Chapter Eight: This Woman Has Guts

Dog Egg's expression changed, and he instinctively assumed a stance ready to fight. Suddenly, a slender and tall figure stepped in front of him. He paused, momentarily confused, and before he could react, the woman before him bent at the waist and pushed the young grandson of the Wu family to the ground with considerable force. The child stared blankly for a moment before bursting into tears.

"It hurts! My bottom hurts! Grandma, that bad woman bullied me!"

Madam Fan rushed over in distress, hurriedly helping her precious grandson up and glaring fiercely at Yun Shuang. "You shameless—"

"Honorable officers," Yun Shuang ignored her completely and looked directly at the two soldiers overseeing the scene, her voice cold. "Are you suspecting the Wu family of harboring a fugitive? Is this how you interrogate suspects? Allowing them to cause trouble and standing by as they harm innocent civilians?"

Her words shocked nearly everyone present. What madness was this? The two soldiers were clearly not ordinary men—these were officers whose authority could easily end a life. Not only did she address them directly, but she did so in a tone of accusation!

The two soldiers had not expected Yun Shuang to be so bold. They glanced at her, their brows furrowed deeply. After a moment, the scar-faced officer spoke in a grave tone. "Guard the Wu family closely."

He looked at Yun Shuang again, this time with a hint of scrutiny in his gaze, though he soon withdrew his attention, returning to oversee the soldiers searching the house.

Those watching were stunned that Yun Shuang had managed to pass unscathed, their eyes now tinged with admiration. Had they gone so long without seeing her that they'd forgotten her courage was never so great before?

With the officer’s command, Madam Fan, despite her fury, dared not protest further. She glared menacingly at Yun Shuang, then, clutching her still-crying grandson, returned to the Wu family group under the soldiers’ orders.

Yun Shuang regarded them coolly. She had hesitated about taking such a risk, but seeing the old shrew’s behavior, she realized that as long as the Wu family stood, she and Dog Egg would never find peace. The matter could not be avoided.

Lost in thought, Yun Shuang did not notice Dog Egg behind her, looking up in awe. For the first time, he realized how tall his mother was—he had to crane his neck to see her.

And her shoulders, though thin, could protect him after all. He stepped forward unconsciously, gently tugging at her skirt. Yun Shuang looked down instinctively and saw the little boy, his face aggrieved, leaning softly against her side, his lips pressed together and his eyes filled with an unmistakable affection and joy.

Such an expression, she suspected, even the original Yun Shuang had never witnessed. Her heart softened; she reached out and stroked his small head.

Time passed. The Wu family courtyard was a mess, everything of value tossed out. The searching soldiers finally emerged, saluting the two officers in charge. "Deputy Yan, Captain Chen, we’ve searched every room—there’s no sign of Wu Chengqi!"

Deputy Yan and Captain Chen frowned but said nothing more. Yan spoke in a low voice, "Withdraw!"

"Yes, sir!"

Soon, the soldiers mounted their horses and departed in grand formation, just as they had arrived.

The Wu family, accustomed to arrogance, had a poor reputation in the village. Now, seeing them unscathed, the villagers not only withheld comfort but many looked disappointed and quickly dispersed.

Madam Fan, still nursing her grudge against Yun Shuang and her son, gnashed her yellow teeth, determined to settle scores. But after searching for them in vain, she could only mutter darkly. They escaped this time, but being from the same village, she would not let them off so easily again. If she didn’t tear apart that wretch and her brat, she would no longer bear the Fan name!

Meanwhile, Yan Fang and Chen Ye led their soldiers away from the village. They didn’t go far, stopping instead on a nearby hillside.

There, two figures were already waiting. The man in the lead was tall and imposing, like a mountain blocking much of the sunlight behind him. He sat astride a magnificent black stallion, clad in golden armor. His features were handsome and stern, his eagle eyes deep and cold, radiating an authority that demanded attention even as he waited in silence.

Yan Fang and Chen Ye halted their horses, dismounted, and saluted. "We greet the General! Reporting, Wu Chengqi is not at the Wu residence!"

Yan Fang, always intolerant of evil, was frustrated by their failure to capture Wu Chengqi. He gritted his teeth. "That family is up to something! All their talk of not daring to harbor a fugitive is a farce!"

Beside their general—Jiang Xiao—stood Wu Qi, who raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Have you found evidence that the Wu family is involved?"

Yan Fang, a man who preferred fists to reasoning (and wasn’t gifted in the latter), replied, "What evidence do we need? Wu Chengqi is their only son; who would let their child go to his death?"

In other words, there was no evidence.

Wu Qi gave him a look of resignation and gazed skyward.

At that moment, Chen Ye, who had remained silent, spoke in a low voice. "General, Wu Chengqi escaped from the precinct under my command. It was my oversight that allowed him to steal the crucial defensive map. I am willing to take full responsibility."

Jiang Xiao’s gaze dropped, his eyes dark and cold. His voice was deep and stern. "This responsibility may be more than you can bear."

Chen Ye trembled, biting his lip, about to speak again when a shout from the soldiers behind them cut through the air. "Who goes there?"

Startled, everyone looked toward the source of the voice. Not far away stood a slender young woman in a worn pale blue dress, her beauty striking. One hand shielded the two children beside her, as if protecting chicks beneath a mother hen’s wing.

Yan Fang immediately recognized her, his mouth agape. "Ah! It’s you!"

Jiang Xiao withdrew his gaze from Yan Fang and Chen Ye and spoke coolly, "You know them?"

"How could I not? General, you wouldn’t believe how bold she was! When the Wu family tried to attack her and the boy behind her, she didn’t flinch. She even ordered me and Chen Ye to keep the Wu family in check! Such daring—I’ve never seen the like before."

Yan Fang admired courage, and so he held a favorable impression of the woman. Chen Ye, however, frowned, "Why did she follow us here?"

On the other side, Yun Shuang felt helpless. She had entrusted the two children to Sister Hua before coming, but they had secretly followed her. By the time she noticed, the keen-eyed soldiers had spotted her as well. She had no choice but to bring them along and face the situation.

From afar, she saw the two officers she had confronted earlier standing respectfully before a man on horseback. She immediately guessed that this formidable figure was their true commander.

Things had gone more smoothly than she expected; the scar-faced officer remembered her and, judging by his tone, seemed to admire her?

Yun Shuang was accustomed to dealing with men in the police station and quickly discerned Deputy Yan’s character, her expression relaxing somewhat.

Jiang Xiao, while listening to Yan Fang, kept his sharp gaze fixed on Yun Shuang. Seeing her expression ease as Yan spoke, his eyes darkened slightly.

After Yan Fang finished, Jiang Xiao was silent for a moment. Then he said, "Go and ask her why she followed us."

A soldier immediately obeyed, returning soon after with an astonished expression as he saluted. "General, the lady claims she knows Wu Chengqi’s whereabouts!"