The Lady General’s Absolute Indulgence - Chapter 14

Early the next morning, snow began to flutter down from the sky. Yun-niang prepared breakfast for Wan Ning and Huaian and invited them over to eat.

Before stepping out, Huaian carefully wrapped Wan Ning in a cloak, making sure she was bundled up tightly for fear of her catching even the slightest draft. The fox fur hunted earlier had been fashioned into a scarf that now rested around Wan Ning’s neck; its pure white color, devoid of any impurities, framed her petite face, making her look exceptionally dainty and lovely.

Huaian reached out to take Wan Ning’s small hand, gently squeezing her soft palm. “Your hands are so cold. Keep them in mine.”

Wan Ning squeezed back firmly against Huaian’s warm palm, lowering her head and smiling softly. It felt wonderful to be so cherished by someone.

During breakfast, Yun-niang looked at Wan Ning with hesitation. She put down her chopsticks and started to speak several times, only to stop as if embarrassed. Sensing this, Huaian excused herself to go pack their belongings.

“Mother, if you have something to say, please tell me directly. Don’t make me worry,” Wan Ning said, gently taking Yun-niang’s hand. “You used to tell me to be honest with those closest to me. What is it?”

Yun-niang slowly raised her head and stroked Wan Ning’s fair face. She sighed and whispered, “A-Ning, I gave that screen from yesterday to Lady Yang. Please don’t blame your mother for being weak.”

Yun-niang turned her head away. Her once-beautiful face was now worn by years of hardship and etched with wrinkles; her eyes had lost their luster. “I’ve spent my whole life here and I’m used to it. Now that you’ve married a good husband, I can rest easy. Lady Yang is just competitive and aggressive; I don’t want to start any trouble with her. Before you leave, go and say a proper goodbye to her so she doesn’t have any reason to gossip.”

Wan Ning stared at Yun-niang in a daze, a sharp, localized pain blooming in her heart. Yun-niang yielded at every turn. Her father had never protected her, yet he had claimed her all the same. Wan Ning’s eyes filled with tears. “Mother, come with me. I will take care of you.”

Yun-niang waved her hand dismissively. “No, I don’t have the energy to move anymore…”

Wan Ning hugged Yun-niang’s waist, just as she had when she was a little girl, refusing to let go for a long time.

Around noon, Wan Ning went to the front courtyard alone to say goodbye to her father and stepmother, as she planned to leave the next day. Though she knew they couldn’t wait for her to be gone, she didn’t want to make things difficult for her mother.

As she came out of her stepmother’s room and reached a corner, a massive force suddenly pulled her behind a nearby rockery.

The first snow had just fallen, leaving the ground very slick. Wan Ning lost her footing and her back slammed heavily against the jagged rock. she hissed in pain. Looking up, she saw Fang Yanshu. His eyes were bloodshot, and he pinned Wan Ning firmly against the stones without a shred of pity. He reached out to gently stroke the stray hairs on her forehead, a look of madness in his eyes that didn’t belong to his usual scholarly self. His A-Ning had grown up; she was finally old enough to marry—why wasn’t she married to him?

“A-Ning, you’re so beautiful. Come with me. I’ll take you to the capital. I don’t care that you’ve been married before,” Fang Yanshu whispered in her ear.

Wan Ning struggled with difficulty, shrinking her body away. “Fang Yanshu, what are you saying! I won’t go with you. I am already Huaian’s wife! And you are engaged to Qingqing; you’re to be married next year.”

Fang Yanshu pressed his hand over Wan Ning’s rosy lips, rubbing them back and forth with a crazed look. “Shh… not so loud. If someone hears, they’ll think you’re a temptress just like your mother.”

Wan Ning looked at him in disbelief, a faint anger rising in her eyes. “Fang Yanshu! You are not allowed to insult my mother! You are shameless! Let me go!”

As if he hadn’t heard her, Fang Yanshu whispered, “A-Ning, do you know? The only person I’ve ever wanted to marry is you. I was the one who begged my father to arrange the match with the Shen family; otherwise, do you think someone like Shen Wanjin deserved more than a bit of silver from my father? You were so small back then, so cute and lovely—it was the first time my heart beat so fast. I was so happy… but when I returned from the capital, they said you eloped, so I had to marry Shen Qingqing…”

He paused, continuing with disdain, “Hmph, is Shen Qingqing even worthy of being my wife? Making her a concubine would be an honor for her. You’re different, A-Ning. You’re so beautiful. I’ll make you a noble concubine; I’ll never let anyone bully you.”

Wan Ning was speechless with shock. The usually polite and upright Fang Yanshu was saying such things. She had never felt anything for him; they had only met a few times at family banquets. She couldn’t understand why he was being so insane.

Wan Ning struggled desperately to break free from his grip. In the scuffle, her collar was pulled down, revealing a faint love bite—a mark of the intimacy she shared with someone else in a place he couldn’t reach.

Fang Yanshu’s eyes flickered with a mix of desire and rage. “He touched you! You’re mine! You can only be mine!” With those words, he lowered his head and began to kiss her neck recklessly, tearing at her clothes.

No! Besides Huaian, the touch of anyone else made Wan Ning feel nauseous. No! She used all her strength to struggle, kicking and hitting him. She cried out helplessly in her heart: No! No! Huaian, where are you? Come save me!

Thud! A short sword flew through the air. Before anyone could react, it had pinned Fang Yanshu’s right hand firmly to the rockery.

“AAAAAAAH!!!!” Fang Yanshu let go of Wan Ning, staring at his right hand with blood-red eyes. He didn’t even know what had happened; the immense pain made him nearly unable to stand. That was his writing hand—if he lost it, he would never be able to enter officialdom.

Wan Ning ran out, her body trembling. Through her tear-blurred vision, she saw a teal figure in the distance walking quickly toward her. Huaian reached out and pulled her tightly into her chest.

“A-Ning, don’t be afraid! It’s over, I’m here.”

Wan Ning’s entire body shook uncontrollably. The moment she saw Huaian, her strength seemed to vanish, and she went limp in her arms, her hands clutching Huaian’s outer robe tightly.

Huaian held Wan Ning, comforting her for a moment. Then, she looked coldly at the struggling Fang Yanshu on the ground. Her dark eyes were unfathomable, and her entire being radiated a lethal chill. “I did not take your life only because A-Ning once called you ‘Brother.’ Take care of yourself!”

In the falling snow, Fang Yanshu watched the girl he had dreamed of marrying being carried away by another. The wind whistled past his ears, and the agonizing pain in his hand seeped into his soul. His gaze turned venomous, looking as if he wanted to feast on blood. Pain and hatred intertwined in his heart. One day… one day I will take back everything that belongs to me!

Beside him, his personal attendant, Shiyan, stepped forward tremblingly. “Young Master, Young Master, let’s go back.”

Fang Yanshu violently pulled the short sword out. “AAAAAAH!!!” His palm was drenched in blood, and he couldn’t move it.

Cold sweat poured down Shiyan’s forehead, his legs shaking. He had followed the Young Master for so long but had never seen him so disheveled and frantic.

“Tell the Shen family we are leaving. Help me find a doctor! Not a single word of today’s events is to be revealed to anyone! Not a word!” Fang Yanshu said to Shiyan, his face pale, enunciating every syllable. One day, I will pay this back. Lin! Huai! An! You just wait!