the former Governor of Futing Prefecture!"
"Fifteen years past, the Dongyu sea pirates laid siege to Futing! Governor Zhang Kai abandoned his post and fled the city, only to be captured alive by Duke Dingguo and subsequently executed by his sword!"
In a torrent of words, like beans spilling from a bamboo tube, Chen Bo confessed the events of his past. He then shook his head, his face a mask of deep regret. "Yan Chaoqing will undoubtedly brand me an unrighteous man! To have implicated the Lord Marquis and Your Ladyship... I... Sigh!"
To think that these unexpected arrivals were entangled in such an old feud with Scholar Chen Bo! Dou Zhao, Miao Ansu, and Zhao Zhangru were all momentarily stunned into silence. When they recovered their wits, their gazes simultaneously shifted to Wei Tingyu. With the Lord Marquis present, he would naturally be the one to decide how to handle this affair.
"Scholar Chen, please rise." Wei Tingyu, of course, remained entirely unperturbed by these revelations, for he had known of them all along. He made a gesture for Chen Bo to stand and said calmly, "Since you are Zhao'er's esteemed tutor and have rendered her much service over these years, this present predicament cannot be blamed on you."
"Many thanks for your magnanimity, Lord Marquis!" Dou Zhao expressed her gratitude towards Wei Tingyu as she watched her old tutor, still trembling slightly, slowly get to his feet. Only then did she release a quiet sigh of relief. After all, if Wei Tingyu had indeed chosen to cast Scholar Chen aside to avoid implicating himself, she would have been powerless to intervene. Fortunately, the Lord Marquis was a man of profound understanding and righteousness; he had not forced her into such an agonizing choice!
"However, there is no grain to be requisitioned here, nor are there soldiers to be commandeered. Why then would they come to this place, concealing their identities?" Dou Zhao, ever the astute mind she was, her sharp intellect always online, immediately pinpointed the crucial question.
"Duke Dingguo has met with misfortune," Wei Tingyu stated with unwavering calm, directly unveiling the truth. Then, under the astonished and uncomprehending gazes of everyone present, he continued, "Duke Dingguo commands a host of fifty thousand troops. If he were truly to face dire straits, it would only be by secret imperial decree, with the Shadow Vane Guard dispatched for his arrest and escort! Otherwise, were a military rebellion to be incited, how would the Imperial Court possibly cope?"
"How could Your Lordship possibly deduce this?" Chen Bo, astounded that Wei Tingyu could infer so much from the few words he had just spoken, pressed with a face full of shock.
"When a subject's merits become too great, they invariably shake the throne. Such has been the case since time immemorial," Wei Tingyu replied with a serene smile.
"Oh, that's right! They also have an infant with them!" Su Lan suddenly exclaimed, as if smacking her own forehead in recollection, hurriedly adding this crucial piece of intelligence.
"If it is truly as you say, that the Great Xia dynasty is on the verge of collapse, and this is a desperate entrustment of an orphan before calamity strikes... and I have inadvertently jeopardized it all..." Chen Bo was now utterly convinced. A look of pure terror crossed his face as he stammered, "Then... then they would surely not leave any loose ends that could expose them!"
"So be it. Since this calamity was stirred by my presence, let me be the one to bear the full responsibility!" Chen Bo took a deep, steadying breath, then removed his scholar's cap. Turning to face Wei Tingyu and Dou Zhao, he declared resolutely, "Slay me alone, and let that be the end of it!"
"Scholar Chen, stay your hand!" Yet, just as Chen Bo had turned, and before Dou Zhao could utter a word, Wei Tingyu's voice cut in, halting him.
"Duke Dingguo's reputation may be formidable, but in my presence, it counts for naught!" Wei Tingyu observed as all eyes in the room fixed upon him. A profound, knowing smile touched his lips as he declared, "Regardless, it is hardly their place, these outsiders, to commit wanton murder within the confines of our estate..."
...
"Reporting! It has been ascertained: forty-two female members, and twenty household servants and young lads!"
"Furthermore, four distinguished guests arrived at the villa only today. They have already retired to rest!"
"As for their precise identities, these young servants and maids are remarkably tight-lipped. We were unable to glean any specifics!"
Within Song Mo's chamber, Yan Chaoqing was delivering his report on the intelligence gathered from the villa: "Lu Zheng and Lu Ming have already sealed off all entrances and exits. All preparations are complete!"
"Strike!" Upon hearing Yan Chaoqing's report, Song Mo's eyes narrowed. After a brief moment of contemplation, he issued the command without hesitation!
"Yes, Master!" At their lord's command, the black-clad figures within the room spun on their heels and charged out of the doorway without a shred of hesitation. Even if it meant the slaughter of the innocent—the old, the weak, women, and children—within this mountain villa, they would not waver for an instant!
Immediately following, the faint, chilling sounds of clashing steel and murderous cries drifted from the courtyard, only to be swiftly swallowed by an unnerving silence!
...
Song Mo once again draped his black cloak around his shoulders. With an air of supreme, if somewhat forced, arrogance, he led Yan Chaoqing and two of his most trusted lieutenants out through the main doorway. To ensure that not a single soul was left breathing, he deemed it necessary to personally inspect the entire mountain villa once the deed was done.
Accompanied by the relentless downpour, flashes of lightning rent the sky, followed by peals of thunder. For a fleeting instant, an ethereal brilliance would illuminate the entire courtyard, only to be snatched away the very next moment, plunging it back into profound darkness. Yet, even that ephemeral luminescence was sufficient for Song Mo to gain a crystal-clear view of the situation unfolding within the courtyard.
There, in the courtyard, stood several of his black-clad subordinates, their conical hats shielding them from the rain, apparently awaiting his next command. And at their feet lay a scattering of mangled, incomplete corpses. And upon the strategic high ground of the rooftops, two more of his men were positioned, their crossbows aimed to cover every nook and cranny of the courtyard below.
Truly worthy of being the elites of my Dingguo Army! Song Mo thought with a surge of pride. Their work is always so clean and efficient!
With this arrogant thought swelling in his chest, Song Mo traversed the long, covered walkway of the courtyard, striding purposefully towards the main hall. He knew, with chilling certainty, that the scene within must now resemble a veritable inferno on earth! Those female family members, the servants, and indeed, those four "distinguished guests" who had arrived today—all must now lie slaughtered within those main chambers.
It was regrettable, of course, but there was no other way! Who told them to have such abysmal luck?! To have arrived at this mountain villa on this very day, thereby forfeiting a lifetime of wealth and privileged existence in vain! However, for the sake of Duke Dingguo's orphaned heir, the deaths of everyone in this villa would, at least, serve a valuable purpose!
Musing thus, Song Mo quickened his pace. Yet, just as he rounded a bend in the covered walkway, he abruptly sensed that something was terribly wrong. For there, at the far end of the walkway, stood three indistinct figures!
These three were most certainly not his own men! A sharp sense of alarm immediately pricked Song Mo's mind. His subordinates were well aware of his penchant for grand entrances and would never dare to stand in the middle of the corridor, obstructing his path.
And in that very instant, another streak of lightning tore across the sky. Aided by that brief, intense illumination, Song Mo finally saw them clearly.
Standing before him... were three women!
The woman at their head wore her hair in a high coiffure, marking her as a married lady. Her features were strikingly handsome, possessing a distinctly martial and heroic air. The two figures behind her were attired as servant girls, yet their garments—short tunics and pleated skirts—were clearly tailored for agility and ease of movement. Moreover, all three women stood with an imposing, upright bearing, a stark contrast to the typically demure posture of noblewomen. It was evident at a glance that they were martial practitioners!
"To think there were three female martial cultivators hidden within this villa!" However, for Song Mo, who had witnessed his fair share of grand and perilous situations, this development was not enough to instill fear, merely a flicker of surprise.
"More than just three!" the leading woman, Zhao Zhangru, retorted. Seeing the arrogant sneer on Song Mo's face, barely visible beneath his cloak, she couldn't suppress a scornful laugh. "Has Young Master Mei perhaps gone blind?"
With those words, Su Xin and Su Lan, standing just behind her, simultaneously clapped their hands lightly.
In the next instant, all the black-clad figures in the courtyard, who had been wearing conical bamboo hats, uniformly removed their headwear and cast them aside.
Only then did Song Mo's gaze sharpen with horrifying realization. Those figures standing in the courtyard... were not his men at all! Instead, the mangled corpses strewn upon the ground—those were his men.
He had just issued the order for them to slaughter everyone in the villa. Yet, after what could only have been a few brief exchanges, a mere flurry of "ping-ping pang-pang," his entire contingent had been utterly decimated! Even the two figures positioned on the rooftops, holding crossbows with a commanding view—they too belonged to the enemy! They had merely appropriated the crossbows from his fallen subordinates.
"Your Highness!" Yan Chaoqing's voice was strained, his entire back drenched in a cold sweat. As Song Mo's current lieutenant, he was intimately aware of the formidable combat prowess of these elite soldiers. For the enemy's black-clad warriors to have annihilated a numerically superior force of Duke Dingguo's finest elites within a mere handful of clashes... To do so without even allowing them the chance to utter a cry for help or sound an alarm... it was unthinkable!
Song Mo's eyes, too, darted about, his mind racing as he frantically assessed the dire situation. Based on the outcome of the clash between his subordinates and these adversaries—his forces utterly annihilated while the enemy seemingly hadn't suffered so much as a scratch—what did this imply? It meant the martial prowess of the two sides was not merely different; they were on entirely separate tiers of power!
Even he, Song Mo, if besieged by such a multitude of highly skilled black-clad experts, let alone emerging victorious, even escaping with his life intact would be a monumental challenge! As for his retainers, Yan Chaoqing, Lu Zheng, and Lu Ming, they stood absolutely no chance of breaking through this encirclement! And as for Duke Dingguo's orphaned heir... it would be utterly impossible for him to flee with the child in tow!
No matter how he dissected it, the current situation was an inescapable death trap!
Song Mo's brow furrowed into a tight knot. He then lifted his gaze to meet that of Zhao Zhangru, who stood before him.
"Madam!" Yet, the thought of his maternal uncle's orphaned child forced Song Mo to swallow his pride. He looked at Zhao Zhangru, clasped his fists in a deferential salute, and said, "It is I who have been rash and presumptuous! I implore you, Madam, grant us leave to depart..."
These fallen subordinates are already lost, he thought grimly. There's no saving them now. My life, and more importantly, the child's life, are paramount!