Shao Mingyuan stood upright as a pine tree, not moving an inch.

Nanny Qing cried out in alarm: “Young Master, you cannot—”

The long sword reached Shao Mingyuan’s heart, but Qiao Mo’s expression changed slightly as he moved it up a few inches.

The sharp blade pierced Shao Mingyuan’s shoulder. As Qiao Mo withdrew the sword, blood immediately gushed out, staining his white robes red.

Qiao Mo’s tranquil eyes filled with anger, his voice even colder: “Why didn’t you dodge?”

Shao Mingyuan remained silent.

“Did you assume I wouldn’t kill you?”

Qiao Mo gripped his long sword tightly. In Shao Mingyuan’s continued silence, he suddenly hurled the bloodied sword to the ground, his anger erupting: “Shao Mingyuan, when you shot that arrow, did you already calculate that the world would only praise you for not showing favoritism, for your great righteousness? Did you calculate that even your wife’s relatives could only choose to forgive you?”

Qiao Mo’s words struck with force, each one hammering down.

The pain in his shoulder made Shao Mingyuan’s face pale, yet he showed not the slightest trace of it.

Under such questioning, Shao Mingyuan finally spoke: “I did not.”

“Did not what?”

“Did not think about how the world would view me, nor did I think about whether my wife’s relatives would forgive me.” Shao Mingyuan lowered his gaze, his voice desolate. “I thought of nothing at all.”

He offered no further explanation. When Qiao Mo looked at him, he met his gaze, his eyes deep black and boundlessly frank.

The two men’s gazes held for a long time.

Qiao Mo’s erupting anger subsided: “You may go.”

“Lady Qiao will lie in state for forty-nine days. Does elder brother-in-law wish to see her one last time?”

Qiao Mo shook his head: “No need. I imagine my elder sister wouldn’t want me to see her posthumous appearance either. I will come on the day of her funeral.”

“Elder brother-in-law, Mingyuan takes his leave.” Shao Mingyuan cupped his fists in salute, turned, and walked out.

“Shao Mingyuan.” Qiao Mo called after him.

Shao Mingyuan stopped, turned around, his attitude respectful: “What else does elder brother-in-law require?”

Qiao Mo’s gaze fell on his bloodied shoulder: “Have your wound bandaged.”

Shao Mingyuan was startled, then nodded readily: “Very well.”

He didn’t care about this minor injury, but he was currently under everyone’s scrutiny. If news spread that he had been wounded by his brother-in-law, it might cause trouble for his brother-in-law.

Shao Mingyuan followed Qiao Mo into the main hall.

Fearing further incidents, Nanny Qing hurried off to report to Old Madam Xue.

With his ruined face and terrifying appearance, Qiao Mo had only one servant boy attending him in Listening to Wind Residence.

Shao Mingyuan did not need to avoid suspicion. He politely declined the servant boy’s help, tore a corner from his white robe, and skillfully bandaged his wound one-handed. He changed into the plain clothes the servant handed him and walked out with a calm expression.

Qiao Mo watched the man in plain clothes, elegant and otherworldly, sigh softly and ask: “Shao Mingyuan, do you know my sister’s given name?”

Shao Mingyuan pressed his thin lips together.

He had been urgently summoned back to the capital from his northern campaign to marry Miss Qiao. On their wedding day, he had hurried north again due to Tartar raids deep into Great Liang territory. How could he have learned Lady Qiao’s given name?

He had written letters home, tactfully inquiring, but letter after letter had vanished like stones dropped in the sea. Lady Qiao had never replied with so much as a single word.

“Remember this: her name was simply ‘Zhao’ – the ‘Zhao’ from ‘the wise use their clarity to bring clarity to others.'”

Qiao Zhao—

Shao Mingyuan silently repeated this name in his heart and nodded to Qiao Mo: “I will remember.”

“Good that you remember.” Qiao Mo smiled faintly, infinite sorrow in his heart.

He admitted that Shao Mingyuan was an excellent man. If not for fate’s cruel tricks, he and his sister would have made a well-matched pair. But in the future, this man would eventually marry a new wife, share intimacy with another woman, and grow old together with her.

Thinking this way, his heart remained unsettled after all.

Qiao Mo closed his eyes, then looked at Shao Mingyuan with determination: “Shao Mingyuan, my sister was a good young lady. You must not forget her.”

Shao Mingyuan felt a sharp pain in his heart, as if struck by a small hammer, and said solemnly: “I would never dare forget.”

Of course, he knew she was a good young lady.

That day, she stood on the city wall, clearly fallen into the jaws of wolves and tigers, yet showed not the slightest bit of dishevelment or fear, just like the bravest warrior under his command.

He had personally killed such a good young lady, killed his wife, and also killed any possibility of living a peaceful, warm life.

Shao Mingyuan’s throat burned terribly, his voice even more hoarse: “In this lifetime, Mingyuan will have only Qiao Zhao as his wife. Please set your mind at ease, elder brother-in-law.”

He cupped his fists in another salute, turned, and strode away.

Qiao Mo opened his mouth.

That wasn’t what he meant.

What did Shao Mingyuan mean?

What did he mean by “only having an elder sister as his wife in this lifetime”? Could it be that he was willing to remain faithful to his elder sister and never remarry for life?

Qiao Mo found this speculation extraordinarily strange, yet the departing man’s words and actions made him believe it somewhat.

Qiao Mo stood on the steps, letting the breeze blow against his ruined face. After a long while, he murmured to himself: “What’s the point of this?”

He turned to enter the house when a young girl’s voice sounded behind him: “Elder Brother—”

Qiao Mo came back to his senses and looked at the running girl child with a gentle smile: “Wanwan, why are you here at this time?”

The girl child appeared to be eight or nine years old, sweet and lovely, with childish charm still intact. This was Qiao Mo’s youngest sister, Qiao Wan.

“Elder Brother, I heard Shao Mingyuan came to see you. Is that true?”

“You should call him brother-in-law.”

“What brother-in-law! He’s not my brother-in-law! Where is he?” Qiao Wan looked around.

“He just left.”

“I’m going to find him!” Qiao Wan dropped this statement and, fearing her brother would stop her, lifted her skirts and ran off quickly.

Qiao Mo raised his foot to give chase, but thinking of how the servants in the Minister’s residence looked terrified when they saw him, he turned back into the house to get his veil.

Qiao Wan ran swiftly. Seeing a tall, unfamiliar male figure in the distance, she immediately shouted: “Stop!”

Shao Mingyuan paused and turned around.

The running girl child only reached Shao Mingyuan’s waist. Looking up at him, she asked: “Are you Shao Mingyuan?”

Shao Mingyuan crouched down, his tone gentle: “I am.”

“Bad man! You killed my sister. I want to avenge my sister!” Qiao Wan’s eyes widened as she swung her fist at the big man before her.

By sheer coincidence, this punch landed right on Shao Mingyuan’s injured shoulder. Blood immediately soaked through the fabric.

On the plain-colored clothes, bloodstains were already conspicuous, and instantly a blood flower bloomed on the big man’s shoulder. Qiao Wan withdrew her fist and stared blankly.

She had made the legendary invincible great general bleed with one punch?

Qiao Wan looked down at her hand.

There was a trace of dark red blood on the back of her hand.

The little girl felt dizzy and swayed unsteadily.

Oh no, she was afraid of blood!

Qiao Wan spun around and was about to fall to the ground in a daze when she was caught halfway by a pair of strong hands.

Shao Mingyuan looked up and instructed the matron standing stunned by the roadside: “Carry the young miss.”

This matron was the one Madam Mao had sent to gather information. Knowing the identity of the man before her, she dared not disobey and quickly picked up Qiao Wan.

Shao Mingyuan straightened up and gestured for the matron to follow him. Halfway there, they encountered Qiao Mo.

“Elder brother-in-law, your sister fainted for some reason.”

Qiao Mo saw the bloodstain on Shao Mingyuan’s shoulder at a glance and understood.

“No need to worry. She’s afraid of blood.”

Shao Mingyuan was stunned.

If he had known this, he would have dodged.

“Your wound, do you need—”

“No trouble necessary. It’s just a little blood. I’ll cover it up.” Shao Mingyuan took out a clean white handkerchief and pressed it to his shoulder. After bidding farewell to Qiao Mo, he headed toward where Old Madam Xue received guests, but on the way encountered Nanny Qing accompanying Old Madam Xue, hurrying over.