"You, already a bride-to-be, and still worrying about so much," Xiao Man took the red bridal veil and placed it over Bai Linglong's head. "Sister, after you get married, there will be many people to care for. As for me, you should worry less about me."
"Sister Xiao, I speak from the heart."
"I know, these are your heartfelt words, Sister." Xiao Man quickly said, "I've heard them all, please rest assured."
"Is the bride ready? The palanquin has arrived at the door." The matchmaker urged from the doorway.
"Ready, ready." Xiao Man walked to the door. "Jinyan, come see your sister off."
"Yes, Eldest Miss." Bai Jinyan happily clenched his fist and ran in, crouching beside Bai Linglong. "Sister, hurry up, I'll see you off."
Bai Jinyan was flustered, neither crying nor laughing. She leaned on Bai Jinyan's back, letting him carry her out of the house. "Jinyan, while I'm away, you must take good care of your younger brothers and sisters. Don't be naughty and make Mother and Father angry."
"Sister, don't worry, I'll take good care of them. You and Brother Xue must love each other forever, and then give me a lot of nephews and nieces."
Bai Linglong's face instantly turned red. She dared not speak again, fearing her brother might say something more embarrassing. Bai Linglong tearfully bid farewell to her parents, got into the bridal palanquin, and then truly departed.
Xiao Man watched Bai Linglong's palanquin disappear into the distance, then looked at Ying Xue. "Let's go, we should also hurry to the Xue family to witness their ceremony."
"Yes, Miss."
Just as they exited the Xue family's main gate and before they could mount their horses, they saw Ling Xuan approaching in a hurry.
"Xiao Man."
Xiao Man held her horse, watching Ling Xuan rein in his steed before her, his expression grave. "There's something I need to tell you, please don't be alarmed."
Xiao Man couldn't help but chuckle and playfully asked, "What is it that you're asking me not to be alarmed about? Has the General's mansion caught fire?"
"It's a bit more serious than the General's mansion catching fire," Ling Xuan gritted out.
"More serious than the General's mansion catching fire? Could it be that the General's mansion has been raided?" Xiao Man asked with a laugh. "Has something happened recently that would implicate the General's mansion? Are you telling me to flee?"
Ling Xuan shook his head. "Come with me to a place."
"No time, I'm rushing to see Sister Bai's wedding ceremony." Xiao Man swung herself onto her horse, preparing to head to General Xue's mansion.
Ling Xuan grabbed her reins, his teeth clenched so tightly that his gums almost bled. "The Jingzhao Prefectural Office received a report that a murder has occurred at Nanluo Villa outside the city."
Xiao Man then noticed the bloodstains on Ling Xuan's clothes, and her heart sank. "Did someone from the General's mansion die?"
Ling Xuan nodded slowly. Xiao Man's first thought was of the missing Steward Lu. "Is it my Uncle Lu?"
Ling Xuan shook his head. "Calm down and listen to me. By the time I arrived with my men, everyone inside was dead. Among the corpses..."
Ling Xuan took a deep breath and then said, "It was your father."
Xiao Man felt a roaring in her head, as if she hadn't clearly heard Ling Xuan's words. She simply stared at Ling Xuan blankly, her mouth agape, unable to speak.
After a long while, Xiao Man found her voice and forced a smile. "What joke are you playing? My father should be at General Xue's mansion drinking at the wedding right now."
"I wouldn't joke about something like this. Hurry and come out of the city with me."
Xiao Man's vision darkened, and she almost fell off her horse. Fortunately, she regained her balance and immediately spurred her horse to follow Ling Xuan out of the city gate. Ying Xue was also stunned by the news and immediately turned back to the Bai General's mansion to have someone confirm at General Xue's if the Grand General was there.
She then mobilized the dark guards and followed after Xiao Man.
Xiao Man felt deeply uneasy. All the way, she prayed it was a misunderstanding. How could her father have gone outside the city on Xue Meng's wedding day and been murdered? Impossible, absolutely impossible.
Nanluo Villa was already surrounded by constables. Seeing Ling Xuan return, they quickly stepped forward. "Greetings, Princess, My Lord."
Xiao Man dismounted and walked into the courtyard. The courtyard was clean and tidy, with no trace of a struggle. Two constables guarded the entrance to the house. Seeing Ling Xuan and his men enter, they quickly saluted. "Princess, My Lord."
Xiao Man stood at the door, unable to bring herself to enter the room, afraid of what she might see inside. Ling Xuan did not rush her, a flicker of unbearable sadness in his eyes. Even though his eyes were red, he did not shed tears.
After a moment, Xiao Man took a deep breath, lifted her leg, and entered the room. The room was in disarray, as if it had been the scene of a fierce fight. A person sat on a chair, wearing an indigo brocade robe, his favorite color, but now stained a deeper shade by blood. How much blood had been spilled to turn his robes that color?
Beneath the chair, blood had pooled into a small lake. Xiao Zhen sat there quietly, his eyes wide open, his face pale. He looked no different than when he was alive, except for his deathly pallor.
"When we entered, the General was like this. We also found the murdered dark guards in the back courtyard. This place had been cleaned up. I examined the General's body and found numerous wounds..." Ling Xuan took a deep breath, forcing back his tears. "He must have suffered greatly before his death."
Ling Xuan was worried that Xiao Man could not bear it. Her beloved father had died inexplicably at this villa outside the city, and in such a tragic manner. Even a man would find such a blow unbearable, let alone Xiao Man, a woman.
Xiao Man walked forward slowly and reached out to feel Xiao Zhen's carotid artery. It was ice cold, completely devoid of normal human temperature. Looking at Xiao Zhen's hands, his metacarpals were crushed, and not a single one of his ten fingers was intact.
Xiao Man's hands trembled. Forcing back her grief, she proceeded to examine Xiao Zhen's body. As soon as her hand pressed on Xiao Zhen's chest, it collapsed. His ribs were completely shattered. Xiao Man could no longer hold back her tears and wailed loudly.
Ling Xuan turned his face away, unable to bear watching. Killing is one thing, but the murderer had inflicted severe injuries on Xiao Zhen, then shattered his ribs, leaving him to struggle in agony before bleeding to death. It was truly diabolical!
"Father!"
Xiao Man was overcome with grief, almost fainting, but she managed to hold on. "Ling Xuan."
"I am here." Ling Xuan stepped forward to support Xiao Man. "Please accept my condolences."
"I want the best coroner sent to the General's mansion in the shortest possible time," Xiao Man said, wiping away her tears fiercely. "Someone, escort the General back to the mansion."
The dark guards appeared and carefully lifted Xiao Zhen's body onto a plank, covered it with a white cloth, and placed it on a carriage.
"Dongfang Wei."
"I am here." Dongfang Wei dared not contradict Xiao Man at this moment. The calmer Xiao Man became, the more terrifying she was. Even he had not expected Xiao Zhen to die in such a manner here.
"Search this entire villa, inside and out, leave no clue behind. I want the killer to pay with blood."
"Yes."