Chapter Seventy-Four: The Assassin in the General’s Residence

“What else does Commander Kaiming wish to know?” Tianlang asked with a broad smile. “I will answer all without reservation.”

“There’s nothing in particular I’m curious about,” Kaiming replied, not to be outdone. “Aren’t we just chatting? Let’s talk about whatever comes up.”

“In that case, I won’t disturb your rest any longer.” Tianlang rose promptly, cupped his hands in farewell, and said, “I take my leave.”

“Safe travels!” she replied with feigned courtesy.

Tianlang’s robes fluttered as he walked away, and Kaiming gazed after him, lost in thought. She was just standing there, when the conversation between Spoon and Xiaowan drifted over in fits and starts.

“Is the general good to you, little sister? Has she bullied you?”

“The general is very kind, but Xiaowan is afraid of her.”

“What are you scared of? With your brother and mother here, we’ll stand up for you!”

Kaiming heard this and couldn’t help but smile wryly to herself. Children’s talk, she thought. Your mother can barely protect herself now—how could she shield you?

That night, Kaiming hugged a pile of gleaming gold and slept more soundly than she ever had before, probably dreaming of counting coins. Spoon, unable to take gold’s place, could only sleep at her feet. Xiaowan was taken to sleep with her own mother.

Deep into the night, a strange shadow flitted past the door, paused for a moment, then vanished beneath the cold, moonlit sky. On the rooftop, a figure moved like a bat in the darkness, tiptoeing nimbly across the tiles, heading unerringly for the front courtyard. He stopped before a pitch-black room, pressed his ear to the door and listened. Hearing the even breaths of deep sleep inside, he drew the knife from his belt, quietly pried open the bolt, and slipped in.

Moonlight streamed in from behind, casting a faint glow as two long legs stepped warily forward. The light was quickly shut out as the door closed, and the night prowler’s strange eyes locked onto the sleeping mother and daughter.

Dayin had let down her guard; her wounds had only just healed and she’d been exhausted from travel. She had fallen asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow. Xiaowan, however, was restless and didn’t sleep well in a new place, tossing and turning.

The prowler crept closer, so close he could touch the edge of the bed. His knife was raised high. In this tense moment, Xiaowan suddenly turned over, blearily opening her eyes.

Her bright eyes looked at him in confusion. The prowler was startled, his knife suspended midair, eyes wide, frozen in place.

In less than a second, both came fully awake. Xiaowan let out a piercing scream, shattering the night’s silence. Dayin woke abruptly, her sharp gaze shooting straight at the uninvited guest at the bedside.

The prowler slashed down. A cold wind whistled past their faces. Dayin grabbed Xiaowan and rolled them toward the inside of the bed.

The first strike missed, and the prowler went for another. Dayin seized a wooden pillow and hurled it at him. He parried with the knife. She grabbed another object and threw it at him.

The prowler again raised his blade to shield his face.

Seizing the chance, Dayin hurled the pillow with all her might at the window. The lattice shattered with a loud crack, startling the patrolling soldiers outside.

“General! General, is something wrong?” Rapid footsteps approached, gathering at the door.

Dayin turned to the stunned prowler and smiled coldly. “Since you’re here, why not stay a while longer?”

The prowler snorted, relying on the fact that the soldiers had yet to burst in, and that Dayin was unarmed. His knife flickered, launching another attack.

Dayin pushed Xiaowan aside and dodged as best she could in the cramped space.

Though his face was masked, the prowler’s eyes glinted with a twisted smile as his knife danced in a flurry of shadows, weaving an impenetrable net aimed straight at her.

This time, there was nowhere to escape—unless someone took the blow for her.

With a dull thud, hot blood spattered. The prowler’s narrowed eyes widened in horror and disbelief. The knife had indeed found human flesh and the blood was real, but the victim was not as intended.

He had stabbed Xiaowan.

Blood gushed from the wound, draining the color from Xiaowan’s delicate face. Her eyes were wide open, staring at the prowler with a hollow gaze that sent chills down his spine. His target had not been the little girl, but the woman behind her—Dayin.

Dayin moved Xiaowan’s body aside, her eyes glacial as she fixed her gaze on the prowler.

A more terrifying thought rose in his mind. This woman frightened him. For the first time, he was afraid of a woman—a mother who could so coldly sacrifice her own daughter for her own survival.

His hands shook and he could barely grip his knife. In the darkness, Dayin’s eyes gleamed like a bloodthirsty leopard, her lips curving in an unfathomable smile.

He involuntarily let go of the knife just as the soldiers outside kicked the door open and rushed in. The prowler darted for the shattered window and vanished into the night.

Outside, there was a brief clash, shouts from the soldiers, and then stillness.

Dayin laid Xiaowan gently on the bed. Blood spurted from her little body, her lips quivering as she stared at Dayin, speechless.

“Hush,” Dayin whispered, pressing a finger to her lips in a gesture of silence, her smile oddly tender as she stroked Xiaowan’s pale cheek. “Be good, Xiaowan. Mother loves you.”

The soldiers stood dumbfounded at the doorway, bewildered by her strange behavior.

Dayin turned, her eyes flashing coldly as she barked, “Mobilize all the troops! The assassin must be caught!”

The soldiers responded and rushed off. She called after the last one, ordering, “Fetch Doctor Jin at once, and have him here as quickly as possible!”

The man ran off in haste.

When all the soldiers had gone, Dayin rose and walked slowly to the window, lifting her head to the cold air. Xiaowan’s eyes followed her, little by little, her gaze full of doubt and confusion. Was this cold and unfeeling general, who had used her as a shield, truly her mother?

Dead leaves swirled around the prowler’s feet as he stumbled away, clutching his chest. After a few steps, unable to hold back the turmoil within, he tore off his mask and bent over to vomit.

He had never met such a woman before—her terrifying, predatory eyes haunted him, Xiaowan’s blood still warm on his hands, making him tremble.

He jerked his head up, hair wild, a ghostly figure beneath the moon. He could hear the pursuers closing in behind him, but he was frozen, unable to move.

“What happened to you?” A pair of sturdy legs entered his vision. Looking up, he saw black trousers, a black robe, a tight-lipped mouth, and slanted phoenix eyes. It was Lord Yu Bing.

With a weak groan, he nearly collapsed.

Ji gazed into the distance, frowning. “Let’s go… Tianlang…”

In a room lit by half a candle, Ji poured him a cup of tea. “Here.”

Tianlang took it without ceremony and drank half in silence.

Ji’s sharp gaze pinned him. “Why did you act without orders?”

Tianlang stared into the cup. “She was recently wounded and had just recognized her daughter. She would naturally lower her guard—it was the perfect opportunity.”

“If it was so perfect, why did it end like this?” Ji sneered.

“It was an accident,” Tianlang replied bitterly, finally looking up. “Who would have thought a mother could be so cold as to use her own child as a shield?”

Ji said nothing, his expression complex.

“Ji, this woman is terrifying,” Tianlang said hesitantly. “I fear nothing will escape her schemes…”

Ji looked away. “Stick to the original plan.”

“Take advantage of the chaos and return at once, before Dayin suspects anything.”

While the General’s Manor was in utter turmoil, Kaiming slept soundly, oblivious to the disaster outside.

Suddenly, the door was thrown open and Dayin strode in, her gaze sweeping over Kaiming asleep on the bed, a hint of displeasure in her eyes. “Commander Kaiming.”

Spoon was the first to wake, rubbing his eyes and nudging Kaiming. “Mother, the general is here…”

Kaiming, still dreaming, pushed his hand away and continued her slumber.

“Mother, Mother, the general…”

“I’ll handle this,” Dayin said, stepping forward. She grabbed a cup of cold water from the table and splashed it on Kaiming’s face. The cold jolted her awake, forcing her out of sleep.

She stared blankly at the face before her, stunned.

“Commander Kaiming.” Dayin’s voice sounded distant. Kaiming wiped her face and finally came to her senses. “General? Why are you in my room?”

Dayin’s eyes drifted to the pile of gold Kaiming was hugging, and her brows furrowed slightly. Kaiming hastily pushed the gold away and offered a sheepish smile. But, just awake, her face was stiff and the smile painfully awkward.

Dayin looked away, her gaze settling on Spoon, the boy’s bright eyes full of curiosity.

A fleeting smile crossed Dayin’s face before she composed herself, her voice calm. “Commander Kaiming, you weren’t startled, were you?”

“Startled by what?” Kaiming asked, puzzled. “What is the general talking about?”

Dayin spoke slowly. “There was an assassin in the manor just now. The target was me, but Xiaowan was wounded by mistake. The doctor is tending to her. I was worried about your safety, so I…”

Before she could finish, Spoon threw off the covers and, barefoot, dashed out the door.

“Spoon! It’s dangerous outside, come back!” Kaiming shouted, fumbling for her shoes and muttering, “That child, always causing worry…”

Dayin suddenly blocked her way, her expression strange. “You needn’t worry. The assassin has fled, and I’ve increased security. The manor is full of soldiers—Spoon will be safe. Since he’s worried about his sister, he won’t return tonight. I… I’ll take care of him. I’ll… stay in this room tonight as well, so as not to disturb Commander.”

With that, Dayin gave a crisp signal to the soldiers, who all left, shutting the door behind them with a clang.

Kaiming slumped onto the bed, her mouth open in shock, unable to process Dayin’s words. As the stepmother of two children, she was now to be left waiting alone? What kind of situation was this?

(To be continued...)