This would end badly. Fu Heng inclined his head.
"You could try." He bared his white teeth.
"But you would not succeed."
Fu Shao crossed his arms, then gave a nod.
"I think you are a good choice, Martial Zhen."
Martial Zhen then stepped back, but kept his gaze fixed on Fu Heng who ignored him.
Then Fu Shao eyes settled on Gengxin and he dropped whatever civility had cloaked within until that point. He moved so close to Gengxin that my cousin had to tilt his head back to return the stare.
As he tried to keep his expression arrogant and self-confident, but he looked like a puppy trying to impress the lion king.
So Fu Shao and he might as well have been two different species.
"He's family. Are you honestly going to accuse him of having an interest in my daughter?"
"I saw how you looked at my lady," Fu Shao said, never taking his eyes off of Gengxin.
"Like a sweet plum he wanted to pluck hang on the tree," Fu Heng threw in, enjoying this entirely too much.
Gengxin eyes darted toward my father, looking for help.
"Don't deny it. I know what you think when I see it. And you want what was mine," Fu Shao growled.
And Gengxin didn't deny it.
"If I find out you are looking at her like that again. And if I find out you are in a room alone with her. If I find out you touch her hand as much as you wanted. Then , I will kill you."
Gengxin flushed red.
"You aren't a member of this clans. Nobody would tell you anything even if I have her on my bed. I could break her in for you."
Oh God, Gengxin. Why must you seek your death.
Couldn't he see murder in Fu Shao eyes?
"Maybe I'll even send the video for you."
Before I could even blink, Fu Shao had thrown Gengxin to the ground and dug a knee into his spine, one of my cousin's arms twisted back.
He struggled and cursed, but Fu Shao held him fast. One of his hands gripped his wrist while he reached under his vest with the other, pulling out a knife.
My legs turned weak.
"Leave now," I told Qina in a whisper.
But she didn't listen.
Look away, Shen Mi
But I couldn't. Father would surely stop Fu Shao. But Father's expression was disgusted as he stared down at Gengxin.
Fu Shao eyes sought my Father's gaze on Gengxin who wasn't his soldier. This wasn't even his territory.
A Honor demanded he got permission from the agreement and when my father gave a nod, he brought the knife down and cut Gengxin finger off.
The painful screams rang in my ears when my vision turned black. I bit down on my fist to stifle a sound.
But Qina didn't. She let out a screech that could have woken the dead before she threw up.
At least, she'd turned and aimed away from me. Her vomit spilled down the steps.
Behind the doors, silence reigned. They had heard us. I gripped Qina upper arms when the secret door was ripped open, revealing Father's furious face.
Behind him stood Fang and Xu, both with their weapons drawn.
When they saw Qina and me, they returned them to the holsters under their jackets.
Qina didn't cry. She seldom did, but her face was pale and she leaned heavily against me. If I didn't have to hold her up, my own legs would have crumpled.