TSWRLM -Chapter 209 The Mantis Stalks the Cicada, Unaware of the Oriole Behind

The mysterious letter had been delivered by the kidnappers.

But it wasn’t demanding ransom from Chun Xi; instead, it instructed her to leave the city alone tonight before the gates closed.

Outside, someone would meet her—but if she dared to notify anyone else, the person wouldn’t appear, and tomorrow, Madam Wang’s and Zheng’er’s bodies would show up at the city gate.

The letter was short, and Chun Xi quickly finished reading it.

She didn’t panic. Instead, she handed it to A-Li, along with a thousand taels of silver, asking him to deliver both to Wuyou Pavilion.

After A-Li left, Chun Xi changed her clothes, blackened her face with soot from the bottom of a pot, and disguised herself as a servant, joining the water-carrying workers to slip out the back gate. She then went to wait by the city gate.

Near dusk, a carriage bearing the Mo family’s insignia arrived at the gate.

The city guards went forward to check as usual. When the curtain was lifted, Madam Ning sat upright inside.

The guards were puzzled: “It’s almost dark. Madam, why are you leaving the city at this hour?”

Madam Ning said calmly, “Last night, my deceased daughter appeared in a dream, asking me to do something for her.”

Although she claimed to be handling affairs, Madam Ning brought no maids or attendants—only a driver.

As darkness fell, Madam Ning sat in the carriage, her face mostly obscured by shadow. Coupled with her hoarse, ancient-sounding voice, the sight was eerie.

The guards didn’t want to invite misfortune and hastily allowed the carriage to pass.

The carriage slowly left the city. No one noticed Chun Xi secretly clinging to its underside, following along.

After leaving the city, the carriage headed east. About half an hour later, it stopped by a place nestled between mountains and water.

“Madam, we’ve arrived.”

The driver lifted the curtain. Madam Ning got down, carrying a basket of paper money and incense, and went straight to Mo Yunwan’s grave.

Although Mo Yunwan had been poisoned, she had committed the grave crime of attempting to harm her mother-in-law. Old Madam Mo refused to acknowledge her, and Madam Ning had to consult feng shui experts to bury her here.

By day, the place looked serene and scenic. At dusk, however, it felt desolate. Mo Yunwan’s grave was lonely and isolated.

Madam Ning lit incense and placed it in front of the grave, burning paper money as she spoke to Mo Yunwan.

“Wan’er, the Double Ninth Festival has passed, and it’s getting colder. Don’t be afraid. Tonight, after I kill Cao Chun Xi, I’ll come down to be with you.”

The flickering firelight cast terrifying shadows on Madam Ning’s gaunt face, making her look less human, more like a vengeful spirit.

The driver shivered, instinctively stepping back.

Madam Ning paid no mind. Her eyes filled with love as she gazed at the cold tombstone: “Wan’er, wait for me. I’ll accompany you across the Naihe Bridge. In the next life, you’ll still be my daughter, and I will protect you well.”

The tombstone remained silent, offering no response.

Madam Ning didn’t feel sad. She continued babbling about Wan’er’s childhood antics.

After some time, a burly man approached and said, “The person you wanted has been captured and is on the way. What about the money?”

“She’s not dead yet. Why the rush?”

Madam Ning answered coldly, her tone starkly different from when she spoke to Mo Yunwan.

The burly man spat, “Our work risks our heads at any moment. If she brings someone else, we’ll have to flee after killing her. Who has time to ask you for money then?”

He had a point. Madam Ning nodded: “I’ll give you seventy percent now. Once I see the corpse, I’ll immediately give the remaining thirty.”

“Fine. As soon as she arrives, the brothers will strike. Her death will be thorough.”

Soon after, Madam Wang and Zheng’er were brought over.

Zheng’er hadn’t been fed for two days and cried loudly. Madam Wang had a finger chopped off, and she was both in pain and terrified. Her legs trembled as she saw Madam Ning.

“Madam, Cao Chun Xi no longer acknowledges me as her mother. She even reported her own brother to the authorities for exile. She doesn’t care about our lives. Please spare me and my little grandson!”

Madam Wang begged tearfully. She had once fantasized about a wealthy life in the noble household, but now, having witnessed the dangers behind that luxury, all she wished was a simple, safe life.

If she could return safely, she would sever all ties with Chun Xi forever.

Madam Ning ignored Madam Wang’s pleas and handed her a dagger: “Cao Chun Xi will arrive shortly. This dagger is coated with strong poison. If you stab her once, I’ll let you and your grandson go.”

Madam Wang’s face went pale, sweat pouring. She instinctively shook her head. “I can’t!”

No matter how disobedient Chun Xi had been, she was still her daughter, born from her own womb. How could she kill her own child?

“Waaaah!”

Zheng’er cried sharply in Madam Ning’s arms.

Madam Wang fell to her knees. “Madam, please don’t harm my grandson! He’s not even one year old and doesn’t understand anything!”

“If you want him to live, kill Cao Chun Xi. Otherwise, I’ll drop him dead now.”

Madam Ning raised Zheng’er high. Madam Wang’s eyes filled with desperation. “Fine! I’ll kill Cao Chun Xi. Just don’t hurt him!”

Satisfied, Madam Ning withdrew her hand.

Wan’er had died after eating the food Madam Ning had sent. Cao Chun Xi had to die at the hands of her own mother.

Soon, someone reported: “Madam, she’s here.”

The burly man pulled Madam Wang up. She wobbled, and Madam Ning touched Zheng’er’s face, warning: “I’ll be watching. If you don’t have the courage, you’ll just have to take your grandson’s corpse.”

Madam Wang swallowed hard, gripping the dagger tightly.

After the burly man led Madam Wang away, Madam Ning disgustedly tossed Zheng’er to another person. “Bury this bastard. He disturbed Wan’er’s sleep.”

Madam Ning never intended to let Madam Wang and Zheng’er go. She wanted three generations of the Cao family to accompany her and Wan’er in death.

Then she leisurely followed to watch the gruesome mother-daughter scene. The man ran into the nearby woods with Zheng’er.

Under the cover of night, Chun Xi quietly got off the carriage, silently following the person carrying Zheng’er.

By a creek not far away, “Chun Xi” was forced off the carriage by the kidnappers.

Wearing a gauze hat, he/she urgently asked: “Where are my mother and little nephew?”

At that moment, Madam Wang led four or five burly men in front.

“Mother, are you alright?”

The disguised “Chun Xi” stepped forward with concern. Unexpectedly, a flash of cold steel appeared as Madam Wang swung a dagger toward her.

At such close range, unprepared, there was no way to dodge.

Madam Ning, standing in the shadows, smiled—but the next moment, “Chun Xi” swiftly evaded.

Not only that, the figure grabbed Madam Wang’s dagger and quickly neutralized the burly men with precise strikes to the throat.

During the fight, the gauze hat fell.

Beneath it, the face bore a six-to-seven-tenths resemblance to Chun Xi—but it wasn’t her. It was a young person, heavily disguised with makeup.

This unexpected turn drove Madam Ning nearly mad.

Cao Chun Xi dared to play a trick on her?

Meanwhile, the real Chun Xi used a hidden sleeve dart to take down another man and quickly went forward to securely catch Zheng’er.

Startled, Zheng’er cried even louder. Chun Xi was about to soothe him when a dark figure suddenly appeared, snatching him away.

The shadow’s hand clamped around Zheng’er’s neck, voice deep: “If you don’t want this child dead, come with me.”

Chun Xi didn’t hesitate: “I’ll go with you.”