"Are you crazy?!" Zou Shi exclaimed in disbelief, her voice hoarse with anger. "Jinxiu is the legitimate son of the Song family, the heir to the family. Who do you think you are, daring to ask him to leave the Song family?!"
Old Madam Song's face darkened as well. "Tangning, stop making trouble!"
Song Tangning let out a low laugh, her tears hiding the mockery in her eyes. "I'm making trouble? Isn't it you, Grandmother, who lacks compassion and expects me to swallow my grievances just to keep the peace?"
"How much of your so-called love for me is actually just favoritism and calculation? Why are you really here today? You're afraid I'll ruin Jinxiu's reputation, afraid people will find out he's selfish, ungrateful, and cold-hearted. You're terrified people will discover that the Song family took in a shameless concubine's daughter and treated her like a legitimate one, humiliating the true heir. You're scared of losing face as a titled lady of the court."
"You say you love me, but what you really love is the Song family's reputation, your own face..."
Slap!
Old Madam Song slapped her hard across the face, furious. "You insolent girl! I'm your grandmother! How dare you speak to me like this?!"
She never expected Song Tangning to have the audacity to tear things apart with her, nor did she expect her to be so sharp and unyielding. The obedient girl before her was gone, replaced by someone who now understood scheming, held resentment in her heart, and couldn't be coaxed by mere words anymore.
Tangning had made up her mind to destroy Song Jinxiu, and from the moment they arrived here, she had no intention of going back with them.
Old Madam Song looked at Tangning, who was holding her face, and her heart grew cold.
She hadn't wanted things to go this far, but this granddaughter was too ungrateful and too foolish. If she let her continue like this, she would ruin the entire Song family!
Old Madam Song's hand trembled, her face turning pale as tears ran down her aged cheeks. Her body swayed unsteadily.
"Tangning, I swear I've never wronged you. After your parents passed, I especially favored the second branch of the family for your sake. When you didn't like Song Shulan, I sent her away just to please you. Yet you can say such hurtful things to me..."
She was about to pretend to faint from the emotional shock, but before she could, Tangning suddenly looked up.
That look—no hate, no resentment, just like a deep, dark pool—was filled with cold indifference and ridicule.
Old Madam Song was stunned by that gaze, and before she could react, Tangning spoke slowly, "Grandmother, are you trying to drive me to death?"
"Tangning..."
Thud—
Tangning abruptly opened her mouth and spat out a mouthful of blood. Old Madam Song, too slow to dodge, was splattered right in the face.
The warmth on her skin made her eyes widen in shock, and before she could react, Tangning suddenly let go and collapsed like a withered leaf falling to the ground.
"Miss!!" Hua Wu cried out in shock, stumbling to the ground while holding Tangning, her cries heart-wrenching.
"Old Madam, Madam! Are you trying to kill my lady? She barely made it back alive from Mt. Qi, and now you're going to finish the job that the eldest son couldn't! You want to beat her to death!" The maid wailed, her voice shrill as she shouted for help.
"Someone, please! Come quickly, Old Madam is going to kill my lady..."
"Shut up!" Old Madam Song, who had been planning to feign fainting, was completely caught off guard. Before she could even fall, Tangning had already vomited blood and passed out.
Seeing the maid shouting recklessly, with a crowd gathering outside, Old Madam Song's face drained of color. She hurried forward to check on Tangning, but just then, a cold gust of wind swept past.
In the next instant, a sharp pain shot through her side as she was kicked violently, sending her flying.
"Mother-in-law!" Zou Shi screamed in horror, rushing over.
Hua Wu, who had been crying moments before, suddenly hiccupped, her tears nearly scared dry.
Xiao Yan stepped forward, scooping up Tangning, his expression darkening as he saw her face pale as paper, the blood at the corner of her mouth glaringly red. His anger surged, and he barked, "Kill them!"
Tangning was startled. She hadn't expected Xiao Yan to appear suddenly, and as she saw Old Madam Song and the others screaming in terror, she quickly tugged on the sash at Xiao Yan's waist from beneath his cloak.
"Cang Lang."
Xiao Yan's fury paused as he looked down at the girl in his arms. She had her eyes tightly shut, her long eyelashes trembling incessantly, her breathing ragged.
He leaned in closer to her face, catching a strange scent mixed with the blood on her lips. For a moment, he was silent, his anger growing as he pinched Tangning's waist sharply.
Tangning nearly cried out in pain but hurriedly tightened her arms around his waist, rubbing her head against his hand, silently admitting defeat.
Xiao Yan snorted softly, loosening his grip on her waist slightly.
Old Madam Song, her back nearly broken from the kick, had been saved just in time by Xiao Yan's command, but Cang Lang still managed to slash her face with his sword.
Normally, even if she argued or clashed with others, it would at most be verbal disputes. When had she ever faced someone this brutal?
Old Madam Song clung to Zou Shi in terror, both of them trembling uncontrollably. Despite their fear, they tried to put on a brave front.
"Commander Xiao, I am a court-appointed lady, the matriarch of the Song Duke's household. If you dare kill me, the court won't let you go, and neither will His Majesty..."
Wham!
Cang Lang swung his sword hilt, striking Old Madam Song's mouth, nearly knocking her unconscious.
"Threaten my commander? You must have a death wish!"
Old Madam Song turned deathly pale, while Zou Shi trembled beside her.
Xiao Yan, carrying the "unconscious" Tangning in his arms, approached them, his robe trailing ominously close to their feet, making them shudder.
"Which hand hurt her?"
Old Madam Song's pupils trembled violently.
Zou Shi, biting her lip, shrank back and spoke in a quivering voice: "Lord Xiao, we didn’t mean to harm Tangning. It’s just that she spoke so disrespectfully, even insulting her elders..."
"I asked, which hand hit her."
Zou Shi’s face turned pale.
Xiao Yan turned to look at Huawu. "You tell me."
Huawu, who had been picked up and raised by Song Tangning, was deeply loyal to her mistress. Without hesitation, she pointed directly at Madam Song. "It was the Old Madam who struck her, with her right hand."
"Lord Xiao..." Old Madam Song panicked, opening her mouth to plead, but before she could finish, Xiao Yan kicked her in the shoulder, sending her sprawling across the ground. As she scrambled to support herself, trying to get up, Xiao Yan ruthlessly stomped on her right wrist.
"Ahhh!!"
Old Madam Song's vision went black, and she let out a blood-curdling scream as the sound of bones shattering echoed. In the next instant, her arm went limp, as useless as a rag doll.
"Have I not made it clear before to the Song family? Song Tangning is under my protection."
Old Madam Song's face was drenched with tears, her sobs interrupted by cries of pain.
"Or does the Song family take my words as mere whispers in the wind?" Xiao Yan ground his heel into her wrist, causing Old Madam Song to scream even louder. She fainted from the pain, only to wake up again moments later in agony.
She lay on the ground, sobbing and begging for mercy, her former dignity completely shattered.
Xiao Yan, filled with disgust, said, "If there’s a next time, I’ll take your heads."
As he spoke, he glanced at Zou Shi, his gaze as cold as ice, filled with vicious malice. Zou Shi was terrified, her face ashen, clinging to herself and trembling behind Madam Song, her lips even paler than Tangning’s.
With a frigid expression, Xiao Yan held Tangning in his arms. "Throw them out!"
====
T/N: *swoon *
I think Xiao Yan gives off strong Loki vibes
You can read ahead to chapterr 60 here
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