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"Will he be burned to death?"
Sister Tiger gently asked, looking down at the child in her arms, who also had tearful eyes and a pouting mouth.
She wanted to smooth the child's lips with her hand, but unexpectedly, the child stuck out his tongue and licked her finger.
"Tiger Child is hungry!"
Xing Ruyi reminded Sister Tiger while also turning the fox away.
Sister Tiger paused for a moment, then quickly reacted, a hint of color finally appearing on her pale face. She lifted her clothing, and the little one immediately followed the scent, eating contentedly.
Sister Tiger looked down at her child, her expression reflecting that of a Mother Empress.
She said, "When he knew I was a demon, he said one thing: rather than watching me be burned to death by those strangers, it would be better for him to end it himself. At least... at least it would leave us with intact bodies, so we wouldn't have to leave in such pain."
"Good people are often bullied. He probably never dreamed that you two would survive while he would be burned alive by those strangers he spoke of."
Upon hearing the words "burned to death," Sister Tiger's body stiffened slightly, then she lowered her head and fell silent.
Xing Ruyi sighed softly, walked over to the fox's side, and quietly took his hand. Their eyes met without words, and together they walked out of the room.
Outside, the weather was still clear and pleasant, but Xing Ruyi's heart felt heavy.
"Do you think Sister Tiger will go save that person?"
"I hope she doesn't."
"I hope so too. That man who kills his wife and children isn't worth saving at all. But I am also a woman; I know in my heart that Sister Tiger will go."
As soon as Xing Ruyi finished speaking, the door behind them opened. Sister Tiger knelt at the doorway, holding her child.
"Sister Tiger, I know you want to save him. Even if it's not for the bond you once shared as husband and wife, just for the sake of him being Tiger Child's father, you would still go. But Sister Tiger, you need to understand that you are injured and have just given birth. You can barely protect yourself; how can you save him? Even if you go, what can you do?"
"Consort Rui, rest assured, Sister Tiger knows very well that this is not Qingqiu, and there is no room for Sister Tiger to act recklessly. The rules that should be followed are ones that Sister Tiger will adhere to; there will be no trouble caused."
Xing Ruyi's eyes darkened as she said, "Are you perhaps harboring that thought? While the method may be feasible, it is still somewhat dangerous."
"What thought?"
The fox lowered her gaze and glanced at the child in Sister Tiger's arms.
"Sister Tiger's Husband is regarded as a monster because he is stained with blood, and his wife and children have all disappeared. Moreover, having been overly frightened, it is inevitable that he would be in a state of panic. That person even went so far as to shout in front of everyone that he killed a monster and that the one he slayed was a scourge from the monster's den. As the saying goes, seeing is believing, while hearing is deceiving. What does your husband think those onlookers will believe?"
"They will think it is merely his clever excuse!"
"Exactly! Mortals often tend to be self-righteous. Therefore, his words will not only go untrusted but will also arouse much suspicion, as people will think it is just a lie concocted to cover up his own crimes. Even if there truly were monsters, it should be him, not his wife and children who vanished without a trace. The conclusion is simple: how could a mere human possibly kill a monster?"
"Sister Tiger intends to..."
Xing Ruyi nodded her head: "If at this moment, Sister Tiger appears with Tiger Child, even if Sister Tiger does not explain, people will change their minds. After all, the person is still present; they would likely think that the one locked in the iron cage is just a madman. For officials, the most feared thing is public opinion; they would never risk their reputation over a madman."
"So the Government Office can only release him!"
"Yes, they can only release him. Without evidence or even the appearance of victims, if the Official allows those commoners to burn him alive, it would not be exterminating monsters but rather intentional murder. Although the Empress has grown old and most matters in court have been handed over to the Crown Prince, the rules remain intact and so do the laws. If this reaches higher authorities, what do you think will happen?"
"If it were only that simple, then saving him would be easy."
The fox spoke lightly, yet her words carried a hint of chill.
"What I fear is that things won't be as simple as we think." Xing Ruyi continued, shifting her gaze back to Sister Tiger: "Human hearts are difficult to fathom; even I am just a mortal and cannot grasp the thoughts of mortals. You must understand that even if you go to save him today, he may not appreciate it. Not only might he not be grateful, but he might also turn against you on the spot and drag you and your child down with him. Sister Tiger, if this were the outcome, would you still want to save him?"
Sister Tiger paused for a moment before biting her lip and nodding.
"Since your mind is made up, I suppose nothing I or the fox say will get through to you. Just remember one thing: do what you need to do; if he disregards your marital bond and fatherly affection and commits further outrageous acts, you need not hold any hope for him anymore—just let him go."
Xing Ruyi possessed herself and gently touched the sleeping Tiger Child: "Sister Tiger, I know it's hard for you to let go, but you must understand that you are no longer alone. You have Tiger Child; you cannot be willful or kind anymore."
Sister Tiger nodded: "Consort Rui, don't worry. Sister Tiger knows what she should and shouldn't do."
"I hope you really do," Xing Ruyi said, shaking her head lightly as she got up and stood back beside the fox. Then she asked in her heart, "Can my Ghost Technique be used against those seeking Common People?"
The fox furrowed its brow and glanced at her, also questioning in its heart: "Ghost Technique is not a mundane skill; it can indeed be used against those seeking Common People, but why do you ask?"
"Any woman who falls into love is a fool. I'm just afraid that if Sister Tiger sees that person, her mind will become even more unclear. We need to prepare for this. You are the Son of the Azure Qiu Emperor, and due to your status, you will always be bound by those so-called rules. I am different; my soul has been shattered and reformed. As for what this body is made of, only Moxuyou from the Demon Path would know. But I estimate it probably won't be registered anywhere. In short, what I mean is that it's better for me to handle Sister Tiger's troubles."
Xing Ruyi said this while nervously rubbing her hands together, her eyes filled with an indescribable excitement.
"Yin Chensi, does this count as a prison break or a rescue from the Execution Ground?"
"Regardless of what it is, I will protect you and keep you safe," the fox replied with a faint smile, habitually scratching Xing Ruyi's nose. "There are always places where rules do not apply. Demons should not disrupt the world, but there is no rule stating that demons cannot protect their wives. Besides, when has my Azure Wind Nine-Tailed Clan ever truly followed these so-called rules?"
"That's true," Xing Ruyi sighed lightly and pinched the fox's nose in return. "In all the stories I've read, none of the foxes were portrayed positively. Of course, the most important thing is that we are husband and wife; we share blessings and bear misfortunes together. When a couple is united in heart, what do those ridiculous rules matter?"
Xing Ruyi laughed first and then pulled the fox to give a high five. The fox smiled helplessly as well. Even Sister Tiger, who was standing aside with her mind still occupied with matters at hand, couldn't help but smile.
After a simple lunch, Xing Ruyi accompanied the fox to Yamen with Sister Tiger and Tiger Child.
Sister Tiger's appearance with her child naturally caused quite a stir. The County Magistrate hurriedly had Sister Tiger's husband brought into the courtroom along with an iron cage. Upon seeing each other again, one had tears in her eyes and wanted to speak but hesitated; the other wanted to say something but looked panicked.
The County Magistrate observed from his seat and felt that the atmosphere in the courtroom was strangely peculiar.
"Liu Ming, take a good look; is this woman holding a child your wife? Is that child in her arms your biological son?"
The man in the iron cage trembled slightly upon hearing this. He cautiously raised his eyes to glance at Sister Tiger and then nodded: "Yes! She is my wife."
"And what about the child she is holding?"
The County Magistrate asked again. Liu Ming reluctantly lifted his head once more, stretching his neck to take a glance into Sister Tiger's arms. Due to the distance, he could only vaguely see a mass of black hair and what seemed to be white skin beneath it, but he couldn't be sure what exactly Sister Tiger was holding. He shrank back, pressing himself tightly against a corner of the iron cage.
"Old... Qing Master, she..."
Seeing Liu Ming about to point at her, Sister Tiger suddenly felt a wave of unease. She wouldn't allow Liu Ming to finish that sentence and rushed forward with the child in her arms.
"Husband, look at Tiger Child, look at our baby. He is not what you think he is. He looks so much like you, really, truly like you. Sister Tiger begs you, just take a look at him, okay? Since he was born, he has never seen his father. Husband, you can despise me, you can fear me, you can abandon me, but Tiger Child is your own son. Sister Tiger only asks you... just ask you to look at him carefully. At least... at least let him see his father and leave a little impression."
"He is not a monster?"
Liu Ming lay on the ground, cautiously lifting his head and asking in a low voice. His voice was so soft that even Sister Tiger had to strain to hear him.
"He is not a monster; he is your son. If I gave birth to a boy, I would name him Tiger Child. Look at him; he resembles you very much, with a cute tiger-like face." Sister Tiger said repeatedly, looking at Liu Ming with infinite pleading in her eyes. She couldn't understand why the once spirited and carefree man had become so timid—was it just because she was not an ordinary human like him?
"Husband, Sister Tiger has never harmed you, right?" Sister Tiger held back her tears and bit her lip hard: "Don't worry! From today onwards, Sister Tiger will no longer appear. You can live your life well and... find someone you like and have children you love. But Tiger Child is also your child; surely you wouldn't want to go through life without knowing what he looks like? Husband, consider this a request from Sister Tiger; for the sake of our past feelings, just take a look—just one look. After this glance, it will mark the end of our bond as husband and wife as well as your relationship with him as father and son."
Sister Tiger then gently pushed the child forward in her arms and lifted a corner of the blanket covering him. The sudden chill startled Tiger Child from his sweet dreams; he kicked his strong little legs and began to wail loudly in the courtroom.
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