Avenging Wrath
"So, now you know why I must kill you."
Yue Qiongfang said coldly, looking at the dilapidated eaves of the house. Behind her, Cheng Yayin's hands and feet were bound with ropes. Doctor Hu had thrown her to the ground. She was half-supported, too shocked to even shed tears.
This is Qingguan Mountain, the former site of Wanchun Hall. For over twenty years, it has been deserted, and the buildings are dilapidated. This is where everything started, and also where Yue Qiongfang chose the end for Cheng Yayin.
Where it began, it would end there. Her mother had killed her father and fellow disciples here, and today she would kill her here as a blood sacrifice to her father's soul.
"Three years ago, Pei Songsheng protected you, but you won't be so lucky this time. Don't blame me. This is all the sins committed by your mother. Blood debt must be paid with blood. Now that she is dead, her daughter will atone for her sins."
"Junior sister, why bother wasting time arguing with her?" Chemu pulled out his dagger, the tip of the blade pointing at Cheng Yayin. "Master and all the fellow disciples of Wanchuntang were killed by your mother. I only narrowly escaped death when I returned home to visit my relatives. I have been tracking down the murderer for years. Last time, by chance, I met you in the Shengjing Dark Market. I thought you were my daughter, and I even gave you the family heirloom! If I had known this, I should have killed you. You have lived for so long in vain."
"The Cheng family is extremely hateful. After I deal with you, I will also settle the score with Cheng Hongyi. Junior sister, you have a deep hatred, so you have to do it yourself!"
Chemu handed the dagger to Yue Qiongfang, but she stared at the cold tip of the knife and did not take it.
Cheng Yayin raised her head and looked at her. She sniffed and said, "Mother, I am willing to use my life to appease your hatred, but after I die, please don't blame father anymore. Father was trying to protect me. No matter how many mistakes he made, they are all my fault. I am willing to die to atone for my sins."
Yue Qiongfang's pupils trembled slightly, and she looked at her coldly, "Do you think that if you say that, I will soften my heart?"
Cheng Yayin's eyes were filled with tears, and she said softly, "With such a deep hatred between us, how dare I expect my mother to be soft-hearted? I know she will never forgive me again."
"Stop calling me mother!"
"...Okay, Madam Cheng." Cheng Yayin fought back tears and choked up, "Although you don't want to acknowledge me, to me, I've been raised and loved by you for over a decade. You are my mother. My biological mother committed such a sin against you and your family, and I dare not beg for forgiveness. But when will revenge ever end? After I die, I am willing to descend into the eighteen levels of hell and suffer the blazing fire, hoping to eliminate my biological mother's karma. I also beg for blessings for you, hoping that you can live a happy and peaceful life in the second half of your life, and not be trapped by hatred. You used to... love to laugh."
With her hands and feet bound, Cheng Yayin struggled to change her posture, kneeling deeply on the ground with her knees touching the ground in front of Yue Qiongfang.
Yue Qiongfang looked at her, her eyelashes trembling uncontrollably, as if her body was frozen and unable to move.
"Junior sister, don't listen to her sweet words. She's acting like this just to soften your heart." Doctor Hu put away the dagger, picked up Cheng Yayin, and dragged her to the dilapidated pharmacy. "If you can't do it, then let me do it. Master was murdered by that woman in the pharmacy. Let her daughter's blood be shed in the pharmacy to comfort his spirit in heaven!"
Unexpectedly, just as he reached the door, a figure suddenly fell from the top of the head, struck him in the face with a palm, and with the other hand, as fast as the wind, he snatched Cheng Yayin who was in his hand.
Chemu dodged the man's attack and pushed Cheng Yayin backwards, right into the arms of Yue Qiongfang who had rushed over. Yue Qiongfang immediately grabbed Cheng Yayin and led her back.
Seeing the two men walking away, Chemu reached into his arms to take out the hidden weapons, but the man, as if he had expected it, quickly searched his body with both hands and found all the poison, dagger and hidden weapons. He then untied his cloak, wrapped it around him and threw it behind him.
"Second brother, go on!"
Chemu then realized that there was another person in the dark corner of the pharmacy. He caught the package containing the poison and hidden weapon, turned around and threw it out of the broken window. Not only that, another person flashed in the darkness and went straight towards Cheng Yayin.
Chemu was anxious and wanted to go over to stop him, but Cheng Qiwang grabbed his hands and shackled them in front of him, making him unable to move at all. He could only watch Pei Songsheng's hand getting closer and closer to Cheng Yayin. Yue Qiongfang had no way to argue, so she pulled out the hairpin on her head, pointed the sharp tip at Cheng Yayin's neck, and shouted sternly: "Don't come over!"
Pei Songsheng stopped in his tracks, and the moment Cheng Yayin saw him, tears streamed down her face.
"Mother, please stop being confused!" Cheng Qiwang held Chemu in a tight grip, sweat pouring down his forehead. "What happened back then is all gone. Even if Azheng's mother did something wrong, Azheng can't be blamed for it!"
"You all know everything?" Yue Qiongfang was stunned for a moment, then anger filled her heart. "Since you know that your grandfather died with hatred, you still defend the daughter of your enemy. I gave birth to you in vain. You are simply not worthy of being my sons!"
"This..." Cheng Qiwang was speechless. If he hadn't been holding someone in his hand, he would have jumped up in anxiety. When his younger sister was brought back to the Cheng family, his second brother was still young, but he could already remember things, so he knew from a young age that Cheng Yayin was the daughter of his eldest uncle who died unexpectedly at a young age. His mother took pity on her miserable life and cared for her since she was a child, taking care of her more attentively than taking care of her two sons. Who would have known that the situation would change so drastically that the mother and daughter would end up in such a life-and-death situation. He had a lot to say, but although he was good at wielding swords and guns, his tongue became clumsy when he got anxious.
Fortunately, although he is not good at speaking, he has a second brother who is well-read and eloquent.
Cheng Qigu stepped forward and said earnestly, "Mother, ask yourself, for all these years, has your love for A Zheng been fake? A Zheng grew up in your arms. When she was little, whenever she had a headache or a fever, you would be so anxious that you couldn't sleep all night, feeding her medicine and cleaning her. Every New Year, the New Year's money you gave A Zheng was more than what we two brothers gave combined. You loved A Zheng the most, and A Zheng was the most attached to you. You were in Ganye Temple for four years, and A Zheng missed you so much. Are these feelings less than the connection of blood? Do you really want to completely sever the relationship between mother and daughter because of the irreversible past?"
These heartfelt words moved people with both reason and emotion. Even though Yue Qiongfang had already made up her mind to avenge her old grudge against Cheng Yayin, she couldn't help but show a struggle on her face, with tears flashing in her eyes.
Seeing the situation was not going well, Chemu immediately struggled to his feet, shouting, "Junior Sister, don't listen to his persuasion. He was so kind to her because he was deceived. If I had known that this little beast was the daughter of our enemy, I would have strangled her to death while she was still in her cradle!"
"Shut up." Cheng Qiwang pulled out a hand and pinched Chemu's chin. With a crisp sound, his jaw was dislocated. "Since you are my elder, I will not use any harsh force. But if you make trouble again, I will pull out your tongue."
Chemu glared at him angrily, wishing he could tear him to pieces with his eyes, but his jaw couldn't close for a moment, so he could only scream with his mouth open.
Yue Qiongfang was provoked by Che Mu, and her eyes became even colder. The tip of the hairpin against Cheng Yayin's neck did not waver, hanging dangerously above her vital point. As long as she made up her mind, Cheng Yayin would die here.
Cheng Yayin's expression had gradually calmed down. She had long since accepted her own ending. However, when she saw Pei Songsheng, she couldn't suppress the sadness and touch in her heart. She had to look away and avoid his sad eyes.
Pei Songsheng looked at Yue Qiongfang, "Mrs. Cheng, think about it. It's been more than 20 years since the incident. Even if you killed Ah Zheng, it couldn't be undone. If she died, would you really be relieved? Have you ever thought about what you will do with your life in the future? What will happen to your sons? How will they face the mother who killed their sister? Do you want the Cheng family to become a place of sorrow?"
"I don't care what happens next," Yue Qiongfang said sternly. "I only know that if I can't kill my enemies, I won't be able to sleep day or night. Ah Wang and Ah Gu, I'm sorry for you. After I get my revenge, I'll commit suicide. Just pretend that I don't exist as your mother!"
"Mother!"
"Mrs. Cheng!"
The three of them shouted at the same time, but it was too late to stop her. Yue Qiongfang exerted force on her hand, and the tip of the hairpin was about to pierce Cheng Yayin's thin skin, but she was completely fearless and even twisted her neck to get closer to the hairpin.
A bloody mark was instantly cut on Cheng Yayin's slender neck. Yue Qiongfang was shocked, and before she could react, her hand holding the hairpin had already left her neck.
She stared at her hands in a daze. After a while, she felt an irrepressible rage welling up in her chest. She said to Cheng Yayin bitterly, "Don't think I won't hurt you just because of this!"
Cheng Yayin laughed sadly. "At this point, how can I still hope for your mercy?" Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at the anxious Cheng brothers. "Thank you, brothers, for your love and care for A Zheng. But my biological mother has committed such a crime, and I simply cannot bear to live in shame. I don't blame anyone, and please don't blame me either."
Even a man like Cheng Qiwang, who sheds blood but not tears, couldn't help but have tears in his eyes at this moment.
Cheng Yayin turned to Pei Songsheng again, with thousands of words stuck in her throat and tears flowing before she could say anything.
"Silently." She forced herself to raise the corners of her mouth, not wanting her last appearance in his eyes to be too sad. This appearance made Pei Songsheng even more heartbroken. "I'm sorry, I misunderstood you. I was angry when I asked you for a divorce before. If possible, I want to grow old with you. But now it seems that I have to break my promise to write our story together. Don't blame me."
Pei Songsheng was filled with grief. He plopped to his knees in front of Yue Qiongfang, tears streaming down his face, and said, "If Madam Cheng is determined to take A Zheng's life, please take mine as well. A Zheng and I share the same hardships and sins. We are one as husband and wife, and we will never abandon each other, whether in life or death."
Cheng Yayin shook her head, tears streaming down her face: "Fool, why do you have to do this?"
"Husband and wife are one, and they will never abandon each other, whether in life or death." Yue Qiongfang murmured these two lines, and suddenly smiled foolishly. Cheng Hongye must have thought the same thing back then, so even though he knew Yun Que was a heinous criminal, he still resolutely followed her. Yun Que was truly lucky. Whether it was her or her daughter, they would always meet a man who would never give up on them.
In her life, she lost her mother at a young age, knew her father was unjust but couldn't persuade him to change, met the man she loved but couldn't get him, treated someone with sincerity but ended up ruining her family, and after getting married, she thought they were truly devoted to each other, only to be deceived for years. Looking back on her life, she didn't know where to begin to blame herself, as if everything was wrong.
Yue Qiongfang couldn't contain her sadness, and her hand holding the hairpin trembled slightly. Cheng Qiwang saw the opportunity, and in a flash, he untied the jade pendant at his waist and knocked the hairpin out of Yue Qiongfang's hand.
As soon as the hairpin slipped out of his hand, Pei Songsheng immediately rushed over, snatched Cheng Yayin from her shackles, hugged her tightly and retreated a few steps away, breathing heavily in his arms as if he had survived a disaster.
Yue Qiongfang stared blankly at her empty hands, without a trace of light in her eyes.
Taking advantage of Cheng Qiwang's moment of distraction, Chemu thrust his elbows backwards. Cheng Qiwang instinctively dodged, releasing his grip. Chemu broke free, but didn't attack Cheng Yayin again. Instead, he scurried deeper into the pharmacy and pressed down on what used to be the medicine cabinet. Cheng Qiwang tried to capture him again, but as he took a step closer, he heard a sudden crack of air piercing. He dodged, and several arrows pierced the ground where he had been standing.
No one understood what was happening, but Yue Qiongfang's expression changed. "Brother, what are you going to do?"
Chemu laughed heartily, his eyes flashing with madness. "This was a trap laid by Master himself. Unfortunately, that woman was too cunning, and Master died at her hands before he could activate the trap. Junior sister, since you are so indecisive and unwilling to act, then let Master take revenge himself! All the arrowheads here are poisoned; even a touch can kill. You will all perish here!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com