I’ll Butcher Pigs to Support You! 121

Chapter 121: Little Cousin and Cousin’s Extra

On the day she bade farewell to her friends and returned to the capital, she encountered the remnants of the deposed king’s party, who were chasing and trying to kill her. In order to protect her cousin, Chi Xiangyue had suffered a body full of knife and sword wounds. The moment she returned to the capital, she was placed in her room to recuperate, not allowed to take a single step out.

The days of not being able to go out and see people were so boring that her eyes were glazed over.

The wounds on her body also ached faintly. Her cousin sat on the edge of her bed, her whole body exuding a cold air.

She cautiously glanced at her cousin. Her cousin ignored her, still with a tense, pretty face, her expression very ugly.

Chi Xiangyue: …

Help! So scary!

She tried to say in a small voice, “My injuries are actually not that serious. They just look a little scary.”

Because she had a lot of wounds, they looked bloody. Her cousin had almost fainted from fear at that time. At first, she had been crying non-stop, but now she had stopped crying and had put on a cold face instead.

Chi Xiangyue was so scared.

“Who allowed you to block the knife for me!”

The moment she thought of that scene, her vision went black, and countless fears rose from the bottom of her heart.

She didn’t know any martial arts and was afraid of causing trouble for others. She had stood there, not daring to move. Those people seemed to have seen that she didn’t know any martial arts and had always wanted to kill her. The secret guards by her side were outnumbered and couldn’t take care of her, which had given those assassins a chance.

Her cousin had been dealing with the traitors on one hand and had also been looking after her on the other. Seeing someone about to kill her, she had immediately rushed over to block for her, which was why she had been so seriously injured.

Chi Xiangyue hid in the quilt, feeling a little afraid to face her cousin’s anger. She said in a small voice, “Then I was afraid something would happen to you.”

Her cousin’s angry face became even colder. “What are you afraid of? At worst, it’s just death. You’re like this. If something had happened to you, what would you have me do?”

The more she spoke, the lower her voice became, with a hint of despair, which made one sit up abruptly.

“I’m not alright, am I? Don’t overthink it. You’re just scaring yourself.”

Chu Wantang’s eyes were filled with tears as she looked at her sadly, unable not to overthink it. A streak of blood had spurted from her cousin’s front, which was really too scary.

“You… why don’t you get on the bed and lie with me for a while? Don’t think about it.”

Her little cousin shook her head, her face still pale. “You can lie down by yourself for a while. I still have things to do later. I’ll come back and lie with you.”

“Oh.”

Chi Xiangyue buried herself in the quilt, pretending to be asleep. Her cousin was so scary like this.

The gaze from above was like a shadow. After a while, she heard the sound of footsteps leaving.

She looked up, and sure enough, her little cousin was already gone.

Chi Xiangyue silently mourned for the deposed king’s group in her heart. She hoped that when they were caught, they could quickly bite their tongues and commit suicide. Otherwise, they would have a lot of suffering to endure.

She had been recuperating in her room for half a month. At first, it was her dad who wouldn’t let her go out. Later, when she felt that her injuries had healed, her cousin wouldn’t let her go out either, insisting on watching until all the scabs on her body had fallen off before she was at ease.

Chi Xiangyue was so bored herself. Now that she had her little cousin’s orders, she finally dared to walk out swaggeringly.

She didn’t go to find her group of dissolute friends but went straight to the Chu family’s house.

Her cousin had left two quarters of an hour earlier than her, saying she had something to take care of at home. Hmph, hmph. My cousin is kind-hearted and longs for family affection, always repaying evil with good. But she knows the Chu family are not good people and often bully her cousin.

Of course Chi Xiangyue was not at ease letting her cousin go back to the mansion alone.

Although she said she would let her choose as she pleased and was too lazy to mind the Chu family’s affairs, in fact, she still quietly set off and went to the Chu family’s house.

The gatekeepers of the Chu family all recognized her. The moment they saw her, they didn’t even stop her.

Chi Xiangyue swaggered in and ran into Lord Chu, who was about to go out.

When Lord Chu saw Chi Xiangyue, he was originally used to showing a smile. But then he suddenly thought of something, and his face turned fiercely black. He snorted and was about to turn and leave.

Chi Xiangyue quickly chased after him, a little puzzled. “Uncle, you’re getting more and more disrespectful. How can you not even greet your niece when you see her?”

Lord Chu: …

He was too lazy to talk to this disrespectful lesbian.

He ignored her and continued to walk.

In his eyes, his own daughter was elegant and dignified, well-versed in poetry, music, calligraphy, and painting. She could even become the empress if she entered the palace. But what about the result?

She had said she wanted to go and find her cousin. When he had disagreed, she had snuck out. Not long after, she had sent a letter, telling him that she and Chi Xiangyue were in love and were preparing to get married in that small country town.

The old father’s eyes had instantly turned black, and he had wished he could have died that day. Later, no matter how many letters he had written for Chu Wantang to come back, she had refused to listen. He had sent his eldest son over, and he had even been beaten and had come back.

The complexity in Father Chu’s heart at that time was indescribable.

Now, seeing Chi Xiangyue, of course he didn’t have a good face.

He had long since seen that Wantang’s feelings for Chi Xiangyue were unusual and had been trying his best to stop it, but he had still not succeeded.

Parents couldn’t win against their children, so Chi Xiangyue had successfully been the target of his anger.

But she also didn’t care. Seeing that her uncle didn’t want to talk to her, she snorted twice and got straight to the point. “Tangtang said she was coming back to see you today. Where did she go?”

Lord Chu: …

A little angry, he turned his head and glared at her. “Aren’t you married to Wantang? You don’t know where she is?”

“Tangtang said she was going home for a trip. Of course I have to ask you. How would I know?”

After she spoke, she suddenly frowned. “You didn’t secretly bully Tangtang again, did you?”

She really didn’t trust the Chu family.

Every time Lord Chu faced this niece of his, it was easy for him to be at a loss for words. He flicked his sleeves and said with displeasure, “Wantang is the young miss of the Chu mansion. Who would dare to bully her?”

Chi Xiangyue had a look of disbelief. “That’s not for sure. Your illegitimate son and daughter are not easy to get along with.”

As cousins, even if they were illegitimate, she didn’t really mind them. But they had relied on their father’s favor and their mother’s presence to bully her cousin in every way, which had made her little cousin so wronged that she had stayed at her house all day and had refused to go back, saying that the moment she went back, she would be ostracized.

She was so angry just thinking about it, and her heart ached for her cousin. So gradually, she also only liked her little cousin, this one relative.

Her little cousin was small, but her jealousy was also great. If she were to bring other relatives things that were the same as hers, she would be angry.

Lord Chu didn’t admit it, thinking that Chi Xiangyue was talking nonsense. “Wantang has always been the one who has the final say at home. Who can bully her? Don’t you talk nonsense!”

“Hmph, you don’t even know this. No wonder Tangtang says you’re always biased toward others. How can you face my aunt like this?!”

Lord Chu knew that he had wronged his original wife a little, but in terms of raising his daughter, he never thought that he had any bias. Chu Wantang had always had the final say in the mansion. All the servants followed her lead. It was good enough that he didn’t say she had wronged him, her father. She had no filial piety at all. And now she was turning around and saying he had wronged her?

Lord Chu was almost so angry he laughed. “I’m too lazy to argue with you! Hurry up, get out of the way! I have important matters to discuss with your father!”

He wanted to leave, but Chi Xiangyue no longer stopped him. She didn’t know where her cousin was. Could it be that she had been stopped and bullied by that pair of siblings again?

Her heart skipped a beat, and she was immediately nervous.

She quickly turned around and went into the mansion to find her.

In the vast Chu mansion, she had to temporarily grab several maids and servants before she finally found out that Tangtang was in the pavilion by the Jade Lake.

She often came to the Chu family and was very familiar with this place. Her cousin had never liked to admire any lakes, so she immediately went to the Jade Lake.

Just as she reached the other side, she saw a graceful, slender figure standing by the lake from a long way off. Her eyes immediately lit up. “Tangtang.”

Her voice floated to the other side and was already not very loud, but Chu Wantang had always been concerned about her. Hearing the familiar voice, her movements paused for a moment, and a hint of panic appeared on her face. She handed over a jade pendant. “Take it. Be sure to find out who the original buyer of this jade pendant was.”

Chu Youning quickly took the jade pendant, not wanting to be seen by Chi Xiangyue. Who knew that Chi Xiangyue’s eyes were so sharp that she had actually discovered it from a long way off and had even used her qinggong, arriving in front of them in an instant, and then reached out her hand with a serious expression. “Take it out!”

Chu Youning: …

Wait, the young miss has already dealt with me once after she came back. What do you mean by this?

He gritted his teeth. “Take what? Cousin, I’m also your cousin. Don’t you be too biased!”

Chi Xiangyue sneered, held Chu Wantang’s wrist, and pulled her behind her to protect her, saying angrily, “If it weren’t for the fact that you’re always bullying Tangtang, how would it be my turn to be biased? Did you just snatch Tangtang’s thing? Take it out!”

She was particularly angry. She had always been carefully protecting Tangtang, but the moment she had been inattentive, Tangtang had been bullied by her family.

It was simply outrageous!

Chu Youning knew he had been discovered and silently looked at Chu Wantang for help.

When this legitimate sister had left the capital, he had had a little thought of making a little move to take the Chu family’s resources for himself. But it had only been a short half a month since his legitimate sister had returned, and he was already honest.

Being dealt with, now, if there was anything, he would subconsciously look at the other, not daring to act rashly.

Especially… the young miss’s favorite cousin.

It was only today that Chu Wantang had finally let her cousin out. She had thought that she would be eager to go and play with those old friends of hers, but she hadn’t expected that she was here to find her.

A faint sweetness couldn’t help but overflow in her heart.

In her cousin’s heart, she was much more important than that group of friends.

Her little cousin pressed her lips together, only glanced at her illegitimate brother, and then lowered her eyes, saying in a slightly wronged voice, “I’m fine, cousin. It’s just a jade pendant. I’m not very fond of it. Cousin, don’t be angry for my sake.”

“Alright! You even dare to snatch your legitimate sister’s jade pendant! I think you’ve really turned the heavens upside down!”

Chu Wantang gently held her cousin’s fingers and stopped her a little, saying in a small voice, “It’s alright. I’m used to it. If he wants it, he can have it.”

Chu Youning was shocked that his sister, who was as cold as frost and domineering in front of him, was so frail and easy to bully in front of Chi Xiangyue. His jaw was about to drop to the ground. He had seen her be two-faced before, but every time he saw it again, it was still amazing.

Chu Wantang looked up at Chu Youning without a sound. Before Chu Youning could speak, he was kicked down by a kick to the chest.

Chi Xiangyue was extremely angry. “As an older brother, it’s one thing for you not to care for your younger sister, but you even dare to snatch your younger sister’s things! You should take a look at who’s wife and whose madam she is now! You’re really looking for death!”

She was filled with a murderous aura, clearly about to get serious. Chu Youning didn’t dare to tell the truth and backstab Chu Wantang, and he also wanted to save his little life. After thinking for a long time, he actually pushed the blame onto his own father. “It was my father who told me several times that this jade pendant’s quality is excellent and that it’s good for one’s health to wear it. I thought my father wanted it, which was why I came to ask the young miss, to ask her for it!”

It has nothing to do with me! If you want to find someone, then go and find my dad!

Chi Xiangyue’s face was cold. She was about to scold him when she was held back by her little cousin. Her little cousin leaned against her back, her words light and thin, gentle and graceful, as if she were wronged and seeking compromise. “Cousin, don’t be angry. Even if the things that others have touched are returned, I don’t want them. Cousin can buy me a new one, okay?”

She leaned against the woman’s back and gently nuzzled her soft, tender cheek.

Chu Youning clutched his stomach, so much in pain he couldn’t even cry out. He just looked at the other with a terrified expression.

He was about to be scared to death.

Chi Xiangyue refused to let him go and said indignantly, “But he took your jade pendant! On what grounds does he have to snatch your things!”

Chu Youning: Chu Wantang is so scary! How could I dare to snatch her things? It’s just that for the sake of my future and a good life, I’m at her disposal and at her command.

Chu Wantang didn’t want to drag it on any longer and held her cousin’s hand, not letting go. “It’s alright. I didn’t like that jade pendant in the first place. My cousin knows that. I only like the jade pendants you give me.”

She only liked the things her cousin gave her. The things her cousin gave her were the best.

Chi Xiangyue understood her cousin’s meaning, pressed her lips together, and was still unwilling. “But… I feel wronged for you. You may not like it, but others can’t just come and snatch it.”

“There’s nothing to be wronged about. Cousin, when you’re here, they wouldn’t dare to bully me. It’s just something I don’t want. Let him have it.”

The most urgent task was to find out the remnants of the deposed king as soon as possible and to avenge her cousin.

She held her cousin’s hand again, her tone soft. “I still want to go back to my courtyard to take a look. Will my cousin accompany me back?”

Aiya, my little cousin is so sensible. It really breaks my heart.

At this moment, Chi Xiangyue had completely forgotten her little cousin’s assertive posture when she had forced her to be a lesbian, making her unable to escape.

Her heart and mind were only filled with the Tangtang in front of her, who was elegant with a hint of fragility. She couldn’t win against her and could only glare at Chu Youning fiercely before she helped her cousin leave.

Her cousin’s courtyard had been built by order of Madam Chu when she was still around. It was the largest in the entire Chu family besides the main courtyard. Chi Xiangyue often heard that her cousin was not feeling well and would go to see her, so she was also very familiar with this place.

But who knew that the moment the two of them reached the semicircular archway of the courtyard, a string of people would hurry out from inside? The woman in the lead was dressed in a very good and vibrant material, with exquisite makeup and jewelry. One look and you could tell she was a master of the mansion.

Chi Xiangyue’s face turned cold with anger. “Chu Qiyue, what are you doing in Tangtang’s courtyard?”

Chu Qiyue hadn’t expected Chu Wantang to have left and come back again. She was immediately startled and her mouth trembled as she said in a meek and submissive voice, “Elder sister, cousin.”

She no longer had the arrogance she had when she had bullied people before. Chi Xiangyue’s expression finally improved a little, but it was still not much better.

“What are you doing in Tangtang’s room? Are you trying to throw insects on her bed again?”

At the mention of this, Chi Xiangyue’s face was filled with disgust.

Chu Qiyue was bewildered. Ah, when did I ever throw insects on Chu Wantang’s bed?

She was about to defend herself in disbelief when her elder sister, who had been staring at her with a cold warning, spoke again.

“Cousin, those things are all in the past. Let’s not talk about them anymore. I’m already my cousin’s wife. We sleep in the same bed day and night. I don’t think she would be so stupid as to do this kind of thing again.”

Chu Qiyue saw the deep meaning in her elder sister’s gaze, and her heart turned half-cold, because that meaning was all too clear: for her to admit to this thing she had not done.

Although she had ostracized this half-sister of hers a lot after she had learned of the matter, and had often spoken ill of her in front of her father, but insects, they were such scary and terrifying things. She herself didn’t even dare to look at them much. How could she have done this kind of thing?

Chu Qiyue’s heart was like dead ashes as she thought, So it’s not just me who’s speaking ill of my elder sister at home. She’s also like this outside. No wonder my cousin has never liked me!

But now that she knew of their marriage, she no longer dared to hope for her cousin’s affection at all.

Who would have thought that the moment her elder sister returned, she would take control of the family’s finances? Now, the whole courtyard of people had to rely on her elder sister for their meals, and for some reason, her father couldn’t control her either. In order to live a better life, she had no choice but to be forced to take the things she had taken from her courtyard while she was away, coaxing her father and her aunt, and return them with a sheepish expression.

Who would have thought that she would run into the two of them coming back when she was leaving?

And she had even been inexplicably blamed for something.

If she had known, she would have sent them tomorrow. But if she sent them tomorrow, she would be worried and afraid, not knowing if Chu Wantang would be angry.

Taking a deep breath, Chu Qiyue nodded with difficulty. “That’s right. I wouldn’t dare to do this kind of thing again. I was young and ignorant back then. Please forgive me, sister and cousin. I came to my sister’s courtyard today, and… and I wasn’t going to do those bad things.”

“Then what did you come for? And you even brought a group of maids with you!”

The more she looked, the more she felt that her actions of following her today were simply too right. Otherwise, she wouldn’t even have known that Tangtang was being secretly bullied.

“I…” Chu Qiyue secretly glanced at Chu Wantang, and the next moment, her gaze was blocked. She could only rack her brains and think for herself, “I… I came to bring some things to my elder sister. My elder sister was not here before, and her things were all stored at my place, so I specially brought them over to my sister today.”

Chi Xiangyue was usually very straightforward, but today she had caught a loophole in an instant. “Hmph, you say it so nicely. It must have been you who snatched them. Otherwise, how could they have appeared at your place!”

Chu Qiyue looked embarrassed. This was not wronging her.

She glanced at her sister, who had cold phoenix eyes, gritted her teeth, and quickly admitted her mistake, promising that she would never dare to do this kind of thing again in the future.

Chi Xiangyue, in a neat, snowy white long skirt, stood in front of Chu Wantang and warned, “Tangtang is now my wife. I will not let go of anyone who bullies her. Even if you are my cousin, I will treat you all the same!”

Chu Qiyue lowered her head with a blank expression, thinking, Even when Chu Wantang wasn’t your wife, we didn’t see you just stand by and watch when we bullied her. We clearly never got much of an advantage from her. But in the eyes of this cousin, Chu Wantang is a frail and soft white lotus, and everyone is harming her. No wonder my cousin would suddenly make trouble for them occasionally and instigate her father to give them extra lessons. So it was the white lotus who was speaking ill of them outside!

Chu Qiyue’s heart was like dead ashes, but she had no way to deal with this. Chu Wantang was no longer the her she had been without her mother’s protection. In fact, from a long time ago, she could no longer bully her just because she had a mother.

“Mmm, did you hear that, second younger sister?”

Chu Wantang asked a question, and Chu Qiyue quickly agreed. She was really scared, scared of Chu Wantang’s methods. Now she just wanted to stay far away from this couple.

One of them was strong-limbed, and the other was ruthless. So scary, sob, sob, sob.

Chu Wantang had said that her father had already punished them when she had first returned. Only then did Chi Xiangyue let her leave and accompany her little cousin back to the place where she had once lived.

The courtyard was large, and there was also a plum blossom forest behind it, a rare green plum. It was exceptionally beautiful when it was in full bloom.

In the center of the courtyard was a swing, which Chu Wantang had begged her cousin to make for her. When the two of them were free, they liked to sit on the swing and talk.

But her cousin was always restless. She hoped every day that her cousin could accompany her for a little longer, but her cousin would go out to play after sitting with her for less than a quarter of an hour.

Which teahouse or alley in the capital did not have her figure?

She was just so free and unrestrained, which made people like her even more.

Sitting on this swing again, Chu Wantang actually had a rare feeling of being in a different world. It had been too long since she had come back with her cousin.

“Cousin, aren’t you going to sit?”

Chi Xiangyue was still angry about the previous matter. She looked around with her arms crossed, dissatisfied, wanting to find something different from the last time she had come. Now, hearing her cousin’s call, she finally pouted and came over. “Your illegitimate brother and sister are too unreasonable.”

“Mmm, they’ve been spoiled since they were little. But I’m not much better than them. My cousin has also been very indulgent with me.”

After her little cousin finished speaking, she blinked her pretty eyes coquettishly, gently swung the swing, and leaned into her cousin’s embrace.

Chi Xiangyue sighed deeply, still dissatisfied. “I wish I could have spoiled you too. You’re too good now.”

Am I good?

My cousin has probably forgotten. When I forced her with death, she said with great sorrow, How did you become like this?

My assertiveness and ruthlessness, my cousin has never taken it to heart even if she has seen it. On the contrary, a little bit of good, she would often take it out and talk about it for several years. My cousin can only see her good.

Thinking of a peaceful life with her cousin, with no one to disturb them, Chu Wantang lowered her eyes slightly and said slowly, “After this matter is settled, shall we go back to Lin’an County?”

The moment she mentioned going back, Chi Xiangyue’s spirits were lifted. “Alright, alright! It’s better to go back! My dad probably won’t go back. Just the two of us will go back. It will be even more free! In the future, you can do whatever you want, and no one will control you and me anymore.”

Although the capital was the place where they were born and raised, the rules were really too heavy, especially since her dad was deeply trusted by His Majesty. She had heard that His Majesty had even wanted her to be the martial arts master for the five-year-old crown prince a few days ago. It was impossible, simply impossible. Every day, the moment she opened her eyes, she would have to bow to this and that. That was truly a life worse than death.

She wished she could set off and go back tomorrow, lest His Majesty have any more ideas about her.

“Mmm.”

Chu Wantang replied and no longer held back. Her people had all gone with Chu Youning to find out who the original buyer of that jade pendant was. The jade pendant had been found on the disfigured assassin, so this assassin’s origins must not be ordinary.

She had had people check among the generals who had been close to the deposed king in recent years and had died. Sure enough, there was one person, who had been exposed for assassinating the imperial grandson and had been executed by the late emperor, General Shao Jie.

The imperial grandson had been from the new emperor’s side. It was just that he had been lucky at that time. Shao Jie had not succeeded in killing the imperial grandson and had instead lost his own life.

To say that this matter had nothing to do with the Shao family, Chu Wantang would not believe.

She had had people investigate it layer by layer, and sure enough, she had found out the unspeakable relationship between the Shao family and the deposed king. The current head of the Shao family actually had an illegitimate daughter with his true love outside, who had married the deposed king as a side consort. The Shao family had used all their strength to help the deposed king succeed, all because the deposed king had promised them the position of empress.

And Shao Jie, who had been sent to show his face, had once been in love with the empress, which was known to everyone in the capital. And with no sufficient evidence, the matter of assassinating the imperial grandson at that time was just taken as Shao Jie acting out of love turned to hate. He couldn’t move the man who had married his beloved woman, so he went for his child.

In the court, someone had suddenly exposed the fact that Shao Jie was still alive, and even the Shao family could not escape. Chu Wantang’s people had found evidence of the Shao family’s contact with the deposed king and had wiped out this group of the deposed king’s party in one go. They had also bribed the prison and had ordered people to cruelly humiliate those who had participated in this matter, thus avenging her cousin, and the gloom in her heart had finally dissipated a little.

Whoever dares to harm my cousin, I will not let him go.

On the second day after this matter was settled and everything had started anew, Chi Xiangyue had already packed her bags and had set off on the road back to her hometown with her cousin. Besides her dad and her uncle, who were a little reluctant and wanted to persuade them to stay, the rest of the Chu family were all filled with anticipation and surprise.

Chu Wantang snorted lightly. The person who would manage the Chu family’s back-of-the-house finances would arrive tomorrow.

I’ll Butcher Pigs to Support You! – End