The falling beauty - Chapter 12

The departure from the city went smoothly. Mo Jin’er couldn’t believe she had actually left, completely escaping the General’s mansion. Now, she just needed to quickly meet up with her grandmother’s caravan.

The caravan she chose was passing by Xianghai Temple, where she unexpectedly encountered Baozhu and her group.

Initially, she remained silent in the carriage, causing no issues. However, the day was unusually eventful. Baozhu encountered assassins who were specifically targeting her. A noble lady pushed her out, and she stood there dumbfounded.

Mo Jin’er’s heart clenched as she looked back. Should she leave or rescue Baozhu? This was her only chance to escape. If she stayed and revealed herself in front of Baozhu, her maid, and the other noble ladies, they would all see her.

But she had always been kind to her. She couldn’t let such a good girl die at the hands of thugs.

She took out a device that Baozhu had given her, shaped like a crossbow. She aimed it at the thug and gently pressed it. Countless sharp, fine threads shot out, piercing the thug’s arm.

Hearing the screams, her heart was in her throat.

The soldiers arrived quickly, and some immediately protected Baozhu and her group. Meanwhile, Mo Jin’er’s caravan had already been intercepted…

Sitting in the carriage, her heart sank to the bottom. Her one chance at escape had been wasted.

Ling’an Che returned earlier than expected. He was supposed to arrive the next day but appeared at the General’s mansion that night. He interrogated the maid beside Baozhu, a servant who had been in the mansion for ten years. He never expected her to be a traitor.

Blood flowed in the courtyard, and the maid’s agonized screams grew weaker. She was about to die.

He sat lazily, while Mo Jin’er stood there, her heart and mind tense. She didn’t watch the torture, her face pale, legs trembling.

“Today, little Jin’er is a hero. What do you want?” He looked at her, standing quietly with her eyes lowered, lost in thought.

Her face was pale, her chin sharp.

He smiled, but his eyes were cold and mocking. He had known for days that she was testing the guards. He had allowed them to play along, to see if she truly wanted to leave.

But the usually timid and obedient girl had indeed tried to escape.

Baozhu had guards too, but before they could act, Mo Jin’er had already shot the thug in her panic.

He had rushed back, wondering how to punish her. But since she saved Baozhu, he decided to be lenient.

Seeing her remain silent, he grabbed her hand and pulled her into his arms, pinching her face to make her look at the maid’s fate.

The maid died horribly, her body partially skinned, blood everywhere…

Mo Jin’er’s face turned from pale to ghastly white, tears welling up in her eyes. Her breath trembled.

“This maid has been with the Ling family for ten years. She once saved my mother but turned out to be a spy…” he said with a light laugh.

Mo Jin’er wanted to vomit but couldn’t. She closed her eyes, tears falling on Ling’an Che’s hand.

“Dare to run away again?” Seeing her cry, he softened a bit, his deep voice teasing.

“No more running,” she said, her voice hoarse and difficult.

Satisfied, he got up, holding her, their foreheads touching. “They said you were testing the waters, trying to see how many guards there were. Why aren’t you so bold in front of me?”

He laughed, mentioning her previous bold acts, like nearly falling into the water or saving someone from a wild horse.

She didn’t answer, leaning weakly in his arms.

He took her back to his room, bathed with her, but when he tried to kiss her, she trembled and retched by the pool.

She looked pitiful…

He eventually let her go.

Baozhu, grateful for Mo Jin’er saving her, wanted to celebrate her birthday. Despite her childlike intellect, she was sincere and pure.

Mo Jin’er’s birthday was in early August. Baozhu secretly booked a room at Tianji Tower and prepared a gift for her.

Unaware of this, Mo Jin’er became quieter upon returning to the General’s mansion, constantly bullied by Ling’an Che, only coming to life when crying and begging for mercy.

Her grandmother was living with a farming family outside the city. That day, Baozhu mysteriously called Mo Jin’er to Tianji Tower, giving her a surprise.

She was moved, her almost lifeless heart stirred.

Baozhu took her to the top floor to see the best mechanical devices and gave her some gadgets. They returned to their room and ate the tower’s specialty dishes.

On the way out, she overheard a conversation in the next room.

“The Guogong Mansion was raided recently. They were supposed to be executed, but why were they suddenly exiled to the frontier?”

A man’s voice sounded dissatisfied.

“You don’t know? Ling’s young general originally wanted to kill everyone in the Guogong Mansion, but he took a fancy to one of the Guogong’s concubines.”

Another man laughed lewdly.

Outside, Mo Jin’er paused, her eyes reddening.

“Ling’s young general? Wasn’t the Guogong case handled by Chancellor Shen?” The man seemed puzzled, drawing ridicule from his companion.

“You’re still clueless. The Ling family has been behind the downfall of the Zhi King faction, causing beheadings and confiscations. Old General Ling has handed over most affairs to the young general. The Chancellor is just a pawn, elevated by the Ling family to his position.”

“The old emperor’s health is declining. Is the Ling family close to Han Wang?”

The man sighed.

“In any case, the Ling family is at its peak. Ling’an Che is the last person you want to provoke…”

Hearing this, Mo Jin’er’s expression became dazed.

The Guogong Mansion’s downfall was Ling’an Che’s doing?

He was behind their destruction.

Standing there, she felt like a wilted flower, her eyes dim and quiet.

Baozhu, not understanding why she stopped, heard the loud conversation from the next room. The two men were clearly drunk.

“Jin’er, don’t listen to them. They seem drunk…” She frowned, anxious.

“Thank you for today, Baozhu.” Mo Jin’er forced a smile. They returned to the General’s mansion, where she looked out the window, her eyes welling with tears.

Baozhu had her own courtyard. After returning, they went their separate ways.

Mo Jin’er now lived in Ling’an Che’s room, a quiet and elegant place with hidden luxury. Initially simple, it had become more opulent with the precious gifts he often gave her.

She thought about the Guogong Mansion. She had little affection for her stepmother and siblings but always hoped her father would notice her.

Though she had given up hope, she wanted to live peacefully with her grandmother.

Subconsciously, she still felt the small courtyard at the Guogong Mansion was her home. But now, everything was gone, all because of him.

He had changed her beyond recognition.

Angry? Furious? But all these feelings turned into helplessness. It was laughable; he didn’t even care about her, yet went to such lengths.

Ling’an Che, hearing about the day’s events, wasn’t worried about her knowing the truth. Even if she knew, it wouldn’t change anything.

At night, he still entangled her, but she resisted, weakly curled in the bed corner, eyes red, her handprint still visible on his face.

Ling’an Che’s eyes narrowed dangerously, staring at her.

“Don’t touch me,” she trembled, her eyes red, her hand hurting.

He laughed angrily, “Mo Jin’er…”

“The Guogong Mansion’s downfall was your doing. Chancellor Shen is just your tool,” Mo Jin’er said, unable to hold back.

“So what if it was me?” He admitted, smiling. “Mo Jin’er, their crimes were real, and their punishment was already reduced. Otherwise, none of their heads would be enough.”

His eyes were cold.

The Ling family held great power and couldn’t overtly intervene in court matters. Chancellor Shen often did things the Ling family wanted, being their pawn.

She laughed bitterly, tears streaming. “You’re a hypocrite…”

He grabbed her wrist, looking at her red palm, his eyes cold, yet he smiled faintly. “Do you know where the last person who hit me is buried?”

She was bold. Though the slap didn’t hurt, it annoyed him.

He wasn’t angry at the slap but at her seemingly suicidal demeanor.

“You can kill me too,” Mo Jin’er’s pale neck stiffened, her eyes dull.

He grabbed her throat, not using force, pinning her to the bed. He whispered in her ear, “You’re too beautiful to kill. Hate me more, Jin’er, I don’t mind.”

He called a chain with his inner force, bringing it to his hand.

Mo Jin’er’s breathing quickened, her vision blurred by tears.

The chain was thin but unbreakable. She cried out, fainting.

He quietly observed her, removing her ring and placing a warm jade ring on her finger. He kissed her cheek, his voice barely audible.

“Happy birthday.”

The next morning, Mo Jin’er woke up in Ling’an Che’s arms, feeling the chain’s cold weight.

Seeing her awake, he smiled faintly, “Jin’er, you need to learn to be obedient.”

He removed her chain, caressing her cheek.

“If you dare to escape again, I’ll make your life more miserable,” he warned.

Mo Jin’er sometimes thought that she wanted to die, but then there was her grandmother…

Because she drank the contraceptive potion before, or perhaps because of Ling’an Che’s lack of restraint, her menstruation came early this time, and her stomach hurt a lot.

She curled up on the bed, her small face pale, her consciousness fuzzy.

When she woke up, she felt warmth in her abdomen, which eased the discomfort a little. Soon she opened her eyes wide and saw Ling’an Che holding something against her belly.

Seeing that she was awake, he raised an eyebrow slightly. “Fainted from the pain, did you know?”

“All thanks to you.”

She, who was always gentle, unexpectedly retorted sharply.

His immaculately beautiful face showed a cold and distant expression.

He smiled, a somewhat pleased smile, and teased, “Yes, you’re usually so soft and yielding, no spirit at all. That contraceptive potion is cold and cooling, you could have easily refused to drink it.”

Ever since Su Qinqin showed it to her that time, he had told the midwife not to make her drink it anymore, just letting her choose for herself. But who would have thought that she, being so honest, would drink it down every time.

She frowned slightly and remained silent.

Not drinking it, does that mean she would end up pregnant with his child?

Letting the child call her aunt, becoming a concubine’s child, a concubine’s daughter.

She would rather drink it.

A few days later.

The General’s Manor hosted a banquet for Ling’an Che’s mother’s birthday. Lady Ling wanted to keep it low-key, but many high-ranking officials and noble people still came to offer gifts.

Surprisingly, she also invited Mo Jin’er to attend the feast.

Mo Jin’er didn’t want to go, but Lady Ling did not mistreat her. Baozhu also invited her to go together, but she knew her place and refused. However, she prepared a gift for Lady Ling.

Because on this day, her restrictions were finally lifted, and she could move around freely within the General’s Manor.

Her skin was becoming fairer, her black hair and red lips were strikingly beautiful.

She originally wanted to stay quietly in the courtyard, but the old lady suddenly sent someone to invite her, insisting that she come to the main hall.

Reluctantly, she was escorted there against her will.

At this point, she could only attend with a stiff demeanor.

Others praised her beauty, and Lady Ling even let her stay by her side, gently patting her hand.

Mo Jin’er’s body stiffened slightly.

Suddenly, Shen Yanyan’s voice sounded from the side, “Indeed beautiful, but I heard Miss Mo’s birth mother was once a singer. Today, on Lady Ling’s birthday, I wonder if Miss Mo can offer a song for Lady Ling.”

Shen Yanyan was mocking and scornful in her tone.