The Prime Minister's Darling novel Chapter 1219

Chapter 1219: 595 Time to Hunt! (One more)

If previously Master Zhuang felt a fleeting delusion that it was a trick of the eyes, then the phrase "Is it your turtle descendant that drifted away, or is it me, Xiao Ji, who can’t lift my saber anymore?" left no doubt in Master Zhuang’s mind that the person who had arrived was indeed Marquis Xuanping!

So his earlier guess was correct: Xiao Hen’s tactic of luring the snake out of the hole, as well as Empress Dowager Zhuang’s sudden appearance, their fundamental purpose was to buy time, waiting for the arrival of Marquis Xuanping!

But isn’t this strange?

Just a few days ago, he had received a report from South Island, mentioning that a band of pirates had fled by boat and Marquis Xuanping had gone to pursue them in their retreat!

Could it be—

That those so-called reports of pursuit were all fake, and that Marquis Xuanping was actually already on his way back to the capital?!

Master Zhuang gnashed his teeth as he glanced at Marquis Xuanping, then back at Xiao Hen, seething with frustration. Both father and son were cast in the same mold, their schemes even slicker than the crafty old mandarins in Court!

Marquis Xuanping glanced at the whip injury on Xiao Hen’s face, a dangerous glint in his eyes as they fell on Master Zhuang’s hand tightening on the reins: "Which hand hurt my son?"

This was the second time Marquis Xuanping openly acknowledged Xiao Hen as his son.

In front of Master Zhuang, he wasn’t bothering to hide it any longer, which wasn’t a good sign. While Xiao Hen’s identity was still a secret generally, there are some people who can keep secrets forever.

Master Zhuang’s eyelids suddenly twitched. He had never feared Marquis Xuanping like this before. After all, in terms of official rank and status, he was no less than Marquis Xuanping, even having a good deal more experience from his longer years of service.

Yet at this moment... he felt chilled to the bone!

He instinctively looked towards General Nangong standing to the side.

"No need to look, he won’t escape either!" Marquis Xuanping stated. General Nangong furrowed his brow, but before he could react, Marquis Xuanping had already thrust the hilt of his broadsword fiercely into the ground.

Immediately his horse leaped forward, startling Master Zhuang’s horse, which began to hop about in panic, letting out a series of neighs.

Master Zhuang struggled to keep his balance, but Marquis Xuanping’s hand was already reaching out unceremoniously towards him, grabbing his collar and ruthlessly dragging him off his horse.

"Marquis Xuanping—"

Master Zhuang shouted in anger!

"Your lordship, my ass!"

Marquis Xuanping threw the man on the ground roughly.

He was a military general, and the grace and nobility he displayed in front of others was only a façade; at his core, he was rough and savage.

Most people would not manhandle an elderly and weak scholar-official like Master Zhuang; they would uphold the law with civility. But was Marquis Xuanping an ordinary person?

He wasn’t playing by human rules at all!

Bullying this frail old man did not cause Marquis Xuanping any psychological pressure; not only did he throw the man to the ground, but he also tightened the reins in his hand, allowing the horse’s hooves to raise and then step consecutively over Master Zhuang’s right hand and left hand.

Two crisp cracking sounds rang out in the air, followed by Master Zhuang’s agonized screams of unbearable pain.

After Marquis Xuanping finished trampling, he turned his horse around and looked at him innocently: "I asked you which hand, and you didn’t say, so I had to waste them both."

Master Zhuang was utterly dumbfounded.

There were indeed shameless and brazen people in this world!

Taking advantage and still pretending to be innocent - that’s him, for sure!

Master Zhuang had spent most of his life navigating the official seas, benefiting from selling a good sister to the palace, and these years had been smooth sailing. Even if someone tripped him up, it was mostly done in an indirect and implied manner.

Who would believe that someone would dare to cripple his hands in public?

Master Zhuang had never suffered physical hardship before and was in so much pain he nearly fainted.

He looked towards Empress Dowager Zhuang, who sat calmly in the carriage a short distance away, quietly watching the scene unfold.

This brother, who had fed off her flesh and blood her entire life, she had let go.

"Zhuang Jinse... you are so ruthless..." Master Zhuang spat blood, gasping with vicious breaths.

Was it her who was ruthless?

There are people in the world who get used to living off others’ flesh and blood, and once they are no longer fed, they become unforgivably heartless and disloyal.

But when they fed on the flesh and blood of others, they never thought that maybe they shouldn’t have bitten down in the first place!

Forget it, why talk about benevolence, righteousness, and morality with such a person? How about fairness and grace?

At their core, they are utterly selfish; it’s impossible for them to consider others, otherwise, they wouldn’t have done so many appalling things.

Empress Dowager Zhuang didn’t plead for him; in fact, she didn’t even look his way again: "Ahen, come over to your auntie."

She called herself auntie.

Not ’Her Majesty.’

In that moment, Master Zhuang truly realized that Empress Dowager Zhuang wasn’t just angry with him, she truly had given up on the Zhuang family. She now had a new family, one with no blood ties, yet one she could trust and depend upon.

Once upon a time... Empress Dowager Zhuang must have treated the Zhuang family the same way, right?

It’s a pity that aside from Zhuang Yuheng, no one else could see her efforts; they only thought that she was a daughter that had left the Zhuang family, and was thus obliged to dedicate her life to its benefit.