Chapter 169: Chapter 169: Unexpected

"Have you all gone mad?!"

DRIP. DRIP. One drop after another landed on her face.

’Is it... raining?’

Liang Wan’s eyelids were incredibly heavy. She forced them open a crack to see someone standing over her, arms spread wide like a mother hen protecting her chick. Their body wasn’t strong, yet it blocked out the sky, seeming abnormally tall.

She squinted, trying to make out the face, and managed to move her lips. "Cao... Cao Danqing?"

Her faint voice was nearly lost in the sea of curses.

"Miss... Liang!"

The person holding her was choking back sobs. It was Gu Yu, her eyes as red as a rabbit’s.

It wasn’t raining. It was her tears.

Liang Wan raised a hand, struggling to wipe her tears. "Rain brings forth the hundred grains. It suits your name."

She meant to tease her, but it only made Gu Yu cry harder.

"I’m fine." Liang Wan’s entire body ached.

Gu Yu grabbed her hand, unable to do anything but shake her head and choke out incomplete words.

Feng Qingyue stood before the crowd and raised an eyebrow disdainfully. "Cao Danqing, does your father know you’re shielding this jinx? You must know it was your father who insisted on disaster relief. By protecting this jinx now, aren’t you going directly against him?!"

Cao Danqing roared, "Shut your mouth!"

She turned and shouted to the other side:

"Liang Jing! Aren’t you her sister? She’s being bullied like this, and you’re just going to stand there and watch?!"

Liang Wan looked over and saw Cao Danqing, one hand on her hip, the other pointing at the crowd. She was shouting at the top of her lungs, a truly fierce sight.

After Cao Danqing said this, Liang Wan could see her sister through a gap in the crowd, her expression turning extremely ugly.

The crowd’s gazes converged on Liang Jing almost simultaneously, as if they had found a new target to attack.

Liang Jing hurriedly shook her head, her lips trembling as she denied it. "No! I—I cut ties with her a long time ago! Besides, with her conduct and behavior, she is utterly... utterly unworthy of being my sister!"

Feng Qingyue shot her an amused glance. "You think a simple declaration of cutting ties absolves you? Your Liang Family concealed her birth chart, and now you’ve brought misfortune upon Daqi. What was your intention? Or should I say, is the Marquis Wen Mansion also involved in this?"

"No! It has nothing to do with the Marquis Wen Mansion! I knew nothing about her birth chart!"

Seeing the sudden change in the crowd’s expressions, Liang Jing waved her hands frantically, denying everything.

"Really, I had no idea—"

"This matter has nothing to do with the Heir of Marquis Wen!"

Her pale defense was cut short by a sudden voice, firm and powerful.

The crowd turned to look, curious to see who had spoken.

Those at the center of the standoff peered through the gap that had opened in the crowd.

Unexpectedly, it was a nun in a yellow vestment robe.

Liang Jing was stunned. "Mother!"

Liang Wan lowered her eyes, a small, twisted smile playing on her lips.

The woman from the He family had never been heavy, but now with her hollow cheeks and sunken eyes, she looked even more aged and haggard.

Cao Danqing didn’t recognize her, but seeing Liang Jing’s reaction, she quickly shouted to the nun, "Mrs. Liang, please, tell everyone! This whole thing about the birth chart, it must be a misunderstanding, right? How could Liang Wan possibly be a jinx?!"

"Mother, what is going on?! Please, explain it to everyone! Was the Duke really cursed to death by her?"

Liang Jing was frantic, all semblance of the heir’s wife’s composure gone.

Mrs. He glanced at the person lying half-supported on the ground—hair disheveled, clothes askew, looking just like a flower snapped from its stem, trampled underfoot, and then discarded.

Mrs. He was silent for a long moment. Liang Jing, exasperated, cried, "Mother, hurry up and explain!"

Mrs. He took a slow breath. Without looking at Liang Jing, she took a few steps closer to Liang Wan and spoke bitterly, "Can you understand my difficult position now?"

’A difficult position?’

Liang Wan’s throat tightened as if something was caught in it.

Only then did Mrs. He turn to face the crowd. "Lady Feng is correct. We, the Liang Mansion, did indeed alter Liang Wan’s birth chart. When Awen was alive, he asked the Duke to read her fortune, but we never thought... we never thought—"

Her voice, now laced with sobs, cracked. "We thought we could change her unlucky fate, but we never imagined it would still bring disaster upon everyone—"

As she spoke, she bowed repeatedly to the crowd in apology. "My tonsure and entry into monastic life were to atone for my own sins, and for hers as well."

Liang Jing paused, then rushed to support Mrs. He. "Why did I know nothing about this?"

Mrs. He wiped away a tear. "It’s all my fault. It’s my fault for giving birth to her, for harming your Awen and Father, for causing the ruin of our entire Liang Family! And now, to watch her cause the deaths of so many innocent people... My sins are heavy. I am willing to die to atone—"

Liang Jing’s chest filled with rage. "Why should you die? The one who deserves to die is her!"

Seeing Mrs. He and Liang Jing act this way, wasn’t this an admission from the Liang Mansion itself? Liang Wan was indeed a harbinger of misfortune!

It was like pouring oil on a fire. In an instant, the crowd erupted.

Liang Wan let out a low laugh, her heart aching, her laughter bitter.

Cao Danqing’s eyes widened in disbelief. "Mrs. Liang, you... what are you people saying?!"

Gu Yu took a deep breath and glared hatefully, but just as she was about to speak, she felt a tug on her hand. It was Liang Wan, shaking her head.

Gu Yu looked into those dark, misty eyes. They were like a single point of light in an endless night—faint, yet unyielding. She could only bite her lip and hold back her words.

Leaning on Gu Yu, Liang Wan struggled to her feet.

She glanced at Mrs. He, then swept her gaze coolly over the crowd. "I wonder, what does Mrs. Liang propose should be done? And what do the rest of you want?"

The pain in her body caused her voice to tremble slightly.

Before Mrs. He could answer, the crowd began to clamor again.

"For you to die, of course! Do you want to keep cursing us?"

"Why should we be cursed by you? You must give everyone an explanation today!"

"What explanation is needed? Burn her!"

...

The uproar was deafening.

Feng Qingyue produced a sword from somewhere and walked toward Liang Wan. "Let’s not make this difficult. Just kill yourself here and atone for your sins!"

CLANG! The longsword fell before Liang Wan, landing less than half a step from her feet.

The crowd, as if possessed, screamed for her to kill herself and atone.

A smile played on Feng Qingyue’s lips, a vicious light glinting in her eyes.

Gu Yu was so angry her hands were shaking.

Cao Danqing was even more furious, roaring, "Did you learn your sense of right and wrong from a dog?"

Feng Qingyue sneered. "Cao Danqing, don’t be a fool. The Liang Family themselves have admitted it. Are you going to keep protecting this menace?"

"Menace? I wonder, where is this menace you all speak of?"

The voice that rang out was deep and powerful, carrying immense weight amidst the chirping rabble.

"Father?!" Cao Danqing’s eyes lit up as if she’d seen her savior.

Chancellor Cao walked through the crowd as several squads of soldiers quickly surrounded the area. Unlike the original, timid guards, these soldiers faced the crowd with drawn swords, indifferent to rank or status.

In an instant, there was dead silence.

Who didn’t know Chancellor Cao’s methods?

Feng Qingyue’s expression changed drastically. Just as Liang Wan was about to be forced into suicide, this unexpected turn of events meant all her efforts were for naught.

She clenched her fists tightly.

Cao Luyun, who had been watching from the side for a long time, had his expression shift repeatedly upon suddenly seeing Chancellor Cao.

Chancellor Cao walked closer and frowned at Mrs. He. "It is often said that those who leave the mortal world are filled with compassion. Yet you, Mrs. Liang, can be so heartless as to force your own daughter to her death?"

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