The moment he barked the order, a dozen or more guards chased after the woman.
The peasant woman couldn't run far before the guards caught up, but Su Yue was nowhere to be found.
They tortured the woman, still, she refused to give away Su Yue's whereabouts and eventually, she was killed by the guards.
Meanwhile, Su Yue was being taken away by the peasant woman's only son, but because the guards didn't give up the chase, they caught up with them in the forest.
The young man was a good fighter, but against over a dozen well-trained palace guards, he was almost nothing. "Run!" he barked at Su Yue. His mother died because of her and he's going to die too, "You must live and seek revenge for your family and mine! Now, go!" he screamed at the child who stared back at him with lifeless eyes, as if she was daydreaming.
"Please, Miss, you must –" his words got stuck as his head rolled from his neck.
Su Yue's void gaze followed the rolling head, whose eyes seemed to be staring back at her with grievance, and then, she shifted her gaze at the palace guard who was inching closer and closer to her. His sword was dropping blood, from cutting off that young man's head.
He beckoned at Su Yue. "Obediently give me your head and I'll make your death painless."
'You must live and seek revenge for your family and mine!', the voice rang in her mind and Su Yue's pupil dilated. She took a step back. She didn't want to die, she wanted to live.
The guard laughed mockingly, "Your father thought he was smart and hid you away, but unfortunately, he failed. I'll send you to him and your family will immediately reunite. Don't you want to go to your family?"
Su Yue's eyes lit up a bit but at the sight of the guard raising his blade, ready to strike, she stilled her heart. She wanted to live. She turned around and made for a run, but unfortunately, she couldn't compare to the adults.
Just as the sword slashed towards Su Yue's back, something came flying from the side. The guard, sensing an inversion, Instinctively dodged but the person by his side was unlucky and the object slammed right into his face, sending him stumbling backwards and falling ungracefully.
"Who are you?! Show yourself!" The guard who almost killed Su Yue roared as he glanced around, his ears perked and stance solid, as if he was ready for a battle.
"She's only a child," a boring voice sounded from the top of a tree, prompting everyone to look in the direction.
Resting on a solid branch was an eccentric-looking master with long white beard, unkempt hair, and looking like he was tired of the troubles of the world.
"Stay out of our business, old fart! Otherwise you'll accompany her to the afterlife!" the leader or so, threatened.
Su Yue looked up with tear-filled eyes at the master. She parted her lips, trying to say something, but no words came out. She tried again and again, but nothing, so she clasped her hands together and made a bow to the man on the tree.
She didn't know why but was convinced that the man could save her. Maybe because he was a grown man, her only hope.
The eccentric-looking master gazed at Su Yue and sighed. Even a wicked person would feel a ripple of emotion seeing a little child begging so earnestly to be saved, in spite of the fact that she couldn't speak.
One of the guards, who had contributed nothing since the beginning of the chase spoke up, "Big brother, how about we let her life and make up excuses for– "
"Smack!" The guard who was eager to kill Su Yue slapped him across the face and barked, "Are you willing to have your whole family annihilated by the Grand Tutor and the officials? Then I'm not!"
The guard who was slapped lowered his head. That wasn't the true reason why their leader was desperate to kill Su Yue. Some years back, he wanted to join the military, under General Su Yulan but was disqualified because of his dubious character. All those years, he had buried resentment in his heart and now, given the opportunity to kill General Su Yulan's daughter, he didn't want to miss it.
Just when a guard thrust his sword at Su Yue's stomach, the eccentric master leaped down from the branch and kicked the sword off the guard's hand, then stood beside Su Yue.
"I hate fighting," he said before pulling the child behind him.
"Get that old geezer!" the leader roared, annoyed that he had been interrupted.
The guards were stunned for a little while before a few of them rushed towards the man, intending to cut him down, like he was a docile tree, but the eccentric master only shook his head and sighed.
"Hot-blooded children." With another soft sigh, he added, "I gave you a chance," he said and then waved his large sleeves. An almost invisible powder spread out into the air, directed at the guards.
Mere seconds and the guards began to fall one after the other while holding their throats with bulging red eyes,M and swollen necks as they coughed.
Looking at the guards who were starting to bleed from their eyes, nose, ear, and mouth, the eccentric master walked towards the one who showed pity on Su Yue and pushed a pill into his mouth. "Your kind heart saved you," he said before trying to walk away.
However, he felt a tug on his black robe. He turned to stare at the child who was looking at him with lifeless eyes, evident she was the one stopping him from moving freely. "What is it?" He asked, but the child said nothing.
The eccentric master tried to move again, however this time, the child didn't stop him but when he looked back, he saw her walking behind him. "Don't tell me you want to come with me?" The man asked with a brow raised, and the child nodded.
He sighed with exasperation. "This is why it's not good to interfere in matters that do not concern one. Go back home." He commanded, but the child shook her head.
Seeing this, the guard who took pity on Su Yue spoke up. "Ma – Master, her family has been killed and her life is in danger... Pl – please Master, can you help us save General Su Yue's daughter? she is the only one left in her family." The guard went on his knees and kowtowed to the old master.
The old man glanced at the little child and sighed. "I hope you won't bring me trouble… You have your legs, don't you?"
Su Yue nodded.
"Then walk with them." The old man said and continued walking forward while Su Yue followed behind him.
"Thank you, Master, may the heavens reward you! Hua Xia will forever be grateful to you!" The guard prayed, but the old man ignored him.
No one else was alive to tell him that he was against the killing of the Generals, at the same time, ge wouldn't be returning to the place, otherwise he would be killed.
…
Meanwhile, at the palace, in the Emperor's chambers, a small boy of around nine years was seen lying under the covers, sleeping peacefully.
The Grand Tutor stood beside the bed with the eunuch, "When did you say he would wake up?"
"At most the time it takes to burn two incense sticks," replied the eunuch as he darted his gaze to the young Emperor.
"That's fine. By the time he wakes up, the square would have been cleared and Su Yulan's daughter would have been killed." The Grand Tutor smirked and his eyes shone with light.
The eunuch's face grew thoughtful for a moment before speaking, "His Majesty will be furious when he wakes up and finds out you've killed his supporters."
The Grand Tutor snorted, "What can he do about it? He should be more worried about himself." He sneered and walked out.
However, this statement would be proven wrong in the next coming days. When the Majesty found out what the Grand Tutor and the officials did at the square, he would be so furious that he would kill a few officials and torment the others for twenty long years.