SGEIRS -Chapter 173 Holding A-Yao Hostage

Meng Jinyao went once more to the Hall of Rebirth to offer incense to her birth mother, Madam Zhou.

She knelt on the prayer cushion, her expression numb. Slightly raising her head, she quietly stared at Madam Zhou’s memorial tablet without saying a word.

Ningdong and Qingqiu knelt on cushions on either side of her. Seeing how unnaturally silent she was, they felt deeply worried. Yet they also knew that no words of comfort would help. Their mistress needed to be left alone.

They had once thought that Madam Sun was merely a vicious stepmother. Who would have imagined that she had an illicit affair with the Marquis, and that Madam Zhou had died because of Madam Sun’s premature labor? No wonder, though neither child was her own, Madam Sun treated their mistress even worse than the Second Young Master.

So that was the reason.

If their mistress had not come to Lingyun Temple to offer incense today, then after that sickly elderly woman passed away, this secret might have remained hidden from her forever.

As the sun set, the light inside the Hall of Rebirth grew dimmer and dimmer, until the last ray of sunset disappeared.

Just as Qingqiu and Ningdong were about to persuade her to return to the guest room, Meng Jinyao suddenly spoke.

“Let’s go back. It’s getting dark.”

They were startled for a moment, then responded and slowly stood up. After stretching their stiff legs, they reached out to help her up.

Meng Jinyao stood, but having knelt for so long, her knees were sore and weak. As she took a step, she staggered and almost fell. With Qingqiu and Ningdong supporting her, she barely managed to steady herself.

“Be careful, Madam,” Qingqiu said.

Meng Jinyao nodded lightly and, dragging her heavy and sluggish steps, left the hall toward her guest room.

Seeing how preoccupied and absent-minded she looked, Qingqiu and Ningdong knew how distressed she was. Several times they wanted to speak, yet in the end remained silent and followed a step behind her.

After returning to the room, Ningdong went to fetch the vegetarian meal.

Qingqiu happened to notice several dark-red crescent-shaped marks on Meng Jinyao’s palm. Her expression changed slightly. They were nail marks—wounds she had dug into herself. The blood had already congealed into a dark red color. Against her fair palm, they looked especially shocking. Even her fingernails were stained with blood.

Whenever she lost control of her emotions or felt overwhelming grief and anger, her mistress would do this.

Back then, when she was still a child, she hated Madam Sun to the point of wanting to tear her apart, yet she had to endure it and pretend to know nothing.

Many times, when facing Madam Sun’s hypocritical face, she had almost exposed her crimes of harming the concubine’s son. Each time, she relied on hurting herself to stay clear-headed, reminding herself not to ruin everything in a moment of rage. Over time, it became a habit.

After a moment, Qingqiu quietly went out. Not long after, she returned with a basin of clean water.

“Madam, let me help you wash your hands,” she said gently.

Meng Jinyao was taken aback. She spread her palm and lowered her gaze. Seeing the marks she had made herself, she froze again, a trace of annoyance flashing in her eyes.

Qingqiu soaked a clean handkerchief, preparing to wipe the blood away, but the next moment, Meng Jinyao directly plunged her hand into the basin, as if she did not care whether the wounds would hurt.

Qingqiu cried out in alarm, “Madam—”

“I’m fine,” Meng Jinyao replied.

Her expression was calm, as though she felt no pain at all, as she carefully washed away the dried blood.

“Madam,” Qingqiu called softly.

Meng Jinyao said lightly, “Qingqiu, we’ll return to the residence tomorrow morning.” She then took the handkerchief and dried her hands.

Qingqiu nodded blankly. “Alright. I’ll ask the monks if there’s any medicine for wounds.”

“No need to trouble them,” Meng Jinyao replied. “It’s nothing serious.”

“But—”

“I’m really fine.”

Qingqiu looked at the wounds. Fortunately, they were shallow and indeed seemed harmless. Only then did she nod obediently.

Before long, Ningdong returned with the vegetarian food.

With only the three of them present, Meng Jinyao asked them to sit and eat together. Neither Qingqiu nor Ningdong refused.

The temple’s food tasted quite good, but Meng Jinyao felt stifled and had little appetite. After only a few bites, she put down her chopsticks.

Seeing that she had barely touched her bowl, Ningdong urged her, “Madam, eat more. How can you let yourself go hungry like this? I know you’re upset, but if you ruin your health, won’t that just please Madam Sun?”

Hearing this, Meng Jinyao took a few more mouthfuls before setting her chopsticks down again.

Qingqiu and Ningdong exchanged glances and sighed inwardly. They suddenly felt that their words were far less effective than the Marquis’s. If only he were here… Whenever Madam talked with him, her mood always seemed to ease.

The moon climbed high, and the stars shone brightly.

At night, the temple was very quiet. Only the chirping of insects and the rustling of leaves in the breeze could be heard. The summer wind was gentle and cool.

Meng Jinyao strolled leisurely through the temple grounds, with Qingqiu and Ningdong following behind. None of them spoke.

Suddenly, a disturbance sounded nearby. Meng Jinyao stopped and listened carefully.

Qingqiu and Ningdong heard it too.

“There’s the sound of weapons clashing,” Qingqiu said. “It sounds like someone is fighting.”

Ningdong exclaimed, “In a Buddhist temple? How can this happen?”

Meng Jinyao frowned slightly. “Even temples have their troubles. Let’s go back. Don’t get involved.”

They agreed and hurried after her. If three weak women ran into something like this, it would be extremely dangerous.

However, fate had other plans.

The more one tried to avoid trouble, the more it came.

A man in garish red-and-green clothes, about twenty years old, suddenly leapt down from the wall. In an instant, he rushed to Meng Jinyao and placed his sword across her neck.

It happened too suddenly.

Before she could react, Meng Jinyao froze.

Qingqiu and Ningdong turned pale and cried out, “Madam!”

Her arm was seized, and a sharp blade lay against her throat. A chill ran along her neck. If the man’s hand trembled even slightly, she would die on the spot.

Her face turned white with fear. She dared not move at all. Her great revenge had not yet been fulfilled—she did not want to die.

Holding her hostage, the man shouted at those who had just arrived, “All of you, step back! Or I’ll kill her!”

Qingqiu and Ningdong instinctively retreated several steps. Qingqiu pleaded anxiously, “Young master, please don’t hurt my lady!”

“Hua Lingxiao! Release that lady at once, or today will be your death!”

An enraged voice came from behind.

The two maids turned around and saw several men dressed as constables, staring nervously at the man. So he was a criminal?

At that moment, another man leapt down from the wall.

When Ningdong saw the familiar figure, her eyes lit up. She cried out urgently, “My Lord Marquis, please save Madam!”