Chapter 74: Erming Avenges His Mother

Chapter Title: 074—Erming Avenges His Mother

They had been waiting for this moment.

Fang Rulai and Zhu Xishi exchanged a glance, then hurried over, one on each side, to support Mu Zhijin and guide her toward the main gate. Madam Mu followed close behind, pausing every few steps to cast a sorrowful glance back, as if to demonstrate her reluctant grief.

Everything was going too smoothly—far beyond the bounds of the sixty-four stratagems of inner-courtyard warfare. Lin Wan’er stood stunned, her mind racing through the eighty-one practical tricks she’d mastered since childhood for suppressing domestic strife, and yet she couldn’t find a single one that could perfectly resolve the situation before her.

She was armed with a bellyful of schemes, ready to counter any provocation with a decisive, merciless blow. But what was this? The other side had simply handed her the result she most desired. All the stratagems at the tip of her tongue had to be forced back down. Frustrating, but she endured. No matter the process, the result was what mattered.

Regaining her composure, Lin Wan’er turned. “Master—” She meant to express her grateful magnanimity in response to Madam Mu’s willingness to yield, but one look at Sun Chi’s expression silenced her instantly.

Standing behind her, Sun Chi’s face was twisted with rage, his robe billowing as if stirred by a phantom wind. He looked on the verge of fury.

“Mu Tiantian, stop right there!” Sun Chi thundered.

Madam Mu poked Fang Rulai in front of her, signaling, You go ahead.

She then turned, eyes red, voice choked. “Brother Chi—no, Lord Sun, why have you summoned this humble woman?”

“You three, stop as well!” Sun Chi ignored her, shouting at Fang Rulai and her companions as they moved toward the door.

Madam Mu stepped sideways to block Sun Chi’s line of sight. “Lord Sun, whatever you wish to discuss, you may speak with me. There’s no need to trouble the children!”

The deep emotion in Madam Mu’s eyes was plain: it all but read, “But those are your own children.” Yet, before, Sun Chi had been ready to acknowledge his son and son’s mother. Now, his eyes flashed, and with a flick of his wrist, a sleeve arrow shot straight toward Mu Zhijin.

Sun Chi had never been a fool. If he didn’t suspect Madam Mu at this point, he’d be as brainless as Sun Ming.

Half of Pingcheng knew he had forced himself on his own son. In front of him, she’d put on a show of passion and reproach, but now that he was offering everything she wanted, she was ready to walk away? No matter how sweet the words, the intent to take Mu Zhijin away was obvious.

Trying to leave before the truth was clear? Dream on!

The sleeve arrow flew swiftly, its icy wind biting to the bone.

Madam Mu cried out and lunged forward, but too late. The arrow grazed her sleeve and shot past. Zhu Xishi started to draw her butcher’s knife to block it, but Fang Rulai held her back—don’t move! Until the situation was clear, Sun Chi would not truly strike to kill.

With a metallic clang, the arrow pinned a corner of Mu Zhijin’s robe to the ground, forcing Fang Rulai and her companions to halt.

Madam Mu’s legs gave out and she collapsed.

Sun Chi stepped forward, his eyes fixed on Madam Mu. “Does Mu Zhijin have three whorls on his crown or not?” Whether to acknowledge his child or the child’s mother, the prerequisite was that Mu Zhijin truly belonged to the Sun family.

“He does, of course!” Madam Mu replied, without changing her tone. “Brother Chi, Tiantian to you—”

She tried to play the emotional card again, but Sun Chi, now suspicious, cut her off coldly. “Fine. If you’re not lying, let me see for myself.”

Without stopping, Sun Chi stepped past Madam Mu toward Mu Zhijin. He realized how reckless he’d been, promising this and that before confirming the truth. Fortunately, his reason returned in time—this time, he would see with his own eyes if the boy was truly his.

Madam Mu panicked, glancing urgently at Fang Rulai. What now? If he saw, not only would all their efforts be wasted, but their lives—including Mu Zhijin’s—would be forfeit.

Zhu Xishi gripped her butcher’s knife, prepared to fight if escape was impossible.

Fang Rulai tensed as well. She hadn’t expected Sun Chi to regain his composure so quickly. She’d thought they’d at least be out the gate before being pursued. Now that Sun Chi was alert, their ruse had already failed. If they waited for him to see for himself, it would be too late.

This time, Fang Rulai didn’t hold Zhu Xishi back. Her gaze sharpened: as Zhu Xishi charged, she would seize the chance to carry Mu Zhijin and run—the closer to Liu the Cripple, the safer Mu Zhijin would be.

She was just about to signal Zhu Xishi to strike when a voice sounded, and instead of signaling, she held Zhu Xishi’s hand back.

“Father, do you mean that the one who looks dead has three whorls on his crown, just like Erming? Really? I want to see too!”

It was Sun Ming—Guan Shiyin’s voice—who spoke.

At the same moment, he leaped forward, moving nearly as quickly as Sun Chi. Guan Shiyin snatched Mu Zhijin into his arms, then began parting the boy’s hair. “Ah, it really is three whorls! Wonderful, wonderful! Erming has a brother now! Hey, brother, wake up and play with Erming!”

Guan Shiyin danced with excitement, clutching Mu Zhijin.

Sun Chi’s face relaxed, then he beckoned to his son, “Ming’er, bring Zhijiner over and let Father see!”

His Ming’er never lied, but today was so chaotic, he decided to confirm for himself.

“No—” Madam Mu, not realizing Guan Shiyin was on their side, tried to intervene.

But Lin Wan’er was faster.

“No, Ming’er! Bring that bastard to Mother!” Lin Wan’er rushed toward Guan Shiyin, thinking that if there truly were three whorls, she would deal a fatal blow to the boy in his weakened state—without that trump card, how could Madam Mu compete with her?

Guan Shiyin put on a troubled expression. “Father, Mother, who do you want Erming to show first?”

“Me!”

“Me!”

Lin Wan’er and Sun Chi spoke in unison, then glared at each other.

Lin Wan’er composed herself, “Master, verifying the child is a matter for the inner chambers. Leave it to your wife. Ming’er, bring him here!”

Without waiting for Sun Chi’s reply, Lin Wan’er strode forward. But she had barely taken a few steps before she staggered and fell.

A sharp sleeve arrow protruded from her left breast, its tip stained crimson.

Sun Chi had finally struck to kill.

“Why—why?” Lin Wan’er stared in disbelief. Given Sun Chi’s cautious nature, he never acted rashly, especially when she might still be of use. Now, as a Xu clan woman, was he not afraid that killing his wife in public would tarnish his reputation in the eyes of the envoy from Shengjing?

Sun Chi only sneered, neither replying nor approaching. To him, the dying were of no further value—why waste effort? He turned back to Guan Shiyin. “Ming’er, bring him—”

“Sun Chi, look what I have!” Lin Wan’er shrieked, desperate. As Sun Chi’s attention shifted, she produced his treasured jade ruyi from her bosom.

Sun Chi’s face changed instantly. “Where did you get that?”

“Does it matter?” Lin Wan’er mocked him in kind, raising the ruyi with all her strength. “All you need to know is that you’ll never have it again.”

“Don’t you dare!” Sun Chi roared, firing another sleeve arrow. Lin Wan’er’s arm was struck before she could bring the ruyi down. Her grip faltered, and the ruyi fell. Sun Chi darted forward, snatching it from the air before it hit the ground.

He examined it carefully, ensuring it was unharmed, then tucked it safely away.

Lin Wan’er was already motionless.

Hmph. She thought she could outwit him? This was her end. Sun Chi didn’t spare her another glance and so failed to see the faint smile on her lips.

“Ming’er, what’s wrong? Ming’er?” Sun Chi turned back to Sun Ming, intent on resuming the matter at hand, only to find Guan Shiyin’s face twisted with grief and hatred.

“Father, you killed Mother!” Guan Shiyin trembled all over, suddenly hurling Mu Zhijin aside. “Why? Mother was the one who loved Erming most! I’ll avenge her!”

With a perfect display of grief-stricken frenzy, Guan Shiyin shouted and swung his palms at Sun Chi, blocking his advance toward Mu Zhijin.

Sun Chi dared not meet the attack head-on. Without Mu Zhijin, this “Sun Ming” was his only heir—he’d be a fool not to preserve him.

Abandoning Mu Zhijin, Sun Chi retreated, explaining as he went, “Ming’er, she wasn’t your real mother—she was an imposter!”

Guan Shiyin feigned disbelief. “You’re lying! Even a fool knows his own mother! You’re the villain who killed her, and I’ll avenge her!”

His wild, uncoordinated attacks, perfectly in sync with his supposed mental collapse, forced the highly skilled Sun Chi farther and farther back.

Madam Mu was bewildered. What was going on? Why were father and son fighting?

Fang Rulai tugged Zhu Xishi, and together they hurried to retrieve Mu Zhijin, pulling the dazed Madam Mu along—if not now, when?

While chaos reigned behind them, the group of women edged cautiously toward the gate.

They were nearly at the exit when a figure appeared on the gatehouse.

“Well, Master Rulai, not even a farewell for an old friend before you leave?” A black-cloaked figure emerged, face well-concealed, but the voice was all too familiar to Fang Rulai.

It was Xiao Shi—the one who had pursued her at the back of Fahua Temple, who had set fire at Qitian Monastery, who had descended with San Fengzi into the dungeon of Shengjing’s yamen.

Now, his voice held a new composure and confidence, none of the earlier immaturity.

Fang Rulai’s eyes darkened. Sun Chi’s trump card had finally revealed itself.

Madam Mu, unaware, only knew that if Fang Rulai was recognized before they were safe, everything would be for naught. She hurried to speak first. “Sir, you must be mistaken.”

“Silence! You have no right to speak here!” Xiao Shi snarled, sending a dart at Madam Mu’s vital point.

Fang Rulai kicked Liu the Cripple: Enough pretending—help!

Liu the Cripple sprang forward, kicking the dart aside and pulling Madam Mu back into the group.

Xiao Shi only laughed. “I knew you weren’t so simple, Master Rulai. But tonight, this is as far as you go.”

Turning, he shouted at Sun Chi, “Lord Sun, I’ve caught a liar! That impromptu son of yours can’t be genuine—still want to fight?”

“What?” Sun Chi forced Guan Shiyin back with a move and rushed toward the gate.

Guan Shiyin instinctively wanted to follow, but seeing Xiao Shi above, he changed his mind and flopped backward, wailing, “Father, you’ve beaten me to death! You killed Mother, now you want to kill Erming too! Fine—go ahead and kill me!”

He sprawled on the ground, rolling and shouting, but his half-closed eyes never left Fang Rulai’s group. Their adversary’s trump card had appeared; it was time to close the net.

With a few leaps, Sun Chi stood before Fang Rulai and her companions, his gaze fixed on Liu the Cripple, who now shielded Madam Mu and Mu Zhijin.

Blood still dripped from the arrows in Liu’s body, but his complexion was ruddy—he was in no mortal danger.

“Mu Tiantian, how dare you deceive me!” Sun Chi roared at Madam Mu.

Now that the game was up, Madam Mu was no longer afraid. “Deceive? Sun Chi, anyone in the world can accuse me—except you! What if I lied? If not for rescuing Zhijin, I’d be ashamed to dirty my mouth with your name!”

Sun Chi’s face contorted with rage. “So you admit your bastard isn’t mine?”

Madam Mu spat on the ground. “Pah! Sun Chi, what are you worth? You think you deserve a child of mine? Even if Zhijin were yours, he’d never have been born alive—I’d have dealt with him the moment I knew!”

“Aaah!” Sun Chi finally broke, howling, “You whore! You’ll pay for what you’ve done!”

“Archers, ready!”

Thanks to dear 2568751845, for the apple bite that brought me back to life, and to Stinky Egg Haha and Chao Jin Lu Kui for their encouragement! Though Qing Ye always says writing is her own business, having readers and responses has always been the motivation to keep going. Thank you all—Mama Zha loves you!

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