Chapter 151: with translation of chapter title

The assassin still wanted to act, but at the crucial moment Shitou rushed over and knocked him down with a single punch.

The force was so great it caved in part of the assassin's skull; he didn't even grunt before collapsing dead on the spot.

Shitou looked at the man who was like a teacher and father to him lying in a pool of blood, his eyes red, breathing heavily.

"Master, master, hold on, Shitou will get you a doctor right away!" He fumbled, wanting to embrace Chen Jia but afraid to hurt his wound, sweating all over in his panic.

Shen Shuangning had already rushed to Chen Jia's side, tears falling like broken beads, pattering down.

"Why, Mr. Chen......"

Chen Jia was destined to become Minister of Revenue, a pillar of the state; he had not yet had a chance to display his ambitions, nor to avert the impending disaster and save the common people—how could he die here?

How could he die here because of her?

Blood trickled from Chen Jia's mouth as he strained, "Fourth Miss, there's no need to weep for me; it is I who brought harm to the field manor......"

His voice broke off and on, each word seeming to drain all his strength: "It is I… it is I who first met Chen Yuan outside the city, found him pitiful, and brought him back to the manor to recommend him to Manor Lord Liu… if not for my misguided kindness, none of this would have happened. These lives should be charged to my account……"

Shen Shuangning saw the guilt and pain in his eyes, her tears flowing harder, yet she shook her head firmly: "It's not your fault! Xie Yan is too cunning! He disguised himself too well! You are a good person, you did nothing wrong!"

Chen Jia weakly shook his head, his gaze gradually scattering, yet he fixed his eyes on Shen Shuangning as if delivering his final words.

"Fourth Miss, I have let you down, I have let the heir down; you must survive. Shitou is my disciple, he is fine—take him with you......"

Before his words finished, Chen Jia's hand dropped limp and his eyes closed forever.

"Master!!" Shitou knelt on the ground and let out a heart-rending wail.

Shen Shuangning looked at Chen Jia's lifeless face, heard the pursuing killers drawing nearer in the distance, and her grief was instantly replaced by a towering hatred.

"Xie Yan." She uttered the name syllable by syllable, her voice low but laced with bone‑chilling cold.

"I, Shen Shuangning, swear before heaven that I will repay today's enmity a hundredfold! Between us, henceforth we cannot coexist!"

Elsewhere, the imperial troops were approaching the border of Jiangting County.

Pei Zhi, dressed in white, rode on horseback gazing absentmindedly at the distant cooking smoke when a sharp pain suddenly struck his chest.

He instinctively raised a hand to cover his chest, fingertips pressing against his collar, a faint pallor appearing on his face.

Yan Zheng, who had just returned from gathering news, saw his discomfort and asked solicitously, "Junior Tutor, what's wrong? Did you catch a chill from the fatigue of the journey? Or should we rest at an inn while I send men to trace the rebels?"

Pei Zhi shook his head: "It's nothing."

Though he said so, a sudden unease welled up in his heart, as if something had slipped beyond his control......

Yan Zheng relayed the information he had just gathered to Pei Zhi.

"The Liu family is holding a wedding banquet at the field manor, and oddly, the groom's name is also Chen Yuan—reportedly a stranger who had drifted into Jiangting County only half a month ago, whom Manor Lord Liu took a liking to and took as his son‑in‑law."

Not long ago they had captured a man named Chen Yuan, confirmed to be a follower of the Heavenly Saint Sect, and locked him up.

Upon hearing this, Pei Zhi gripped the reins, regained his usual composure, and said, "Speed up, go straight to the Liu residence!"

The clear sky instantly clouded over.

When they arrived at the field manor, they found not a lively wedding feast but the ground littered with corpses!

From the manor gate all the way in, there wasn't a single living soul!

The red silk in the wedding hall was hacked to shreds, the air thick with the stench of blood.

It was obvious that this place had just endured an extremely brutal massacre.

Yan Zheng stared in shock: "What… what on earth happened here?"

Pei Zhi's face also changed; he picked up an arrow from the ground, its shaft etched with strange markings. He recognized them as used by the sect.

A murderous glare flashed in Pei Zhi's eyes; he snapped the arrow in two and tossed it to the ground.

His hand trembled slightly, but his voice was icily cold: "Immediately fan out and search—see if anyone is still alive!"

The troops obeyed, scattering at once, pushing aside the bodies strewn haphazardly and checking every possible hiding place.

Pei Zhi stood where he was, his gaze sweeping over the carnage, his hand clenched at his cuff. The worst case, indeed, had come to pass......

Not long after, a soldier shouted, "The bride is still alive!"

She had merely been knocked unconscious by Xie Yan and dumped here, with no vital injury.

At that moment she awoke to see a group of unfamiliar soldiers, and not far away the bodies of her parents on the ground; she finally realized this was no dream, and all her fear, despair, and grief flooded over her like a tide.

She threw herself beside her parents, tears streaming, unable to control her sobs.

Everyone was moved.

Even Yan Zheng involuntarily lowered his voice, crouching to ask, "Miss, please compose yourself. What exactly happened here? Do you know who did this?"

Liu Yu's body stiffened, her sobbing stopped abruptly, and she instinctively uttered that name: "It was Chen Yuan......"

Then she suddenly recalled something and paused.

"No, he isn't Chen Yuan!" A name flashed in Liu Yu's mind; her emotions surged and she lifted her head to look at Yan Zheng.

She cried out in a voice like blood‑tears: "Xie Yan! That's his name!"

Shitou carried the lifeless Chen Jia on his back, head down, running forward.

He was naturally tall and strong, with astonishing strength; even carrying a grown man, his steps remained as swift as wind, leading the pack like a leopard.

The enemy pursued relentlessly from behind, occasionally firing cold arrows.

Among those fleeing together were women and children, who simply could not run fast.

Huang Fei's vicious laugh cut through the wind: "Run! Let's see how far you can get! Women and children are just baggage—might as well hack them down one by one to save trouble!"

Madame Liu was half‑supported, half‑dragged by Shen Lang, already panting, her steps faltering, hair disheveled—no trace of the usual composure of a duke's wife.

Several surviving manor women, clutching children, ran with faces flushed red, nearly collapsing to the ground.

Shen Xiuci, too, slowed involuntarily due to his wound.

Meanwhile the enemies behind seemed unhurried, like a cat toying with a mouse, alternating speed.

But a cat's patience eventually runs out, and Huang Fei shouted, "All of you, charge—cut them down to the last man!!"

Seeing the situation turn bad, Qingyun shouted, "Fourth Miss, you run first; we'll stay behind to cover the retreat!"

""No way!!"" Shen Shuangning refused loudly without even thinking.

The enemy is numerous and powerful; if Qing Yun and them stay, death is certain, and they cannot delay for long.

Shen Shuangning clearly knew that if they continued to be chased like this, everyone would be worn down, and ultimately none would survive.

The family she cared for—her parents, elder brother—were all here. She could not bear to watch them fall under the villains' butcher's knife.

Xie Yan's target from the very beginning had been her; he hated her, and also Xiao Jingyuan.

As long as she remained in the group, the pursuit would never cease, and her family would forever be in danger.

Shen Shuangning's mind grew ever clearer; she made a swift decision, broke free from Shen Er's grasp, and stopped.

Shen Er stared, then turned and said, "Ningning?"

Shen Shuangning panted and said, "If we keep going like this, we can't escape; let's split up and run."

Having said that, she turned her head toward Qing Yun and said, "Let's head west!"

Qing Yun also knew that only by splitting up and running could they possibly find a sliver of hope; at least, they would not all be wiped out, so he nodded.

Only then did Shen Er realize that Shen Shuangning did not intend to go with them.

He urged anxiously, "Ningning, let's go together!"

"No, we can't go together." Shen Shuangning said firmly.

Lady Liu looked at her with tears: "Ningning..."

Time was pressing; this was no time to waver. Shen Shuangning firmly grasped her mother's hand, then turned to A Heng and said, "A Heng, protect Mother! Once we escape, immediately go find Xiao Jingyuan to send word! Tell him Xie Yan is not dead!"

A Heng wanted to go with Shen Shuangning, but the Duchess was also the young lady's most important person, so she reluctantly agreed with reddened eyes.

After one last look at her family, Shen Shuangning fled with Qing Yun and several Black Armor Guards in another direction.

Seeing this, Xie Yan behind them immediately led his men in pursuit, and the pressure on Shen Lang's side instantly eased considerably.