Transmigrated as the Villainess, She Made the General Blush - chapter 50

Chapter 50

Seeing Xiao Wangshu eating so earnestly, looking truly hungry, Lu Xuyang didn’t linger. He cupped his fists and bowed to Xiao Wangshu and Xiao Fuguang, taking his leave-

“These spies from the Wu Kingdom, the Prime Minister has spent considerable effort to catch them these past days. Now that the last one has finally been captured, I’ll escort them back and report to the Prime Minister.”

Before leaving, he reminded, “Chen Chu, don’t return yet. Later, take some men to escort the Young Master and Miss back to the Chancellor’s Mansion. Once you’re done, come find me at the barracks. I’ll speak to the Prime Minister about it.”

Not that he wanted to say it, but the four Guards Miss brought along were utterly useless.

Four people surrounding for protection, front and back, left and right, yet they still let a spy get close to the Miss and Young Master.

Truly, not a shred of vigilance!

Chen Chu clearly also felt that the Guards around Xiao Wangshu were unreliable, and nodded to Lu Xuyang.

After watching Lu Xuyang leave, Yichun and the others were still immersed in the shock brought by Fei Ying, unable to believe that such a frail and pitiful woman was actually a spy.

“Miss, Fei Ying…” Yichun didn’t know what to say to express her feelings at that moment.

Xiao Wangshu chewed slowly, swallowed the Chinese Yam Cake in her mouth, and asked, “Did you see the bruises on her arm?”

Yichun nodded and asked, “Did Miss feel a pang of compassion too?”

Xiao Wangshu chuckled lightly and replied, “No, I just wanted to tell you that even with that injured hand, she could easily twist your necks.”

Yichun instinctively shrank her neck, a little incredulous.

“A woman who falls to the ground, scrapes her arm red, yet doesn’t even look at her wound-what kind of intense will to survive does it take to do that?

“Or perhaps, she’s so numb to this kind of injury that she doesn’t care or look, only letting out a cry for us to hear.

“And at a moment of escape, few people can clearly summarize their life story. Let alone with no time to think, and speak so smoothly.

“She was so fluent that I felt her life story wasn’t something she’d lived, but something she’d memorized by rote.

“A woman who, even when fleeing for her life, doesn’t forget to wear a bejeweled hairpin-next time you meet her, you’d better be wary whether that hairpin is for tying up her hair or for stabbing into your necks.”

After Xiao Wangshu finished speaking, Yichun immediately raised her hand to cover her own neck.

“Shuxia and I, we were just in the same room with that spy… with her.” Yichun shuddered at the thought.

Xiao Fuguang, face cold at the side, said, “If Sister hadn’t sent Jiang Ji and Hu Tian over to make up the numbers, you two would’ve already been dead.”

To be working at the Chancellor’s Mansion and still have such overflowing compassion-Mother has protected Sister too well, and in turn, protected all these Maids and Guards around her too well.

Do they really think that all they need to do every day is accompany Sister to eat, drink, and play?

Hearing Xiao Fuguang’s tone, before Yichun could say anything, Shuxia pulled her down to kneel together.

The two knelt at Xiao Wangshu’s feet, bowed their heads, and said, “We know our mistake. Please punish us, Miss.”

Xiao Wangshu lowered her gaze to sweep over them, then looked up at Chen Chu and said, “General, have a seat. This is a teahouse, not the Chancellor’s Mansion. No need to be so formal.”

Mainly, Chen Chu standing in front of her-this six-foot-plus giant-was blocking the light.

“Thank you, Miss.” Chen Chu cupped his fists and quietly sat to the side, watching as Xiao Wangshu called Li Ta and the other three in.

As soon as the four entered, they lined up in a row and knelt before Xiao Wangshu with a muffled thud.

“We know our mistake. Please punish us, Miss!”

Facing the four’s collective plea for forgiveness, Xiao Wangshu said nothing, simply took another piece of Chinese Yam Cake from the food box and ate it slowly.
Xiao Fuguang and Chen Chu glanced at her one after another, then looked away.

She really must be hungry.

After a long stretch of silence from Xiao Wangshu, the ever-impatient Li Ta spoke up again: “This subordinate acknowledges his mistake. Please punish me, Miss!”

At these words, Xiao Wangshu’s lips curved into a faint, enigmatic smile. She replied with a question of her own, “Are you asking me to punish you, or urging me to get on with it?”

“This subordinate would not dare!” Li Ta quickly kowtowed, pressing his forehead to the ground and not daring to raise it again.

Xiao Wangshu looked them over, her voice quiet and distant: “According to the rules of the Chancellor’s Mansion, any servant who fails to protect their master is to be sold off. This is something the steward made clear to you when you first signed your deed of servitude.

“From the looks of it, none of you have remembered a single article from that deed. All you see is the two taels of silver you receive each month, isn’t that right?”

Indeed, when Fang Qin’er selected Guards for her daughter, she must have chosen people she was familiar with and found dependable.

But in a grand household like this, no matter how carefully picked, the ordinary Guards hired for household protection simply can’t compare to those soldiers honed in a military camp.

That’s also why Xiao Hong never keeps household Guards by his side, but relies instead on armored soldiers from the army.

Truthfully, the Guards trained in the mansion are of little practical use.

“That’s enough. All four of you, go. Report to the steward for your punishment.”

Now that she had decided to give them up, Xiao Wangshu had no intention of wasting further energy.

Better to have a few capable than many useless; rather none than mediocrity.

If, in a moment of danger, her Guards not only failed to help but actually needed their lady to look after them, such Guards were better dismissed.

If training them would require too great a cost, then let them go.

She had neither the time nor energy to waste on them. What she needed were Guards already trained-at the very least, able to accompany her outside.

After she spoke, seeing all four still kneeling and unmoving, Xiao Fuguang’s voice turned cold-

“Do you know why today became so troublesome? When Luo Heng and Yang Yumu caught up, my sister could have easily taken me and dodged aside, leaving the spy to you.

“Do you know why she didn’t simply avoid it? Because she knew you were completely unprepared, perhaps even still pitying that so-called weak woman in your hearts!

“If she had dodged, the spy, desperate to escape, wouldn’t have cared about you in the least-who knows how many of you might have died!

“You were unprepared. You were lambs to the slaughter!”

Just now, out on the street, Luo Heng and Yang Yumu hesitated for so long-they were waiting for my sister and me to get clear, so they could make their move.

But in the end, seeing us do nothing, even driving them away, they could only leave.

At Xiao Fuguang’s words, Li Jun and the other two bowed their heads even lower.

“As Guards, if you don’t focus on protecting your mistress, but instead need her to risk herself to save you, what face do you have to remain by her side?”

Xiao Fuguang’s final words completely crushed any last hope Li Jun and the others might have held.

Xiao Wangshu did not contradict him, only ordered, “All of you, go. Report to the steward for punishment. Let everything proceed according to the rules.”

After she finished, it was a long while before Li Jun and the other three finally rose to their feet, answered dispiritedly, “Yes,” and turned to leave.

Yichun and Shuxia knelt at Xiao Wangshu’s feet. Hearing how simply Li Jun and the others had been dismissed, neither could guess what harsh punishment might await them.

“Miss, this maid knows she was wrong. Please don’t send me away! I promise, I’ll never again show pity to outsiders!” Yichun sobbed, tears streaming down her face as she tugged anxiously at the hem of Xiao Wangshu’s skirt.

There’s no good person out there-because of them, we’re the ones who have to suffer!