Surviving in the General's Mansion - Chapter 88

“Exactly!”

Chuqing had been listening from the side for quite some time, and the shamelessness of this entire family had made her furious.

The moment she heard her General’s words, she puffed out her chest and hurriedly chimed in.

“There’s me too! Look at the lump they made on my head!”

As she spoke, she lifted her hair to show everyone the swelling.

“Good heavens! That lump is enormous!”

“How could anyone strike a young girl so hard?”

“Scum like that should be locked up at once!”

Cang Chuli waited until Chuqing had finished before speaking at an unhurried pace.

“His Majesty’s forces were diverted by the wolf pack this time, causing the assassins to believe they had found an opening.

“The wolves in the hunting grounds were therefore part of the assassination plan.

“Your esteemed son happened to send my two maids into the den precisely while the pack was away.

“Tell me, how did he know the wolves would be absent at that time?

“And what connection does he have to the people who attempted to assassinate His Majesty?”

“No, that’s not true… It isn’t!”

Xia Yun staggered two steps back. How could this be? How could there be such a coincidence?

“Then there is the attempted premeditated murder of two maids from my General’s Mansion of Northern Pacification…

“Rest assured. The people of Dali Temple will interrogate your household’s second young master very thoroughly.”

“Father! Second Uncle! Save me! I don’t want to go to Dali Temple! Big Brother! Big Brother!”

Xia Jun’s eyes flickered, and he said mockingly, “General Cang flew into such a rage for a beauty that his cap was knocked askew. What an eye-opening sight for us all!”

“Mind your words, Eldest Young Master Xia. The Emperor is not someone you are qualified to criticize.”

Cang Chuli deliberately saddled him with the accusation.

Their gazes clashed. Unable to get the better of Cang Chuli, Xia Jun could only turn his attack elsewhere.

“Heng’er! You must understand that only Xia Mansion is your maiden family. We are the ones you can rely on!”

Ha. Now he wanted to sell her empty promises?

If that was what he was saying, she would take him seriously.

“Then I must trouble Lord Xia Jinguang to make up the rest of my dowry first. It would hardly be proper to trouble him with looking after my mother’s shops.

“I am also afraid that if he keeps ‘looking after’ them, they might end up in his son’s hands, just like this jade pendant,” Xia Heng said without expression.

“You!”

Xia Jinguang’s face reddened as he listened to the discussion around him.

Cang Chuli, however, seemed to think matters had not gone far enough.

“No matter. Once we return, I will have Mo Qing and Mo Bai personally visit Xia Mansion to help you retrieve the property deeds. Surely Lord Xia Jinguang does not truly live off someone else’s mother’s inheritance?

“There is one thing I cannot understand. If he truly intended to support his own daughter, why did he show no hesitation when giving her away?”

“He did more than show no hesitation! When they were asked to spend three hundred gold to redeem her, they refused!” Little Fatty Liang declared loudly.

“Now I understand. They were keeping both mother and daughter’s dowries for themselves!”

“Hmm? What is this about three hundred gold?”

Those in the crowd who did not know the story immediately gathered around Little Fatty Liang to ask.

He recounted everything he had witnessed at the Xiao Family’s housewarming banquet, naturally omitting the less glorious portion of his own involvement.

Cang Chuli had no desire to waste more time on the Xia family.

After speaking, he ordered his Personal Guard to escort Xia Lang and the coachmen away. Once they returned to the capital, the prisoners would be handed over to Dali Temple.

Then he led his people back to the tents.

“Father, don’t worry. Once Dali Temple completes its investigation, they will certainly restore Lang’er’s innocence,” Xia Jun comforted Xia Jinguang, utterly unaware that the surrounding onlookers now regarded him with nothing but contempt.

“General… Thank you.”

As soon as they returned to the front of their household’s tent, Xia Heng bowed to Cang Chuli.

“The Xia family will fall sooner or later. It is best that you can accept that,” Cang Chuli said coolly before lifting the tent flap and going inside.

Xia Heng, however, did not think she could remain so detached. A person ought to know gratitude.

Given the circumstances today, the General had still followed her lead and helped her demand the shops that Xia Mansion had withheld.

Her father, meanwhile, knew only to use her mother’s belongings to please his nephew.

“Those two slaps Ah Heng gave Xia Lang were so satisfying to watch!” Xiao Yaqing exclaimed, clapping her hands in excitement.

“Every line she used against them struck the heart of the matter too. Even Xia Jun couldn’t find a response!”

“Exactly! But that Xia Lang is far too shameless. Why does he keep wearing Lady Hao’s things?” Chuqing added indignantly.

“Hmph. Who could imagine Xia Yun’s preference for boys over girls had reached such a degree?

“He doesn’t care for his own child, yet empties his wife’s purse to support his nephew?”

Chuqing tugged at Xiao Yaqing to stop her from continuing, afraid Xia Heng might hear and become upset.

Xiao Yaqing understood that Chuqing did not know her sworn sister had transmigrated here. She gave her a reassuring smile.

Xia Heng paid no attention to what became of the Xia family. She merely reached out and touched the back of Chuqing’s head.

“Does it still hurt?”

“It stopped hurting ages ago! The lump just hasn’t gone down yet!”

Seeing that Xia Heng did not mind the conversation, Chuqing relaxed and continued, “A lady felt the lump on the back of my head just now and cursed those men from the Xia family terribly! It was so satisfying to hear!

“Hey! Why are you crying?”

Chuqing panicked.

“I’m sorry… This all happened because of me…”

Xia Heng was overwhelmed by guilt. A sixteen-year-old girl had suffered this disaster for no reason other than being beside her.

That was the back of her head! How could it possibly not hurt? The lump was so large, and who knew whether it might leave lasting damage?

“How could it be because of you?

“It was because those shameless people are awful! What does that have to do with you? Don’t you have the same big lump on the back of your head?

“Don’t worry. I heal very quickly!”

Xia Heng kept crying. Chuqing scratched her ears and cheeks in anxiety. Why was this person so difficult to coax?

“Don’t cry, don’t cry. Let’s hurry and stew the snake soup! We’ll make plenty. Once the General has finished his share, we can taste what’s left!”

After saying this, she pulled Xia Heng away without giving her a chance to refuse.

Xiao Yaqing followed behind them. When she heard the words “snake soup,” she stammered, “Snake? Then I—I won’t have any!”

Xia Heng watched Chuqing deftly skin the snake, remove its organs, and chop the body into sections.

She wiped away her tears, picked up the scallions and ginger, and helped slice the ingredients nearby.

Xiao Yaqing stood far away, craning her neck to watch but refusing to come closer.

Xia Heng suddenly felt that compared with her, she was actually rather brave.

They soaked and sliced the dried mushrooms, then added all the seasonings. Snake soup needed to be steamed before it was simmered.

Before long, a delicious aroma drifted out.

Xiao Yaqing’s nostrils flared delicately. This smelled rather good, did it not?

When the snake soup was finally ready, they first had Mo Qing deliver a portion to Cang Chuli.

Sure enough, when Mo Qing came back out, he told them the General had left the rest for them to divide as they pleased.

Xia Heng held her small bowl and breathed in the fresh, savory fragrance.

It did not take long for her to prepare herself mentally. She slurped a mouthful, smacked her lips, and said, “The next time we run into this kind of snake, we’re making this again.”

Chuqing took a sip of her own snake soup.

“Mm. All right!”

“But you’ll still have to catch it. I can’t do that…”

Xia Heng knew her own limitations.

Chuqing agreed readily. “No problem!”

Xiao Yaqing held her bowl and hesitated for a long time. But seeing how much the other two enjoyed it, she could not resist.

After one taste, there was no stopping her. In the end, she even asked of her own accord, “What kind of snake is this? I’ll keep an eye out next time too.”

“Listen, it has to be the kind with brown patterns, and one about this thick is best…”

By the time everyone had finished dividing the snake soup, their bodies felt considerably warmer.

The sky gradually darkened. Xiao Yaqing said good night and returned to her own tent.

Xia Heng and Chuqing sat beside the little stove and roasted chestnuts.

They remained there until the bright moon hung high in the sky. When a cold gust of wind swept past, both women tucked their heads down and finally returned to their tent.