No Repeats

Shu Mei gets arrested

Early the next morning the newlyweds had served tea to Grandma Shu as per the tradition of the new bride serving tea to the family's elders. The Feng boys were still sleeping and missed the ceremony, but Shu Mei was able to witness the special moment. This was the way for Uncle Feng and Lin Xi to formally acknowledge Grandma Shu as their mother. For Feng Yeran this is just formalising what he always held in his heart all these years and for Lin Xi, this is her first real family and mother.

The orphaned Lin Xi, who were forced to grow up too soon into the life of a government assassin is now finding herself surrounded by a family, her husband, her children, and her mother. It was this happiness that completed the joy of her nuptials and made her shake the sleeping Feng Yeran just as dawn broke. Her bubbling heart could not continue to wait, and she got him up despite his protest and plead for more time.

Lin Xi's love for Grandma Shu had started before she realised that she loved Yeran. She had felt that there was just something so beautiful and magnetic about the kindly old woman. She had achieved her goal of marrying Yeran, but she equally looks forward to being around Grandma Shu every day.

Grandma Shu's beaming smile revealed her happiness as she loves the Feng family very much. After watching Yeran grow up, get married and then widowed while raising two young boys, she had treated them as her own. In her mind Lin Xi is just the right person to accompany Yeran for the remaining half of his life, she is the gift and reward for all his steadfast love and hard work.

Grandma Shu thought that with Yeran's big heart and gentleness in his own rough ways, he is also the perfect man to keep Lin Xi happy for the rest of her life. The Feng boys are also kind and role models for filial piety, so Lin Xi would be well looked after even if Yeran dies earlier. All in all, Grandma Shu is very satisfied indeed. 

The only worry that is still lingering is for Shu Mei's own happiness, it seems that her current situation is tricky and unsustainable. The obviously possessive general hangs around Shu Mei without any signs of letting go and she could tell that her granddaughter did not care much for him.

"Grandma, I will need to get going now. The General have given me a day of leave, but I expect that he would have already sent a carriage for me," said Shu Mei after enjoying breakfast with her grandma, Uncle Feng and Lin Xi.

"That is fine my dear, though I have got to admit that I am surprised. I would have thought with his level of...attachment...that he would stayed overnight here as well," said Grandma Shu while the newly weds gave each other meaningful smiles.

"He was going to, but the Old Madame Huang fell down last night and called him back," said Shu Mei.

"Oh dear, in that case, you should bring back the ginseng that Yeran recently purchased to gift to her, it will help strengthen her health," said Grandma Shu.

"No, no, they have stores of precious medicines and herbs, they won't need anything from us, let's keep it for you. Chicken ginseng soup is very nutritious for women," said Shu Mei as she brushed aside all Grandma Shu's protests.

"Shu Mei, it is only proper that you bring something back after all she is a patient, we don't want people to gossip and give you a hard time," interjected Uncle Feng when Lin Xi nudged him. Feng Yeran said this begrudgingly, as he is in Shu Mei's camp of thought, but he must listen to his wife and mother.

Before Shu Mei could counter with another point, the steward rushed, looking very agitated and worried.

"Bailiffs have charged into the villa and issued an arrest warrant for Miss Shu," he said nervously.

The family looked at him in shock, unable to process the sentence. Why would they want to arrest Shu Mei? Uncle Feng stood up and rushed to the main hall where the bailiffs are waiting. When he got there, he was greeted with the sight of ten bailiffs and the local magistrate's own lead prosecutor.

"What is the meaning of this?" he said loudly.

The lead prosecutor held up his identity token and court papers for the arrest of Shu Mei and Uncle Feng frowned as he read the papers. This cannot be right; Shu Mei will never do such a thing!

At this point, Shu Mei and Lin Xi have been leading Grandma Shu into the hall. When the bailiffs saw Shu Mei, they immediately rushed towards her to grab her arms and kick her down onto her knees. Shu Mei and Lin Xi reacted quickly, simultaneously kicked the bailiffs and sent them flying into the furniture.

The lead prosecutor was taken back at the turn of events, they were here to arrest a weak woman but somehow faced with two strong martial artists. He broke out in cold sweat once he took in the intent behind the the women's murderous eyes and Uncle Feng's intimidating figure.

"Why are you arresting me?" asked Shu Mei, while reading the papers that Uncle Feng had silently handed to her.

"Miss Shu, you are hereby being arrested due to the suspected murder of the Huang family's four concubines," said the lead prosecutor.

"How could they be dead, I saw them alive and kicking a week ago, plus why would I need to kill them?" said Shu Mei with indignation.

"You must follow us, and let the court magistrate can decide your innocence," said the lead prosecutor firmly.

Shu Mei looked at the men on the ground and the nervous prosecutor's face and laughed. Fine, if they want to take her, then she would follow through to the end, she is not afraid of what is to come next and worst comes to worst, she'll drag Yu Li down with her.

"In that case, I can only do what the law requires, I will follow you, but don't regret this," said Shu Mei happily thinking that at least when she is arrested she will not need to go to the Huang Manor and see his face.

"Do not worry, I am sure this is all a misunderstanding and I will be released soon," said Shu Mei to her family before following the lead prosecutor to the magistrate's court. Feng Yeran followed along leaving his wife to placate Grandma Shu.

After they left, Lin Xi and Grandma Shu paced the hall anxiously when the groggy Feng Er walked in. He looked at Grandma Shu's anxious face and Lin Xi's furrowed eyebrows and knew that something serious had happened. After hearing that Shu Mei got arrested on multiple murder charges, Feng Er rushed out of the house into the direction of the Song residence.

Seeing the young man rush out without a word, Lin Xi also felt that she needed to do something, but the only things she could think of was to either break Shu Mei out of prison or alert the General. Even though she still fears the General, Lin Xi decided to follow her intuition and left Grandma Shu with the maids before flying towards the Huang Manor.

Lin Xi was stopped at the front gate by the guards, citing that no visitors were allowed by order of the Old Madame. In desperation, she flew over walls and stood onto the rooftops to try to pinpoint where the General resides, but the manor is huge and there were no obvious signs of his rooms. She decided to take a plunge and ran towards the least adorned wing of the manor. Lin Xi's instincts was rewarded with the sight of the General standing still with his hands behind his back in the garden. His stern and cold face had a flicker of anxiousness as his eyes kept drifting towards the walkway as if waiting and expecting something.

"Reporting to the General," said Lin Xi as she knelt behind him.

"Lin Xi, did something happen to Shu Mei? Why are you here?" said Yu Li with anxiety.

"Shu Mei has been arrested on the murder charges of killing your concubines," said Lin Xi.

"Murder charges... how outrageous..." he said coldly before laughing in anger.

Lin Xi shivered from the general's deadly aura and peeked a look at the man fuming with murderous intent.

"Go home, I will resolve this situation. Tell the Feng family to stay out of this and Grandma Shu not to worry," said the General dismissing her as he stalked off into the direction of Old Madame Huang's residence.

"Grandmother, you are too much. Did you want me to rebel?" he asked coldly as he entered the room and saw her calmly sipping tea without any maids around her. He smirked, it seems that his grandmother has been prepared to face him his morning and she is the mastermind behind this. 

"Yes," she answered simply.