Chapter 19

Be good, Don’t Follow Your Father’s Example

Su Ying’s eyes darkened, but she didn’t rush forward. Instead, she sneered: “I have been wondering what His Highness wanted. It turns out to be the tiger tally Xiao Jin possesses.”

When the man in black heard her words, he glared at her and said: “Do you know where Xiao Jin keeps it?”

“Of course. I’m his wife. He can’t hide anything from me. What you desire is in my hands now.”

The man in black doubted, but seeing Su Ying’s confidence, he asked: “How could he have given it to you?”

“I stole it. But I didn’t expect it to be what the First Prince wanted. Go back and tell the First Prince that if he wants the tiger tally, he needs to come and take me back himself.”

The man in black frowned. He felt that Su Ying was lying to him. Her goal was only to see the First Prince.

“Xiao Jin has always suspected the two children. He’s long felt that they are not his. Do you think Xiao Jin would obediently submit to you because you’ve got the kids?”

These words made the man waver. “Where did you hide the tiger tally?”

Su Jing sneered: “I told you. I will tell the First Prince if he comes to pick me up.”

The man couldn’t be sure if Su Ying was telling the truth. If she were, they would not need to kidnap a useless child.

“Alright, I’ll believe you this time. I’ll pass your words to the First Prince.” The man gestured towards the darkness. Soon, another man in black walked out, carrying Ling, who had been knocked out.

Su Ying’s pupils shrank. She walked forward and took Ling in her arms.

“Su Ying, you’d better be telling the truth.” The man said sinisterly.

Su Ying looked at them expressionlessly. “I will only tell Xiao Jue the truth. If you dare to touch my children again, I’ll stomp you into a pulp!”

The two men frowned as they watched her leave.

“Is what she said true?”

“She can’t stop talking about the First Prince. I’m afraid she has a lot of resentment. She could have told the truth. Let’s send a letter to His Highness first and let His Highness decide.”

“Alright.”

If they found out that Su Ying was playing with them, they would never let this idiot off!

When Su Ying walked out of the bamboo forest with Ling in her arms, she glanced back. Then, she carried Ling and went over the courtyard wall right away.

As she disappeared behind the wall, another figure emerged from the bamboo forest.

Su Ying gently pinched Ling’s purlicue, and the girl slowly woke up. When she saw Su Ying’s face, she pouted her lips, and her big eyes were filled with tears.

Her tiny body trembled, enduring great fear.

Su Ying’s heart almost broke at the scene. She embraced Ling tightly and patted her back gently. “Don’t be scared, Ling. It’s alright now. It’s alright now.” She didn’t take the lives of those two men because she wanted to cast a long line to catch the big fish.

“Mum will protect you. Ling, don’t be scared,” she said softly.

Ling, sobbing, suddenly looked up at Su Ying with his big red eyes. “Mum?”

In Su Ying’s memory, the two children addressed her like that. However, she didn’t like them, so she didn’t allow them.

“En, do you still want me as your mother?”

Ling looked at Su Ying’s gentle eyes. She had never seen her mother like this. She wanted her mother, but she was afraid she would despise her.

She was in a dilemma, and her brows were almost twisted into a knot.

“Alright, let’s go to sleep first. Tell me when you wake up, OK?”

Ling nodded obediently and lay quietly on Su Ying’s shoulder.

Bai Shuang stood up nervously when she saw Su Ying carrying Ling into the room.

Su Ying shook her head at her, and Bai Shuang sat down on the floor.

Su Ying hugged Ling, who was soundly asleep. She leaned against the wall and closed her eyes.

The moment her breathing stabilized, Xiao Jin slowly opened his eyes.

Jiang Yang also looked at Su Ying with a complicated expression.

He had heard Su Ying’s conversation with the men in black. He didn’t know if she was telling the truth, but Su Ying’s claim that Xiao Jin’s tiger tally was in her hands was clearly a lie.

Su Ying lied to the men. But Jiang Yang felt she was doing it to lure the First Prince.

So what if Xiao Jue were lured here? Did she really think the First Prince still cared about her, a wasted chess piece?

“Send a letter to the fief and ask ‘him’ to spread the news that the tiger tally is hidden in a secret passage of my residence.” Xiao Jin looked at Jiang Yang and mouthed the words.

Jiang Yang nodded in understanding.

“Leave a secret signal for Lin Jin and Lin Kun.”

“Yes.”

Xiao Jin looked at Su Ying, who had fallen asleep, with a dark expression.

‘Who on earth are you?’

Before dawn, the bailiffs began to wake people up and prepared to set off.

Su Ying heard the noise and put the sleeping Ling in Bai Shuang’s arms. Then, she rose and packed up. He Shouyi made pan bread yesterday as well. Although it didn’t have as nice a texture as pancakes, it was still much better than the dry food rations.

Prisoners didn’t have any food rations in the morning. After Su Ying gave the bread to Mama Zhao and the rest, she took two pieces for Zhang Cuiniang and Lin Sheng.

The two thanked her profusely, while others could only watch eagerly. Because they didn’t trust Su Ying, they didn’t express their opinions after snatching her food yesterday.

Su Ying didn’t mind. After a good feed, she filled water bags from the well and returned to the room to carry Mama Zhao.

“Madam, this old servant is much better now. I can walk by myself.”

“You are still weak, and you’ll fall behind soon. Let me carry you.” Su Ying didn’t like wasting time, so she grabbed Mama Zhao onto her back.

Seeing that she couldn’t win against her, Mama Zhao could only lie on her back obediently.

Su Ying found an abandoned hemp rope and tied it around Mama Zhao so that she could free her hands for something else.

Just as she was about to pick up the pots and pans on the ground, Zhang Cuiniang and Lin Sheng grabbed them first.

“Madam, let us carry these things. We also want to share some of your burdens.”

Su Ying accepted the offer. “Thank you for your trouble.”

It started drizzling as soon as they came out of the house. Luckily, Su Ying was prepared. She took out the umbrellas and raincoats she had bought in the county town.

Bai Shuang looked at Su Ying, amazed. The small bag was like a treasure chest that could never be emptied. She watched as Su Ying took out a few straw capes and oil-paper umbrellas.

Su Ying took a raincoat and walked to Xiao Jin. She put it on him with a hat.

Her actions were a little rough. She pulled out some of Xiao Jin’s hair when she put on the hat.

The veins on Xiao Jin’s forehead jumped. “Su Ying, that’s enough!”

Su Ying raised her head and smiled evilly. “You are repaying kindness with ingratitude.”

Following these words, she reached out and pinched Ji’s tiny face. “Tut, this child is really too thin. Hardly any flesh between a pinch.”

Ji glared at her like an angry wolf cub. His expression amused Su Ying. “Be good, and don’t follow your father’s example. He looks as if everyone owes him money.”

Xiao Jin clenched his fists. He would put this woman in order sooner or later!