Chapter 8

Goudan’s expression changed instantly. His body instinctively tensed into a defensive stance—but before he could react, a slender figure stepped in front of him. He froze, confused, only to see the woman before him bend slightly and shove the Wu family’s little grandson straight to the ground. The force was clearly no joke—the boy sat stunned for a beat, then burst into loud sobs.

“Ow! My butt hurts! Waaah! Grandma, that bad woman hurt me!”

Madam Fan rushed forward, distressed, helping her precious grandson to his feet. She glared viciously at Yun Shuang. “You shameless—”

“Officers.” Yun Shuang ignored her completely and locked eyes with the two commanding soldiers nearby. Her voice was cold and steady. “You suspect the Wu family is hiding a deserter, correct? Is this how you conduct an investigation? Allowing their people to cause trouble and attack innocent civilians right in front of you?”

The moment she spoke, everyone around them fell into stunned silence.

This woman was insane!

Those two officers were clearly high-ranking—not the sort of men you could speak to casually. Yet, not only did she address them directly, but she also questioned them in that manner. Even the officers looked surprised by her boldness. Their brows furrowed as they cast a scrutinizing glance at her.

After a pause, the scarred officer barked, “Men, restrain the Wu family!”

Then he glanced at Yun Shuang once more—this time with something closer to curiosity—before turning away and resuming his watch over the soldiers continuing the search.

The crowd was dumbfounded. She’d just walked away unscathed. Had they underestimated Yun Shuang all these years? They could’ve sworn she wasn’t this fearless before.

Madam Fan could only grit her teeth and shoot Yun Shuang a venomous glare, hugging her crying grandson tightly as she shuffled back among the Wu family.

Yun Shuang watched them coldly. She’d been hesitating earlier, unsure if she should take such a risk. But judging by that vile old woman’s attitude, the Wu family posed a threat as long as they remained intact. She and Goudan would never know peace until the Wu household fell. This was something she could no longer avoid.

Deep in thought, Yun Shuang didn’t notice the small figure behind her gazing up in awe. For the first time, Goudan realized just how tall his mother was—he had to crane his neck to see her face. Her shoulders might look fragile, but they were strong enough to protect him.

Unconsciously, Goudan stepped forward and gently tugged at his mother’s skirt. Yun Shuang instinctively looked down and saw the little boy leaning softly against her side, his lips pressed together, eyes filled with an unmistakable mix of attachment and joy. Even the original Yun Shuang had likely never seen him wear that expression.

Yun Shuang’s heart softened. She reached out and gently stroked his head.

No one knew how long had passed, but the Wu family courtyard was now a complete mess. Anything that could be thrown out had already been tossed. The soldiers who had been searching finally emerged and saluted the two commanding officers.

“Deputy Commander Yan, Captain Chen—sir, we searched every corner of the house and still found no sign of Wu Chengqi!”

The two officers frowned but said nothing more. Deputy Commander Yan gave a terse order: “Withdraw.”

“Yes, sir!”

In no time, the soldiers mounted their horses and departed as grandly as they’d arrived.

The Wu family had long been arrogant and domineering, with a bad reputation in the village. Now that nothing came of the search, none of the villagers bothered to comfort them. Many even looked disappointed, and the crowd quickly dispersed.

Madam Fan still bore a grudge against Yun Shuang and her son, baring her yellowing teeth as she looked for them to settle the score—but after searching high and low, she couldn’t find them anywhere. In the end, she could only huff bitterly. They got lucky this time, but they all lived in the same village—she wasn’t going to let them off so easily next time.

Meanwhile, Yan Fang and Chen Ye didn’t go far after leaving the village.
They stopped at a nearby hillside.

There, two silhouettes already stood waiting. The man at the front was tall and imposing, like a mountain that blocked much of the sunlight behind him. He sat astride a pitch-black warhorse, clad in golden armor. His features were striking, and his eagle-like eyes were deep and cold. Even without speaking, his presence radiated an undeniable authority.

Upon seeing him, Yan Fang and Chen Ye immediately dismounted and saluted. “Reporting to the General—Wu Chengqi is not at the Wu residence!”

Yan Fang, known for his hatred of corruption, was visibly frustrated that they hadn’t caught Wu Chengqi. Gritting his teeth, he muttered, “That family is definitely hiding something! All those denials—they’re just playing us!”

Wu Qi, who was standing beside the general, Jiang Xiao, raised a skeptical eyebrow. “So you’ve found proof that the Wu family’s hiding him?”

Yan Fang, who always preferred fists to brains—and lacked much of the latter—snorted, “What proof? Wu Chengqi is the old couple’s only son. Who would willingly let their son march off to die?”

In other words, no proof.

Wu Qi gave a look that screamed “I knew it,” and quietly stared up at the sky.

At that moment, Chen Ye—who had remained silent until now—spoke in a deep voice: “General, Wu Chengqi escaped from the garrison under my command. It was due to my oversight that he managed to steal an important defense map. I’m willing to take full responsibility.”

Jiang Xiao lowered his gaze, his dark eyes sharp and cold like a blade. His voice was as icy and cutting as steel. “This is a responsibility you may not be able to bear.”

Chen Ye trembled slightly, clenched his teeth quietly, and was just about to reply when suddenly, shouts erupted from the soldiers behind them: “Identify yourselves!”

Everyone turned toward the source of the voice.

Not far away stood a slim, gorgeous woman in a worn, pale blue cotton dress. One of her arms was protectively spread, shielding the two small children behind her like a hawk guarding its chicks.

Yan Fang’s eyes went wide as he immediately recognized her. “Ah—it’s you!”

Jiang Xiao shifted his gaze back from the officers to the newcomers. Calmly, he asked, “You know them?”

“How could I not? General, that woman’s got guts! Just now, when the Wu family tried to stir trouble for her and that boy, she didn’t back down at all. She even told me and Chen Ye to take control of the situation. Honestly, I’ve never met a woman that bold.”

Yan Fang had always admired those with courage, so his impression of her was quite favorable.

Chen Ye, on the other hand, frowned. “Why did she follow us here?”

On the other side, Yun Shuang wore a helpless expression. She had originally entrusted the two little ones to Sister Hua before trailing the soldiers herself—but somehow, the children had snuck after her. And by the time she realized it, the sharp-eyed troops had spotted her too. Left with no choice, she brought them along and forced herself forward.

From a distance, she saw the two commanding officers conversing respectfully with a man on horseback. The imposing air around him made it immediately clear—he was their true superior. Things were going more smoothly than expected. To her surprise, the scar-faced officer from earlier not only remembered her but also spoke of her with admiration.

Having often worked among men at the police bureau, Yun Shuang could immediately read Yan Fang’s type. Her tense expression relaxed ever so slightly.

While Yan Fang spoke, Jiang Xiao’s keen gaze remained locked on Yun Shuang. Noticing the shift in her demeanor as Yan Fang praised her, his eyes darkened subtly.

After Yan Fang finished, Jiang Xiao fell silent for a moment, then said, “Ask her why she followed us.”

One of the soldiers stepped forward to do so. Upon returning, his face was barely able to hide his surprise. Bowing respectfully, he announced, “General, that lady says she knows where Wu Chengqi is!”