Chapter 246: Chapter 246: Who Would Willingly Become a Victim of This Unjust Calamity?
These past few days, the celestial phenomena have been abnormal.
Fierce winds rose suddenly, followed by a rapid downpour, as if trying to pierce a hole through the sky.
The moat overflowed severely, swallowing bridges. Even the visitors by the city edges were swept away if not careful.
It had just entered autumn, and the heat of summer still lingered. Yet inexplicably, as soon as the rain ceased, hail the size of a newborn’s fist began to fall. Each piece was clear and round, accompanied by drifting snow.
The commoners did not leave their homes, feeling uneasy.
Hail piled up like mountains outside the houses, and the word among the people was that this was the mischief of petty people, that the heavens were reclaiming lives.
At dusk, everything stopped, and the setting sun fell to the west, leaving only clusters of fiery red clouds.
"Is this... is this Xue Tuan?"
At the entrance of Marquis Mansion, a bloodied, dying cat was inexplicably thrown there at some point.
Its normally snow-white fluffy fur was now bloody.
The gatekeeping old woman couldn’t believe it, repeatedly checking it over. Finally, she saw a small tuft of fur on the cat’s head that it had stylishly groomed when it was preening itself.
Only then she was sure.
"Quick, go inform the Second Young Master!"
"It’s truly tragic. Xue Tuan is so precious, who would usually dare to touch it? How badly it’s injured, it breaks my heart just looking at it, let alone the Second Young Master! The person who did this is truly malicious, no different from a beast! They didn’t even spare a cat!"
Upon receiving the news, Cui Yun rushed over. His body radiated anger, and his pupils constricted when he saw the cat that had already fainted from curling up.
His heart felt as if it was being tightly gripped by an invisible hand, bitter yet panicked.
His usual indifference and laziness were nowhere to be seen.
He reached out to pick up Xue Tuan, but there were too many wounds on her. He dared not touch her.
Cui Yun removed his outer garment and carefully placed it under Xue Tuan, carrying her in his arms to listen to her feeble breathing.
His eyes were filled with redness.
"What are you standing there for! Go call a doctor!"
Sui Courtyard, the atmosphere was heavy.
Ji Xin paced back and forth outside the courtyard, frequently glancing at the tightly shut door with a worried heart, occasionally lifting her sleeves to wipe away tears.
Until Ji Qing came out leading the doctor.
Ji Xin rushed over: "How is it?"
Before Ji Qing could speak, the doctor twisted his dry face.
"I don’t know how much suffering it has endured, it might have even been thrown, several bones are broken."
After nightfall, Xue Tuan still had not awakened.
It was placed on a soft bed, wrapped in gauze. Perhaps in severe pain, it occasionally whimpered and cried. Cui Yun gently wiped the tears from the corners of the cat’s eyes.
Xue Tuan had been pampered by him.
In the past, if it fell while walking, it would run to the kitchen, arrogantly pointing at a chicken bigger than its body size, demanding chicken soup brewed with old ginseng to recover.
Those days, it would put on airs, lying in its nest, leisurely directing Ji Xin to carry it out to bask in the sun.
While basking, it would stretch out its tender pink legs, and would ask Ji Xin to feed it fruits.
Two grapes, two melon seeds, repeatedly.
After sunbathing, it would make a fuss to bask in the moonlight at night.
Once, when Cui Yun was clumsily clipping its nails and accidentally nicked the skin.
There was no blood. Yet, it glared at him for a long while, as if deeply wronged.
Though it could not speak, Cui Yun seemed to read a sentence from those dark, clear eyes.
—— Aren’t you supposed to take care of me! Since you hurt me! Shouldn’t you write a self-criticism and reflect on this!!!
Later, it pretentiously demanded to be fed when eating and drinking, and even had Cui Yun apply ointment for it.
It was utterly imperious and pretentious.
Such a precious cat, yet now it lay heavily injured under his watch.
After investigating and searching, Cui Yun still found no useful clues.
Over the years, Cui Mansion had a reputation, with military generals led by Cui Yang, most civil servants deeply respected, also involving Buhuo.
To humiliate Xue Tuan like this, was this a warning to him? Or was there another motive?
Unfortunately, Cui Yun did not yet know.
————
Xue Tuan woke up a day later. Its round eyes were lifeless and tired.
Indeed, it had been well-cared for.
With a hint of bluish-green under his eyes, Cui Yun had not slept for a day.
Xue Tuan, at the sight of him, felt an overwhelming surge of sourness and suffocation, magnified multiple times.
Cui Yun’s slender hands, warm, gently massaged its head, his gentleness seeping into his very bones at this moment.
Xue Tuan comfortably squinted its eyes, but in the next instant, its memories replayed. Its eyes filled with terror.
When bitten by the Gu worm, it was terrifyingly helpless, forced to watch the disgusting, limp worm burrow into the wound and crawl inside.
That sensation was utterly horrifying.
The Third Elder chanted indecipherable spells and finally, looked at it with a sorrowful, guilty expression. He left it with one sentence.
"I’m sorry."
I’m sorry?
Your son was taken away, that’s your affair, what does it have to do with it? Why involve it?
Who would willingly be sacrificed in this undeserved disaster?
Shen Yangyang wants it dead!
And will never forgive!
"Awake?"
Cui Yun truly sighed in relief.
"Open your mouth and take the medicine pills."
Cui Yun sighed deeply: "I must have scared you."
Xue Tuan resisted, looking at him, but it was too weak to dodge or push Cui Yun’s hand away.
It opened its mouth, trying to scold Cui Yun, to make him stay away from itself.
The Gu worm was clearly meant for Cui Yun.
But what came out was only a low, feeble, soft sound.
"Meow."
It sounded much like a complaint mixed with coquetry.
Cui Yun’s eyes shimmered with broken light as he climbed onto the couch, laying down next to Xue Tuan.
"Let me comfort you then."
He said softly: "Would you like to listen to a little tune?"
————
The emergency at the border also finally reached Shengjing.
The entire court of civilian and military officials was shocked.
"Emperor! The Deputy General of Shan City must be executed! He colluded with barbarian enemies leading to the loss of the city gates. General Jin, seeing the adverse situation, urgently sought aid from Chi City."
"When the Third Prince was sent as a hostage, a no-war pact had already been agreed upon, signifying the concession of our Daqi Dynasty! Yet this arrogant small nation dared to blatantly break it! Truly hateful!"
"General Jin has been executed!"
"Upon hearing the news, Marquis Yangling from Chi City hurried with troops to provide support, desperately holding on, while Little General Cui stayed in Chi City to coordinate with the citizens."
"Emperor, please decree quickly to provide support and protect the two cities."
Emperor He, having lost a beloved general, was overwhelmed with grief.
Inside Jinluan Hall, he asked solemnly.
"My beloved officials, who is willing to go to the frontline to protect the people and territory of our great Daqi?"
Just then, the ambitious civilian officials suddenly fell silent.
At this moment, someone stood up.
It was the son of General Jin.
"Emperor, your servant is willing to take the command!"
"No, you are the sole heir of the Jin Residence."
"With my father gone, as his son and a servant of the state, it’s my duty to protect our city and people, repel the barbarian bandits, and personally retrieve my father’s body to the capital, I beg the Emperor to grant this."
Little General Jin, holding the imperial decree in agony, did not delay, donned his armor, and personally mustered the troops.
The long procession had not even left Shengjing when someone in fine clothes and on a spirited horse caught up.
It was Xie Xun.
"Little General Jin, I wish to go with you."
"No! Go back!"
Xie Xun smiled: "That’s interesting. As if the lives of those in Jin Residence aren’t worth much."
"If you don’t agree, I will follow behind the troop anyway, it’s settled that I’m going."