She placed the wand within her hands tightly and waited. She was moderately nervous as well. She wasn't sure if this crystal wand of his could distinguish her supernatural powers or not, but she needed to play along. She studied the rod and antic.i.p.ated for the general's reaction.

A moment pa.s.sed before she heard a masked sigh of sadness come from beside her.

Hongyue dropped her head with a smirk.

Guess not then.

Hongyue looked up and beamed brightly, "Father. Do I have powers?"

General Wei stared at her casually and pretended to comfort her for her loss.

Good.

She didn't have powers.

His mind was already turning in a circle. He was in doubt himself. In truth, he and Lan'er had previously discussed this in detail last night. After Lan'er told him she was only protecting Hongyue because she feared the emperor would go after him if she died, General Wei was touched. However, his paranoia got the best of him, and he sent her away for more 'training.' In truth he wanted to see if the perpetrator was Lan'er, he had been worried she would take revenge for her mother.

After she was sent away, he had thrown what she said about second and fourth madam to the back of his mind. They were merely women and inferior to his intelligence. It never crossed his mind they might have been spies. He brushed it off as jealousy and carelessness. He didn't mind it as he didn't care for Hongyue; she could die for all he truly cared.

However, last night he had discovered that a lot of his men were killed off by a higher power he had never known about. All the killing moves were targeting the heart and nothing like he ever learned. Not to mention that the spy he sent to check up on the doctor had gone missing. Not even his corpse could be found. When the doctor was taken in to be questioned, the man was very muddled-head and gave him a simple answer that he never saw anyone yesterday. With all the strange occurrences, the general was very on edge.

Now he was entirely sure there was more than just one spy coming after his life.

He had been making up the stories about spies to cover up his wrongdoings, but who knew there indeed was real rats inside his manor.

When the servant of the fourth madam called him over and described the news of Hongyue killing someone, he had been very excited. He has never seen Hongyue be violent at all before and if she were able to kill someone with her weak body, that would mean she was behind everything. If she has the power to kill someone while poisoned, then she was a deeply hidden tiger.

Good, he underestimated her just like her mother.

If the problem lied in Hongyue, he could very quickly take her out and get the issue over with. So he promptly sped over in time to see it wasn't at all what he had been told. Instead, the person he trusted seemed to have plotted a murder against him this scheme, and the stupid trash was the one who protected him in the time of danger. The very thought of someone being able to kill him inside his own home scared him to the core. The concubines of his manors were all very carefully picked, so he was shaken to see the fourth madam betray him. But not only her, third madam too.

Out of all his concubines, it could be said he trusted the fourth madam the most because she bore no children so there would be no point of her scheming for power. She was also the most careful one who never gave him any troubles.

Unless.

Unless...she had been faking it the whole time to get him to lower his guard and kill him! Had the third madam been doing the same thing?!! Why?!!

His eyes turned colder at the thought of it, but he couldn't refute it. It seemed to stand out like a fact. His heart chilled. There were too many untrustful people in his men, and his concubines were like hidden agents all out for his life. He couldn't trust anyone. What was the truth?

What were the lies?

Who was even on his side?

Or were they all out to kill him?

He stumbled back as his mind went crazy from the stress.

Hongyue's lip drew up in an evil arc.

Ah~

It won't be long until he breaks.

"Father?" She softly murmured, reaching out for his hand.

General Wei broke out of his spell. He looked at her with softened eyes. Yes, this stupid child saved him at the last minute. Not only that, he did disguise a fatherly figure to her for years. She was foolish and easily controllable. It was possible she was loyal to him. His eyes floated to her wound, and he coughed in distress, his eyes held a tinge of guilt.

Hongyue wanted to laugh.

She could read his changing emotions like a book.

Her eyes glowed as he ordered for servants to get the doctor for her.

More.

Fall in more.

That way you'll destroy yourself and all that is around you. I wouldn't have even to lift a finger.