Chapter 32: The General's Residence, The Death of a Maid

In times of crisis, nerves are taut as strings.

Bilu immediately sensed Chu Junhan’s gaze. When she looked in the direction of that feeling, her heart skipped a beat—was that a look of schadenfreude?

“Young master!” She had no time to think, and crawling on her knees, she made her way toward Chu Junhan by the flower bed.

Chu Junhan grabbed a handful of mud and smeared it across his face, disgruntled, emerging from beside the flower bed with a pout.

“Haner?” Xifeng stared in surprise at the little one, now looking like a spotted kitten.

“Young master, hurry and admit your mistake to madam!” Bilu, already kneeling by Chu Junhan’s side, begged as she clung to his hand.

The little one yanked his hand away from Bilu and once more burrowed into the flower bed, a fleeting, disdainful smile crossing his lips.

Was he smiling? Only Bilu noticed that smile on Chu Junhan’s face. She froze, staring blankly at him—her young master was actually smiling?

“Haner, come here!” Xifeng’s voice was stern, but beneath it lay unmistakable concern.

Chu Junhan hung his head and shuffled over to Xifeng, his small hands nervously twisting together. “Mother.”

At that moment, Chu Xiong and Liu Shuming arrived, having heard the commotion.

“What’s happened here?” Chu Xiong’s eyes immediately landed on the unconscious Liu Yan’er, then on his own son, mud-splattered like a flower cat. His voice carried authority without anger.

Faced with Chu Xiong’s questioning, Chu Junhan burst into loud sobs. “Father, Han’er made Yan’er sister faint. Han’er knows he was wrong.”

“Why are you crying so loudly? Look how you’ve frightened the child,” Xifeng said, heart aching as she pulled Chu Junhan into her arms, gently stroking his head. “Haner, don’t cry. Tell mother what happened.”

Chu Junhan wiped his tears with his little hands, choking out, “Yan’er wanted to learn horse stance from me, but she fainted… sob, sob… Mother, Han’er didn’t mean to.”

Liu Shuming laughed heartily. “So it was just children playing—I thought something serious had happened. I think Yan’er is simply exhausted and will wake soon. Brother Chu, don’t let anger harm your health.”

With these words, Bilu breathed a sigh of relief.

Madam Liu shot her husband a glare, displeased. Her Yan’er was so delicate, fainted, and yet her husband offered not a single reproach.

“You must be Chu General’s beloved son, Chu Junhan?” Liu Shuming walked over to the little one, forcing a kindly smile.

Liu Shuming was a few years older than Chu Xiong, yet appeared barely over forty—so refined and amiable. Who could have imagined that this old family friend would, twelve years hence, bring about the annihilation of the Chu clan?

“Haner, don’t be afraid. This is Uncle Liu.” Chu Xiong also approached the little one, pulling the half-hidden child out from behind Xifeng.

Chu Xiong knelt down and gently wiped the mud from the child’s face. “Haner, why do you look like a little flower cat?”

Chu Junhan, startled like a frightened kitten, glanced quickly at Liu Shuming then retreated to hide behind Xifeng again. “Sister Bilu said Yan’er fainted, and Han’er would be blamed, so Han’er should hide.”

Bilu shook her head desperately, as if struck by lightning. “Master, young master is making things up—I didn’t!”

The maid who had been slapped by Madam Liu pointed at Bilu. “She did! She even told young master Chu not to admit it, and kept me from fetching the doctor!”

“Bilu, how dare you!” Xifeng scolded sharply, and chaos erupted.

Bilu pleaded, shaking her head incessantly. “Madam, I was foolish for a moment, afraid young master would be punished—please forgive me!”

Chu Junhan tugged at Xifeng’s skirt. “Mother, Sister Bilu wanted me to hide in the lake, but Han’er can’t swim and was too scared to go in!”