"What's this? Young Master Mei has decided against slaughtering our villa after all?" Zhao Zhangru's voice dripped with sarcasm. The sight of that face—once a mask of insufferable arrogance, now stripped bare and forced into submission—filled her with utter revulsion.
Song Mo's lips twitched at Zhao Zhangru's biting words. After so many years of putting on airs, he had finally slammed into an iron wall. The price for his arrogance, it seemed, was rather steep.
"A misunderstanding! This is all a terrible misunderstanding!" Yan Chaoqing, by now, was soaked in a cold sweat. Seeing that even his commander, Song Mo, had been forced to concede, he hastily chimed in, "If Madam is willing to show mercy and raise her noble hand, we vow to repay this kindness a thousand, nay, ten thousand times over in the future!"
"Repay?" Zhao Zhangru let out a sharp, derisive laugh. Her gaze, filled with contempt, swept over Song Mo, then Yan Chaoqing. "From shameless villains who, at the drop of a hat, would butcher an entire household—sparing neither the old, the weak, women, nor children—is there even a single iota of believability in your words?"
"Concubine Zhao speaks true! Such men are utterly untrustworthy!"
"Sanctimonious hypocrites! Pah!" Su Xin and Su Lan, standing behind Zhao Zhangru, immediately chimed in, their voices laced with the same profound disgust for Song Mo and his cohort.
Indeed! These people had been living peacefully in their mountain villa, having neither provoked nor offended them. They had even granted them entry to shelter from the storm—an act of considerable kindness! Yet, these fiends repaid that kindness with vicious intent, plotting a bloody massacre of the entire villa, not even intending to spare the servant girls and matrons!
Such an atrocity was something no one with a shred of decency could ever accept, let alone forgive! Had it not been for the fortuitous presence of the Lord Marquis, his Madam, and the Concubines at the villa this very night, every single one of the young lads, servant girls, and old retainers who usually guarded this place would have met a gruesome end, their bodies left dismembered!
And now, these very same individuals stood before them, brazenly spouting nonsense about "misunderstandings" and promising rewards a thousand times over? It was enough to make one die of laughter!!!
"You curs...!" Being so openly derided by two mere servants, Song Mo's carefully constructed facade of arrogance finally cracked! It would have been one thing coming from others, but for Su Xin and Su Lan—two women clearly identifiable as mere servant girls—to dare mock him? How could he possibly tolerate such an affront?
"Oh, do drop the act! Isn't it exhausting?" Zhao Zhangru rolled her eyes in exasperation as Song Mo's expression contorted. How can they both be young noblemen? she mused. Compared to our Lord Marquis, this specimen before me isn't even worthy to carry his shoes! The disparity is truly heaven and earth. Thank goodness my eyes were sharp and my actions swift in securing a place as a concubine in the Marquis's Manor!
"Since it has come to this, I implore Madam to convey a message to the master of this estate! This humble one wishes to speak with him face to face!" Song Mo, despite his usual penchant for posturing, had indeed spent many years navigating the harsh realities of military camps. His mind wasn't entirely clouded by arrogance. A crucial detail suddenly struck him: the two servant girls had addressed this young woman as 'Yiniang'—Concubine. In other words, she was merely a concubine of the household's master, not even the First Madam! Therefore, she certainly lacked the authority to decide whether he lived or died. The paramount objective now was to establish contact with the true master.
"You? Worthy of speaking to my master?" Zhao Zhangru let out a dry, humorless laugh. Her disdainful gaze raked Song Mo from head to toe before she continued, "However, it seems your luck hasn't entirely run out. My master finds this evening's... performance rather diverting and is disinclined to miss the finale. He's watching from over there, you see!"
Song Mo was seething under Zhao Zhangru's contemptuous gaze. From the moment she had appeared, this woman had treated him with utter disdain, from the hair on his head to the soles of his feet. If he weren't unsure of her true capabilities and wary of the highly skilled black-clad figures surrounding them, he would have long since rushed forward and run her through, ending her insolent life with three thrusts and six holes! But now, hearing that the true master of this villa was observing the proceedings, a jolt of alarm shot through Song Mo. He hastily followed the direction Zhao Zhangru indicated with her finger.
Sure enough, a window on the second floor of the main hall in the distance, previously closed, now stood open. There, a nobleman of refined and graceful bearing was seated before a tea table, observing the situation below with keen, almost playful interest. Flanking him on either side were two sumptuously attired ladies, diligently pouring him wine and offering him delicacies. The young lord's hands rested with casual intimacy upon the slender waists of these two beauties, painting a picture of utter decadence and languid indulgence!
One must remember, this was a scene of imminent slaughter! Not some pleasure pavilion or courtesan's boudoir. For this young lord to exhibit such profound nonchalance at this moment... it was almost unnerving!
Then, as another streak of lightning briefly illuminated the night, Song Mo saw the young lord's features clearly. He froze on the spot. For the man was none other than Wei Tingyu, the Marquis of Jining! Both hailed from the elite circles of noble scions in the capital. Although their prior acquaintance had been superficial, they had encountered each other at various banquets. Recognition was instant.
...
"Is that him? The renowned Song Mo?" Miao Ansu murmured, delicately peeling a segment of tangerine for Wei Tingyu. Aided by the flashes of lightning, she too had caught a distant glimpse of Song Mo's figure. The distance made details indistinct, but judging by his silhouette alone, he was merely average—hardly comparable to their own Lord Marquis!
"To achieve such widespread fame, one must possess some measure of skill," Wei Tingyu chuckled softly. He then turned to Dou Zhao, seated beside him. "Zhao'er, my dear, what are your thoughts? Does this Song Mo perhaps fall short of his illustrious reputation?"
"Undoubtedly!" Dou Zhao affirmed with a decisive nod. She cast a fleeting, dismissive glance at Song Mo's distant figure, a faint sneer gracing her lips. "It was once rumored that the Dingguo Army safeguarded our borders and protected the common folk. I even held a measure of admiration for their commanders. Yet today, they intended to commit a massacre within my villa! This starkly contradicts all and sundry tales! To slaughter innocents so wantonly... calling them brigands and robbers would not be an overstatement! I now begin to wonder if the persistent scourge of piracy along our coasts remains unresolved precisely because this very Dingguo Army is in league with those sea bandits and waterborne marauders—a veritable den of official-colluding criminals!"
"That is most astute!" Miao Ansu nodded in fervent agreement with Dou Zhao's assessment. "If that is the case, then the Imperial Court's decree to apprehend Duke Dingguo might not solely stem from his merits overshadowing the throne. It's entirely possible he himself is the true ringleader behind the pirates who plague our shores, a scourge upon the land!"
"Mm," Wei Tingyu hummed in quiet agreement, nodding thoughtfully at his ladies' exchange. Although this particular aspect was never explicitly revealed in the original story's plotline, Wei Tingyu had always found this part of the narrative exceedingly perplexing. The moment Song Mo attempted to slaughter innocents in the mountain villa, his established persona had utterly crumbled! Or perhaps, he had always been this vile, merely adept at concealing his true nature!
But whether his previous image was genuine or a fabrication no longer mattered. Regardless of Song Mo's past character or any contributions he might have made to the Imperial Court, his current intention to butcher everyone in his mountain villa—to murder all these innocent souls, including his own three cherished consorts—was an undeniable fact! On this count alone, Song Mo was fated never to walk out of this villa alive tonight!
...
"The Marquis of Jining... Wei Tingyu?!" Song Mo blinked, his face a mask of disbelief as he turned back to Zhao Zhangru. "He is the master of this mountain villa?"
"This estate was originally the property of our First Madam!" Zhao Zhangru stated plainly, observing Song Mo's stunned expression. "Now, as part of her dowry, it has been registered under the name of the Jining Marquisate. Thus, the master of this place is, naturally, our Lord Marquis!"
"Wei Tingyu... possesses such formidable subordinates?" A genuine tremor of unease ran through Song Mo. He swallowed convulsively, his gaze shifting to the black-clad figures standing resolute and unmoving amidst the torrential downpour in the courtyard.
"Does that surprise you?" Zhao Zhangru offered a faint, chilling smile. With a smooth motion, she drew her customary twin sabers from their sheaths on her back, their polished surfaces gleaming even in the dim light. She leveled them at Song Mo. "Perhaps you can pose your questions to King Yama in his infernal palace!"
"Madam, pray wait a moment—" Song Mo, seeing the tide turning irrevocably against him, desperately sought to stall for time. But Zhao Zhangru had no patience for further parley. Before he could even complete his sentence, she was upon him, twin sabers a whirlwind of deadly steel!
The first stance of the Gale Saber Technique was already executed with considerable proficiency in Zhao Zhangru's hands. As Song Mo beheld the blurring afterimages of her blades, his face drained of color. He hastily drew his own saber, and steel met steel in a shower of sparks!
Being a woman, Zhao Zhangru wielded sabers that were smaller and lighter, a characteristic that perfectly complemented the blistering speed of the Gale Saber Technique! Thus, even though she employed only the first stance—a technique she had only been practicing for a few short days—she managed to fight Song Mo to a standstill.
"Such terrifying speed!" Song Mo's remaining men watched, their eyes wide with disbelief, as their General—their seemingly invincible commander—was locked in an evenly matched duel with this mere concubine from the Jining Marquis's household. They had always considered Song Mo nigh unbeatable; who could have imagined that a woman from this remote mountain villa possessed such astonishing prowess?
However, their surprise paled in comparison to the bitter turmoil raging within Song Mo's own heart! He could distinctly sense that his opponent was not yet exerting her full strength! Zhao Zhangru's sabers moved with ever-increasing velocity; on one or two occasions, he had come perilously close to having his wrist or arm sliced open! Were it not for his years of hard-won battle experience allowing him to evade those strikes by a hair's breadth, he would likely be maimed by now!
What dumbfounded him further was that although this petite woman before him appeared slender and wielded light, small sabers, the force transmitted through his own weapon to his wrist upon each clash was utterly disproportionate! Logically, with his superior weight, physique, strength, and even heavier weapon, his opponent should be the one bearing the brunt of the impact! In a prolonged engagement, she should be the first to falter! Yet, Song Mo distinctly felt that not only were Zhao Zhangru's sabers growing faster, but the power behind them was also steadily increasing! This was a clear indication that she was merely probing him, perhaps even toying with him!
Song Mo had never encountered such a predicament. A potent mixture of fury and helplessness churned within him, yet he had no recourse but to grit his teeth and desperately defend. Zhao Zhangru, in stark contrast, seemed to grow more invigorated with each passing moment, her eyes gleaming with an increasingly fervent light.
Truly! she exulted inwardly. The difference between possessing internal energy and lacking it is as vast as the heavens and the earth! The Lord Marquis had taught her how to expertly channel her inner power. Now, facing Song Mo—a man who surpassed her in physique, weight, and even the heft of his weapon—she could engage him in direct confrontation without a shred of fear! This exhilarating sensation of overwhelming her opponent sent a fiery thrill coursing through Zhao Zhangru's veins, making her very blood sing!
...
"Waah! I never imagined Elder Sister's martial prowess had reached such heights! To think she can even firmly suppress the renowned Song Mo!" Of the trio watching the spectacle unfold from the second-floor balcony as if it were a grand play, Dou Zhao was the first to break into a delighted smile. Indeed, she thought, Elder Sister's decision back then to enter the Marquis's Manor with me was the right one! Although she is but a concubine, it's evident that the Lord Marquis cherishes her greatly; otherwise, he would never have imparted such formidable martial techniques to her.
"Indeed! I find myself a little envious of Sister Ru as well!" Miao Ansu murmured, her gaze fixed on Zhao Zhangru's dynamic figure, her eyes shining like little stars. Although neither of these ladies particularly enjoyed violence or brandishing weapons—in fact, they were prone to tears at the slightest pain or injury—they couldn't help but feel an instinctive admiration for such a dazzlingly heroic and valiant woman!
...
"Quickly! Aid His Highness!" Yan Chaoqing and the other two Dingguo Army soldiers, witnessing Song Mo genuinely losing ground and gradually being overwhelmed, grew frantic. If their commander were to fall, their own chances of survival would plummet to nil! Without a second thought, the three men drew their blades and charged towards Zhao Zhangru from three different directions!
"Despicable cowards!" Zhao Zhangru's eyes flashed with disdain. She took a swift step back, creating distance between herself and her new assailants. Simultaneously, Su Lan and Su Xin, who had been standing ready, saw that their opponents were disregarding all martial honor by ganging up. They instantly drew their own blades and surged forward to meet the attack!
Yan Chaoqing was swiftly locked in combat with Su Lan, while the other two soldiers, even by combining their efforts, found themselves barely able to contend with Su Xin. Witnessing this, Zhao Zhangru wasted no further words and, with a renewed surge of killing intent, lunged once more towards Song Mo.
Song Mo had barely managed to gasp for a single breath when Zhao Zhangru was upon him again, her sabers a silver flash. This time, however, she was visibly enraged. Holding nothing back, she unleashed the full torrent of her internal energy, her twin blades scything directly towards Song Mo's throat.
Faced with such a patently lethal strike, Song Mo had no choice but to desperately raise his saber in a block! Yet, the very instant their weapons collided, an irresistible, cataclysmic force surged through his blade and into his wrist. His saber was violently wrenched from his grip, sent spinning through the air to clatter onto the rain-swept flagstones of the outer courtyard. Undeterred, Zhao Zhangru's twin sabers, having disarmed him, continued their deadly arc, unswervingly aimed at his exposed neck.
In utter desperation, with no other recourse, Song Mo instinctively threw up his arms in a futile attempt to ward off the killing blow! Shlick! Splatter! A crimson spray erupted as both of Song Mo's arms were cleanly severed at the elbows! The covered walkway was instantly saturated with the acrid, sickening stench of fresh blood!
"Aaarrrggghhh!" A bloodcurdling scream of agony ripped through the night air. Song Mo's face, usually a carefully maintained mask of cold arrogance perfect for his posturing, was now hideously contorted and deathly pale from the excruciating pain. Beads of sweat, large as soybeans, erupted on his forehead, coursing down his cheeks to his chin before dripping onto the polished floorboards.
"Your Highness!" Yan Chaoqing cried out in horror at the sight! But in that single moment of distraction, Su Lan, his opponent, seized the fleeting opportunity. Her saber, a streak of deadly light, flashed across his throat! Accompanied by another gush of crimson mist, Yan Chaoqing's eyes bulged wide. His body went rigid before toppling backward like a felled tree.
Even as darkness claimed him, his eyes remained wide with unyielding bitterness and utter disbelief. It was I who masterminded the slaughter of this villa, he thought in his final, fading moments. How could it be that my entire contingent has instead met such a violent end? Until the very last breath, he could not comprehend where, oh where, had it all gone so catastrophically wrong?!
And on Su Xin's side, the outcome was no different! Witnessing Song Mo's gruesome maiming and Yan Chaoqing's instant demise, the two remaining Dingguo Army soldiers descended into utter panic. Their defenses became riddled with openings. Before two more exchanges could pass, Su Xin's blade had found its mark, and they too fell, their eyes wide with terror, unable to rest in peace!
...
"Aaah!" In the main hall above, Dou Zhao and Miao Ansu, witnessing this brutal spectacle, cried out in terror. They simultaneously flung themselves into Wei Tingyu's embrace, one seeking refuge on his left, the other on his right.
To be perfectly frank, while outside a tempest raged with torrential rain and crashing thunder, the atmosphere within his chamber was as warm and pleasant as a spring day. Furthermore, he had exquisite beauties nestled in his arms... If not for these vexatious intruders led by Song Mo disrupting his leisure, such a setting was utterly perfect for indulging in the "savoring of perfume and embracing of jade"!
"There, there, my dears. It's all over now. The matter has been resolved," Wei Tingyu murmured, a slight pout on his lips. He gently patted the delicate, trembling backs of the two ladies, offering comfort. His reassurances, as always, proved remarkably effective. Dou Zhao and Miao Ansu, feeling the soothing presence of their lord, soon regained their composure, their agitated breathing returning to a steady, even rhythm.
"This wasn't an act of our own cruelty, you understand," Wei Tingyu explained gently, knowing his consorts possessed kind hearts, with Miao Ansu being particularly timid. "They were the ones who initiated the slaughter. We were merely forced to act in self-preservation. There was no other choice." If he couldn't help them move past this trauma, he feared they might be plagued by nightmares for some time to come.
Song Mo and his cohorts thoroughly deserved their fates; Wei Tingyu cared not a whit how horribly they perished. However, his own cherished consorts were a different matter entirely; they must be well looked after! To allow them to suffer sleepless nights and recurring nightmares would be a dereliction of his duty as their husband!
"Mm! We... we are not afraid," Dou Zhao affirmed, nodding. She knew Wei Tingyu spoke the unvarnished truth. In the situation they had faced, it was a stark choice: kill, or be killed. There had been no third path.
"The Lord Marquis speaks truly," Miao Ansu agreed, also nodding, though her voice was still a little shaky. "But... but that scene was too dreadful. This concubine... does not wish to look upon it."
That was understandable. Knowing that killing was necessary and witnessing it firsthand were two vastly different experiences. Wei Tingyu nodded in understanding; Miao Ansu's aversion was entirely natural. "Zhao'er, Susu, you should both retire to your chambers and rest for now. Your husband will come and keep you company shortly."
"Yes, My Lord!" Hearing Wei Tingyu's words, both Dou Zhao and Miao Ansu released a simultaneous sigh of relief. Of course, they also understood, with grim certainty, that Song Mo, now disarmed in the most literal and brutal sense, stood absolutely no chance of survival.