Chapter 43 – The Snake Searches for Its Child

On the streets of the capital.

A large patterned snake, thicker than a strong man’s arm, was poking its head and tail around.

Its head was round and slender, and its body was covered in multicolored, translucent scales that shimmered like crystals.

It radiated a chilling aura and kept flicking its tongue as it hissed, “Sss, sss, sss!”

Its snake eyes glowed with a cold light, and it kept turning its head, scanning its surroundings.

Although it had already slithered a good distance into the city, it had not harmed a single citizen.

Marquis Chengming initially wanted to draw his sword and sever the snake’s head, but the moment he unsheathed it, he sensed something was off.

The city gates were always heavily guarded—how could a snake of this size make it into the city without a single person pursuing it?

And from the snake’s build, it was clearly a wild creature.

With the bustling crowds of the capital, even wild dogs and wolves wouldn’t dare venture in recklessly. So how had this snake entered alone?

Even though humans couldn’t communicate with beasts, the marquis could read anxiety and worry in the golden glint of the snake’s eyes.

It seemed to be searching for something?

Madam Xie caught sight of the snake’s shadow and was so terrified she nearly lost half her soul.

She forgot the words she’d been shouting and rushed to hide behind Marquis Chengming.

Madam Xin was even worse—she fainted on the spot.

Madam Yun screamed as she rushed to grab the old madam’s arm.

Seeing the giant snake slither toward them, the old madam’s eyes widened. She reached toward the nearby vendor’s goods, intending to hurl something at the snake. But just as her fingers dipped down, she suddenly felt an icy chill.

The cold pierced through to her bones.

As she tried to pull her hand back, something tightened around her elbow.

She looked down—and saw a small, yellow-green snake slithering up her arm.

The little snake’s soft, smooth texture made her skin crawl.

Especially the way it flicked its tongue at her—it made her scalp tingle.

Even though the snake was barely as thick as her finger and could be easily crushed, it was still a snake!

What if it was venomous?

The old madam’s shoulders trembled. Instinctively, she raised her hand to grab the little snake.

Maybe she squeezed too hard—just as she grasped its neck, the small snake began thrashing its tail, trying to escape.

Hearing the commotion behind him, Marquis Chengming turned his head—just in time to get struck across the face by a powerful whip of the big snake’s tail.

He crashed into a nearby vendor’s stall, helplessly watching the large patterned snake slither menacingly toward his mother.

The two snakes—one big, one small—were both glaring at her. The old madam was so frightened, her soul nearly left her body.

Her grip tightened involuntarily.

The little snake began to suffocate. The big snake’s tongue flicked even more rapidly, the warning in its eyes growing stronger.

Only then did Marquis Chengming realize why the snake had come to the city—it was searching for its child.

“Mother, let go!”

He shouted urgently.

But instead of obeying, the old madam snapped at him, accusing her son of incompetence. “Aren’t you a marquis? Is that sword at your waist just for show? Can’t you see the snake wants to eat me? Kill it already!”

“It hasn’t hurt anyone—there’s no need to kill it!”

The marquis touched the sword at his waist. It had accompanied him for years.

He had once said this sword had a spirit. If it were used to kill the innocent, it would lose its ability to protect the marquisate.

He wielded the sword to protect the nation and his family.

Even though a wild snake had entered the capital, it had not harmed anyone—he could not kill it.

Seeing her son refuse to draw his sword, the old madam grew furious and scolded him for not knowing priorities.

But she still refused to let go, terrified that releasing the snake would lead it to bite her.

As the little snake’s eyes rolled back, its body going limp, the large snake became frantic and lunged closer.

The unconscious Madam Xin was dragged aside by servants of the Wei household. Madam Yun tried to flee too but was grabbed by the old madam.

“Get this damn snake off me!”

Madam Yun took one look at the small snake and broke out in goosebumps.

“M-Mother, I can’t do it!”

Despite her robust figure, she had the courage of a mouse.

Seeing no one could help, the old madam was enraged. In her panic, she yanked the little snake off her arm.

Her grip was too strong—the little snake opened its mouth, thrashed, and lashed its tail across the old madam’s face.

She squeezed hard—and the little snake suddenly rolled its eyes, its brightness fading.

Dead?

Seeing the little snake’s limp body and lowered head, Marquis Chengming felt a jolt in his heart.

It was over.

The old madam exhaled in relief and flung the snake to the ground. Just as she raised her foot to stomp it—

A shadow loomed in front of her.

Before she could look up to meet the snake’s eyes, a wave of bone-chilling cold engulfed her as if she had fallen into an ice cellar.

The marquis quickly scrambled to his feet to see what the big snake would do next.

The large patterned snake had stopped moving. It gently scooped the lifeless little snake up with its tail and let out a sorrowful cry to the heavens.

Though it couldn’t make a sound of grief, Marquis Chengming could see the pain in its expression.

It truly was her child.

She had come to the city to find her child.

The big snake nudged the little snake with its head, trying to wake it.

But the small snake didn’t move—it really seemed dead.

The big snake was consumed with grief. She gently placed the little snake on the stone lion outside the Wei residence gate. Then she turned to look at the old madam again, and Marquis Chengming could clearly sense her murderous intent.

The old madam had already fled into the crowd and was about to vanish from sight—when the big snake suddenly lunged forward, leapt, and landed directly on her.

Its thick, powerful tail wrapped around the old madam’s neck and slowly tightened.

She opened her mouth in agony but couldn’t make a sound.

Madam Yun screamed at the top of her lungs.

“Aaaahhh! The snake is killing someone!”

Just as the old madam was about to meet the same fate as the little snake, the doors of the Wei residence suddenly opened from within.

Madam Wei stepped out holding Yao Yao. The moment they reached the steps, Yao Yao spotted the limp little snake on the stone lion.

“Auntie Wei, Yao Yao wants that.”

She reached out her chubby hand and pointed toward the snake.

Madam Wei saw the snake and nearly collapsed from fright.

If the little snake hadn’t looked already dead, she might have fainted.

Hearing Yao Yao say she wanted to touch the snake, Madam Wei immediately refused, “Yao Yao, be good—that’s not a toy.”

“Yao Yao knows.”

The little girl puffed her cheeks, her eyes clear and innocent.

It was just a small, pretty snake. Her second brother had raised a bunch at home, and she had even named them!

The yellow one was called Little Yellow, the green one Little Green, the blue one Little Blue.

But this little white snake had two colors!

Yao Yao’s eyes sparkled as she eagerly reached to cradle the snake in her hands.

Snow had fallen on the stone lion—the little snake must be cold lying there.

Seeing that Yao Yao was determined, Madam Wei suppressed her fear and took two steps toward the lion statue.

Before they even got close, Yao Yao leaned over and stretched out her little arm to hook the snake.

Madam Wei quickly wrapped her arm around Yao Yao’s chubby waist to keep her from falling.

When Yao Yao hooked the little snake with her finger, her warm fingertip tapped the snake’s head twice.

Miraculously, the previously motionless little snake suddenly blinked.

Seeing the snake stir, Madam Wei was about to retreat in fear when the snake straightened up and swiftly slithered up Yao Yao’s outstretched arm.

Yao Yao met the snake’s blinking eyes—and blinked back.

A girl and a snake, four eyes locked together.

Madam Wei’s heart was in her throat.

Terrified. Frozen.

Then, Yao Yao suddenly pulled out half a pastry from her pocket and, smiling sweetly, held it to the little snake’s mouth.