Gong Shi was brought back to the front door. The door had been kicked open, and he was pushed into the brightly lit living room by soldiers behind him. With his hands bound, he staggered and almost fell. After finally steadying himself, Tu Feibai kicked the back of his knees, causing him to collapse onto the floor.
A soldier searched him and found the document bag, handing it to Tu Feibai.
Tu Feibai opened it, glanced at it, and coldly looked at Gong Shi, signaling the soldiers to take him away. The evidence was clear that Gong Shi had stolen the documents, though how he had released the children from the prison was still unclear. But Tu Feibai didn’t want A Ju to know about this and planned to secretly interrogate Gong Shi later.
Gong Shi saw that Tu Feibai’s target was indeed the stolen documents and could only wonder why he had brought A Ju to arrest him.
He had considered killing A Ju to keep her quiet, but she rarely left the house, and he never found an opportunity to be alone with her. Later, when she didn’t mention seeing him in the study, he thought the matter was over.
But tonight, Tu Feibai had brought A Ju to arrest him.
As the soldiers pulled him up, Gong Shi suddenly shouted, “A Ju is the mole!” In that instant of being pulled up, he made eye contact with A Ju and suddenly understood that she must have been suspected by Tu Feibai and was using him as a scapegoat.
Yu Yi was startled: “You’re talking nonsense!”
Gong Shi continued, “A Ju came as a maidservant with another purpose. I’ve long noticed her sneaking around.”
Yu Yi quickly looked at Tu Feibai: “Commander, please believe A Ju. Lieutenant Gong is slandering her.”
Gong Shi said, “A Ju, while I was out with the commander tonight, you snuck into the secret room, didn’t you? Then you framed me…”
Yu Yi knew Gong Shi was just trying to drag someone else down. He had no evidence and probably didn’t even believe his own words. However, if Tu Feibai believed even half of what he said, it would be troublesome. She looked at Tu Feibai, who was staring back at her unblinkingly.
Yu Yi knew any explanation would be futile. What eloquence could a maidservant have to defend herself? She could only look at Tu Feibai with a grieved yet trusting expression: “Commander…” in a manner that asked him to decide.
Tu Feibai stared at her for a moment, his tightened mouth relaxing: “I believe… A Ju is not a mole.”
Yu Yi placed her hand on her chest, visibly relieved.
Seeing his attempt to frame her fail, and noting the ambiguous look between Tu Feibai and A Ju, Gong Shi secretly seethed. Suddenly, he laughed and said, “A Ju, do you know what’s hidden in the commander’s basement…”
Before he could finish, Tu Feibai’s eyes turned cold. Without letting Gong Shi complete his sentence, he raised his right hand and shot him in the chest. In the dark night, the gunshot was deafening.
Gong Shi’s vitality quickly dissipated from his eyes, yet a smile still lingered on his face. Seeking fortune in danger, since he had failed, death was inevitable. In Tuo Feibi’s hands, he feared a fate worse than death – just look at those inhuman creatures imprisoned in his basement. Therefore, he only wished for a swift death.
Yu Yi covered her ears, her face deathly pale as she watched Gong Shi collapse heavily to the ground. His face suddenly overlapped with Hao Guang’s – she had dreamed of Hao Guang many times before. He had fallen in the same way, blood blossoming on his chest, then a trickle of blood foam emerging from the corner of his mouth…
She stepped back two paces, stumbling behind the sofa. Tuo Feibi reached out to catch her, and the moment he touched her, he felt her tremble. He looked down at her, seeing fear in her eyes.
Tuo Feibi had soldiers handle Gong Shi’s body and took Yu Yi out of Gong Shi’s residence. Yu Yi continued to shiver.
Tuo Feibi held her closer, feeling her body rigid and resistant, so he softened his tone: “Don’t be afraid. I’m not a murderous demon. I just couldn’t tolerate Gong Shi’s betrayal. He was caught red-handed and wanted to bite back at you. How could I not kill such a bad person?”
Yu Yi forced a slight smile: “A Ju is scared seeing murder for the first time…”
“Don’t be afraid of me,” he whispered.
Yu Yi nodded, adjusting her emotions. Although Tuo Feibi hadn’t mentioned a word, he still cared about Gong Shi’s dying sentence about what was hidden in the basement. His embrace disgusted her; she wanted to be as far from him as possible. But for now, she could only try to relax in his arms: “A Ju is not afraid of the commander.”
“As long as you’re not afraid of me,” his voice was low, ambiguous, yet crystal clear as he spoke close to her ear.
Yu Yi’s face burned, turning away to avoid him: “Commander, no, the madam will find out…”
You’re with me, will be my wife, the primary wife, ranking above her.”
Yu Yi shook her head: “No…”
Tuo Feibi’s voice turned cold: “It’s not up to you to say no!” He tightened his grip on Yu Yi’s waist, one hand holding her head, turning her face to meet his.
He slightly lowered his head, extremely close, his breath smelling faintly of smoke blowing on her lips: “If I say it’s okay, it will be okay. What I want, I will definitely get!”
What a beast!
Yu Yi clenched her fist, her right hand secretly reaching for the thin steel hairpin hidden in her hair. She could no longer endure – even if the mission failed, she would strike him. Such a beast deserved to die! Abusing children, forcibly occupying women, killing casually…
“Feibi, A Ju, what are you doing?!” Ding Jingman’s shocked and angry voice sounded beside them.
Tuo Feibi released Yu Yi, frowning: “Why are you here? Didn’t I tell you to go back upstairs and sleep?”
Yu Yi also secretly exhaled, lowering her right hand, stepping two paces to Tuo Feibi’s other side to distance herself.
Ding Jingman suspiciously looked at Tuo Feibi, then at A Ju.
Chapter 26: Warlord of the Republic of China (8)
Ding Jingman, having seen Tuo Feibi forcibly drag A Ju out, couldn’t sleep. She sat on the living room sofa waiting. Suddenly hearing gunshots, she was startled.
After waiting and hearing no more gunshots, she came to investigate, unexpectedly catching Feibi embracing A Ju about to kiss, which made her cry out in shock and anger.
Ding Jingman was about to say more when she suddenly saw several soldiers carrying a person from the house. In the light from the house, she could see from his clothes it was Gong Shi, his head oddly hanging back, swaying with the soldiers’ movement, a large dark stain on his chest still dripping. She involuntarily gasped: “Captain Gong… he’s, he’s dead?”
Tuo Feibi didn’t directly answer, simply saying: “Go back.”
Ding Jingman looked at Yu Yi: “A Ju, come with me.”
“I have something to ask A Ju. You go back first.”
Ding Jingman suddenly understood. A Ju had just told her she liked Gong Shi. It seemed Feibi had killed Gong Shi out of jealousy. Her jealousy surged, and she coldly laughed: “Could it be A Ju killed Captain Gong? What else do you want to ask? Can’t you see how terrified she is? Are you interrogating her or falling for her?”
Tuo Feibi’s gaze turned cold: “What did you say?”
Ding Jingman was intimidated by his look, not daring to speak sarcastically, but unwilling to leave them alone. She steeled herself: “A Ju is my maid. If you’re interrogating her, aren’t you suspecting me? Why not interrogate me too!”
Tuo Feibi shouted: “What nonsense are you talking about?!”
He waved his hand, “Both of you, go back.”
Tuo Feibi turned and entered Gong Shi’s residence, wanting to see what else might be hidden here. With Gong Shi dead, he could only hope to deduce who had given him benefits to steal the documents by searching the house.
—
