Chapter 204: The Warning Sign from the Stone Sculpture
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation
It was midnight, and heavy snow fell from the dark sky as Rong Che patrolled the streets. His head was covered in a blanket of snow, and suddenly, an intense wave of fear surged through his heart, constricting his chest as if pierced by a thousand needles. He doubled over in agony, the small sculpture he held falling to the ground with a heavy thud.
“Ah!” Rong Che gasped, his forehead slick with cold sweat. The sculpture was scorching in his grip, and the escalating fear deeply unsettled him.
“Strange, why hasn’t he appeared today?” the deputy asked, trailing behind Rong Che with a tone of wariness.
Clutching his chest, Rong Che concealed the sculpture within his coat. “I need to go back.”
“But General, your home is this way!” the deputy exclaimed, caught off guard. His voice echoed loudly, but Rong Che did not turn back. Instead, he sprinted away.
“How odd… General Rong abandoning his post?” The deputy, having served Rong Che for over a decade, had never witnessed such panic in him.
Riding his horse fiercely, Rong Che scattered snow in all directions. Despite leaving sufficient guards to secure the Lu family, he couldn’t rest until he saw them safe. The thought of any harm befalling Madam Xu was unbearable.
“Madam Xu!” Rong Che sped across half the capital, dismounting before his horse had fully halted. As he approached the gate, an unprecedented wave of panic struck him. Even the typically composed Protectorate General felt a chill surge from his feet to his head.
He pounded on the door desperately. To his astonishment, it swung open with merely a gentle push. The doorman lay motionless on the ground.
Rong Che’s breathing hastened, his heart pounding fiercely. Driven mad by urgency, he darted toward the back courtyard. Memories of his nightmare flashed before him—Madam Xu perishing on a snowy day, with no one to even claim her body.
His eyes, bloodshot and teary, betrayed none of his former regal demeanor. Reality and dreams blurred as he navigated through the courtyard, passing maids and guards sprawled lifelessly, their throats slit, sinking his heart further.
He halted, overwhelmed by fear, anxiety, and despair, his complexion ashen. Stepping into the courtyard, he was met with a shocking sight.
In the center, a thinly-dressed woman sat motionless in the snow, clutching a child tightly, her entire form shielded in her embrace. She trembled, her body and even her eyelashes cloaked in a thick layer of snow.
Rong Che’s heart skipped a beat. He approached softly, fearing any disturbance. Madam Xu was humming a lullaby intermittently, her lips pale and purple, numbed by the cold. His eyes welled with tears—his fear was his alone, as was the relief of finding her alive.
He gently brushed the snow from Madam Xu’s shoulder. Turning stiffly, her chattering teeth stopped as her eyes met his, tears falling freely, warmed slightly by their heat.
Rong Che’s heart ached. He whispered tenderly, lifting both Madam Xu and the child with ease. “Don’t worry, I’m here now. Leave everything to me.” His voice was soft, almost as if he were comforting a child.
Without raising an alarm, he carried Madam Xu to his room, her grip on the child unyielding. He fetched hot water and clean clothes personally.
“Don’t be scared. You and the child have been in the snow too long; it could make you ill if you don’t take a warm bath. I won’t leave; I’ll stay right outside the screen. You both need a warm bath to prevent a cold.”
He had prepared clothes for Madam Xu and her family at his home and even employed a cook familiar with their favorite meals. He was never unprepared.
Madam Xu only realized the cold once she left his warm embrace. Rong Che was a true gentleman; he covered his ears, closed his eyes, and faced away from her behind the screen.
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation
Feeling somewhat reassured, Madam Xu sang softly while bathing the child, cleansing away the signs of the ordeal. Lu Chao Chao, exhausted, did not open her eyes.
Dressed in the provided clothes, Madam Xu emerged with her hair loose, placing Chao Chao on the bed. Chao Chao murmured in her sleep, reaching out her small hand.
“Mommy’s here, mommy’s with Chao Chao,” she cooed softly. Only then did Chao Chao drift into a peaceful slumber.
Rong Che, now with a towel, silently dried Madam Xu’s hair. The candles flickered as the snow ceased and dawn approached.
Once her hair was dry, Rong Che spoke softly. “Sleep now, I’ll stay by your side.”
Madam Xu looked at him, sitting silently at the bedside, her expression heavy.
Rong Che clenched his fists. Despite his desire, he would not exploit her vulnerability. But her falling tears moved him deeply, and he tenderly embraced her shoulders, offering solace.
His love for Madam Xu was profound, tinged with the shadows of his dreams. He cherished her deeply, her presence a balm to his fears.
“Why did it take so long for you to return?” Madam Xu sobbed softly, clutching at his clothes. Fear had nearly driven her to kneel to protect Chao Chao, a thought that terrified her more than anything. She feared losing Chao Chao, the fleeting nature of their hard-won happiness.
“I’m sorry, it’s my fault. I wasn’t back earlier. I allowed you to be put in danger. It won’t happen again,” Rong Che’s voice shook, the thought of losing Madam Xu again unbearable.
Her tears flowed freely at his apology, a release Rong Che found comforting. Holding it in would only cause her more pain.
Madam Xu cried until exhaustion took over, comforted by his familiar scent. She fell asleep in his arms, still weeping.
Rong Che laid her beside Chao Chao, ensuring they were both snug, and stood watch outside. He dispatched his men to secure the Lu household and sent a report to the palace. The secret guards had mostly been slain, and the household guards’ throats had been slit.
This was not the work of North Zhao. Only the Southern Kingdom, in their devotion to their gods, possessed such brutal efficiency. They had likely overlooked most of the young maids, leaving them unconscious in the cold. Three were found frozen to death.
Rong Che shivered, realizing how narrowly they had escaped reliving the nightmare.