The officer remounted the horse, and Ye Jingcheng, steadying himself, also got on and continued forward.
From the dark alley, Su Yunmo watched them leave, her eyes darkening.
Now was not the time to reveal herself. She would devour him bit by bit, until one day he truly fell from his horse and plunged into the abyss!
The sound of a straw basket rustling came from behind.
Su Yunmo withdrew her gaze and turned back. She saw a woman in a purple silk dress emerge from the basket.
The woman's skin was like congealed fat, her aura like a secluded orchid, and there was a beauty mark at the corner of her eye.
Zi Yuan?!
"There's an escaped rebel here, quickly!" Two officers rounded the corner from another dark alley, holding their spears and thrusting them at the woman.
"Damn it!" The woman cursed inwardly and kicked the straw basket, sending it flying to hit one of the officers.
Three more officers emerged from the back of the alley.
The woman held her sword, her movements a blur as she slashed across one man's shoulder. She quickly retreated two steps, blocking Su Yunmo, and said rapidly, "Little one, run!"
The officers surged forward together, five of them filling the narrow alley so tightly that not a drop of water could pass.
The woman tried to raise her sword but let out a muffled groan and knelt on the ground, spitting out a mouthful of blood.
Her clothes were stained with a large patch of blood from her shoulder to her chest; she was severely wounded.
Su Yunmo stepped in front of her, casually grabbed a handful of dirt from the wall, and flung it, blinding the officers.
The woman was stunned. "What are you doing? You'll get hurt, quickly hide!"
"What little chick dares to obstruct official business? Grab them all!" The officer at the very back commanded.
Su Yunmo extended her right hand towards them, a red glow flashing in her eyes. She parted her thin lips and uttered a single word: "Scram!"
Her five fingers clenched suddenly, and the scattered dust exploded in the air like fireworks, crackling and popping.
A series of screams erupted from the opposite side. When the dust settled, five people lay scattered on the ground, motionless.
The woman stared at Su Yunmo in shock and disbelief, her body trembling. "No... this is impossible. How can you have powers, you clearly..."
Su Yunmo turned to face her, allowing her to clearly see her eyes, which were temporarily crimson from using her powers. "Zi Yuan, it's been many days. How have you been?"
Zi Yuan's eyes suddenly reddened. She almost uncontrollably knelt on the ground, her trembling hand tightly clutching Su Yunmo's collar. "Master, you are Master!"
Master wasn't dead, truly not dead! Madam's prophecy had come true. It must have been the Glazed Lock, it must have been the Glazed Lock that saved Master's life!
This was wonderful, truly wonderful!
But why did Master look like a child? What had happened?
Su Yunmo: "Those people will be back soon. This is not a place to talk. Can you walk?"
"Yes!" Zi Yuan wiped away her tears fiercely, using her sword to prop herself up.
Master was alive. As long as she knew this, she feared nothing, let alone walking. She would even be willing to fight her way back!
Zi Yuan was injured and it was inconvenient, so Su Yunmo told her to wait there while she went out to find a carriage.
The carriage traveled all the way to the General's Mansion. After alighting, Zi Yuan saw the General's Mansion plaque and was again astonished, but she asked nothing and followed Su Yunmo into the mansion.
Su Yunmo closed the room door, took out elixirs from her spatial storage, and gave them to her, then told her to take off her clothes.
The wound, about ten centimeters long, was from a sharp object, extending from her shoulder to her right arm.
"Li Man Lou was sealed. Those people said the building was full of members of the rebel organization. By the time my brothers received the news, it was too late."
Zi Yuan gave a bitter smile. "It's because my martial arts are not skilled enough that I've disgraced Master."
Su Yunmo paused in her bandaging, her brows furrowed. "Were any captured?"
Zi Yuan shook her head. "A few of us covered the retreat, the rest escaped first. They shouldn't have been captured, at most they'd be injured like me and hiding somewhere."
She looked at Su Yunmo worriedly. "Master, what exactly happened?"
Why did the Marquis's mansion catch fire for no reason? And why was it Master's room that was burned?
His Highness Prince Cheng was Master's fiancé. Master had helped him so much over the years. He knew Li Man Lou was Master's territory, so why did he bring people to seal it?
Rebels? It was pure fabrication.
A faint glow flashed in Su Yunmo's eyes. "I don't know."
That fire had burned everything, including her own life. It seemed to have also affected some memories. The events of that day were still very hazy to her.
She only remembered it was her birthday. She had been very happy at the banquet, had drunk too much, and then Ye Jingcheng had escorted her back to her room.
And then...
Su Yunmo gritted her teeth tightly, the hatred in her heart surging uncontrollably.
'Blame yourself for being foolish, for believing I liked you.'
That was the last thing that man had said as he ignited the bed curtains!
She could still remember the pain of the fire burning her body, the sizzling sound of flesh tearing seemed to echo in her ears.
Zi Yuan let out a muffled groan, pulling Su Yunmo out of her memories. She looked down and realized her hand was still on Zi Yuan's wound.
"How is the family?" Su Yunmo swallowed her hatred bit by bit and trimmed the excess part of the bandage.
Zi Yuan's expression was complex. "Because we were labeled as rebels, we couldn't return to the mansion. Master just said it's been many days, but in reality, it's been over a month since that day."
In fact, Li Man Lou had been sealed a month ago, not long after Master was laid to rest. She had been on the run for a month.
Su Yunmo was startled. Could the Glazed Lock also jump through time?
Zi Yuan hesitated before speaking again. "Master, the Second Miss and His Highness Prince Cheng got engaged half a month ago."
'Bang!' A porcelain vase shattered on the ground. Su Yunmo felt something ringing in her ears.
"Miss? Are you back?" Luoluo pushed the door open, her eyes filled with panic.
Zi Yuan quickly put on her clothes and composed herself.
Just as she finished dressing, Luoluo burst in. "Miss, you really are here, you scared this servant to death..."
Luoluo's words stopped abruptly. She saw the gauze and porcelain vase on the ground, then saw Zi Yuan and exclaimed in fright, "Miss, who is this?"
"Her name is Zi Yuan. From now on, she will serve me with you. Take her down to find a room. She will live in the mansion from now on." Su Yunmo covered her forehead with her hand.
Luoluo's mouth widened. "How can this be? Miss, you can't just pick people up. Madam..."
"Get out!" Su Yunmo snapped, and as she looked up, a darkness not belonging to her age appeared in her eyes.
Luoluo was startled and stood frozen, not moving.
Zi Yuan knew Master needed time to organize her thoughts. She pulled Luoluo out and closed the door gently.
Su Yunmo clenched her fist and slammed it onto the headboard, veins bulging on her forehead.
Her engagement to Ye Jingcheng was bestowed by the late emperor. In the past few days, she had considered whether Ye Jingcheng's murder of her was due to dissatisfaction with the marriage.
But it didn't seem like it now. What did he want to do? After using her, would he go on to use Yu Ning?
Yu Ning had been frail since childhood and had a soft personality; she would definitely not be a match for that man.
And then there was her elder brother. Brother Chen Xi's leg had always been bad. Without her medicine, his old injury would surely relapse.
At that time, the entire Lin family would probably become Ye Jingcheng's plaything.