Chapter 55

Chapter 55: Make Him See It With His Own Eyes

The moment Sheng Zhi Wan spoke, Madam Han’s body shook. Madam Han stared at Sheng Zhi Wan in disbelief.

Sheng Zhi Wan acted as if she noticed nothing.

“A-All of them?” Ye Rong’s eyes bulged. “Kill them all?”

Shang Xing Yu said coldly, “A snake will bite in chaos. A tiger will hurt people by nature.”

Shang Xing Yu looked toward the stronghold. “Once those vicious men wake up, we might not escape. Even if we wanted to leave survivors, with only us, we could not.”

Ye Rong sneered. “Then fine. We already killed so many. A few dozen more doesn’t matter!”

Sheng Zhi Wan’s expression stayed calm, as if she trusted them completely. “Kill one and it is a crime. Kill ten thousand and it is glory.”

Sheng Zhi Wan’s voice did not rise, yet it still stirred their blood. “The people you slaughter tonight are all great evils who deserve death. Kill one, and you are a hero. Kill them all, and you are a hero among heroes.”

That blind faith only made Ye Rong and the others feel even hotter, like something fierce had finally ignited in their chests.

In truth, they did not even need to do all the killing themselves.

No one knew what happened to the bandits, but they were already slaughtering each other everywhere. By the time the young masters truly moved in, more than a hundred bandits were already dead, and the rest were all wounded.

So with little effort, the young masters, driven by merit and bloodlust, finished off every last one.

Ting Lan helped Madam Han into Sheng Zhi Wan’s carriage. The thick stench of blood drifted in from outside.

Madam Han trembled all over, her voice shaking as she whispered, “Dead… they’re all dead… they’re all dead…”

Sheng Zhi Wan frowned and told Ting Lan to carry Han Ming Rui into another carriage.

Madam Han did not want to let go at first, but when Madam Han met Sheng Zhi Wan’s eyes, the strength in Madam Han’s arms finally loosened.

Only Sheng Zhi Wan and Madam Han remained in the carriage.

They looked at each other. Madam Han’s lips moved, but she did not know what to say.

Sheng Zhi Wan stared at her. “The girls we rescued do not know who you are.”

Sheng Zhi Wan’s voice was firm. “What happened here, you know. Heaven knows. Earth knows. As long as you do not speak of it, no one else will ever know.”

Sheng Zhi Wan watched Madam Han’s face. “General Han is dead. The only blood he left in this world is your child.”

Sheng Zhi Wan asked quietly, “Can you bear to let him lose even his mother’s love too?”

That question struck Madam Han straight in the heart.

Madam Han’s thin fingers clenched tightly over her chest.

After a long time, Madam Han suddenly dropped to her knees in front of Sheng Zhi Wan. The moment Madam Han’s forehead was about to hit the floor, another hand lifted her up.

Sheng Zhi Wan’s eyes were complicated.

If Sheng Zhi Wan had not waited for Meng Yang to make a move, if Sheng Zhi Wan had ordered these mountain bandits wiped out earlier, then maybe the woman in front of Sheng Zhi Wan would not have suffered this kind of torment.

But there were no ifs.

Sheng Zhi Wan did not regret her decision, but Sheng Zhi Wan also could not accept that kneel.

Sheng Zhi Wan said, “Go back and raise the child well. Sheng Kingdom has already owed the Han Family far too much.”

At those words, Madam Han finally broke. Madam Han sobbed, her cries muffled and raw.

Sheng Zhi Wan did not comfort her. The wound on Sheng Zhi Wan’s back left her weak, and knowing Shang Xing Yu was outside, the tight cord in Sheng Zhi Wan’s chest finally loosened.

Sheng Zhi Wan leaned against the soft cushion and drifted into sleep.

Madam Han went to the other carriage with Han Ming Rui. Ting Lan quickly applied medicine and bandaged Sheng Zhi Wan.

Half-asleep, Sheng Zhi Wan did not even notice the jolting of the road. Instead, Sheng Zhi Wan felt as if her body sank into a warm, pleasant agarwood scent.

The wild wind outside blew in, and Sheng Zhi Wan unconsciously tucked herself deeper into that scent.

It was almost dawn.

On the other side, a fully armed troop of soldiers finally found the mountain bandits’ lair.

The one leading them was Qi Shu Xian.

Qi Shu Xian wore imposing armor that shone with cold light. Under the roaring flames, Qi Shu Xian looked even more striking.

Qi Shu Xian had spent the night at Meng Yang’s courtyard.

If Zhang Da and the others had not dragged their injured legs to kneel outside Wei Yang Courtyard for most of the night, telling him about running into bandits and how Shang Xing Yu and the others had abandoned them, Qi Shu Xian would not even have known Sheng Zhi Wan had fallen into the bandits’ hands.

Qi Shu Xian never would have imagined that Wu Ying, the Shadow Guard Qi Shu Xian had sent to follow Sheng Zhi Wan, had been knocked out and dumped in an alley.

By then, more than half the night had already passed since Sheng Zhi Wan was taken.

Qi Shu Xian did not dare to imagine what Sheng Zhi Wan might have faced in that long night. Those mountain bandits would not spare her just because she was a Princess, especially not with a face like hers.

The more Qi Shu Xian thought, the uglier his expression became.

Qi Shu Xian ignored the cold poison in his body and forced himself out of bed.

Meng Yang did not want to watch Qi Shu Xian suffer and still rush out to save Sheng Zhi Wan, but when Meng Yang met Qi Shu Xian’s eyes, Meng Yang swallowed her unwillingness.

With a mist of tears, Meng Yang said softly, “Heir Apparent, you must come back safely. Meng Yang will always wait here for you.”

Qi Shu Xian did not answer her. Qi Shu Xian rushed out of the courtyard.

The moment Qi Shu Xian left, the tears in Meng Yang’s eyes vanished without a shadow or a trace.

Meng Yang thought, [Sheng Zhi Wan… after an entire night, she had probably already been ruined by those men.]

Meng Yang thought, [So what if she was noble and beautiful? Without thorns to protect herself, she was still something anyone could break and trample.]

Meng Yang thought, [Even if she came back, what would it matter?]

Meng Yang thought, [Good. Let the Heir Apparent see it with his own eyes – see what she looked like under countless men.]

Thinking that, Meng Yang covered her lips and let out a soft laugh.