Edited by RED

In the Imperial City within Mirrorlink’s Capital City, Lian Chengwei was looking furiously at his son, Lian Tianwei. For some unknown reason, Lian Tianwei became much more withdrawn and hardly showed himself after the Fengwen Examination ended. He didn’t even participate much in the state’s affairs, and would only appear in meetings after being called upon several times. After discovering his son’s abnormality, Lian Chengwei ordered a secret investigation and found out that Lian Tianwei was actually in an affair with one of his father’s own concubines!

“You disgrace! Look at what you’ve done!” Lian Chengwei scolded him.

Hearing this, Lian Tianwei immediately rebuked, “Father, please don’t make things difficult for me and Ya’er anymore. We’re truly in love with each other.”

“Nonsense! Ya’er is I, your father’s concubine. How could you do such a thing! And now you actually want me to let you be? How am I supposed to face others!” Lian Chengwei roared.

“Father! You’ve neglected Ya’er after you picked her as concubine. I really like Ya’er, and she also likes me. What does it matter for you to let her be with me?” Lian Tianwei pleaded, kneeling on the ground.

Seeing his son actually speak such things to him for the sake of being with one of his own women, Lian Chengwei could no longer suppress his rage. He said, “Wei’er, this father only wishes that you will put your mind on the affairs of state. Now the four great clans are basically great in name only. The Huang Clan was even massacred. Now is the crucial time to reclaim all the power; how could you put all your thoughts on a mere woman? Fine. Since it’s like this, I’ll do you a favor. Men! Bring Yi Ya’er here!”

The guard outside immediately left at hearing this, and Lian Tianwei was immediately ecstatic. He thought his father was going fulfill his wish.

Lian Chengwei looked at his son with gritted teeth as killing intent rose within him. Of course, the killing intent wasn’t directed at his son, but Yi Ya’er.

After some time, a woman whose looks weren’t considered beautiful, but exuded an extraordinary air slowly walked into the palace hall and knelt before Lian Chengwei.

“Ya’er, come over here. I have something to tell you,” Lian Chengwei said plainly.

That concubine called Yi Ya’er came up apprehensively. She and Lian Tianwei’s affair was exposed to Lian Chengwei unintentionally, and now her heart was in a mess.

Yi Ya’er came up to Lian Chengwei, not daring to raise her head. Suddenly, Lian Chengwei extended his hand and grabbed her neck forcefully, saying to Lian Tianwei, “Wei’er, if Father killed her, what would you do?”

Seeing this, Lian Tianwei hurried stood up and said anxiously, “Father, if you harm Ya’er, this son will never take over the position as the ruler of Mirrorlink and will leave! I beg father to let Ya’er go.”

Yellow energy shone in Lian Chengwei’s hand in a fit of rage at seeing his son would actually speak in this manner for the sake of a woman. He instantly broke Yi Ya’er’s neck, and she collapsed onto the floor, dead.

“Ah! Ya’er!” Lian Tianwei cried out in shock. He quickly flew over and brought Yi Ya’er into his embrace.

Lian Chengwei gave a cold humph and returned to his throne, sitting down. He thought that if only this woman died, he and Lian Tianwei would surely be like before, and Lian Tianwei would put more attention on affairs of state.

However, he never thought that Lian Tianwei would pick up Yi Ya’er blankly and slowly walk out of the palace hall.

“You rebellious son, what are you going to do!?” Lian Chengwei stood up and roared furiously.

Hearing this, Lian Tianwei didn’t turn around. He only stopped in place, his eyes full of sorrow and said plainly, “Father, did you know? I was acquainted with Ya’er since I was young, but I never met her again after you sent me away. When I returned, she had already been made your concubine. Now that we got together after much difficulty, you actually killed her! Fine, I’ll just leave Mirrorlink now and never return.”

When Lian Tianwei walked to the palace hall entrance, he spoke up again, saying, “You actually killed Ya’er for the sake of these so-called affairs of state! If I ever return, I will flatten the nation of Mirrorlink! State affairs, Mirrorlink, or whatever bullshit, should all just die along with Ya’er!”

“You!” Lian Chengwei said in astonishment. He never expected killing Yi Ya’er would make Lian Tianwei say such words. Some feelings of regret sprang up in his heart.

However, Lian Tianwei no longer paid any attention to him. He flew away with Yi Ya’er’s corpse in his arms, leaving Lian Chengwei alone with a vacant look.

After some time, a startling cry of anger spread from the palace hall.

------

At this moment, the newlyweds, Lan Jiu and Lan Shu’er, were having a sweet time of their own, the couple deeply in love with each other.

Lan Shu’er was as gentle as water, and after their marriage, became a virtuous wife. She would always show a smile filled with happiness on her face.

With Lan Jiu exhibiting his talent in hunting, Lan Daniu could no longer keep the secret. Many young men from the village started following him to hunt, and would hand over their extra harvests to Lan Daniu to sell in the city, living their days without trouble.

After a month, Lan Jiu saw Lan Shu’er vomiting when he returned home. He hurriedly went over and asked, concerned, “Shu’er, what happened to you?”

Lan Shu’er’s complexion was slightly yellowish. She replied softly, “I don’t know what’s been happening these few days. I don’t feel like eating and would often feel nauseous. It feels terrible.”

Lan Jiu turned anxious and quickly said, “Let’s go to granny’s place to check you up.”

Lan Shu’er nodded obediently and went to the granny’s place with Lan Jiu.

At her place, the granny only asked about Lan Shu’er’s condition, not bothering to feel her pulse, just sitting there and drinking tea.

“Granny, what exactly happened to Shu’er? Please say something,” Lan Jiu asked anxiously.

The granny shot a glance at him and sighed, saying, “I don’t know whether I should congratulate you two. Lan Jiu, you’re about to be a father.”

“Ah?” Lan Jiu and Lan Shu’er said in disbelief.

“What ah, don’t let Shu’er do hard labor anymore. Hunt more food to nourish her body. If anything happens to her, I won’t let you off, Lan Jiu,” the granny said plainly.

Lan Jiu smiled in embarrassment. Lan Shu’er face was red as an apple, too. She kept caressing her belly, showing a blessed look on her face.

After sending Lan Jiu and Lan Shu’er off, the granny sighed again, muttering to herself, “Ah, cursed fate, cursed fate.”

Ever since knowing that Lan Shu’er was pregnant, Lan Jiu doted on her even more. He wouldn’t let her do any chores, and would bring back lots of wild game when he went hunting.

However, Lan Jiu and Lan Daniu noticed a strange phenomenon during their hunting trips.

They would find corpses wearing golden clothes every once in a while, and as time passed, the number of corpses they discovered each time increased. Every time they found these corpses, they would dig a hole to bury the corpses.

Until one day, Lan Jiu and Lan Daniu discovered about a dozen such corpses in the deep mountains. They were afraid in the beginning, but slowly got used to it as they encountered such corpses and would bet on how many corpses they would stumble upon.

“Brother Daniu, say, we discover such corpses every so often. Who do you think was behind this? We have never met anybody else..?” Lan Jiu asked.

At this moment, Lan Daniu was frisking around the corpses, looking for any item of value. In the end, he really found two gemstone rings.

“Who cares, we’re not the ones dying. We bury them every time, anyway. That could be considered as letting them rest in peace,” Lan Daniu said, looking at the rings in his hand.

“Brother Daniu, isn’t it bad luck to keep taking things from the dead? Are these things valuable?” Lan Jiu asked, creasing his brow.

Lan Daniu didn’t say a word, only grinning stupidly as he looked at the rings.

------

Just like this, several months passed by peacefully. In the Woodblue Village, Lan Jiu and Lan Shu’er’s house was surrounded with people, all of them craning their necks to look inside as Lan Shu’er’s screams were heard from within.

Lan Jiu was pacing back and forth anxiously in the courtyard, while Lan Daniu sat there drinking tea.

“Oh, Lan Jiu, stop going around, you’re giving me a headache. It’s all women’s matter in there; no point in getting anxious. Come, drink some tea,” Lan Daniu said.

Lan Jiu ignored him, still pacing back and forth.

After some time, a baby’s cry was heard. Lan Jiu immediately felt his heartbeat quicken, looking in anticipation at the shut doors.

Zhiya, the door creaked open. The neighboring aunty said to Lan Jiu with a face full of smiles, “Lan Jiu, it’s done, it’s done, Shu’er gave birth to a girl. Both she and the child are safe. Come in a little later, there are still some things to take care of in there.”

Lan Jiu immediately revealed a smile at hearing this. Many villagers swarmed into the courtyard, all giving their congratulations to Lan Jiu.

Lan Jiu waved his arm happily and announced that he’ll be giving a treat today, telling the villagers to come for drinks and meat later. The villagers immediately cheered at his words.

Soon, the neighboring aunty called Lan Jiu into the house. Lan Daniu followed sneakily behind, but was kicked out of the house by the sharp-eyed aunty, making Lan Daniu to stare at her.

When Lan Jiu entered the house and saw the baby next to Lan Shu’er, he was so excited that he couldn’t say a word.

Lan Shu’er, lying on the bed, said weakly, “Dear, you have a daughter. Do you like her?”

“I do, I do,” Lan Jiu nodded quickly as tears fell uncontrollably from his eyes.

That night, Lan Jiu made good on his promise. He set up a banquet in the courtyard, inviting everyone from the village for drinks and meat. He himself was so happy that it was unknown how much wine he drank that night.

However, after Lan Jiu got drunk, he dreamt of those people calling him “Young Master” again. He tried to get a clearer look of those people, but no matter how he rubbed his eyes, those people were a blur.

---

The next day, Lan Jiu got up early. Ever since he became acquainted with Lan Daniu, he hadn’t learned much from him, but his capacity for liquor grew much bigger. The alcohol from last night didn’t affect him much.

He came out to the courtyard, where Lan Daniu and several young men from the village were already waiting for him. They had an agreement to go work hard on hunting today and bring back more harvests.

As they came to the village entrance, they noticed the granny was slowly approaching from outside the village entrance.

“Granny, where did you so early in the morning?” Lan Daniu greeted.

The granny didn’t utter a word, only nodding at them and continued forward.

Lan Daniu seemed to have gotten used to the granny’s temperament and only smiled, continuing his way out of the village.

On the other hand, Lan Jiu kept turning back to look. He seemed to feel that there are some secrets on this granny.

After Lan Jiu and the others left the village, the granny suddenly stopped and looked back at their figures. She sighed and extended her aged hands, which were covered in blood.

“Oh, Lan Jiu, who exactly did you offend? The cultivators coming to this village to conduct a search are getting more powerful as they come. Until when exactly do I have to clean up after you?” the granny muttered and continued her walk back to her house.