Chapter 657 Clues to the Descendants of the Jiang Clan (V)
Mu Ruoyi’s ominous premonition was
soon confirmed. Before Xiao Li’s parents could reply, the matter was leaked, becoming common knowledge to the neighbors. After all, in this day and age, the chance of finding a baby girl was less than finding a bag of gold.
Master Chen soon learned of the matter. He never dreamed that his meticulously planned scheme would be ruined by his own son. Enraged, he grabbed a knife and was about to kill Chen Kai on the spot.
“What choice do I have? If I don’t do this, Xiao Li will have to settle in an Immortal Sect. I’m already twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. Are you just going to watch your son go to war?”
Chen Kai, unaware of his sister’s true identity, asked hysterically.
“Alas! Heaven truly wants to destroy me!”
Hearing this, Master Chen’s heart softened, and he could only painfully put down the knife.
“Master, it’s not that serious, is it? It’s just that her gender has been revealed.” Madam Chen asked with a glimmer of hope.
“Madam, do you know that nowadays, the chance of finding a baby girl is even smaller than finding a bag of gold? If those lackeys hear about this, they will undoubtedly suspect us.” Master Chen sighed.
“What lackeys?” Chen Kai asked in confusion, but his parents remained tight-lipped.
“All of you, prepare yourselves. We need to move as soon as possible,” Master Chen instructed.
“Why?” Chen Kai asked, not understanding the reason, and naturally received no answer from his parents.
Master Chen realized the crisis, turned into the house, and burned the letter left by the beggar.
Chen Kai was reluctant to leave his hometown because he couldn’t bear to part with Xiao Li, unaware that he was courting death.
A few days later, late at night, three suspicious figures approached the Chen family’s courtyard. They were all tall and strong, with agile steps, clearly not ordinary people.
“Is this the Chen family that found the baby girl?” The leader, a stout middle-aged man, asked his followers.
“Yes, Commander Wu Wei.” The follower behind him replied.
“Hmph! I thought the family that found the baby girl would be a very wealthy one. After all, without ancestral blessings, how could they have such luck? It seems this matter is indeed not simple.” The leading Wu Wei sneered.
“Does Commander Wan Wu Wei mean that the baby girl is a remnant of the Jiang clan?” The follower confirmed.
“More than likely! Those remnants of the previous dynasty disappeared in this small town, and this family coincidentally found a baby girl. Is there such a coincidence in the world?” Wan Wu Wei speculated.
“If that’s the case, shouldn’t your subordinate go in and eliminate everyone inside now?” The follower said eagerly.
“For now, let’s not alert them. Killing a few commoners would be a small matter, but without evidence, we won’t be able to report back to the Commander,” Wan Wu Wei said, quite rationally.
“Then what should we do? Please instruct us, Commander Wu Wei!” The follower clasped his hands in salute.
“Do nothing. Just keep an eye on this family here and make sure that baby girl doesn’t escape. I will arrange for people to continue searching for the remnants of the previous dynasty. As long as we find him, we can confirm whether this family has adopted the little princess of the Jiang clan.” Wan Wu Wei commanded.
“Yes!” The follower respectfully accepted the order.
Mu Ruoyi, reading this, felt as if her heart was being squeezed. Although she knew the outcome, she still hoped for a miracle.
Meanwhile, in the real world, Cheng Hong Ling’s pretty face had lost its color, and her beautiful red lips had become transparent, a symptom of severe blood loss.
Qi Huang quickly walked over and gave the main body another blood replenishment pill. Although it didn’t have an immediate effect, it was better than nothing.
“Should we have her stop for now?” Qi Huang asked tentatively.
“No, I can still hold on,” Cheng Hong Ling replied stubbornly, shaking her head.
Qi Huang had no choice but to stand by and guard her.
Mu Ruoyi continued to read the old tree’s memories. On the evening of the second day, hundreds of soldiers rushed into the Chen family’s home under the moonlight, trapping the unprepared family of three in the courtyard.
Madam Chen, already guilty, trembled all over when she saw such a large contingent.
Chen Kai looked bewildered, completely unaware of what had happened.
“May I ask the officials why they have paid us a visit?” Master Chen, having been mentally prepared, asked calmly.
“Stop the nonsense and hand over the remnants of the Jiang clan,” the leading Wan Wu Wei commanded.
“What Jiang clan? I don’t understand what you mean, sir,” Master Chen said stubbornly, wanting to at least die with some dignity.
“You truly won’t shed tears until you see the coffin!” Wan Wu Wei sneered and shook his head before saying to his subordinates, “Bring the person here!”
“Yes!” Several subordinates agreed and dragged in a person wearing shackles.
Master Chen looked closely and saw that the person was ragged, barely clothed, and staggering with each step. The exposed skin was covered with bruises of various sizes, clearly indicating that he had suffered considerable torture. However, even if his face had turned to ash, Master Chen would still recognize him as the beggar who had entrusted the little princess to him.
Mu Ruoyi’s breathing stopped at this point. She knew there was no turning back.
Master Chen was shocked at first, then he smiled magnanimously, as he had long been prepared to die.
“Speak, did you hand over the remnants of the Jiang clan to this family?” Wan Wu Wei questioned the beggar.
The beggar, seemingly terrified by the torture, nodded without hesitation.
Madam Chen collapsed upon seeing this, knowing that her family was doomed today.
“Mother! What’s wrong?” Chen Kai quickly went to support her.
“Now, what do you have to say?” Wan Wu Wei questioned.
“To be honest, ever since I took on the former dynasty’s princess, I have been prepared to die. But I never imagined I would die so meaninglessly, not only failing to protect the royal bloodline but also implicating my family!” Master Chen exclaimed to the sky.
“Hmph, this is the consequence of opposing the court,” Wan Wu Wei sneered.
“It’s a pity that the Jiang clan has only one descendant left, and it fell into the hands of a person like you. It’s laughable that you disguised yourself as a righteous man in your letter, only to turn out to be a spineless hypocrite.” Master Chen then cursed the beggar.
The beggar did not retort, merely lowering his head deeply, his expression unreadable.
“Go and search for the baby girl and that letter,” Wan Wu Wei instructed his subordinates.
“Yes!” Dozens of soldiers complied and rushed into the house. In a moment, they carried “Jiang Fu” out.
“Sir, the baby girl is here,” a soldier presented the infant.
“Waaah! Waaah!” Jiang Fu, held in the arms of Elder Mu, began to cry.
“Sir, here is a letter. It should be the one left by the beggar,” another soldier presented a piece of paper.
“How is this possible?” Master Chen was stunned on the spot. He clearly remembered burning the letter, so why was it found by the soldiers now?
Wan Wu Wei carefully examined the letter, a satisfied smile on his face. Then, with a fierce gaze, he looked at the baby girl, “Very good! As long as this remnant of the former dynasty’s royal family is killed, those traitors will have no hope!”
“Dream on!” Master Chen suddenly shouted and fearlessly charged towards Jiang Fu.
“Seeking death!” Wan Wu Wei skillfully drew his long saber and swung it at Master Chen without hesitation.
“Swish!”
After the flash of the blade, Master Chen’s head fell from his shoulders. The headless body slowly collapsed, and hot blood spurted from the wound in his neck.
“Ah! Master! I’ll fight you to the death!” Madam Chen, filled with shock and anger, fearlessly charged at Wan Wu Wei.
Wan Wu Wei, with his ruthless blade, swung his saber and severed Madam Chen’s head as well.
Chen Kai, witnessing his parents die brutally before his eyes, had a blank mind and lost the ability to think, standing there like a block of wood.
“His Majesty decrees that anyone who harbors remnants of the former dynasty shall be beheaded without prior notice. Kill them all,” Wan Wu Wei then ordered.
The surrounding soldiers raised their weapons and, with swift strokes, pierced the beggar through and through.
The beggar slumped to the ground softly, like a bamboo basket that had just been lifted from water, with blood flowing out in all directions.
Mu Ruoyi finally saw that his face was covered in tears, and his gaze was fixed on the “Jiang Fu.”
“Save me!” Chen Kai finally reacted, screaming as he tried to escape, but was then peppered with arrows, becoming a hedgehog, and finally fell down with a face full of terror.
Wan Wu Wei did not stop. He threw the tiny Jiang Fu into the air and then slashed at her with his saber.
“No!” Mu Ruoyi shouted, wanting to help but unable to do anything. She could only close her eyes in pain, tears flowing uncontrollably from them.
In the real world, Qi Huang and the others looked at each other, completely unaware of what had happened, but also unwilling to interrupt.
Qi Huang, unable to bear seeing Mu Ruoyi weeping, picked up a handkerchief and wiped her tears.
