54 Calling Out Mother (2/2)

A hollow reverberation sounded.

Hongyue grinned and pressed her palm on the wooden surface. The wood around her palm reduced in size as it was drained out of any moisture. She removed her hand and patted the dried up surface. The small area of wood gave way and collapsed into brittle slabs. As it fell away, a black onyx hair stick was revealed.

The hair ornament was smooth without imperfection. At the end of the hair stick, there was a fiery black dragon. Hongyue touched the craved claws of the dragon, her eyes showing a bit of pity for the first time.

”I don't know you nor do you know me but since I've taken on the name Hongyue, I'll avenge your death,” Hongyue hesitated for a moment, ”Mother.”

Hongyue's heart shook after she spoke.

Mother was a word she was only able to say once in her past life, and it was never uttered again. Who would have thought she would have the chance in this life in such a messed up situation? She sighed bitterly, her eyes revealed an anguished heartbroken child before it converted back to her usual piercing eyes. Her mind went back to the words the human Hongyue had told her.

'Live Well.'

Hongyue shook her head, ”Too naive. If you knew the truth about your mother's death, would you still be willing to forgive them?”

The lingering question hung in the air as she took a seat at her dresser. Hongyue tenderly pressed her lips on a tinted red paper and rubbed a bit of scented oil on her skin. With her fingers, she swiftly weaved her hair up into a bun. Hongyue smirked, she was planning to drop by the banquet after her visit to the old herb seller. After all, if the general had time to enjoy himself with a party, he must be happy.

And if he's happy, Hongyue was not.

Returning to the shallow tub of poison, Hongyue fumbled with her fingers casting out a hex. The black substance formed into a shape of a hair stick identical to the first madam's. Hongyue paused before she planted a magic array on it and slid it in her hair. Seeing there was leftover poison, Hongyue used it to generate a matching bracelet. She slipped on the newly formed poisonous bracelet. It clanged loudly when it settled neatly along with the metal bracelet she got from Qingyu.

She took one final glimpse around the room before she departed the courtyard, missing a familiar pair of pitch black eyes that observed her in the dark.