Empty Promises: The Ceo Cunning Bride - Chapter 177

***Past***

Xu Song was trying to catch her breath and explain the situation at the same time. “The palace… Palace soldiers…”

Xiong Jingfei didn’t wait for Xu Song to finish explaining. She can hear her people screaming, crying, and running for their life.

“Come.” Xiong Jingfei grabbed Xu Song by the arm and ran towards the front where most of the noise was.

“Miss, the palace soldiers broke down our doors and are detaining our people.” Xu Song explained. “They’re searching the entire manor for our people.”

Why? That’s what Xiong Jingfei wants to find out.

It was loud, deafening, and terrifying.

The racket of the soldiers storming in and the sound of the front doors getting trampled on. Even the ground vibrated with their heavy footsteps overwhelming on her people. It was as if they were sentenced to a grave crime already.

They invaded the Xiong manor like Xiong Guozhi didn’t mean anything to the country. He was the military commander, so how can they barge in like this place was nothing but a wasteland!

Xiong Jingfei ran to the front like her life depended on it, but when she got closer, she slowed down and recollected herself. She cannot show any flaws to these uninvited intruders.

“Songsong, my veil.”

Xiong Jingfei tied the white veil around her lower face and stepped out as the Eldest Miss of the Xiong manor. It hasn’t been long since she returned from the war, but there was another problem arising within her home.

“What is going on here?” Xiong Jingfei asked in a polite yet threatening manner.

She wanted to force an answer out of them right away, but it wasn’t suitable to act rashly. She didn’t want to make things any worse when all her servants were on their knees by force.

What was happening to her people didn’t appear as simple as a small crime. Why would they pull out their swords and spears on civilians that were weaponless?

Someone dressed slightly different from the soldiers stepped up. “I apologize for intruding in this late into the night, but I have orders to bring everyone to the palace.”

That person was the leader leading the palace soldiers. He apologized, but he wasn’t sorry for what he was doing. The words naturally flowed out of his mouth, but his arrogance was showing.

Xiong Jingfei clenched her hands that were hiding in the long dress sleeves. They are intentionally showing disrespect to us!

“Why are we being taken to the palace this late at night?” Xiong Jingfei asked but was interrupted with a high pitched scream. It was a shriek belonging to someone she knew better than anyone else.

“Let go of me! How dare you barge into a lady’s room!?” Xiong Changchang screamed as she was being dragged out by two soldiers. One soldier on each of her sides and carried her by her arms. “Do you know who my father is!? Let go of me!”

Xiong Jingfei looked over to Xiong Changchang from the corner of her eyes. She wanted to slap Xiong Changchang’s mouth shut for not comprehending their situation.

Palace soldiers to invade their manor! Why would they care who their father is!? If they did, does she think the soldiers will be brazen enough to drag out Xiong Guozhi’s second daughter from her bedroom?

“Mother! Do something about these people!” Xiong Changchang yelled, getting pushed to go down on all fours.

Li Roulan at least had more brains than her daughter. She remained silent with Xiong Jiayi by her side and didn’t answer her first daughter’s outburst. She willingly followed the soldiers out without throwing a fuss.

The soldiers broke into Li Roulan’s bedroom in the middle of the night. It goes to show they weren’t giving Xiong Guozhi any face! No matter what, Li Roulan was still considered the madam of the Xiong manor.

Xiong Jingfei’s eyes met with Li Roulan’s eyes, and they immediately understood each other. Silence and obedience were the best options.

“Second Miss, I advise that you do not fight against us. We don’t want to hurt your pretty face.” The leader of the soldiers said sarcastically to Xiong Changchang but was directing it towards Xiong Jingfei. “Is everyone here?”

“Yes, sir!”

The leader of the soldiers pulled out a yellow scroll.

Xiong Jingfei forced herself to go down on her knees. It was an edict from his majesty.

“Under the order of his majesty, we are to arrest everyone in the Xiong manor and bring them in for interrogation.”

Xiong Jingfei lifted her head. What crime are they being interrogated for to cause this commotion?

“For plotting a rebellion against his majesty and the country.” The leader of the soldiers finished reading the edict with a sly smile.

“We will never betray his majesty or this country!” Xiong Jingfei shouted, bewildered at the accusation made against them. It was a crime that could kill their entire family! “We, the Xiong clan, had always remained loyal to the royal family for generations!”

The leader of the soldiers bent down and gripped Xiong Jingfei’s jaw until pain shot up on both sides of her face. He said with a crooked smile, “Loyalty means nothing in time of doubt.”

Xu Song smacked away the leader’s hand and shouted, “The audacity you have! She is still the Eldest Miss of the Xiong Manor!”

“How dare a lowly servant hit me!?” The leader of the soldiers roared, and it happened all too quickly.

The echo of the slap shushed the Xiong servants and shocked Li Roulan in the courtyard instantly.

“I-I didn’t do anything!” The leader of the soldiers stumbled back. “I meant to hit this lowly servant!”

“Miss!” Xu Song put her protective arms around Xiong Jingfei. She anxiously touched the mark of a palm on her Miss’s face that was starting to make its appearance.

“Anyone will believe  if you told them that you meant to hit a rude servant.” Xiong Jingfei brought herself to stand up. “But, who would believe you when you ‘mistakenly’ hit the Eldest Miss of the Xiong clan instead of a lowly servant!?”

“I-I…” The leader of the soldiers stammered. She was right; no one will believe that he was aiming for the servant but got the master.

“We are put under arrest for interrogation by his majesty. That means we aren’t criminals yet, so how dare you treat Commander Xiong’s people like this!” Xiong Jingfei’s snarled. “His majesty bestowed me a title for my aid in this war. Making my status higher than yours.”

Xiong Jingfei steadied her dominant hand.

“Therefore, you’re nothing but a lowly servant to me!”

The second wave of a slap ringed throughout the courtyard. This time it was the soldiers who became the quiet one.