Wen Wuyou leaned close to Qu Yue. His high - bridged nose accentuated the superior contours of his face.
However, when the cold silver moonlight shone down, casting a shadow on his well - defined brow bone, it seemed to trace the path of his scheming: "Agree to one condition of mine."
Qu Yue's almond eyes widened in shock. His condition was like a bottomless pool, deadly and dangerous.
She nervously swallowed and asked, "Will you take my life?"
Wen Wuyou nudged the porcelain bottle, making her shiver.
He scoffed lightly. "Is that the kind of person I am in Yue'er's heart?"
So... he wouldn't take her life?
Qu Yue's breathing was erratic. Her nostrils flared wildly, and her fingertips tightened. "You have to tell me what it is first."
Wen Wuyou shook his head playfully. "It's a secret."
After making sure again that he wouldn't take her life, Qu Yue hesitantly nodded in agreement.
Her life was important, and so was Liu Xu's.
Wen Wuyou's plan succeeded. He handed the porcelain bottle to Qu Yue. Seeing her happily rush back into the house, he couldn't help but smile.
Actually, what was the condition?
He didn't know either.
Perhaps the moonlight was just right that night, and Qu Yue's soft and obedient look, like a little rabbit, had awakened the mischievous side hidden deep in his heart.
He just wanted to tease her.
Qu Yue had no time to speculate about Wen Wuyou's thoughts. All she could think about was applying the medicine to Liu Xu.
She remembered the order Wen Wuyou had told her. She pulled out the soft stopper of the bottle, easily found the wound, tilted the bottle, and gently flicked it with her fingertip. The pale - yellow powder covered the wound.
Liu Xu cried out in pain but immediately bit her lip to hold back the sound for fear of worrying Qu Yue, until a faint trace of blood appeared on her lips.
Seeing this, Qu Yue stopped her. "Don't bite. Just bear with it for a while."
Liu Xu's face was as pale as paper. Big beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. "M - Miss, was it this painful for you back then?"
Qu Yue's hand paused while applying the medicine.
The continuous stream of medicine powder stopped.
She lowered her eyes. The sight of the torn - open flesh was unbearable, just like the result of her being locked in a dark room for punishment after Liu Xu betrayed her.
Qu Yue was silent for a while. "I've forgotten."
The past cannot be undone. Her mother had said that one should always look forward and not be trapped in memories.
From Liu Xu's pale lips came a weak but solemn voice, "Miss, I owe you an apology..."
Qu Yue's eyes were calm. She didn't reply but just quietly continued applying the medicine.
After Liu Xu recovered from the pain and could speak normally, the four of them sat on the stone benches in the courtyard and started asking questions.
"On the way back, the Marquis lost his temper..."
Her soft voice was filled with terror, taking everyone back to the past.
"Useless! How the hell did you arrange things?!"
The large troop marched back to the Marquis's Mansion in a grand manner. As soon as the mansion gate closed, Mu Qing slapped Lady Song across the face. She cried out in pain and fell to the ground.
Song Luo's teeth chattered in fear. She immediately knelt on the spot and tremblingly grabbed his trouser leg. "Marquis, please calm down..."
Mu Qing's wrinkled face was full of malice. He bent down, grabbed Song Luo's chin, and asked menacingly, "How can I calm down?"
He tightened his grip. "The accounts can't be filled. Tell me, how should I explain this to the master?!"
Song Luo's face turned deathly pale. Her hands unconsciously grabbed at him. Tears welled up in her beautiful eyes. She was in a desperate situation, unable to cry out or seek death.
Her tears splashed on Mu Qing's tiger's mouth, hot.
His chest heaved violently. The pent - up anger that had nowhere to go turned into strength in his palm, and he flung Song Luo away.
"Useless!"
Mu Yao quickly stepped forward to support Song Luo's haggard figure. She complained dissatisfiedly, "Father, why are you treating Mother like this?"
"It's not all her fault!"
"If it weren't for Mu Wang meddling, you would have received the reward by now."
As soon as she finished speaking, she was pinched on the arm by Song Luo in the dark, and was warned with a look not to speak carelessly.
Mu Yao was used to speaking without thinking. It was not until she saw Mu Qing's changing expression that she realized she had said the wrong thing.
In the dim front hall, Mu Qing's weather - beaten face looked gloomy and terrifying. His drooping eyelids covered his sunken eye sockets, and a creepy smile spread across his turbid eyes.
He opened his mouth and gritted his teeth. "He really is a good son of yours."
Like a bucket of cold water poured over her head, Song Luo felt a chill all over her body.
"Mar... Marquis, what are you talking about? Wang'er is your son!"
Mu Qing's voice was as cold as ice. "Of course, he is, my son."
Each word was like an invisible hand, constantly squeezing Song Luo's heart.
Her face turned deathly white. A suffocating feeling filled her lungs. Every breath took all her strength, and the muscles in her neck bulged.
Her weak body was like a limp noodle, collapsing and kneeling on the ground.
Mu Yao was shocked and quickly reached out to support her. "Mother!"
But Song Luo pushed Mu Yao away, crawled to Mu Qing's feet, and kissed them. "Marquis! It's my fault. Please give me another chance! I will definitely help you get the reward!"
Mu Qing looked at her disdainfully. "What can you do to make me trust you again?"
Tears filled Song Luo's eyes. Her still - charming face was full of sorrow. "Marquis, we've been together for so many years..."
Mu Qing's mourning clothes were slightly open due to his rough movements, revealing his heaving chest.
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
After a while, the last bit of sympathy stirred up by old feelings made him relent. "One last chance."
Song Luo suddenly showed a smile when she got the chance.
She was about to raise her hand to wipe the sweat off, but her tense mind had relaxed too much after all the ups and downs. The overwhelming darkness took away all her strength.
Song Luo's hand dropped, and she fainted.
She was carried back to her room on Mu Yao's back, but little Yang, who was shivering in the corner, didn't have such good luck.
Mu Qing vented all his anger on her and personally whipped her, enforcing the family law.
Each whip cut into the flesh. The tearing sound of the cloth and the woman's shrill screams echoed in the front hall for a long time.
The gushing blood bloomed on the bluestone road, winding all the way to Liu Xu's feet.
She was so scared that her legs were trembling. When she stared at the bloodstain at her feet, a shadow suddenly fell over her head.
Cold sweat dripped down. She carefully raised her eyes -
The light couldn't reach Mu Qing's face. The large shadow made him look extremely terrifying. Just one glance made Liu Xu's soul tremble.
"Ah!"
She screamed in terror. Her feet were filled with fear and she couldn't move at all!
Mu Qing noticed Liu Xu's intention to run away and grabbed her hair. "Where do you think you're going?"
"Qu Yue's personal maid?"
Liu Xu cried out in pain and stubbornly stammered, "Marquis, I... I'm not from the Mu Mansion. You can't touch me..."
"In this Great Yan, there's no one I can't touch!"
Mu Qing roared arrogantly. His anger condensed on the whip, and he lashed it at Liu Xu!
She moaned in pain. "Ah—"
Taking advantage of Liu Xu's weakness, Mu Qing kicked her in the stomach. "Will you dare to mess things up again?!"
Liu Xu took several steps back and fell to the ground, just facing the unconscious little Yang.
Mu Qing was good at torturing people. He not only used the whip but also specifically targeted the most vulnerable parts of the body with needles, slowly drilling them in.
When she was on the verge of death, he stepped on the bloodstains and squatted in front of her.
He grabbed her scalp. "Tell me, can I touch you?"