“A’Jiu.” She didn’t answer, nor did she say anything else. She only said: “I want to see General Chu.”
Xie Yanlai laughed with a “ha”: “I knew I guessed right. Chu Zhao is a fool who refuses to guess at your intentions, but I knew at a glance—you came for General Chu.”
His hand pressed to his waist.
“Don’t draw your weapon.”
The female voice said, carrying laughter and also—tenderness?
Xie Yanlai scoffed. This kind of trick might work on foolish bandits like Ding Dachui, but what use was it before him? He could remain unmoved even if Mount Tai collapsed before his eyes. Could a few delicate words do anything to him?
“I’m A’Zhao’s mother.”
Cold wind suddenly rushed into his mouth. Xie Yanlai’s scoff turned into coughing. He moved his hand from his waist to cover his mouth, suppressing the coughing.
In the middle of the night—this was truly seeing a ghost!
……
……
“Aren’t you dead?”
Xie Yanlai asked hoarsely, glaring at the woman before him.
The woman asked with a smile: “A’Zhao told you about me?”
Though it was deep night, Xie Yanlai could still detect the familiar gaze—just like that Zhong Changrong, though Zhong Changrong glared while this woman smiled.
Xie Yanlai scoffed: “She doesn’t need to say. General Chu said so over a decade ago. Everyone in the world knows.”
The woman before him was silent for a moment, then nodded in the darkness: “Yes, you’re right.”
Melancholy and sorrowful? Xie Yanlai’s face was numb. Whatever sad past stories they had were none of his business.
“Xiao Man is my person.” The woman wasn’t melancholy and sorrowful. She quickly raised her head. “General Chu and Zhong Changrong both know me. Zhong Changrong and General Chu also know Xiao Man. A’Jiu, you don’t question my identity either. I won’t say more to waste time.”
Xie Yanlai looked at her coldly, neither confirming nor denying, only saying: “I don’t care who you are, but if you came to find me to tell Chu Zhao your identity through me, you’ve found the wrong person. First, Chu Zhao and I aren’t close. Her private affairs have nothing to do with me, and I won’t meddle—second, you followed Chu Zhao so long without daring to say who you are, and General Chu hasn’t said you’re alive all these years. Even a fool knows how troublesome you are.”
The woman’s voice was sorrowful: “Poor A’Zhao. Don’t you think she’d be very happy to know her mother is still alive?” She stepped forward. The fierce wind swept away the thick night. They could see each other’s blurred faces.
This Granny Ding no longer covered her face. In the night her countenance was bright as the moon.
Her gaze was as gentle as moonlight.
“Child, do you have a mother?”
The moonlight was gentle, but Xie Yanlai in his black clothes was like an iceberg, saying coldly: “Chu Zhao was raised by General Chu. He raised her very well. Chu Zhao hasn’t had a mother for over a decade and doesn’t need one going forward. As for whether I have a mother, it has nothing to do with whether she has a mother—Granny Ding.”
He also stepped forward, drew his sword, and pointed the blade at Mu Mianhong.
“Leave quickly. Don’t let me see you again. Otherwise, I’ll kill you.”
The woman wasn’t frightened. The sorrow on her face also dispersed. She smiled gently and whispered: “Good child.”
What’s wrong with her! Xie Yanlai could no longer restrain himself and was about to swing his blade—
The woman curtsied.
“A’Jiu, I’m not asking A’Zhao to acknowledge me. I came to find you to ask if you could help me inquire with General Chu whether I can see him once.”
“I know his time has come. I want to see him once more.”
“Moreover, if General Chu is willing to see me, please take A’Zhao away. Don’t let her discover it.”
“Everyone around him hates me and guards against me. If I appear, there will certainly be commotion. A’Zhao is by the General’s side at all times. I’m afraid she’ll discover it.”
“So I can only beg you, this outsider who knows nothing, to be troubled and ask for me.”
“Mu Mianhong thanks you for your great kindness.”
Mu Mianhong. Xie Yanlai was stunned. This name was so familiar—previously when he was a courier about to come to the border commandery to deliver messages, he had made very thorough preparations, studying and familiarizing himself with every relay station along the route, as well as the customs and people of the border commandery.
The name Mu Mianhong was among them.
Mountain bandit.
Great mountain bandit.
Back then, it was a large bandit stronghold personally eliminated by Chu Ling—
The rumors from back then, the dispute between Chu Ling and the Emperor, the truth that had been abandoned for over a decade—
In a daze, he seemed to understand everything, yet also understood nothing. Xie Yanlai shook his head. What did events from over a decade ago have to do with him!
He shook his head, straightened up, and also sheathed his blade.
“If he won’t see you, you disappear immediately and never appear again.” Xie Yanlai said.
This meant he agreed. Mu Mianhong hurried to bow deeply again: “Thank you, Young Master Xie.”
Xie Yanlai walked past her, then stopped and turned back to say coldly: “Also, Chu Zhao is not a pitiful child. She lacks nothing. She has parental love. You needn’t feel sorry for yourself or be self-moved.”
With that, he strode away and disappeared into the night wind.
Xiao Man emerged from the side and snorted: “Auntie, this youngster is really too fierce. Hearing that someone’s lost mother appeared, that mother and daughter could reunite—what great joy—what’s with his attitude? Threatening to kill people.”
Mu Mianhong watched the figure disappearing into the night and said softly: “He’s fierce because he’s protecting A’Zhao.”
This child, upon hearing her identity, his first thought was vigilance. He wouldn’t permit her to bring harm to A’Zhao.