The Terribly Failed Mission

Xiao Yue's cheeks grew hot. How dare this brat call her that?

"You are the one to talk! What about your brother killing everyone from my tribe? Compared to him, I am a saint!"

Xiao Yue put both hands against her mouth and shook her head repeatedly. She could not believe that she blew her cover after the slightest provocation. Long Zhao Feng said nothing, only sizing her up and down.

A little knock came up at the door, followed by a servant's voice. Both of them stared at the door instead of each other.

"Master, breakfast is ready. Would you like to have it inside your bed-chamber?"

Long Zhao Feng moved his gaze from the door to Xiao Yue's horrified face.

"...Master?"

Xiao Yue shook her head many times. She did not care what happened to her, but if people knew that she was there, her whole manor would suffer from the consequences!

Long Zhao Feng grinned. He threw the blanket on Xiao Yue's head and answered the servant, "Yes, please."

!!!

"Very well, Master."

Xiao Yue wanted to smack Long Zhao Feng, but the door creaked open, followed by the servant pushing a little cart laden with piping hot breakfast. Xiao Yue wrapped herself in the blanket and stuck to the corner, hoping that the servant would not see her.

"For two people, please."

!!!

Xiao Yue swore under her breath. Only then did the servant notice that there was someone else on the bed. Xiao Yue sat there red-faced, the blanket covering her up like a cocoon.

"This... excuse this servant's insolence. Greetings to Third Madam."

Great! Wonderful! Just wonderful!

Xiao Yue scowled at Long Zhao Feng, who did not seem to care about what Xiao Yue thought about it. The servant started to place the dishes on the table. His movement was swift but one could see how uncomfortable he was with the whole situation. After he was done, he quickly bowed and left.

Long Zhao Feng the rascal had the audacity to ask Xiao Yue, "What's wrong, are you not hungry?"

Xiao Yue almost lost it. She climbed out of the bed and angrily said, "What do you mean what's wrong? You are free to kill me but must you implicate the innocent lives in my whole manor? You brat, you will pay for this in the afterlife..."

"What are you rambling about? You should be thankful on your knees for my help just now."

"..."

'This brat is out of his mind.'

"How was that supposed to help? You made it seem that I slept with my brother-in-law, you, you... PERVERT!"

Long Zhao Feng rolled with his eyes.

"I can't believe it," he said, while fishing a piece of shrimp and stuffing it into his mouth. Xiao Yue drew her legs to her chest and continued staring at Long Zhao Feng. She was not sure what happened, and what was going to happen. One thing was sure, she would not be able to pose as the Third Madam again. Her cover was blown by none other than the second young master of the house!

"So," Long Zhao Feng said, "What's your name? Who are you?"

Xiao Yue bit her lip. There was no use pretending any longer, might as well confess. Life or death was up to this man.

"My name is Xiao Yue. I was one of the people who died when your brother razed my tribe to the ground!"

"Which tribe?"

"..."

"Ah. Now I remember. Did you not go berserk when that person was executed? I believe he was some kind of a Tribe Chief."

Xiao Yue balled her fingers into fists.

"Yes. Correct. He is. You murderers, all of you!"

"Then you are wrong about one thing. I was the one who invaded your tribe and dragged him to trial, not my brother."

Xiao Yue's eyes widened in surprise. Did she get some facts wrong again? No, she was pretty sure she did not mishear.

"The one who... attacked us was General Long Zhao Xue," she said.

Long Zhao Feng humphed.

"There is my elder brother whose name is Long Zhao Xue, and there is the title 'General Long Zhao Xue' that is passed within the family."

"... So why are you...? Your brother shares the same name with the title he is holding, so what are you doing posing as him?"

Long Zhao Feng snorted.

"Wow," he said. "Why do I end up having to explain everything to you? What happened to my brother, should you all not know best? You have tried to murder him on several occasions. Congratulations, you finally succeeded. A pack of murderers, all of you."

Xiao Yue jumped from the bed and gave Long Zhao Feng a crisp slap on the cheek.

"I will not let you badmouth my deceased tribesmen!" she screamed. "We have always been on the defensive side. What business do we have with your brother's death!"

"Really."

Long Zhao Feng stood up and inched closer to Xiao Yue, his eyes shot daggers at the young woman. Xiao Yue retreated slowly.

"D-don't come closer!"

He ignored her, obviously.

"Then will you please explain, why are you here, so fixated on him?"

"Because he, no, because you killed my whole tribe! Of course I am here to take revenge!"

Long Zhao Xue clicked with his tongue, as he leisurely moved forward. His gaze was sharp as if threatening to rip Xiao Yue into pieces.

"Incorrect. How does a mere tribesperson like you get to know such detail as the name of the attacking general?"

"T-that's because..."

Xiao Yue did not know what to answer. The name was engraved in her mind because the adults around her kept mentioning the name. The name "General Long Zhao Xue" was akin to the enemy, although the general was not the one who made the calls for wars and invasions. If she wanted to hold a grudge, it should be solely to the Hong King and not a general. So why was it that the name stuck to her and her people so deeply?

Long Zhao Xue cornered her so that her back bumped against a house pillar.

"Cannot answer, huh? Why don't I tell you what happened, hm? Your people killed my brother first, so when the King issued the decree to annihilate your tribe, I was more than happy to go."

Long Zhao Xue was... dead?

"It cannot be."

Xiao Yue's voice was barely a whisper, but Long Zhao Feng still heard her. He cocked his head and sneered.

"I came back from war to get married to Chun Ya, and guess what happened on the wedding night. Chun Ya hung from the ceiling, murdered in cold blood."