Fish Meat – Chapter 114
by Little PandaThe Eleventh Year of Shenchu
The Lamp Behind the Curtain, the Sword in its Case (4)
Ah Xin stood at the entrance of the front hall of Huaichen Mansion. The four windows were guarded by Li Yanyi’s personal troops. Three of the windows were high and not easy to breach, leaving the main entrance where Ah Xin stood as the best point for a breakthrough.
This was the focal point of the attack.
Among those surrounding Huaichen Mansion were troops that Xie Fuchen had once stationed in the Northern Frontier, Xie family’s private soldiers, and a large group of Huangtu (Yellow Earth) loyalists mixed in between. Apart from the Xie family’s personal guards, the rest didn’t recognize Ah Xin, let alone know that this person guarding Li Yanyi was actually Xie Fuchen’s own daughter.
Hang Lie hesitated about whether to step forward. He kept looking towards Xie Fuchen, waiting for him to give an order. But Xie Fuchen remained silent, even forgetting about the wound on his chest.
His daughter was right there, is as still as a mountain when stationary, and as swift as lightning when in motion.
No one could possibly evade her long sword.
Ah Xin had completely forgotten about her own injuries. Her eyes were as sharp as an eagle’s and as focused as a wolf’s, clearly seeing every movement of those attacking. No matter if the opponents wielded knives, spears, swords, halberds, axes, billhooks, or hooks and forks, whether they came in groups of three or five or as lone warriors, Ah Xin needed just one sword strike – just one – to end their lives.
This sword strike seemed effortless. The observing brutes couldn’t understand why this woman could take lives with just a casual flick of her sword. Were these foolish men rushing to their deaths bewitched or had their souls been sucked out?
Naturally, those brutes who only knew how to wield spears and sticks, relying on brute strength to kill enemies, couldn’t understand Ah Xin’s technique. Among the thousand people present, only Hang Lie could truly see Ah Xin’s formidable skills.
Those who could win after exchanging a hundred moves were considered strong, but such strength wasn’t even worth mentioning in front of Ah Xin.
Everyone only saw Ah Xin guarding the main gate, taking advantage of the terrain, preventing the enemy from rushing in all at once, allowing only four or five people to attack simultaneously. They thought she had the upper hand because of this.
The terrain wasn’t the key factor; if it were someone else, they might not be able to withstand the onslaught of many with just one person’s strength. The most convincing proof of her exceptional skill was that Ah Xin’s feet remained planted in the same spot, not moving a single step.
As a seasoned battlefield veteran, Ah Xin had extensive combat experience, especially in facing overwhelming odds, far surpassing that of ordinary experts. How to spot the enemy’s weaknesses, how to deliver a fatal blow before the opponent could strike – these were insights that couldn’t be grasped by those who hadn’t struggled between life and death in an instant.
With an absolute powerhouse like Ah Xin standing guard, even a thousand more men might not be able to take Li Yanyi’s life.
“Lord Xie,” Hang Lie called out to Xie Fuchen, intending to ask for his opinion.
To kill, or not to kill.
For Hang Lie, loyalty and duty came first, money second, and before these two, even family could be sacrificed. But Xie Fuchen was different. Ah Xin was Xie Fuchen’s legitimate daughter, and he needed Lord Xie’s consent before taking action.
Hang Lie was confident he could defeat Ah Xin. No matter how exquisite her swordsmanship, no matter how capable she was of taking a life with a single stroke, at this moment, Ah Xin only had technique left, but no strength. As long as he could restrain her sword and force his way in, he would surely be able to break through this thin layer of window paper, and drag Li Yanyi out.
Xie Fuchen didn’t respond to him.
Having lost too much blood, Xie Fuchen could neither see nor hear anyone except Ah Xin.
Without Xie Fuchen’s command, Hang Lie couldn’t bring himself to act, and could only continue watching Ah Xin slay her opponents one by one.
With a twist of her wrist, Ah Xin’s sword lightly touched beneath an opponent’s chin, as graceful and unrestrained as adding the final stroke to a painting. The person touched by the sword’s edge immediately had a bloody hole in their throat, blood gushing out as they fell to the ground.
A mountain of corpses had already piled up in front of Ah Xin. Everyone thought she would collapse at any moment, and in their eagerness to claim the glory of battle, they rushed forward to take her down. Unexpectedly, even though this woman looked like she could barely stand, she fought with increasing ferocity.
“Next,” Ah Xin said. She had lost all feeling in her waist and could only lean against the doorframe. Her face was frighteningly pale, and cold sweat had soaked through her clothes, but the sharpness in her eyes remained unchanged.
No one dared to step forward.
“You,” Ah Xin suddenly pointed at the Huangtu (Yellow Earth) loyalist closest to her. “You come.”
The Huangtu loyalist, already terrified, was startled by her gesture and nearly fell over where he stood.
Seeing his cowardly demeanor, Ah Xin sneered, “With a motley crowd like you, who can’t even get past the gate I’m guarding, you still dream of usurping the throne of Da Yu? A foolish delusion.”
Xie Fuchen walked out from the crowd, standing face to face with Ah Xin.
Ah Xin had long known he would appear, but hadn’t figured out how to face him.
Father had always been good to her since she was little. She didn’t want to learn women’s work (referring to traditional feminine skills like sewing and embroidery) and had no interest in the four arts of a scholar: zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. She was only interested in weapons and military strategy. Xie Fuchen didn’t object; on the contrary, he greatly encouraged Ah Xin to work hard at what interested her, even finding teachers to instruct her. In her youth, she had a good relationship with Xie Fuchen. To her, a father’s love was like a mountain, and Xie Fuchen was the mountain of the Xie family.
Until she learned what Xie Fuchen had done to the young Wei Tingxu.
Ah Xin had always been curious about how Wei Tingxu got those terrible scars on her wrists. Li Yanyi seemed to know, and with her girlish nature, Ah Xin kept asking, but Li Yanyi refused to speak of it, no matter what.
“Even if you don’t tell me, I can guess.”
Seventeen-year-old Ah Xin and Li Yanyi lay in a grove of crabapple trees, surrounded by flower petals. There was no one else around, just the two of them face to face, chatting for an entire day.
“Oh? What has my clever girl figured out now?” Li Yanyi picked up a petal that had fallen on the corner of Ah Xin’s eye, not wanting anything to obstruct Ah Xin’s beautiful eyes.
“It has something to do with me,” Ah Xin said.
“Why do you think that?”
“If it doesn’t, why can’t you tell me?”
Li Yanyi smiled without speaking, neither confirming nor denying. As Ah Xin was about to press further, Li Yanyi simply pulled her into an embrace, soothing her like one would calm a temperamental cat.
“You mustn’t be interested in anyone but me,” Li Yanyi kissed her forehead. “Otherwise, I’ll get jealous.”
Ah Xin nestled in Li Yanyi’s embrace, and though she lingered in this peaceful bliss, her heart was pounding incessantly.
A particularly uneasy feeling grew in her heart; she knew she had guessed correctly.
Since Li Yanyi wouldn’t tell her no matter what, she decided to investigate on her own.
By then, Ah Xin had mastered various techniques for gathering intelligence. She could plant informants without anyone’s knowledge to uncover the truth.
She even boldly embedded spies within the Wei Mansion, piecing together fragments of information from different people there. The conclusion she reached made her hair stand on end.
All of Wei Tingxu’s injuries were her father’s handiwork… How could he do such things to such a young child!
She sought confirmation from Li Yanyi, but as always, Li Yanyi was unwilling to say more, telling her she was still a child and didn’t need to know too much. When Li Yanyi tried to embrace her, Ah Xin pushed her away for the first time.
“Tell me if this is true. Were all of Wei Tingxu’s injuries caused by my father?” Ah Xin wanted answers. Although she might not be able to accept the truth, she had to know.
“Ah Xin.” What Li Yanyi told her that day, Ah Xin never forgot. “You must understand, this world isn’t simply black and white. I’m not keeping this from you to cover up for anyone. I just don’t want to hurt you.”
In the long years that followed, Ah Xin learned much more.
She was gradually understanding the true meaning of Li Yanyi’s words through her own life experiences.
These words weren’t obscure; many people know the complexity of the world, but few have had them seared into their minds like Ah Xin.
In the end, she chose neither side. She deliberately distanced herself from both Li Yanyi and Xie Fuchen. Until Li Yanyi’s complete rise to power and Xie Fuchen’s support of Li Ju, when the conflict between these two factions stirred up a bloody storm in the imperial court, Ah Xin chose to leave Dongchun and Runing. Any border region would do; she didn’t want to see Li Yanyi or her father.
Countless times at the border, she teetered between life and death, treading over nameless corpses, swinging her sword to kill and conquer cities, sometimes even forgetting who she was. But after each battle, every time she saw the crabapple brocade pouch she couldn’t bear to discard at her waist; every time the cold moon rose as she drank alone; the lively bonfires, the sizzling roasted mutton, the army’s frenzied victory celebrations… all joy was only temporary for Ah Xin. In certain moments, she would always remember Li Yanyi’s smile, think of her homeland thousands of miles away, recall her own identity and past.
She thought she could be loyal to the monarch and to Da Yu, but in the end, everyone can only be loyal to themselves, to their innermost true feelings.
“Ah Xin.” Xie Fuchen stepped out from the crowd. With his chest a bloody mess, he, like Ah Xin, could collapse at any moment. But they both persevered.
“Father has never forced you to do anything. You wanted to leave the Xie family, to guard the border, even to have any relationship with Li Yanyi – father never stopped you. What father thinks doesn’t matter. Father has always taught you not to care about others’ opinions, just do what you believe is right… You’ve always done well, you’re father’s pride. Only today… only today is different. Father begs you.”
To Ah Xin’s surprise, Xie Fuchen bowed deeply to her.
“Don’t let father lose another close family member.”
Seeing her father bow to her, Ah Xin’s mind reeled, and she nearly fainted, her vision going dark.
“Father, you mustn’t…”
“Ah Xin, step aside.”
The sword in Ah Xin’s hand trembled as she watched Xie Fuchen approach.
Xie Fuchen carried no weapon and made no threatening gestures. He came forward with his chest out, as if he were about to cross an ordinary doorway, step by step approaching the edge of Ah Xin’s sword.
Ah Xin took a step back, Xie Fuchen moved closer, Ah Xin retreated again until she could retreat no further.
Xie Fuchen stood before her, the distance between father and daughter no more than the length of a sword that was timid at both ends and almost upright.
If she retreated, Li Yanyi would likely be surrounded and killed; if she advanced, Xie Fuchen would be run through by her sword. Xie Fuchen’s physical condition certainly couldn’t withstand another wound.
Xie Fuchen was determined to enter the room and kill Li Yanyi, and whether to block him or not depended solely on Ah Xin.
As he took another step forward, about to cross the threshold, Ah Xin’s sword suddenly moved horizontally, its edge pressing against his chest.
Xie Fuchen looked down at Ah Xin’s sword and laughed heartily:
“You and your sister, each with a sword, perfect to end this old man’s life! Come on!”
These days, being outmaneuvered by Wei Tingxu and embroiled in Alai’s affair, Xie Fuchen had never been so constrained. Now, with Ah Xin’s sword at his chest, his blood surged, and he boldly thrust his chest forward: “If you want to kill me, do it quickly!”
“My sister?” Ah Xin was greatly confused by his words; since when did she have a sister? In her moment of hesitation, Xie Fuchen suddenly took a large step forward. The sword’s edge tore his clothes, and as Ah Xin was forced to step back, the person before Xie Fuchen changed.
Li Yanyi threw open the main door, replacing Ah Xin, facing Xie Fuchen with a solemn murderous aura.
Her action of opening the door wide startled the soldiers who had been waiting outside for a long time, not expecting this woman to have such courage.
“Xie Fuchen,” Li Yanyi shielded Ah Xin behind her, each word like a blade stabbing fiercely into Xie Fuchen, “Whether ten years ago or ten years from now, you’re equally despicable. You know what kind of person Ah Xin is, yet you don’t hesitate to exploit her weakness. Do you still deserve to be her father?”
Xie Fuchen laughed loudly: “Anyone in this world can ridicule me for using Ah Xin, except you. Li Yanyi, from ten years ago, you had already planned how to deal with our Xie family, that’s why you approached Ah Xin. Tempting with profit and seducing with beauty, aren’t you also using her, hoping that today she would point her sword at her own father? Using my daughter to kill me, you and Wei Tingxu are truly jackals from the same lair, using exactly the same tactics!”
“What?” Li Yanyi questioned, “What does this have to do with Wei Zizhuo?”
Xie Fuchen’s eyes narrowed slightly, gauging how much of Li Yanyi’s confusion was real and how much was fake. Or did Li Yanyi truly not know about everything Wei Tingxu had been doing in secret?
As they were exchanging words, Hang Lie, who had been lurking nearby waiting for an opportunity, seized the moment for a lightning strike. His sword brushed past Xie Fuchen, aiming precisely at Li Yanyi’s heart. Ah Xin shouted “Danger!” and circled around Li Yanyi’s back, deflecting Hang Lie’s sword with a diagonal parry, barely managing to divert it. Hang Lie’s sword missed Li Yanyi’s heart but pierced her arm.
Hang Lie seized the opportunity to advance fiercely, crossing to Li Yanyi’s front in one step to continue his attack. Ah Xin grabbed Li Yanyi’s shoulder and spun around, switching their positions, forcibly using her back to shield Li Yanyi from Hang Lie’s sword.
“Don’t harm Ah Xin!” Xie Fuchen couldn’t help but shout when he saw Ah Xin bleeding.
Hang Lie didn’t want to hurt her either, but she shielded Li Yanyi so tightly that there was no opening to strike at Li Yanyi.
After taking the sword hit, Ah Xin didn’t even look back. She thrust her sword backwards towards Hang Lie’s eyes. Startled, Hang Lie hurriedly raised his sword to block, not expecting Ah Xin’s sword to be like a flexible spiritual snake (agile and unpredictable). The eye strike was just a feint; as he defended, she had already turned to slash at his lower body. Hang Lie jumped back to parry this move. Xie Fuchen’s soldiers and the Huangtu loyalists seized the opportunity to rush in, with hundreds of people cramming into the front hall of Huaichen Manor, the situation instantly spiraling out of control.
The guards of Huaichen Manor were at a severe numerical disadvantage and were quickly cut down. Ah Xin desperately protected Li Yanyi as they tried to escape, with Hang Lie closely pursuing them.
Xie Fuchen wanted to kill Li Yanyi, but Ah Xin insisted on binding her life to Li Yanyi’s, using her own life to protect this enchantress.
Xie Fuchen was so enraged that he coughed up a mouthful of blood.
Ah Xin fought while retreating, surrounded on all sides by enemy troops. With no way out in sight, the rain blurred Ah Xin’s eyes, and she could already smell death.
Suddenly, in the rainy night, a group of enormous bats appeared.
Group after group, more and more.
At first, the battling crowd didn’t notice this strange phenomenon. These bats, riding the wind and rain, skillfully controlled their descent, gliding towards Huaichen Manor.
Finally, someone noticed.
As the bat swarm drew closer, it became clear they weren’t bats at all, but hundreds of black-clad figures wearing gliding suits!
The black-clad figures descended from the sky like divine troops, decimating Xie Fuchen’s unprepared army until not even a piece of armor left (completely defeated).
Ah Xin was bewildered. Who were these people?
“We’re late, we’re late! Is the battle almost over?”
A huge spherical object floated in from the distant horizon, with flashing lights inside. Beneath it hung a large basket, in which Zhangsun Ran and four women stood, quickly drifting to Li Yanyi’s side with the wind.
Zhangsun Ran swiftly stepped out of the basket and bowed to Li Yanyi: “Your Highness the Grand Princess… no, Your Majesty, Ah Liao has arrived late! However, to perfectly fulfill Your Majesty’s entrusted task, Ah Liao has spared no effort. Ah Liao has carefully selected and recruited 500 strong women from across Da Yu’s rivers to form a women’s army! We’ve come abruptly tonight, please review them, Your Majesty!”
The unparalleled brave women’s army crushed Xie’s troops, immediately reversing the situation. Li Yanyi, not daring to relax, ordered Zhangsun Ran to quickly escort her out of Huaichen Manor.
“What about her?” Zhangsun Ran looked at the now unconscious Ah Xin. “Kill her?”
With just this light question from Zhangsun Ran, the four women behind her immediately drew their weapons and pointed them at Ah Xin. If Zhangsun Ran spoke again, they would instantly take her life.
“Don’t harm her! It was Ah Xin who risked her life to save me, that’s why I’m still alive!”
“Oh, I see. Then let’s take her with us.” As one of Zhangsun Ran’s young women moved to carry Ah Xin, Li Yanyi didn’t let anyone touch her. She picked up Ah Xin herself:
“Let’s go.”
Zhangsun Ran closed the folding fan in her hand and said emotionally: “Life and death are but a moment, only love is eternal. Your Majesty is truly a person of deep feelings.”
Li Yanyi: “…Stop talking nonsense, let’s leave this place quickly.”
Ah Liao’s appearance rescued Li Yanyi and Ah Xin, forcing Xie Fuchen to retreat.
Hang Lie needed to escort Xie Fuchen out of the city. If they didn’t leave now, there would be no chance to escape once Li Yanyi’s forces counterattacked.
As Xie Fuchen was helped into the carriage, he was gasping for breath. He grasped Hang Lie’s hand:
“We can no longer kill Li Yanyi for now. You… have a more important task… that must be done now. This old man’s life or death is not important, but there’s someone who must die…” Xie Fuchen spoke haltingly, “Wei Tingxu, you must kill her. Otherwise… otherwise…”
As he spoke, Xie Fuchen suddenly fell silent. Hang Lie was startled and quickly checked for his breath. Fortunately, he had only fainted.
Hang Lie ordered dozens of men to protect Lord Xie’s carriage as it left the city, while he returned to Taiji Hall to search for Wei Tingxu’s whereabouts.
At Taiji Hall, Zhen Wenjun, Wei Jing’an, and others gradually gained control of the situation. The defeated army retreated outside Taiji Hall, with Zhen Wenjun and her group pursuing to continue the slaughter.
Ah Xun originally wanted to fight Zhen Wenjun to the death, but Zhen Wenjun had no intention of engaging her. Whenever she saw Ah Xun, she would dodge and go fight others elsewhere. Ah Xun was infuriated by her tactics and stopped confronting her directly, instead leading her trusted followers to set up an ambush.
As the fighting spilled into Runing City, Ah Xun saw Zhen Wenjun alone at an alley entrance. Hidden in the alley, Ah Xun immediately poked her head out to launch a sneak attack but was intercepted by someone who appeared out of nowhere.
The person who blocked her was also a woman, wielding a flexible blade that she danced with in a dazzling display, cutting Ah Xun several times. Ah Xun looked closely and realized it was the Wei family’s running dog (lackey) who had chased her to the rooftop when Xie Suishan died at Nanya, the one she had fought with for so long!
“Perfect timing!” Ah Xun had a score to settle with her. “All Wei family running dogs deserve to die!”
This person was none other than Lingbi.
Lingbi sneered, “That’s my line!”
While Lingbi was engaged in a fierce battle with her, Zhen Wenjun had killed more than ten people, her heart burning with the thrill of the fight.
When she turned back to look for Ah Xun, she couldn’t find any trace of her. It was strange – could Ah Xun not have kept up? Or had Ah Xun been killed?
This thought left Zhen Wenjun a hundred feelings intertwined (emotionally conflicted). After a moment’s hesitation, she decided to go back and look for Ah Xun, hoping to subdue and send her away. Sparing her life this time would repay Ah Xun’s past care, and perhaps this would be the end of their sisterly bond.
Lingbi was gradually gaining the upper hand in her one-on-one fight with Ah Xun. Just as Lingbi was about to deliver a fatal blow, she suddenly felt a sharp pain in the back of her knee – someone was attacking her from behind. Lingbi quickly swung back, but the attacker circled to her back again, thrusting another sword into her other leg.
With both legs injured, Lingbi lost her balance and fell to the ground. Hang Lie’s sword moved with lightning speed, killing all of Lingbi’s followers in the blink of an eye.
Lying on the ground, Lingbi was shocked. All those with her were skilled members of the Wei family’s secret guard, yet this person had taken their lives in an instant – he must be a top-tier expert.
As the Wei family followers fell one by one, Lingbi found herself surrounded by Hang Lie, Ah Xun, and others in the alley.
Lingbi struggled to her feet, showing no fear of Hang Lie’s skills as she swung her blade to attack again. Hang Lie’s form blurred as he delivered three consecutive sword thrusts through Lingbi’s legs. Unable to stand, Lingbi fell to her knees.
Hang Lie used his sword to lift Lingbi’s chin: “Wei family’s dog slave, where is your master?”
Lingbi smiled contemptuously and suddenly lunged forward, attempting to impale her throat on Hang Lie’s sword. Hang Lie had anticipated this move and quickly withdrew his sword, backhanding Lingbi across the face.
Lingbi fell into the raindrops, blood flowing from her mouth.
As Hang Lie crouched down, he thrust his sword through Lingbi’s palm. Despite the excruciating pain, Lingbi bit her lip hard, not uttering a sound.
“Wei family’s running dog, you’re quite resolute,” Hang Lie said, grabbing her hair and forcing her to look at him. “I know you’re not afraid of death, but there are many things more painful and terrifying than death. Would you like to try them?”
Zhen Wenjun ran faster and faster, her heart as anxious as if on fire, mud and water splashing beneath her feet.
She heard Lingbi’s voice – it was Lingbi’s agonized scream.
Lingbi had never been one to submit easily; Zhen Wenjun knew better than anyone how fierce her temperament was. To make her scream out loud, it must be an extreme form of torture.
Zhen Wenjun’s heart raced uncontrollably, wishing she could sprout wings and fly there directly!
Wei Tingxu felt a sharp pain in her chest and couldn’t help but clutch the front of her clothes tightly.
“My lady?” Xiaohua noticed her distress.
“…Go back,” Wei Tingxu said.
“But, we’re about to leave the city.”
“Go back,” Wei Tingxu ordered.
Xiaohua had no choice but to comply.
Wei Tingxu’s heart was racing, to the point of pain.
The last time she felt this way was when she saw her elder brother’s corpse.
Finally, she saw the dark figures in the alley.
Hang Lie and Ah Xun heard footsteps. Zhen Wenjun stepped on a sack at the alley entrance, shouting as she leaped up, aiming her strike at Hang Lie. Hang Lie raised his sword to counter; if Zhen Wenjun dodged, he had dozens of follow-up moves ready for her. Unexpectedly, Zhen Wenjun didn’t dodge at all, allowing Hang Lie’s sword to pierce her shoulder. In an instant, she closed the distance between them, sliding the golden cicada knife held between her fingers towards Hang Lie’s throat. Hang Lie, fallen to the ground, struggled violently and managed to slip between Zhen Wenjun’s long legs, saving his life but losing an eye.
Ah Xun and her people immediately launched a fierce attack. Seeing Lingbi lying in a pool of blood, Zhen Wenjun, disregarding everything else, pushed Ah Xun away forcefully. As Ah Xun was pushed towards her followers, Zhen Wenjun scooped up Lingbi and ran.
“After them!”
As Ah Xun and her group gave chase, Zhen Wenjun, carrying Lingbi, ran to the alley entrance, turned a corner, and hid behind a cart. When Ah Xun and Hang Lie had chased far enough, she ran out again, saying to Lingbi in her arms as she ran:
“Sister Lingbi, Sister Lingbi, hang on! I’ll treat your wounds right away!”
Lingbi didn’t respond, and Zhen Wenjun’s heart was in chaos. Suddenly, the person in her arms coughed, and Zhen Wenjun almost cried:
“You scared me to death!”
But Lingbi didn’t banter with her as usual. After coughing a few times, she suddenly said something Zhen Wenjun hadn’t expected at all.
“That Xie family woman said you’re a spy for the Xie family… that you came to the Wei family to kill the young lady. Is it true?”
Zhen Wenjun suddenly stopped in her tracks, stumbling as they both fell onto the rain-soaked ground. She quickly got up to lift Lingbi again, only to see that Lingbi had at least five or six penetrating wounds on her body, her entire form stained red with blood. She tightly gripped Zhen Wenjun’s hand, trembling, and asked again with difficulty:
“You… are you?”
Lingbi stared intently into Zhen Wenjun’s eyes, her weak voice almost drowned out by the sound of the downpour.
Zhen Wenjun’s lips moved, about to speak.
“Don’t lie to me.”
Lingbi’s words left Zhen Wenjun speechless, countless phrases that had reached the tip of her tongue were swallowed back.
Seeing Zhen Wenjun’s expression, Lingbi already had her answer. Tears rolled from her eyes, wanting to say more but lacking the strength.
Seeing her cry, Zhen Wenjun’s heart twisted in unbearable pain, unaware that she had started crying too.
Lingbi’s eyes grew increasingly dull. She held Zhen Wenjun’s hands and said, enunciating each word: “Promise me… don’t kill the young lady.”
Zhen Wenjun said urgently, “Sister Lingbi, stop talking about this! Hold on, I’ll stop your bleeding!”
As Zhen Wenjun tried to tear her clothes to bandage Lingbi, Lingbi held her hands, preventing her from doing anything else.
“Don’t kill her… promise me.” Lingbi had no strength left, these few words were like leaves in the wind, floating and drifting. She persisted with her last ounce of strength, anxiously waiting for Zhen Wenjun’s promise. Zhen Wenjun gripped her hands in return, as if holding on tighter could keep Lingbi’s life in her grasp.
“I promise you, I promise! I’ll protect sister with my life!” Zhen Wenjun cried out in anguish.
Lingbi’s urgent expression froze for a moment, slowly turning into a contented smile. Her grip on Zhen Wenjun’s hand loosened, sliding down without warning.
Zhen Wenjun hurriedly tried to grasp it, but failed.
Lingbi’s hand hit the ground, never to move again.
LP: WHY?!?!?!?
NOOO PLEASE😭
My favorite character just died….why author?!
NOOOOOO LINGBIIIIIII!!!!!
Why Lingbi?? 😭😭
I already expected someone’s gonna die. I just didn’t expect it to be Lingbi.
WHATTTTTTTT NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO R U SRS RN. WHERE S THE PLOT ARMORR