Chapter 71: Settling Accounts

"Can't you see—I bet my life for my road."
Fire in her eyes outshone flames—resolve rock—unmovable.
"Dead—what use is a future?" Xie snapped. "Too reckless."
She laughed at him—mocking: "Unlike Young Marquis—I need not struggle for what I want. I must gamble—or worse than death. I fear not death—why fear fire?" Pause. "Go."
Xie frowned—peach eyes thoughtful. No saint—no rescue drama—accident help only—now mocked his own softness. Arms folded—leapt to unburned beam—amused: "Forgot—you're Shen's clever one—can escape—still I want to see—what skill?"
Purple gold in fire—smile sharper—pretty as opera lover—eyes cold cruel—playboy shell colder.
East feast—after Shen Xin return news—Ren panicked—prank hope—before plan—dusty procession—beard man and fierce woman laughing—"Mother—son returns for birthday—forgive lateness!"
All looked—Shen Xin Luo Xueyan—youth Shen Qiu behind.
Once—Ren's skill would warm them—today fire at return—Fifth trapped—Ren blank.
Old Madam—no spine—rear tricks only—cannot fake panic before crowd.
Chen anxious—wanted branches hurt—yet at feast—if Xin absent Fifth dead—easy lie—Xin has eyes—obvious—what now?
Qing Yue feared uncle—martial killing air—mother's fear—lost.
Gui Wan grave—years hidden—never saw brother rage—if Fifth harmed—chill.
They approached—guests silent—odd—Luo frowned—wrong somewhere.
Qiu scanned tables—"Grandmother—where is sister?"
All present—Third Fourth even First Branch bastard Winter Lily—no Fifth.
Xin paused—"Mother—where is Jiaojiao?"
Old Madam speechless—Ren claimed fetch guards—slow—still seated.
"General Shen!" Feng Ning stood—"Perfect timing—hall fire—Fifth Miss trapped!"
Indignant tone—vent for Fifth—Feng spoiled at home—Shen kin feasting while Fifth burns—tell Xin.
Xin Luo blank—hall fire—why hall—why feast while Fifth in peril?
Ren—"Brother Sister—I was fetching guards—"
Xin passed without finish—one look—ice pit—terrifying.
Luo Qiu ran to hall.
Flames giant ball—Fifth wet cloth on face—Xie easy in smoke—"Stay—you die here."
"Stay—you bury with me." She shot back.
"Sharp tongue." He smiled—"Waiting for what?"
"Jiaojiao!" roar outside.
Xie to window—gap in flame—Shen Xin Luo Qiu.
They thought fire bad—not this inferno—eyes splitting—guards ring—bucket futile—late means death.
Qiu grit—"I'll save her!"—beam fell—blocked—crackle.
"Jiaojiao!" "Sister!"
Inside Xie arched brow—"Pet name Jiaojiao—doesn't suit you."
"Waiters arrived—Young Marquis find your exit." Killing air—staged for Xin to see—loving house—hidden knives—warriors trust until forced see clear.
She grabbed burning wood—pressed arm—Xie stunned—sweat rivers—white arm burn scar.
Shock—dead women hurt themselves—she's boudoir girl—should be soft—not burn without blink.
She smeared flame—ran stumbling—path precise—no fire on route—prepared safe lane—oil that won't burn—escape lane.
All arranged—won gamble—others lose.
Xie smiled—watched vanish—back door—swallow flame like flat ground—gone.
Men waiting—"Master." "Not in hall—Xin back—go." Trees.
Outside Fifth stumbled out.
"Sister!" Qiu caught—joy—thought could not enter—
"Jiaojiao!" Legs gave—faint in Qiu—burn on arm—red eyes—murmur—"Let me out—I won't marry—"
Xin Luo frozen.
……
West inner room—medicine thick—servants busy—desolate yard suddenly life.
"I entrusted sisters to watch Jiaojiao—today proves otherwise—without today's return she'd die in fire unknown." Luo arms folded—"Rakshasa Woman" on battlefield—polite before—mask torn—merciless.
"Sister-in-law not so—" Ren smile—"I sent guards—she's my daughter—how watch her burn—you know how I treated her—else why so close?"
"Birth daughter?" Luo cold—step forward—Ren retreat—"Vicious mother. Why alone in hall on grandmother's birthday?"
"Fifth wanted incense for ancestors—" lame under stare.
"Ren Wanyun!"—"Fool me? Confinement—forced marriage—I settle account by account—not easy. Hurt Jiaojiao one hair—see how I settle!"
Servants tremble—Luo always smiling—first thunder—Ren purple silent.
Fifth turned inward—eyes clear—scar on purpose—no forgiveness possible—Shen family acts—parents never tolerate harm to children—like Wanyu Fu Ming.
Luo hostile to Ren Chen now—burn not wasted—good.
Outer yard Xin faced Gui Wan.
"Brother misunderstanding." Gui harried—didn't know swap—Fifth err—hall punishment—Gui grudged Rongjing—fire at worst moment.
"Uncle—not misunderstanding." Qiu fist—"Grandmother feast—only sister locked—what crime—why guards—guards didn't save—watched—is that blocking escape—seeking her life?"
Young hot—worse than Fifth planned—Xin face iron—Gui Wan jump—Wan plead—"Nephew—we'd never—raised her well—trust us?"
Wan scholarly wind—Xin no longer buys—wolf under skin.
"Your mother's fart! You think I'm blind? Handed Jiaojiao—you tried kill her—lock hall—force marry? Gui Wan—I swear—when she wakes—we'll see!"
Gui Wan dumb—Xin always restrained—core hooligan—no reply.
Xin peak—daughter in fire—pain rage—faint words last straw—"I won't marry"—imagine her life—brothers loathsome—wish sword both!
"Silence!" Old Madam supported by Fuer Xi'er— guests fled—humiliation—she came to blame—saw Xin accuse brothers.
Qiu nodded grandmother—cool—intuition disliked her—Yuan favored over martial Qiu.
Old Madam to Xin—"First branch—bullying brothers—general air in Shen house?"
Old general's deathbed—support brothers—harmony—Xin respected her—blood over stepmother—words useless now.
Fist bow—"Mother—not air—today strange—as General—cannot protect daughter—shame ancestors—shame name—must investigate—birthday filial impossible—daughter in peril—cannot feast—apologize later."—They feasted while Fifth burned—hearts damnable.
Old Madam blank—Xin always proper—she once tried kill him—general blocked—first hard rebuke—silent.
To Gui Wan dark—"I will know truth—farewell." Stride—Qiu followed.
Outside east—"Fire-mouse cloak on carriage—give sister—house worse than battlefield—she needs more than Old Madam."
"Yes." Qiu glad—"Sister mentioned marriage—we never heard—monsters in house—find them— torture!"
……
Lin'an Marquis house.
Xie returned—Gao Yang at table fan—smile—"Result?"
"No."
"Guessed not in Shen house—" Gao disappointed—"Next?"
"Each shows skill." Tea—"What else?"
"Xin return—court may stir—Fu family—" neck slash gesture.
"Shen too bright—fire cooking—day comes." Flat—no pity.
Gao shrug—green bottle—"Iron Robe said hand hurt—my salve."
"Small wound need medicine?" Frown.
"No scars." Forced bottle—"Scars bad."
"Not a woman." Threw back—"Take it!"
"You'd beg if woman." "Precious—thousand gold."
Remembered girl burning tablet on arm—scars?
Pause—pocketed bottle.