Chapter 98: Blades and Prey
The village once suffocating under secrets, now breathed in uneven gasps of relief and disbelief. For the first time in a long while, people were no longer afraid to step outside.
In the courtyard of the village head’s residence, the truth had already taken root. Children—thin, frightened, but alive...were being out from beneath the estate.
Hidden doors, buried tunnels, cages disguised as storage. All of it was uncovered.
Healers moved quickly among them, checking wounds, offering water, wrapping trembling hands in clean cloth. Some children cried. Some didn’t speak at all.
Ru Yi sat among them, pale and bandaged, but alive. Her shoulder throbbed with every breath, but she barely noticed.
One small child clung to her sleeve, refusing to let go, as if afraid that she might disappear too along with the new reality where they’d been rescued.
Yexue stood nearby, unusually quiet as everything around her faded into the background of her mind. She only occasionally glanced at Ru Yi to make sure she was still there.
Lieyin paced like a restless storm.
And Qingyue watched everything, supervising the men as they performed their task. It reminded her of her old life when she still lived at the palace. When she trained the very men before her...even that seemed like a lifetime ago.
She walked to the back of the residence when she got the situation under control. The air was cooler there, undisturbed by the fragile relief blooming elsewhere.
Qingyue approached without hesitation when she saw Han Shuying there.
"As expected," Han Shuying said without turning. "You’re the one behind this."
Qingyue stopped a few steps away. "I sent the letter only days ago. I didn’t think you’d respond this fast."
"What you did was a calculated risk."
"A necessary one. I didn’t have the power to stop Zhou Wen, but I couldn’t sit back and watch these children suffer."
Silence stretched between them, measured and sharp.
Then Qingyue inclined her head slightly. "For what it’s worth, thank you for coming."
Han Shuying finally turned, her gaze was steady. Unmoved. "Make no mistake in thinking I came for you."
The words landed without softness, without apology. But Qingyue didn’t react, she was used to Han Shuying’s coldness, it was the only thing they had in common.
But she followed Han Shuying’s gaze back to the courtyard, to where Ru Yi sat, surrounded by children, her expression gentle despite the pain she was clearly trying to hide.
"I see," Qingyue said quietly. "Are you here to save her?" she asked, a certain slyness in her tone, "or are you here to get rid of her?"
Han Shuying tore her gaze away from Ru Yi. "You have more important things to concern yourself with."
"Of course." Qingyue kept her expression tight, but underneath...the thought that Han Shuying might harbor feelings other than hatred for Ru Yi pressed dangerously into her ribs.
"The records will reach the capital," Han Shuying continued, "I will make sure the truth is not buried."
Qingyue nodded. "The case goes beyond this village. The list has the names of many noble men who purchase these children. Will you be able to handle it?"
A few seconds passed before Han Shuying answered. "I’ll do the best I can."
"What will happen to the children? It’ll take a while before all their families are identified."
"That’s not your problem to worry about anymore." Han Shuying touched the bracelet on her wrist. "I will make sure this never happens again. A new village head will be appointed and they will answer directly to me."
That was fair enough for Qingyue. She’d do things differently but she wasn’t in the position to make further demands.
When she’d sent the letter to Han Shuying with great detailing of what was going on in Tiancheng, she hadn’t expected her to reply. It had only been a leap of faith, that she would do what was right by these people.
"What about the Emperor? You won’t inform him of the matter?" Qingyue asked, even though she held an entirely different question in her mind.
Han Shuying didn’t answer the question, didn’t even acknowledge it. "All of you should leave the village."
Qingyue’s gaze narrowed. What was Han Shuying playing at? Was this another trick from Empress Lihua?
"Tiancheng is no longer safe for you," Han Shuying continued. "Once word spreads about what you’ve done here, others will come looking. Not all of them will care about justice."
A beat of silence passed between them.
"I’ll give you a head start. Leave in no less than two days."
Qingyue tilted her head slightly. "You’re going to let us go?"
"I’m choosing not to stop you for now."
It wasn’t mercy or kindness, but Qingyue accepted it just as easily. "Understood."
They stood there for a moment longer—two people on opposite sides of something much larger than either of them.
It was in no less than a minute when a strange sound came from the courtyard. Lieyin was the first to react on instinct.
She turned just as a body lunged from the ground, blood-soaked and broken. Yet, Lin Guowen moved, staggering on his feet and refusing to succumb to the darkness that called him from beyond.
His face was twisted beyond reason, his wound forgotten under sheer desperate hatred and the bitterness of defeat. A dagger flashed in his hand as he ran straight toward Lieyin.
"Die—!" he yelled.
Time snapped tight as everyone shouted Lieyin’s name. She was the closest one to him.
Ru Yi froze, all her senses screaming in alarm. For the first time she felt that burning sensation that was damning...the same one Lieyin felt whenever Ru Yi was in danger.
She doubled over, a sudden spike spreading through her chest like her heart was being yanked in different directions.
It was a feeling so primal and immediate.
Meanwhile, Lieyin tilted her body to the right, ready to dodge his attack. But Lin Guowei had other plans. He twisted his body at the last possible minute and drove the knife straight into the woman in front of him.
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