Chapter 58: Not Shedding Tears Until Seeing the Coffin

After calmly walking out from the hundred thousand troops, Mu Feng quickly went far away under everyone’s gaze.

At home, the main door was slightly ajar. Pushing it open and walking inside, he saw the hall filled with wisps of blue incense smoke. His mother knelt with her back to him, facing his father’s memorial tablet. She wore a spotless white robe, her hair tied up high at the back of her head, and a thin veil covered her face. From behind, she appeared serene, elegant, and had an innate noble aura. Her attire was completely different from usual.

“Mother, I’m back!”

Mu Feng said softly, his lips moving but saying nothing more. With a soft thud, he knelt behind his mother.

“Why are you kneeling?” His mother did not turn her head, her voice calm.

In the past, hearing his mother’s calm voice would quickly soothe Mu Feng’s greatest grievances and fiercest anger. But today, hearing her calm tone only deepened his guilt. His eyes reddened. “Mother, I have been unfilial. I am guilty!”

After returning home, Mu Feng felt deep remorse.

He did not regret crippling those two troublemakers, Mu Qingyuan and Lin Zhengde. If time could be reversed, he would still act without hesitation. His guilt came from failing his mother, who had worked hard and raised him all these years. Burdened by life’s hardships, she had grayed prematurely and suffered from numerous ailments.

If he had to flee into the Hundred Thousand Mountains after causing such a disaster, that would be one thing—but what about his mother?

Making her wander with him, living in constant fear day and night—what a sin that would be!

“Did you cause trouble again?” His mother still did not turn around.

“Yes!”

Mu Feng lowered his head in shame, not daring to hide anything now. “I crippled the Jianning Commandant’s son and knocked out one of Second Young Master Mu Qingyuan’s eyes!”

“Hmm, I see.”

Contrary to Mu Feng’s expectations, his mother seemed unfazed. Unlike her usual sternness, she remained kneeling motionless on the ground. “There is a set of clean clothes in the side room. Go, wash up, bathe, and change.”

Bathe and change?

Mu Feng firmly shook his head. How could he bathe and change at a time like this? If they didn’t leave soon, it would be too late. “Mother, come with me. Let’s leave this place, right now, the sooner the better!”

“Leave? Is it still possible to leave now?”

Situ Qing’s tone remained calm as she slowly continued, “Some things, once done, leave no room for retreat or avoidance. We can only face them. Feng’er, you are still too impulsive. Do you know what day it is today?”

Mu Feng shook his head. “No.”

His mother did not scold him harshly; her voice stayed calm. Yet, the calmer she was, the worse he felt. There is no grief greater than a heart that has turned cold. If she had shouted at him for the disaster he caused, he might have felt a little better.

“Today is the sixteenth anniversary of your father’s death. Go, bathe and change, then come back to kowtow to your father and offer some incense.”

“Yes!”

Mu Feng nodded, turned, and left to bathe and change.

No one understood his mother’s temperament better than he did. If she did not want to go, no one could persuade her. Since she was so resolute, escaping alone would be meaningless. The only thing to do was to calm his heart and await the coming storm.

Gallop, gallop, gallop…

Just as Mu Feng finished bathing and changing and knelt behind his mother, urgent hoofbeats sounded in the distance. The noise grew louder, like ten thousand horses thundering, rumbling closer and closer. The heavy footfalls of warhorses, their piercing neighs, and the clanking of swords and armor drew nearer, shaking the ground.

Soon, a dark mass of heavy cavalry surrounded the house, men and horses both clad in heavy armor, silent. The air grew thick with a heavy, murderous aura.

“Here, right here! That wretched pair, Mu Feng and his mother, live here!”

Mu Qingyuan’s hoarse, crow-like voice rang out first. He had volunteered to lead the furious Jianning Commandant and his men here. As he spoke, he jumped down from the lead warhorse and laughed loudly. “Mu… Feng… you’re dead! Come out and face your death with your wretched mother…”

Seeing the menacing cavalry swarming around Mu Feng’s house, Mu Qingyuan couldn’t help but laugh heartily, his face twisted with glee. He was overjoyed.

At Shangling Terrace’s entrance, Mu Feng had destroyed one of his eyes. Now, he would pay it back twofold. Once the cavalry had beaten Mu Feng half to death, he would personally gouge out both of Mu Feng’s eyes and cut his hamstrings. He would hang Mu Feng in front of Mu Manor’s gate, exposing him for a hundred days, cutting him slowly each day, letting him die bit by bit.

“Mu… Qing… yuan…”

Mu Feng’s face turned cold. He had not expected this guy to remain unrepentant, still jumping around. It seemed he truly would not shed tears until he saw the coffin, never giving up until his last breath! Just as Mu Feng prepared to stand and shut him up for good, he noticed his mother, still unmoving before him, and reluctantly suppressed his rage.

“We welcome the Commandant!”

Outside the door, a sudden earth-shaking roar erupted. The mass of heavy cavalry raised their curved blades in unison.

Escorted by a team of personal guards, the burly and fierce Jianning Commandant arrived late, guarding a luxurious carriage. After the curtain was drawn back, a weeping beautiful woman stepped out first, followed by Lin Zhengde, lying on a stretcher, unable to move. He was conscious but completely paralyzed, having lost all sensation. Only his wide-open eyes silently conveyed his agony and hatred.

“Is this the place?”

The Jianning Commandant, mounted on a tall steed, abruptly lifted his cold, heavy helmet, revealing a face that looked imposing even without anger. His expression icy, he dismounted and strode inside, kicking the heavy wooden door open. Behind him, a squad of personal guards closely followed, carrying the stretcher. Only after they had taken a few steps did Mu Qingyuan hurriedly catch up.

Thump, thump, thump…

The heavy footsteps drew closer, but Mu Feng and his mother remained kneeling motionless. The nearly bare hall was still filled with curling blue incense smoke.

“A real man owns up to his actions! Who is Mu Feng? Step forward!”

The Jianning Commandant’s eyes gleamed coldly as he charged inside, only to be caught off guard by the thick smoke. It stung his eyes. Peering through the haze, he saw two faint figures kneeling, unsure which one was Mu Feng. He stepped forward a few paces, drew his curved blade with a swish, and prepared to kill them both. But as he accidentally glanced up, he suddenly saw the two deeply carved characters on the memorial tablet: “Mu Yuan.”

Mu Yuan?

The high-ranking Jianning Commandant was startled. Mu Yuan, Mu Manor, Mu Feng… He muttered the names silently, and a bad feeling suddenly rose in his heart.