She Holds the World After Being Reborn
Chapter 167: Dying Words, He Told Me to Protect You Completely

Chapter 167: Chapter 167: Dying Words, He Told Me to Protect You Completely

Li Chengxiang hid in the room, initially terrified, but eventually just exhausted and fell asleep.

When she awoke, it was already broad daylight outside.

Upon awakening, she found that Li Chengyuan had not returned all night, and her father was anxiously pacing in the courtyard.

Li Chengxiang wanted to ask but did not dare.

She did not want to get beaten again.

It wasn’t until the afternoon that Li Chengyuan returned looking utterly exhausted.

Upon seeing her return, Lord Li quickly approached to inquire.

Li Chengyuan gave a rough account of the previous night’s events and mentioned that the Seventh Prince was going to lead troops into battle. Lord Li’s scalp went numb, and he felt his vision darken.

Seeing Lord Li’s condition, Li Chengyuan hurriedly comforted him, saying all this was the Emperor’s way of training the Seventh Prince. Only then did Lord Li’s complexion somewhat improve.

Perhaps noticing Li Chengxiang eavesdropping by his side, Li Chengyuan’s eyelids flickered, and she suddenly raised her voice.

"Father, do you know who the traitor was yesterday?"

"Who?" Lord Li lacked interest.

Li Chengyuan deliberately glanced at Li Chengxiang and said, "This person, well, everyone in our Li Family knows him."

Li Chengxiang suddenly felt uneasy, her eyelids had been twitching since this morning.

She saw Li Chengyuan’s lips part and then a name was spoken.

Li Chengxiang felt the world spin at that moment.

She blacked out and fell to the ground.

"What happened to Sister?" Li Chengyuan pretended to be concerned and walked over, squatting beside Li Chengxiang: "Sister need not be sad over such a person; he is a traitor, and had we not severed ties with him cleanly before, our Li Family might not have escaped trouble this time."

"You’re right, it’s good that we broke it off cleanly earlier," said Lord Li, as if awakening from a dream. The news that the Seventh Prince was sent to war wasn’t as frightening as the news that the traitor was his former son-in-law.

Lord Li patted his chest and said, "This is all thanks to the protection of our ancestors. No, I must go and burn incense for them."

Saying this, Lord Li took his leave.

The courtyard was then left with just the two sisters.

Watching the tears quickly well up in Li Chengxiang’s eyes, Li Chengyuan spoke insincerely.

"Are you upset, Sister? If people see you sad for such a traitor, they might mistake you as still being in contact with him." Li Chengyuan warned, "You must be careful, Sister. Otherwise, if the Li Family gets involved, Father will blame you."

Upon hearing this, Li Chengxiang quickly wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes with the back of her hand, then supported herself on a nearby pillar and got up from the ground.

She dusted herself off and returned to her room.

Watching the dispirited Li Chengxiang, Li Chengyuan’s lips curled up in satisfaction.

"Sister, could you make some porridge for me? I’ve been tired all night and am still hungry."

Li Chengxiang’s footsteps paused for a moment, then she turned and headed towards the kitchen.

Every courtyard in the villa had its own private kitchen.

To facilitate cooking for the dignitaries.

Li Chengxiang, originally a lady of the house who did not partake in mundane chores, had been tormented by Li Chengyuan recently and had picked up a bit of cooking skill.

She was also very clear in her mind.

Li Chengyuan just wanted to see her suffer more.

That she was hungry and wanted porridge was just an excuse.

In the kitchen.

Li Chengxiang was cutting vegetables, and had been simmering porridge.

Tears constantly welled up from the corners of her eyes, and despite wiping them away repeatedly with the back of her hand, she could not clear them away completely.

She truly couldn’t accept that someone who had been perfectly fine last night had turned into a traitor today, and was now decapitated.

She thought of how Wa Chengnan had told her to hide well and not come out.

Li Chengxiang’s heart felt sour, and her chest felt as though it was blocked by a large stone, making her feel like crying whether she was walking or sitting.

Finally, after the porridge was ready, she placed it on a plate, added some small dishes, and carried it towards Li Chengyuan’s room.

Upon entering the room, Li Chengyuan had just finished bathing and was sitting in front of the bed in a thin robe.

Li Chengxiang placed the plate on the small table.

Upon seeing this, Li Chengyuan said, "Sister is really good to me."

Li Chengxiang scoffed in her heart.

"Since sister is so good, let sister share something more," Li Chengyuan put down the mirror in her hand, slowly stood up, and whispered into Li Chengxiang’s ear, "Do you know how Wa Chengnan died? An arrow feather pierced through his head and nailed him to the ground. His brain matter and blood flowed out from his head. The scene was truly terrifying. If sister had been there, you surely would have—"

"Ugh—!" Li Chengxiang abruptly pushed Li Chengyuan away and dashed out the door.

Li Chengyuan, with a satisfied smirk, continued, "Thrown up."

How interesting.

Teasing these people, she found it immensely amusing.

The table bore a bowl of steaming porridge, which Li Chengyuan didn’t even glance at before she climbed into bed.

Li Chengxiang ran all the way down to a small stream beneath the mountains, where she finally knelt by the water’s edge and vomited out some bile.

When no one was around, she finally couldn’t help but burst into loud sobbing.

Although Wa Chengnan was somewhat clever, he truly lacked the courage to rebel.

Li Chengyuan didn’t believe it at all.

She wanted to ask someone to clarify this.

Immediately, Yan Wanqing’s face flashed through her mind.

Thus, Li Chengxiang got up from the ground, washed her face with the stream water, and started walking towards Yan Wanqing’s courtyard.

All the way there, she was nervously drumming up courage in her mind. Upon arrival, seeing Yan Wanqing instantly made the tears she had been holding back start swirling in her eyes again.

Yan Wanqing understood as soon as she saw her.

She dismissed everyone else.

Only the two of them were left in the room.

"Come here." Yan Wanqing softly called out.

With red eyes, Li Chengxiang walked over and then suddenly knelt before Yan Wanqing, "Commandery Princess... he, he..."

"Before he died, he hoped that you could come and see him one last time after his death," Yan Wanqing spoke slowly, reaching out to touch Li Chengxiang’s head. "The Emperor, to serve as a warning to others, has hung his body on a tree three miles outside the mansion. If you want to go, tell this Commandery Princess, and I will have someone escort you there."

Li Chengxiang sobbed and choked, her hands covering her face, her whole body trembling.

"There’s one more thing. It was his dying wish," Yan Wanqing held her palm up in front of Li Chengxiang. "He asked me to protect you completely."

Li Chengxiang suddenly looked up at Yan Wanqing, and after seeing the deep sorrow in her eyes, she could no longer hold back and burst into unabashed sobbing as she threw herself into Yan Wanqing’s arms.

"It’s too much... Why didn’t he protect me himself, why!" Li Chengxiang questioned, cried, and ultimately, it all dissipated into nothing.

The man was dead, and now, nothing said could change that.