Swallowing Poison

"Poison? Are you mad!"

Luo Yu checked his mother's breathing - it was extremely weak. His face twisted in rage:

"My father said you were his beloved. No matter how you beat me or scold me, I mustn't argue and must show filial piety. Hurting me is fine, but you shouldn't target my mother!

Do you believe I'd dare to kill you here!"

Anger filled the tent. If anything happened to his mother, Luo Yu would risk his life to avenge her.

"Don't worry, there's an antidote."

Lady Chang sat down calmly:

"Let me explain things to you today.

First: Your father and I have been in love for many years. Now he suddenly tells me he has a lover outside and even a son. Any woman in the world would hate and resent this, and I'm no exception.

So you can't enter the Wu residence, and you definitely can't have a proper status!

Second: Wu Chengliang is the Eastern Defense General, commanding fifty thousand armored troops that strike fear into the eastern border. That's a huge estate. And I have two sons who should inherit this estate.

Now you suddenly appear. How do we calculate this?"

"I never wanted to fight over the estate! I just want to cure my mother's illness, get a proper status, and live a peaceful life in the general's residence!"

Luo Yu held out his hand:

"Give me the antidote. I promise I won't touch a single brick or tile of the general's residence! If you don't believe me, I can swear to the heavens."

"Ha ha, words mean nothing."

Lady Chang slowly pulled out a black pill:

"This is also poison. You'll die within half a day after taking it. Dead men can't fight over estates. If you dare to take it, I'll give your mother the antidote.

If you don't dare, ha ha, that just shows your talk of filial piety is just a pretense for fighting over the Wu family's estate."

Luo Yu clenched his fists so hard his nails dug into his palms. He glanced at his unconscious mother on the bed, feeling uncontrollable anger and despair rising within him.

He knew Lady Chang wouldn't let them go easily, but for his mother, he had no choice.

With a determined heart, he snatched the black pill and swallowed it without hesitation:

"Antidote!"

Lady Chang was taken aback by Luo Yu's decisiveness. She said somewhat shamelessly:

"I never said I'd let your mother enter the general's residence if you took the poison. Aren't you afraid of dying for nothing?"

"Antidote!"

His fierce shout echoed through the room. At this moment, Luo Yu didn't care about entering the general's residence - saving his mother was the priority.

"Cough! Cough! Cough!"

As he spoke, Luo Yunshu suddenly began coughing, sitting up in confusion:

"What happened?"

Her expression showed no signs of poisoning, appearing completely normal.

Luo Yu was stunned - how could she wake up without the antidote?

"Good boy, you have courage."

Lady Chang looked at Luo Yu intently:

"Your father did wrong, and you and your mother shouldn't be punished. Though I hate him, I wouldn't kill you.

I just gave your mother the lightest sedative, and you took a sleeping pill.

I just wanted to see if you truly had filial piety or were using it as a pretense to fight over the Wu family's estate.

Your father was ruthless and decisive when young. I didn't expect his illegitimate son would inherit that character.

You're lucky. If you hadn't taken it today, you would have died here."

…

The family sat down to eat together. With Lady Chang's permission, Luo Yu and Luo Yunshu joined the table, along with Wu Chengliang and Lady Chang's eldest son, Wu Rupai, also a fierce warrior who had joined his father's army since childhood.

Wife, eldest son, lover, and bastard son.

The scene was quite bizarre.

Wu Chengliang didn't dare speak up because Lady Chang had made it clear - she absolutely wouldn't allow the mother and son to enter the residence. After fighting on the battlefield for so many years, he never imagined his toughest battle would be at the dining table.

The great Eastern Defense General could only keep serving food to the two women, one chopstick after another, pitifully.

Wu Rupai was quick-witted and broke the deadlock:

"Father, you left the capital without permission. If you stay away too long, rumors will spread. Those old foxes in court are all watching you.

Besides, the Qiang army is pressing at the border, with cavalry rampaging. There's danger at any moment. A few days ago, several scout teams were ambushed by Qiang soldiers, with the entire teams killed. The entire Longxi region is on edge.

We only brought fifty personal guards. With so few men, we wouldn't even be enough to fill the Qiang soldiers' teeth.

We should return to the capital as soon as possible."

Wu Chengliang was the Eastern Defense General, but he shouldn't be here in the western border of the Qian Empire.

"But…"

Wu Chengliang awkwardly looked at the mother and son, clearly wanting to take them back to the capital.

"Stop dreaming."

Since the matter was out in the open, Lady Chang no longer pretended:

"If you want to treat your illness, you can find a larger city in Longxi to recuperate. If you need money, the Wu family can provide it.

But if you want a proper status or to enter the family, absolutely not!"

"No way! Mother must go to the capital! Must have a proper status!"

Luo Yu looked straight at Lady Chang, his tone firm:

"Mother has suffered so much. She deserves a proper status! For treatment and recuperation, I'll only be at ease if she's by Father's side. I don't trust anyone else."

"Boy, this isn't your decision to make!"

"Ah!"

Wu Chengliang and Wu Rupai both sighed inwardly - how did they end up in such a deadlock?

"Qiang soldiers are attacking! Prepare to fight!"

"Protect the general!"

Suddenly came cries from outside the tent, followed by the sound of fighting that grew more intense.

Bad luck - they really ran into Qiang soldiers!

Wu Chengliang and his son stood up simultaneously, drawing their swords and rushing out of the tent. Before leaving, they told Luo Yu:

"You're a man, protect the two ladies!"

The atmosphere instantly became tense. Outside, shouts and screams echoed through the night sky, with no one knowing how many Qiang soldiers had come, only sensing the intense battle.

"Madam Chang, please step back."

"I'm the general's wife! What haven't I seen! You step back instead, you young punk."

Luo Yu pursed his lips at the rebuff and said no more, picking up a stool and holding it defensively at the door.

With only him as a man, who else would step forward to protect them?

A Qiang soldier really did stumble in, targeting Luo Yunshu with his sword drawn!

"Mother, watch out!"

Luo Yu charged forward with the stool, kicking aside the sword and smashing the stool into the Qiang soldier's head with a bang, knocking him unconscious.

"Rip!"

Just as he finished dealing with one, the tent curtain on the other side was torn open, revealing another Qiang soldier in nomadic clothing with a long sword, lunging straight for Lady Chang.

Lady Chang's face paled, retreating hurriedly, her steps disordered. The sword tip was about to reach her.

At the critical moment.

"Get back!"

Luo Yu had no time to attack, only leaping forward to block Lady Chang, pushing her aside at the same time.

"Shh~"

The sword was incredibly sharp, piercing straight into his left shoulder, blood spraying.

Luo Yu endured the intense pain spreading through his body, his peripheral vision flashing as he saw the sword blade. He then slapped the Qiang soldier's chest with all his might, sending him flying out of the tent.

The tent tore open, revealing a chaotic scene outside with figures clashing.

Everyone saw Luo Yu being stabbed.

"Yu'er!"

"Xiao Yu!"

As Wu Chengliang cried out in alarm and Luo Yunshu watched in horror, Luo Yu crashed to the ground with a thud.