The servants were all shocked, their mouths agape as they stared at their two masters in disbelief.
For the first time since the lady married into the family, the master sat while she stood, fulfilling her duty as a wife. They were both used to the master standing and the lady sitting.
"Everyone," as expected, regardless of who stood or sat, the one who spoke and made decisions was still the stunningly beautiful Madam Xiao. "You have all been loyal servants of the Xiao family for generations. Now, an evil man has attacked. He is ruthless and cruel, and he loves to bully the innocent. My husband and I have our own plans. You do not need to stay here and risk your lives."
"We are willing to stay and live and die with Master and Madam!" The servants knelt down in a sea of kneeling.
"We appreciate your kindness. But there's no need for unnecessary sacrifices! The money we've given you is enough for you to start your own small businesses and support your families. You won't have to be slaves anymore."
Li Juxin smiled faintly, but there was a hint of desolation in her smile.
"After the rain tonight, I will evacuate Chrysanthemum Fairy Trail. When you see the fire, everyone should scatter and run away. Remember, scatter and do not stay on one road."
The servants looked at each other in bewilderment. Was it raining? Or was there a fire?
However, the lady never foresaw anything; if she said it would rain, it would rain; if she said it would start a fire, it would start a fire.
Sure enough, a torrential downpour began at the hour of Xu (7-9 PM). The rain pounded on the ground with a loud pattering sound, and leaves, petals, and everything else were scattered and messy.
Li Juxin had dressed up deliberately, and she leaned against Xiao Mingyu on the veranda, leisurely watching the rain. Servants came and went, carrying their belongings, their expressions flustered, which only made the two of them appear more arrogant and carefree.
Xiao Mingyu lowered his long eyelashes and asked with a smile, "Do you regret it, Juxin? Why did you have to marry a man like me who isn't good at martial arts but has a famous treasure?"
If it weren't for her these past few years, he would have died countless times. Although Gao Tianjing was a scoundrel, he wasn't wrong; he didn't hide behind her, but she really had been protecting him and his ancestral treasure all along.
"It's too late to ask now." When Li Juxin smiled sweetly, there was an eerie beauty to it. "Brother Yu, it was really worth it for us to die like this."
"Hmm, that saves on the cost of a coffin and funeral..."
"Brother Yu!" Li Juxin was truly defeated by him; it was his rugged and unrestrained nature, so incongruous with his handsome appearance, that captivated her. "I mean, if the two of us die like this, not only will Yuan'er be spared the pain of carrying the Xiao family's treasure, but we can also frame Gao Tianjing, who didn't gain a single advantage! His future... well, you can imagine." She smiled wickedly.
Xiao Mingyu looked at her intently, "Juxin..."
"Um?"
"You're too ruthless. He was a man who once admired you. How could you hurt him like this? You really are my wife, Xiao Mingyu's wife. You're spicy and fierce. I like it..." He laughed loudly.
"Brother Yu!"
"We'll share the same bed in life and the same grave in death! That'll drive my brother-in-law crazy! Being too good at martial arts means you'll never have a woman! Hey, I think that's a really good saying. It's a pity we both died a horrible death, otherwise I'd have it engraved on our tombstones, so my brother-in-laws will be burning incense and getting anxious every time they come to burn incense, hahahaha..."
"Sigh... Brother Yu."
Summer rains come quickly and go quickly.
Gao Tianjing gritted his teeth. The rain had soaked everything; it was definitely not a good time to set a fire.
"My lord? Will you release him or not?" The man in black was carrying an oil drum.
"put!"
Fiery arrows rained down on the Xiao family compound. Normally, it would be difficult to start a fire after the rain, but the Xiao family's houses caught fire as soon as they were lit, and in an instant, they were engulfed in flames!
"What's going on?" Gao Tianjing was dumbfounded, cold sweat pouring down his back. He vaguely sensed that he was falling into a trap. If the Xiao family was completely burned to the ground, not only would he not be able to snatch even an antique vase, losing everything, but also... he would be unfairly blamed for something he didn't do!
When the servants of the Xiao family saw the firelight, it was as if they saw a signal to charge into battle. They ran around in all directions, causing chaos. Gao Tianjing's men, who had not received any orders, had to temporarily climb trees to avoid being trampled.
"Kill! Kill them all!"
Gao Tianjing's veins bulged, and his face looked extremely ferocious in the firelight!
The Flower Smile, Part 4: The Wishing Tree
Xiao Juyuan gripped the torch tightly with difficulty. The stone wall in front of her was the exit mechanism. The Xiao family had such a long secret passage! She never dreamed of it.
The bundle containing the dried food and water bottle that her mother had wrapped in oiled paper seemed to be getting heavier and heavier, making her shoulders ache! How many days' worth was this? When would the Pei family come to pick her up? Would she have to wait many days?
My mother said the Pei family lived at the foot of Jinyun Mountain near Chongqing, and they would arrive in no more than two days at the fastest speed.
She weighed the Sky Sparrow Sword in her hand with resentment. It was so heavy! Why did she use it as a token? She had originally been dragging the greatsword on the ground, but the creaking sound of metal and stone in the secret passage was too unbearable, so she had to tuck this big iron thing under her arm.
Pressing the mechanism caused the stone wall to slowly rise, and a gust of damp wind carrying rain suddenly rushed over, extinguishing the torch instantly.
It was indeed raining outside, and Mother didn't seem to have said anything wrong.
The rain made the night even darker, but through the hail-like downpour, she saw a flame! It was from the cave, the cave her mother had spoken of, just above the mountain path. That fire… could it be that the Pei family had arrived?
She excitedly rushed into the rain. The stone wall closed with a loud thud, and she looked back in horror. The rain made it impossible for her to open her eyes... The cold, thick stone seemed to isolate her not from where she came, but from her past!
The petite six-year-old stumbled and fell several times along the mountain path in the pouring rain. Her Heavenly Sparrow Sword and her bundle became her greatest burdens. The path, which seemed short, felt incredibly long, but the firelight in the rain was irresistibly alluring, exceptionally bright and warm, an experience she would never forget!
In that dark and helpless rainy night, the fire seemed to become all the hope!
She was panting, and almost as she crawled into the cave, she saw a little girl who was about the same age as her!
Xiao Juyuan's appearance didn't elicit much of a reaction from her. She merely turned her eyes with a cold expression. Her eyes were full of resentment and indifference, devoid of any childlike innocence.
Xiao Juyuan was a little disappointed; it seemed the Pei family hadn't arrived yet. However, the presence of someone in the cave, especially a little girl about her age, surprised and delighted her.
"Sister, may I come and warm myself by the fire?" she asked with an innocent and sweet smile.
For some reason, she felt that the aloof little girl was older than her. Perhaps it was her expression and demeanor that were beyond her years.
The little girl hesitated for a moment, then nodded.