Chapter 5 — Chieu Chieu Leaves Kinh

My eyes were bloodshot, wishing I could tear these two villains apart. Lam Uyen wiped the corner of her eyes that had no tears: "Sister, under Da Tuyen law, a woman accused of adultery who dies by suicide cannot be buried in her husband's ancestral tomb. Not only that, her body would be exposed outside the cemetery for three days as a warning to others... I kept it secret for the sake of the general and the Song family's reputation!" "If big brother Tieu doesn't believe it, just send someone to Aunt Co's yard to search, you can definitely find some clues." Tieu Dat's face changed. The eyes looking at me were extremely complicated. On one side is the bride who has a marriage contract with him, on the other side is the benefactor who saved his life. He really didn't know who to trust. "That's enough, stop talking." Tieu Dat pondered for a long time, his eyes fell on my face again: "Chieu Chieu, Lam Uyen is right. Just go to Aunt Co's courtyard to search, you will know who is lying." "Go to Aunt Co's courtyard and search it." I looked at Tieu Dat's suddenly unfamiliar face, and a bone-chilling sadness rose in my heart. He believes it. Not long after, a servant came to report. "General, the servants found men's clothing in Aunt Co's courtyard." "Song Chieu Chieu, what else do you have to say?" Tieu Dat tightened his grip on the man's robe and threw it hard in front of me, the fabric falling on my quilt. I stared at that outfit, my whole body felt cold. "Why didn't you say anything? Just now, didn't you keep saying that Lam Uyen harmed your mother?" Tieu Dat laughed coldly and pressed closer step by step. "The clothes were found from Aunt Co's courtyard, the witnesses and evidence are enough, do you still want to make excuses?" "Aunt Co secretly had an affair with someone else. When the alleged affair was exposed, she panicked and grabbed a pair of scissors, stabbing Lam Uyen!" He looked at me with extreme disappointment, his voice getting deeper and deeper: "Song Chieu Chieu, I've known you for sixteen years, but I didn't know your heart was so cruel!" Lam Uyen leaned in his arms, using a scarf to cover half of her face, a smug smile appeared in the bottom of her eyes. At this moment, arguing with them about your innocence, getting Tieu Dat to believe me, is no longer important. If Tieu Dat is willing to believe this outfit that suddenly appeared, then it proves that he never thought about believing me. I suddenly grabbed the bowl of water next to the bed and threw it at Lam Uyen: "You hate my mother and then throw dirty water on her, aren't you afraid of retribution?" Tieu Dat quickly pulled Lam Uyen out, the bowl of water fell to the ground and shattered with the sound. He stood in front of Lam Uyen, his voice cold: "Enough! Song Chieu Chieu, up to this point you are still slandering Lam Uyen, do you think I still believe you?" "Due to the relationship you and I have had for sixteen years, I won't pursue the matter of you injuring Lam Uyen. But if there is a next time, I will absolutely not forgive you!" "Things have come to this, our engagement has to be annulled." I don't know how much time passed, the door was closed from the outside. I lay alone on the bed, the wound in my right shoulder throbbing unbearably, blood stained half of my clothes red. I hugged the half-embroidered cypress blanket, leaned on the pair of lotus flowers attached to it, and fainted in pain. When I woke up again, it was dark. There was a knock outside the door. I thought it was Tieu Dat, so I yelled at the person outside the door: "Get out!" But unexpectedly, the people outside did not leave. The wooden door squeaked and opened. In the dim room, I lay on the bed and looked at the person coming. A man who should not have been there stood quietly watching me. After that day, Tieu Dat indeed broke up the engagement. In the Song household, the rich were courted and the poor were trampled underfoot. The best healing medicines originally assigned to me were replaced with cheap herbs. I recuperated in a remote courtyard for half a month, the wound scabbed over, and I was finally able to get out of bed and walk. Caressing the fierce scar on my right shoulder, the overwhelming hatred almost engulfed me. Having my engagement annulled was a humiliation for the Marquisate. My mother told me to go to Trang Tu to avoid the wind and waves. I looked down at the letter my mother had written.

Tieu Dat's mother brought the letter to Aunt Co and asked: "Do you agree?" Aunt Co did not speak. She merely lowered her head and stared at the floor. She didn't speak, but I understood everything. They claimed it was to let me avoid the storm, but in truth they had already discarded me like a chess piece. After all, I had been raised in the Song household for so many years; sending me to a remote, dilapidated manor would do them no harm. I took with me all the money checks and land deeds I left behind, and left the Song household at night, but did not go to the manor house, but went to a dark alley. Deep in the alley there is a building, in front of the door hangs a wordless wind lamp. On the sign are written the three words "Thien Co Pavilion". Thien Co Pavilion is the most mysterious intelligence organization in the world. As long as they have enough money, there is no secret in this world that they cannot investigate. A young man received me. Seated behind a screen, he pushed a cup of tea toward me. The light scent of tea, somehow makes me feel a bit familiar. But for a moment I couldn't remember where I smelled it.