The Foolish King’s Little Concubine

Kang Yu stared wide-eyed as Shen An backed away from him, and asked. “What are you planning to do?” he asked.

“What am I planning to do? Kang scumbag, don’t you understand?” Shen An stepped closer. “Weren’t you feeling so proud just now? Why are you so scared now? Huh?”

“I’m telling you, don’t come any closer. Murder is against the law. If you kill me, you won’t be able to live either!”

“Whether I live or die doesn’t matter. What matters is that you must die today! I will take your head to offer as a sacrifice to my parents to comfort their spirits in heaven!” Shen An stepped closer.

“No…don’t…”

Kang Yu finally realized the seriousness of the situation and regretted his actions. Why did he have to bring Fan Lingzhen here to humiliate her?

At this moment, he showed a fearful expression on his face and begged for mercy in a panic, “Shen An, you misunderstand. This was not my idea It’s my father! Everything is planned by him. I…I had no idea beforehand! If you want revenge, go find my father, not me! It’s not my fault!”

Shen An sneered. How could the original owner of the body entrust his life to such a person like Kang Yu? To save his own miserable life, he pushed his own woman away and blamed his father. How could a man like him survive in the world for so long?

“Kang Yu, don’t worry, I won’t let you die so easily.”

Shen An said, her face even more sinister. “I will torture you slowly, bit by bit until you die.”

As soon as she finished speaking, a scream echoed through the sky.

Kang Yu curled up on the ground, writhing in agony. His blood slowly mixed with Fan Lingzhen’s already dried blood.

“Shen An, you evil woman! You will not have a good end!” he yelled.

“The feeling of having your tendons severed is not bad, is it?” Shen An ignored his cries, showing pleasure on her face. “Kang Yu, you can wait here and slowly bleed to death!”

Making him watch his own blood slowly drain away until it disappeared should be more satisfying than directly killing him!

“Jinyu, take the baggage and let’s go!”

“Okay.”

As Wei Jinyu passed by Kang Yu, he kicked him a few times before following Shen An out of the house.

Leaving the Shen residence, Shen An turned to take a deep look at the mansion before saying, “Jinyu, would you do me a favor?”

“What is it, Jiejie (1)?” Wei Jinyu asked.

“Could you go find a barrel of oil and a torch, and gather some firewood for me?” Shen An requested.

“What do you need them for?” Wei Jinyu asked.

“The Kang family not only took our family’s fortune but also want to seize our residence. Since I’m currently powerless to do anything about the money, I must at least defend my family’s home from falling into the hands of those beasts,” Shen An explained.

Wei Jinyu didn’t completely understand what his Jiejie was saying, but he nodded solemnly and quickly ran off to fetch what she needed.

After Wei Jinyu brought the things Shen An needed, she didn’t allow him to participate any further. Killing and arson were her own affairs, and she didn’t want to involve Wei Jinyu.

The flames blazed higher and higher, and Shen An finally lead Wei Jinyu away.

In this big world, there was no one she could count on, and Shen An tasted bitter loneliness for the first time.

The Kang father and son had brought her family to this point. Although she had killed only one person, Kang Yu, Shen An could not let it rest. But now, she was alone and couldn’t even gain a single advantage against the wily and cunning Kang Shao.

If Kang Shao found out about Kang Yu’s death, he wouldn’t let her off so easily.

They couldn’t stay in Changhe Town any longer. After pondering for a moment, Shen An asked Wei Jinyu, “Do you want to go with me to the capital?”

For now, she could only try her luck in the capital, searching for an opportunity and planning her revenge carefully.

The bits of silver that Shen An had taken from her embroidered shoes were already used up as travel expenses. By the time they arrived in the capital city, they only had a few copper coins left, not even enough for a decent meal.

But it had to be said that the prosperity of the capital was unparalleled compared to their small town.

It was truly not easy to carve out a place of their own here.

“Growl~”

Shen An looked at Wei Jinyu embarrassedly rubbing his stomach and chuckled. “He’s a little hungry.”

Shen An was also famished, sighed, and pinched a few copper coins with her hand, murmuring, “This money is probably not even enough to buy a scallion cake.”

Shen An was in a dilemma.

Wei Jinyu frowned for a moment, then suddenly brightened, remembering something and pulling Shen An over. “I have a way, follow me.”

Shen An hadn’t even reacted yet and was confusedly pulled along by him.

They made their way through the market to the lake, tranquil and peaceful. The surroundings were filled with bamboo trees, lush and verdant, as if it were another world.

“Wow…” Shen An couldn’t help but exclaim. “What a great place.”

Wei Jinyu proudly straightened his chest, his face full of satisfaction as he enjoyed Shen An’s praise.

But soon, Shen An’s gaze sank and suddenly shot towards him like a sharp sword, making Wei Jinyu a little uneasy under his stare, stuttering, “Sister, wh-what’s wrong?”

“How do you know about this place? Have you been to the capital before?”

“Weijinyu blinked his eyes as if pondering for a while, before saying seriously: ‘I can’t remember, but I feel like this place is familiar, like somewhere I used to frequent.’

Did he use to frequent this place?

That means his background must be related to the capital.

Shen An thought for a moment. The current imperial surname is Zhou, but his surname is Wei, so he shouldn’t have any connections to the royal family.

Then who was he?

“Jinyu, let me take you to see a doctor!”

Wei Jinyu just rubbed his stomach pitifully and said, “But I’m hungry.”

“‘Okay. We’ll fill our stomachs first, earn some silver, and then take you to see the doctor.’

For the first time, Shen An felt the sorrow of being broke.

But now, where could they get food from?

Shen An glanced at the calm lake surface and a mischievous smile appeared on her face, like a fox with bad intentions, as she looked at Wei Jinyu whose eyes were spinning around: “Jinyu, do you know how to swim?”

Wei Jinyu thought for a moment and nodded.

“Shen An looked satisfied and continued to entice him: “Then, then you go down and catch some things and I’ll make you a seafood feast to let you taste my cooking, how about that?”

“Okay, okay.” Wei Jinyu was as happy as a three-year-old child, giggling: “I’ve never tasted Jiejie’s cooking before.”

Satisfied that he took the bait, she contentedly said: “Then you have to figure out how to get tools on your own, okay? Sister will be watching you from the shore, right?”

“Okay!” Weijinyu patted his chest: “I got this!”

Shen An watched as Wei Jinyu skillfully broke off a bamboo stick and sharpened one end after testing the length. He then tried to take off his outer clothes, but accidentally saw Shen An looking at him with glowing green eyes, like a hunter looking at his prey.

Wei Jinyu puffed up his cheeks and said to Shen An, “Jiejie, can you… can you turn around?”

“I’m a girl, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about. You’re a big man and you’re acting so shy.” Shen An snorted through her nose and looked at Wei Jinyu’s handsome face, which was getting rosier and rosier. She chuckled to herself.

“Okay, okay, I’ll turn around,” Shen An rolled her eyes and turned her body around, facing away from him.

After hearing some rustling sounds behind her, Shen An resisted the temptation for a few moments but couldn’t help stealing a glance.

Upon seeing him, Shen An’s heart fluttered a little.

A strong and muscular body, with abs and a defined waist, a naturally good figure.

And his skin looked as smooth as water, delicate and flawless, making any woman feel inferior just by looking at it.

With skin like this and a body like this, even if he wasn’t a member of the royal family, he would still be a nobleman’s son.

In any case, Wei Jinyu’s background was not simple.

As she thought about this, she became lost in her thoughts, forgetting that she was still secretly looking at him. She only snapped back to reality when she heard Wei Jinyu’s loud scream.

But what she saw was Wei Jinyu clutching his clothes in front of him, looking pitiful and resentful, like a big girl who had been stripped by a pervert.

“You…pe…pe…”

Wei Jinyu wanted to say “pervert”, but the words didn’t feel right on his tongue. He stuttered for a long time without saying anything coherent.

He just felt like he had been taken advantage of.

Shen An couldn’t help but burst out laughing, turning around boldly to look at him. “Jinyu, you’re a grown man. If you keep acting so coquettish, I might start to doubt your sexual orientation.”

The sight of him was so cute that it almost awakened Shen An’s animalistic desires, and he couldn’t help but want to pounce on him and ravish him thoroughly.

“Sexual orientation? I don’t understand,” Wei Jinyu shook his head, and Shen An snatched the clothes from his hand and patted his shoulder, saying “It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand sexual orientation, but do you understand hunger?”

“Wei Jinyu nodded vigorously.

Shen An gestured towards the lake. “Then let’s go.”

Without a second thought, Wei Jinyu plunged into the water, causing bubbles to rise to the surface of the lake. Shen An couldn’t help but worry, wondering if the child could really swim or if he was just bluffing.

Just as Shen An was getting anxious, she heard a splash and saw Wei Jinyu holding up a struggling fish on a bamboo pole, grinning at her. “Jiejie, look how big this fish is!”

“Not bad, not bad,” Shen An breathed a sigh of relief. “Throw it up here and catch a few more.”

“Okay!” Wei Jinyu was about to dive back in when Shen An’s concerned voice stopped him. “But be careful and stay safe.”

Wei Jinyu felt a warmth in his heart and replied with a happy “okay” before diving back in.

On the road to prosperity.

When Wei Jinyu emerged from the water again, the shore was already covered with struggling fish and crabs.

“Jiejie, is this enough?” he asked, beaming.

“It’s enough. The water is cold, so come up quickly!” Shen An replied.

Wei Jinyu happily climbed up, dried himself off, and put on his clothes. He asked eagerly, “Jiejie, what else do we need to prepare?”

Shen An began counting her fingers, “Knives, cumin, salt, sugar…” listing dozens of items — but the more she counted, the more disheartened she felt. Finally finishing the list, she sighed and shook her head. “But without rice, even the best cook can’t prepare a meal.”

Wei Jinyu scratched the back of his head, and suddenly his eyes lit up as he exclaimed, “Sister, come with me!”

Shen An followed him around a few corners and finally discovered a hidden gem nestled in the bamboo forest: a delicate bamboo house sat in front of them, with piles of bamboo leaves outside. If one didn’t know where to look, one would never have discovered it.

Shen An exclaimed, “Who lives here?”

Wei Jinyu grinned, his eyes squinting into a slit, and said with pride, “Jiejie, go in and take a look.”

Shen An looked at him suspiciously and walked in cautiously. As soon as she entered, her eyes lit up. Though small, the place was fully equipped with everything she needed.

However, due to the lack of human occupation for a long time, the place was covered in a thick layer of dust.

Footnote:

1. Jiejie is a Chinese term that refers to an older sister or a female friend who is older than oneself. It can be used as a term of endearment or respect.

The rain became heavier, and the two of them were now the most miserable-looking wet rats. But Shen An stood straight in the rain, exuding a strong sense of killing intent.

“The matter has come to this point, there seems to be nothing more to say,” Shen An sniffed and suddenly let out a long sigh, looking meaningfully at Wei Jinyu.

Wei Jinyu understood the meaning in her eyes, and his toes pointed on the ground as he leapt up into the air, his hands turning into claws as he directly attacked the county magistrate.

The county magistrate never expected Shen An to have such audacity. By the time he reacted, the sharp claws were only half a foot away from him, and he felt his throat tighten, firmly grasped.

“Help, help, someone is attempting to assassinate me!” he shouted in panic.

The steward’s legs went weak and he called out in frenzy for help.

“How about we make a bet?” Shen An’s lips curled up with a bloodthirsty smile, like a Rakshasa emerging from hell. “Let’s see if your soldiers arrive first, or if Jinyu’s hands are faster?”

Wei Jinyu’s hand slightly tightened, and the county magistrate’s face changed drastically as he hurriedly said, “Shen An, do you know what crime it is to assassinate a court-appointed official?”

“What crime is it to me?” Shen An sneered, “But the life of a young girl is not worth much. The life of the official is worth much more than the life of the young girl. This deal is a good one for me.”

“You crazy woman, let go of the official!” The butler was fearful, but had to muster up the courage to stop Shen An.

“As long as the official cooperates, I will guarantee that the official will not be harmed. Although my Shen family has no power or status, we are just ordinary merchants, but I, Shen An, cannot treat such a mortal enemy as nothing!”

“You are threatening me.”

He knew that if Shen An had the guts, she could really kill him without hesitation.

She had that kind of courage.

“If that’s what the magistrate says, then so be it. Apart from this, I have no other choice,” Shen An replied calmly.

The county magistrate suddenly stopped talking as he looked at her. He had never seen such a strong-willed woman.

“You can leave now and pack up your things from the Shen residence. As for the truth, I believe you will find out in due time,” the county magistrate finally said.

Shen An didn’t understand what he meant by that, but the magistrate refused to say anything more after these words.

“Thank you, Your Honor.”

Shen An deeply bowed and said, “JinYu, let’s go home.”

Wei Jinyu looked at her and then back at the magistrate, and obediently let go of his hand and walked to her side.

As they turned around, Shen An looked over her shoulder and said, “Your Honor, I entrust my parents’ funeral arrangements to you.”

“Bring them in…”

Before the steward finished speaking, the county magistrate raised his hand to stop him. He watched as the figures of Shen An and Wei Jinyu disappeared gradually into the rain, and even sighed, “Let them go.”

Along the way, Shen An kept her arms wrapped around herself and remained silent, her slender figure looking particularly pitiful.

Wei Jinyu sneezed a few times.

Only then did Shen An remember and quickly took off her coat for Wei Jinyu, “Put it on, don’t catch a cold again.”

Wei Jinyu shook her head repeatedly and said, “No Jiejie (1), you wear it.”

“I’m not cold, you wear it,” Shen An’s lips were a little blue from the cold, and she looked listless.

“I’m not cold either. If you give it to me, I’ll throw it away!” Wei Jinyu said stubbornly.

Shen An’s heart warmed a little and she smiled, “You’re really silly.”

“They all say I’m silly, but I’m not. I can take care of you,” Wei Jinyu said confidently.

“I have hands and feet, and I don’t need anyone to take care of me. Even if our home is gone, as long as I’m here, I Shen An, can make it rise again!” Shen An said determinedly.

Shen An’s eyes shone with an indescribable light, as if she had an invisible infectious power.

“Good, then Jinyu will accompany Jiejie to rise again.”

Shen Family was in a mess at this time. The once grand Shen Mansion had lost all its vitality. Everything inside was scattered on the ground, and all valuable items had been looted.

Was this a raid by soldiers?

This was f***ing like the Japanese invading the village!

Shen An picked up a set of clothes belonging to Shen Yu and handed it to Wei Jinyu.

“Go find a place to change your clothes.”

Wei Jinyu nodded and went out with the clothes.

Shen An returned to her room, and went under the bed to retrieve a pair of embroidered shoes that were hidden deep inside, patted the dust off them. Thankfully, no one had touched them.

She lifted the insole and took out some broken silver, feeling relieved.

Fortunately, she was clever and had hidden her private money that she could use now.

She carefully packed the silver and changed into clean clothes. After drying her hair, Wei Jinyu pushed the door open, dressed in Shen Yu’s clothes. Their figures were somewhat similar, but Shen Yu was a little more plump. Wei Jinyu looked a bit loose in his clothes, but not too bad.

“It fits quite well.” Shen An nodded in satisfaction and began to pack her own clothes. She also found several sets of Shen Yu’s clothes for Wei Jinyu and bundled them together into a small package.

“I’ll carry it.”

Wei Jinyu eagerly took the backpack from her hands, looking very pleased.

“Oh, it’s indeed a pair of adulterers. Even at this time, you still don’t forget to be lovey-dovey. It seems that you, Shen An, are really a despicable person,” a voice suddenly came, mixed with thick sarcasm and insults. Shen An turned his head and saw Kang Yu walking towards them arrogantly.

Kang Yu had his arm around Fan Lingzhen’s waist and was waving a folding fan in his right hand. He probably worried that Wei Jinyu would fight with him again, so he brought three burly bodyguards with him.

Fan Lingzhen was sticking tightly to Kang Yu’s body like a snake, frowning delicately and saying, “Yu Ge (2), how could you say such things about Shen Jie? After all, you used to have feelings for each other.”

“Don’t worry, Fan Jie. From now on, I have nothing to do with this despicable person. In my heart, there has always been only you,” Kang Yu said.

“I say, you.” Shen An couldn’t stand it anymore and stood up to confront him, “If you want to disgust people, can you please leave? Don’t dirty the air in my house.”

“Hahaha…” Kang Yu laughed wildly, as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world, “Shen An, do you think this is still Shen family’s house? Tomorrow, I will send people to remove the signboard here and put up the signboard of my Kang Mansion. From now on, this place will belong to my Kang family.”

“What did you say?!” Shen An’s face darkened, her eyes narrowed dangerously.

“If you didn’t hear clearly, this young master can repeat it for you.”

Shen An stared at him with unblinking eyes, and her gaze gradually became cold. Suddenly, she understood the county magistrate’s words and smiled politely, “So, my Shen family has fallen to such a point, and the mastermind behind it is you, father and son.”

“Haven’t you figured it out? You’re not that stupid,” Kang Yu laughed heartily, not avoiding it at all. “That’s right, if it weren’t for the Shen family’s huge fortune, do you think I would bother to give you a second glance with your personality? Shen An, to tell you the truth, I have been extremely disgusted with you in the past two years, and if it weren’t for my sister Fan being with me, do you really think I could have put up with it until now?”

“Also, Lian Man is a spy my father planted in your Shen family. If your mother hadn’t been so useless and only given birth to you, a worthless person, how could there be a chance to plant a spy? Of course, the matter of you and that idiot cuddling together was also our and Lian Man’s conspiracy to frame you. Unfortunately, a pawn is just a pawn. Once it loses its value, it should be abandoned.”

“What a clever scheme. So, you’ve been plotting against my Shen family’s wealth since two years ago. Kang Yu, oh Kang Yu, you’ve really gone to great lengths to play this game. Now that my Shen family is ruined and my family is dead, I want your life!” Shen An yelled and flipped her palm, sending a dagger flying straight towards Kang Yu.

“Help!”

Kang Yu yelled and pushed Fan Lingzhen forward.

“Splurt…”

A gush of blood spurted out, and Fan Lingzhen looked at the man hiding behind her in disbelief before her body lost control and fell down.

“Fan Jie!”

Kang Yu knelt down and held onto Fan Lingzhen’s body, anxiously pleading, “Fan Jie, you can’t die, you can’t leave me!”

Fan Lingzhen stared at him in shock and despair, touching her own stomach. She coughed up a mouthful of black blood, her head tilted to the side, and she died.

“You’re really a coward, shouting for Fan Jie but when danger comes, you push her forward as a shield. Kang Yu, you really have some nerve.” Shen An mocked, full of disdain.

“Jiejie, there’s blood.” Wei Jinyu suddenly spoke, looking towards the direction of Fan Lingzhen.

Shen An turned his head and saw a large pool of black blood oozing out from under Fan Lingzhen, staining the entire ground red.

“This… this…”

Kang Yu was so scared that he sat on the ground, looking at the bloodstains on his hands with panic in his eyes.

“She had a miscarriage.” Shen An frowned. He didn’t know in advance that Fan Lingzhen was already pregnant. It seems that the fetus had not yet formed and it was probably only about a month old.

“Fan Jie! Fan Jie!” Kang Yu was thunderstruck and shouted as he held onto Fan Lingzhen, “Why didn’t you tell me you were pregnant! This is our child! It’s all your fault, why didn’t you tell me! Fan Jie, you can’t die, you can’t die!”

“Useless coward!” Shen An sneered at him. It was disgusting that at this point, he was still pushing the blame onto others.

Suddenly, Kang Yu turned his head and pointed at Shen An fiercely, saying, “It’s all because of you! You, the murderer, killed Fan Lingzhen! You killed my child! I will never forgive you!”

“Hah! Kang scumbag is indeed living up to his name, he’s a scumbag through and through. You’re the first person I’ve ever met with such a rotten personality. Today, my Shen family will seek revenge for our family’s extermination. You’re all going to pay!”

“How dare you!” Kang Yu’s legs went weak, and he tried to muster up his courage, saying, “My father has already bribed even the prefectural governor. If you dare lay a finger on me, my father won’t let you go!”

“Very well, let him try!”

Kang Yu turned to the three burly men behind him and shouted, “What are you waiting for? Capture her!”

Just as Wei Jinyu was about to make a move, Shen An grabbed his arm.

“This is my Shen family’s affair, I will handle it myself!”

Shen An swiftly swung her blade and beheaded one of the burly men, blood spewing out and splattering on the faces of the other two, instantly shocking them.

The two men looked at each other, feeling afraid.

Kang Yu roared, “Did I bring you two here just to stand there? Go and kill this bitch! If you succeed, I’ll double your reward!”

The two men were greatly encouraged and charged towards Shen An.

Shen An wiped the blood splattered on her face and smiled strangely. She quickly dodged and struck both men in the neck with her elbow, causing them to pass out on the ground.

Footnote:

1. Jiejie : a Chinese term that refers to an older sister or a female friend who is older than oneself. It can be used as a term of endearment or respect.
2. Ge : a Chinese word that means “older brother.” When added after someone’s name or nickname, it can be used to address them in a friendly or familiar way.

For the first time, Kang Yu didn’t get angry. His eyes were filled with an uncontrollable sense of pride, as if he knew everything about the Shen family’s situation.

Shen An’s eyes narrowed, “How do you know?”

Kang Yu raised his eyebrows, seeming to relish in Shen An’s reaction. He shamelessly opened the covers, put on his clothes, and said smugly, “I told you earlier, you will pay for your stupidity. You and that fool are a perfect match, both so stupid they’re about to die.”

“You son of a bitch, I’ll beat you up!” Wei Jinyu’s handsome face turned cold as he balled his fists, ready to give Kang Yu another punch.

Suddenly, a panicked servant rushed in. He looked like a housekeeper and exclaimed, “Something’s wrong with Miss! Master Shen is being attacked by bandits in Changshan. Miss, please go and save him!”

“Dad?” Shen An’s heart skipped a beat. Without saying another word to Kang Yu, she urgently said, “Take me there!”

Outside the door, a carriage was already prepared. Without much thought, Shen An climbed onto the horse with Wei Jinyu and rushed towards Changshan.

One thing after another, things keeps popping up. It was clear that someone had plotted against Shen Yu by having him encounter bandits at this time. Who was so malicious as to want to bring the Shen family to its demise?

Wei Jinyu tightly wrapped his arms around Shen An’s waist from behind, his thin lips pursed tightly, not daring to say a word.

After leaving the town, they would have to pass through a dense forest. Suddenly, something flashed in Shen An’s mind, and she fiercely pulled the reins.

“Hey, hey~”

The horse raised its front hooves and stopped.

Shen An turned to look at Wei Jinyu, her voice cold and serious: “Get off the horse and leave quickly.”

It was an order, not a discussion.

Although Wei Jinyu didn’t know the reason, he could sense that something big was about to happen. He shook his head like a rattle drum: “I won’t leave, I’ll stay with you.”

“I told you to leave, so leave. There is no room for negotiation. Otherwise, you won’t see me again in the future. Hurry!”

“I…I won’t…ouch…”

Before Wei Jinyu could finish his sentence, he was pushed off the horse by Shen An and fell heavily to the ground. A look of pity flashed across Shen An’s face, but she quickly regained her composure, turned the horse’s head, and was about to go back.

Suddenly, the sound of rustling came from all sides, and then five or six masked black-clad men jumped out, surrounding them.

Obviously, they had been lying in ambush here long ago.

Shen An had already realized that they had been tricked as soon as they left the town. Although the servant was wearing the Shen family’s clothes, it was a stranger’s face that she had never seen before. Besides, after the Shen family’s property was confiscated, all the servants and maids had scattered. Otherwise, her mother would not have come out personally to find her and report the news.

That person obviously wanted to lure her here.

Whoever was behind this had made a big move.

Originally, Shen An wanted Wei Jinyu to leave, but now it seemed that neither of them could leave.

Without any unnecessary words, Shen An’s gaze sharpened as she swiftly drew her hidden dagger and plunged it into the heart of one of the attackers, causing him to fall to the ground lifeless. At the same time, she dismounted her horse with a smooth and agile movement.

The remaining black-clad men attacked her with their swords, but with the help of her companion, Wei Jinyu, they managed to fend them off. Wei Jinyu’s martial arts skills were exceptional, and after a few rounds of fighting, the attackers began to struggle to keep up.

Shen An watched as Wei Jinyu fought with a serious and focused expression, and she couldn’t help but feel a strange emotion stirring within her. She had always thought he was simple-minded, but watching him now, she wondered if she had been wrong about him.

As they continued to fight, Wei Jinyu began to sweat profusely, and Shen An felt a sudden urge to protect him. With all her strength, she swung her hand like a knife and struck the neck of one of the attackers, rendering him unconscious.

Wei Jinyu heard the commotion and turned to see Shen An smiling softly at him. He felt a flutter in his chest but quickly regained his composure and protectively drew her close to him, saying gruffly, “Don’t move, I’ll handle this!”

Wei Jinyu kept his word and didn’t give Shen An another chance to take action, single-handedly defeating all the black-clothed men. Although he didn’t kill them, the remaining black-clothed men took their own lives by ingesting poison.

Shen An had known they were sent by someone, so regardless of whether they lived or died, she would find a way to uncover the mastermind behind the plot.

“Why would someone with such high martial arts end up living on the streets? Who was your teacher?” Shen An doubted Wei Jinyu’s identity, or rather, she had been suspicious for a long time, but had never asked.

Wei Jinyu shook his head. “I only wanted to scare them off because they were bullying you. I don’t have any martial arts skills.”

Shen An didn’t believe him. Wei Jinyu’s identity was definitely not that simple. But since he couldn’t remember, she didn’t ask any more questions. She still hadn’t fully investigated the situation at Shen Mansion, so the most important thing now was to figure out how to clear Shen Mansion’s name and how to relay the news of the incident to Shen Yu, who was doing business outside, and tell him to avoid the situation for a while.

“Let’s go back,” she said.

As for the current situation, Shen An could only go to the inn to discuss with her mother. However, when she arrived at the inn in a hurry, she found that her mother’s room was already locked from the inside. Shen An knocked on the door and shouted her identity, but there was no response.

Shen An had a bad feeling about this and was anxious. She kicked the door open and found that the room was in a mess, with bloodstains on the floor. Her mother had already been murdered and lay dead on the ground.

“Mother!” Shen An rushed over to lift the body, and there was a fine mark on her neck where her artery had been cut by a wire. The body was still warm, indicating that the murder had happened not long ago.

It turned out that the person who had lured her into the forest not only wanted her life, but also wanted to draw her away from home and then take her mother’s life!

Shen An’s tears finally broke free at this moment. The woman’s love for her was still vivid in her mind, and now she had suddenly become a cold corpse.

Who could have done this?!

Who wanted to destroy their family?!

Wei Jinyu could only whisper beside her, “Don’t cry, don’t cry.”

Shen An’s nails dug deep into her flesh, her eyes bloodshot. If the killer were standing in front of her now, she would surely tear them apart and drink their blood to ease her hatred!

After a while, Shen An placed the body down and, with Wei Jinyu, went downstairs to find the innkeeper and gave him a large sum of money to help with the funeral arrangements.

The Shen family mansion was already sealed off, and they couldn’t go back. For the time being, they could only find a temporary place to stay.

After the waiter went out with the money, he hurried back in a panic, and when he saw Shen An, he said anxiously, “You…you need to go to the Yamen (1)!”

Shen An was startled. Could something else have happened?

She was now on the brink of despair, but still managed to ask in a trembling voice, “What happened?”

“Your father, Shen Yu, and your stepmother’s bodies were sent to the Yamen. You need to go quickly…”

Shen An was shocked.

Before the waiter could finish his sentence, Shen An took a step forward and rushed out. By the time the waiter caught up with her to return the leftover money, their figures had disappeared at the end of the alley.

The waiter sighed heavily, “It’s really pitiful…”

Perhaps even heaven felt too compassionate, and the weather suddenly changed from clear skies to strong winds and heavy rain, hitting their bodies with painful, bean-sized drops.

By the time they arrived at the county yamen, they were soaked through, and fearing that Shen An might catch a cold, Wei Jinyu took off his coat and draped it over her.

As they approached the entrance of the county yamen, they were stopped by guards with guns, who asked, “Who are you people?”

Jinyu thought they were going to harm Shen An, and was about to take action, but Shen An quickly grabbed him and truthfully said, “I am Shen Yu’s daughter, my father is inside!”

The two soldiers looked at each other and put away their guns, letting them pass.

Shen Yu and Shen Man’s bodies were covered with white cloth in the courtyard of the Yamen, and Shen An went over and lifted the soaked white cloth. Their familiar faces were immediately in her sight, but there was no trace of blood on the faces and their eyes were staring wide open, as if they couldn’t close.

“Dad!” Shen An screamed in grief, regardless of the mud, and sat down on the ground. The last line of defense in her heart collapsed completely, and she gritted her teeth and said, “Who did this? Who did it?”

“This was done by Xiangma (2). I am also powerless. Miss Shen, please take care and comfort yourself.”

A calm voice suddenly sounded, and Shen An, with red eyes, slightly turned her head and saw the county magistrate standing on the roof with his hands behind his back, looking down at them with a regretful and helpless tone, but his expression was indifferent, without any change.

“Xiangma? Xiangma did this?” Shen An suddenly laughed loudly, both sarcastic and sad. “Sir, I just want to ask you one thing. Are you not afraid of being struck by lightning when you say this?”

The county magistrate furrowed his brow slightly.

“Outrageous!” The magistrate’s attendant next to him shouted loudly, “Shen Yu privately built a project that caused the deaths of many people, and he was guilty. Now that he is dead, the county magistrate shows mercy and will not punish you. Yet you dare to speak recklessly and act against authority, you are simply audacious!”

The county magistrate continued, “I have considered that Shen Yu has been a blessing to the town, so I will allow the Yamen to take care of the Shen family’s affairs and give them a decent burial. Are you satisfied with this?”

Shen An stood up and walked towards him step by step, her tone suddenly sharp: “If my father was killed by Xiangma, why didn’t you lead soldiers to eradicate them as a government official? Also, you said my father privately built a project that caused deaths, where is your evidence? And why was my mother killed when she was perfectly fine? Each event is connected, so please give me an explanation!”

She was pressuring him to reveal the mastermind behind the scenes.

And this county magistrate, he was probably colluding with the culprit.

The magistrate’s brow furrowed deeper, and his tone became grim: “Shen An, you are a clever person.”

“Huh, a clever person.” Shen An sneered, her eyes blurred, not knowing if it was rain or tears, and said desolately, “Even if I am clever, I am still being manipulated by you, the county magistrate. Sir, I don’t ask for much, just want the truth!”

“The truth is as I have said, if you continue to be unreasonable, it will only do you harm and no good.” His voice was not loud, but every word was a threat.

Footnote:
1. Yamen : a government office in Imperial China that was responsible for law enforcement, public security, and administration of justice. Yamen usually housed officials such as magistrates, judges, police officers, and clerks, who dealt with civil and criminal cases. The Yamen system was a key feature of the imperial Chinese bureaucracy and was established in every administrative unit, from the central government down to the local level.

2. Xiangma : a term in Chinese martial arts that refers to a style of fast and explosive footwork. It involves light and quick steps, sudden changes in direction, and the use of body momentum to generate power and speed. The name “响马” literally means “ringing horse,” which may be a reference to the sound of the horse’s hooves as it gallops, and the quick and agile movements of a horse in motion. The xiangma footwork is commonly used in various styles of Chinese martial arts, such as Baguazhang and Xingyiquan.